As the sun began to set, the lionesses gathered for their hunt. Adhama came and nuzzled Uzuri. “Time to gather up,” she said cheerfully. “I’ve looked so forward to the honor of hunting with you, Zuri.”
“I’m flattered,” Uzuri said. “But I’m unfamiliar with the area. Tonight, let me sit with the children.”
“Zuri, don’t be timid! We don’t expect you to bring down a buffalo by yourself! Just tag along and learn the land tonight.”
“Maybe tomorrow,” Uzuri said. “Good hunting, sister.”
Adhama nodded, and before she left she added, “Don’t get used to it. I look forward to seeing you in action out there.”
“I won’t.” Uzuri smiled and pulled a sleepy cub a bit closer.
Adhama nodded and paced away silently, vanishing into the dark. From another clump of brush, Makaka emerged, humming a tune to himself as he meandered over. He sighed and slipped his arms around Uzuri’s neck, hugging her close.
She smiled and kissed him with her warm tongue. “Busy day?”
“Busy week!” He slid down, resting his head on her side. “We walked everywhere! Rafiki found this really cool place to set up in. It’s kind of damp, though.” He yawned hugely. “We had to cut brush and fill cracks. The dampness hurts his joints, you know.” His voice dropped off to a buzz as he slowly nodded off.
Uzuri continued to groom him absently, turning this over in her mind. After all the times Rafiki had rubbed her stuff joint without complaint! She had no idea his joints hurt!
Eventually the warmth of Makaka and the cubs sank into her and she drowsed lightly, head still erect and ears alert for any disturbance. Before too long she detected the familiar tread of Rafiki as he eased through the grass towards her; his distinctive gait barely registering before she relaxed again.
Very quietly, Rafiki bent down next to her face and ever so softly planted a kiss on her cheek. He whispered, “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, girl. If this doesn’t prove it, I don’t know what will.”
One of her eyes opened to look at him.
“Oh, I didn’t mean to wake you!”
“That’s all right.” She patted with her paw and winked. She didn’t have to ask twice--he settled next to her. “You look tense. Relax.” She took a paw and controlling her great strength with finesse, began to rub his back and shoulders. “You need to relax. This day has worn you out.” When she heard the grunt of relief, she knew she’d found the source of his pain and she concentrated on loosening him up. What her paws lacked in dexterity, they made up for in gentle persistence. And only when Uzuri was content with the results did she let him up. “If you feel tense again, you come see me.”
“I will,” he said, kissing her brow. “Thank you.”
She managed to stay awake until the hunting party came back. She had an important job to do, but she was restless and wondered what she was missing on the trail. She also wondered how her own Pride Sisters were faring, and if they caught anything. She glanced back in the direction of Pride Rock and sighed.
When the lionesses returned victorious, she woke the cubs and shared her first meal with her new family. Not knowing many of them well, she heard snatches of gossip and idle chatter that sounded only distantly familiar. As a result, she said very little.
That night as she finally settled to sleep, time and time again in her dreams she re-enacted the parting from her Pride Sisters.
“I give you the most precious possession I have. I gave a lot of thought to what I would say when I left you. In the end there is nothing I can say, and so I leave you with silence. But I can never forget the time we spent together on the trail....”
That was the crux of her problem. She could never forget the time they spent together on the trail. Would she ever be that happy again? And did she have the right to subject Rafiki and Makaka to this?