CHAPTER:  THE CONFRONTATION

	Unwittingly, Baba was heading right into the eye of the storm.  He 
was a gentle-natured soul and knew nothing of what he would face in The 
Big World.  He kept a piece of advice that Isha had given him in the 
forefront--let Aiheu be your landmark and he will lead you home.
	Baba came to a stream.  Under the searing sun, he sought to slake 
his thirst in the cool, clean water.  He dipped his muzzle in and drew 
out refreshment, then he reached in with a paw and threw the cold, 
invigorating drops in his face, heaving a sigh of relief.  A nearby 
acacia tree offered some shade, and he crossed the stream and settled 
down for a moment to rest.
	For a moment, all was deceptively peaceful.  Then in the distance, 
he saw the powerful charge of a male lion.  He felt his stomach knot up 
and rise into his chest.
	"Now you pay!" the King snarled, coming to a halt in front of 
Baba.  "Defend yourself!"
	The youth cowered back and bared his teeth.  "Leave me alone!  You 
may kill me, but I'll leave some scars on you!"  
	The old yet powerful lion looked down at Baba.  "What is this??  
You're just a boy!"  He softened.  "Are you lost, son?  Are you looking 
for your mother?"
	Still cowering, but with a trace of pride, he answered, "I'm a 
lion now.  I've been given my mantlement, and what's more, I've taken a 
mate."
	"Wfff!  A lion you are!  But a very young one, my lad.  Drink, 
have something to eat from our kill, and remember that I was kind to you 
when you say your nightly prayers."
	"Thank you."  He drank again from the stream and followed the old 
lion to a zebra kill.  Famished, he looked at the half-eaten kill and 
wondered that so much food could possibly be in one place.  Desperately, 
he tore pieces from the haunch and downed them, feeling the warm meat 
comfort his empty stomach.  "Oh gods, you must be wealthy!"
	The king laughed.  "I do all right."
	After the edge was off Baba's hunger, they talked.
	"What is your name, son?"
	"Mabatu."
	"Then we are both the same name!  Do you have a nickname?"
	"They call me Baba."
	"So who drove you off so young, Baba?"
	"Scar."
	"Scar??"  He looked at him intently.  "By any chance, do you know 
Kako?"
	"Sure.  She's my mother."
	A look of tenderness warmed the old king's face.  "Kako's son?"  
He reached out with a paw and fondled Baba's cheek, then turned his face 
with it from side to side as he saw the resemblance.  "So you are."  
Purring deeply, King Mabatu came forward and nuzzled Baba very gently.  
"The shaman spoke truly.  If Kako is your mother, then you are welcome 
here.  My brother died today, but Aiheu has sent me a son.  Welcome your 
new father, Prince Baba!"
	Filled with wonder at his good fortune, and moved by the gentle 
lion's plea, Mabatu nuzzled him and pawed his right shoulder.  "I touch 
your mane!  Aiheu make long and happy your days."
	King Mabatu sat down in the shade of some acacias and heard Baba's 
story.  He nodded solemnly and mused that even though his son had bad 
luck, perhaps Aiheu meant it for good.  He introduced one of his 
lionesses--his youngest daughter Umande.  "Mandy dear, show the new 
prince around his kingdom.  If he's going to rule someday, he needs to 
know the boundaries."


