She rubbed her cheek where he kissed her and shuddered. She padded after him. "Togo, wait! I think I love you!"

"Vivi, come back!" Kombi chased after her. "TO-GO!! VI-VI!! Wait up!!"

CHAPTER: THE SHADOWS GROW LONGER

Ugas’ eyes half closed as Rafiki’s herbs had their desired effect and the old mandrill’s hands worked his stiff joints. “I’m sorry I’ve been so long coming,” Rafiki said. “I’ve had to nurse Simba through a nasty fever.”

“So how’s my second cousin doing?”

“He’s fine now.”

“Is he like his father? I mean, I really miss old Mufasa’s gentle wisdom.”

“You knew him well? I thought....”

“That lions are territorial? We are. But we always walked the line between our kingdoms at the same time each week.” He sighed. “He would never say much. But I always looked forward to seeing him. And the first day he didn’t show up, a small part of me died.”

“I had no idea. If you cared for each other, why have territories at all? I mean, it makes no sense.”

“It makes perfect sense. We have duties to perform, duties that Aiheu gives us.” Ugas put his paw around Rafiki and drew him close. “One of them is to hunt and feed our children, and territories help us do that. Does that mean we hate our prey, or that they don’t deserve to live? I think not. Life is a struggle, but it is in the struggle that we define ourselves and find our place in the universe.”

“So it really is duty that keeps us separated from the ones we love?”

“Yes. But ultimately it is love that brings us together. When we’re reunited before Aiheu, there will be no territories. When I see Muffy again, I’ll do more than speak. I’ll nuzzle him and share jokes with him and see if I can best him in wrestling. I’ve always wanted to take him on, no holds barred. He was such a big lion, so full of power and resolve.”

“You must have given this a great deal of thought.”

“Yes. Death is like a distant mountain. At first it’s all gray and green, like a mist. But the closer you come to it, the more you see. You begin to make out separate trees and rocks. I’ve come to see it all too clearly now.”

“Oh no! You’ll outlive us all.”

“Yeah, right.” He coughed as if to drive the point home. “We all have to die sometime. But before I go, I want to meet my sons. I want to look into their eyes and tell them I love them.”

“Are you sure you have that much time left?” Rafiki asked, amused but a little judgmental. “You’ve been very busy.”

“I don’t have much time left,” he said. “And you know I meant Togo and Kombi. They’re the only sons I have--all the rest are daughters. Ah, that’s it, rub further to the left....oh, yes!”

“Those two are quite a sight,” Rafiki said, rubbing harder.

“They’re Uzuri’s. That’s good enough for me. I love that girl.”

“You love all lionesses.”

“I LIKE all lionesses. I LOVE her.”

“Well you’d BETTER love her!” Rafiki said sharply.

“What do you mean by that??”

“If you ever hurt her, I may be only an old monkey, but I’ll get you. I swear I will! You take care of that girl, you hear me??”

“Calm down, will you? Not so hard with the hands, you old monkey!”

“She means the world to me. I won’t have you treating her like a plaything to toss aside when you’ve had your fun!”

“Calm down! Your face is turning red! Besides, you’re rubbing my fur the wrong way!”

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m playing the honey badger.” He gave Ugas’ shoulder a pat. “So you really love her?”

“I’m deeply in love with her. Just like you are.”

“Well I....” Rafiki was supremely embarrassed. “I love her, but I wouldn’t say I’m IN love with her. I mean, not THAT way.”

“Come now,” Ugas said, patting his shoulder with a large paw. “Let’s be honest. I won’t be upset by the truth. Now before Aiheu, can you truthfully say that you’ve never had one small inkling of attraction to her? Your wife has been dead all these years. Uzuri does practically everything for you a wife would do. She has even groomed you.” He smiled. “I can tell by looking at you that you feel threatened. You’re very transparent, and the guilt leaves tracks all over your face.”

Rafiki looked down. “Ugas, you wouldn’t understand. I mean, sure. Sometimes I wish we were--the same kind--you know. But I pray about those feelings and they go away.”

“You’re giving me half an answer. Rafiki, Aiheu knows your heart. And so do I.”

Ugas drew him close with a paw and patted him gently, nuzzling him with his large face. “She has that effect on people. In your heart, you know that even the stones and the grass she step on love her. I count myself lucky that I can act on that love. We see each other as often as possible, and not only when she’s in season. Sometimes we sit under the stars and talk for hours.”

“About what?”

“Oh, one thing she really likes is star lore. What she doesn’t know about the night sky isn’t worth knowing. I can tell--in my younger days, I was quite a scholarly type. As deadly serious as a baobab tree in a rain storm.”

“I didn’t know that.” Rafiki cleared his throat. “Does she ever talk about me?”

“Oh does she ever! How cute your little girl was and how pretty your wife was, and how you work miracles on her stiff shoulder--I can tell from personal experience that you do. You’d think she was your mother the way she talks about you. And did you really stop Akase’s miscarriage with Heartleaf?”

“Yes. With Maraliscus. The combination kept it from poisoning her but stopped the contractions. It was touch and go there for a while.”

“Uzuri has good taste in friends--she doesn’t smile at everyone that nods their head at her. She cares for you a great deal. More than she probably lets on.” He drew close and said in a near whisper, “If you were a lion, I’d be insanely jealous. Odds are five to one she’d be married to YOU right now.”

Rafiki rubbed more and more slowly as a dreamy expression crossed his face. “Don’t be foolish,” he muttered. “What an odd notion!”

“I want her children to inherit my kingdom,” he said matter-of- factly. “That was our understanding from the beginning. I would give her love, and she would give me sons. And she has--twin sons when I thought I only had daughters in me. We must not let them slip away.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Can you arrange a meeting? Just them, their mother and I?”

“I’ll do what he can.”

“You’ll do better than that. Her happiness means everything to you. You’d do whatever it takes.”

Rafiki looked down again. “Yes, I would.”

“And Rafiki, I’ll be gone long before Uzuri. You know I’m rather old.”

“You shouldn’t think that way.”

“Why not? It’s true. And I know I’ll be leaving her alone.” He looked at Rafiki intently. “I want to know she will have someone to look after her. Swear to me--swear by Aiheu’s holy name--you will see she is well tended to. Let no harm come to her.”

“I swear.”

Ugas put his large paw on Rafiki’s shoulder and gave him a soft pat. “Someday, somehow God will reward you for all this.”

The mandrill looked up. “He already has, my old friend. More than you could imagine.” He hugged Ugas around his strong neck and said, “She talks about you too. All good things. I just thought you’d want to know that.”

Rafiki said a quick blessing over Ugas’ land, then walked away. When he was safely hidden in the rushes between the two kingdoms, he clasped his hands and bowed his head. “Merciful Aiheu, I can’t help it if I’m in love with her. Help me! I’d die if she ever found out!” Tears ran down his cheek and he sniffed, rubbing his eyes.