“Now the king’s son, Mashlaika, was still an adolescent. He couldn’t hunt very well, and since he contributed the least amount to the pride itself, he got the smallest portion of food...which, all too often, was nothing. In desperation, he pleaded with his father for something more. ‘Even you take more from the kill than I, and you hunt not at all!’

“The king looked at his son sadly. ‘I must take more to keep my strength, for it is I who guards your family from the jealous eyes of night, and gives you safe haven.’ Yet tears came to the old king’s eyes at the sight of his son, whose ribs stood out clearly. ‘Still, I cannot bear the pain of your suffering; you may have a portion of my meal, when the others have slept and do not see.’

“Mashlaika could not stand to take his father’s food, though, and continued to suffer. Finally, he was alone one day with one of the lionesses of the pride, who was babysitting the cubs while the others wwent on the hunt. His eyes burned as he watched the cubs draw sustenance from the lioness. ‘Even THEY eat better than I, and yet give us nothing.’ he thought. A fierce anger swept him, and in a rage he approached the cubs. The lioness rose to stop him, but he struck her and knocked her senseless. Mashlaika settled among the cubs and began an unholy feast, gorging himself on their flesh until he was sated.”

Sarabi and Elanna gasped and shuddered, staring at their mother in shock. “He ATE them? The little cubs??”

“Yes.” Avina nodded sadly.

“What happened??”

“Aiheu seized him, and he felt the terrible wrath of God. ‘What is this that you have done??’

“Mashlaika cowered before him. ‘My Lord, I was starving! And they gave nothing to our family, only stealing life from their own mothers!’

“‘One cannot ‘steal’ what is freely given, Mashlaika, and one’s value is not measured by contribution or ability. If it was, I would have killed you the day you were born, for you are greedy and heartless.’ Aiheu seized Mashlaika by the scruff of his neck, lifted him high and tore the Ka from his body. Then he tossed the soul of Mashlaika to the earth. And he placed this large rock over him to prevent him from harming anyone else.

“Here?!” Elanna looked startled. “You mean Mashlaika landed here?”

Avina nodded. “It is said that his Ka still sleeps deep within the earth in the caves behind Pride Rock, where he still waits for little cubs to come wandering in...and sometimes, those cubs are never seen again.” Avina’s voice dropped to an awed whisper.

Sarabi clutched her mother fearfully. “Wh-what happens to them?”

“Why, if they disturb his rest, Mashlaika awakes, and he goes YUMMY IN THE TUMMY!” Avina lunged and nuzzled Sarabi’s belly, eliciting a shriek of terrified delight from the cub.

Elanna laughed and pounced on her mother. “You teaser!”

Sarabi pawed Avina’s face, still giggling slightly. “Oh Mom! Do you really believe that story about the caves?”

“Well, my mother told it to me.” Avina shrugged with a shake of her tail. “Who knows? One thing IS for certain; I don’t want you going in there, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You too, Lannie.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Now you two come here and lie down; you’ve been up far too long as it is.”

The cubs complied agreeably enough, and soon were drifting off to sleep. As she dozed herself, Avina idly wondered at the odd note in Lannie’s voice as she had finished the tale.

Shrugging again, she closed her eyes and rode the chirping of the crickets into the peace of sleep.

Makaka sat huddled next to Anasa, quiet and depressed. The plague had taken his mother Uzuri first because she was old and weak, but there were many others near death. All around him were sick lions. Unable to catch much food, there loomed a very real threat that hunger might destroy them if the plague did not.

“I feel sick inside,” Makaka said.

Anasa touched his forehead. “Honey Tree, surely not!” It was dry and cool, and she sighed with relief. “It must be fatigue, dear. You shouldn’t scare me like that.”

“I never meant I had the plague.” He sighed. “Once everything was going my way. I thought I knew where I would be a year from now, five years from now, even where I would die. I planned to lie on the promontory and look into the east and slip away quietly.”

“And what about me?”

Tears came to his eyes. “You’re all I have left, you and my pride family. The only mother I’ve ever known is dead, and the only father that cared for me.”

“Are you sure? Are you sure your real father didn’t care for you?”

“My mother died giving me life. He only tolerated me. I have an older brother that loved me--at least I’d like to think so.”

Anasa put her arms around him and held on to him as if to keep him from going away. “I should not be jealous, really. But I have loved you with my whole heart. Makaka, I will help you any way I can, but you must let me.”

He hugged her tightly and kissed her. “I’ve put you through a lot lately and I’m sorry. Someday I’ll make it up to you. You and I and one day our children.”

“Our children,” she said. “That’s the secret, my husband. You must see beyond this grief and recognize hope in the future. Don’t push me away, beloved! I may have come along late in your life, but I can’t imagine someone loving you more than I do right now.”

“I know. You’re a very important part of my life. Right now, you’re what keeps me from falling apart.” He rested his head on her shoulder and swayed slightly back and forth in the shelter of her arms.

A lioness came up begging for help. “Please, Makaka, come quick! My cubs are near death! They are burning hot to the touch and wet with perspiration.”

“Are they resting?”

“They are mumbling things, but I can’t understand what they’re saying.” She fell before him. “I’d do anything! Anything! I can’t stand it anymore!”

“If I had a quick answer, I would have saved my mother. Pray and I will pray as well. Aiheu is merciful and he will not abandon us.”

The lioness looked at him with despair in her eyes. “Let us hope so.”

After she went, he turned to Anasa. “What CAN I do? I’ve tried everything I know. Only Aiheu can help us now.” And so he got on his knees and prayed. Then in the midst of his prayer, it occurred to him. He had used everything HE knew about. Perhaps there was another.

“Mano! Minshasa! I call upon you! My old friends, I am at a total loss! Help me! Do with me what you will, and I will accept it!”

He fell in despair and wept again.

Anasa went to prepare dinner for him, but he was not very hungry. He was near panic. “Try this. It’s your favorite.”

“I can’t eat now.”

“You really should eat to keep your strength up,” Uzuri said.

“Yes, mother.”

He looked about in shock. “Mom??”

She came forward and kissed him. “Uzuri pleads that you should remember the admonition. Daima pendana—love one another.” Before he could answer, she put her paw to her mouth for silence and pointed him toward a large bush.

When Makaka reached the bush, an elderly mandrill tapped him on the shoulder. He looked around, surprised. “Busara reminds you that the stranger you help is a friend you haven’t met.” He put a finger to his lips and pointed ahead.

A lioness came from the bush as he approached. “Asumini advises you that friends come from unexpected places in your hour of need.”

Quietly, he went on in the direction she pointed him. A white lion came and kissed him. “Mano tells you that in serving Aiheu, you find your true freedom.”

A young, strong mandrill whose powers of life had been restored reached out and hugged him. “Rafiki says listen to the prompting of the Nisei and follow your heart.”

A white lioness came and pawed his cheek. “Minshasa asks you a question. Will you practice what you have been taught faithfully and unselfishly?”