“If you do this, do you promise you’ll forgive me? Promise?”

“I promise, son. While you can, go as far as you can. Your friends will have to drag you the rest of the way.”

“I understand.” Gur’mekh shut his eyes and whimpered. “Mother Roh’kash!!!”

Ahadi swept his abdomen with his outstretched claws. In a private hell of pain, Gur’mekh shrieked all the air from his lungs, gasped in and shrieked again. It was often said that at that same moment Gur’bruk and Kambra fell to the ground and covered their ears, trying to block out the squeals of his death agony.

Gur’mekh gasped for air, foaming at the mouth and shuddering on the floor. His mangled, bleeding entrails were laid open to the horrified audience of hyenas. The Roh’mach had to look away, covering her face with a paw. Ahadi looked at his paw red with Gur’mekh’s blood and glanced again and the unfortunate wretch gasping out his life.

“Somebody help me!” Gur’mekh cried. “I can’t get up!”

Ahadi looked on the youth with compassion, taking Gur’mekh by the nape of the neck and lifting him upright. “Can you walk?”

“I’ll try.” He shuffled forward, stiff-legged, his face a portrait of pain and hopelessness. “Roh’kash, great mother, my spirit longs to nurse at your side.” He gasped, struggling to finish the prayer of confession. “Forgive me. Brother Sun, Sister Moon, do not shine on my transgressions. Shine only on my good deeds. Let my debt be paid.” Tears began to flood his cheeks. “Oh gods, I’m hurt!”

“I know,” one of the lionesses said. “It was a brave thing you did for me. I forgive you.”

He looked and saw it was Avina. His heart focused on her. One of the blessed, she might be able to protect him from the Makei.

Demrath nuzzled him. “I accept your sacrifice. Oh gods, we could have been good friends. Why do things work out that way?”

“You are good and noble. Protect me in the moment of my death.”

The members of the hyena escort looked around to see whom he was talking with.

“He’s in shock,” Ber said.

Gur’mekh turned to look at Ber. The old hyena, once so full of hate, could not meet the desolate eyes of the dying ban’ret. “I admit it. I killed Demrath.”

Ber gasped. “Why did you do it? Why?”

“Because I loved Lenti. I would have done anything for her love, but I destroyed her.”

“Are you saying you really were possessed?”

“Yes.” Blood-soaked drool began to run down his neck. “I’m sorry, Ber. Accept my death.”

“You die a brave death. I accept it.”

Gur’mekh’s agony was so great that his head swam. He stumbled, and some of the hyenas propped him upright. Reduced to a bare crawl, he had to will each step up the promontory.

The Makei’s voice echoed in his head. “You don’t have to die. If you will curse Ahadi with the words I teach you, you will be King on Pride Rock and he will crawl to his death. Even now it is not too late. Do you understand me, Gur’mekh?”

“Oh I understand,” Gur’mekh thought in reply. “I understand that you are afraid! I will feed off YOUR agony for a change!”

One of the hyenas that walked ahead of him was Jalkort. “I know you tried to rush Shaka to save me. You were willing to die in my place.”

“You knew I loved you, Jal.”

“I’m going to try and help you, but you must resist the evil. Resist it, brother!”

“I’m doing my best!”

Again, the hyenas looked about. Ber alone understood what was happening. “Pray, Gur’mekh. While you still draw breath, pray. The Nisei are coming for you.”

“You are good, Ber. Just like your son.”

The Makei’s voice ran through his head once more. “I also forgive you for attempting to drive me out. If you’ll swear allegiance to me, we will be friends, not enemies. I will give you power, fame, and the pleasures of Akase. The prophesy was for you to take Ahadi’s place. And when you’re king, you can help the hyenas achieve mastery of the world. We will rule together, unbeatable and immortal. Just swear allegiance to me, and all this will be yours, and much more.”

“No.”

“Don’t be a fool!”

“For once, I’m not a fool.”

“If you don’t say yes, I’ll hold you together and let you linger for hours in this agony! And it can get worse, much worse!”

Gur’mekh began to wretch up bloody scraps, wincing with the effort but helpless to stop. His moans were broken by fits of gagging. “Never!” he defiantly replied. Still, he felt such pain that he couldn’t stand it much longer. A cold sweat ran from his brow and his jaw trembled. Retching again, he shrieked, “God, let me die!”

One of the hyena guards offered to push him off the tip of the rock but he gasped, “No! Don’t touch me! I can’t stand heights!”

Jalkort whispered silent advice into Ahadi’s heart, and the King came out to the end of the promontory. Gur’mekh looked up and saw Ahadi’s large, sad face. He looked into those eyes and saw the goodness and sorrow Ahadi felt for him. Gur’mekh was glad that that noble creature would not be victimized by the Makei.

“Do you release me, friend?” he asked in his desperation. “Have I paid the price?”

Ahadi reached down and whispered, “You have paid in full. I forgive you. Relax, son--I’ll be gentle and quick.”

Gur’mekh knew that the Makei was defeated. He smiled at Ahadi and exposed his throat.

The lion took it gently but firmly, kissing away the burden of his mangled body. Forgiven, Gur’mekh’s spirit slipped away toward the eastern horizon to join his ancestors. He found peace at last.

CHAPTER 28: THE TRANSFERENCE

That night, Gur’bruk and Kambra crept quietly and sullenly across the savanna toward Pride Rock, tall and forbidding in the moonlight. They stalked to the base of the stone, already having scented what they were after. The smell made their hackles raise. Kambra in her ambivalence walked slowly and stiffly, everything in her begging her to flee, and everything in her being tugged forward by an okash’s love. Gur’bruk came to her shoulder and leaned upon her. His presence was comforting, and she found the strength to make the last few steps.

At last, the grass parted, and lying on the ground before them in a broken huddle were all their hopes and fears.

“Gur’mekh!” Kambra nearly collapsed. “Oh gods! My precious little boy!”

“Courage,” Gur’bruk said, tears streaming down his face. He nuzzled her, but then turned back to his only son. His paw ran tremblingly over Gur’mekh’s face, tracing down his neck still potent with Ahadi’s scent. “Roh’kash has staked her claim on him. He’s at peace now.”

Kambra tried to mumble a prayer, but she broke down and began to sob uncontrollably. “Oh Gur’bruk! Our son! Our son!”

Some lionesses emerged from the grass. “This land is off limits to your kind,” Uzuri said. “King’s orders.”

Nearly unaware of their presence, Kambra fell across the torn and battered body, howling pitifully.

“His wife?” Uzuri asked.

“My wife,” Gur’bruk said. “He was our only son.” He slumped, his ears and tail drooping. “Can’t you please just go away and leave us alone? We’re not hurting anyone. Please, for God’s sake, just go away?”

The lionesses looked at the faces of extreme pain and grief, then looked at each other. “We did not see you here,” Yolanda said without asking any leave. “We will be back in a few hours, so do what you have to do.”

“He’s too big for us to move,” Gur’bruk said. “We were banned, so no one else will help us.”

Kambra asked, “What will happen to my boy?” She looked around at the lionesses one by one. “I know he’s dead anyway, but his bones need to rest with his fathers. His spirit can’t rest if he’s left here!” She fell before Yolanda. “Haven’t you lost a cub before? That could have been your son!” She crawled to Yolanda’s feet, kissing them with her eyes tightly shut. It was the most humiliating of hyena pleading gestures.