“He’s my husband, ” Isha said firmly. “I’ve remained faithful to him. I will till the day I die.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Why didn’t you ask me?”

Kako sighed deeply. “Did he understand what he was doing?”

“I did have three cubs you know.”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“You mean did he really love me? Yes. Do I really love him? Yes. Would we do it again? Yes, as the gods are my witness. I want to spend my life making him happy, tending his wounds, catching his prey, raising his cubs. Oh gods, what I wouldn’t give to have him here right now. My husband is gone, two of my cubs are dead, my third is lost, and now the lioness I thought was my best friend has turned against me.”

“No, Isha. That’s not so.” She leans on Isha and purrs, nuzzling her. “You’re like a very dear sister. I’m just having trouble thinking of you as a daughter.” She nuzzles her again. “I’ll try. Really I will. I just need a little time.”

Simba hurried up to where Isha and Kako sat. "I just spotted Sarafina's group heading in. They're the only ones who haven't reported in yet; maybe they'll have some good news."

The three fidgeted uncomfortably as they waited for Sarafina and her companions to ascend the path to the promontory. Breasting the top, Sarafina padded over tiredly. She knelt in front of Simba, her muscles trembling with fatigue. "Incosi aka Incosi, " she panted. "I touch your mane."

"I feel it, " he replied. "Rest a minute, Fini. The report can wait."

She shook her head rapidly. "No time, Sire. We found Habu." Sarafina stood, panting mutely as the others gaped in surprise. "Where is he?" Isha finally managed. She scanned the group rapidly. "Oh God, tell me he's not dead."

Nala looked at the miserable expression on her mother's face and turned cold. No, she thought. Oh, please, no.

Sarafina finally spoke. "He is alive, Isha." The lioness started to smile, but it faded quickly as Sarafina continued. "Aiheu forgive me for saying so, but it might be better for him if he had died. The hyenas have him."

Isha's eyes widened in horror as Simba stepped forward. "What?! " He looked at Yolanda, then Ajenti. They both nodded slowly.

"We were searching near the graveyard, and I picked up a faint scent trail of his. It led directly to the acacia thorns on the off-side-"

"I know that place, " he said, nodding. "How'd you get in?"

"Well, I crawled under, just partway, until I could see into the graveyard. I saw him clearly, Sire."

"What else did you see?"

Sarafina closed her eyes, thinking hard. "There was a large group of the hyenas around him in a kind of ring, like they were guarding him, or...."

"....or making sure he didn't escape, " Nala growled angrily. "I KNEW that lying cur was going to do something like this. Shenzi and Uhuru are not that different after all." She glanced over at Simba, expecting him to nod in agreement.

Instead, Simba sat silently, staring at the ground for a moment. Rising slowly, he paced over to the tip of the promontory and raised his head to look at the stars shining brightly overhead. His face crumpled suddenly, whiskers drooping. His jaw quivered as he looked up at the stars. "I thought I could trust him. He told Rafiki he believed in our God. Why doesn't Aiheu strike him dead??"

Simba's grief was deep and awful. For a minute or more he sat silently, his face pointed into the stars. Then he sighed. "Uhuru risked his life to help me. God help me, I'll have to give him the benefit of the doubt. If he proves false, then God help him! " Simba walked over to Isha and nuzzled her. "It's time we showed our hyena friends who is in charge here, " he said, his voice rumbling low in his throat. He looked up into the sky again, drew in a deep breath, and roared. He roared loud enough that everyone in the earth and in the skies above or the caves below could tell a lion was angry. He was joined by the others in the pride, and as the sound grew it took on an otherworldly quality that would strike fear into the heart of a stone.

"Come, Isha. Let's go get your son."

As they prepared to leave, Simba glanced up at the starry sky. He uttered a silent prayer to Aiheu, asking Him to watch over them in the upcoming fight.

Some distance away, a young hyena looked up to the sky, and prayed also, but for a less noble reason.

"Roh'kash, please bring the dawn soon! I hate guard duty! " Grumbling, Griz'nk paced slowly back and forth, fighting to stay awake. Somehow, it always seemed like he ended up with the night patrol. Bad enough that he got stuck with guard duty to begin with, but the night patrol? Skulk had it in for him, he decided. Ever since the hyena had pandered his way into Shenzi's good graces, he acted as though he was in charge of everything.

"Gimme five minutes with him and I'll show him who's boss-" he broke off and stopped his pacing as his jaws opened in a bone-cracking yawn. Glancing around furtively to see if anyone was near, he paced over to a jutting column of stone and lay down.

“I'll just rest a minute, ” he thought. “A good guard can't keep alert unless he's well rested. Why, he would be derelict in his duty if he didn't stay fully awake.”

His eyes snapped open. Blinking rapidly, he stood up and shook himself. Looking around, he cringed as he saw a faint glow had formed in the east, illuminating the early morning mist which swirled about him gently. Seeing no one, he sighed gratefully; his nap had apparently gone unnoticed. Turning, he padded over to the entrance to the graveyard, intending to call for his relief, when he heard a faint sound behind him.

His head snapped around to stare into the swirling mist. Pricking his ears up, he strained to catch any sound at all. Suddenly, the hair rose on his neck as he caught a tenebrous rustling. His eyes darted frantically, trying to catch a glimpse of something, but grayish white blankness, broken only by the faint outline of rocks, was all he could see. He took a tentative step forward, intending to investigate, when he heard a loud SNAP! from somewhere to his right.

He froze, ears laid back in fear, waiting for something to appear, but total silence now reigned. Time slowed to a crawl as he held his ground, frantic for his relief to appear, but afraid to turn his back to the open air. The mist began to lighten as the sun rose, its warm rays beginning to burn away the moist air. Sighing with relief, he chuckled at himself.

"I'm glad Skulk didn't see me, " he chortled. "Shaking like a pup afraid of the dark." There was another sound, and he glanced around nervously.

A pair of glittering eyes floated towards him out of the mist, their pupils burning red as hellfire in the morning light. They were joined by another, then another...he wailed as he saw he was surrounded by them, the eyes closing rapidly to reveal the dim sihoulettes of lions, too many to count, their stocky bodies moving silently through the dewy grass.

The form nearest him resolved into a lioness which bared her teeth at him and snarled. "Greetings, friend, " she said. Her hindquarters bunched as she prepared to spring.

“Ga-ghu-gah-greetings, ” he stammered. “Hunting so late? You know, I once heard that hyenas are not part of your diet. Good thing you know. You never know what we’ve been eating. Nasty stuff, really. Dead for days sometimes, you know. Sometimes, you know, the heat makes the bodies swell, but beggers can’t be choosers.” He looked at the hard eyes staring at him. “Oh my God, I’m going to die! ” Griz'nik suddenly found his voice. "HELP! " he screamed, legs scrabbling in the dirt as he turned to run. An immense weight bore him to the ground, sending the air whuffing out of him as he impacted. He felt claws digging painfully into his shoulders and back as he struggled for air. A voice suddenly spoke in his ear.

"Shut up and sit still, or you'll be fodder for the buzzards, " Uzuri whispered savagely. Turning her head, she nodded to Simba. "Sire, I've got him. Bring the others in."