“Good news??”
“The best! Where’s Uzuri??”
The hunt mistress had retired to her cave, trying to get a little rest. Then she would go back out to the eastern border and wait again. The strain was telling on her. It was also taking a toll on her hunting--two days hunting yielded only a small duiker and a thompson’s gazelle. Very slim pickings for a pride of full grown lions and their cubs.
Habusu practically bounced up. "Guess what, Uzuri! I just saw Togo and Kombi!"
"You did? Where??"
"Right next to the Pride Lands! They took over the eastern kingdom when Ugas died. How about that! Now you can sneak down and see them whenever you want."
"Yes," she said, her heart almost stopping. “I see.”
"I knew you'd be thrilled."
"Yes, of course." Uzuri's jaw began to tremble, and tears filled her eyes. “Thanks.” She looked away before he could see her cry.
Ugas’ voice came back to her across the void. “I’m old, and when I’m dead, all the tears in the world won’t bring me back.” For a few moments she was paralyzed with grief and guilt. But as soon as soon as she could move, she hurried across the savanna for Rafiki’s baobab. It was the only place she could safely express her feelings.
Rafiki was scrying the future. Without even looking up, he said, "Come in, Uzuri. I've been expecting you."
She looked at the bowl of water. "Just how much do you know?"
"I knew you would come by."
"And how about Ugas. Is he?"
"Yes, he is." Rafiki fondled her cheek and wiped a couple of half-dried tears from her eyes. "So you found out today, did you?"
"Habusu told me." Trying to keep her composure, she sat stiffly, her jaw held so tightly that her chin could not tremble. "I want you to help me. Ugas, my husband, must be mourned.”
“Of course.”
“I want you to come with me. My heart is heavy, and I have no one I can tell. I need someone, Rafiki, as once you needed me."
“What an honor,” he said, giving her paw a squeeze. “Uzuri, Ugas was my good friend. He spoke often of you. He would ask me about Togo and Kombi. Too bad he never met them--his own sons."
"It was too bad."
Rafiki wanted her to release her pent-up grief. It tortured him to see her like that. "Where do you want to hold the ceremony?"
"Our special place. The bank of the stream that runs along the border of our kingdoms. There is a patch of reeds there. We would meet there at times."
"I know."
"He told you? Did you know him that well?"
"Very well. I’ll keep your secret, but you must keep mine. I have a little something for you."
He reached in a gourd and pulled out a lock of golden fur. "I brought this back for my shrine." He watched as she sniffed of it and took in the old fragrance.
She stroked the lock of his mane. Her eyes welled up with tears and she bent to face the ground. "Ugas! My beloved Ugas!"
Rafiki put his arms around her neck and held her to his heart. "Uzuri, how it breaks my heart to see your grief. I know what it’s like to lose a mate. I will pray for you day and night."
"You're a good friend. I knew you would understand."
Rafiki gave her a little squeeze and patted her shoulder. "You were always a queen to me. You always will be."
Uzuri sniffed and dried her tears with a paw. "Until high moon." She took her grief and locked it away inside, then walked out of the baobab with what dignity she could summon.
CHAPTER: ALWAYS ROOM FOR ONE MORE
Rafiki knew Ugas well. Too well to think that there would be no problems caused by his death. Habusu had unknowingly unleashed a thunderbolt into dry grass, and the news would spread like a brush fire.
Isha quietly poked her head inside the baobab. “Rafiki, do you have a moment?”
“Yes, dear.” He looked into her large, sad face. “I bet I know what you’re here for.”
“You’re very perceptive,” she said. “Did Ugas tell you about us?”
“That he did. He always called you ‘blossom.’”
“There is a story behind that name,” she said. Rafiki had a strong suspicion that he was going to hear it, and he settled back while the anguished details came pouring out, punctuated by fits of sobbing. He was genuinely interested, but prayed that she would hurry up and leave before someone else came by.
“And we used to meet at our special place by the river,” she continued. “There was a patch of jasmine there. He would tell me that I was the prettiest blossom of them all. The name stuck.”
