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 th
e 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.”
Touch of the Nisei cotpl-8 Page 12
