The Leonid Saga cotpl-5

by John H. Burkitt

  “Oh, I get it!” Kombi said. “Kind of like Taka and Elanna were doing the other night.”

  “Kombi!” Sarafina was all huffy. “I ought to tell your mother!”

  “I was just passing by,” he said. “I mean, they were at the spring. Anybody could have seen em. Please don’t tell Mom! Please??”

  “Well, I guess we’ll let it slide this time. OK, I won’t tell her. Still, once you knew what was going on, I hope you didn’t hang around.”

  “Well, how was I supposed to know! He was saying, ‘Come out, you naughty little bunny. There’s nowhere else to go.”

  Sarafina began to giggle nervously. “Naughty little bunnies?? Don’t you tell another living soul what you just told me, understand??”

  “I promise.”

  “Uzuri is going to die. She’s just going to die!”

  “Please don’t tell my mom! You promised!”

  “Oh, that’s right. Darn it, I got the scoop of the year and I can’t tell my own sister!” She tried to regain her composure and go on with the story. “Duma swore a mighty oath by Aiheu that he would avenge her. Then Aiheu appeared suddenly from the clouds. “What is this evil thing which you have done?”

  “And he was afraid but said, ‘Milk and mud are easily mixed, but once together, who shall separate them? Thus is the oath mixed with my blood, and only spilling my blood can release me.’

  “Aiheu rebuked him saying ‘I am the Lord who made the soil and made the mother’s milk. And to those I anoint comes the power to separate mud from milk, that they may also separate foolishness from righteousness. What mother would vow to give her cub mud instead of milk? How then shall you vow to slay your brother when it is evil?’”

  “But Asherati came to him day after day, rebuking him and accusing him of having no love nor courage. “You must kill him to avenge my lost virginity!”

  “Duma plotted Obade’s murder. He lay in wait for him. He successfully overwhelmed Obade and then as he was about to strike the fatal blow, Aiheu came to him angry and upbraided him. “Did I not tell you this was an evil thing??”

  “He felt ashamed that he tried to kill his brother and begged Aiheu for mercy, which he received.

  “But Aiheu also upbraided Obade and told him that he was banished into the Big World there to be a rogue until he had learned forbearance and duty.

  “Obade went out into the Big World and he was gone for five years, the time of bitter wandering foretold by Aiheu. Finally when he was allowed to return, gaunt and worn but much wiser, he found that his father was dead and Duma was King in the land.

  “’Much have I suffered, brother. Much have I learned. May I stay here?’

  “’You may live here, but so does the acacia tree and I do not love it nor do I speak to it when I pass.’

  Obade turned started to leave, but Duma wept and ran after him. “Do not listen to my words of anger, my brother! I have lost my father, but my brother who was gone has returned again!”

  Sarafina fell silent, peering down at the two cubs under her paws. Togo and Kombi lay quiescent a moment, the raised their heads to gaze uncertainly at each other.

  “Kombi? I’m sorry I said I hated you.”

  “Me too. I didn’t mean it.” Kombi looked at his brother a long moment. “Actually, I thought your poem was nice--actually.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah.”

  Togo nuzzled forward under Sarafina’s gentle weight and pawed his brother’s cheek. “Friends?”

  Kombi grinned and pawed Togo. “Yeah.”

  THE SUN AND THE MOON:

  Ahadi was sitting at the end of the promontory where he had been for an hour or more just looking out over the lands. Taka crept quietly out on to the shaft of stone. With stealthy pads, he approached his father, anxious to see what mood he would find him in. Akase looked rather upset but would tell him nothing about what the King wanted. He hated it when she did that.

  “My son, come sit by me.”

  “Dad, did I do something to make you angry?”

  “No. Come sit by me.”

  “You’re not sick are you?”

  “No. Just sit by me.”

  Taka sat next to his father. Taka’s breath came and left in hurried bursts and there was a trembling in his limbs. “It’s not fair! I know something’s wrong!”

  “It all depends in how you look at it.”

  “I don’t even know what it is.”

