Life returned to some semblance of normality in the Pride Lands. Simba and Nala had a son named Tanabi. He married his childhood friend Misha, and not surprisingly, she was soon ready to kindle the next generation.
Rafiki, by contrast, still lived alone, and his premature aging, like a cheetah, was making a swift rush to its victim. Only his skill in pharmacology kept him active and alert.
The early morning mists rested lightly upon the African plain, the soft gray blanket rolling gently across the land, broken here and there by the jutting crowns of the great trees. One such tree in particular, a huge baobab, dominated its surroundings, seeming to watch over the countryside with a monarch's benevolence.
Rafiki sat quietly in its uppermost branches, cleaning his teeth with the frayed end of an acacia twig as he waited for the dawn. His eyes peered interestedly out over the otherworldly landscape which lay before him, sensing the frenzied hum of activity hidden in the mists below, waiting patiently with the sure knowledge of one who has stood such guard many times, a wizened steward of the land keeping careful watch over his wards.
The air around him was filled with the reddish gold of sunrise as the fiery orb made its appearance, bathing the land below in its warm rays. A gentle breeze ruffled his brow, setting the leaves around him to rustling. He smiled to himself as he listened to them, talking amongst themselves about the funny old mandrill in their secret leaf language. Peering below, he watched with interest as the breeze tore great rents in the mists, opening holes through which he could see clear down to the ground below.
He leaned forward, eyes focusing sharply as he caught signs of movement. Rafiki smiled and relaxed as he recognized the group of lionesses, weary and footsore as they padded slowly home after the night's hunt. Lifting his gaze, he looked out over the thinning mists to the outthrust shape of Pride Rock, its massive shape looming in the distance. They had quite a way to go, yet; it would probably be well into midmorning before they arrived, he thought.
He clambered slowly down the branches to his home in the heart of the baobab, hearing the soft tinkle and clink of his wood and bone wind chimes as they swayed in the breeze. Humming a little ditty in time to the sound, he wandered over to the small shrine set in a niche in the bole of the tree. Picking up a small bowl of ochre, he began to daub gently at the half finished portrait of Habusu, adding the fringes of a reddish mane to the head and shoulders. He paused for a moment, uncertain, then sighed, setting down the bowl and dusting off his fingers. His heart was not into painting, today, and he had no wish to botch the job with a half-hearted attempt. He gazed around the baobab, feeling suddenly lost, the warm tinkling of the chimes now a lost and lonely sound, reflecting what he felt inside.
He felt so old. What he had tried to deny to himself was too obvious to ignore. He was not just old on the outside, and the time was not too distant when Minshasa would come and take him away with her.
He blinked suddenly as a guttural grunt sounded from below. Peering down, he saw a lioness sitting under his tree. Rafiki smiled as he recognized Uzuri peering upwards at him. "Hello, madam."
"Good morning, Rafiki! Up early again, eh?"
"As always." He nodded to her. "How did you fare last night?"
"Pfft!" She snorted. "A waste of time; we saw only a few gazelle, and they must have had cheetah blood in them somewhere." She shook her head. "Gods, they were fast!"
He chuckled. "Not to worry, I'm sure you'll fare better next time."
"Are you still going to come by and check on Misha?"
"Yes, of course."
"Why don't you come with me, then? It's a long journey to make by yourself, and I would certainly enjoy the company." She looked at him inquiringly. "Unless you've got something else to do? I don't want to interrupt anything important."
A smile lit his face as he picked up his staff and descended to stand next to her. "You twisted my arm."
She smiled at him as they began to move off. "It’s one of those days that makes you happy just to be alive."
He looked at his friend and nodded. "Yes. I know what you mean." As they made their way slowly along, he mentally berated himself for being so gloomy. There had been a time, he thought ruefully, when he could count friends like Uzuri on the fingers of one hand, and beautiful mornings like this had been few and far between.