Daniel squinted, following his son’s gaze. For a fleeting second, his chest tightened. But when Noah whispered, “Do you think King is having a baby?” Daniel ruffled his hair and forced a chuckle. “No, champ. Male lions can’t have babies. It’s something else.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes.
The lump didn’t go unnoticed for long. By the end of the week, murmurs rippled through the keepers’ ranks. Noah overheard snatches of conversation as he and his father lingered near the railing—words like “swollen,” “growth,” and “obstruction” carried on hushed voices.