CHAPTER:  REBIRTH

	Until the final dark days of Taka's reign, most of facets of pride 
life continued to operate, but in a more subdued and somber manner.  
Cubs were born, Beesa died and was duly mourned, a lioness came of age 
and earned her annointment of blood and a lion was given his mantlement.
	Toward the end, however, there was not so much life as existence.  
Thoughts turned toward Aiheu and the life beyond the world of Ma'at.  
Before the futile mockery of a hunt that almost never succeeded, Yolanda 
would lead her pride sisters in prayer and nuzzle each of them 
tearfully, not knowing if they would all return safely.  One of them, a 
young female, broke ranks during the hunt and ran madly for the border 
screaming "Aiheu abamami!"  She was never seen or heard from again.
	Since that fateful escape, patrols of hyenas enforced a no-hunting 
zone near the borders, making it more difficult to abandon the crumbling 
kingdom when the borders and a new life were calling alluringly.
	And yet Nala did.  "If I don't come back by next moon, don't try 
leaving one by one.  Settle on one night and leave as a group.  Fight 
like fire and fly like the wind.  Let Taka and his hyenas rot together, 
but for God's sake go!"
	She was determined to get help.  Indeed, by the grace of Aiheu she 
received it.
	Simba's return infused the pride with new life and hope.  The 
hyenas were gone--at least the ones that supported Shenzi--and fairness 
returned to the conduct of life.  Without Taka's violent mood swings, 
Simba was a very accessible King, and day by day the pride sisters saw 
in him the marks of his father.  To say there was none of Ahadi in Taka 
would be unfair, but only Elanna's tenderness could look inside and see 
it within him.
	But there was no change overnight in the bleak landscape.  Animals 
that avoided the boundaries of the pride lands in their migrations now 
felt confident to walk across Simba's land rather than detour through 
Ugas' and Mabatu's kingdom.
	Getting them to stay was another matter.  One-who-brings-rain 
visited the land when the evil had been driven from it.  The fertilizing 
drops quenched the dying thirst of the land and wakened seeds long 
buried in the desolate soil.  Those sparks of new life realized the 
fulfillment of Aiheu's promise, and they ached for long overdue freedom, 
straining at their bonds and breaking free to push up new leaves for 
sunshine and fresh air.
	Within a few days, the brittle gray savanna began to show a green 
haze that tinted the bases of last year's burned grass.  And within a 
moon, the appointed time for the escape, lush grass was thriving on the 
nutrients in the ash strengthened soil.  Antelope and zebra came to 
graze on the verdant treasure.  Giraffes plucked new green shoots from 
the wakening acacias and rabbits began to clear out old burrows of their 
ash and mud.  And to the careful ear, the sound of singing birds broke 
the long silence with messages of hope and joy.
	The golden tide of rebirth was climaxed by Simba's roar from the 
promontory.  "Listen all of you!  Nala is with child!"


CHAPTER:  IT STARTS

	Togo and Kombi once thought all males were like Taka.  Simba's 
good natured sense of humor and gentleness made a deep impression on 
them.
	In particular, they watched the way he treated Nala, and the way 
she reacted to his attention.  They were curious about this sort of 
relationship which seemed to bring Simba so much happiness.
	Their mother nodded and smiled.  "That's the way I feel about your 
father.  Someday you'll have a wife and cubs, and you'll be that happy."
	That was probably the most she had ever told them about having a 
father, and she made no signs of elaborating on that statement.  But it 
did stoke their hopes somewhat.
	Isha thought she was in for another prank when Togo and Kombi 
showed up at her resting place.
	"What are you up to this time?" she asked, somewhat impatiently.
	"Nothing," Kombi said innocently.  It was when he looked like he 
was not up to anything that Isha suspected him most.
	"And why are you up to nothing by my spot?  Go do nothing 
somewhere else--I'd feel much safer."
	Undaunted, Kombi sat in front of her.  "It's like this.  You know 
how moms are.  They won't tell you any of the good stuff."