  “It’s just that I’m having one of those times when it’s not easy to be king. I have to make a lot of difficult decisions, and when I do, I come up here and let the wind clear my head. Feel the wind, Taka. My son, if you concentrate hard enough, you can let the wind blow your worries away and all that is left is the decision itself.”

  “So you are making a hard decision? And you need my help?”

  “In a way, yes. I’ve made the hard decision already, but I don’t know how much pain it will cause, my son. Pain inside me, and pain to the ones I love.”

  Taka looked away. “You might have known a long time ago if you had been more observant. Why don’t you cut to the chase? I want to hear you say it rather than overhearing it in the shadows and crying alone.”

  “Very well, son. Mufasa is going to be the next king. It was not an easy decision.”

  “I guess not. Either pick the one you love the most or the one that’s best qualified. Love always wins out, doesn’t it?”

  Ahadi looked down. Tears came to his eyes. “Oh Taka, before Aiheu I hope you didn’t mean that! Muffy loves me, but I’ve always known who loved me the most. Son, I love you more than I could say.”

  “Oh, Dad! I’m sorry!”

  Ahadi nuzzled him. “Son, to me you will always be beautiful and wonderful, but you are not strong enough to bear the brunt of the world when it becomes harsh and unyielding.”

  “So it’s my scar.”

  “No.”

  “Then it’s my weak body.”

  “Not just that, though Muffy’s strength was a factor.”

  “Then what was it, Father?? Why was I passed over?”

  Tears streamed down Ahadi’s face and he looked away. “Must I say it? What’s done is done.”

  “Why, father?? At least tell me why??”

  Ahadi looked around and stroked Taka’s cheek with his paw. “Because your heart is so gentle, you would not be able to make the hard decisions demanded of a King. You are so full of beauty and love that you can see no ugliness in anyone or anything. Muffy has a good Ka, but he always cautious to avoid the deceit and wiles of his adversaries. He can be harsh when a King must be harsh. Could you have put Gur’mekh to death? Could you have slit his innards with his sad, terrified eyes looking up at you?”

  Taka looked away.

  “See, your own heart tells you I’m right. In love, I did not burden you with this weight. You may not see it this way, but I’m doing you a great favor.”

  “So that was it. You think me only a scholar?? Did I learn one too many stories? Did I know too much history?? Did I pay a little too much attention and not watch the wildebeests enough??”

  “No, my son! I am not perfect, but I have always acted in good conscience.” Ahadi’s chin began to tremble. “Have I not told you every day that I loved you? Did I miss a day? Do you hate me, Taka? Do you hate your old father who sired you and gave you his unconditional love?”

  Taka looked at him and shuddered. “How could I!”

  Ahadi leaned into Taka and nuzzled him. “I love you like the rivers love the rain. Never tell your brother what has passed between us. I love him very much and don’t want him hurt. And I want you to love him too. More than anything.”

  “Yeah, right.”

  Ahadi took in a deep breath and let it out. “Don’t start ignoring me now. You need to hear this story.” He put his paw over Taka’s and gave it a light push.

  “When Aiheu first brought light to the world, he brought to shine the two brothers Sun and Moon. And at first they were alike, eq
ually bright and warm, and very proud of their great beauty. But the heat of their twin lights was unbearable and no good thing could grow and no good thing could walk upon the ground. And Aiheu repented that he created two brothers, and wondered which one should lose his light and warmth that the world might live.

  “Sun begged the Lord that he might shine forever, and that his faithful service would bear witness to his entitlement.

  “’Moon your brother has also been faithful in his duties and served me well.’

  “At this, Sun began to cry and begged the Lord that he should not be extinguished.

  “At this, Moon bowed before Aiheu and said, ‘As my brother has asked, so be it. I cannot stand to see him harmed, for he is my brother and I love him.’

  “At this, Sun felt shame. ‘Blessed are you, Moon, for you are the greater brother. To you should go the light of Heaven and I will sit in darkness and bewail my foolish pride.’