“You will pray for him tonight, I trust?”
“More than that,” she said. “He deserves so much more. But I can’t tell the other sisters. I mean, none of them knew I was seeing another lion. They would look down on me.”
“I understand.”
“At midnight, I was hoping that you and I could meet at our special place by the flowers. You understand, don’t you? I mean, I can’t let that poor, dear lion go to the stars without someone who understands what he meant to me hearing a few good words.”
Rafiki put his arms around her neck and gave her a hug. “You poor, dear lady. We’ll see what we can work out.”
Just then, Ajenti stuck her head in. “Oh, you’re with someone else. I just have this thorn in my paw.”
“My shoulder was stiff,” Isha said. “It feels much better now. Come on in.”
Limping as well as she could, Ajenti waited until Isha was out of hearing range.
“Oh Rafiki!” she said, bursting into tears. “Isn’t it awful about Ugas! Surely he told you about me?”
“Yes, my dear. He was Misha’s father. He used to call you ‘Squirrel.’”
“Indeed. There’s a story behind that name. The first time we were together, there was this squirrel in the acacia tree, and....”
Just as Rafiki was settling down to hear another story of love’s labors lost, Sarafina pushed her head in.
“Oh, you’re with someone. I can come back later.”
“No, it’s fine,” Ajenti said. “He just pulled a thorn from my paw.”
“You’re lucky,” Sarafina said. “I have this pulled muscle in my shoulder.”
Ajenti started to leave. “If you want to check on me at mid-moon, you know where I’ll be. Please see if you can be there.”
Rafiki sighed. He knew exactly where she would be at mid-moon. She would have a bigger thorn in her heart than in her paw when the truth came out.
Sarafina watched until she left. And when all was quiet, she fell before Rafiki. “Oh gods, you have to help me!” she stammered, tears running down her cheeks. “I’ve kept this thing bottled up inside me and If I don’t get it out, I’ll just die!”
“You just found out about Ugas? I didn’t think it wise to tell you, knowing that you and he were close.”
“I knew all along!” She covered her face with a paw and sobbed. “Why didn’t you tell me he was Uzuri’s husband! Why did you let me make such a fool of myself! This is all my fault!”
“My dear, don’t be so hard on yourself! Nothing is your fault.”
“But it is, don’t you see??” She looked him piercingly in the eyes. “It’s all my fault!” She added in a weak whisper, “We were making love at the time!”
“Oh my gods!”
“And when he was dying, he thought I was Uzuri. He said, ‘Forgive me, for I’ve been unfaithful to you. It’s only you I loved!’”
Rafiki bowed his head and tears streamed down his cheeks. “Tell me he didn’t say that!”
“He did,” she said, her heart crumbling. “Oh gods, I feel like such a wretch! My own sister’s husband! And I killed him!”
“You did not kill him! Age killed him. Old age, Fini! At least he died with someone who cared by his side.”
He reached down and kissed her cheek, lovingly stroking her face and ears. “Don’t believe his little confession. He wanted Uzuri to feel good, but I knew that lion. He spoke high
ly of you, and used to brag that your daughter had your lovely eyes. He loved you, Fini.”
“He said that?”
“Yes, I swear.” He stroked her gently. “You and your sister Uzuri are both beautiful and sweet and intelligent, and so wonderful. He was lonely because Uzuri would not stay with him. Maybe he saw in you the things he loved in her.”
She looked at him perceptively through her tears. “I know how you feel about her. That’s the nicest thing you could have said to me.”
“I meant it, Honey Tree. Every word.”
She reached up with a paw and stroked his face. “I can hardly bear to look at her, knowing what she’s going through. Can you meet me at mid-moon by our special place? Maybe Aiheu will be merciful to me and help me find inner peace. My life has not been worth living for weeks now.”
“How could I refuse you, old girl?” He patted her shoulder. “I may be a few minutes late, but I’ll be there.”
CHAPTER: ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUST
Rafiki was relieved when Uzuri came a little early. Uzuri was never deceptive, though she was hard to interpret at times. She did not advertise her feelings through chatter and social conventions, but she always managed to show the ones she loved her warmth and compassion.
