“ADHAMA!!!” Ambia shouted. The cry sent a flock of birds into a panicked flight. “Adhama, get up here!”
The lionesses looked uncertainly at one another. “What are we going to do??” young Amara cried. “Why won’t he just leave us alone??”
Adhama padded up behind her and nuzzled her. “Easy, sister. I’ll handle it.” Adhama closed her eyes briefly, sighed, then slowly made her way up the rough slope of the kopje, muttering a prayer as she went.
The last few weeks had become a living hell for the lionesses as they struggled to cope with Ambia’s fickle moods and whims. And most of that ill will was directed to Adhama whose leadership qualities and proud bearing made her a threat. He looked for every chance to humiliate and intimidate her, especially in front of the others.
She heaved a small sigh as she reached the top of the kopje where he lay, waiting. “Yes, Ambia?”
“You will address me as SIRE!” he snarled.
“Oh, yes, I forgot. You’re supposed to be some sort of King.”
Fury blazed in his eyes. With a low grunt, he cuffed her nearly senseless with one massive blow. Adhama shook, tears streaming down her face as blood welled from a cut lip. “I’m hungry,” he growled. “You’d do well to find me something fresher than your dry wit.”
Adhama ran her tongue out and licked the blood from her lips, feeling the sting. Her eyes narrowed. “So you can outfight a lioness,” she said, frightened but indignant. “I knew there was SOME reason you called yourself King. What would you do when another male comes around? Will you hit HIM like that?”
With an inarticulate roar of rage he surged forward, sending her scrabbling off the kopje in an effort to keep from falling. “GET OUT! Find me some dinner before I hit you with my claws out!!”
Trembling, Adhama’s turned away from him and headed down the rock to gather her hunting party. She detailed two of the older lionesses to stay behind and baby-sit the cubs.
“No,” Ambia said.
Adhama blinked and looked up to face him. “What?”
“Take those old cronies with you.” He jerked his head at Amara. “Leave her here to watch the cubs.”
Amara’s eyes widened in fear, and she looked pleadingly at her pride sisters. The two older lionesses returned the look helplessly. And Adhama felt sorry for the pretty young female. She was just coming into her first season, and there was no doubt what Ambia had in store for her. But to refuse him would be to risk terrible consequences. Adhama moved to her side and nuzzled her ear. “It’ll be okay, hon.”
“Addie, please take me with you!” she whispered hoarsely. “Oh gods, I don't want to stay here with him! I beg you!”
“Easy, hon. He’ll leave you alone. Just pretend you’re sick. We’ll pray for you.”
Amara trembled for a moment, then nodded, swallowing convulsively. “O-Okay.”
Ambia shouted again. “Adhama, I meant TODAY, not next week!”
“All right!” she snapped. Adhama turned and looked at Sh’aari again. “Aiheu abamami.”
Amara nodded jerkily, unable to speak, them moved away to where the cubs lay frozen with fear. “Come on, kids. Want to hear a story?”
The cubs huddled against her, trembling. “Marrie, don’t let him hurt us!” one of them whispered.
“Don’t worry, honey tree. I’ll protect you with my life.”
“I wish Daddy would come home.”
“He’s with God now.”
“If we asked Him, would he send Daddy home?”
“I wish He would, sweetheart.”
Adhama watched her for a moment, then reluctantly turned and led the others away. Padding slowly across the worn ground, she paused as they began to enter the tall grass and looked back. Amara looked after them with the desperate look of a gazelle in a death grip. Ambia was perched atop the kopje again, eyes glinting in the reddish glow of the sunset, a warped smile on his face as he watched them go. His gaze met hers, and his smile widened into a grin.
Cursing silently to herself, Adhama slipped into the deepening shadows of twilight, praying fervently they would find something soon-- soon enough to spare Amara.
Ambia lay silently, watching as the grass rippled in a purposeful wave as the huntresses moved through it, heading away to the west. He began grooming a forepaw idly, listening to the low drone of Amara’s voice as she spun a tale of N’ga and Sufa to the cubs. Her voice quavered, and she was having trouble remembering it straight. Absently, he began running a forepaw through his mane, smoothing the fur and untangling the burrs from it as he continued to watch the grassy field across from them. Finally satisfied, he yawned hugely, then rose. Shaking himself, he turned and leapt to the ground, pacing slowly over to where Amara lay with the children.
The lioness heard the pad of feet near her, she blinked and looked up to see Ambia standing next to her. “Sire?”
He smiled down at her. “Indeed. It’s so nice to know at least someone around here respects my authority.” He eyed her keenly. “You DO respect me, don’t you, Marrie?”
“Well, yes, of course--Sire.”
“Of course. It’s heartening to see respect from one so young.” He cocked his head oddly and smiled. “So young, and so pretty...”
Amara felt her stomach knot with fear. “Not that pretty. I’m just young.” She purposefully coughed.
“VERY pretty, he amended softly. “I’ve been watching you. You move like tall grass in a gentle wind. Everything about you is exciting, even the way you tell stories. I think you would be a good mother.”
“Thank you,” she said tensely. She did not like the way the conversation was going.
