“Aiheu, do not fail me now!” He released the pouch, watching as it shot through the air, a brilliant streak of light flashing to the peak....
It intersected the billowing cloud of darkness over Taka’s head and exploded in a shower of thunder.
Taka twisted as he flew through the air. Simba’s feet sank into his belly, driving the breath from him and sending him flying over the edge of the peak. Rafiki watched in horror as the lion’s form dropped through the air to dissappear in the rocks below.
“I am sorry, my boy,” he whispered. A cold drop splashed from his head, and he looked up, blinking in surprise. A second drop fell, then antother, faster, faster--soon he was deluged by the gentle caress of rain. Minshasa's voice rang in Rafiki's ear. "Let us make life!"
The old mandrill fell to his knees, hearing the hiss and sputter as the fires around him were quenched by the blessings of heaven. "Even so, old friend! I touch your face!"
CHAPTER 52: BUSA SIMBA IYO!
Sarabi truged slowly through the downpour, tears and rain blurring her vision to the point she was nearly blind. Blinking rapidly, she took a deep breath and fought to control herself. Her breath shuddered out of her as she rounded the foot of Pride Rock slowly, glimpsing the other lionesses at the base. A cream colored lioness looked up and brightened immediately.
"Sassie!" Sarafina rose and padded over to her, rubbing her cheek against Sarabi's. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Fini." Sarabi nuzzled her gently. "Where's Nala?"
Sarafina nodded over her shoulder. "Over there, resting. We're all waiting for Simba to come down." Her eyes glowed as she looked at her friend. "Gods, Sassie, did you see him in the fight? He looks beautiful!"
"I know." Sarabi's voice faltered, her eyes stinging suddenly. "Oh, Fini, my son lives! Praise Aiehu, he lives!"
Sarafina rubbed Sarabi's cheek with her own. "Look, there he is!" They turned to look up the slopes of Pride Rock. Simba emerged from the smoke and mist, moving slowly but surely to the bottom of the path where the rock met the ground. Sarabi, unable to bear it any longer, rose and went to him.
He looked at her and smiled uncertainly. "Mother?"
"Yes?"
"My nose hurts."
Sarabi laughed, her tears mixing with the rain as she looked at the scorched spot on his muzzle. "If that's all that's hurting you, you shuld count yourself lucky." She licked his face gently with her warm, moist tongue and nuzzled his wet mane. "Oh, my son, I love you so much."
Simba closed his eyes, shuddering. The words which he had thought he would never hear again since his father's death now rang in his ears. "I love you too, mother." He smiled at her. "I've missed you so much."
"And we, you." He turned to see Uzuri smiling at him, her eyes lidded in satisfaction. "I told you if you listened to me and ate right that you'd grow up to be big and strong like your father." She cocked an eyebrow and studied his lean, muscular form. "What have you been eating, anyway?"
"Don't ask." A warm shape brushed against him, and he turned back to see Nala standing before him. "Beloved," she purred, nuzzling him firmly.
He moved to respond, but they were interrupted by the dry rattle of a seed filled gourd. They all looked to see Rafiki perched atop a small outcropping. The tired old mandrill nodded at Simba and lifted his staff to point at the outthrust promontory of Pride Rock.
Simba felt a wave of fear ripple through him, followed by a tingle of excitement. Slowly, he moved away from his family to stand in front of Rafiki. The mandrill's brown eyes looked kindly into Simba's amber ones. He smiled and bowed deeply before the lion.
Simba felt a wave of warmth drive away the dampness of the rain. He lifted a massive forepaw and gently draped it over Rafiki's shoulder, drawing the mandrill to him in an embrace. Rafiki wrapped his arms around Simba's shoulders and held him for a moment, then drew away. He met the lion's gaze again and nodded.
"It is time."
Simba returned the nod and moved away. Placing a paw tentatively on the granite outcropping of the promontory, he began his ascent.
Below, the lionesses followed his progress in awe. "Gods forgive me," Isha said, "but I never thought I would live to see this day." Her voice broke, and she nuzzled her young cub Habusu, crying. "Look, Habu! There is your king!" Habu stared upward, neck craned back until it ached, jaw gaping in delight as he watched the magnificent lion above him.
Simba strode toward the end of the promontory, awash in such an array of emotion that it made him giddy. Reaching the end, he looked down upon the hopeful faces of the lionesses below staring up at him. Lifting his gaze skyward, he peered at the gray clouds overhead. The rain poured down on him, streaming into his ears and soaking his mane, but still he waited. Abruptly, a rift opened in the clouds overhead, and he saw the stars burning brightly overhead in the vault of Heaven. A voice filled his ears, numbing his mind as he recognized it as his father's.
"Remember..."
Simba stood at the tip of the promontory, suspended halfway between Heaven and Earth, floating on a wave of feeling so intense he could barely breathe. He felt each drop of rain as it struck him, the gentle breeze caressing his face, carrying upon it such a myriad of scents his head fairly exploded with them. Lifting his face again, he closed his eyes and roared, the sound filling his soul as if God Himself had touched him with thunder.
Below, Uzuri bellowed into the driving rain. "Behold, the King!" She answered Simba with her own roar, the other lionesses joining her. He returned it tenfold, the sound echoing off the kopjes and stones. It reached across the freshened plains to the mighty forests. At last, at long last, Mufasa's anointed was king.
Nala watched him descend, her eyes tracking his every move as he leapt gracefully to the ground. Pacing over, Simba stood in front of her, breathless, the steam rising from his body as the rain evaporated. As the lionesses looked on, he lifted his left forepaw and rested it upon Nala's shoulder, caressing it, feeling the muscles playing underneath the pads of his paw. She answered with a purr from deep in her chest. Looking up, she met his gaze, and their eyes locked. The light from the last of the rapidly dying fires gleamed in her eyes, the twin pools of emerald radiance holding him in an iron grip he had no wish to break. Simba took a deep breath and spoke.
"Before the gods, before the stars, before the assembled host I swear to give you my protection, my life, and my comfort, forever."
Nala trembled. "Till the last beat of my heart, to the last breath I sigh, our lives are one, so help me gods." She moved close to him and settled her head against his mane, purring.
Simba nuzzled her, oblivious to the pain in his scorched muzzle. "Until this day I have been but half a lion. You have made me whole."
Rafiki made the pilgrimage to the bottom of Pride Rock where Sarabi and Fabana sat watch over the body of Taka, washed in blood and rain. He knelt beside the body. With fumbling fingers, he reached into his pouch and removed a strip of jerky. Sarabi and Fabana watched silently as he produced a piece of Tiko root. He knelt by Taka’s face, its weary features relaxed at last, and laid the two objects by his muzzle. “I cannot breathe life into you now, my little boy!” He took Taka’s large paw between his hands and tears began to stream down his face, mixing with the silvery curtain of rain that drew itself around him.
CHAPTER 53: DIVERGENCE