	"Oh?"  Isha's ears flicked forward.  "And what is the good stuff?"
	"Lionesses.  You know--lionesses."
	"Yeah, I know."  She folded her paws and the tip of her tail 
twitched.  "Do you want to be more specific?"
	Kombi looked at a loss.  He glanced over at Togo who looked 
equally nonplused.  "Just start talking and I'll tell you when you got 
it."
	Isha laughed.  "You mean...."  She drew close and whispered, 
"....lionesses?"
	"Yeah!"
	"Well, why didn't you say so in the first place!"  Isha spread her 
claws and groomed the end of her paw nonchalantly.  "That's a big topic, 
but I'll fill you in.  You see, there will come an age when you will be 
walking along big as the world and along will come this cute little 
lioness.  You'll stop in your tracks and stare at her, and even though 
you've seen her dozens of times before, she'll look different to you 
because you'll be looking with different eyes.  You'll think that she's 
special somehow, and you'll want her to think you're special too."
	Togo and Kombi watched her raptly, their full attention riveted by 
the topic.  "What happens then?" Togo asked.
	"You'll know when it happens to you.  It's nothing to be ashamed 
of or afraid of.  It's Aiheu's gift to you to fall in love with someone.  
If that someone loves you back, it's even more wonderful.  That's the 
kind of love that brings light out of the darkness."
	"Neat," Kombi said.  "When is it going to happen to me?"
	"That's one thing I can't tell you," Isha said.  "When you finish 
going through puberty, you'll understand."
	"Thanks," Togo said, rubbing against her.  "Has it ever happened 
to you?"
	"A few times," she said, smiling coyly.
	Armed with all the information they needed, the experts in love 
went on to other pursuits like playing tag and baiting a poor hedgehog 
to distraction.
	The hedgehog was protected by spines which hurt their paws.  They 
were not old enough to know to tip the unfortunate beast over and attack 
the underside, but they were old enough to age the hedgehog several 
years in a few moments.
	Finally the hedgehog darted into some reeds and skirted away.
	"Darn," Togo said.  "I was hoping we could keep it."
	"And what would you do with it?  Teach it tricks?"
	Just then, Vianga came slinking out of the grass with remarkable 
grace for a lioness in that long-legged age.  "Hi, Togo."  She smiled at 
Kombi and winked.  "Hello, hot stuff."
	"Uh, hi Vivi."
	She strutted past the two lions with a flip of her tail that 
brushed the tip of Kombi's nose.
	Togo watched the playful ballet of her shapely thighs as she 
headed on to the watering hole.  His mouth hung open.
	Kombi said, "It just happened."
	"What?"
	"I finished going through puberty."  He got up and padded after 
her.
	"Hey Kombi, wait for me!"


CHAPTER:  ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE AND WAR

	Togo lay glumly at the foot of Pride Rock, sprawled ungainly 
across one of the stones that lay tumbled at its base.  He stared 
bleakly at the trembling tips of the savanna grass and wondered if 
puberty was worth the agony he was going through.  Perhaps Rafiki had 
some obscure potion that would calm his jangled nerves and keep him from 
staring at HER.
	He groaned a put a paw over his face.  "Oh, Vianga!  Why won't you 
love me just a little?  Why won't you give me a chance?"
	By day he had fantasies of her sunning herself on a rock.  When he 
closed his eyes at night, her smiling face pursued him into the depths 
of feverish dreams from which he awoke from trembling and calling her 
name.  He couldn't pass her by without feeling his heart race.  He would 
want to gaze into her liquid amber eyes, nuzzle her cheek, rub against 
her side, and yes, place his paw on her left shoulder to make her his 
forever.  Only one thing separated him from his goal.
	Kombi.
	Togo's jaw clenched as he thought of his brother.  Kombi must have 
the favor of the gods, for every time Togo tried to impress her, Kombi 
would one-up him.
