Brother Sun padded slowly across the sky, shedding his warmth across the savanna in a proclamation of Aiheu’s glory, exposing all His works for the world to see. The light was reflected from the ground, the golden grass barely wavering in the stillness of highsun as the world slowly revolved about its axis, the intense heat rippling the air and making the world shiver in a macabre dance as the two lions sought surfeit from its hungry embrace.
      Kubali groaned and shifted again in another fruitless attempt to get comfortable in the sweltering heat. His chest rose and fell rapidly, tongue lolling absurdly as he panted, the hot air seeming thick as liquid as it burned at his throat. Rolling slightly, he reached out with a paw and stroked Elanna gently, wishing for a delightful rub against her fur but unable to stand the heat. She purred tiredly, glancing at him and smiling.
      Movement yanked at the corner of her vision and she glanced upward. “Look, Kubali!”
      The young lion twisted and squinted upward into the azure sky, perking up slightly as he spied the dark shapes drifting high above on the thermals. “Vultures. Looks like they might have found a meal.” He debated a moment, then sat up. “Care to join me?”
      Elanna hesitated a moment, then nodded and rose to join him, following him as they left the pitiful shade of the kigelia trees and padded through the high grass, glancing upward now and again to keep their bearings. The birds were circling still, but lowering; whatever it was would soon succumb to heat or predator’s jaws, preferably theirs. Kubali increased his pace a bit, trotting through the golden sea of waving grass, his own form nearly indistinguishable from the plants around him. Elanna, distracted by the birds, trotted after him quickly, feeling the heat encapsulate her in the enclosed grass.
      Abruptly the circling birds descended and vanished. “Quick! Let’s go before they get it all!” She sped past him, ripping through the tough plants effortlessly as she hurried towards the unseen carcass, her ears detecting the raucous squawk and gabble of the birds as they began fighting for position.
      “Elanna, wait!” Kubali sprinted to catch up, seeing her moving eagerly towards the fallen animal, now discernible as a zebra, albeit a decidedly feathery one with the carpet of vultures around it. The bird scattered out of her way, forming a rustling ring about the animal as Kubali cantered up beside her and cut her off. “Wait.”
      “But they’re going to eat it all! They already ate the eyes for heaven’s sake.”
      “They have their right to the kill as much as we...none of us brought it down. Aiheu chose this spot for it to die upon of its own accord.”
      She paused, nodding at his wisdom, but unable to fathom his hesitation. “All right...but they’re just birds...it’s not like they’re helping us hunt.”
      “Aren’t they? What signaled us that there was a carcass to be had? In return, we dispatch the prey quickly and they can eat sooner.”
      “Oh...I see your point.”
      Kubali nuzzled her playfully. “Hey, they’re the next to best thing that’s happened to me out here. They’ll take care of you if you respect them.”
      She looked at him askance. “And what’s the best thing?”
      “Not what--who.” He nuzzled her again, meaningfully this time. “Gods, it’s good to hear a lioness’ voice again. I was beginning to forget what it was like.”
      Elanna purred and lashed her tail shyly as the two approached the downed zebra. One of the vultures hopped astride the striped form and cawed in greeting. “Fuzzy! Still making life miserable for hardworking birds, I see.”
      Kubali laughed. “I have yet to see you break a sweat, Markaaagh. Since when have you worked hard in your lifetime?”
      “Ever since I met you, Fuzz; it’s hard enough trying to fill my own belly with this crowd without a walking gizzard moving in, har-har!” Markaaagh cackled wittily and looked at the lioness. “Two for dinner? Does she know the rules?”
      “It’s safe. This is Elanna.”
      The vulture clucked and shifted his weight. “Oooh, so you want to lay a few eggs and raise a brood? Pretty thing for a lioness. No scars or anything.”
      “Thanks, I think,” Elanna said. “And might I mention that you don’t have a feather out of place?”
      “Aw!” He looked about at his wing coverlets and groomed self-consciously. “This one has manners, kid. Hold on to her.”
      Kubali looked at Elanna. “He thinks we’re in love,” he whispered with a grin. “The silly old buzzard.”
      She looked at him. “Yeah, silly idea.” Her ears fell flat at his chastened expression, and she hurried to correct herself. “I didn’t mean it that way. I mean, you’re really handsome.”
