CHAPTER:  AFTERMATH

	The next night, the huntresses walked slowly through the 
grasses.  The queen had taken her usual spot in the front of the 
group.  Wehu, Kiesi, Tetesi, and Darky were a few paces behind her.  
They had a way to travel, so the four were talking quietly amongst 
themselves.  This was the first hunt since Elanna had made her 
mistake, so talk ran to the newcomer.
	"I think she is rather kind," Kiesi noted.
	"She's a lot more cultured than our queen is," Tetesi added in 
a hushed voice.  She could feel Wehu's gaze fall on her but she 
continued.  "Can you believe how she speaks?  I never heard such 
words come out of Ujuzi...I think it's rather nice to have someone 
here that can act noble.  Still...."  She paused, unsure how to 
express herself.  "It is intimidating trying to talk with her.  I'm 
afraid I'm going to say something stupid.  Not that she would ever 
let it show.  She's not that type."
	"Have you heard some of her stories?" Darky jumped in. "It 
makes me wish I was a cub again so I could stay with her and not miss 
any."
	"I almost wish that she was our queen," Kiesi added in quickly. 
The other three lionesses stopped and looked at her.  She continued 
in a hushed voice.  "Well...how many queens you know go around acting 
like ours?  Not that I don't like her...but sometimes...she just 
doesn't act like a queen."
	"Be careful what you say...she is my mother."
	"I know...I mean nothing against her....it's just...."
	Kiesi was interrupted when, noticing that they held up, the 
queen joined the group, "Are we, or are we not going to hunt, Wehu?"
	She turned to her quickly and nodded.  "Sorry mother...just 
trying to...um...get our strategy set for the hunt."
	Ujuzi just snorted.  "Were you not going to include me...or am 
I just not useful enough for you?"
	Wehu shook her head, "No mother...we were just going to call 
you over when you came..."
	Ujuzi frowned.  "Fine...now start acting like a hunt mistress 
and take charge of this...GROUP."
	Wehu nodded...then thinking quickly said, "OK...normal semi-
circle.  Mother...you are the beater." 
	She could sense her mother's grumble as she walked away from 
the others.  She glanced to the other three.  "No more discussions 
about Elanna right now.  Who knows what my mother would do."  The 
lionesses nodded to her as they continued through the grasses.
	Sometime later back at the pride's resting grounds, Elanna was 
among the cubs when they heard the huntresses' roar.  She was in the 
middle of a story when the cubs all jumped up, gave her a warm nuzzle 
of thanks, and dashed after the sound and the meal it promised.  
Elanna chuckled, watching the mob of cubs take off as she rose and 
followed them.  As she topped the ridge, she could see the five 
lioness dragging a large gazelle behind them.
	It was common for the beater to carry the prize home since she 
did the least amount of work in the hunt, so behind Ujuzi followed 
the carcass.
	She saw Elanna top the ridge and cried out to her, "Get your 
butt over here, sweet cheeks, and help me tug this carcass...or are 
you too proper to do that?"  Elanna sighed and hurried to her aid.  
When she got close enough the queen said, "You grab the butt and I'll 
get the neck--we can do this--that is, if you feel up to it, dearie." 
	Elanna could feel the blood rush to her face in embarrassment.  
She shook it off quickly.  "Yes ma'am."  She grabbed the haunch on 
the prey and, along with the queen, drug it up the hill to the 
pride's resting area.
	Elanna said little, and she tried to avoid eye-contact with the 
queen.  Wehu did not sit next to her, but Elanna understood and was 
not upset.  Wehu sat next to her mother, engaging her in chit-chat to 
ease her raw feelings.
	But after the meal and a good nap, Wehu approached Elanna.  
"Come on...I want to teach you more so you can join in on the next 
hunt."  Elanna got up slowly and stretched out, following after Wehu 
as they disappeared from the rest of the pride.
	After a short walk, Elanna looked at Wehu.  "Is she always that 
crude?"
