If calling Elanna ‘Lannie’ was a privilege to be earned daily, Kubali did his best. The truth had freed them to enjoy each other’s acceptance. Elanna became to Kubali more than just a mystery, however alluring. She became a person with strengths and weaknesses, and compassion like a river bearing away his sorrows to lands unseen. In return, Kubali treated Elanna with a gentle humility he didn’t know he had. He devoted himself to making her feel important and cared for.
With each passing day, Kubali and Elanna drew closer to the inevitable moment when one or the other would use the word “love” to describe their feelings.
With all the truth and experience, however, small quirks showed up in their behavior. Elanna found Kubali’s snoring intolerable when he lay on his back. Often in the night she would shove him over with a paw, hoping to find peace. And Kubali noticed to his irritation that she always deferred decisions to him. It was nothing much really, just a ‘You decide’ or a ‘We can do what you want’ every so often, but it bothered him. And for him, this was one problem that a simple shove of the paws would not rectify. He decided to let it past and wait. She get use to the freedoms, he thought to himself.
One day, they went on a hunt together. Quietly, before they were close to any prey, he jokingly nuzzled her and said, “So...what do you feel like today, my fair lioness? The savanna is filled with choice prey.”
She smiled up to him, “Oh...I don’t know...you pick.”
He could feel his insides tighten on her words. “Come on Lannie, I always chose...I think it’s your turn to chose.”
She just shook her head, “I’m no good at making decisions...you can. It’s all right.”
Kubali could sense where this was going so he swallowed his pride and nodded, “All right...how does gazelle sound today?”
She smiled and rubbed against him softly. “It sounds wonderful.” She didn’t notice, or care to notice, the tightness in his body she caused.
Together they walked until they were able to find their target. Quietly, Kubali slipped away from Elanna and stalked about to a point where he was sure the gazelles can smell him. He jumped out and roared, causing the gazelles to flee towards Elanna. She burst out of the brush, her swift and fatal onslaught bearing a struggling beast to the ground. Some of the others in panic turned and headed back.
Kubali did not react swiftly enough. One of the gazelles caught him on the side with a hoof, nicking him and bringing a few drops of blood.
Elanna quickly and compassionately snuffed the life from her horrified captive, then spoke a quick blessing. Kubali went to her after the dust had settled and rubbed against her gently. “Good job, Lannie!”
As his body pressed against hers, she noticed the blood on him. “Oh my gods...you’re bleeding, Kubali!”
Kubali turned to look at the wound and chuckled. “Don’t scare me like that! It’s really noth...”
“Oh you poor dear...” She got up from the fallen beast and began to lick at the blood on his coat. “My sweet little Nisei, let me make it all better.”
“Lannie...not that I mind your affections...but I’ll be all right.”
She began to stroke his side gently. “My brave little lion. There, there! It’s all right. I’m here.”
Kubali stepped away from her, “Didn’t you hear me, Lannie? I’m all right. It’s really nothing. I didn’t even notice it until you mentioned it.”
Elanna looked up to him. “But Kubali...aren’t you in pain?”
He just shook his head. Elanna looked down at his paws, “Oh...”
Kubali came and nuzzled her. “You don’t have to treat me like a cub, Lannie...and you don’t have to think of me as your master.” He kissed her gently. “Lannie, I don’t want someone to command around. That’s what got me in trouble in the first place.”
She nodded. “OK. I’ll try if you want me to.”
He shook his head. “You still don’t get it. Try because YOU want you to.” He looked around and said, “We better eat this before it falls to the hyenas.” Ripping at the flesh, he opened the beast. “Hunter’s choice?”
Elanna just looked at him, about to ask what he wanted. Then quickly she dove her head into the carcass and pulled out the heart. She moved over to him and dropped it at his feet.
Frustrated, Kubali sighed. “Lannie, listen to me.”
“We’ll share it. You and I together.”
He smiled and licked the blood from her check, giving her a kiss at the same time. “That’s my girl.”