"Indeed it would, " the priest said with barely concealed enthusiasm.

"In that case, may I suggest a method that would be very slow and utterly inescapable?"

"By all means."

Rafiki went through the crowd and stood next to Uhuru. The male still had Shenzi pinned trembling on the ground. "I have a suggestion. Are you open to it?"

Uhuru looked up at Rafiki, ready to object till he caught the slight wink. "As you say, shaman, it shall be done."

Fabana came and fell at Rafiki's feet. "Mercy! Mercy! Do not torment my daughter. Let me die in her stead."

"I thought you renounced me, " Shenzi hoa.r.s.ely whispered. "I'm sorry I renounced you. Let me die your daughter."

"You will live. I will die your mother."

"As you wish it, Fabana, " Rafiki said. "In Shenzi's stead, Fabana is to die slowlya"of old age." The mandrill chuckled heartily. "I have chosen the instrument of death. Do you concur, Roh'mach?"

"Indeed, " Uhuru said, beaming. "You are wise beyond measure." Uhuru looked down at the quaking hyena. "I will send you away with the same blessing you gave Simba. Get out of here, far away. If you ever come back, I'll kill you. And this time, it won't be of old age. And take Skulk with you. You are both corban."

Shenzi staggered to her feet, swaying unsteadily. She looked at Uhuru for a long moment, then turned and headed away. Banzai and Ed came foward, supporting her gently on either side.

"Don't worry, sis, " Banzai whispered as gently as his gruff voice would allow. "We'll come with you. We ain't turnin' our back on family."

Fabana looked after them, then turned and smiled at Simba sadly. "G.o.d go with you. I touch your mane."

"I feel it."

She trotted off slowly to join them. Abruptly, one of the remaining hyenas broke away and ran to join them. Two more followed, and then another two.

They hurried over to Shenzi's group, spreading out to form a protective phalanx.

A weak smile slowly crept acorss Shenzi's features as she surveyed the growing party. Turning to Skulk, she chuckled. "On the other hand we may be able to salvage something from this after all." She lowered her voice. "Listen up. I want you to...."

His cold eyes locked with hers. "Shut up."

The group froze, their startled gaze turning to him as he shook his head. "Just shut up and keep walking. I've had it with your schemes. From now on, I'm going to handle our dealings with outsiders." He glanced furtively over his shoulder. "In case you didn't notice, most of our bretheren have sided with the King. The Roh'mach has graciously allowed us to leave." His voice curdled with contempt at the mention of Uhuru. "We still have our lives. Or would you rather go back and have the little weasel finish the job?" He looked at her intently. "I can arrange that if you'd like."

Banzai strode forward angrily. "Hey, you can't do this! "

Skulk stared at him. "I just did, " he said softly. "Now be silent." He returned his gaze to Shenzi who looked back at him with an incongruous smile on her face. "Well, I'm waiting."

Limping forward, she rubbed his cheek against his softly. "Ah, Skulk, I love it when you talk dirty to me."

Leaning on his shoulder, she moved off with him, her companions following behind as they paced slowly away from the baobab, calling softly to each other in their own tongue until they were swallowed up by the darkness.

Uhuru watched them go quietly, uttering a small prayer of thanks. For a moment he had feared there might be civil war. He fought away his fatigue and turned to the jackals who still sat near, hoping to take advantage of the situation.

"Is there something I can help you with?"

The jackals looked at him sourly, realizing that there would be no chow tonight. Reluctantly, they turned and left.

Isha groomed her son gently, tears of happiness streaming down her face as he babbled on about his adventures. "Mom! You should'a been there. Bashak and I played in the biggest skull in the world, and we made Skulk look stupid in front of everybody, and..." Raising her head, Isha looked over at Losara.

The hyena was nuzzling her cub playfully, talking softly to him and laughing at his little antics. She glanced up and caught Isha's gaze. Lioness and hyena looked at each other for a long moment. Slowly, a small smile crept to Isha's face. She bent to Habusu's ear: "Habu, if I ever catch you running off to play with that hyena again..."