	Wehu chuckled, "Who...my mother...yes, unfortunately she gets 
like that."  She frowned softly, "It's quite embarrassing at times."
	Elanna just shook her head, "I'm sure it's nothing.  I only 
knew two queens myself, Sarabi and Akase.  I guess I can't expect all 
queens to be like them."  Elanna looked at her, "What does your 
mother think about me...really.  Yesterday it almost seemed she 
suspected me of trying to steal your father."
	Wehu shook her head.  "I don't know what's wrong with her.  
You're the first one I've seen her react like this with."  She smiled 
softly, trying to change the subject.  "I can say that you have 
impressed the other lionesses in the pride...and the cubs just love 
you.  Even Darky says that she wishes she was just a cub...so she 
didn't have to miss your stories."  She thought for a moment.  "Some 
even wish you were the queen."
	Elanna was taken aback.  "I hope I haven't given that 
impression.  All I want is to be loved.  I don't care about being 
queen, and truthfully I don't want to be.  I know what it's like."
	Wehu nuzzled her softly, "No, no...it's all right.  You haven't 
given us that impression, at least not me.  It's just that sometimes 
mother can be rather embarrassing as you saw.  You seem much more 
cultured than her.  And you're younger.  She's trying to compete with 
you, and she knows she can't win."
	"But I'm not competing with HER!"
	"Honey Tree, I know that.  She's just apprehensive.  Now I know 
for a fact that my father loves her with all his heart.  He would 
never take a new queen, even if she died."  She smiled.  "Now come 
on.  If you want to join in the next hunt, you must learn the lay of 
the land.  And your signals, too!"
	Elanna dropped her head in embarrassment.
	Wehu made several sweeping gestures with her paw and then 
tapped the ground twice.
	"What does THAT one mean??"
	Wehu imitated her mother's accent.  "It means `I think 
wildebeest is good for one's constitution.  It stimulates one's 
enduring if properly mitigated with other circumstances.'"
 	Elanna laughed.  "Just don't let HER hear that!"  She pawed 
Wehu.  "Thank you!  You have really made me want to stay."
	Wehu chuckled and nuzzled her.  "It's good to finally see 
someone that my mother can't scare off."  She smiled.  "Now come on.  
I know you'd rather hunt than sit cubs."  The two lionesses 
disappeared into the grass, Elanna eager to prove herself.


CHAPTER: THE DOCTOR IS IN

	Mabongo was resting, something he was very accomplished at as a 
lion, but even more since he was older.  Ujuzi came and nudged him 
with a paw.  "Wake up, Bobo!"
	One eye opened.  "I wasn't asleep.  I was resting my eyes."
	"Then you won't mind having a go at it?"
	Both eyes opened wide and he sniffed the air.  "Ujuzi, could it 
be that I didn't notice?  Is it that time for you?"
	Ujuzi laughed merrily.  "I meant wrestling, you old fool!"
	Mabongo rose slowly and stretched.  "Do you know how long it's 
been since you asked me that?"
	"Too long," Ujuzi said, unwilling to speculate.  "Now let's see 
you work off some of that fat."
	"Fat?  Me??"
	Ujuzi snickered at him.  She popped his thigh with a paw.  "Fat 
little legs."  She ducked and touched his belly.  "Check out that 
flab!"
	"That's muscle!" Mabongo said, getting into position.
	"Put on much more muscle, you won't fit in your cave!"
	"That did it!!"
	Mabongo stood ready for all comers.  Ujuzi sprang at him, 
laughing.  She sought to bear him to the ground.
	Mabongo easily ducked her.  "So I'm fat, am I??"  He whipped 
out with a paw as she passed under him and grasped her shoulder.  
Coming down on her, he bore down with his weight.  But she would not 
be easily won.  Despite her age, she was a huntress, not the hunted.  
And she squirmed away, wrapping her paws around his neck.  A few 
thrusts of her back legs got her the purchase on the grass she 
needed, and she shoved him over.
