CHAPTER:  THE FOUR OF US

	Uzuri, having pledged to take care of Elanna, is playing with 
Makaka when suddenly Makaka says, "We're being watched."  They are by 
the baobab at the time.
	"Are you sure?"
	"Yes, Uzuri."
	"Where are they?"
	"It's a lioness.  I don't know her, but she knows you.  It's 
coming from...."  He began to scan a small region of brush and trees at 
the edge of the savanna.  As if she knew the jig was up, Elanna came 
stalking out into the open.
	"Lannie!  I thought you were dead!"  Uzuri started forward.
	"Don't hurt me!" Elanna said, starting backward.
	"Hon, I won't hurt you.  I'm your friend, remember?"
	"Well, I was hoping you wouldn't hurt me."  She came toward Uzuri 
and nuzzled her desperately, "Oh Uzuri, I've been so alone!"
	"Not any more, dear.  Not any more."
	"But I can't come back.  The others--they hate me.  I just know 
it.  They'll never let me stay."  She started to cry.  "Uzuri, I don't 
know what to do!  I've been alone for the longest time.  I can't stand 
it anymore!  I tried to join Mabongo's pride but his wife is insanely 
jealous.  She tried to kill me!"
	"Oh honey tree!"  Uzuri nuzzled her again.
	"It was in the hunt.  She said it was an accident, but I know 
better!  I almost ended up like Avina!"
	"Poor thing!"  She stroked Elanna's cheek with her paw.  "You 
remember my sons Togo and Kombi, don't you?"
	"Yes.  How are they?"
	"Well Kombi's a king and Togo's his Prince Consort."  Uzuri 
smiled.  "Their father died, but his death gave them a new life.  Life 
is like the wind--if you don't like the way it's blowing, wait and it 
will change."  She kissed Elanna's cheek.  "They will be glad to take 
you in, my dear."
	"Really?"
	"Yes, and you could have a fresh start...."  She frowned.  "No!  
Your home is here, and you're going to come home where you belong."
	"But they all hate me.  They'll never forgive me for marrying 
Taka."
	"I think they will.  Don't you want to see your sister Sarabi 
again?"
	"Oh gods, I'd give anything to see her.  But it will never work!"
	"I don't want you give anything--just the effort to trust me and 
come back.  Give it a try."
	"But facing all of them alone...."
	"You're not alone.  I will be with you."
	"Why are you so good to me?"
	"Because I love you, and because I promised Taka that I would look 
after you the way you asked me to look after him."
	"How is he?  What happened to him?"
	"He died like a real lion.  You would have been proud of him."
	"You are good, Uzuri.  So good to me.  If it's the two of us, I 
will give it a try.  It can't hurt."
	"The three of us," Makaka said.
	"The four of us," Rafiki said.  Rafiki threw his arms around 
Elanna's strong neck.  "First Simba came back from death.  Now my 
Lannie.  God has been generous."
	Bravely, hopefully, the four friends headed for Pride Rock.