      Kubali arched his neck slightly and smiled. “Why, thanks. And you’re no blot on the landscape yourself.” He waved a paw invitingly. “Shall we?”
      They fed on the carcass until their hunger was satiated, then stood guard while the buzzards ate. As Elanna groomed herself clean from the meal, she paused and looked about at the tussling pile of birds, a wry smile coming to her face as she watched her ‘pride’ wrestle its way through dinner. She returned her gaze to the surrounding savanna, watching for predators and feeling a mild sense of wonder at guarding what she had previously seen as nothing but a nuisance or a competitor for her dinner. She looked over at Kubali, who lay with his back to her as he watched the western plains, and wondered at his sense of composure, the odd peace which wrapped him in a near visible aura of confidence. She muttered a short prayer to Aiheu in thanks for sending the young male...otherwise she might have met the acquaintance of the vultures under much less pleasant circumstances.
      Sighing, she exchanged greetings with a contentedly stuffed Markaaagh and chatted with him absently, fielding his odd questions and wondering what Uzuri would have made of all this.

      One morning as Kubali and Elanna were sitting side by side, they watched the clouds and imagined what things their shapes might be.
      “There’s a wildebeest,” Elanna said.
      “It has a calf,” Kubali said. “See, that little puff to the left?”
      “So it does! And there’s a rabbit. He’s eating a--oh, it’s a lion!”
      “That must be some rabbit!”
      “No, I mean there! A rogue!”
      “What the....”
      “Should we say hello?”
      Kubali tensed up. “To him?? That dirty rascal??”
      “You know him?”
      The strange lion trotted up, obvious pleasure on his face. “Kubali! Our paths cross again!”
      “I wish the pleasure had been postponed--indefinitely.”
      The stranger showed disappointment. “Surely not!”
      Elanna nudged Kubali disapprovingly. “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
      “This is Gamu,” Kubali said shortly. “We grew up together.”
      “Your brother?”
      “Heavens, no!”
      Gamu looked down. “Whatever wrongs I’ve done, I’ve paid for in the hell of my solitary existence. I’m sure I wasn’t perfect like you, so they weren’t sad when I left.”
      Kubali’s face fell. “Well, maybe I’ve been harsh with you. But you asked for your hard times.”
      “Asked and received. Remember at your mantlement? Something about the proving grounds of hardship which strengthen the Ma’at and purify the Ka?” He bowed his face to the ground. “I have suffered, Kubali! Please let us try it again from the start? Please??” He looked up and mustered a withering smile. “Kubali! Our paths cross again!”
      Kubali came forward and nuzzled him. “So they do. This is my friend Elanna. Elanna, this is my old pridemate Gamu.”
      Elanna shyly nuzzled Gamu and felt his timid kiss on her cheek. She felt sorry for him at once.
      “So what brings you this way?” Kubali asked, pointedly.
      “The whims of the savanna. Some gracious chance, or was it Aiheu? But since kind fate has thrown us together, let us band together. I can help protect you and aid you in hunting. Maybe someday if you want lands of your own, I can be a valuable ally.”
      “And in return?”
      “I have a real audience. I’ve had no one to talk to but myself for many long weeks. I’ve lost track of the time.”
      Kubali nodded, then looked over at Elanna. She nodded back at him and smiled shyly.
      “Very well. Behave yourself and you may travel with us.”

      Gamu managed to steal a few moments from his new companions to visit Griz’nik in the reeds. The hyena had brought him a rabbit, and Gamu nodded silently, gave him a pat on the shoulder, and took the carcass a short distance. He rolled it in the fragrant leaves of a Corbynanthus and then licked the wound on the neck, chewing it a bit to fully disguise the hyena scent and toothmarks. He brought it back to where Kubali and Elanna sat. By their sudden silence, it was clear they were talking about him, but unfazed, Gamu sat the rabbit in front of Elanna. “For you, my vision of lovliness. Have you made your decision yet?”
      “My decision??” Elanna looked at him puzzled.
      “Oh come now, I didn’t mean to hint around at anything naughty. I meant to come straight to the point. On the one paw, Kubali is dependable, reliable, and is saddled with a strong moral character. Not that I hold any of that against him....”