	Ujuzi tussled with him as he lay on his back.  Mabongo laughed, 
then reached up with both arms, not to wrestle, but to draw her face 
to his.  He rubbed her cheek and kissed her.  "My golden treasure.  
Oh, I love you, girl!"
	"I need to hear you say that sometimes."
	"Am I old?  Am I stodgy and no fun?"
	Ujuzi said, "Heavens, no!  You're wonderful!  I pledged to you 
once.  I'd renew my vows if you wanted it."
	Mabongo rolled on his side, taking her with him.  As they lay 
panting in the grass, looking deeply into each other's eyes, he said 
softly, "You know, there's no shame in growing old, not if you have 
someone that loves you to grow old with.  Oh girl, I'd die if you 
left me!"
	She stroked his mane.  "No chance of that, Bobo!  No chance of 
that!  Nothing, and no one will come between us, my love!"  Ujuzi 
kissed him, then got up and trotted away as quickly as he came.  
Mabongo closed his eyes and went back to sleep, a happy smile on his 
face.
	For her trouble, Ujuzi ached all over, even in muscles she 
forgot she had.  She would never let HIM know that, and she headed to 
see her friend, Uzima the Shaman.
	Ujuzi had been walking quite a distance and her muscles were 
beginning to protest every step she took.  She knew it was only a 
little bit longer.  Finally...she reached a solitary tree in the open 
savanna.  Uzima...come down here!" she cried out.
	Quietly a mandrill's head pokes down from the tree, "Who dares 
disturbs my sleep??  Go away--come back tomorrow!"
	"Get your ugly blue butt down here on the double!"
	A laugh was heard, "And what if I don't?"
	She growled up to him, "You know good and well that I will come 
up there..."
	Another laugh, "I would like to see you try."
	Ujuzi grunted and braced her forepaws against the trunk of the 
tree.  With a powerful push of her hind legs, she managed to clear 
the ground.  Grunting loudly in exhaustion, she pushed her self to 
the lower branch, just barely above her height over the ground.  With 
another laugh, the mandrill joined her on the branch, "How long has 
it been since you have done that?"
	Ujuzi looked at him, "I can't remember the last time I climbed 
a tree..."  She looked down at the ground, gripping the branch 
tighter, "Damn...I'm surprised I got this high."
	Uzima chuckled.  "Ahh...the mastery of the language...your 
father's blood does course through you..."
	She growled, "Don't you start on my butt too..."
	He nodded, "Come on down to the ground...then we'll talk..."  
With that, the mandrill flipped gracefully to the ground.  The 
lioness looked down, holding on tightly.  Finally...she simply let go 
and fell gracelessly to the ground, landing with a dull thump and 
raising a cloud of dust.  The monkey chuckled, seeing the lioness get 
up and shake the dust out of her fur.  "Never was able to master the 
dismount."
	She growled softly and moved to him.  The mandrill smiled and 
wrapped his arms around her neck, fondling her face and kissing her. 
"What brings the great queen all the way out to see me?"
	She sighed, "Am I getting older, friend?  I was wrestling with 
Mabongo the way we used to, and kings above does my body ache!"
	He laughed, "The only ones not getting older are dead, 
Ujuzi...it's a part of life.  Your body is telling you to slow down."  
He looked her over slowly.  "Why the sudden interest in your age?  
That wrestling match get you down?"
	"I missed on the hunt.  Me!  I hadn't done that in ages."
	He looked at her, "Everyone misses at times..."
	She continued, "Then my daughter gave me the position of 
beater, something that is given to the worse hunter or the injured 
lioness.  I haven't been the beater since I was my granddaughter's 
age."
	Uzima started to stroke her fur, rubbing the deep muscles of 
her shoulder.  "It's all right...someone has to take that position."
	"But I'm the queen...doesn't that mean anything?" she 
protested?