	Togo, who was not as dim as he seemed, was only painfully shy.  
When she was away, he would think of witty and charming things to say, 
but when she looked right at him--which she rarely did--all that would 
come out is, "Nice weather we're having."
	Togo had practiced for days at jumping the small creek that 
trickled into the water hole, soaking himself many times to the laughter 
of several animals.  He ignored that laughter and kept on trying, 
concentrating on balance, poise, and distance.  It would not do to land 
in the mud and splatter the girl of his dreams.  Early that morning, he 
had gotten the jump down pat, and he tried it several times, always 
landing with a whisper in the dry grass on the other side.
	Elated, he then padded off, seeking out Vianga and talking her 
into taking a walk with him.  The two paced down to the water, chatting 
idly, with Togo fighting down his irritation at Vianga's repeated 
wondering about the location of his brother.
	"Oh, he's probably wandering somewhere, playing cub games."  Togo 
smiled indulgently.  "You know how CHILDREN are."
	"I like children," Vianga said, bending down to sniff at the edge 
of the creek.  "I think they're cute."  Barely more than a cub herself, 
she nevertheless managed to throw a dazzling smile at Togo.  "I can't 
wait till I have cubs of my own."
	"Neither can I," he breathed.  His heart was pounding, and he was 
looking into those liquid hazel eyes.  It was all he could do to keep 
his left paw firmly on the ground.
	Then a tawny shape shot past, leaping into the air to land with a 
solid thud on the other side.  "Hey, Vivi!  What's up?"
	"Kombi!"  Vianga squealed delightedly.  "Wait for me!"  With a 
bound, she cleared the creek easily, landing silently next to him.  They 
paced off together, Kombi shooting a quick grin and a wink over his 
shoulder at Togo.
	"Hey!  Wait up guys!"  Togo gathered himself and leapt, watching 
the water flicker by underneath him, the sunlight dazzling off it's 
surface in a starburst of light, the far bank coming closer...and rising 
much too rapidly...
	"Uh-oh," Togo muttered.  He closed his eyes, wincing as he hit the 
water, the cold driving the air from him with a burbling gasp.  Sodden 
and covered with mud, he dragged himself off, the soft giggles of 
Vianga's laughter driving thorns into his heart.  He stormed home and 
he'd been sitting on that rock ever since.
	Togo stared at the trembling grass and sighed again.  No doubt 
about it--love was a cruel trickster that played by its own rules.
	"Hey, Togo."
	His hackles rose as he heard the voice.  HER voice.  
	"Vianga?"
	She paced around the rock to look at his sad face.  "Togo?  I, 
uh..."
	"What?"
	"I'm sorry I laughed at you this morning."  Vianga scuffed a paw 
in the dirt nervously.  "It was really mean of me."
	Togo gaped at her.  "Uh, well, it's okay."
	"Really?"  She glanced at him quickly.  "You mean it?"
	"Sure."  He smiled at her.
	"Great.  You're really nice, Togo."
	He opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by an all to 
familiar voice.  "Vivi!"
	She looked over Togo's head.  "Hey Kombi!  He's right here."
	Togo turned to gaze at his brother.  "What is it?"
	"I hope you aren't sore about this morning.  I explained to Vivi 
that it wasn't your fault, since you were...you know, born 
uncoordinated."
	So that was why Vianga looked at him with such a mixture of sorrow 
and pity!  Togo struggled to take in the depth of his brother's 
deviousness while wondering where he had learned a word longer than 
three syllables.  "Uncoordinated, huh?" Togo bristled.
	"Yeah!  I told her that's why I can already catch prey, and you 
can't."  Kombi grinned.
	"What??"
	"Sure!"
	"You can NOT catch prey, Kombi!"
	"Can too!"  Kombi's grin turned sly.  "I bet I can catch something 
before YOU can!"
	Togo shot a flat gaze at Kombi, all too aware of Vianga's eyes on 
him, measuring....  "Deal."
