Togo lay glumly at the foot of Pride Rock, sprawled ungainly across one of the stones that lay tumbled at its base. He stared bleakly at the trembling tips of the savanna grass and wondered if puberty was worth the agony he was going through. Perhaps Rafiki had some obscure potion that would calm his jangled nerves and keep him from staring at HER.
He groaned a put a paw over his face. “Oh, Vianga! Why won’t you love me just a little? Why won’t you give me a chance?”
By day he had fantasies of her sunning herself on a rock. When he closed his eyes at night, her smiling face pursued him into the depths of feverish dreams from which he awoke from trembling and calling her name. He couldn’t pass her by without feeling his heart race. He would want to gaze into her liquid amber eyes, nuzzle her cheek, rub against her side, and yes, place his paw on her left shoulder to make her his forever. Only one thing separated him from his goal.
Kombi.
Togo’s jaw clenched as he thought of his brother. Kombi must have the favor of the gods, for every time Togo tried to impress her, Kombi would one-up him.
Togo, who was not as dim as he seemed, was only painfully shy. When she was away, he would think of witty and charming things to say, but when she looked right at him--which she rarely did--all that would come out is, “Nice weather we’re having."
Togo had practiced for days at jumping the small creek that trickled into the water hole, soaking himself many times to the laughter of several animals. He ignored that laughter and kept on trying, concentrating on balance, poise, and distance. It would not do to land in the mud and splatter the girl of his dreams. Early that morning, he had gotten the jump down pat, and he tried it several times, always landing with a whisper in the dry grass on the other side.
Elated, he then padded off, seeking out Vianga and talking her into taking a walk with him. The two paced down to the water, chatting idly, with Togo fighting down his irritation at Vianga’s repeated wondering about the location of his brother.
“Oh, he’s probably wandering somewhere, playing cub games.” Togo smiled indulgently. “You know how CHILDREN are.”
“I like children,” Vianga said, bending down to sniff at the edge of the creek. “I think they’re cute.” Barely more than a cub herself, she nevertheless managed to throw a dazzling smile at Togo. “I can’t wait till I have cubs of my own.”
“Neither can I,” he breathed. His heart was pounding, and he was looking into those liquid hazel eyes. It was all he could do to keep his left paw firmly on the ground.
Then a tawny shape shot past, leaping into the air to land with a solid thud on the other side. “Hey, Vivi! What’s up?”
“Kombi!” Vianga squealed delightedly. “Wait for me!” With a bound, she cleared the creek easily, landing silently next to him. They paced off together, Kombi shooting a quick grin and a wink over his shoulder at Togo.
“Hey! Wait up guys!” Togo gathered himself and leapt, watching the water flicker by underneath him, the sunlight dazzling off it’s surface in a starburst of light, the far bank coming closer...and rising much too rapidly...
“Uh-oh,” Togo muttered. He closed his eyes, wincing as he hit the water, the cold driving the air from him with a burbling gasp. Sodden and covered with mud, he dragged himself off, the soft giggles of Vianga’s laughter driving thorns into his heart. He stormed home and he’d been sitting on that rock ever since.
Togo stared at the trembling grass and sighed again. No doubt about it--love was a cruel trickster that played by its own rules.
“Hey, Togo.”
His hackles rose as he heard the voice. HER voice.
“Vianga?”
She paced around the rock to look at his sad face. “Togo? I, uh...”
“What?”
“I’m sorry I laughed at you this morning.” Vianga scuffed a paw in the dirt nervously. “It was really mean of me.”
Togo gaped at her. “Uh, well, it’s okay.”
“Really?” She glanced at him quickly. “You mean it?”
“Sure.” He smiled at her.
“Great. You’re really nice, Togo.”
He opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by an all to familiar voice. “Vivi!”
She looked over Togo’s head. “Hey Kombi! He’s right here.”
Togo turned to gaze at his brother. “What is it?”
“I hope you aren’t sore about this morning. I explained to Vivi that it wasn’t your fault, since you were...you know, born uncoordinated.”
So that was why Vianga looked at him with such a mixture of sorrow and pity! Togo struggled to take in the depth of his brother’s deviousness while wondering where he had learned a word longer than three syllables. “Uncoordinated, huh?” Togo bristled.
“Yeah! I told her that’s why I can already catch prey, and you can’t.” Kombi grinned.
“What??”
“Sure!”
“You can NOT catch prey, Kombi!”
“Can too!” Kombi’s grin turned sly. “I bet I can catch something before YOU can!”
Togo shot a flat gaze at Kombi, all too aware of Vianga’s eyes on him, measuring.... “Deal.”
“You’re on!” Kombi sniffed the ground purposefully, then dashed away into the grass. Grumbling, Togo padded off in the other direction, wondering what he was going to do now. Pushing his way onto the tall grass, he nosed about uncertainly, then froze as he heard a horrific shriek. Turning, he tore back to where Vianga sat, her eyes wide.
“Did you hear-”
“What was that all-”
Both of them were silenced by the sight of Kombi padding out of the grass, humming busily to himself, a fat savanna hare dangling from his jaws. He deposited it on the ground, grinning hugely. “Told ‘ya!”