      Elanna laughed. “Oh, Gamu! You are such a wit!”
      Kubali grumbled. “At least she’s half right.”
      Gamu sneered. “Come now, Kubali. Would you stand in the way of true love?”
      “No. And I hope the one of you will be very happy together.”
      Gamu laughed. “Why Kubali, you’ve acquired a sense of humor!” He looked over at Elanna and winked. “Well, how about it? Do you want the perfect marriage or some real fun?”
      Elanna shoved him with a paw. “You wicked lion! If you must know, I haven’t given the matter a lot of thought.”
      Gamu smiled innocently. “Insects don’t give the matter a lot of thought. That’s why there are so many of them.”
      “Her husband is dead,” Kubali said, a bit ruffled. “Have a little respect.”
      Gamu’s face fell. “Oh my gods! That’s my problem. I had a little respect when I should have had a lot.” Gamu nuzzled Elanna tenderly. “I meant no offense. No doubt he must have had many bitter rivals for your affection.”
      “It’s OK,” Elanna said, nuzzling him back. “I’m not offended. I know you meant it all in fun.”
      “Of course, my dear. Of course.”
      Gamu was better than his word. He proved to be an intelligent, polite, and charming companion. That night when the stars winked in, he astounded Elanna with stories even she had not heard; Maku the Hunter, Ari and Kuzima, and the Love of the Evening Star. When Gamu spoke in his rich, well-cadenced voice, even the most improbable of tales sounded as firm as the stone, and as warm as a nuzzle. He touched her emotions with tales of great kings and epic struggles in long ago days.
      Through it all, Kubali sat there jealous and uncomfortable. His own knowledge of star lore was adequate, but no match for Elanna, much less Gamu. And rather than learning something from it all, he merely tolerated it as best as he could.
      Gamu saw the sullen look on Kubali’s face, and to avoid offending his host he left the admiring Elanna to contemplate all that she had heard and caught up on events with Kubali. Gamu listened to Kubali’s story, and in return he told Kubali a great many things. Only he did not mention the hyena Griz’nik or the plans Gamu made with him.

      Elanna had been married to Taka for three years. During that time certain habits had become ingrained in her that were difficult to break. Kubali lay asleep, but Elanna lay wakeful, watching the smooth rise and fall of his chest. She kept her vigil faithfully, and at the first sign of dreams--twitching paws and limbs, she shook him. “Wake up, Honey Tree! It’s all right! Lannie is here!”
      “Huh?? What’s wrong??” He looked around. “What time is it??”
      “About midmoon. You were having another nightmare. I couldn’t stand to see you in torment like that. Let your Lannie make it all better.” She began to paw him, stroking his mane and pushing him gently from side to side. “Feel the tension roll away, my dear.”
      He looked at her askance. “I was hunting gazelles. Just about had one too.”
      “You weren’t having nightmares??”
      “No. I almost never do.” He yawned. “Hey, if you don’t mind, let’s finish this talk in the morning, OK?”
      “Sure.” Elanna’s ears flattened in consternation as she watched him begin dozing again almost immediately. She lay her own head upon her forepaws and watched him surreptitiously, waiting for his limbs to jerk and yank him upright as he howled his torment from the nightmares. Absently she gazed at his side, watching his ribs rise and fall with the gentle tides of his breath. Easing forward, she rolled sideways until her back touched his, assuring herself that any sudden movements on his part would alert her in time. Relaxing slowly, she lay her head down, feeling a faint rumble-purr from him at the contact. The sound lulled her gently down, and she let herself drift away, daring to wonder if she might sleep through the night once again without awaking to a scream.
      Her eyes opened to the pleasant sounds of morning, the twitter of birds beginning to fill the air as the sky reddened in the east. Jerking upright, she looked around to see Kubali washing his face, rubbing his paw busily over his muzzle and mane as he lay a few feet away. He noticed her staring and stopped, smiling at her. “Good morning.”
      “Uh, good morning.” Elanna looked at him carefully. “Are you all right?”
      “Fine.” Kubali frowned. “Shouldn’t I be?”
      “Oh, uh, of course.” Elanna lashed her tail and sat upright. “Excuse me...I need to go get something to drink.”
