The cubs looked at her sadly as Elanna lowers her head back down to her paws. Inwiena moved back to her sister and flopped down next to her, whispering, “I’ll never be mad at you.”
Elanna looked at the group...their mood now saddened by her story. “You don’t have to be sad for me...I have accepted my place in the circle.” She smiled softly. “Hey, if I hadn’t been in trouble there, I wouldn’t have met you! And I’m glad I met you. Now...who would like to hear another story?”
The ears of the cubs perked up and they nodded enthusiastically. Elanna was about ready to take a breath to start her story when Ujuzi and Wehu appeared.
“Hello Elanna,” Wehu said. “Keeping the cubs occupied?” She looked straight at Darky, who turned her head a bit from her.
Elanna looked at the two, “Hello my queen. Hello, Wehu. Yes...I was just telling them a story of my sister and I.”
Ujuzi prodded her daughter, looking at Elanna. Wehu jumped a bit at the prodding then looked to Elanna, “You have been making great progress with me in your hunting skills. So much, that I think it’s time that you join us. Darky, why don’t you take over?”
Elanna smiled a bit, ready to hunt. She rose slowly from the grass and yawned, shaking off the dead grass on her pelt. Amid the pleas of the cubs for her to say, she stretched out her body and muscles.
CHAPTER: ON THE HUNT
Elanna was overwhelmed at the chance of getting on the hunt again. Though she hated to leave the cubs, she wanted her old life back. Enthused about the chance to redeem herself, she went to Wehu. “I need to make up for my last mistake.... I’ll be the beater this time.”
“Oh no, my dear,” the Queen said, moving past her daughter and rubbing against Elanna. “You will be next to my daughter. This will signal a new time of friendship among us. I haven’t been very nice to you. But now I want to get to know you better, and show you how I really feel about you.” She grinned slightly as she moved away from the two, getting a look from her daughter.
Elanna smiled to the queen, bowing her head slightly, “I pray that Aiheu may remove all doubts from your mind about me.”
Ujuzi turned her head from her, grinning, “He has, my dear. I have no questions about you or your intentions. Now we will see what kind of huntress you really are.”
Perhaps if Elanna had looked deeply into Ujuzi’s cold stare, she would have seen past the smile. She would have suspected the plan that Ujuzi had in store for her.
The other lionesses were in a good mood to see Elanna among them. They all nuzzled her and commented on how fast that she came back when they saw her. There was a certain relaxing of tension among them that could be seen and even felt in subtle ways impossible to describe. Ujuzi herself seemed to be in an upbeat, if intense mood. Unlike the others, Wehu seemed to be tense as she scanned the horizon for the target of the nights hunt.
Quietly the group headed into the grass, searching for that weak animal that would sustain them for another day. Elanna sensed that something was wrong with Wehu as the night progressed. Slowly she moved over to her and tried to improve her mood. “I’m glad to be hunting again. I feel you have talked with your mother--there’s no other explanation. You’re a dear friend, and so like my daughter might have been." Elanna smiled nervously to the hunt mistress. "I want to do well and not mess up again."
Wehu turned to her and tried to put on a smile, failing miserably, "I wouldn't worry about that if I were you."
Elanna looked at her curiously, but shook it off. “Still, I feel the queen is only being nice to me because of you. If there’s anything I can do to make your mother really like me, let me know. Your father likes me well enough.”
Wehu swallowed slowly, looking down at the ground. “So I gathered.”
“Aiheu bless you for your kindness. At my age, I need peace and stability. I’ve felt torn up inside since I got here. You’re all that holds me together.”
Wehu nuzzled her, her insides tight over what her mother had planned. "I think you will find peace.” Wehu hung her head. “You know Lannie, you've had to face a lot of obstacles in your life. I wonder if I would have done half as well." Wehu added quietly, "No matter how this hunt turns out, I think you're a good lioness."
Elanna looked at her in surprise at her statement “Now I AM frightened. Is so much riding on my making well tonight?”
“No, Honey Tree. Don’t worry about it. I’m just making a statement, that’s all.” Wehu sniffed at the air and sighs softly, “I smell something.” Quietly she grunted to the others in the group…signaling them to get prepared for the hunt.
As the pride topped the hill, they spotted their target for the night, a small group of wildebeest. Wehu looked around at the group, as if she was about ready to make a decision which she dreaded. Quietly she cleared her throat as she looked to the pride. “Mom, you head to the right with Kiesi. Tetesi, come left with me.”
Elanna looked to Wehu in confusion, “Where do I go?”
Wehu tried to smile as her insides tightened more, “You have a very important part.” She motioned with her head, “You head down the dry gully as far as you can and when you hear all grief break loose, climb out and create panic.”
Elanna looked down at where she was suppose to be, through the sea of wildebeests. She turned backed to Wehu “Are you sure that it is safe for me? I’m getting awfully close to their hooves when you start to drive them.”
“It’s not as bad as it sounds, dear. We’ll be pushing in toward your position. If you’re careful, there should be very little danger to you.” She tried again with a reassuring smile, “It’s Tetesi and I that will have to watch out.” She tried to let out a small chuckle, “And Mom is not as young as she used to be.”
Elanna nodded softly, still not suspecting what the real prey was. “I’m sorry Wehu. I guess I just have to get use to a new hunting style.” She looked up to her, “I trust you with my life, something I don’t do to many.” She smiled up to her, “Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”
Wehu nodded and tried to hold the pain in her stomach, “Thank you Lannie…um…I have to speak with the others to set up our portion of the hunt.” With that, she quickly moved over to Kiesi and Tetesi.
The two lionesses looked at the hunt mistress, “What are we going to do, Wehu? What’s the plan?”
“Just do as you’re told, girls. I’m sorry it makes no sense, but I’ve given Elanna some special instructions. It will be clear to you when it all comes together.”
As Wehu was talking to the other lionesses, the queen made her way towards Elanna, “Well, I’m sure you will do well on this hunt. As a matter of fact, I talked my daughter into letting you come on to this hunt. She thought you might not be ready.” She nuzzled Elanna gently and smiled, “But I convinced her to let you play this pivotal role. If everything goes well, we'll have a kill for sure.”
Elanna smiled to the queen and returned the nuzzle as Wehu glanced over and glared at her mother.
The hunters regrouped and began to make their moves. Elanna was very careful to watch Wehu’s, the signs she had been taught running through her mind. Wehu sent the other lionesses off, and before disappearing with Tetesi, she nodded at Elanna. It was time.
Elanna kept a low profile and walked with a quiet tread as only a cat could through the savanna grasses and toward the beginning of the dry wadi.
There were rocks in the bottom of the wadi. It would take all her skill to keep from making sound there. She stepped gingerly from boulder to boulder, avoiding the loose pebbles and gravel that could make scraping noises.
So far, she had not heard a stampeding herd. There was not even the nervous stamping of a few spooked animals. She could tell by the grunts and low calls of mothers to calves and the chirps back that against all hope she had pulled off the perfect stalk. How proud Ujuzi would be of her! And how proud Wehu would be! With pride in her heart, she waited for the signal, prepared to make a mighty effort to start panic among the wildebeests.