	"You're on!"  Kombi sniffed the ground purposefully, then dashed 
away into the grass.  Grumbling, Togo padded off in the other direction, 
wondering what he was going to do now.  Pushing his way onto the tall 
grass, he nosed about uncertainly, then froze as he heard a horrific 
shriek.  Turning, he tore back to where Vianga sat, her eyes wide.
	"Did you hear-"
	"What was that all-"
	Both of them were silenced by the sight of Kombi padding out of 
the grass, humming busily to himself, a fat savanna hare dangling from 
his jaws.  He deposited it on the ground, grinning hugely.  "Told `ya!"
	Togo gaped wordlessly as Vianga praised Kombi nonstop.  A lead 
weight seemed to fill his stomach as he turned to stare at his brother, 
his jaw trembling.  "I..I guess you win, Beebee," he croaked.
	"Hmm?"  Kombi looked away from Vianga.  "Oh yeah!"
	"Good luck."  Togo turned and paced away slowly, his tail dragging 
in the dust.  Even in extremis, he did not want Vianga to see him cry--
or Kombi for that matter.
	"Togo?"
	"What??" he said tremulously.  "Leave me alone!"
	"Hey... no hard feelings, okay?"  Togo turned to see Kombi 
carrying the rabbit toward him.  Laying it at Togo's feet, he turned 
away.  "You keep it, Togo."
	Vianga stared at Kombi in wonder.  "You are so SWEET!"  Togo 
watched agonized, as she leaned over and kissed Kombi's cheek.  A 
beatific grin lit his face, and he nuzzled her in return, purring.
	"Well, you know, I have to look out for him.  I mean, he IS my 
brother-" Kombi froze, staring at something behind Togo.  "Uh, I gotta 
run.  Seeya later, okay?"  Without waiting, he turned and trotted off 
quickly.  Vianga stared after him.  "You're lucky to have such a 
wonderful brother, Togo."
	"Yeah."  Togo wrapped his forepaws around his head in shame.  Warm 
breath puffed in his ear as he was nuzzled softly.  "WHAT??"
	"Jeez, cool it!"
	Togo looked up to see Habusu looking at him oddly.  "Oh, hey, 
Habu."
	"What's shakin?"
	"Nothing," Togo sighed.  "Nothing at all."
	The older cub looked over at Vianga.  "Hey, Vivi."
	"Hello, Habu," Vianga said in a voice that fairly dripped 
sweetness.  "Looking handsome as ever today, I see."
	"Thanks," he said, grinning crookedly.  "Oh hey, Kombi brought you 
the rabbit!"
	"Yep."  Togo grunted.
	"Wild.  I tell you what, your Mom had a time catching that sucker 
this morning."
	Togo lifted his head to stare at Habusu.  "What?"
	Habu nodded.  "Uzuri finally caught it a while ago; she gave I to 
Kombi and said to share it with you."  He stared in wonder.  "I'm 
surprised he didn't eat it himself.  No offense," he added hastily.   
"But you know Kombi."
	"Yeah," Togo growled.  "I know Kombi, all right."  he looked at 
Vianga, vindicated.  "See??  I TOLD you he couldn't do it!  That was a 
dirty, underhanded trick!"
	Vianga dissolved into giggles.  "Wow!  He's smarter than I 
thought!"
	Togo and Habu looked at each other. "What??"
	She giggled again.  "Boy, he really pulled a fast one on you.  
He's so clever, you have to think twice before you go up against him!"  
She batted her eyes and sighed deeply.  "What a lion!"
	Desperate times called for desperate measures, Togo decided.  He 
made off purposefully through the grass, and before long was sitting 
before the pride's shaman, parading his woes before the mandrill.  
Finally, Rafiki shushed him.  "What do want ME to do about it?"
	Togo squirmed uncomfortably.  "Uh, well, uh...can't you, like give 
her something to make her love ME instead?"