      Kubali nodded and watched as she padded quickly away through the brush, heading towards the small pond they had passed the previous evening. Footfalls sounded in his ear and he glanced over to see Gamu plodding slowly toward him, yawning hugely. The lion paused and crouched slightly, lowering his chest and splaying his forelegs, claws extending with the effort as he stretched contentedly. Emitting a self-satisfied grunt, he arose again and meandered over to Kubali.
      “Quiet one, that,” he said, motioning to the lioness who was lapping at the water’s edge some distance away.
      Kubali hummed thoughtfully. “And a strange one, too...do you know she woke me out of a sound sleep last night, rocking me like a cub?”
      Gamu’s ears rose upright. “Oh? Whatever for?”
      Kubali shrugged with a flick of his tail. “Aiheu knows...I was dreaming of gazelle. She nearly rolled me over trying to get me to wake up, going on about ‘my torment.’” The lion peered after Elanna, who had finished her drink and was watching the marsh birds flitting about, screeching angrily at each other.
      Gamu’s eyes sharpened as he stared at the back of Kubali’s head. “What did she say?”
      “Something about me having another nightmare...and she was trying to ease my tension.” Kubali glanced back at Gamu. “Have you ever heard such things?”
      Gamu quickly lowered his gaze, his expression carefully neutral. “Only from mothers soothing their cubs...I daresay it’s nothing, my friend.” He smiled ingratiatingly. “She was probably half-asleep herself and dreaming of cubs.”
      Kubali nodded absently, his gaze returning to the lioness who was making her way back towards them. “You’re probably right.”
      “I always am.” Gamu grinned oddly. “Excuse me.”
      As the following days progressed, Elanna began to show the outward signs of a lioness entering her receptive period, and Kubali accepted Gamu’s idea that her idiosyncrasies were just another symptom of that special time which all lionesses experience when their bodies yearn for cubs. Eventually the subtleties grew more and more obvious, and the two males spent their days pacing agitatedly about, growing snappish and irritable.
      Elanna felt guilty about the effects of her heat upon her friend, although she was not responsible for it. Anxious to avoid a confrontation between the two males, she persuaded Kubali that it would be best if they separated temporarily, since a nearby kopje provided adequate shelter and an excellent vantage point from which to scout for prey.
      “Good idea,” he said, relieved. “I’ll sleep up top on the rocks, and you can stay inside that little cave in the side until it passes. Okay?”
      “Okay.” She nuzzled him chastely and stepped away quickly, curling up inside her temporary abode and tucking tail beneath her.
      Kubali ascended the rocks and lay down at the top, sighing uncomfortably as he fought to shove away the memory of the quick lick on his cheek she had given him. “Easy, boy, nothing but trouble there.” He watched absently as the herds moved slowly across the landscape, noting the dark shadows that chased each other across the ground. A heavy rumbling filled the air, and his nose twitched as the thick smell of approaching rain hit him.
      “Oh, great,” he muttered.
      Elanna settled down in a corner of the cave and closed her eyes. She felt lonely and a little depressed. The soft warmth of Kubali next to her had been a comfort she had learned to rely on. She rolled over and reached out her paw to put it on his shoulder, only he was not there. It was the worst time to be alone, and it took her a while to fall asleep.
      Elanna’s nights had been full of bad dreams. She had a morbid fascination with the last moments of her husband, and had experienced them many different ways in her troubled nights. For a change the insistant yearnings in her body changed the course of her slumber.
      “Lannie?”
      “Yes, Taka?” She rolled on her back, gazing up at her husband that loomed over her with that hungry cub look on his face. “Did you want something?”
      Silently, fervantly, he reached down and nuzzled her face, then kissed her throat right above her throbbing pulse. Passionately, he took his paw and rubbed her chest, then passed his paw down to fondle her sensitive belly, awakening sensations in her that made her shiver. He touched the paw to his nose, closed his eyes, and inhaled. “Oh gods,” he stammered. “I’m on fire! Crouch for me, Lannie. I want to make love to you all night.”
      She reached up with a paw and fondled his chest mane. “Give me a moment, darling. Let me get ready.”
      Elanna lay on the ground in the throes of her romantic dream. Her paws twiched and her jaw trembled. A thin, high moan escaped her lips.
