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Submitted: February 20, 2012
Image Size: 605 KB
Resolution: 1500×857

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Sarabi's Dream 2by *LanieJ

Fan Art / Digital Art / Painting & Airbrushing / Movies & TV

"Mufasa's death... was a terrible tragedy... but to lose Simba, who had barely begun to live... For me, it is a deep, personal loss. So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne..." Air had never felt heavy until this moment. Until this moment, Sarabi had never known what pain truly was. The space where her heart should have been felt like an empty, dark chasm. She could not absorb anything; her mind was in a state of shock. The only two lions she truly loved above everything else were... gone. It couldn't be true. She couldn't wrap her mind around it. Why were her cheeks soaked with tears? Why was her head hanging and why were her shoulders shaking? She had no reason to be sad! They weren't gone! She refused to believe it, but there was nothing to deny. Mufasa and Simba were dead. The love of her life and their only child were gone, and they weren't coming back...

After hours and hours of tossing and turning in her den, Sarabi was beginning to get frustrated. She couldn't sleep. How on earth could she fall asleep with all these conflicting thoughts tearing her to pieces? She furiously shoved herself up onto all fours and marched (as quietly as one could march) out of the den. Once she was out of the sleeping lionesses' earshot, she ran. She had no destination, she just needed to run. She hoped that maybe, if she ran fast enough, she could break through this wall and leap back in to her former life; The life where she had a family. She wasn't sure how long she had been running, and her paws were beginning to get tired.
The sky was beginning to turn from deep blue to pale gray. Sarabi sighed and decided to rest in the grass for a moment before heading home. Home? She thought to herself. I have no home... I don't belong anywhere, now...
She sighed and rested her chin on her paws.
"Oh," she whispered gently, "What I wouldn't give to have them back... I would give anything..." She gazed up at the lightening sky, now beginning to take on orange and purple hues. Yesterday, she would have considered this beautiful...

Now, everything was gray in her eyes.

"Sarabi."
Sarabi gasped. That voice. She knew that voice as well as she knew her own.
"It can't be true..." she whispered, hesitantly turning her head to face the sound, and praying she wasn't imagining it.
"M-Mufasa! You're alive?" She croaked. Her sobs last night must have caused her to lose her voice, but there he was. Mufasa stood proudly, not a scratch on his body, and smiled warmly. Sarabi started to get up but he quickly stopped her.
"Lay down, my love. There's no need to get up." He spoke gently, but none of his authority was compromised in doing so. He leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers.
Sarabi felt tears stinging her eyes, and she pressed back, wanting nothing more than to stay like this forever. He was back. He was alive. She had never felt so happy in her entire life.
Mufasa raised his head and gazed in to Sarabi's eyes with a sense of urgency. Sarabi knew something wasn't right.
"I thought you were dead," she said quietly. Mufasa looked at the ground and sighed. He raised his eyes again to meet hers. All the warmth was still there, but something else was mixed in behind those eyes.

"Sarabi, I didn't get to say goodbye."
Sarabi's mouth fell open. She tried to speak, but her lips were trembling.
"We won't be together again for quite some time," he said softly, "But I wanted to make sure you knew... that no matter what happens, I will never leave you. I will always be here to protect you. You may not see me, but I will be watching over you. I promise." Sarabi couldn't look him in the eye. She was consumed with dry sobs. Her eyes had nothing left to cry.

"Please," she whispered, "Please.... d-don't... d-don't..."
"Shhhh, hush, now," Mufasa whispered. He pressed his forehead to hers again, and said "The sun is rising, Sarabi. My time here has come, and now has gone. I will always be here, Sarabi. Always. I love you."
Sarabi choked on her own words, "I love you, too." She continued to cry as his body faded in to nothing before her eyes.

Her eyes snapped open. The sky was dark outside the den. She groaned and looked down at the rock she was sleeping on. It had all been a dream, but it had felt so real. The sky began to turn a pale gray. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Sarabi smiled. Whether she could see them or not, she knew she wasn't alone.

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Remake of THIS lovely image:
I've been wanting to re-do this picture ever since I posted it! It's amazing how much I've improved in just 5 months!
I'm SO happy with how this turned out. The picture AND the story.

Aaaaand it's 4 am. I should probably get to bed. xD

Hope you guys like it!

Drawn with my handy-dandy mouse!

Feel free to comment, favorite and spread the love!

Image © DelanieJ
Mufasa and Sarabi © Disney

Critique by !Toklo123 May 3, 2013, 3:53:00 PM

I LOVE DIS!! I love TLK and i'm always sad when i watch the part where Mufasa dies. This is a perfect "what if" and the story really moved me! You are a really good TLK artist LanieJ and i look forward to seeing more like this! It's a really realistic drawing and it's VERY original. The technique looks like the real movie chars! When i saw this and read the story i actually CRIED (and i never cry XD) The background is just naturally amazing! And the lighting and shading fits in perfectly with this piece. Great job LanieJ!

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Critique by ~TheFantasticFurry2-0 Jan 30, 2013, 9:31:48 PM

The piece itself is astounding, but the short story in the description is beyond moving. The Lion King has always been my favorite Disney movie and I always felt Sarabi's character was criminally given the shaft. I mean my God, how on Earth could she have survived all those years without Simba? How could she stand to have to serve the man who she had to've known on some small level was responsible for her husband's death. You've made up for it right here and now. The graphic, raw grief you put into words pales next to any visual. In just a few short paragraphs, you gave Simba's mother's character a conclusion. Thank you :,) I'd love to see a sequal of her official reunion with Simba after Scar's death.

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*Canidaenoir Jun 5, 2013 New member Hobbyist Digital Artist

_{*crying all the tears*
I don't know whether you answer comments or not, and for the love of God, this doesn't deserve and answer I know, but you hit me right in the feels there. Jeez, another beautiful take on the after effects of Mufasas' death}

*LanieJ Jun 5, 2013 Hobbyist Digital Artist

I always answer comments, if I can!!

Sorry if I made ya cry.

I really love that this picture has gotten as much emotional response as it has!!! It's kinda crazy!

*Canidaenoir Jun 6, 2013 New member Hobbyist Digital Artist

_{I choked on what I was eating.
Sarabi is a seriously almost holy figure, the mother of calm, peace, and sass and she's one of the few characters I will root for. I support her all the way and there's something very symbolic behind both Mufasa and Sarabi for me, so this did almost make me cry.}

*LanieJ Jun 10, 2013 Hobbyist Digital Artist

I know EXACTLY what you mean. Her strength and wisdom was inspiring, almost!

~yasmin8632 Jun 2, 2013

I love this. It's beautiful.

Plus I love the lion King.

*LanieJ Jun 2, 2013 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Thank you!!

~jtgil Jun 2, 2013

So beautiful!

And sad too, knowing how it ended...

*LanieJ Jun 2, 2013 Hobbyist Digital Artist

I know... I wish he could just poof back to life.

~jtgil Jun 3, 2013

Yeah!

~jalenrobinson11 May 29, 2013 Filmographer

blues clues handy dandy note book, I loved the story it was so emotional you are a inspirationXD

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