Страница 31 из 33
Suddenly, she heard a rush, and what she thought was a signal. Wehu shouted, “Stay still! Don’t move!”
The rumble of hooves was all around her. Suddenly the hunt mistress was bounding down the wadi after Ela
“Oh thank Aiheu! You’re all right!”
“Why? What happened?? Did I mess things up??” She looked at her friend, “Oh Wehu, your bleeding!”
“No, Sweetie! You didn't mess up! I did!” She didn’t seem to notice the bleeding or care for that mater.
“You did?”
Wehu looked down at Ela
“For what?? I’m all right! So you made a little mistake on the hunt--who am I to be upset with you?? Why are you acting like this??”
Wehu looked up quickly, the fear showing in her eyes, “Run, Ela
Ela
Wehu growled back at her mother, “You know good and well what happened! I couldn’t carry out your orders! Not and stand before Aiheu when I die!"
The Queen growled, "I don't need a trick to kill a dirty little adulteress!" She turned viscously on Ela
"Out of my way, brat!"
"No! You'll have to kill me first!"
"I am your queen!"
"I thought you were my mother! You're not! I don't even know you!"
"You're not hunt mistress anymore! You disgraced the one who bore you!"
"You disgraced yourself! Ela
"No we're not!" Ela
"Watch your mouth!" she screamed balefully at Ela
Ela
The queen silenced, backing back as she saw Ela
"Mabongo is like the brother I never had, and Wehu is like the daughter I never had. Personally I don't care if you live or die, but they love you--no matter what you think--and I don't want to see them hurt. If you want to hold on to that husband of yours, start by showing him a little respect! Now by your leave, YOUR HIGHNESS, I will leave you and your ‘pride’ alone!"
Ela
"Where will you go?" she asked, moving towards her.
Ela
Wehu kissed Ela
Wehu began to weep softly, and Ujuzi gently but urgently began to clean the cut on her side.
"Ujuzi?" Ela
"You too, Hon," Ujuzi said. "But somewhere else, please?"
Ela
THE EPILOGUE:
Ela
She stalked quietly up to his baobab. She was not certain if he would still be there after the rigors of his long confinement. In fact, she did not even know if he was still alive.
She saw something that made her heart race. A lioness was playing with a young mandrill under the tree. Could that be Rafiki’s son? She could not be sure, and yet she finally recognized the lioness. Uzuri!
What luck! Uzuri had always been willing to stand by her! She felt a tremendous urge to break cover and rush to her, pawing and kissing the one who had been so kind! Still, she remembered the hyena’s warning. She had been told that death awaited her at Pride Rock.
Her conflicting emotions of fear and love made her tremble. The battle within her made her huntress’ concentration lapse, and she didn’t notice which way the wind was blowing for some time.
A quick gust of wind swirled about her ears and tickled her whiskers--and headed straight for Uzuri. Ela
“Please, Aiheu,” Ela
With her heart in her mouth, Ela
Makaka glanced nervously from one lioness to the other. The tension was so strong it fairly rustled the grass.
“La
Ela
Uzuri paused and lowered her head a bit. “Hon, I won’t hurt you. I’m your friend, remember?”
Ela
She crept toward her old huntmistress, trying to summon some dignity from her past. Her head was erect and her shoulders were square, though her heart was pounding like a hammer.
When she was but a length away, Ela
Her friend purred and gave her a gentle touch of her tongue. “Not any more, dear. Not any more."
Ela
"Oh honey tree!" Uzuri nuzzled her again.
“It was in the hunt. She said it was an accident, but I know better! I almost ended up like Avina!”
"Poor thing!” She stroked Ela