      Suddenly an earsplitting crack sundered the air. Elanna’s eyes popped open. She was alone. Once again, Taka was dead and the remnants of her dream were washed away in the downpour. Lightning flashed again. The world outside her cave was cold and miserable, and she thanked Aiheu for the shelter as the rain descended in solid sheets.
      The drops fell on the dry earth, splashing in small crowns of splendor. After the plunge to earth, the small sprites sought out their friends, joining to form small trickles that merged into rivulets seeking sanctuary from the strange, hard soil. Some clung to stems of grass, turning them to gemmed scepters that swayed in the wind. Lightning lit the sky with infinite diamonds of brilliant lustre.
      A hornbill began to bail water from her nest, her chicks shivering and wet. Lightning framed a couple of meerkat sentries that ducked quickly into their holes. Water ran unchecked into a gopher hole, and the agitated resident came out, looking about in the wet darkness. Nearby a badger slept safely, a drain passage keeping the flood from his bed chamber.
      Kubali wended his way down the rocks to the lee side of the kopje and crouched miserably in the mud, his tail tucked between his hind legs and his bedraggled mane soaked and drooping. A flash of lightning made him cringe, and he wished it would all go away and let him sleep.
      Elanna came to the mouth of the cave and called softly, "Kubali?"
      The faint cry reached his ears and he turned to see Elanna beckoning him frantically towards her. Ears flattened, he padded quickly over, paws sending up small splashes of water and mud. Shivering, he trotted in next to her, grateful for the short respite from the driving rain.
      "Huh?"
      "Hsssh! Quietly. Come in here."
      "But what about Gamu?"
      "What about him!” She looked at him sympathetically. “Gods! You’re soaked! Stay in here until it quits, at least.”
      “Thanks.” He lay down on the rock floor, still shuddering from the cold air, the water forming small puddles around him as his body steamed away the moisture. Clucking reassuringly, she padded over and lay down next to him, draping a forepaw across his broad shoulders and pulling him close, sharing her body heat with him.
      "Don't do that! You'll get wet!"
      "I don't care. Besides, it's my fault you got soaked."
      Kubali had grown used to the feel of her and the scent of her next to him, and he had trouble sleeping alone. He grunted with contentment as her warmth began to penetrate his cold fur. "Thank you, Lannie. You're really very special."
      "So are you." She patted his shoulder and rubbed his side. A smile spread across his face.
      Kubali closed his eyes and sighed as her warmth sank into his wet fur, seeping in and easing the shivers which caused his tail to tremble with their vehemence. Gradually, the heat of their bodies filled the cave, giving it a cozy feeling and relaxing him. A contented purr rolled out of his chest and Elanna answered it, sliding closer and touching her side to his.
      A bolt of lightning struck, and Kubali felt Elanna tense. "Are you afraid?"
      "Well, not actually."
      Another bolt of lightning hit nearby. She clung to him with her paws. "There wasn't much rain where I came from. I'm not used to it, that's all."
      He turned over to face her, stroking her face with his paw and saying, "I'm here, Honey Tree. You're safe. Nothing's going to happen to you."
      "You do make me feel safe," she said, kissing him.
      He tried to kiss her back, but stopped at the last moment. Something about it did not seem right. Then a flash of lightning lit her face. There was fear in her eyes, and it was not all from the storm. "It's all right. Really it is." He gently reached out with his arms and bore Elanna's face next to his own. He put a soft kiss on her cheek and on her forehead. "If you want it, I do too. If you don't, just say so."
      She said nothing, but nuzzled him quietly and passionately, kissing him with the barest touch of her tongue. A purr escaped her.
      Kubali swallowed heavily, his heart beginning to hammer in his chest. “Oh girl, I’ve wanted you for the longest time.”
      “Shhh.” She covered his muzzle softly with her paw, silencing him. Craning forward, she nuzzled him firmly, her warm tongue flicking out and tracing down his cheek in a kiss. “Kubali, do you really love me? Are you sure you do?”
      He nuzzled her passionately, his wet mane filling her with his fragrance. “I was never so sure of anything in my life.”
      She purred, rolling over into a crouch and moving her tail aside. “Come then. Make love to me. I’m yours.”
