A hush fell over the sward. The zebras looked at one another and the elephants shook their head. Akase stood on the tip of the Pride Rock with a certain dignity, but a deep sadness that bowed her head and stooped her shoulders. They waited for her to say something, anything. One of the zebra mares nuzzled her foal. The leopards bowed their heads and Bhetu the bat-eared fox howled mournfully. Ahadi came out and kissed his mate, leading her back to a sanctuary of private grief. Zazu dismissed the crowd with a quick blessing, and they stalked quietly away, aware that something very bad had happened.

Mufasa left the peak, and headed back to the cave where he had spent his cubhood. "So I am a lion now."

"You are my lion now, " Sarabi answered. She came from the deep shadows to meet him. He gathered his nerve and put his paw paw on her left shoulder. She answered with a deep purr. It could only mean one thing.

Mufasa said "Before the gods, before the stars, before the assembled host I swear to give you my protection, my life, and my comfort forever."

She trembled and nuzzled him affectionately. "Till the last beat of my heart, to the last breath I sigh, our lives are one, so help me gods."

"Bless you, Sassie. I'll love you forever."

“Let us go someplace alone, ” Sarabi whispered.

“Right now?” Mufasa whispered back. “Are you sure you want this?”

“Yes.” She kissed him. “Once Taka needed me, but now he needs something I can’t give him. I hope he finds it.” She nuzzled him and added, “Let me be selfish, Muffy. Let me think of myself for once. Give me what I need. Love me. Let me feel your breath on my cheek.”

“Sassie, ” he whispered passionately. “To love you for a moment and then die, I would have no regrets.”

Mufasa nodded at his parents and Ahadi winked back. “Have fun, kids. There’s a nice walk to the mirror pool in the cleft of the rock. You could watch the fish swim.”

When Mufasa led his timid new wife out of the cave, Ahadi whispered to Akase, “Thank the Gods. Sarabi is a good lioness, and she has made the right decision. Taka is a good boy, and clever, but he is so immature. Besides, it’s just like Rafiki says--Muffy really loves her.”

“Did he tell you that too? He’s a meddlesome old ape, but he has a heart from the gods.” She shook her head. “I hate to agree with you, husband, but you are right about Taka.” She sighed. “Do you ever think we’ll see him again?

“Probably not while we’re alive, old girl. He’s proud, that one. Proud and stubborn.”

“Then go after him, ” Akase said.

“Go after him? Where? This is no antelope hunt. His tracks cover every square paw of the Pride Lands. I’m not a god, you know.”

“You don’t have to tell me that, ” she said in a feeble attempt at humor. “But if you don’t look for him, I will.”

“Akase! You must be careful! I can’t have you leaving the Pride Lands. I’ve already lost a son—must I lose his mother as well?”

“Then come with me.”

“I’m not sure it will do any good. But we owe him that much at least.”

Just then, Zazu came excitedly into the cave. "Good news, everyone! You'll never guess! " He bowed deeply. "Your Majesties, Taka is coming back! I've spotted him in the brush and he's headed this way! "

“That is good news for us, ” Ahadi said. “I only hope it will be good news for him.”

Taka was devastated by his loss. It was too much for him to accept completely, and he constantly watched for opportunities to get Sarabi alone. Such chances were few, for Muffy fawned on her day and night, smitten with a love both deep and selfless. And Sarabi was not the passive subject of his advances. She nuzzled her mate for no obvious reason, played games of hide and go seek with passion at stake, and would lie against him with her head buried in the softness of his mane. When the lionesses would talk as they gathered for the hunt, her every other word was Muffy this and Muffy that. Their attraction was healthy and strong, and those who knew her said she would have the light in her eyes soon enough.

Once Sarabi enjoyed Taka’s company. Now she tried to avoid him. He had met her at the watering hole and begged her to come away with him. Once he’d waited for her to come back from the kill and put his paw on her left shoulder in front of the other lionesses. She was terrified that Muffy would overhear some of his remarks and try to satisfy the demands of honor. Taka misunderstood her warnings as concern for “their relationship, ” and began to block out the evidence of her strong attraction to Muffy. To him, she was trapped in a marriage she did not want, trying to protect her true love from the wrath of a jealous husband or outraged gods.

Sarabi tried to disenchant him from that fantasy. He only believed more strongly than ever in her love. A brave, fragile thing of beauty that would try to turn his affections to another rather than have him killed by his own brother. At first it was easy for Taka to cling to this story and make his rejection bearable. In a way, it made her more beautiful and desirable to him, and he suffered greatly over it.

Then one day her love for Muffy took tangible form inside her. She came to him that morning, nuzzled him, and called him “father, ” and with tears of joy he kissed her and called her “mother.” Ahadi and Akase were the next to know, but then she went to tell Taka she was with child. This was more of a duty she had to perform, and she took no joy in it.

He stared silently at the ground for a moment, then looked at her. “So you are with his child. Where has the time gone.”

“I hope you are glad for me.”

“I could be glad for us.” He reached out with his left paw and touched her shoulder.

“I wish you wouldn’t do that.” She backed up. “Muffy would use you for a throw rug. Besides, I’m expecting. Doesn’t that mean anything to you? Taka, it’s over between us. Can’t you see that?”

“Because your child is forming inside you? Sassie, it could be our child. I love you so much, and I would love your cubs so much. I can’t just give up on you. No one has ever loved you the way I do. I cannot blame Muffy for wanting you. I couldn’t blame any lion for wanting you. But you loved me back. I waited for you, I prayed for you, I was prepared to turn my back on family and friends for you, even the gods themselves.”

She was shocked. “Don’t you fear the gods?”

“The gods?” Taka uttered a short, mocking laugh. “If there are any gods, they hate me. They have let this curse eat away at me and done nothing to stop it.” His eyes bored into hers. “You are my god now. You and the child inside you. I would worship you. I would bring you sacrifices. Sassie, look at me! ”

“Stop it! I’m not going anywhere with you. I love you like a brother—a spoiled little brother that has his good moments. I thought I could also learn to love your breath on my cheek, but it will not happen. Muffy is the first thing I think of when I wake up and the last thing I think of as I fall asleep. When he touches me, I tremble. You never made me feel that way.”

His jaw clenched. “I don’t want to hear this.”

“You NEED to hear this! He and I are in love. I pitied you, and wanted to make you happy. But you are aggravating, dependent, selfish, and obnoxious, and those are some of your LESS irritating qualities. If I’d married you, that would not have changed. But thank the gods I narrowly escaped making the biggest mistake of my life.”

Taka took in a short gasp. The dream was shattered forever. He gaped at her, unable to speak for several seconds. “Well then, ” he said bitterly, “it seems I ran away at a very convenient time. I hope you two will be happy together.” He started away.

“Wait, Taka! I don’t know what made me say those awful things.”

“What awful things, Sarabi?” He gave her a withering glance. “I’m the one that loves you, you said. Taka, when you grow up, I want to marry you, you said. And that little crack about how I wouldn’t survive the wedding night. Well I almost didn’t.” She backed away a step as he stalked towards her. “While his breath perfumed your dainty little cheek as you so delicately put it, I was planning my own death.”