Wow, this one is equally wonderful as the earlier one. I dont know but there is something about that lion's face sticking out. Too real i guess hehehe....
Funny how we all have things which appeal to us (yeah, I know, that's what makes the world go round ;-) Although the colours, tones, and softness in this shot are appealing, I find the b/w to be so much more interesting and effective.
I like both this and the b&w version, but I think this one is slightly more effective, as your PP has isolated the main feature from the wall texture, which I think really works. The colours are inviting, and the soft focus look really creates a good 'feel' to the overall effect of the image.
I perfer this color over the black and white...maybe try mixing the ethreal feel with the black and white. That would be really cool too. But I do like the softer feel of the color. Kudos to both photos though!