There was a moment of initial hesitation, but a light seemed to come from Elanna’s face, one of such peace and joy that even the least perceptive of the lionesses saw it and was struck by it. A beautiful grin and a pat of her paw swept the cubs toward her in a wave of laughter.
The cubs mobbed her, biting at the tuft on her tail and tugging at her ears with soft giggling. Elanna grunted with pleasure, fondling their small bodies and anointing them with kisses. As the group huddled about her, a pair of eyes watched the pride from the covers of the grasses.
CHAPTER: FITTING IN
Kiesi was the first lioness to approach Elanna and make conversation. “I hope you’ll be happy with us. I was just noticing--I mean--my Aunt had a ubruki nose too. You’re very pretty.”
“So are you, Kiesi. You are, Kiesi, aren’t you?”
“Yes ma’am,” the lioness said shyly.
“You don’t have to ma’am me,” Elanna said, nuzzling her. “Just call me Lannie.” She looked at the two cubs that drew near to her and rubbed against her legs. “That goes for you too, Inwiena. Hello, Ibura.”
“I’m Ibura. She’s Inwiena.”
Elanna laughed prettily. “Give me time! I’ll get it right.”
Tetesi came up. “Honey Tree, I hope you know star lore. I’ve run out of stories.”
“I love star stories,” Elanna said. “Meholo and Darzee, the Brothers of Marabo, the Seventh Trail....”
“Oh thank the gods! I’m telling you, Hon, you just might know enough to keep Asuri busy for a week. I warn you, he’s like dry earth--he’ll soak up whatever you give him and come back for more. And always ‘why.’ Why this and why that!”
“I’m so glad!” Elanna could tell by the shy grin which one was Asuri and she nuzzled him warmly till he giggled. “We’re going to get along just fine.”
Gamaiusi, an adolescent lioness, came up and said, “Star lore? Do you mind if I listen in too?”
“Sure, Honey Tree! Your mother is welcome too.”
Wehu smiled broadly. “I’ll take you up on that. But we’ll also cover the lands too. You need to learn this place if you’re ever going to hunt here.”
Elanna smiled broadly. “Yes, I’d like that. You’ve been so accommodating.”
“Dad really likes you, I can tell.”
“He’s a dear old thing.”
Wehu laughed. “You add a touch of elegance to our pride. You know, I love mother to death but sometimes she can be so....”
“Wehu!” Ujuzi shouted, “hike your buns over here and help me drag this carcass! We have a visitor!”
Wehu smiled and nodded in the direction of her mother. “That’s my mom, all right.”
Wehu and Ujuzi pulled in a large wildebeest carcass. The lionesses came around with their cubs by their side and began to tear at the flesh. Elanna came over and tried to nose in.
Elanna discovered to her great surprise that the other lionesses gave way before her and offered her the deference they paid the queen herself. The look in Ujuzi’s face was not exactly angry but it was not approving either.
“You know,” Ujuzi said, her mouth full of meat, “I think wildebeest is good for one’s constitution. I mean it stimulates one’s enduring if properly mitigated with other circumstances.”
Elanna looked up quizzically. Wehu’s face was pained.
“I’m so glad you invited me in,” Elanna said.
“My husband invited you in,” Ujuzi said.
“Still, now that I’m here, I think we can be real friends. You have a delightful daughter.”
Ujuzi pulled off another large hunk of meat and minced it. In words clogged with meat and humors, she said, “That Wehu’s a good’un. Just like her Poppa. Yes ma’am, a real first class act.”
The next few days for Elanna were touch and go for her. She seemed to be accepted by most of the members of the pride. Even the cubs had come to call her ‘Auntie Lannie’. The cubs flocking around her made her very happy. For the first time, she felt that she could play or tell stories to the young ones without getting bad looks from their mothers. Even Darky, although a young lioness, would often stop and listen to her musings.
Most of the lionesses were very kind and trusting to her, especially Wehu. Wehu had been taking her off to the side during the day and showing her the lands, often to the sighs of the cubs that were gathered around her. Slowly, Elanna felt that she was learning the skills she would need to hunt in the group again. She had enjoyed spending the hunting time with the cubs, getting to know them better, but she was anxious to get in some hunts.
CHAPTER: THE SIGNAL
Elanna finally got her chance to hunt with her new pride. Memories came flooding back to her of the few good hunts she’d had with her old pride. There was a time she had enjoyed the title of lioness while her sister the queen reveled in Mufasa’s love, and poor Simba enjoyed the ignorance of youth. Sarabi, lithe and lovely would stride through the golden grass beside her as Uzuri forged a path across the trackless savanna. For the longest time it had seemed like a distant dream rather than a memory. Now it was clear and sharp once more.
The group closed in on some gazelles that were grazing in a clearing. Elanna’s pulses pounded, and her breath came and went in restless tides. She felt so alive, so aware! The moment of fate was approaching, and her prey would either live or die.
Then Elanna saw what looked like the signal to cut off escape and she joyously lunged forward. Behind her came shouts of, “No! Stop!”
But surely she had read a tail wave from the hunt mistress! Could it mean something different here? The realization made her stomach knot tightly. Rather than cutting off escape, her gaffe only spooked the gazelles who ran like an opening blossom of tan across the grassland.
The lionesses looked upset at her move...but understanding as it was her first hunt with the new pride. It wasn’t until she heard the queen yell, “Damn,” Did she feel the blood rush to her face in embarrassment of her move.
The lionesses of the pride came up to her and nuzzled her gently, each telling her that it was all right. Wehu was embarrassed. “I should have gone over our signals with you. I’m so sorry!”
“It’s my fault, Wehu. I should have asked.”
Elanna understood, though, that she would be cub-setting again for a while. The queen went up to her and scowled, “Damn honey...I know you are new here, but that was downright stupid of you to go charging in on the alert signal.”
“But Ujuzi, ma’am, in our old pride that was the signal for cut off escape....”
The Queen just snorted at her. “Maybe it still does. You’d be of some use there.”
“Please, Ujuzi, forgive me! It was an innocent mistake, I swear! I’m a good huntress--really I am!”
“Well dearie, why don’t you go over your signals while you cub set for a while longer. And remember Hon, you will be sitting the cubs...NOT my husband.” The lionesses looked with shock at the queen as she disappeared over the ridge.
Wehu sighed and gave chase to her mother. Finally catching up with her, “Mother! Please! Give her more chance! She is almost having to learn to hunt again. It isn’t easy for her, and besides, what she did wasn’t any worse than that miss you made with the wildebeest.”
“Damn it, that wasn’t the same! Not at all!”
“Whatever you say, Mom.” She looked at her with a sigh. “And could you PLEASE tone down your language a bit?”
Ujuzi turned quickly, her eyes full of rage. “What...am I not good enough for the little princess now? I will not sit here and suckle that overgrown cub, while we grow thin enough to catch gophers in their holes. Not only do we have another mouth to feed in the pride...but here she goes and ruins our hunt so we have NO food. If she doesn’t start getting her butt in gear, dear...I’ll throw her out on hers...understand? My responsibilities is to this pride...not to some deposed queen that has fallen on some bad times.” With that, she walked away, leaving Wehu in shock.