  “Aiheu wept. He held Moon to his heart and said, ‘As you have asked me, so shall it be done. But I shall not extinguish you, but only cool your light. And my children will mark their lives by you, the brighter light to be the day and the lesser light to be the night. But greater are you, Moon, for your mercy shall be remembered as long as this story is told among my children.’ And Aiheu kissed him three times, each time dimming his light a little until he only shed a soft glow.

  “Now when the living things were made as Ka was placed in forms of Ma’at, Aiheu considered that these children would have life, then die. And he considered what to do that new life would arise to replace the old. So he considered the brothers Sun and Moon, and one of every living creature he made like the Sun, powerful and fiery. The other he made soft and gentle. And so it was that male and female he created them, that by working together through love, the gift of life should endure forever. Because the male is powerful, he fights to protect the Pride from all its enemies. But it is the female whom God has given the miracle of bearing children. Remember, my cubs, to honor your mother when she commands.”

  Ahadi nuzzled Taka. “I’m asking you to be Brother Moon. Mufasa thought you deserved to be King. He also asked me to divide the kingdom between you. I refused him, son. But I want you to carry all your days the secret that he would have given you the kingship and half of everything he owns. Don’t hurt him, Taka! Please don’t hurt him!”

  “Oh, Daddy!” Taka pushed his face into Ahadi’s soft mane. “I love you!”

  LORD RAINBOW AND LADY NALA:

  The violent lightning made little Nala tremble and huddle ever tighter against her mother’s side. “When is it going to stop?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “It will stop, won’t it?”

  “Sure it will. Then if you’re lucky you’ll see Lord Rainbow and his pride. You’ve never seen that before, have you?”

  “No.”

  Another bolt of lightning hit very close by--close enough to make even Sarafina edgy. There were a couple of times she remembered when lightning struck the promontory of Pride Rock. No lion was foolish enough to stand out there when the lightning was bad.

  “Tell me about Lord Rainbow,” Nala hissed between tightly clenched teeth.

  “You’ll like this story. There’s someone named Nala in it.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. That’s where you got your name.”

  Another bright flash made Sarafina as white as Minshasa herself and the rumble of thunder made the stone under her paws shake.

  “Once a long time ago, there was a member of the first Nisei named Lord Rainbow who was taking care of a rogue lioness and her new cubs. Though they never saw him, his presence was protective and he spared them from many griefs.

  “One of the cubs was named Nala, and she was very beautiful. Her beauty was great, and so is yours. The older that Nala grew, the more beautiful she became, just like you, and Lord Rainbow loved her with his whole heart. She was his favorite, and at times when he saw her struggling with a nightmare, he would come to her in her dreams as a playmate and chase away her enemies that her sleep might not be troubled. Then he would play games with her, and while he was with her, he could feel what mortals feel through her. Lord Rainbow was content, and would have remained so forever, but as Nala grew, her interests matured, and one night when Lord Rainbow came to her, she fell desperately in love with him. As she rubbed Lord Rainbow full length, he trembled as new feelings very frightening and very pleasant were awakened in him.

  “In fear he fled from her dream, and he decided that no more would he interfere in her sleep. But the love of her had swept over him like a fever, and he had no peace in his heart, so much did he love her.

  “When the time came of Nala’s first season, Lord Rainbow appeared to her in a dream and swept away by the force of her passion, he made love to her.”

  “How?”

  Sarafina nuzzled her. “Sometimes when you want something so badly you don’t know what to do, you’ll dream about it at night. That’s Aiheu’s way of granting you an escape.”

  “Aiheu is really nice.”

  “You said it.” Sarafina nuzzled her again. “Now when Lord Rainbow left her dream, Aiheu was standing nearby. ‘What is this that you have done?? Do you think I would not know you crouched with her??’

  “And Lord Rainbow fell before him in fear and trembling. ‘Indeed, as you say I crouched with her, but for some time I have loved her, and my life was not my own. I belong to her, my Lord, and when she calls me, my strength fails! Do not hate your servant, I pray you!’

  “’It is not my nature to hate them who love me. But you have angered me, and not without consequence. You have enjoyed her pleasures, will you also bear her pains?’

