Look at the Stars

I was watching Lion King with my friends and decided to draw, so here's the result.

I draw Masilahi and Ahadi together a lot, but it wasn't just them. Growing up, they had a very close group that also included the lioness Nyonda, whom Masilahi met when she was a rogue seeking out the Pride Lands, and the bird Zuzu, who saved Ahadi from his aunt Asili. I've never really drawn them just hanging out before, which is a shame, I should do it more often.

I really like how this came out. I'm especially proud of Ahadi and Masilahi just kind of chilling on the side there, looking really relaxed, and I'm even happy with how Nyonda's position turned out. Zuzu's alright. Probably the reason I don't draw these guys hanging out too much is because Zuzu's such a pain to draw. Birds are hard.

Ahadi should be fifteen in this picture, which makes Masilahi 19, a full adult, which is why she's bigger than him, and Nyonda I think is a year older than him? I'd have to check on that. Point is, she's adolescent too.

The lions watching over them are, from left to right; Eupe (Ahadi's birth mother), Kuapa (Ahadi's birth father), and Tamu (Masilahi's mother.) You might recognize Tamu from the first few chapters of QBtS, and Eupe from the prologue. Their ref sheets are also in my gallery. Kuapa's is too, but I changed up his design a bit here, namely the mane.

Eupe and Kuapa were killed in a skirmish with hyenas when Ahadi was just a baby, so he was taken in by the Royal Family of the Pride Lands. Eupe and Kuapa love him, and are still watching over him, though he isn't sure about it. He barely remembers them, but he's at odds with his adopted parents, so he's kind of looking up warily, wondering if they could possibly be watching over him. Tamu died in a rockslide when Masilahi was a cub, which is what prompted her to run away from her neglectful father. She knows her mother is watching over her, and though she misses her, she's happy in her new pride, away from her father.

The two bright stars together are Eupe and Kuapa, while the lone star near Eupe is Tamu.