Togo gaped wordlessly as Vianga praised Kombi nonstop. A lead weight seemed to fill his stomach as he turned to stare at his brother, his jaw trembling. “I..I guess you win, Beebee,” he croaked.
“Hmm?” Kombi looked away from Vianga. “Oh yeah!”
“Good luck.” Togo turned and paced away slowly, his tail dragging in the dust. Even in extremis, he did not want Vianga to see him cry-- or Kombi for that matter.
“Togo?”
“What??” he said tremulously. “Leave me alone!”
“Hey... no hard feelings, okay?” Togo turned to see Kombi carrying the rabbit toward him. Laying it at Togo’s feet, he turned away. “You keep it, Togo.”
Vianga stared at Kombi in wonder. “You are so SWEET!” Togo watched agonized, as she leaned over and kissed Kombi’s cheek. A beatific grin lit his face, and he nuzzled her in return, purring.
“Well, you know, I have to look out for him. I mean, he IS my brother-” Kombi froze, staring at something behind Togo. “Uh, I gotta run. Seeya later, okay?” Without waiting, he turned and trotted off quickly. Vianga stared after him. “You’re lucky to have such a wonderful brother, Togo.”
“Yeah.” Togo wrapped his forepaws around his head in shame. Warm breath puffed in his ear as he was nuzzled softly. “WHAT??”
“Jeez, cool it!”
Togo looked up to see Habusu looking at him oddly. “Oh, hey, Habu.”
“What’s shakin?”
“Nothing,” Togo sighed. “Nothing at all.”
The older cub looked over at Vianga. “Hey, Vivi.”
“Hello, Habu,” Vianga said in a voice that fairly dripped sweetness. “Looking handsome as ever today, I see.”
“Thanks,” he said, grinning crookedly. “Oh hey, Kombi brought you the rabbit!”
“Yep.” Togo grunted.
“Wild. I tell you what, your Mom had a time catching that sucker this morning.”
Togo lifted his head to stare at Habusu. “What?”
Habu nodded. “Uzuri finally caught it a while ago; she gave I to Kombi and said to share it with you.” He stared in wonder. “I’m surprised he didn’t eat it himself. No offense,” he added hastily. “But you know Kombi.”
“Yeah,” Togo growled. “I know Kombi, all right.” he looked at Vianga, vindicated. “See?? I TOLD you he couldn’t do it! That was a dirty, underhanded trick!”
Vianga dissolved into giggles. “Wow! He’s smarter than I thought!”
Togo and Habu looked at each other. “What??”
She giggled again. “Boy, he really pulled a fast one on you. He’s so clever, you have to think twice before you go up against him!” She batted her eyes and sighed deeply. “What a lion!”
Desperate times called for desperate measures, Togo decided. He made off purposefully through the grass, and before long was sitting before the pride’s shaman, parading his woes before the mandrill. Finally, Rafiki shushed him. “What do want ME to do about it?”
Togo squirmed uncomfortably. “Uh, well, uh...can’t you, like give her something to make her love ME instead?”
Rafiki’s eyes widened in surprise. “Tell me young buck, if I DID have such a thing, would it be right to use it on her when she is already in love with someone who loves her back? How would your brother feel?” Rafiki peered at him, interested. “And could you REALLY enjoy a love from someone that comes from a drug instead of their heart?”
Togo wilted. “I guess not.”
Rafiki patted the young lion and laid an arm across his shoulders comfortingly. “There, there, son. You’re going through a difficult time right now. Believe me, Rafiki knows.” The mandrill chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment, thinking. “Has your mother talked with you yet about...lionesses?”
“No, she hasn’t.” Togo frowned deeply. “She probably thinks we’re still too young.”
“I can’t imagine why,” Rafiki said, smiling at the cub whose mane was little more than a shaggy ruff around his neck at the moment.
“Yeah,” Togo said, not seeing the amused look on Rafiki’s face. “At least Isha told us the truth about it.”
Rafiki’s smile froze. “Oh?” Visions of the sultry lioness having a heart-to-heart with the two cubs about the facts of life made his heart skip a beat. “And what did she tell you?”
Togo recounted the somewhat vague details Isha had given him, and Rafiki relaxed as he mentally chastised himself for having so little faith in her. Clearing his throat, he stroked the thin mane on Togo’s shoulders as the afternoon crept gently past, and began to speak, slowly revealing the wonderful secrets that life held for a lion, the things Ugas would have told his sons had he been able to.
At last he sat back, sipping at a bowl of water to soothe his dry throat. “Well?”
Togo gazed thoughtfully out at the grassland. “Wow. That’s really...something, Rafiki. Thanks!”
“Of course.” Rafiki sat back and smiled. “Anything else?”
“We-ell...”
“Come on, out with it.”
Togo glanced at him. “Is there REALLY any such thing as a love potion? I’d really like to know.”
Rafiki sighed. This WAS Ugas’ son, after all. Reaching into a small alcove in the side of the baobab, he withdrew a small leaf wrapped tightly around something. “Here. I believe this is what you want.”