But now she was able to toss reserve aside and bare her soul. She knew that his spirit would be watching from the stars, and she could not afford to show a calm face to him.
“Oh, Ugas! Oh gods, my husband, my lover, my heart! He’s dead!”
Tears began to stream down her face. She wanted to roar, but dared not. Instead, she nestled in the sanctuary of Rafiki’s arms and sobbed.
“That wonderful lion! That kind and gentle soul! What little time we spent together made me more noble, more grand just for having loved him! And let me tell you, Rafiki, more important than his breath on my cheek was being there with him.”
He kissed her and stroked her gently. “Yes, my dear.”
“He was caring, with a voice as warm as a good nuzzle, and a nuzzle as warm as the sun. Sometimes we would just lie side by side, and I would smell the honest fragrance of his mane against my cheek. He always made me feel special and beautiful. The last time we made love, he said--” She began to convulse with choking sobs.
“What did he say?”
“He looked at me sadly and said ‘Love me as if it was for the last time.’”
Rafiki put his arms around her neck, kissing her around the face. “My poor girl! My poor little girl! It will get better with time. You will never be the same, but you will learn to live with the loss, as I have.”
Uzuri kissed him. “I was right. You do understand.”
He rocked ever so slightly back and forth with her head pillowed against his chest, whispering, “There, my love. I’ll always be here for you, and not just tonight. You know it, don’t you?”
Tears streamed down his cheeks as he felt her soft breath on his arm and felt the trembling in her large, powerful body rendered almost helpless by crippling grief.
At that intimate moment of grief, Barata showed up. Rafiki sighed.
“What is she doing here?” Uzuri asked, drying her eyes quickly.
“Uzuri, dearest, try not to be too upset.”
Uzuri hurried over to Barata and confronted her furiously. “You are here because of him, aren’t you??”
“He had an affair with you too? I didn’t know! I swear I didn’t
know!”
“Affair?? He was my husband!”
Barata was taken aback. “You never told me!” Barata rolled over on the ground. “I swear, Uzuri, I would never have cheated on you. It was only once, and it was many moons ago. Oh gods, I love you! You’re my pride sister! I’m sorry!”
Uzuri looked at her misery and knew that she was suffering a double grief. The hunt mistress nuzzled her. “Get up, friend. I should have gone to be with him. I left him alone, and I can understand how this might happen.” She tilted her head puzzled. As discretely as she could, she said, “Still, I always thought you never had an interest in--you know.”
“Just because I never got pregnant didn’t mean I never....” She glanced over at Rafiki. “You know.”
Ajenti poked her head through the bushes. She saw the other two lionesses and gasped. "Oh my gods!"
Isha pushed past her. She looked appraisingly at the other lionesses. And shook her head. "I knew I wasn't the only one, but I underestimated the old boy."
“Watch what you say about my husband!” Uzuri shouted.
“Your husband??” Isha said.
“Your husband??” Ajenti echoed.
Rafiki motioned for quiet and tried to begin the ceremony. "Death has struck down our friend Ugas. Let us remember him as a brave lion, a good lion, whose heart was full of love...."
"Yeah, you can say that again!" Ajenti said bitterly.
Isha nodded. “He was Bango's father. And I must admit he was a good lion--quite good.”
"Yes," Sarafina said quietly. "He was good, wasn't he?"
“Sarafina? You too?”
Isha came to her. “You and Ugas??”
“Why not??” Sarafina said. “We were a matched set. I couldn’t imagine you’d like him. I like a comfortable routine, but you would have gone crazy. The same old thing every time.”
“Never the same thing twice!” Isha said, scandalized. “Are we talking about the same Ugas?”
“And his sense of humor,” Sarafina added. “He always told the funniest jokes. Most of them don’t bear repeating in public.”
“Jokes??” Uzuri was outraged. “That somber, powerful and tragic lion of destiny??”
Barata said, “It seems he sized us up like prey. He chose a different approach with each of us. Sisters, we were had!”