THE EPILOGUE

	Makaka looked anxiously toward the mouth of the cave.  He was not 
used to being excluded from Uzuri's presence, but Uzuri had a few words 
for Rafiki alone.  And since she was so old and in such pain, Makaka was 
used to granting her every whim whenever possible.  Later he planned to 
pour out many things from his heart--that is, if he could figure out 
where to begin.
	Her last bout with fever had not been going well, and he resented 
every moment he could not spend by her side.  Anasa tried to comfort her 
husband as well as she could, but though she was an accomplished shaman 
in her own right, she could not work miracles.  And she thought it would 
take a miracle to bring the smile back to his face.
	Gur'bruk and Kambra came to the cave, and they were allowed in at 
once.  Rafiki ushered them in as if they were expected, but asked Makaka 
to be patient a while longer.  Makaka went back to Anasa with a light 
flush of anger clouding his eyes.
	Inside the cave, Rafiki sat bent over with age.  In his lap was 
Uzuri's head.  She was too old and sick to pretend anymore, and when 
Rafiki put his hand down to stroke her cheek, she took his fingertips in 
her mouth and gave them a gentle squeeze between her teeth.  Tears 
welled up in Rafiki's eyes.
	"Gur'bruk, Kambra, would you stand over there for a while?" Uzuri 
said hoarsely.  "Be polite and don't listen in, OK?"
	The hyenas nodded respectfully and went to sit in the corner.  
Uzuri looked at Rafiki.  "Honey Tree?"
	"Yes, my dear?"
	A tear began to roll down her cheek.  "It must be hard to love 
someone the way you loved me and feel so helpless."
	"What?"
	"Don't pretend with me.  A female knows these things, whether 
she's a mandrill or a lioness."  A smile came to her face.  "I thought 
you were such a fool, wanting to die with me.  I didn't understand then.  
You weren't foolish at all.  You were just in love."
	"You can't die, Honey Tree.  You mustn't think of dying."
	"Now you ARE being a fool."  She coughed so hard that her whole 
body shook.  "Don't worry, my dear friend.  Death is but a doorway to 
the world of Ka, and we will go through the door together.  I'll wait 
for you in the east.  Then we'll be together forever."
	"Forever," Rafiki said, his tears splashing on her soft cheek.  
"That's a long time to put up with me."
	"I've had practice."  She coughed again, this time weaker.  "Maybe 
we won't be so different on the other side."
	"How are you feeling, old girl?  Did the herbs help you any?"
	"I can't tell," she gasped.  Her face clouded with pain.  "No, 
they didn't!  Do you have anything stronger?"
	Rafiki looked up helplessly.  "Kambra?  Gur'bruk?"
	Old Gur'bruk came and looked deeply into her eyes.  "What color 
are my eyes?"
	"Don't you know?"
	"Come on, Uzuri.  What color are they?"
	"Well...hazel.  No, brownish green...or green.  Yes, green.  Or is 
it the light in here?  Now they look blue."
	"Blue?"
	"Yes.  Sky blue.  No, there are clouds and...it's the sky!"
	Rafiki stroked her head lovingly.  "The sky?"
	"Yes!  I can see the clouds move!"
	Gur'bruk smiled.  "Are there birds in the sky, dear?"
	"A red bird.  Can you see him, Rafiki?"
	"Yes."  He wiped away his tears quickly and began to fondle her 
shoulder and arm while there was still time.
	"That red bird is your pain," Gur'bruk.  "It's flying away.  Can 
you feel it flying away?  Getting less and less?"
	"Yes."  Her jaw trembled.  "Yes, it's going.  Thank the gods, it's 
finally going.  It's finally....oh look, it's Ugas!  Ugas!  My beloved 
has come back for me!  He's come back for...."  Her breath went out.
	Gur'bruk looks up, heartbroken.  "Rafiki...."
	"I know."  The mandrill touched Gur'bruk's cheek and fondled 
Kambra's neck.  "I need a moment alone with her.  Please give me that, 
but don't tell Makaka she's dead.  I want to tell him myself."
	Gur'bruk found Makaka still sitting anxiously at the mouth of the 
cave waiting for some word on her condition.  
	"How is she?"
	"Resting peacefully," Gur'bruk said.
	"Well, is she going to be all right?"
	Kambra nuzzled Makaka.  "Ask Rafiki.  But I wouldn't go in there 
just yet--he's very busy."  She slinked off with Gur'bruk, anxious to be 
clear of the cave before the tears started.
	Makaka turned to Anasa.  "I know Rafiki was close to her, but so 
was I.  Tell me if I'm wrong, but I think I ought to be in there.  I 
mean, those two got in."
	"They came to help," Anasa said firmly.  "You should show them 
respect."
	"I'm sorry."  He hugged her.  "I don't know what I'd do if she 
died.  Really, I don't."
	Meanwhile, Rafiki swept Uzuri's eyes closed and gently sealed them 