CHAPTER:  SETTLING IN

	Umande was in very high spirits.  "Mabatu?"
	"Maybe I should go by Baba.  It's less confusing.  Besides, that's 
what my friends call me."
	"I'd like to be your friend, Baba."  She smiled broadly.  "You 
don't know what your coming has done for us.  You're the son my father 
never had.  You're our hope for a future."
	"Whoa!" he said.  "Really?"
	"Would I joke about a thing like that?"  She nuzzled him 
playfully.  "You think you've had a run of bad luck, but you're really 
very lucky, you know?"
	"I don't think I've had any bad luck.  God has been very good to 
me.  Your King is the second one who asked me to be his son.  I never 
knew my real father, but I've known a lot of love in my life."  He 
nuzzled her back.  "So your Dad knew my Mom?"
	"I suppose so.  They hit it off well, I'd say."
	A few clouds passed in front of the sun giving a moment of blessed 
respite from the mid-sun heat.  A cool wind began to blow with the 
promise of moisture for the thirsty land.  A drop fell, playfully 
teasing the end of Mabatu's nose.  Then a couple more fell.  "Hey, it's 
going to rain!"  He almost danced.  "Imagine that!  Rain at last!"
	"What's so great about that?  It rains all the time."
	"It does??"  He remembered something his mother told him long ago 
and sighed.  "I guess she was right.  It's only back home that it never 
rains.  It's been many moons since we've had any rain."
	"Many moons, you say?  What's happened to the grass?  It looks 
like that would ruin hunting."
	"Hunting?  Half-rotted fish trapped in pools as our beautiful 
river dries up to nothing.  Dead birds, snakes, lizards.  Do you realize 
that zebra is the first thing with hair on it I've eaten since I was 
belly-high to my mother?"  He sighed.  "Some day I'm going back for her, 
hyenas or no hyenas, and I'm getting her out of that hell hole.  There 
will be a lot of scores settled that day, I promise you."
	"Poor Baba!"  She trotted in a lope that was easy and looked 
casual but moved a lot of ground beneath her.  "These trees form one 
corner of our land.  Note the scent, Baba.  Note it carefully--it's my 
Dad's, and it's all that comes between us and danger."
	Baba sniffed of a tree trunk, closed his eyes and grimaced.  The 
fragrance of his father's urine was a safe smell, one that he would 
remember and respect.  Then he lifted his leg and marked the tree.  
"There!  You try to touch that old lion, you'll have to kill me first!"  
His face lost its cublike timidity and he was the lion that made love to 
Isha once again.  "I wish I'd known my Uncle Baliaha.  He sounds like a 
decent sort of lion."
	"He was more than decent.  He loved us with his whole heart.  He 
was a lot like you--he said they'd have to kill him first, and they did.  
Don't take foolish chances, Baba.  You're our only hope."
	"But I'm young.  At least I have a chance."
	"You have more than a chance.  Aiheu sent you to us, and he never 
does anything halfway.  I believe you are blessed, our little Nisei."
	Baba smiled.  That's what Isha had called him so tenderly as they 
made love under the moon.  He reached over and touched Umande with his 
tongue.
	It was a long trip from the copse to the termite mounds, or so it 
seemed to Baba who had never had to walk boundary lines before.  As a 
lion, short-legged or no, he had to satisfy the mandates of lionhood 
laid down by Aiheu to the first Baba many generations ago.  Again, he 
added his mark to the termite mounds, then turned to face Boundary 
Kopje.  Another long walk, and another scent mark later, they followed 
the creek from Boundary Kopje to Bontebok Copse, and then back to where 
they started.  It was part of his leonine heritage that he remembered 
the border vividly after one trip, even as he remembered his new 
father's scent.  He looked out into the lands beyond his domain, raised 
his muzzle and uttered a loud, deep roar.  "This land is mine!  Baba, 
son of Mabatu!  Trespass at your peril!"
	Umande said, "This time, let's see YOU find the markers."
	Baba looked around, wide eyed.  "Again??"