He looked at her, ears laid back in contriteness. "Yes, ma'am?"

She looked at him and grinned. "...you'd better tell me where you're going, okay?"

Habusu's smile filled her with such a warmth that she felt like weeping. "Yeah! No problem."

Simba came forward and Uhuru fell before him. "I touch your mane."

"I feel it." He purred deeply. "There can only be true peace where there is justice. I say this before the G.o.ds and the great kings of the past: the ban which great Ahadi placed on scavenging in the Pride Lands is over and done. There is no reason why you cannot live as Aiheu intended."

Many hyenas flocked to Simba, falling to the ground and humbling themselves. "Ebu Simba, Roh'mach aka Roh'mach! "

SCENE: FAR AWAY FROM THE REST.

Six months had pa.s.sed since the rescue of Habusu from Shenzi and Skulk, though it did not seem so long to most lions.

Still, in that time the miracle of new life had come and left changes in the Pride Lands. The gra.s.s was green, the trees were full, and the savanna was grazed by herds once again. Even Khemoki deigned to grace the Pride Lands with his Zebra'ha.

Misha, one of the new children, was sitting on a high rock outside her mother's cave. It was one of her favorite spots because she could see far in all directions.

Her mother Ajenti asked, "What are you looking for so intently?"

"Grandmother is coming. It's time for our walk."

"Come in, Misha. She's not feeling up to it today. I'm sorry."

"But she promised. She was sick yesterday and the day before."

"If you love her, let her break the promise. That's what happens to you when you get to be her age, " her mother Ajenti explained.

"Will I be like that someday?"

"Yes, but it will be a long, long time."

Misha sulked. She had grown to love those walks to the water hole with Yolanda in the early morning hours. Her grandmother was an encyclopedia of great stories of the old kings, of the G.o.ds, and even the latest gossip. And while they were supposed to take these walks for their exercise, Yolanda would always end up seeing something that brought back a memory, and the walk would become a talk.

Misha was bright, and it didn't take her long to figure out that her grandmother would only get older with time. 'That age' was keeping them apart more and more, but never for three days in a row. She tried to imagine life without her grandmother--even the thought depressed her.

Ajenti nuzzled her affectionately. "Why don't you go play with Tanabi? He really likes you."

"He's OK, " she answered half-heartedly. Misha was really crazy about Tanabi, but it was just not the same. That was Grandmother's special time, and it was for no one else. If Grandmother couldn't come to her, she would go to Yolanda. It would be a pleasant surprise.

There were several places Yolanda loved to go. Some of the more challenging ones, like her favorite branch in a low-hanging tree, had been neglected lately. She was more apt to be dozing on one of the large rocks that caught the morning sun. Misha went to the rocks, but no one was there. She wasn't at the tree, either. And the small cistern where rainwater filled a cave in the rock was visited by two lionesses, neither one of which had seen her.

Simba wished Misha a cheerful good morning. "Tanabi was looking for you. That is, if you're not taking your morning walk."

"But I am, Your Majesty, if I can find my Grandmother. You haven't seen Yolanda, have you?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

"I thought you were supposed to know where everyone is. You're king, aren't you?"

Simba smiled pleasantly. "Indeed I am. But I'm not a miracle worker. If I see her before you do, I'll tell her you're looking for her. She's been kind of sick lately. Maybe she's still asleep."

"I checked, " Misha said, distracted.

Without saying good bye, Misha hurried on, but she had no idea where she was going. Everywhere her Grandmother usually stayed was deserted. So she must be somewhere unusual. On a whim, she took the path down to the savanna that stretched out before Pride Rock. The gra.s.s was tall, and it was easy for a lioness to disappear completely, a thought that was most upsetting to the antelopes and zebras. "Grandmother! Yolanda! Are you out there?" She hunted everywhere, which was not easy for a fully grown lioness, much less a cub. "Grandmother! It's me, Misha! "

Just when she was about to give up, she saw Yolanda walking alone into the distance.

