“Soon, my love. Soon.” She pillowed her head on his soft mane and closed her eyes.
“What? No end to the story?”
“Mmmmm,” she grunted, snuggling closer. “N’ga died fighting a pack of wild dogs. His brother had been napping, and when he found the body and grieved to death, thus fulfilling the vow.” She added, “Love can make you do strange things. I never heard about N’ga or Sufa ever taking a mate or having cubs. Maybe N’ga was all he had.”
In a moment, Ugas raised his head suddenly, dumping Uzuri to the ground with a thump. “We have to get one thing straight, my dear. I’ll be very disappointed if you don’t marry again.”
“What??”
“When I’m gone, I expect you to follow your heart. You’re very beautiful, and you’re also very young. I wouldn’t blame any lion for wanting you, and I wouldn’t be jealous, as long as he treated you well. But God help him if he mistreats you! You tell him I’ll be watching him very closely.”
“I don’t want to think about that.”
“Neither do I. I’m not greedy--I don’t want to live twice, for God has been good to me over this lifetime and I’m ready to see Aiheu face to face. But I don’t want you to be left alone, and I certainly don’t want you to die young. No, I want you to hunt your game and watch the sunrise. I want you to get as much out of life as I have. And I’d be grateful--truly grateful--to anyone who helps you do that. You must not grieve too much for me. Try to remember the good times we had--let them be happy memories.”
“Well, I’m glad you told me that. Fact is, there’s a rogue lion to the north. He’s handsome, young, and Isha tells me he’s quite an accomplished lover.”
“Hey, wait for my body to cool off, for God’s sake!”
Uzuri laughed and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad you’re not the jealous type.” She rolled over, draped her paws over his chest and rubbed his soft mane. Drawing near to his face with hers, she whispered, “Beloved.”
He reached up with a paw and gently rubbed her cheek. “I love you, Uzuri. Oh gods, girl, I wish I could see your face every morning. You could make my days begin!”
THE ANOINTMENT
Brother Sun comes to greet the morning;
N’gonyama, oh, incosi, oh!
Brother Moon better heed his warning;
N’gonyama, oh, incosi, oh!
Wake up, wake up, you sleeping beauties!
N’gonyama, oh, incosi, oh!
Time to see to your daily duties!
N’gonyama, oh, incosi, oh!
The time for Tanabi’s presentation was drawing close, and feverish preparations were being made. Everything had to run smoothly and well, for this would be the first formal presentation since Simba was held up. The land had returned from a long sleep to wakeful fertility and prosperity, and this ceremony would be an acknowledgment of the King’s gratefulness to God and of his duty to his subjects.
Zazu excitedly went about the Kingdom spreading the happy news--Aiheu’s light would be seen anointing the brow of the new prince! Lisani wondered about the goings on, and asked Isha to tell her about the presentation and what was so special about it.
“This is one time I defer to Rafiki, my dear. He presented Simba, and before him Makedde presented Mufasa. I think Busara did it before him, but that was a long time ago.”
Lisani was a curious cub, and she went to find the old mandrill who was busy making preparations.
“Rafiki?”
“Miss Priss??” Rafiki came and embraced her. “It’s so good to see you, my dear! So much work for this old monkey, and so little time! I need a break, and you are it.”
Lisani purred and rubbed against Rafiki. “Now I feel guilty. You don’t know what I came to ask you.”
“Something more to do??” Rafiki sighed. “What did I forget this time?”
“Nothing, I hope. I just wanted to know a little more about the presentation. I heard that it didn’t used to be done this way. Wasn’t Ahadi the first?”
“No. Zari was the first. And he was presented by a dear old friend named Busara. Busara was my mentor and he used to....” Rafiki cuffed himself in the cheek. “Now listen to me, starting in the middle of a tale! Those are the three things that begin to fail when you get to be my age. Your concentration, your memory, and...the third thing!”
Lisani laughed and touched his cheek with her tongue. “You crazy monkey! I’m sorry. You’re busy and I’ll come back later.”
“Oh no, Lissie! Talking about it isn’t my problem. Maybe it will help me to go over it again. Busara made it all look so easy.”
“What about Busara? Who was he?”
“Who was Busara??” He laughed. “I didn’t think there was a cub in this pride that hadn’t heard of him! When Queen Asumini was alive and her husband King Hatamu ruled the Pride Lands, Asumini went on a hunt and was badly injured near the village where I grew up. Busara was a young shaman in those days, and you must understand that he was old for a mandrill when I was very young to see how long ago that was. Busara won Asumini’s trust and treated her wound. Then he went and got a pair of lionesses to help him haul the queen back to Pride Rock. She was VERY grateful indeed, and Busara was very relieved.
“He got home, told a couple of folks what he was doing because he was gone all day and his friends were worried for him.
“Then the very next night our friend the leopardess decided to kill herself a young mandrill girl.”
She was scandalized. “I thought that was against the Peace of Asumini!”
“Whoa, you’re getting ahead of me. Who’s telling this story, anyhow?” Rafiki smiled and kissed Lisani. “The very next day the blood is seen and her toy is seen where the leopard dragged her off into the bush. A raving, grief stricken mother pointed at Busara and said, ‘See how they show their gratitude?? A curse on you, Busara! May you rot in hell!’
“Rafiki!”
“I didn’t make this up. I only reported it.” Rafiki nodded gravely. “Let’s just say some people were very upset. And from that moment Busara and his family were in great danger. Adults would threaten him and shun him, and some children threw rocks at him and his family.
“Grieving and feeling a little betrayed, Busara headed back to the Pride Lands. He humbled himself before the King and Queen. ‘Why, my lords, why have you cast me down before my people? Did I not unselfishly heal the wound on your shoulder, my queen? Even after you cut my hand?’
"’What is this you are saying?’ Asumini said. ’I am your friend. How have I cast you down before your people?’
"Busara said, ’Long have we hidden our village from the Pride. One day I helped the Queen and the very next night one of our children was killed. Tell me that it was a leopard and not one of your people!’ Busara fell to the ground and kissed Asumini's paw. ‘I do not regret that I saved your life. Even if you had killed half my village, I could not have let you die. But tell me it was not a lion that killed her!’
“‘I swear it was no lion,’ Asumini said. ‘I swear by Aiheu.’
“Busara wept. ‘I believe you, my lady. Only my people will not believe it. Let me bring my family to live here in safety.’
“King Hatamu stirred. ‘My lands are as yours, and safely shall you walk through them with your family. But for those who hold you to scorn, I will let you present my son Zari. Do this so all who breathe may see my love for you.’