  “’Let me then feel pain, my Lord, but do not deny me my love.’

  “And Aiheu said, ‘So be it. For her you shall live the days of your Ma’at and for her you shall die. All her joys and all her sorrows you shall drink as the waters of the earth unsparingly, and when the pain comes, do not think to walk away from it. Do not say, ‘I am Nisei’ and turn your face from her.’

  “And Lord Rainbow said, ‘I shall not turn my face from her.’

  “’And no miracles shall you expect from me, or your friends. As Ma’at you have become, and as Ma’at shall you live until your breath returns to me.’

  “’Even so, Lord.’

  “The morning came and Nala awoke. And when she woke, she felt beside her a strange lion. And at first she was afraid and started to flee, but he called to her by name. ‘Nala, Nala, do not run from me! You are the lioness I have dreamed about since I was a cub! At last I have found in you my playmate, my friend, and my lover!’

  “’Is this another dream?’ she asked.

  “’No. I have sought you out and now I have found you by the hardest. A great price I have paid to be your lover, yet I would count it no loss if you pledged to me!’

  “Lord Rainbow married her, and he stayed with her and loved her with a marvelous love that gave his whole existence new meaning.

  “Now Nala hunted as she could, but Lord Rainbow was a hungry lion, and he ate much food. Without a territory of his own, he had little to offer his new mate. And under the influence of his love, the light was in Nala’s eyes and she would bring new members into the Pride.

  “Long and hard Lord Rainbow sought a new land, but one day when he was despondent, One Who Brings Rain sent a cloud to hover over him to shield him from the hot sun and grant him relief. And Lord Rainbow heard a whisper that there was a land to the north in the valley between two hills that would be a safe haven for his family. This the cloud said for it was not forbidden that his friends should speak to him, only that they should not grant him miracles.

  “And Lord Rainbow claimed and guarded the territory which meant that he walked the boundary every morning and evening of the land he claimed for them. And at first the rogue lions who roamed the valley would challenge him for they found that he could not fight well. Once, when he was badly woun
ded, he cried out to Aiheu that his blood was spilling on the ground, for he did not understand the wounds and their power over him. And Aiheu sent Mano the Blessed to his side. ‘You bleed, but you will not surely die,’ Mano said. ‘Aiheu has told me that I may not grant you a miracle, but every lion deserves fighting lessons from his friends, and the herbs of healing are his gift to all Ma’at.”

  “And so it was that Lord Rainbow was healed, not by a miracle but by mercy, and he became a good fighter in his own right and through courage and hard work made safe the lands of his pride.

  “When her time was due, Nala brought forth cubs, and the pride grew in size and strength. His three daughters were huntresses already, and his son Eritrea was approaching the days of his mantlement, and Lord Rainbow was happy in the life he had been given. But there came a plague of distemper, and his wife and son and daughters were ill, as was the mother. But he alone was not stricken.

  “Again Mano came to him, but he said, ‘There are no herbs this time, my old friend. Your family will die. If you are wise, you shall not kiss them, nor shall you smell them lest you become sick as well.’

  “’Aiheu, Aiheu! Why have you forsaken me?? Why was I spared that I might see my whole family die??’

  “Now Lord Rainbow knew full measure the pain of which Aiheu had spoken. There was nowhere to go, and nothing to do, and even when he did not look into the faces of his sick cubs, their sufferings put thorns in his heart. And he asked himself if the pain he endured was worth the love after all. But he did not wonder long, for his cubs called out to him, and he came and kissed them and nuzzled them that the plague might enter his body.

  “Aiheu had pity on him and came to his side. ‘I have judged you harshly because you did not ask me for a body but sought to satisfy your cravings with deceit. You made shameful what was meant to be beautiful. But that you might know I am a just and kindly God, I swear to you that the plague was not sent by me. Many cubs has Mano gathered, and many more await him.’ And when Aiheu saw him weep, his heart was moved to pity. ‘Once I sent a Nisei to protect Nala. If he were still willing, he could yet protect her.’