	"Wasn't it you that taught your daughter that position in the 
pride doesn't carry to the hunting grounds?  I seem to remember you 
saying something like that."
	She sighed.  "But for all your monkey mumbo jumbo, you still 
know what it means!  I don't like double talk, ape.  I'm washed up--
through--and from here on out it's only going to get worse."
He worked her shoulders, loosening up the muscles and eliciting 
a contented grunt from the old lioness.  "That's the price of 
perfection--any change is for the worse."
"You have a civil tongue in your head, I'll grant you."
	"And you have friends that love you."  He continued to work on 
her shoulders, making  her purr softly.
	"I don't want to grow old," she said, like a cub that is afraid 
of the dark mewing to her mother.  "Please tell me how to be young 
again."
	He looked in her eyes with pity.  "You should know better than 
that.  You know even my spells have limits."  He grinned slightly, 
"Don't you think that I would have used it on myself?"  He smiled and 
continued to work on her shoulders.  "Besides...you are only as old 
as you feel."
	She smiled, but with a tinge of sadness.  "That old?"
	He changed to the other side.  "You need to slow down at your 
age.  Please...dearie...don't do what your mother did...she worked 
herself to death.  Let the future of the pride take some of the 
burden from you."
	A tear rolled down her cheek.  "It's not just the hunt.  I 
wouldn't mind being beater if that was all of it!  It's my husband!"  
She looked at him with tears in his eyes.  "I think I might be losing 
him."
	He shook his head, scandalized.  "Mabongo chasing tails??  
Him??  That lion would never leave you dearie!  He loves the very 
ground you walk on!"
	"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."
	"But how about the way it appears to ME??  You better watch 
your step, Bobo!  I've given you my youth and my cubs!  Six years of 
my life I've put into this marriage!  I'm not letting some two-bit 
tramp come along and steal my husband!"
	He growled at her softly...apparently agitated.  "She's not a 
two-bit tramp!  She's a fine lady, and you could stand to learn some 
manners from her!  She can't steal me unless I WANT to be stolen, and 
I don't!  Listen to me, wife--I'm tired of the way you've been 
treating her!  You've been nothing but hateful for the longest time, 
and I'm sick of it!  Sick, sick, sick!!  You know I'm not a tail 
chaser!"
	"I know that, but she's subtle.  She's stalking you, and you're 
standing there like a blind gazelle!"
	"That's enough!  Wife, this conversation is OVER."
	The Queen was about ready to say something...until Elanna 
showed up to take care of cubs.  She smiled at them and nodded, "My 
king...ma'am..."  Ujuzi snorted loudly and stormed off into the 
savanna.  Elanna looked to Mabongo, "Is something wrong?"
	The King just shook his head.  Elanna went over and nuzzled him 
softly, to which he froze and became rigid.
	"Is everything all right?"
	"Why shouldn't it be??"
	"Oh nothing.  You just seem like something's bothering you."  
She walked back a few paces and lied down, looking at him, "I guess 
that the others are about ready to go on a hunt..."
	Mabongo nodded quickly and rose up.  "I...um...need to go 
also."
	Elanna looked at him, "Usually you keep me company...what is 
wrong?"
	He shook his head, "Nothing...I just have to...uh...do my 
patrol."
	"But you already did it..."
	He snapped quickly, "I have to do it again...all right?"
	Elanna sighed, "My king...what have I done?"
	He shook his head again.  "Nothing...but I need to go."  
Quickly he ran into the grass, leaving an astonished lioness behind.
	Later that day, Ujuzi pulled Wehu aside, "My daughter...I think 
Elanna might be moving in on my position.  I think she might be 
trying to steal your father from me."
	Wehu gasped, "No mother...you are wrong.  I know Elanna...she 
would never do anything like that to you...or anyone."
	"Listen to me daughter...if you watch them like I do...it would 
be plain to you.  She is trying to muscle in on my lion...and I won't 
have it."
