SCENE: ONE LAST REQUEST.

It was the night before Mabatu's mantlement, a time most young lions would be spending with their mother, trying to say enough kind things to last a lifetime. But Mabatu was unprepared, and every moment had to count. That's why Isha stayed home from the hunt to spend time with Mabatu, talking about hunting, fighting, and other skills.

His greatest hope was to drive off hyenas, for he expected to live on carrion if he was to live at all. So he had to know their weaknesses, and how many of them could be safely dispersed. There was little hope he would blossom into a great hunter. Isha above all should know this for her skills as a huntress were second only to Uzuri. And because she had always loved Mabatu, she was desperate to do her best.

"We must look at holds, " she said. "Here on the arm, you can restrict movement." She mouthed his upper arm gently above the elbow. "Here on the flank you can rip. But the throat hold is one of prime importance...." She put her arm over his back. "You strike them here and push with your weight." Isha leaned on him. "It's important to let your weight do the work. Then you go for the throat and cut off his wind." She gently opened her mouth and caressed Mabatu's strong throat.

A moment later, she let go and looked up. "Your heart is pounding. Are you all right?"

He stared at her. His nostrils quivered as the warm tides of his breath came and went. "Isha...."

"I didn't mean to offend you. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It is I who have offended you."

"Nonsense, " she said, nuzzling him.

He nuzzled her back pa.s.sionately, nibbling her ear. He looked at her expression of surprise. "Don't hate me. You don't know how long I've waited to do that. How very long."

"We need to get back to hunting, " she stammered, watching his trembling chin. "We don't have much time."

"We don't have much time, " he replied. "I must hunt now. I may not have a chance, but I've stalked for a long time. Now I must break my cover and rush to you."

"Even though I'm old enough to be your mother? I'm flattered. Really I am. But when you're older, you'll find someone more your own age. Then you'll look back on this and laugh."

"You know I'll never get much older. I'm being sacrificed to help the others. You know it."

She is distraught. "I wish you wouldn't say that."

"But you don't deny it."

"How can I?"

"I love you, Isha. I've always loved you. Remember, I said when I grew up, I'd marry you. You laughed then, but if you laugh now, I'll die. While life holds my soul and body together, I will love you. Even in death I will love you."

"In death?" She nuzzled him. "Don't think of death. You are alive."

"How can I be alive? I've never lived. If I could only be close to you, just for tonight, I would have LIVED, Isha."

She looked into his eyes, then pawed him. He playfully batted at her. She moved around him, looking for an opening. "If you hunt big game, prepare to exert yourself."

She pounced, locking her arms around his throat and wrestling him with great skill. Laughing and panting, she nearly shoved him to the ground. He flailed at her with his arms, but struck her so gently it would not have awakened a cub. She pushed him over.

Mabatu got up to have another go at it. He tried to use his weight to push her over, but she outweighed him, and easily stepped aside. She put her arm over his shoulder and began to lean in on him. His legs began to buckle under the strain. Then when it seemed she would pin him, she stood still. He put his head under her arm and pushed her over into the gra.s.s and looked down at her. "Gotcha! "

She looked deep into his eyes. Her jaw quivered. "Now that you've caught me, " she purred, "do what you will."

"Oh G.o.ds! " He began to nuzzle her pa.s.sionately, nibbling her ears and pawing her cheek gently. "Isha, beloved! "

ISHA: Night is here; in its perfumed shadows

Let us hold the moment till its gone,

Winding through the gentle, fleeting pa.s.sage,

That separates the sunset from the dawn.

MABATU: Past has fled, future is uncertain

What remains is what I share with you

Feel my heart, it's yours in sweet surrender

Till the moonlight dies upon the morning dew.

BOTH: This is the moment of our warm embrace

To tell you I love you and look in your face

To treasure each moment till dawn gilds the skies

And fathom the mystery of love in your eyes

In the silver moonlight, she whispered, "Come, my lover, where the night shall hide us away." He kissed her and rose to his feet. Isha followed, resting her head on his woefully thin mane and leaving it there as she walked alongside him into the shadows.

SCENE: FAR AND AWAY.

For a while, Kako had the hope that her son could one day be King of Pride Rock.

