Togo and Kombi once thought all males were like Taka. Simba’s good natured sense of humor and gentleness made a deep impression on them.
In particular, they watched the way he treated Nala, and the way she reacted to his attention. They were curious about this sort of relationship which seemed to bring Simba so much happiness.
Their mother nodded and smiled. “That’s the way I feel about your father. Someday you’ll have a wife and cubs, and you’ll be that happy.”
That was probably the most she had ever told them about having a father, and she made no signs of elaborating on that statement. But it did stoke their hopes somewhat.
Isha thought she was in for another prank when Togo and Kombi showed up at her resting place.
“What are you up to this time?” she asked, somewhat impatiently.
“Nothing,” Kombi said innocently. It was when he looked like he was not up to anything that Isha suspected him most.
“And why are you up to nothing by my spot? Go do nothing somewhere else--I’d feel much safer.”
Undaunted, Kombi sat in front of her. “It’s like this. You know how moms are. They won’t tell you any of the good stuff.”
“Oh?” Isha’s ears flicked forward. “And what is the good stuff?”
“Lionesses. You know--lionesses.”
“Yeah, I know.” She folded her paws and the tip of her tail twitched. “Do you want to be more specific?”
Kombi looked at a loss. He glanced over at Togo who looked equally nonplused. “Just start talking and I’ll tell you when you got it.”
Isha laughed. “You mean....” She drew close and whispered, “....lionesses?”
“Yeah!”
“Well, why didn’t you say so in the first place!” Isha spread her claws and groomed the end of her paw nonchalantly. “That’s a big topic, but I’ll fill you in. You see, there will come an age when you will be walking along big as the world and along will come this cute little lioness. You’ll stop in your tracks and stare at her, and even though you’ve seen her dozens of times before, she’ll look different to you because you’ll be looking with different eyes. You’ll think that she’s special somehow, and you’ll want her to think you’re special too.”
Togo and Kombi watched her raptly, their full attention riveted by the topic. “What happens then?” Togo asked.
“You’ll know when it happens to you. It’s nothing to be ashamed of or afraid of. It’s Aiheu’s gift to you to fall in love with someone. If that someone loves you back, it’s even more wonderful. That’s the kind of love that brings light out of the darkness.”
“Neat,” Kombi said. “When is it going to happen to me?”
“That’s one thing I can’t tell you,” Isha said. “When you finish going through puberty, you’ll understand.”
“Thanks,” Togo said, rubbing against her. “Has it ever happened to you?”
“A few times,” she said, smiling coyly.
Armed with all the information they needed, the experts in love went on to other pursuits like playing tag and baiting a poor hedgehog to distraction.
The hedgehog was protected by spines which hurt their paws. They were not old enough to know to tip the unfortunate beast over and attack the underside, but they were old enough to age the hedgehog several years in a few moments.
Finally the hedgehog darted into some reeds and skirted away.
“Darn,” Togo said. “I was hoping we could keep it.”
“And what would you do with it? Teach it tricks?”
Just then, Vianga came slinking out of the grass with remarkable grace for a lioness in that long-legged age. “Hi, Togo.” She smiled at Kombi and winked. “Hello, hot stuff.”
“Uh, hi Vivi.”
She strutted past the two lions with a flip of her tail that brushed the tip of Kombi’s nose.
Togo watched the playful ballet of her shapely thighs as she headed on to the watering hole. His mouth hung open.
Kombi said, “It just happened.”
“What?”
“I finished going through puberty.” He got up and padded after her.
“Hey Kombi, wait for me!”