CHAPTER:  WALKING THE BEAT

	As the days passed, Togo and Kombi began to feel the weight of a 
lion's responsibility settling on their shoulders.  It was a remarkably 
heavy burden.
	Well before sunrise, Simba would rouse them and head off into the 
early morning mists, each day choosing a particular section of border or 
area to patrol.  At night, as the sun set, they would return to Pride 
Rock, where Simba would instruct them in various modes of attack and 
defense.  Only after finishing their lessons, far after the sky had 
turned dark and the stars had emerged, were they allowed to rest and eat 
their dinner.  
	Once Kombi protested this.  "With all due respect, if I could eat 
first, I could concentrate better.
	Simba simply looked at him.  "This is no game, son.  If you lose 
your meal in a fight, you go hungry.  Concentrate on that."
	There were no further complaints after that.
	The demands of patrolling and sparring practice were shaping the 
young lions.  Their low, swinging bellies had given way to firm muscle.  
The young lionesses began to notice, and Kombi would strut about with a 
conceited swagger, showing off the merchandise.  Togo was a bit more 
shy, and he shuddered when Visima rubbed along his body and ran a 
curious paw down his thigh.
	Simba and the brothers began to range farther afield, even 
patrolling the dry and empty Western plains together.
	Early one morning, the three had gone out to examine the border 
between the Pride Lands and hyena territory.  Simba expected no real 
threat from Uhuru's clan, and after greeting the hyenas who were doing 
their own guard duty, the morning passed slowly.  Kombi ranged ahead 
slightly, practicing his rudimentary hunting skills as he followed the 
trail of an impala who had passed by recently.  Togo and Simba followed 
at a distance, padding slowly across the ground in the gradually 
increasing heat.
	"Sire?"
	"Mmm-hmm?"
	"Why do we patrol the hyena's lands when they're friendly?  Isn't 
it a waste of time?"
	"Well, for one thing, it helps to keep an eye on things.  If 
things turned ugly, we wouldn't know about it until it was too late."
	Togo looked surprised.  "You mean they might try and take over 
again?"
	Simba grinned.  "No, I doubt that would happen while Uhuru's in 
charge.  No, if they had problems, or needed help, though, we'd never 
find out by sitting at home lying in the sun.  Besides, patrolling does 
more than establish your borders.  Sometimes Uhuru meets me out here in 
the morning, and we talk together.  He's too busy to come to Pride 
Rock..and, well, I can't go see him, either.  He tells me what's going 
on with the hyenas, we ask after each other's families..."
	"Wow," Togo said.  "All that just by walking the border?"  He 
looked out across the savanna.  "But doesn't Zazu tell you about things 
like that?"
	"Yes...but hearing about something, and seeing it for yourself are 
two different things.  Besides, I can't just sit at home.  It means a 
lot to the other animals to see the King out and about, doing his duty.  
It's a way to let them know he truly cares about them.  My father did 
the same, as did his father before him."  Simba breathed deeply as he 
gazed about the plains of his home.  "This land is mine.  I was born 
here, I fought for it, and I will die here.  I love it, and I will 
protect it along with my family and friends."
	Togo looked at the king with admiration, but his smile faded 
quickly.  "It's a shame that we finally became friends too late."
	Simba stopped and glanced at him.  "Too late?  Why do you say 
that?"
	"You know."  Togo sighed.  "We only have two more weeks left.  
Then we have to leave your Pride Lands for good.  I was born here, but 
I'll never see it again.  I'll die out there somewhere far from home and 
I'll never see you or Mom again!"
	Simba nuzzled him on the shoulder.  "Listen to me, Togo.  In the 
next realm there is only one kingdom, and it belongs to Aiheu for his 
children.  We will share that Kingdom forever, so friendships never 
really die unless you let them."  The king wrapped a huge forepaw around 
the young lion and hugged him close.  "Enjoy this time while it lasts.  
Someday, you'll be a King yourself.  You must be strong enough to let 
Aiheu's will be done."  
	"What is it like to be king?  Neat, huh?"
	"It's like I told my son Tanabi--being King is not all fun.  You 
think this is a long walk?  Just wait till you're walking your own 
borders in the driving rain with only Kombi to help you.  You get lots 
of respect, and that's nice.  But you also work hard, and you have to 
make some unpopular decisions--even decisions that are unpopular with 
your own self, like your mantlement.  I love you, Togo.  I'm going to 
miss you terribly, and if there was some way to keep you here, I would."
	"You mean that?"
	"With all my heart.  I'll miss that scamp of a brother of yours 
too.  I can truly say it won't be the same here without you."


