CHAPTER 29:  MAKHPIL

	Shimbekh was as anxious as any new bride to present her love with 
a child, someone that would be theirs to love and nurture.  But she had 
one problem--Brin'bi was dead.  In fact, she was faced with the 
embarrasing complication of registering her marriage with the Roh'mach 
and one other witness.
	Amarakh did not understand Shimbekh's powers, but she did 
appreciate them.  And anxious to have her young friend happy, she did 
not require any proof of their relationship, even the simple step of 
speaking with Brin'bi.  Kambra was her other witness, and like Amarakh, 
she promised to keep the marriage a secret from the others.
	Officially married, she set about the task of having a child.  
Having a surrogate okhim was out of the question--she wanted to keep 
herself pure for her husband.  So the only other way was adoption.
	There were certainly enough pups to choose from who wandered the 
stars, and she did consider giving her heart to one.  But she wanted at 
least one warm body to lay beside her in the night, one who would grow 
and present her with grandchildren someday.
	Ber'meer, a distant cousin, had married the daughter of a seer, 
and his daughter Makhpil showed an emergence of strong psychic powers.
	Ber'meer had often given hints to Shimbekh of his desperate 
attempts to raise Makhpil.  The stress of raising her was beginning to 
erode his marriage.  Though it would be a challenge, Shimbekh liked 
Makhpil, and wanted to give her the home life she needed to grow into a 
secure and happy adult.  It was either that or giving her up to the 
priestly caste for training.  So Ber'meer was absolutely delighted when 
Shimbekh made him an offer.  "Frankly, she scares me.  I think she feels 
it, and she rebels against our authority all the time.  Pardon my 
honesty, but I'm afraid she's going to be another Gur'mekh"
	When Makhpil was weaned, she went to live with Shimbekh.  She was 
told that it was an extended visit, in the hopes that she would grow 
fond of her new parents before the adoption became final.
	Makhpil was sad for perhaps a day.  But once she peered deeply 
into Shimbekh's eyes, she felt the spell of Shimbekh's love.  Like 
Gur'mekh, she was irrestistably drawn to her, drunken with a love she 
had not felt before.  
	Unlike most of the hyenas, Makhpil could easily spot Brin'bi whom 
she called Okhim from the beginning, and she quickly began calling him 
Maleh.
	Shimbekh and Brin'bi did not treat her like a freak, but instead 
wrapped her in a warm, soft blanket of unconditional love.  Under their 
encouragement, she quickly stopped her tantrums, blossoming into a 
vibrant young lady who was polite and anxious to please.
	Makhpil showed every sign of being delighted with Shimbekh and 
Brin'bi, but after one week, she began to look very sad.  She would not 
admit to it, much less discuss it, but she sank into a depression.  
Finally, Shimbekh saw her huddled in a corner of the den they had dug 
her, sobbing.  There was no denying it then.
	"Are you homesick, hon?"
	"No!"  She continued to sob.
	"Well, what's wrong?"
	"You're going to send me back!  I don't want to go home!  They 
don't love me--they're scared of me!"
	"Oh but they do love you.  You frighten them, but you're their 
little girl and they'll always love you."
	"But not the way you do."  Makhpil sniffed, wiping her eyes with a 
paw.  "I like it better here, Muti."
	Shimbekh shuddered.  "Darling, you called me Muti!"
	"I'm sorry."
	"I'm not!"  She fondled her with her paw.  "Honey tree, how would 
you like to be my daughter and live with your Maleh Brin'bi and I?"
	Makhpil's tail began to wag so strongly that her hips shook from 
side to side.  She jumped up and kissed Shimbekh over and over until she 
had to laugh.  "OK, I take it that means yes?"
	Shimbekh now had a family, and though she missed the traditional 
closeness a wife would have to her husband, she adored Brin'bi all the 
more for coming to her unhappy world to keep her company.  In the hard 
times ahead, he was a great comfort to her, as was Makhpil.  Shimbekh 
saw in her what she once was, blithe, innocent and fresh.