"Grandmother! It's me! " Misha hurried over to her in the tall gra.s.s. "Wait up, will you! I've looked everywhere for you! Couldn't you hear me calling you?"

Yolanda stopped for a moment to let Misha catch up, then resumed her slow, steady tread. "I'm sorry I didn't come by for our walk. I haven't felt well."

"But you feel well now, don't you? I mean, you're walking now."

"Honey tree, I'm walking now because I don't feel well. I don't want to be at home when something happens to me. They would either have to move me to a more suitable place, or let the hyenas desecrate my den. Either way, I don't want the ones I love to remember my death, but my life."

"Are you going to die?"

"Someday we all have to die. It's part of life."

"I wish you wouldn't say that. You know I'd be sad if you died." She ran a few steps out front, which was not difficult at the rate Yolanda walked. "Can I walk with you?"

"I suppose I have no choice, and I could use someone to talk to."

"Maybe you'll tell me a story. Where are you going?"

"I'm going to be with my husband. Your grandfather. You never knew him. His name was Simba, too. Just like the King. He was a good mate. Seeing him will make me young again."

"Not really. I mean you just mean feel young, don't you? I thought he was dead."

Yolanda smiled, indulgently.

"Can I see him too?"

"Someday, Misha. Not now." She walked across the plain slowly, painfully. Her joints had been stiff in the morning, but there was something more akin to lameness that was obvious even to Misha.

"Are you all right?"

"That doesn't matter now. I'm tired. I'm just so tired."

"Then let's rest for a minute."

"There will be time for rest later, " she said, determined. "We are not far enough yet."

"Far enough from what? When is far enough?"

"I'll tell you."

She walked on. The exertion made her perspire, and her breath was labored. She stumbled over a small rock the way Misha might fall in a gopher hole. "What are you trying to find?" Misha asked. "There's nothing out here but gra.s.s."

"That's the point, " she said. "It is the sort of place no one would go without a good reason."

"Why don't you rest now?"

"Are you tired, Misha? you're so young and strong. I'm so..." Yolanda stopped. Her teeth bared in a grimace of pain. "Oh G.o.ds! "

"Grandmother! "

Summoning all her reserve, she calmly said, "You were right, Misha. This is the place. We will rest here." She collapsed into a heap and moaned. "I'm so tired, Honey Tree. I could use some sleep. Why don't you go play someplace else right now and let me rest. I'll be all right."

"Grandmother?" Misha said in a trembly voice. "Should I call Rafiki now? He's just over there."

"No, honey tree. I'll be all right." Saying that, she lay her head in the gra.s.s. "Oh, can you feel the cool breeze, Misha?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She closed her eyes. "Isn't it wonderful? It's been so hot recently with no rains to freshen the air. But it may be a fine day after all. Nice and cool." Yolanda took in a deep breath, and let it out in a long, slow sigh. Misha anxiously watched her chest for a long time, waiting to see it rise and fall. She waited for a long time.

"Wake up, Grandma! You can't sleep here! " She ran nervously around the body, nipping her on the paws and licking her on the cheek. "Don't leave me, Grandma. You can't die. You just can't! "

Backing back from the body, Misha looked about for someone, anyone who could help. Why did she have to go so far away into the brush? Maybe Rafiki could help. Oh that the G.o.ds would let him be at home! "Is anybody out there?"

Finally she spotted a lioness in the tall gra.s.s and ran toward her. "Help! Help! It's Yolanda! "

"It's not safe here, " the lioness said. "You must go."

The voice galvanized her. Misha stood frozen to the spot and stared at the sad, kindly face. It seemed to shine with its own inner light, and she didn't know whether to be happy or terrified. "Please don't leave me. I don't want you to go. I'll do anything. Just stay a little longer, please! "

"It's not safe, " the lioness said firmly. "The vultures are here and the hyenas are not far behind. Run, honey tree. Run home now!"

Misha was grief stricken, but she had to flee before the ghastly funeral took place. She couldn't hope to face off the scavengers at her age. And so she ran toward Pride Rock. She ran and ran like a mad thing and did not stop until she found her mother.