“It was worth it,” Sarafina said.
“I learned a few things,” Isha said. That was saying a lot.
Rafiki sighed. It would be a long night.
CHAPTER: THE QUEEN MOTHER
The next morning, Uzuri called the Pride Sisters together one last time. She had before her a dead hedgehog. Dipping her paw in the blood, she touched Misha on both cheeks, leaving red prints. Then she kissed the startled lioness.
“I give you the most precious possession I have,” she said, tears streaming down her face. The pride sisters all took in a deep gasp. “I gave a lot of thought to what I would say when I left you. In the end there is nothing I can say, and so I leave you with silence. But I can never forget the time we spent together on the trail. Farewell, my sisters, and Godspeed.”
Her chin trembling, she sniffed back her tears and headed outward.
“You can’t do this!” Sarafina said. “Sis, I love you! Can you just turn your back on me?”
“No more than I could turn my back on my sons. They need me, hon.”
“Then let me walk with you to the border.”
Uzuri leaned against her shoulder as she walked. As was her custom, she said little, but she glanced over at Sarafina and kissed away her tears.
“I thought we were together till the end,” Fini said.
“I will visit you,” Uzuri replied. “You have not seen the last of me.”
“It won’t be the same without Ugas.” It was the first time she’d mentioned his name since the truth came out, and she tensed up.
“I won’t spoil your memories of him,” Uzuri said. “I’m glad you found happiness. Maybe you will again.”
“And how about you, Uzuri? Will you find happiness again, now that you have done this thing?”
“I won’t stop looking if you won’t.”
Before they reached the border, Rafiki confronted her with Makaka at his side. Makaka sprang to her and hugged her around the neck.
“Shame on you,” Rafiki said. “Trying to leave your best friend behind.”
“But I must,” she said.
“I won’t let you. I’m going with you. So is Makaka.”
“I thought you said you were tied to this place?”
> “I was. But only because of you.” He looked out toward his old baobab and back toward Pride Rock. “We had some times here, old girl. That we did.”
Uzuri smiled sweetly. “I feel much better now. Thanks.”
They headed east, an odd procession of two lionesses and two mandrills. But at the creek, Sarafina sadly nuzzled Uzuri, then kissed Rafiki and Makaka. “I am bound to Nala, as you are to your sons. But my heart is always with you.”
With sadness for what they left behind, they headed out into the water. But as the opposite bank drew nearer, their sense of adventure began to shove grief aside. If only Ugas had been there to meet her, joy would have flooded her soul like noontime sunlight. But in a way she felt closer to him, and it was some comfort in her loss.
No sooner had she crossed the creek than Adhama spotted her and fell to the ground. “My lady.”
“Rise up,” Uzuri said with a self-conscious laugh. “I was never much at being a queen. So how are my boys doing?”
“See for yourself!”
Uzuri found no need to call out ‘Aiheu abamami’ as she went along. Indeed, as the Queen Mother she was a member of Kombi’s pride and free to come and go as she pleased.
Togo and Kombi were out on border patrol when she arrived at Pride Kopje. But she was soon surrounded by a swarm of excited cubs who pawed her and chanted, “Zuri, Zuri!”
She rolled on her back and patted her chest with a paw. They covered her, kissing her face and pawing her affectionately.
As she held them close with a paw and kissed them, Princess Amara came out with a squeal of delight. “Hi, Mom! It’s all right if I call you ‘Mom’ isn’t it?”
“Sure it is, Marrie.”
Amara pushed through the cubs to nuzzle her. “I’m so glad you came. I do my best to make Togo happy.”
“I’m sure you do,” Uzuri said with a knowing smile.
Rafiki smiled. He was fond of Amara and was glad to know she loved Togo and knew his love in return.
“He misses you terribly,” Amara added. “Now that you’re here, he’ll be so happy. And you and I will be great friends. There are so many things that I want to ask you, Mom. We knew sooner or later you were coming here to live. I’m just glad it’s sooner, before the cubs were born. Uzuri, I so much want you to be my midwife.”
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