CHAPTER 30:  A CHILL WIND

	Lenti tried to raise the children as best she could.  When she 
would leave to go hunting, Krull was left in charge of his sisters.  He 
learned at an early age to take on large responsibilities, something 
that would come into play when he became Roh'mach.  He didn't know it, 
but very soon he would have all the responsibility he could handle.
	The pups were upset.  "Muti is never this late!" Tela squeeled.  
"I want my Muti!"
	"She'll be home soon," Krull said.  It's way past mid-moon now."
	"How do you know she's coming back?" En'geer said quietly.  "How 
do you know?"
	"Because she loves us.  She would find some way to come back, no 
matter what."  He closed his eyes and quietly whispered, "Please God, 
let her come back!"
	Time seemed to drag by.  Krull did not want to admit it, but he 
was on the verge of tears himself.  But he could not cry--he had to be 
strong.  Still, he closed his eyes tightly and silently murmered, 
"Roh'kash ne nabu!  Koh'pim ket ra mispa ojkhim!  Muti ne gris...."
	As if in answer to his prayer, he heard a stirring in the grass.  
But there was also a low moan.  Running out of the den, he saw his okash 
limping, holding up one of her front paws.  There was a large kick wound 
on her shoulder, and a trickle of blood stained the length of her 
forearm.
	"Muti!  What's wrong??"
	"Everything's going to be fine.  It's nothing."
	The pups piled out of the den and began to mob her.  She had no 
lack of help cleaning her wound, and three different offers for support 
in case she could not make it to the den.
	"I've come half a mile like this.  I think I can make it."
	Despite her confidence, she was stiff and ambled very slowly and 
painfully into the comfort of the burrow, where she collapsed exhausted.
	She did her best to keep the wound clean, but it became infected 
and before long she could barely put weight on it.
	Three nights in a row she went out hunting.  Each time, she came 
back late and exhausted.  And she never caught anything.  Finally, she 
stopped trying to hunt and gave in to her growing weakness after she 
collapsed on the trail and had to be helped home.
	Ber tried hard to gather enough food for her and the growing 
children.  He began to grow a little gaunt, for he would eat very little 
and save most of his kills for them.  Lenti could not afford false 
pride.  She accepted the food gratefully, kissing Ber and gradually 
going from calling him Okhim to calling him Maleh.
	A week passed.  The rest had done her no good at all.  In fact, 
she was getting steadily worse.  When Ber brought her the leg from a 
gazelle, she was almost too weak to take a bite.  She pawed his face and 
said, "You're so good to me.  I love you, Maleh."
	"I love you too.  You must get well, you must!"  He nuzzled her 
gently.  "Lenti, pray about it.  Pray as you've never prayed before.  
And you'll know that somewhere I'm praying with you."
	After Ber left, Krull began pulling strips of meat from the 
carcass, mincing them in his teeth, and bringing them to his okash.  
He'd been doing that for a while now, for she was too weak to feed 
herself.  Lenti pawed him and in a faint whisper said, "My special 
little boy!"
	Unable to contain himself any longer, Krull burst into tears.  
"Muti!  Muti!" he sobbed. "You got to get well again!  You just GOT to!"
	"Honey, I'll try my best."  She shivered violently.  "So cold!  
I'm so cold!"
	It was very hot, actually, but her children knew the routine, and 
came and piled on her, their warm bodies giving her comfort.  She began 
to relax.  "Such good children.  Someday I'll make this up to you, I 
promise!"
	She fell into a deep sleep, snoring loudly.  Then shortly after 
mid-sun, she fell silent.  Completely silent.  Krull noticed he could 
not feel her chest rise and fall, and he tried to wake her.
	"Muti!  Wake up, Muti!  Wake up!"  He began to sob.  "Muti, wake 
up!!  Please!!  Mutiii!!"
	She was dead, and through the long afternoon and into the quiet 
evening they huddled in the darkness of the den next to her slowly 
cooling body.
	Finally Ber came by with a rabbit.  "Food!  Come on out, you 
little rascals!"
	Rather than pouncing on the food, they all came and huddled around 
him, sobbing.  He kissed them, then went into the den where he found her 
body.  "Oh, Lenti!"  He bent down and kissed her cheek.  "Find my son.  
Find peace.  Find Roh'kash.  Your suffering is over, and now mine can't 
get any worse."
	Ber and Sildresh opened their hearts to the children, digging a 
new den for them.  The old den was filled in around Lenti.  Ber could 
not bear for her beauty to be disfigured by scavengers.
	"I hope this is the end of the tragedy," Ber said, smoothing the 
dirt evenly where the entrance used to be.
	But it was only the end of the beginning....