	"What do you suggest I do?  Go and spy on her like you?"
	"Yes...exactly."
	"No mother...I can't do that to her."
	"What are you afraid of?  If you are right then you won't mind 
looking in on them.  If there's no wrongdoing, there will be nothing 
to see."
	Wehu stormed off without an answer. Ujuzi smiled...the first 
part of the plan was done...now to set the trap for her prey.  She 
found Elanna resting alone in the clearing.  Mabongo had come back 
from his `patrol' and was resting a short distance off.  There was 
tension in the air between the two when Ujuzi walked to Elanna and 
within ear shot of the king.  "Sweetie?  You like Wehu, don't you?"
	"Yes, queen."
	"She was my first...and I have had many strong children after 
her."  She smiled softly, "And how many children have you had?"
	Elanna sighed softly...as the memory of her dead son comes back 
to her, "None my queen.  I can't have cubs."
	Ujuzi just chuckled and shook her head, "That's a real shame.  
You know a lioness is not a real lioness until she has her first 
child."  With that, she walked back to the king and rubbed up against 
him.
	Elanna turned her head away from the two, her eyes focusing off 
in the distance as tears began to form in her eyes.  Ujuzi chuckled 
softly again and walked off...knowing what would happen next.  Sure 
enough, Mabongo rose and walked over to the crying lioness.  
"Elanna?"
	Elanna turned her head towards him, wiping her eyes clean, "Yes 
my king?"
	He sat down next to her, looking down at the lioness, "I heard 
what my wife said to you.  I don't know what got into her, it was 
uncalled for."
	Elanna just nodded, "She is right though...I'm not a real 
lioness."  She turned to look at him, "That's why I left Kubali, 
because I couldn't give him cubs.  I might be a lioness in form...but 
not a real lioness."  More tears started to form in her eyes as she 
looked into the sky, "I love cubs so much!  Why Aiheu?  Why me?"  She 
turned aside and started to sob.  "I want to go home!"
	Mabongo leaned down and nuzzled her softly, which made her jump 
a bit.  "Dear Elanna...so much tragedy in your life.  Aiheu doesn't 
do anything without a purpose.  You must remember that." He smiled to 
her softly, "You are no less a lioness in my eyes because of your 
injury.  You are a very welcome part to this pride.  The cubs 
absolutely love you, and the other members, save my wife, find you 
very kind and caring.  I hope you don't think about leaving because 
of her."
	She sighed softly, "I had been thinking it...but I don't know 
what to do or where to go.  I'm tired of running..."
	He shook his head, "Then you don't have to go.  I will talk to 
my wife and get her to end these attacks.  She is a queen...and it is 
far time she acted it."
	She smiled softly, "You would do that for me?"
	He nodded and chuckled, "She may be the queen...but you are 
also important to me.  She can't be doing this to you...it's unfair.  
You see, my dear, she's very jealous of you."
	"Jealous?  Of me?"
	"Yes.  That's what was wrong when you came to cub-set.  I 
wasn't upset at you.  I was just afraid what Ujuzi would think, but 
frankly I won't hurt your feelings just to spare hers."
	She smiled softly, "I understand now.  I'm not worried that she 
was jealous--it explains a lot.  But I'd hate to think I lost your 
friendship."
	"You never will.  She'll have to learn to deal with her 
jealousy some other way than victimizing you.  Now we spend much time 
together.  And I won't lie to you--you're a very beautiful lioness 
and I couldn't help but notice that.  But there's no one for me but 
Ujuzi.  I'd never dream of cheating on her."
	"And I'd never dream of breaking up your marriage.  But you are 
a dear, sweet thing and I'm very fond of you.  I like to think my 
brother might have been like you."  She sat up and moved her head to 
give a lick to his cheek.  "I will leave if my presence here is a 
burden on you."
	In the cover of the grasses...a pair of eyes shown through.  
after seeing the shows of affections, the owner of the eyes pulled 
back, further into the grass.

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