"I'm serious. I just-"

"Ugas, I know you loved him."

He took his paw and gently wiped away her tears. “I’m trying, Addie, but I’m just not my brother. He was always better at fighting, better at tracking, but I had the personality. Well my charm won’t work on rogue lions and wild dogs. I’m having to be someone I’m not, trying to support a double burden on old shoulders, rising early and resting late, patrolling this whole land by myself. No son to help me, and now no brother.”

“There are many lions who never had a brother. Do they complain? No--they are glad just to have a home and a family.”

“But they are young, Addie. They still have their health.” He looked down. “I’m near the end of my path, old girl. I should be able to pass some of the load to another. Instead I have to spend my final days tired and afraid. Always tired and afraid. I have aches where I didn’t think I had bones, and every time I think about making that long trek, my heart skips a beat.”

Adhama took a shaky breath. "Are you just giving up, then? What are you saying to me, brother?”

Ugas looked at her intently. “I’m not giving up. Tonight I met someone that may help us. If I can work my will, she’ll be my wife and mother of my son. A son, Addie!”

“Mother of your son?” She looked at him skeptically. “Kazi fathered nothing but daughters, and so have you. It looks like you’d stop trying.”

“I CAN’T stop trying. Don’t you know what happens to old lions who have no son?” He looked pleadingly into her eyes, then turned and trudged away, his head and tail hung low. “There are lots of rogues out there who would swap their whiskers for this place,” he muttered. “I won’t let them drive me off. I’d rather die here in one brave gesture than starve slowly. I love my daughters, but if only Aiheu would give me a son! Merciful God, help me!”

CHAPTER: A FREE LUNCH

Uzuri crept back to the Pride Lands with a knot in her stomach. Ugas’ offer began to sound ever better as the ominous shadow of Pride Rock began to loom over her. “Aiheu abamami,” she muttered, taking the trail up the stone to where Taka was waiting.

Before she even walked into the cave, Taka said, “So you have a problem with Pipkah, I hear?”

“He’s a royal pain, Scar.”

“Need I remind you who’s really royal??”

“Sorry--Your Majesty.”

“Well then.” Taka pulled himself up straight and tried to sound commanding. “Let’s work things out. If you don’t want to hunt with Pipkah and his group, you don’t have to.”

“Thank you VERY MUCH, Sire.”

“Just make sure you get enough food for all, because they get first choice.”

“What??”

“They are willing to hunt for their share, but you seem to think it’s unwise.”

“But Sire...surely you don’t expect us to...we’ll starve!”

“Not when you’re motivated by hunger to learn some courtesy.”

“But I....”

“No buts, Uzuri. Pipkah tells me Fini threatened his life, and you went along with it.”

“We spoke in anger. You didn’t see what they did!”

“I didn’t have to. Everyone’s talking about it. Now there are a lot of hungry eyes looking to you for food. Go scrounge up something like a good girl.”

Uzuri was stunned. She numbly nodded her head, turned and left. For a third time, she remembered the kind words Ugas spoke to her: “There is no hate in me.” Never had he seemed so kind as by contrast with Taka.

Uzuri went about shouting “Baraza!” which is to say, “meeting!” It was like any strategy meeting might have begun before the hunt, but it had a very important purpose.

By ones and twos the lionesses arrived. Soon they were all together, except for Elanna whose absence was both expected and painful.

“Aiheu abamami,” Uzuri muttered as she nuzzled each of the lionesses from Yolanda, the oldest, down to the newest huntresses. It was an order dictated by tradition. But there was a tenseness in the air, so strong it could be prodded with a paw like water.

“Taka has laid a burden on us,” she spoke slowly. “Now we must hunt for ourselves and for the hyenas. It seems they are afraid for their safety.”

“Damn straight!” Isha said. “And well they should be!”

Ajenti, who was usually more democratic, said, “It’s time to cut King Droopy-Drawers down to size.”

“The hyenas are on his side,” Uzuri said. “We must solve a major problem tonight. Our cubs must eat, and so must we.”

“I say I could acquire a taste for hyena,” Ajenti said.

“This talk is dangerous,” Yolanda said. “They could be spying on us.”

“Let them get an earful,” Isha said. “I heard Fini’s joke about the accident. But I believe we really could kill them one or two at a time tonight without alerting the others. By the time the news got out, there would be too few of them left to fight us.”

“And have you forgotten about Taka?” Uzuri said.

“Leave him to me,” Isha said. “I’ll kill him myself.”

“My gods!” Uzuri’s hackles were raised. “Do you mean commit murder? What about Elanna? She’s Sarabi’s sister, for God’s sake!”

“Don’t remind me,” Sarabi said with understandable bitterness. “That’s all that keeps me from marking her. She’s a disgrace to her people, fawning on that hyena-kissing brother-in-law of mine. As far as I’m concerned, the moment Muffy died, he was out of my family.”

Uzuri looked around at the other lionesses. “Don’t you know the gods would judge us if we just butcher him like a gazelle?”

“Can we possibly be any worse off?” Sarabi insisted. “Maybe the gods will judge us if we DON’T kill him!”

“Some of us have small cubs,” Sarafina said. “Nala might get hurt--or killed. I don’t think we should rashly jump into this.”

“I agree,” Uzuri said.

“You would,” Ajenti said and spat. “You’re her sister.”

“And I’m not yours??” Uzuri said, stepping in front of her and glaring into her eyes. “Aren’t we ALL sisters here? I didn’t say that we shouldn’t overthrow him, just that Sarafina was right. We can’t be rash. We won’t have to kill him if we can get rid of the hyenas. He wouldn’t dare fight all of us.”

“All right, so how would YOU get rid of the hyenas.”

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll think of something. In the meantime, we have to bide our time.”

“Until what?” Ajenti looked around at the others. “Until we’re so hungry we’re too weak to fight?? I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime, but I never thought I’d live to see Uzuri turn coward!”

Uzuri cuffed her across the face--hard. “You take that back, Missy! We can’t fight them while we’re fighting each other! Pull in your claws and apologize!”

Ajenti tried to think of something angry to say, but the more she looked into Uzuri’s face, the more ashamed she felt. “Sorry,” she half whispered. “No one thinks you’re a coward. But it’s a dirty shame not to strike now.”

Uzuri nuzzled her. “One day we’ll cleanse the land of shame, I promise you.”

Upset by the bad news, they hunted very poorly. They missed a Duiker that was practically waiting to die, and tempers flared. Blame enough for three prides was quickly exchanged in low but angry hisses. Uzuri needed all her powers of persuasion to calm them down and refocus their energies on the quarry and off each other. And though it took most of the night, they finally found an old zebra and managed to kill it.

Ajenti was sent to call Taka and the others. “Fresh kill, My Lord,” she said to Taka, her bitterness concealed by a forced smile.

The hyenas ran to the site while Ajenti and the cubs merely trotted. There was no reason to run after Taka’s edict. So while the lion cubs sat and stared in misery, the hyenas feasted. And they feasted and feasted.

Lisani nudged her mother Beesa. “When are we going to get our turn?”

“Soon, dear. I hope....”

“That’s what you said last time.”

Beesa was hoping against hope for her daughter’s sake that something would be left at all. But the hyenas finished off the carcass and even began to crack the bones for marrow. Lionesses began to grumble. If ever they had hated hyenas, that moment was the all time high point of their rage. Somewhere in the melee a hyena pup shrieked.