	Rafiki's eyes widened in surprise.  "Tell me young buck, if I DID 
have such a thing, would it be right to use it on her when she is 
already in love with someone who loves her back?  How would your brother 
feel?"  Rafiki peered at him, interested.  "And could you REALLY enjoy a 
love from someone that comes from a drug instead of their heart?"
	Togo wilted.  "I guess not."
	Rafiki patted the young lion and laid an arm across his shoulders 
comfortingly.  "There, there, son.  You're going through a difficult 
time right now.  Believe me, Rafiki knows."  The mandrill chewed the 
inside of his cheek for a moment, thinking.  "Has your mother talked 
with you yet about...lionesses?"
	"No, she hasn't."  Togo frowned deeply.  "She probably thinks 
we're still too young."
	"I can't imagine why," Rafiki said, smiling at the cub whose mane 
was little more than a shaggy ruff around his neck at the moment.
	"Yeah," Togo said, not seeing the amused look on Rafiki's face.  
"At least Isha told us the truth about it."
	Rafiki's smile froze.  "Oh?"  Visions of the sultry lioness having 
a heart-to-heart with the two cubs about the facts of life made his 
heart skip a beat.  "And what did she tell you?"
	Togo recounted the somewhat vague details Isha had given him, and 
Rafiki relaxed as he mentally chastised himself for having so little 
faith in her.  Clearing his throat, he stroked the thin mane on Togo's 
shoulders as the afternoon crept gently past, and began to speak, slowly 
revealing the wonderful secrets that life held for a lion, the things 
Ugas would have told his sons had he been able to.
	At last he sat back, sipping at a bowl of water to soothe his dry 
throat.  "Well?"
	Togo gazed thoughtfully out at the grassland.  "Wow.  That's 
really...something, Rafiki.  Thanks!"
	"Of course."  Rafiki sat back and smiled.  "Anything else?"
	"We-ell..."
	"Come on, out with it."
	Togo glanced at him.  "Is there REALLY any such thing as a love 
potion?  I'd really like to know."
	Rafiki sighed.  This WAS Ugas' son, after all.  Reaching into a 
small alcove in the side of the baobab, he withdrew a small leaf wrapped 
tightly around something.  "Here.  I believe this is what you want."
	Togo's eyes grew large.  "Awesome!"  He bent to pick the bundle 
up.
	"Listen to me carefully, son.  I'm giving you this as a special 
gift.  I want you to keep it, not use it."
	Togo drew a puzzled frown at that.  "Huh?"
	"This is to keep you honest, my boy."
	The young lion drew back indignantly.  "Who, me?!  I'm always 
honest!"
	"Of course," Rafiki said dryly.  "That's why I entrust this to 
you.  Because I know that every time you look at it, you'll think better 
of meddling in the lives of others."  Rafiki laid a hand on Togo's head.  
"You'll never use it.  Every time you see it, you'll feel proud of 
yourself for doing the right thing."
	Togo's chest swelled with pride and purpose.  "You betcha!"
	A short while later found the adolescent lion proudly laying the 
wrapped bundle before Vianga.  "Look what I got for you, Vivi!"
	She eyed the leaf warily.  "What is it?"
	"A treat...a sweet treat for a sweet girl."
	She giggled shyly.  "Thanks.  Even if you did slobber on it."
	"Sorry."
	"That's okay."  Sniffing the concoction, she picked it up 
delicately, chewed, and swallowed.
	Togo eyed her apprehensively, heart pounding.  "How's it taste?"
	"Okay."
	"How do you feel?"
	"Fine."  She stared at him because he seemed to be waiting for 
something else.  "It was very nice, Togo."  She looked into his 
searching eyes.  "Thank you very much?"
	"Is that all you feel?"  He looked disappointed.
	"Oh, you want a kiss?"  She gave him the briefest lick and said, 
"There.  I hate to run but I have a date with Kombi."
	She started to walk away.  Then she looked back.  "What was in 
that thing?"
	"What does it matter?  It didn't work."
	"Where did you get it?"
