Uzuri had been depressed since the mantlement of Togo and Kombi. For that reason Habusu was sure he was bearing the most wonderful news. He rushed quickly to find the hunt mistress.
"Guess what, Uzuri! I just saw Togo and Kombi!"
"You did? Where??"
"Right next to the Pride Lands! They are our neighbors now. They took over their own kingdom when Ugas died. How about that! Now you can sneak down and see them whenever you want."
"Yes," she said, a little weak in the knees. “I see.”
"I knew you'd be thrilled."
"Yes, of course." Uzuri's jaw began to tremble, and tears filled her eyes. She ran off quickly rather than be seen in that state. She knew the only place where she could go and find understanding in her predicament, and she headed at once for Rafiki's baobab, running across the savanna without a single pause to rest.
Rafiki was looking into his scrying bowl. Without even looking up, he said, "Come in, Uzuri. I've been expecting you."
She looked at the bowl of water. "Just how much do you know?"
"I knew you would come by."
"And how about Ugas. Is he?"
"Yes, he is." Rafiki looked at her face with some concern. "So you found out today, did you?"
"Habusu told me." Trying to maintain her perpetual dignity, Uzuri seated herself, head erect even in grief, and only her tail tip betrayed her inner struggle. "I want you to help me. This is secret--tell no one. Ugas, my husband, must be mourned.”
“Of course.”
“I want you to come with me. My heart is heavy, and I have no one I can tell. I need someone, Rafiki, as once you needed me."
“What an honor,” he said, putting his hand over her paw and giving it a little squeeze. Her regal demeanor was well-kept, but Rafiki knew how she must feel inside.
“Uzuri," he shyly ventured, "Ugas was my good friend. He spoke often of you. He would ask me about Togo and Kombi. Too bad he never met them--his own sons."
"It was too bad," she agreed tonelessly.
Rafiki worried about all the pent-up grief she carried. "Where do you want to hold the ceremony?"
"Our special place. The bank of the stream that runs along the border of our kingdoms. There is a patch of reeds there. We would meet there at times."
"I know."
"He told you? Did you know him that well?"
"Very well." Rafiki watched the tip of her tail twitch. Her stare was regal but rigid and forced. His heart went out to her. "I’ll keep your secret, but you must keep mine. I have a little something for you."
He reached in a gourd and pulled out a lock of golden fur. "I brought this back for my shrine." Presenting it to her, he watched her quivering nostrils smell the old fragrance.
Her trembling paw reached out and stroked the lock of mane. Her eyes welled up with tears and she bent to face the ground. "Ugas," she stammered. "My beloved Ugas!"
Rafiki took the liberty of putting his arms around her strong, shapely neck and held her to his breast. She leaned her head on his shoulder lightly.
"Uzuri, how it breaks my heart to see your grief. I know what it’s like to lose a mate. I will pray for you day and night."
"You're a good friend," Uzuri said quietly. "I knew you would understand."
That was the closest Uzuri came to telling Rafiki she loved him too, and the mandrill gave her a little squeeze. "You were always a queen to me. You always will be."
Uzuri, as soon as she regained her composure, said, "Until high moon." She pulled herself erect, walked with regal dignity out of the baobab, and bid him farewell.
Rafiki was nervous. He had wanted to arrange the service a little earlier, for there was a danger ahead, and the “special place” would be used for other matters.
He stuck a stick straight into the ground. As the moon’s shadow shortened, he watched the midmoon hour approach. “Please, o gods, let us get this over with before it’s too late.”
As if in answer to his prayers, Uzuri came a little early. She stalked in somberly and for this brief time set aside her reserved manner. Ugas was dead, and she would not want his spirit to look down on her and find her cold.
“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 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--” Tears began to stream down her face and she looked at the ground unable to control herself.
“What did he say?”
“He looked at me sadly and said ‘Love me as if it was for the last time.’” The words stung Rafiki, and he 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 looked around and touched Rafiki’s face with her warm tongue. “I was right. You do understand.”
At that painful moment, another lioness showed up--Barata. Rafiki sighed.
“What is she doing here?” Uzuri asked curtly.
“Uzuri, dearest, try not to be too upset.”
Uzuri went to Barata who was embarassed and intimidated by the wrath of the hunt mistress. “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!”
“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 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. “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 spit.
“Your husband??” Isha said.
“Your husband??” Ajenti chimed.
Rafiki held up his hands 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 quipped.
Isha nodded assent. “He was Bango's father. And I must admit he was a good lion--quite good.”
"Yes," Sarafina said. "He was good, wasn't he?"
“Sarafina? You too?”
Rafiki stood helplessly as the lionesses began to compare their relationships.
“I couldn’t imagine you’d like him,” Sarafina told Isha. “I like a comfortable routine, but you would have gone crazy. The same old thing every time.”
“Never the same thing twice!” Isha said. “Are we talking about the same Ugas?”
“And his sense of humor,” Sarafina said. “He always told the funniest jokes. Most of them don’t bear repeating in public, but there was this great one about the elephant and the rhino that would kill you!”
“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.
“Now ladies,” Rafiki said forcefully. When he got their attention, he lowered his voice to some semblance of dignity. "He meant a lot to you all, and we honor his life. He was devoted to his extended family, he had enough love to go around, and he died the way he lived, doing what he loved best."
“It must have been ‘Old Number Four.’” Isha said. “That will do it if you have a weak heart.”
Rafiki shook his head. "Ladies, put aside your judgment. He was with us for a time, now he is gone. Let us remember that whatever else he was, he was a child of Aiheu, a compassionate lion, a fair lion, a wise ruler, and for me a dear and gentle friend. And we will all miss him. His first wife died of Babesa, very horribly. His second wife was killed in a hunting accident. After that, he was always afraid of commitment. He was, as Uzuri saw so plainly, a very tragic lion who had known much suffering. The comfort you brought him was the only good thing to brighten his long and lonely life. Out of love, he wanted you by his side, but out of love he sent you away to keep you safe from harm. Now from the stars he looks down and sees your sad faces. Now he is no longer afraid to love you with his whole heart."
They all roar, then start bawling. It felt good to be able to share that hidden grief with a friend, and they huddled together as they wept.
The moon drifted ever onward, and by ones and twos the lionesses left to return to Pride Rock and try to sleep. Finally Uzuri had Rafiki alone and she clearly had unanswered questions.
“Why, Rafiki? If this is true, why did Ugas marry me?”
“So your children would be legitimate heirs to reign after him. You see, you are the very image of his second wife. He often called her Kamba--‘Honey Tree.’"
“He would call me that when he....” She looked at Makaka and paused. “You know....at the height of passion.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh gods! Bless his precious old heart! That poor, sad lion!”
Quiet except for her sobs, she turned and wandered slowly into the night to be alone.
Makaka pulled at Rafiki’s arm. “That’s so sad. We ought to say a prayer for her.”
“We will.”
“And we ought to say a prayer for him and his other two wives.”
“There were no other wives,” Rafiki said. “But you must never tell another soul that. Especially not Uzuri.”
“You told a lie?”
“In her case, it was the only merciful thing to do.”
Makaka looked puzzled. “What’s Old Number Four?”
Rafiki patted him on the back. “Isha promised to tell me someday--when I’m old enough.”