“Oh gods, no!”

She backed back. It was a male lion! She turned and started to run.

“No, wait!”

“Leave me alone!” She ran madly toward her territory and safety.

“Please, come back! I’m not going to hurt you!”

“Leave me alone!”

She ran blindly into some hedges and got tangled. It only stopped her forward progress for a moment, but that was long enough for him to catch up.

“I’m too old for this,” he complained, wheezing. “Are you all right?”

“I’ll protect myself!” she snarled defensively. “Let me go! I don’t want to cause trouble, but I’ll fight if I have to!”

“I don’t want you to fight,” the lion said soothingly. “You came on my land and almost walked into me. Won’t you at least introduce yourself?”

“Sorry,” she said stiffly. “I’m Uzuri. Glad to meet you. Can I go now?”

“Sure you can,” he said gently. “Run away if you must, but don’t tell them I harmed you. At least tell them the truth, and be sure you get my name right.”

“I don’t know your name.”

“You never asked me. I’m Ugas.” He smiled bashfully.

“I’m sorry. I’m not always this rude--uh--Ugas.” She relaxed. “Are you the King here or a rogue lion?”

“I’m King here.” He drew near enough to reach out and touch her with a paw but he made no move to do so. His large, beautiful eyes swept over her face in a search for understanding. “Uzuri, you look depressed. Is everything quite all right?”

“I’m fine. Just fine.”

“Your words say you are fine, but I see something in the way you’re standing, the set of your ears, even the way you look at me. It’s as if your whole being is crying out for help.” He sat like a sphinx and began to idly groom his mane and said matter-of-factly, “You were thinking of running away.”

“How did you....says who??”

“Don’t be upset, my dear.” He smiled pleasantly. “You can confide in me. That’s the best part of meeting a stranger--you can say anything that comes to your mind. I’ve lived a long life--maybe I’ll have the answer you’re looking for.”

“No, it’s nothing, thank you.” She licked her paw nervously but looked into Ugas’ eyes and his warm, fatherly smile. “Well, yes,” she said at last. It felt good to admit it. “Our King is dead and now his brother is ruling the Pride Lands. I’m sure he means well, but he’s....”

“But you can’t stand him. Mufasa was a good friend. Scar is...how shall I put this...acting like himself.” He shrugged. “So are the rumors true? Are hyenas really living on Pride Rock?”

“Yes! Oh gods, it’s awful!”

“And terribly unfair to you, hunt mistress. I hear your first joint effort was a disaster.”

“It sure was!” She gasped. “How did you know that??”

“I have eyes and ears all over. Even Zazu.” He saw her expression of shock, but only nodded and began to examine his claws. “Don’t look so surprised. His mother lives here, and she’s a first- class gossip. And then Mufasa used to always do border patrol with me before ‘IT’ happened.”

“You walked the line together?”

“He’d nod at me, and I’d nod at him. He never said much, but when he did speak, it was always something worth hearing. And the first day he wasn’t there, I had this horrible emptiness inside.” He sighed. “I didn’t realize Simba was dead too, not for several days. Taka didn’t tell me anything, and Zazu hasn’t been back.”

Uzuri hung her head. Tears began to run down her cheeks.

“You poor dear thing,” Ugas purred, reaching up with a paw and wiping her face.

She looked into his gentle eyes and saw genuine compassion. “You really liked Mufasa, didn’t you?”

“Yes. And the child, too, for I have no son of my own. I used to think Mufasa was so lucky.” A tear slid down his cheek. “You’re a parent. Surely you understand.”

“I understand, but I’m not a parent.”

“You’re not??” He looked surprised. “As beautiful as you are?”

She looked down, embarrassed. “You flatter me.”

“Oh no, my dear. You are beautiful. And when you cry, the beauty goes all the way through.” He lifted her chin with a paw and looked into her sad eyes. “I bet a smile would have the same effect.”

“I don’t have any smiles left.”

Ugas kissed away the new tears. “You pierce my heart with a thorn, child. Taka is so full of hate--I’ve seen it when he walks the border. He glares at me and shouts, ‘This land is mine! You want it, but you’ll never have it!’” He nuzzled her. “There is no hate in me, Uzuri. Come with me and I’ll see if I can find a few smiles left. Meet the others--they could be your pride sisters.” He watched for her reaction, but when she said nothing, he added, “I’m offering you freedom, my dear. Freedom and friendship.”

“You’re very kind, but not now. I have family there.”

“Bring them with you. Don’t go back to Taka--it’s not safe while he’s there.”

“Thank you, but it’s my home. There’s more at stake than family and friends. You understand, don’t you?”

“Yes. Do what you feel you must.”

She sighed. “Well, it’s time for me to make my report. You’re such a kind lion, Aiheu would listen to your prayers. Say a prayer for me.”

Ugas nodded. “I will. Take care of yourself, dear.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Call me Ugas,” he said, rising and touching her cheek with his nose, then kissing her lightly. “Come back to me.”

“When?”

“Any time you want to see me. Any time at all. That goes for your friends as well.”

She felt of his cheek with a paw. “Yes, I might just do that.”

Ugas hummed to himself as he trotted through the grass. His mind wandered back to Uzuri and the short time they shared, and he smiled despite himself. “Lovely Uzuri,” he thought dreamily, “what was Aiheu thinking when he fashioned you? Was he singing his favorite song? Was he in a good mood?”

Ugas had known many lionesses over the course of his life, but there was something about this one. The way she looked at him made him want to frisk about like a cub. He closed his eyes and summoned up the image of her face again. "Uzuri," he whispered.

He tried to imagine what her smile was like, but her pervasive sadness was too strong. “I will make you smile,” he thought. “I’ll devote my life to it. The magic of your smile would cheat death itself, and I’d be young again!”

"Daydreaming again, you old goat?!"

Ugas started and opened his eyes to see the lioness glaring at him through the scrub bushes that lined the path he had been following. "Adhama, what are you doing here?"

"Making sure you do your sentry duty this time." She emerged from the cover and stood face to face with him. "I found hyena tracks not twenty lengths from our kopje last night, Ugas! What have you been doing out here, napping??"

He drew himself up to his full height, his neck arching in indignation. "You know full well I was patrolling! If it wasn’t for me, Sis, this pride wouldn’t even exist!"

"Oh, THAT'S for certain!" Not intimidated in the least, she paced forward, forcing him back a step. "I know all about your 'efforts!' They've produced a rather large pride, in case you haven't noticed. A pride which needs to be fed, protected, cared for, and LOOKED AFTER! Why can't you be more like your brother was? Now THERE was a responsible lion."

Ugas groaned. "Not again, please!"

"Kazi was out here from well before sunup to well after sundown, patrolling the land and defending us against our enemies."

"And he died of exhaustion. Is that what you want me to do?"

“At least he died with honor. I'm glad he didn’t live to see you like this!" Her jaw trembled as she wheeled about and stalked off a short distance, her head lowered.

Ugas stood still a moment, then slowly padded over to her and nuzzled her cheek. "Addie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snipe at you."

She raised her head and blinked back tears. "Yeah, right."