with a small drop of Dwe'dwe resin.  "You must look good, old girl.  
Your son is coming for a last look-see."
	He pushed her claws back in and smoothed her ears back.  He gently 
put her tongue back between her teeth and lifted her jaw, bracing it up 
with an arm so that she looked asleep.  Then from the locket around his 
neck he took some silverleaf and rubbed it between his hands, stroking 
it lovingly into her fur along with his tears.  "I want you to smell 
nice, old girl.  I wish I'd had jasmine--it was Penda's favorite.  There 
now, you look presentable."
	Suddenly he began to sob.  "Oh gods, you were always beautiful to 
me!"  He grabbed her paw, giving it a squeeze, kissing it and holding it 
to his cheek.  "Uzuri, my beautiful Uzuri!  Remember when we first met?  
How young we were?  Soon we'll both be fresh and new, my beloved.  Your 
shoulder won't be stiff anymore."  He laid her paw down and gently ran 
his fingertips over her bad shoulder.  "I bet half the time it wasn't 
even hurting, you little trickster.  You just wanted my attention."  
Tears coursed down his cheeks.  "I didn't mind it one bit.  Not one bit.  
We had an understanding, you and I."
	Makaka sat in anticipation for several more minutes, but loyally 
he had not moved a single inch.  Nor would he if it took days.
	"Rafiki?" he called.  "Can I come in now?  Will she see me?"
	The old mandrill came out of the cave.  He had a relieved look on 
his face, and Makaka breathed a sigh.  "Good news?"
	Rafiki said, "Yes.  No more pain.  It's over."
	"Over so soon?  You're a genius, Rafiki!  How did you do it?"
	Seeing that Makaka did not understand, Rafiki said, "It's over.  
Over for good."
	"Over?"  Makaka pushed past him and ran into the cave.  "Mother?  
Mother??"
	In the dark, he encountered Uzuri's still warm body.  
Instinctively he knew the truth.  "Oh Gods!"  He fell on her body, 
stroking her neck and kissing her still face.  "Mother!  Oh Gods!  Don't 
leave me!  Come back, Mother!  Don't leave me!"
	Makaka felt the familiar hand of Rafiki on his shoulder.  "Son, it 
was her time.  She lived a long life.  She was happy.  She was loved.  
You should remember the good she did and be glad."
	Makaka looked around at him in the dark.  "How can you say that 
like it was nothing?  I thought you loved her as much as I did!  I 
thought she was your friend!"
	Rafiki looked at him, a soft smile on his face and a light in his 
eyes that made his plain face absolutely beautiful.  "Maybe I know 
something that you don't.  Maybe your mother isn't out there somewhere."  
He patted his chest.  "Maybe she's right in here."
	Tears flooded Makaka's eyes and he took the frail mandrill in his 
arms.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean it."
	"I know."
	"I have a father too.  I love him and I didn't mean to hurt his 
feelings."
	"You keep talking like that and I WILL cry."  Rafiki kissed him on 
the cheek.  "I must go now, Makaka my son.  You stay here with your 
mother and pray over her, then you get Misha and Swala to help you move 
her.  You'll also want them to tell the pride sisters and the King."
	"Where are you going?"
	"I'm going on a journey.  I had to delay it because of Uzuri, but 
now I can't wait any longer.  Take care of yourself, my son.  You're in 
charge till I get back.  That might be a very long time."
	Rafiki left the cave without looking back.  He didn't want Makaka 
to know it was the last time they would meet in this world.  
	Anasa was waiting for him.  "Does he know yet?"
	"No.  And just you remember what we discussed."  Rafiki kissed her 
cheek.  "Wait until the next full moon, then tell him that Zazu found me 
by Elephant Kopje."
	She ran her fingertips around Rafiki's eye and touched him beneath 
the chin.  "Aiheu abamami."
	"Aiheu abamami," he said, taking her hand and kissing it.  "No 
tears now.  You must be strong for his sake.  Watch over him for me.  
And remember, not a word."  Rafiki took the locket of Mano's fur and 
placed it around her neck.  "Give this to him later.  I won't need it 
where I'm going."
	The old mandrill took up his staff and turned toward the east.  He 
looked ahead, not at the trees or even the horizon, but beyond the sun 
and moon where Minshasa waited for him.

		Come gentle night, stealing through the rushes;
		The sun is sinking lower in the sky,
		Stars wink in amid the azure heavens
		And I can feel that God is very nigh.

		My path grows short, home is drawing nearer;
		Soon I will be laying down to rest.
		Do not mourn, for it is Aiheu calling
		And I will find a place among the blessed.
		
		
THE END:  UNDER THE ACACIAS

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