Later that evening as Mufasa was asking Rafiki’s help in finding Taka, Zazu came flying back.

“News? Have you found my brother?”

Zazu said, “Your father....” His head bowed and he sighed deeply. “Have courage, Your Majesty.”

Rafiki came and put his arms around Muffy and whispered, “It’s time.”

Mufasa climbed slowly up the precipice of Pride Rock and when he reached the tip, paused for a moment. Then he lifted up his head and roared. It was a sad and terrible roar that rent the evening sky, and the lionesses joined in. The King was dead. Long live the King.

In the silence after the unearthly shout, Mufasa could hear his father’s voice speaking to him from the past. “It is always wonderful to be needed, especially when you always do your best to meet those needs. Someday you will know that feeling when I am gone.” Muffy sighed. “It doesn’t feel very wonderful, Dad. I wish you were here right now. There’s so much I want to tell you.”

Sarabi drew up alongside and sat by him, resting her head against his mane. “Let it out, Muffy. Quit trying to hold it in.”

Mufasa’s chin trembled. He tried to hold his composure, but tears welled up in his eyes. “They’re gone, Sassie. They’re gone! ” He leaned against her and sobbed.

SCENE: THE LIGHT IN HER EYES

As weeks passed, Sarabi began to show evidence of the life inside her. The other lionesses would coddle her and hang on her, suggesting male and female names. Among the most favored choices was “Shanni” for a female and “Simba” for a male. Simba was Ajenti’s idea, and it was an instant favorite. Never once did Taka wonder if it would be a male. He felt it was his destiny to fight an uphill battle until he gasped out his last breath. It would be male just to spite him.

Seeing the “light in her eyes” made him ill. It was the mark of Muffy’s passion—his brother’s final insult. He would look away when she passed to avoid seeing her in that condition. Once he sought to drown his sorrows in a night of loveless passion, but he was soundly rejected, even when he offered to take the vow. Once he was caught staring at Isha who was known to sun herself on the rocks in the most liquid poses of feminine beauty. His jaw trembled and his tail lashed from side to side as he dared to make love to her with his eyes. Yolanda, who was suspicious of Taka anyhow, caught him and threatened to go tell Isha. “She would break your lustful little carcass into tiny pieces.”

“She will understand. You’ve been jealous since we broke up.”

“What??”

“Night before last when you excused yourself from the hunt.”

“I was sick! ”

“You were love sick. Oh baby, the things you did weren’t in the talk my father gave me. Which one did you like best--naughty bunnies or the wildebeest’s revenge?”

Her eyes grew wide. “You dirty little liar! ”

“No worse than a dirty little snitch. Just try me and see if I won’t.”

The Isha incident was never referred to again. Indeed, Taka was wont to behave himself in public. And with Sarabi’s child coming closer to the sunlight every day, he stepped up his nocturnal dealings with the hyenas and took a whole new interest in the royal family.

Everyone experienced mixed joy and sadness when the big day came. The male cub was named Simba and his small sister was named Shanni. Shanni was weak and tiny, and she never even tasted her mother’s milk before she went to join the gods. Simba was strong and handsome, and he had enough strength for two cubs. His large paws and well formed features were admired by the relatives and close friends that caught first sight of him.

Taka came in his turn to look at the child. “He looks so much like his father, ” he said. Something Mufasa mistakenly took as a compliment. “You will live an interesting life.”

Though he had no doubt all along the cub would be male and an heir to the throne, seeing Simba with his own eyes was the final cement on his resolve. The cub was innocent, unaware of the resentment in his Uncle’s heart. And he was expendable.

Oddly enough, it was on this day that Taka first noticed how much Elanna was like her sister Sarabi. Only Elanna did not avoid him. In fact, she would speak to him without even being spoken to. She came to him smiling and asked, “Isn’t he a dream? I just know you’re going to spoil your little nephew.”

“Of course.” He looked in her eyes and half smiled. “But it’s a shame he didn’t have his mother’s eyes. Shaka’s daughters all had beautiful eyes.”

She smiled shyly. “Well Ahadi’s sons aren’t so bad looking either.”

“Hmph! ” He straightened a little and began to groom his mane. When she left, he watched her till she disappeared in the tall grass.

Ahadi’s name brought back a stinging pain that finally overtook his good mood. And a little shame began to creep into the darkness of his heart as the wondered what Ahadi and Akase would think of his plans. Simba was the grandson they did not live to see. No doubt they would have loved him. For a moment, but only for a moment, he reflected on the small cub gilded with the glory of sunrise who wanted to divide the kingdom with his brother. “No, Muffy, ” Taka said under his breath. “Dad was right. There can only be one King in this land.” The mood brought mist to his eyes. “Father, if only you had chosen me. Damn Rafiki! Damn the nurse that gave him milk! Someday I will kill him, but not all at once. I’ll destroy him a little bit at a time the way he destroyed me.”

The words of hate hardened his heart. He drew away to the lair of the hyenas to bring news of Simba’s birth and to plan his death.

SCENE: ONE DAY TOO LONG

Over the next three months, Simba grew from a small mite that slept most of the day to a joyful, exuberant toddler. He had his moments that could try the patience of a tree, but his heart was good, and his charm didn’t invite love—it practically demanded it. Nala also fell under his spell, following him everywhere like a puppy.

Then suddenly, as a tree is struck by lightning, Scar came wild-eyed with horrible news of a stampede in the gorge. Simba was in trouble.

Trouble indeed! Taka nearly wretched as he described the small battered body that lay in the dust. Those eyes so full of innocence and love for all Aiheu’s creation staring lifeless at the sky with the final look of horror fixed in them forever! Taka spoke all the earmarks of genuine grief—no one suspected him of harboring ill will toward the golden child of his brother. Often Simba was seen sleeping under the protection of his Uncle’s watchful gaze. It was at those moments that even the most skeptical lionesses looked at Taka with some tolerance.

Nala huddled by Sarafina, sobbing. Sarabi tried to think one minute ahead, even one second, but she could see no future, even her next meal. She contemplated curling up and sleeping, never to wake up again. Yet things were not so simple in real life as they are in wishful thinking.

Rafiki came running up Pride Rock. He saw the hyenas and did not know what to make of it. Going into the cave, he says, “Mufasa, I heard the cry. Who is dead? Old Maloki?”