Togo’s eyes grew large. “Awesome!” He bent to pick the bundle up.
“Listen to me carefully, son. I’m giving you this as a special gift. I want you to keep it, not use it.”
Togo drew a puzzled frown at that. “Huh?”
“This is to keep you honest, my boy.”
The young lion drew back indignantly. “Who, me?! I’m always honest!”
“Of course,” Rafiki said dryly. “That’s why I entrust this to you. Because I know that every time you look at it, you’ll think better of meddling in the lives of others.” Rafiki laid a hand on Togo’s head. “You’ll never use it. Every time you see it, you’ll feel proud of yourself for doing the right thing.”
Togo’s chest swelled with pride and purpose. “You betcha!”
A short while later found the adolescent lion proudly laying the wrapped bundle before Vianga. “Look what I got for you, Vivi!”
She eyed the leaf warily. “What is it?”
“A treat...a sweet treat for a sweet girl.”
She giggled shyly. “Thanks. Even if you did slobber on it.”
“Sorry.”
“That’s okay.” Sniffing the concoction, she picked it up delicately, chewed, and swallowed.
Togo eyed her apprehensively, heart pounding. “How’s it taste?”
“Okay.”
“How do you feel?”
“Fine.” She stared at him because he seemed to be waiting for something else. “It was very nice, Togo.” She looked into his searching eyes. “Thank you very much?”
“Is that all you feel?” He looked disappointed.
“Oh, you want a kiss?” She gave him the briefest lick and said, “There. I hate to run but I have a date with Kombi.”
She started to walk away. Then she looked back. “What was in that thing?”
“What does it matter? It didn’t work.”
“Where did you get it?”
“From Rafiki. He told me it was....” He looked down.
“A love potion?”
“Yeah.”
“That explains it. Gods, that’s strong stuff!” She fell at his feet and pawed at him. “I’m ready, Togo! Take me!”
“Take you?? Where?”
“Make love to me! I’m on fire!”
Togo backpedaled madly as Vianga nuzzled his face and chest vigorously, prostrating herself before him. "Love me, Togo! Love me quick or I'll kill myself!"
"Well, I...." He closed his eyes tightly as if it could make her go away. “We’re not old enough. Do you know what they’d do if they caught us??”
Her passionate kiss made his eyes fly open.
"Run away with me. So what if we're not old enough. We'll hack out a living in the wilderness, just you and I facing danger and hardship together, but we'll have our love. Our love, Togo!"
"But Vianga...."
“We’ll make love morning, noon and night! I’ll live for your touch--your closeness--your beautiful body next to mine as we climb to the skies together and cry out from the dizzy heights of passion!” She began to writhe sinuously before him.
“Vivi, get a grip on yourself!”
A burst of uncontrolled laughter erupted from a nearby bush and Kombi tumbled out, staggering weakly. “You dope!” He walked over to Vianga and nuzzled her cheek, grinning as she returned his affections.
“Hey!” Togo said. “What’s the big idea!”
Kombi rolled on the ground, laughing. "Let that be a lesson to you, brother. You're messing with MY girl. She and I have this special thing, see, and you can't be a part of it. Did you think that was a love potion or something?? That was only cough medicine."
"It was?" Embarrassed, Togo squirmed and tears began to roll down his good-natured face. “You let me make a fool of myself?? How could you do that to me, Kombi! How could you be so cold!”
"Love potion! How could you be so stupid! You should know I'm her honey tree. She doesn't even know you exist. It’s not your fault-- you didn’t have a chance with me around. I’m the love doctor!"
Vianga frowned. “Beat it, love doctor. I want a second opinion!” She pushed away Kombi and nuzzled Togo, wiping his eyes with her paw. “I’m glad I found out who the real love doctor was before it was too late. I’ll follow you anywhere--all you have to do is ask.”
"The joke is over," Kombi said, incensed. "This isn't funny anymore."
"Who asked you??" She looked penetratingly into Togo's eyes. "Who needs him? He's so conceited he's swelling up like a carcass in the sun. He’s not gentle and sweet like you."
"Don't try to pull the same trick on me," Kombi said. "I'm wise to you."
"Put a paw in it!" she shouted. She turned to Togo and nuzzled him again. “I’m sorry I came on to you like that. It was a nasty little joke and I’m sorry. You tried to trick me and I just wanted to teach you a lesson.”
"You sure did. If you'll dump him that quick, you'd dump me too. Vivi, you’re very pretty, but you’re a shameless flirt, and that's not what I need." He took in a deep, cleansing breath, let it out and smiled broadly. “It doesn’t matter one way or the other ‘cause I’m cured of puberty! No more symptoms at all! See, I can look right at you--nothing happens! I can kiss you!” He jumped down and gave her a lingering, passionate lick. “Nothing happens! I feel so much better, I ought to thank you! I don’t know about you two, but I’m going to play tag with Habu.” He turned and left.
She rubbed her cheek where he kissed her and shuddered. She padded after him. "Togo, wait! I think I love you!"
"Vivi, come back!" Kombi chased after her. "TO-GO!! VI-VI!! Wait up!!"