“Beautiful and gentle. Good qualities in a prospective queen, I’d say.”
“Me? A queen?” She rose in fright.
He nodded and moved to stand beside her, his heavy body brushing against hers. “And why not? It’s as simple as pledging to a King.” He looked directly into her fearful eyes. “I know I can be a little abrupt at times, but I have lived a hard life. The world makes me hard like flint. You could take off the rough edges. You’d like that, wouldn’t you? We could all get along like one happy family. Once in a while we could slip out and make love under the moon.”
Amara was young, but not entirely naïve. She understood his terms clearly. And while she could never love him, she could marry for love-- the love of Adhama, the other pride sisters and the helpless cubs that peeked at her from the cover of the tall grass. “So it comes to this,” she thought. “Aiheu, if I must do this thing for my friends, help me to tolerate him. Please?”
“You are a rather handsome lion,” she said with resignation. “I’ve never been with a male before. Be patient with me.”
“I can be patient,” he said with barely suppressed excitement. “Patient within reason. Be my Queen, Amara. Tonight, and for always.” His shaggy head nosed her flank.
“Ambia--I--“
“Yes, Amara?” He nosed her again. “You’re shy. I like that. Don’t worry--I won’t hurt you.” Passionately, he rubbed up her side and then put his paw on her shoulder.
She tried to purr. Only a deep rumbling came out. Tears started down her cheeks. “Please God,” she silently prayed, “let this work. Show me a sign that he’ll honor his promise. Spare my family.”
Trembling with passion, he said, “Before the gods, before the stars, before the assembled host I swear to give you my protection, my love, and my comfort forever.”
He waited a moment for her answer. Instead she stared at him, frozen like a stone.
He said, “Answer me, my love.” He nuzzled her face, then worked his way back until he reached the base of her tail. He reached out with an adventurous paw and fondled her intimately.
“No!!” She screamed and jumped on top of a small boulder where she crouched, sobbing hysterically and cowering in fear. “I can’t! I tried, but I just can’t!”
“Come down here!”
“Leave me alone! Go away and leave me alone!”
“You lead me on, then say no?? Do I look like a fool to you??” Ambia snarled, then sprang up on the rock beside her, cuffing her viscously. “Ungrateful WITCH! I’ve been out there in the hot sun of the desert and done without. I’ve paid my dues like any other lion. Now I’m going to get what’s coming to me! You will come when I call you. Sooner or later, you will grow to enjoy this, but you WILL be my queen, understand??”
“What do you think you’re doing??” Adhama cried.
Ambia spun to see Adhama and her hunting party behind him. “Whatever I wish,” he growled, jumping down to confront her. “What are YOU doing here?!”
“Bringing you dinner as ordered, YOUR MAJESTY,” she said. Sh’aari padded forward and dropped the carcass of a small gazelle at his feet.
He glance at it, then snorted. “About time!” Seizing the animal, he padded away towards the kopje, leaping up and moving forward.
There was a cub resting in his favorite spot. He dropped the carcass and shouted, “What are YOU doing here??”
“Oh gods!” Sh’aari cried. “Saieti, get DOWN from there!” The lioness padded forward, looking at the kopje above where her cub sat, crying pathetically.
“Mama I’m SCARED!” The cub cowered away from Ambia, nearly slipping off the edge. “Help me, Momma! He’s MEAN!”
“By gods I’ll SHOW you mean if you don't get OUT OF MY SPACE!” Ambia roared and swung a heavy paw down, scoring the stone with his claws as the cub fled, screaming hoarsely.
“I’ve had a trying day, Sh’aari! Keep your brat out of my way if you know what’s good for you!”
Sh’aari snarled deep within her chest as Saieti huddled against her, shuddering. “You touch her again, and I’ll.....”
“And you’ll what??” Ambia arched his neck and sat up. “You want to tangle with me?? Huh?? Come here--I’ll go a couple of rounds with you? Want to take a poke at me, Sis?? HUH??”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Oh wouldn’t I??” He leaped down and cuffed Sh’aari viscously, sending her sprawling. “We’re going to lay down some rules here. Rule one: nobody better be laying where I want to nap!” He cut Saieti’s flank with a claws-out swipe and she huddled down, shrieking with pain.
“Rule two: what I want, I get.” He pushed through the shocked lionesses to where Amara stood. He dipped his maned head and rubbed up her side, crossing behind her and repeating the action on her right. Amara closed her eyes, digging her claws into the earth as she felt the loathsome scrub of his body against her.
“Rule three--Nobody better break rules one and two. Three little rules--do you think you can remember that??” Ambia settled back on the top of the kopje and closed his eyes. “When I wake up, I want to smell dinner. REAL dinner, not some lame tidbit fit for jackals!”
Sh’aari whispered, “I have to find the King’s sons. I’ll go to Simba and ask about them.”
“No,” Adhama said. “Stay here with your daughter. I’ll go.” Adhama nuzzled Saieti who was still sobbing uncontrollably. “Honey Tree, I’m going for help. Don’t tell anyone, OK? You’re going to be all right.”