      His heart pounding, Kubali rose to his feet. He kissed her once again, then trembling with anticipation gently took hold of her shapely neck in his jaws, stepping across her supple golden body.
      The rain came down furiously. The lovers’ muted cries were muffled somewhat by the pouring rain, but Gamu listened intently and missed nothing. He cringed with every soft moan and cursed his luck, both the rain and the passion lost to another. Staring at the dark opening with narrowed eyes, he bared his teeth and trembled. "Damn you, Kubali! Damn you to hell!"
      He listened until he could bear no more, then stalked away stiff-legged with rage, the rain filling the depressions he left in the soft earth.

      Elanna laid on her back, forepaws tucked neatly on her chest as she lay nestled against Kubali, basking in the delightful warmth of his body and listening to the soft patter of water dripping outside. The cool evening breeze tugged gently at her fur and she shifted slightly, the mane of her beloved falling gently about her face and shoulders. She inhaled his scent and smiled, a small secret smile that intrigued him.
      “What is it?”
      Her eyes lidded, she looked at him and purred softly. “Oh nothing.” She lifted a forepaw which could snuff the life from an impala with one blow and gently caressed his face. “For the first time in a long while I feel safe.”
      He answered her throaty purr with a low rumble of his own. “You are safe, Elanna. Now and forever.”
      “Not Elanna. Lannie. Remember?” She smiled up at him and kissed him.
      His eyes sparkled. “Lannie, then...do you know how beautiful you are to me right now?”
      Her tail lashed in embarrassment and she looked away shyly. “I’m not beautiful.”
      “You’re right.”
      Her eyes turned to glare at him. “What??”
      “You aren’t merely beautiful.” He drew a paw along the side of her muzzle, tracing the soft line where her fur lightened. “Sunsets and flowers are beautiful, but they don’t inspire love. There must be another word for this.”
      A nervous laugh escaped her. “The word is lucky. Do you really think I’m attractive?”
      “No.”
      She glared at him again. “Will you make sense?”
      “I don’t have to think so. I KNOW so.” He nuzzled her again, more intensely this time. “I wish I were a flea so I could spend my life on top of you.”
      “Oh, don’t say such things!” She giggled, enjoying his attentions. She lay her head back, purring louder as his rough tongue bathed her throat, immersing herself in the waves of pleasure he was inciting in her.
      “I wonder what our children will be like?”
      Elanna tensed. Her eyes opened in alarm and she twisted to look at him, but his expression was far away and dreamy.
      “Uh...it’s a little early to think about--”
      He grinned at her, the sight so overwhelmingly beautiful it stole her breath away. “Just think of it Lannie! Our children...” He glanced down absently at his crossed forepaws, as if contemplating a squirming cub there.
      “But I thought that would be an awful burden on you. You have no lands of your own, and you’d have to support your children.”
      “I don’t mind! They would be OUR children. They’ll be safe and well fed, I promise you! I’ll take such good care of them and love them, my darling.” He looked at her again and beamed. “And they’ll all be as beautiful as you.”
      Lannie wore a look of pain. Abruptly, his expression melted away like water steaming under the hot son. “Lannie? What is it?”
      Tears were coursing down her cheeks as she stared unseeing out the darkened entrance to their cave. “I can’t talk right now!”
      “Elanna?” His voice took on a frightened tone. “Elanna, what’s wrong?” He raised a paw to touch her and flinched in surprise as she jerked away, her eyes burning.
      “DON’T TOUCH ME!” she shrieked.
      “I’m sorry! What did I do? What did I say??”
      “Leave me alone! Please, just go away!” Elanna lurched into motion, leaping up with such violence that her hindpaw struck Kubali in the face, dazing him momentarily. He shook his head, fighting to clear it, only to see the empty savanna stretching before him in the night.
      “Lannie?” He rose and paced out worriedly. “Lannie! Please come back!” He swallowed heavily, fear gripping his heart and making him giddy. “Oh gods...LANNIE!!”
      The subject of his concern was just over a rise, her own sobs too loud in her ears to hear him. “M-My love, I’m sorry...oh gods, Taka, I miss you so much!” She choked back a cry and looked down at her forepaws. “I wish you were here.”
      A soft touch brushed her shoulder and she growled unsteadily. “Damn it, Kubali, I said leave me alone!”