“How could I refuse you, old girl?” He patted her shoulder. “I may be a few minutes late, but I’ll be there.”

CHAPTER: ASHES TO ASHES, DUST TO DUST

Rafiki was relieved when Uzuri came a little early. Uzuri was never deceptive, though she was hard to interpret at times. She did not advertise her feelings through chatter and social conventions, but she always managed to show the ones she loved her warmth and compassion.

But now she was able to toss reserve aside and bare her soul. She knew that his spirit would be watching from the stars, and she could not afford to show a calm face to him.

“Oh, Ugas! Oh gods, my husband, my lover, my heart! He’s dead!”

Tears began to stream down her face. She wanted to roar, but dared not. Instead, she nestled in the sanctuary of Rafiki’s arms and sobbed.

“That wonderful lion! That kind and gentle soul! What little time we spent together made me more noble, more grand just for having loved him! And let me tell you, Rafiki, more important than his breath on my cheek was being there with him.”

He kissed her and stroked her gently. “Yes, my dear.”

“He was caring, with a voice as warm as a good nuzzle, and a nuzzle as warm as the sun. Sometimes we would just lie side by side, and I would smell the honest fragrance of his mane against my cheek. He always made me feel special and beautiful. The last time we made love, he said--” She began to convulse with choking sobs.

“What did he say?”

“He looked at me sadly and said ‘Love me as if it was for the last time.’”

Rafiki put his arms around her neck, kissing her around the face. “My poor girl! My poor little girl! It will get better with time. You will never be the same, but you will learn to live with the loss, as I have.”

Uzuri kissed him. “I was right. You do understand.”

He rocked ever so slightly back and forth with her head pillowed against his chest, whispering, “There, my love. I’ll always be here for you, and not just tonight. You know it, don’t you?”

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he felt her soft breath on his arm and felt the trembling in her large, powerful body rendered almost helpless by crippling grief.

At that intimate moment of grief, Barata showed up. Rafiki sighed.

“What is she doing here?” Uzuri asked, drying her eyes quickly.

“Uzuri, dearest, try not to be too upset.”

Uzuri hurried over to Barata and confronted her furiously. “You are here because of him, aren’t you??”

“He had an affair with you too? I didn’t know! I swear I didn’t

know!”

“Affair?? He was my husband!”

Barata was taken aback. “You never told me!” Barata rolled over on the ground. “I swear, Uzuri, I would never have cheated on you. It was only once, and it was many moons ago. Oh gods, I love you! You’re my pride sister! I’m sorry!”

Uzuri looked at her misery and knew that she was suffering a double grief. The hunt mistress nuzzled her. “Get up, friend. I should have gone to be with him. I left him alone, and I can understand how this might happen.” She tilted her head puzzled. As discretely as she could, she said, “Still, I always thought you never had an interest in--you know.”

“Just because I never got pregnant didn’t mean I never....” She glanced over at Rafiki. “You know.”

Ajenti poked her head through the bushes. She saw the other two lionesses and gasped. "Oh my gods!"

Isha pushed past her. She looked appraisingly at the other lionesses. And shook her head. "I knew I wasn't the only one, but I underestimated the old boy."

“Watch what you say about my husband!” Uzuri shouted.

“Your husband??” Isha said.

“Your husband??” Ajenti echoed.

Rafiki motioned for quiet and tried to begin the ceremony. "Death has struck down our friend Ugas. Let us remember him as a brave lion, a good lion, whose heart was full of love...."

"Yeah, you can say that again!" Ajenti said bitterly.

Isha nodded. “He was Bango's father. And I must admit he was a good lion--quite good.”

"Yes," Sarafina said quietly. "He was good, wasn't he?"

“Sarafina? You too?”

Isha came to her. “You and Ugas??”

“Why not??” Sarafina said. “We were a matched set. I couldn’t imagine you’d like him. I like a comfortable routine, but you would have gone crazy. The same old thing every time.”

“Never the same thing twice!” Isha said, scandalized. “Are we talking about the same Ugas?”

“And his sense of humor,” Sarafina added. “He always told the funniest jokes. Most of them don’t bear repeating in public.”

“Jokes??” Uzuri was outraged. “That somber, powerful and tragic lion of destiny??”

Barata said, “It seems he sized us up like prey. He chose a different approach with each of us. Sisters, we were had!”

“It was worth it,” Sarafina said.

“I learned a few things,” Isha said. That was saying a lot.

Rafiki sighed. It would be a long night.

CHAPTER: THE QUEEN MOTHER

The next morning, Uzuri called the Pride Sisters together one last time. She had before her a dead hedgehog. Dipping her paw in the blood, she touched Misha on both cheeks, leaving red prints. Then she kissed the startled lioness.

“I give you the most precious possession I have,” she said, tears streaming down her face. The pride sisters all took in a deep gasp. “I gave a lot of thought to what I would say when I left you. In the end there is nothing I can say, and so I leave you with silence. But I can never forget the time we spent together on the trail. Farewell, my sisters, and Godspeed.”

Her chin trembling, she sniffed back her tears and headed outward.

“You can’t do this!” Sarafina said. “Sis, I love you! Can you just turn your back on me?”

“No more than I could turn my back on my sons. They need me, hon.”

“Then let me walk with you to the border.”

Uzuri leaned against her shoulder as she walked. As was her custom, she said little, but she glanced over at Sarafina and kissed away her tears.

“I thought we were together till the end,” Fini said.

“I will visit you,” Uzuri replied. “You have not seen the last of me.”

“It won’t be the same without Ugas.” It was the first time she’d mentioned his name since the truth came out, and she tensed up.

“I won’t spoil your memories of him,” Uzuri said. “I’m glad you found happiness. Maybe you will again.”

“And how about you, Uzuri? Will you find happiness again, now that you have done this thing?”

“I won’t stop looking if you won’t.”

Before they reached the border, Rafiki confronted her with Makaka at his side. Makaka sprang to her and hugged her around the neck.

“Shame on you,” Rafiki said. “Trying to leave your best friend behind.”

“But I must,” she said.

“I won’t let you. I’m going with you. So is Makaka.”

“I thought you said you were tied to this place?”

“I was. But only because of you.” He looked out toward his old baobab and back toward Pride Rock. “We had some times here, old girl. That we did.”

Uzuri smiled sweetly. “I feel much better now. Thanks.”

They headed east, an odd procession of two lionesses and two mandrills. But at the creek, Sarafina sadly nuzzled Uzuri, then kissed Rafiki and Makaka. “I am bound to Nala, as you are to your sons. But my heart is always with you.”

With sadness for what they left behind, they headed out into the water. But as the opposite bank drew nearer, their sense of adventure began to shove grief aside. If only Ugas had been there to meet her, joy would have flooded her soul like noontime sunlight. But in a way she felt closer to him, and it was some comfort in her loss.

No sooner had she crossed the creek than Adhama spotted her and fell to the ground. “My lady.”