CHAPTER:  JUST BETWEEN US

	Togo and Kombi had never been on a hunt before.  Increasingly 
aware of the perils that prideless lions faced, they went to their 
mother and pleaded for a few lessons.  Uzuri agreed, for she wanted to 
spend some time with her sons in their old home.  She knew the land 
intimately.  Like all lionesses, she thought that the land was alive.  
Its breath stirred in the wind, and she could almost feel its pulse 
beneath her feet.  Pride Rock was the heart of the land, and it had a 
permanent place in her own heart.  Could she learn to love Pride Kopje?  
Yes, if Ugas was there.  But she would always feel regret for what she 
had left behind.
	Uzuri was initially delighted by their request.  She had no 
daughters of her own, and now that the opportunity presented itself, she 
jumped at the chance to pass on some of her knowledge to her offspring.  
She began instructing them in some basic skills, and looked forward to 
sharing some of her secret tricks and tips to help ensure a successful 
kill.  She was a patient teacher as well as a huntress beyond compare, 
but as time wore on it became readily apparent that none of her natural 
ability was in them.  They had the facile charm of their father Ugas, 
and they looked like a couple of likely fighters if territory must be 
defended.  But they were no hunters.
	Late that afternoon, she stood in the tall grass at the foot of 
Pride Rock, bending her head now and then as she imitated a grazing 
gazelle.  Several yards away, Togo and Kombi were flattened in the 
depths of the grass, breathing rapidly as they practiced a pincers 
maneuver for the umpteenth time.  They had been going at it since before 
high-sun, and the heat was oppressive in the lush vegetation.
	Togo eased his head up gingerly, his russet mane matted with 
perspiration as he peered through the grass.  Sweat ran into one eye, 
stinging, and he winced.  Blinking furiously, he saw his mother about 
six body lengths away, her back to him.  A grin split his features and 
he sank down again.  Motioning to Kombi, he eased off sideways, 
intending to line up on an oblique angle while Kombi executed the main 
attack.
	Kombi nodded and crept forward slowly, placing his paws carefully.  
His forelegs quivered with exhaustion and nerves, the result of the last 
five failed attempts to successfully get within striking distance.  His 
tail lashed, and he stepped forward again.
	"Movement!" Uzuri shouted.  "Movement is the key to hunting.  A 
lion has to have discipline, else instinct takes over, and control is 
lost."  Her voice hardened.  "Togo is five lengths behind me.  Kombi, 
you are to my left at the same distance.  What do you intend to do, 
drive your prey by thrashing at the grass like humans?"
	Kombi stood up and shouted, "Damn!  What did I do wrong NOW?"
	"Watch your mouth, child."
	"I'm not a child, mother!"
	"You are until your mantlement, which is only a week away, in case 
you've forgotten!"  Uzuri snapped.  "You are too noisy; you thrashed 
your tail and gave away your position easily.  Togo, you were silent 
enough...but you moved against the grain of the grass when you began the 
flanking maneuver; I saw the trail cutting through the grass as soon as 
you moved."
	Togo sat up miserably.  "I'm sorry."
	"And have you forgotten about the wind?!  I was downwind of you 
the whole time; I smelled you coming.  You can conduct an upwind attack 
ONLY if you have superior speed or numbers to cut off fleeing prey...and 
neither of you is fast enough."  Uzuri stopped, claws extending in 
frustration.
	"Mom?  I'm sorry."  Kombi hung his head.  "I didn't mean to smart 
off like that."  He blinked pathetically at her, eyes bright with pain 
at her obvious disappointment.  Kombi cursed himself for being so 
clumsy.  His mother was the best hunter he had ever known, and here he 
was, embarrassing her.
	The shame came across clearly, and Uzuri felt anguished as she saw 
the cub buried inside the huge frame, hungering for her approval, 
desperate to prove himself the son of a great huntress.  Her eyes 
burned, and she looked away.  "It's all right.  Sit here and rest.  
We'll try again in a moment."
	Togo began to cry.  "We'll never learn this!  We're going to 
starve!"
	"No, you'll have lionesses to help you."
	"Oh?"
	"What I'm about to tell you must be just between us.  Togo, Kombi, 
you are not going to be wanderers.  One of you will be a King, and the 
other will be a Prince Consort."
	"Sure," Kombi said.  "When we find us a Pride of our own."
	"I've made an arrangement already.  But you must tell no one, 
understand?"
	"Yeah," Togo said, tears starting down his cheeks.  "Mom, you're 
the greatest!"  He nuzzled her and kissed her.  Kombi fell to the ground 
and rolled over on his back, pawing at the sky.
	"Blessed Aiheu," he muttered.  "Thank you, Aiheu!  You've saved 
us!  Mighty God, King of all Kingdoms, thank you!"
	For several moments, all the brothers could do was nuzzle and kiss 
their mother as her warm tears of joy ran freely down her cheeks.  In 
her heart, she knew she could find happiness with her husband and sons 
by her side.  They would be a family the way Simba, Nala and Tanabi 
were.
	She looked again at the beautiful vista of the Pride Lands.  She 
had been born here, raised to maturity, learned her craft on these 
plains.  It had been her pride and pleasure to serve three generations 
of kings as the hunt mistress, her skills respected and unmatched by any 
lion for miles around.  She would be laying that down and passing the 
leadership to another younger set of shoulders.  Misha was a quick 
student, and one day she would be Queen.  The question was not whom to 
pick but how to break the news to her.  It was a heavy responsibility 
for one so young, but she was the same age Uzuri was when Kiva had 
anointed both her cheeks with the blood of her prey and kissed her.
	At first Kiva was relieved to lose the burden, but Kiva was alone.  
Her brothers had left after a commoner's mantlement, and she had no mate 
or cubs of her own.  Shortly after losing her position, she began her 
decline into depression, bad health, and eventually death.  Uzuri had 
always thought she had died of grief.  But that would not happen to her, 
she determined.  Not to Uzuri....


