“But I’m old and ugly!”
"You, ugly? Maybe I have some herbs for your madness. Maybe it's not old age, it's the notions in that pretty head of yours!" He wrapped his arms around her neck. “Your beauty comes from within. Your body might age...but you're as beautiful as you were when I helped your mother give birth to you.”
"Do you really think so?"
He kissed her beneath each eye. "Honey Tree, I really know so. If you want to be beautiful, you should smile more often. When I see you cry, I bleed inside."
She touched him with her tongue. “I know you think I'm being foolish. But please help me. Please?" She frowned in her desperate impatience. "You must have something that can help me? Please?? Damn it, help me keep him. I live for that lion! Remember that I help you whenever I can, and I ask for so little in return.”
He sighed, seeing that she didn’t listen to what he said. “Fine. Give me a moment and I’ll see what I can do.”
With that, he hopped back into his tree. Leaves rustled around as he moved about and a few minutes later, he appeared back on the ground with a gourd of liquid. Without saying a word, he started to work the fragrant mixture into her fur.
She winced as the strong floral smell hit her nose. “Are you sure this will help?”
He smiled. “Of course I’m sure. I was wearing this when I met my mate. It contains musk from antelopes. That's why it's so hard to come by, and so effective."
"Hard to come by?"
He smiled, holding up her paw and pressing the claws out. "Hard if you're a monkey!" He kissed her paw and sat it down. "Your husband will love it.” He finished rubbing her down and hugged her once more. “Now go be with him, and remember that he will always love you.” He nuzzled her. “And dearie, look for sources of stress in your life. Get rid of those things, and those you can't, learn to accept. You'll sleep better and feel better if you do.”
She nodded and smiled, “I will try...thank you.”
He patted her on her rump, “Now go on, and let an old monkey sleep!”
So the fragrance was hard to get because the poor little monkey had to scavenge carcasses? If that’s what it took, Ujuzi would work out a beneficial relationship with him. All the antelope musk he could ever want--pounds and pounds of it if she had to pluck whatever part it was found in herself and carry it to the baobab! In return, she would be the sexiest and most exciting streak of golden sunshine that ever lit the pride lands! “Who knows, with time I may even grow to like that smell!”
She went back to the pride kopje with a mincing, happy trot and with a sultry purr drew alongside Mabongo. She rubbed him and batted him with her tail alluringly.
“Hello, handsome!”
He looked about, then stared at her. “Who, me??”
She purred again. “Who else!” She nuzzled him and said, “Bobo, do you notice anything different about me?”
He sniffed and grimaced. "Yeah. But don't worry. Whatever it is will wear off soon enough."
“Well, I....”
“What were you into, anyway? I can’t tell if it was flowers or--ugh--antelope!”
Ujuzi stared at him, unable to speak. Her chin trembled.
“Did you want to wrestle again? I’m sorry--you’re just not being very clear, old girl.”
She took a step back.
“Come on, Honey Tree? Give me a hint?”
Ujuzi turned and ran off.
Mabongo looked at his daughter. "Well, what's gotten into her??"
Wehu said, “I think she was trying to impress you.”
“With what?? Maybe I should go after her.”
“I wouldn’t,” Wehu said. “Give her a moment alone, then I’ll go see her.”
Ujuzi went alone to hide among the reeds and she cried and clawed the grass till it left a bare spot, then sobbed in the bare earth. "I'm old! I'm losing him! Oh gods, help me!" Then she says, "Damn Elanna! Damn her to hell! And I'm just the person to send her there personally!!!" Remembers the shaman's innocent words. "You need to get rid of what is worrying you." She says, "I will!"
CHAPTER: CROSS WORDS
When Ujuzi had regained her composure, she went back to the others and began to start her campaign to drive off Elanna in earnest. But how could she do it without getting her husband mad at her? She decided to find something...anything...wrong with Elanna and exploit it to its full potential. She saw one of the cubs at play and approached him with a smile. “Asuri, you like your Aunt Lannie a lot, don’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Ujuzi smiled. “She’s very pretty and very smart. I bet she tells great stories.”
“Oh yeah! There’s this really neat one about two brothers. They get into this fight over a....”
“I don’t want to know,” Ujuzi said quickly but gently. “I want to hear that story someday, so don’t tell me how it turns out, all right?” She nuzzled him gently and began to groom him as she talked.
“Maybe you can tell me something. Does she ever leave you alone? I mean, does she ever go somewhere and maybe the King goes with her--you know, for a little while, maybe?”
Asuri purred at the grooming and looked up to her, “I’m not sure. Why don’t you ask them?”
The Queen held in her tart reply. “Honey Tree, I don’t want them to know I’m asking. I don’t even want your mother to know.”
“But Mom said it’s wrong to keep secrets like that.”
“It’s OK with me, because I’m the queen. Sometimes Kings and Queens need special favors. And I’m asking you a special favor as Queen because this is an important secret, and you are my special agent. A SECRET agent.”
Asuri gasped in amazement, “Gosh!”
“I’m planning a little surprise for your Aunt Lannie. But there are some things I need to know. Now think hard. Did you ever see her sneak off with my husband for a few minutes?”
He tilted his head from side to side. “Gee, they MIGHT have, but I’m not sure. I was taking a nap. But yes ma’am, I think so.”
Ujuzi’s ears went back and her jaw tightened.
“Are you all right, ma’am?”
“Yes, Honey Tree. I have this pain in my stomach, but it will be over soon.” She kissed him. “You keep your eyes and ears open. Remember, you’re my special little boy. Only a very clever lion can do this job.”
She let Azuri go and got up slowly, wandering off. Ujuzi’s stomach had indeed knotted up. She remembered that Elanna had never been in her receptive period since she came, so that little trip into the bushes could not have been THAT bad. Still, time and nature would correct that if she didn’t do something quickly. She had to go talk to him.
Mabongo was lying down, taking one of his many naps. His head came up when he saw his wife. He smiled to her, “See...I told you it would wear off.”
“Stuff it, my king...we have to talk about that...” She held back the word she wanted to use, “Elanna.”
He cocked his head a bit. “What about Elanna?”
She moved to look at him, eye to eye, “I don’t know what you two are up to...but damn it...I don’t like it. You spending all that time with her is beginning to make the lionesses gossip.”
He looked shocked. “You don’t think...love...I would never do anything like that to you. We spend so much time together because we are friends...nothing more. Most of the time we spend together is when you are on the hunt...and there is little company here other than her. Love...I would never do anything to hurt our marriage. It’s enough to do the right thing without worrying about appearances.”