She opened her jaws and gently embraced his throat, drawing her soft pink tongue along his throbbing pulse. Kneading his chest and face with her gentle paws, she purred, “There. Are you awake now, honey tree?”

“What a nip!" he said, trembling. "I want you, Isha! I've waited for you so long! So VERY long! I want to make love to you!”

Her purring took on a deeper rumble. She rose and with sensual grace slinked alluringly into the tall grass, glancing backward over her shapely shoulder. "Follow me."

For the next few weeks Kako and Isha traveled over the hunting grounds with Shenannii. Isha, who had much to learn, paid careful attention and thoroughly enjoyed the outings. Kako had to maintain appearances for Isha’s sake, but everything she saw brought back old memories from happier times. It was a bittersweet experience for her, and she walked quietly, speaking only when spoken to.

Even Baba noticed that something was wrong, and he fretted over his mother’s discomfort, blaming himself for his poor judgment in bringing her along. He just assumed she would want to leave the family she’d grown to love in the Pride Lands and settle down happily. He took careful note of the polite but reserved conversation when she was around, aware that some great secret was been being hidden, but he had no idea what it could be. It had never occurred to him to ask Mabatu just what debt he owed Kako, or why the lionesses all came and kissed her when she arrived. Baba felt that he should speak frankly with her.

When the restlessness of Kako’s season gripped her and she did not gravitate toward Mabatu the way he’d hoped, Baba decided to intervene. He began dropping hints about how handsome and regal the king looked perched atop the rocks, and how good it would be for him to chose a new mate.

Kako would nod, but she would never react the way Baba expected. His efforts at matchmaking were thwarted one by one, and he began to wonder how someone so unresponsive EVER had cubs. Finally, he took her aside one evening as the sun was setting. “Mother? Can I talk to you openly?”

“Certainly! Any time you’re worried, or you just want to talk, I’m here for you.” She padded over and nuzzled him warmly. “What’s wrong? Is it you and Isha?”

“No, nothing like that. I was wondering if you could do me a little favor.”

“Of course, Baba. What is it?”

“King Mabatu’s been really depressed lately.” Mabatu fidgeted uncomfortably as his mother’s hazel eyes regarded him closely.

“And?”

Mabatu scrubbed the ground with a paw uncomfortably. “Well, there’s no other way to say it but to say it. Mom, he’s struck on you. Here you are in the middle of--you know--and he’s going crazy every time he sees you. I can tell. Even though you loved Dad, don’t you think you could give him half a chance?”

She looked scandalized. “Baba, what EVER made you think of this??”

“He’s wanted to ask you out for a long time. This morning he asked me if I could put in the good word for him. He’s painfully shy, you know. Maybe you could help him. And besides, you’ve looked a little like a lost lamb since you’ve been here.”

“That’s very sweet of you. Really it is. But if he’s not going to ask me himself, I don’t feel right asking him. I’m fine--really I am--and I am old enough to take care of myself.” She kissed him.

Baba pawed her cheek. “Isha and I are so happy. We're living the way Aiheu intended, and it does make all the difference. Mom, just see him once. Once, Mom. That’s all I ask. Talk with him. Maybe hunt rabbits together. If you’ll just give it a try, whatever happens is OK by me. And I won’t pester you anymore. Is it a deal?”

“Baba, please!”

“Momma, please!”

“OK, Baba. It’s a deal IF you agree not to interfere anymore.”

“Sure! Thanks, Mom! You’ll be glad you did.”

At the appointed time that evening, Kako made her way to a secluded spot behind an outcropping of rock and sat down, waiting. Presently the pad of footfalls impressed itself on her hearing and she saw King Mabatu’s bulk part the grass and stop across from her. A moment of awkward silence passed. “Hello, Kako.”

“Mabatu.” She nodded and sat. “How have you been?”

“As well as can be expected.” He sighed and sat across from her. “And you?”

“Quite well.”

Mabatu sighed. “Tell me you didn't ask Baba to 'put in the good word' for you! What COULD you have been thinking!”

“But I never! I thought that YOU told HIM to...." She had to smile. "Why that little scheming furball!”

Mabatu chuckled. “His heart was in the right place." His smile vanished as quickly. "This must be hard on him. Oh, if I could only tell him the truth!”

"If," Kako said with a sigh. “You know we swore an oath. You must never tell him, and neither must I.”

“Yeah. So Kako, how’s the hunting coming along?”

“Very good; I’ve had to do a lot of relearning, but the patterns haven’t changed that much around here.”

“There’s much around here that hasn’t changed.”

“Mabatu, please...don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”

He sighed. “Kako, I know my limits old girl, but do you think the gods would mind if we got a LITTLE closer?” Mabatu lay down in the soft grass and beckoned with a paw. “Please? I don’t have anything catching.”

Trembling, Kako inched her way over to him and eased down next to him, daring to lay her head on the luxuriant softness of his mane. She inhaled his musky scent and trembled. “My darling Mabatu...”

He gingerly placed a foreleg around her and patted her softly on the shoulder. “Kako, it feels like old times. I never thought I’d see you again, and here you are close to me. I still love you. We have to pretend for the lad, but I never want you to be deceived, not for a moment.”

“You know how I feel, darling.”

He gave her another pat. “Still, I like to hear you say it. I don’t get many chances these days.”

She put her paw over his. “I live for you.” Her inner reserve broke and she burst into tears, embracing his comforting bulk. “Oh gods! What is there left to live for!”

“Shhh, my Nisei. There is plenty to live for. What did you do before you met me?”

“I wandered the barren plains with nothing but my name and a few aging kills to scavenge. I spent those days sure that there must be something better. I spent those days looking for you.”

“And now you’ve found me--again.” He managed a half-hearted smile. “We have our memories, and we have our children. No tears, old girl. I mean it! Our love lives on through them.”

She lifted a paw and caressed his cheek tenderly, tracing the wistful expression on his face. Gently she stroked the flowing curves of his cheek down to the broad mantle of auburn mane that covered his throat and chest, feeling the rumble of his purr. Absently she followed the flow of his mane, her paw making lazy circles as it moved across his chest and onto his upper belly.

Mabatu shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t think you should do that. Don’t start something that can only end one way.” He sighed. “If it was only my life to pay, nothing could stop me from making love to you! I would feel your lithe and tender body against mine one last time and die without regrets.” He shuddered again in the throes of passionate arousal. “Couldn’t we see this Rafiki Isha talks about? He has the ear of the gods, doesn’t he?”

“And what would that accomplish?”

“Maybe there is a way. If we gave up the kingdom and ran away together, the gods would have no reason to torment Baba.”

“You mean we’d become rogues?”

“Yes, if that’s the price of our love.” He reached out with a trembling paw and ran it down her chest and belly. “You are my kingdom, my treasure, my every need. I want you. I’ve waited for so long to crouch over your beautiful body and feel you shudder next to me! The border is right over there! Just beyond those trees! We could make love tonight!”