CHAPTER:  THE TRUTH OUTS

	Togo and Kombi were flush with optimism.  They believed that they 
would not be leaving the Pride Lands, and that some way, somehow, Tanabi 
did not want to rule the Pride on his father's death.  That one day they 
would stand on the promontory of Pride Rock and proclaim the new 
kingship.
	They had promised their mother to keep strictest silence about the 
arrangement, but they went to a few of the attractive young lionesses 
and spread the wonderful news that two of them would marry the most 
eligible bachelors in the land.  Each of them promised to keep it to 
themselves, but gossip started to circulate.
	"Why doesn't Tanabi want to be King?" Isha asked.  "Is there 
something wrong with him?  Has he lost his nerve?"
	"Not our Tanabi," Ajenti said.  "He's plenty brave enough.  Maybe 
he has a weakness--one that he'd rather talk about.  The poor boy!"
	Barata drew close and whispered, "Fact is, I think he has weak 
eyes."
	"No!" Ajenti said, taking in a gasp.  "The poor boy!  How bad is 
it?"
	"I'm not sure," Barata said.  "He bumped right into his mother the 
other day."
	"I thought that was an accident," Isha said.
	"It was.  He didn't deliberately do it.  But Nala said, `What's 
wrong with your eyes, son?'"
	Ajenti bowed her head.  "The poor boy!"
	"Hi," Tanabi said, nodding at the lionesses.
	Ajenti came right up into his face.  "It's me, Ajenti."
	"Uh, yeah.  I know."
	"Taking it easy, dear?"
	"Well, I guess so.  I had a little unexpected free time today.  I 
thought I'd go to the water hole and just kick back."
	"You're so brave," she said, giving him a big kiss.  "You're so 
much like your father."
	"Thanks."  Tanabi shrugged, then walked away.
	"The poor boy!" Ajenti said, a tear running down her cheek.  "I 
wonder if he'll go completely blind?"
	It wasn't long before Habusu came to see Simba.  He fell before 
him and said, "Haven't I loved you as much as Togo and Kombi?"
	"Yes, son."
	"And longer?  When they were still playing pranks on you, wasn't I 
good to you?"
	"I know who my friends are," Simba said cautiously, but with a 
warm nuzzle.  "What would you have of me?"
	"Can't you fix it for me too?  The way you did for them?  I don't 
want to be King any more than Tanabi did.  I just want to live here in 
peace.  Please don't send me away into the big world!"
	Simba nuzzled him again.  "I did not `fix' anything for anyone.  
They will receive their mantlement on time.  My boy, don't cry.  Rely on 
Aiheu, and keep to the path of righteousness, and you will find a home 
of your own.  That is the duty and the privilege of a male lion."  Simba 
nodded gravely.  "I'll be right back.  There are a couple of people I 
need to see."  
	Simba encountered Togo and Kombi near the watering hole.  They 
started to nuzzle their King and benefactor, but not when they saw the 
look on his face.  "Boys, we need to talk."
	Uzuri was asked to join the group by Zazu.  "I'd hurry if I were 
you.  He's really upset."
	"Oh gods," she said.  "What have they done this time??"

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