But things had turned against them, and so with none of the pomp and celebration a.s.sociated with a royal presentation, a very private ceremony took place in the quiet of the east meadow. There, surrounded by a profusion of flowers, Kako reenacted the sorrow of most lionesses who have sons. It was supposed to be positive, a launching out on a great adventure. As such, Kako was strong, and smiled warmly. "Where has my little cub gone? All I see is this lion."

"I'll always be your son, " Baba replied, and nuzzled her.

"Remember me, " she said. "When you are a great king, do not forget that I gave you milk."

"When you are gone to be with your fathers, pray for me." The words almost stuck in his throat. He knew he would not see her again until they had both gone to be with Aiheu.

"I will pray for you, " she said, her tail going limp. "Oh G.o.ds, my son, my little son! "

"Don't cry, mother." He kissed away her tears. "You must be strong for me. I will carry this moment with me for the rest of my life."

"I'm sorry." She sniffed and smiled. "Besides, we will meet again among the stars, and nothing will separate us." She put her paw on his cheek. "May the Lord Aiheu smile upon you. May the gra.s.s be soft beneath you. May the great kings enfold you. May you find love and safety wherever you go."

"I'll be safe, " he said. "The G.o.ds are with me."

Isha came. She looked at the small male and tears started rolling down her cheeks. It did not go unnoticed by Kako.

Mabatu went to her, kissed away her tears, and whispered, "I'll come back for you. If Aiheu lets me live, I'll make a place for us. Will you wait for me?"

"I will. I swear."

"I will always love you. If I die, look in the stars. I will be watching over you."

Mabatu nuzzled Kako. He wanted to remember the feel of her fur, the smell, the sound of her breath. He looked in her eyes. "Mother."

"My son." She kissed him one last time.

Without another word, he turned and walked north. He did not look back, for it would have been wrong to do so. He went to the edge of the trees, then through the shaded trail of the bongo to the hidden meadow where many lions go to die. There was a quiet skull staring sightlessly from the meadow gra.s.s, all that was left of old Maloki. He did not stop to regard it, but he did look at the far side of the meadow. That was the border of the Pride Lands. He regarded it with a little nostalgia. He'd never left the Pride Lands before and now he stood at the edge of The Big World. He took in a deep, cleansing breath and let it out slowly. Then he walked into the trees and let their shade close over him like a curtain.

SCENE: FACING UP.

Shimbekh watched Mabatu's mantlement from the shadows. It was a thorn in her heart. "Because of me, he will die. I cannot see it, but he is so unprepared, so young."

She walked back toward Pride Rock to take shelter from the sun and to talk with Makpil. Along the way, she tried to think of one thing that made her different from a murderess. Is it enough that she had been ordered to lie, even if it was the Roh'mach herself that so ordered?

Makhpil was waiting for her. How wonderful it must be to see things before they happen! With great sadness and envy, Shimbekh asked Makhpil what the future held.

"I see you standing by the river gorge, " Makhpil said. She kissed Shimbekh. "You will experience joy."

Joy was something Shimbekh knew little about, especially in recent days. But somehow she knew that Makhpil spoke the truth. It was like a small echo of her once great powers.

Shimbekh hurried out of the cave. Usually the lionesses were never directly addressed by hyenas. That's why Uzuri was shocked when the Shimbekh spoke to her. Shimbekh told Uzuri that sticking by Pride Rock was not her idea, nor was it the idea of the G.o.ds. It was Shenzi's desire, as are most things done nowadays. The same is true of Mabatu. He must be found and brought home before death could take him.

Uzuri was indignant and a little mistrustful. "This talk could get you killed, unless it is some kind of trick."

"Yeah, a trick." Seer laughs bitterly. "Your blood would turn to dust if you knew half the tricks that had been pulled on you. My powers are gone. Because I lied, the truth has fled from me, and there is only one future I can see--my own." Shimbekh stalked off quietly.

Shimbekh walked to the edge of the gorge where Taka had once killed Mufasa. "I confessed my guilt. Just once more let me see the truth with my own eyes." She closed her eyes tightly and took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. A smile crossed her face. "Yes, Lord. Thank you. Memu kofasa, Muti! Roh'kash ne nabu! " She crouched down on her haunches and sprang over the edge. For several seconds she fell freely, then she struck the wall of the gorge, was sent b.l.o.o.d.y and broken through the boulders, and finally rolled to a stop.