	"From Rafiki.  He told me it was...."  He looked down.
	"A love potion?"
	"Yeah."
	"That explains it.  Gods, that's strong stuff!"  She fell at his 
feet and pawed at him.  "I'm ready, Togo!  Take me!"
	"Take you??  Where?"
	"Make love to me!  I'm on fire!"
	Togo backpedaled madly as Vianga nuzzled his face and chest 
vigorously, prostrating herself before him. "Love me, Togo!  Love me 
quick or I'll kill myself!"
	"Well, I...."  He closed his eyes tightly as if it could make her 
go away.  "We're not old enough.  Do you know what they'd do if they 
caught us??"
	Her passionate kiss made his eyes fly open.
	"Run away with me.  So what if we're not old enough.  We'll hack 
out a living in the wilderness, just you and I facing danger and 
hardship together, but we'll have our love.  Our love, Togo!"
	"But Vianga...."
	"We'll make love morning, noon and night!  I'll live for your 
touch--your closeness--your beautiful body next to mine as we climb to 
the skies together and cry out from the dizzy heights of passion!"  She 
began to writhe sinuously before him.
	"Vivi, get a grip on yourself!"
	A burst of uncontrolled laughter erupted from a nearby bush and 
Kombi tumbled out, staggering weakly.  "You dope!"  He walked over to 
Vianga and nuzzled her cheek, grinning as she returned his affections.
	"Hey!" Togo said.  "What's the big idea!"
	Kombi rolled on the ground, laughing.  "Let that be a lesson to 
you, brother.  You're messing with MY girl.  She and I have this special 
thing, see, and you can't be a part of it.  Did you think that was a 
love potion or something??  That was only cough medicine."
	"It was?"  Embarrassed, Togo squirmed and tears began to roll down 
his good-natured face.  "You let me make a fool of myself??  How could 
you do that to me, Kombi!  How could you be so cold!"
	"Love potion!  How could you be so stupid!  You should know I'm 
her honey tree.  She doesn't even know you exist.  It's not your fault--
you didn't have a chance with me around.  I'm the love doctor!"
	Vianga frowned.  "Beat it, love doctor.  I want a second opinion!"  
She pushed away Kombi and nuzzled Togo, wiping his eyes with her paw.  
"I'm glad I found out who the real love doctor was before it was too 
late.  I'll follow you anywhere--all you have to do is ask."
	"The joke is over," Kombi said, incensed.  "This isn't funny 
anymore."
	"Who asked you??"  She looked penetratingly into Togo's eyes.  
"Who needs him?  He's so conceited he's swelling up like a carcass in 
the sun.  He's not gentle and sweet like you."
	"Don't try to pull the same trick on me," Kombi said.  "I'm wise 
to you."
	"Put a paw in it!" she shouted.  She turned to Togo and nuzzled 
him again.  "I'm sorry I came on to you like that.  It was a nasty 
little joke and I'm sorry.  You tried to trick me and I just wanted to 
teach you a lesson."
	"You sure did.  If you'll dump him that quick, you'd dump me too.  
Vivi, you're very pretty, but you're a shameless flirt, and that's not 
what I need."  He took in a deep, cleansing breath, let it out and 
smiled broadly.  "It doesn't matter one way or the other `cause I'm 
cured of puberty!  No more symptoms at all!  See, I can look right at 
you--nothing happens!  I can kiss you!"  He jumped down and gave her a 
lingering, passionate lick.  "Nothing happens!  I feel so much better, I 
ought to thank you!  I don't know about you two, but I'm going to play 
tag with Habu."  He turned and left.
	She rubbed her cheek where he kissed her and shuddered.  She 
padded after him.  "Togo, wait!  I think I love you!"
	"Vivi, come back!"  Kombi chased after her.  "TO-GO!!  VI-VI!!  
Wait up!!"

Bookmark/Search this post with:

delicious | digg | reddit | newsvine | furl | google | yahoo | technorati