CHAPTER 31: TAKA'S WOES

	"I'm coming of age, the time when a lion goes out into The Big 
World to make his fortune," Taka told Sarabi.  "Other than food and 
water, I have one need.  Love, Sassie.  Right now, Mom and Dad still 
love me.  Maybe not as much as Muffy, but they do.  And you love me, 
don't you?"
	"Yes!  How many times do I have to tell you??"
	"Once," Taka said.  "It's time we stated our intentions.  I want 
you."
	"We are not of age.  Not in their eyes at least.  It is corban.  
They would never agree to this."
	"Then don't ask them to.  If you will always love me, pledge to 
me.  I won't ask more until you come to me of your own free will.  But 
we'll go away together.  We'll leave tonight at high moon."
	Sarabi was taken aback.  "I'm honored, really.  But how are you so 
sure you will want me as your lioness?  I mean we're friends, but do you 
really know what you want?"
	He reached out with a paw and fondled her strong, shapely form.  
"Our love could move Heaven and Earth.  It would spread like ripples in 
a pond, growing, spreading, deepening.  You know I want you.  When you 
look at me, when you touch me, I want you.  Sarabi, look at me.  You 
know I want you."
	"I believe you."  She looked away.  "You will be Prince Consort.  
It is foolish to go away when you are wanted here.  It is safe here--out 
there in The Big World it is so uncertain.  We have to think about our 
children."
	"There is only one certainty I want," Taka said.  "Before the 
gods, before the stars, before the assembled host I swear to give you my 
protection, my love, and my comfort forever."  He waited for her reply.  
"Come on, Sarabi.  Say it."
	She started to hold her paw out to touch his, but it trembled and 
she pulled back.
	Taka's head bowed.  "I understand.  You are only a small lioness 
in a big world.  How could you hope to fight destiny?"  In a tone of 
resignation, he slumped sadly and said, "It would be better for all of 
us if I left.  I want to be remembered with some kindness-maybe a little 
regret for what might have been.  And it might have been fine, Sassie."
	Taka headed for the river valley, a predator whose only prey was 
his own self.  Little did he know that he was also stalked by Melmokh 
the Makei.  Behind him trotted an ominous silent shadow without an 
owner.  Taka's self-pity fed the hungry spectre, and renewed his hopes 
of one day realizing his dream to enslave Pride Rock and those who dwell 
about it.
	Finally Taka stood on the edge of the river valley.  What lay 
before him, he was not sure.  Would there be peace at last?  Peace and 
rest from his struggles?
	Melmokh could not sit by and watch the show, though the moment was 
sweet to his great appetite.  He was ready to cast a spell on Taka, but 
Mano appeared, interposing himself between the two.  "You shall not have 
him."
	"Have him?  HIM?  I only plan to keep him from killing himself."
	Mano frowned.  "A kindly gesture?  From you?"
	"Watch me with your own eyes.  I will make him hungry, and I shall 
provide a meal for him."
	"I do not trust you."
	"While you are not trusting me, he's about to jump."
	Mano looked about in alarm to see Taka looking off the edge of the 
cliff.  He had to make a quick decision.  "Look, I'LL make him hungry.  
YOU hunt him some prey.  If this is one of your tricks, I will finish 
you the way I should have long ago."
	"Lord Aiheu, creator of the universe," Taka stammered, "I stand 
far from the rest, alone for I am dying.  Forgive the many hurts I have 
caused.  The night is coming when the breath you gave me will return to 
the heavens.  Gods, help me!  I'm afraid.  Let it be quick.  Aiheu 
abamami!"
	Before he could jump, he heard the death cry of a gazelle, and 
turned.  He could see a lone hyena panting, pulling the hide off a fresh 
kill.
	 "I have fulfilled my part of the bargain," Melmokh said.  "Now I 
will leave him to his meal as I have said.  You may follow me and see 
that I will not even speak to him till sunrise tomorrow."
	"I may do more than that," Mano grumbled.  "I have my own plans 
for him, so just you watch yourself!"
	Of course Melmokh did not promise that he would not talk with 
Fabana, and through her thoughts get a glimpse into the misery of Taka 
to figure out how to consolidate power and have some real say in the 
Pride Lands.  It did not however suffice to fill his whole ambition to 
become permanently manifested.  He was looking for ways to do that.

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