CHAPTER:  TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER

	Baba came home in the evening as the stars were just appearing; 
quite worn out from walking the beat.  He groaned as he flopped to the 
grass, idly wondering just HOW the King did that every day.  His mind 
kept wandering back to Isha.  What was she doing tonight?  Out on the 
hunt with Uzuri and Sarafina and Mom?  He thought about Taka who had 
driven him out, and wondered what he meant when he whispered, "It's for 
your own good."  He could not conceive of Taka not loving him, and in 
this he was right.  Isha's sweet voice came back to him, intoxicating 
with its subtle nuances of passion as she told him the words he wanted 
to hear all his life.  "Let us make love...."
	Umande glided over and settled herself next to him.
"Tired, Baba?"
	He nodded and sighed deeply.
There was more than physical pain marking his face.  Umande sensed 
that and was drawn to it.  She nuzzled him softly.  "Poor dear.  You're 
worn out."  
Baba was covered in dust and sweat.  Umande began to groom him 
gently, licking his shoulders and mane, brushing his ears, and cleaning 
his face.
	Baba could feel in her care an echo of his mother's gentle touch.  
It transported him back to a simpler life he once lived in the shadow of 
Pride Rock.  He half closed his eyes and purred softly.
	"Do you like me, Baba?"
	"Of course I like you, Mandy."
	"I like you too.  I feel like I've known you all my life."
	"That's nice," he said, grunting with pleasure as she groomed 
behind his ears.  "Oh that feels good."
	She passed her paw across the tops of his shoulders and along the 
ridge of his back, fondling his strong but aching muscles.  "Oh yes!" he 
said, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a deep sigh.  She 
kneaded the small of his back and nosed a couple of small abrasions he 
got in the reeds.  It felt heavenly.
	Then, without warning, she nuzzled him in the fold of his thigh, 
touching one of his rudimentary teats with her tongue.  His eyes flew 
open and his ears sprang up.  "Mandy?"
	"Yes, Baba?" she purred, fondling his buttocks.
	"Hey, what are you doing??"
	"Doesn't it please you?"
	"That's not the point!"  He got up and walked a couple of lengths 
away, then turned to look at her, his tail clamped tightly down.
	"I'm sorry if I was too forward.  I've never been with a lion 
before."  She looked at him contritely but still passionate.  She came 
to him and rubbed him full length.  "Let me comfort you tonight.  I want 
to feel you close to me."
	"Umande, please!"
	"I want to worship your beautiful body.  I want to make you 
supremely happy.  Baba, tell me what pleases you.  Love me, Baba!  Love 
me, please!  Don't you think I'm beautiful?  Don't you want me?"
	Baba trembled.  He struggled to remember Isha and blot out the 
temptation before him, but Umande was there, alive and warm.  He 
remembered what Isha said about finding another.  He also remembered how 
he replied.  Now if he could only wait till things were better, he could 
come back for her--if she still wanted him.
	"You are indeed beautiful," Baba said.  "Everything about you 
pleases me to the bone.  God help me, I want you despite myself."
	She pawed his face softly and kissed him.  "From the moment I saw 
you, I longed for you.  Now I'm in the season when my blood burns like a 
brush fire.  Let my fragrance fill you with desire.  Everything I am or 
ever will be I willingly cast at your feet."
	The racing of his youthful passions did not blind him to his 
responsibilities, and he took in a deep breath and let it out.  "I would 
take you here and now and never let you go.  But I am pledged to Isha 
and I have made love to her.  She may even have my children.  Do not 
take advantage of my pain."  He bent and kissed her cheek warmly.  "I 
have loved Isha since I was a cub, and someday I will bring her here to 
live.  I love her, and I hope you will be her friend.  I hope you can 
still be my friend as well."
	He turned and stalked away silently.  She stared heartbroken at 
him as he vanished into the night.  "You could change your mind!  I will 
wait for you, Baba!  Love will prevail, and don't be ashamed to admit 
it."  Tears filled her eyes and she collapsed on the ground.
Then she heard a step behind her.  King Mabatu came forward, his 
face tight and set.  "Umande.  I would speak with you."
	"Yes, Father?"
	"Tears, my darling daughter?"  He kissed her.  "What you seek can 
never be."  Gently but firmly he said, "I want you to leave him alone 
until your season is over.  Is that clear?"
	"Why, father?  I've done nothing wrong!"
	"I know...and I wish it to remain so."
	"Why?  He's the first lion I've ever known that I feel safe with, 
and he needs me--I can feel it!"
	"THAT is why you must remain aloof."  Mabatu sighed.  "There is 
more at stake here than you realize."
	"Are you saying he's bad?"
	"No, honey tree.  He's very good."
	"Then are you saying I'M bad?"
	"No, heavens, no, honey tree!  I'm so proud of you."
	"Then tell me why it's so important I leave him alone!  What would 
possibly be at stake?  Don't I have a right to know?"
	Mabatu settled to the grass beside his daughter.  "You must not 
breathe a word of this to Baba.  If it ever got out, there would be dire 
consequences from the gods themselves."
	"What are you trying to say?"
	Mabatu took in a deep breath, shuddered, and let it slowly out.  
"I know you love him, but you must not mate with your own brother."
	Umande gasped.  "My brother?  Him??  Oh my gods!"  She began to 
sob, and Mabatu put a paw across her shoulders, pulling her face into 
the softness of his mane and kissing her.  "Why didn't you tell me??"
	"It is a long and painful story.  Every time I tell it, a small 
part of me dies."
	"Then don't tell me."  She kissed her father and nuzzled him.
	"No, Mandy.  I think it's time you knew the truth about your 
mother.  I owe you that much."

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