John Burkitt - The Leonid Saga

“When the time came of Nala’s first season, Lord Rainbow appeared to her in a dream and swept away by the force of her passion, he made love to her.”

“How?”

Sarafina nuzzled her. “Sometimes when you want something so badly you don’t know what to do, you’ll dream about it at night. That’s Aiheu’s way of granting you an escape.”

“Aiheu is really nice.”

“You said it.” Sarafina nuzzled her again. “Now when Lord Rainbow left her dream, Aiheu was standing nearby. ‘What is this that you have done?? Do you think I would not know you crouched with her??’

“And Lord Rainbow fell before him in fear and trembling. ‘Indeed, as you say I crouched with her, but for some time I have loved her, and my life was not my own. I belong to her, my Lord, and when she calls me, my strength fails! Do not hate your servant, I pray you!’

“’It is not my nature to hate them who love me. But you have angered me, and not without consequence. You have enjoyed her pleasures, will you also bear her pains?’

“’Let me then feel pain, my Lord, but do not deny me my love.’

“And Aiheu said, ‘So be it. For her you shall live the days of your Ma’at and for her you shall die. All her joys and all her sorrows you shall drink as the waters of the earth unsparingly, and when the pain comes, do not think to walk away from it. Do not say, ‘I am Nisei’ and turn your face from her.’

“And Lord Rainbow said, ‘I shall not turn my face from her.’

“’And no miracles shall you expect from me, or your friends. As Ma’at you have become, and as Ma’at shall you live until your breath returns to me.’

“’Even so, Lord.’

“The morning came and Nala awoke. And when she woke, she felt beside her a strange lion. And at first she was afraid and started to flee, but he called to her by name. ‘Nala, Nala, do not run from me! You are the lioness I have dreamed about since I was a cub! At last I have found in you my playmate, my friend, and my lover!’

“’Is this another dream?’ she asked.

“’No. I have sought you out and now I have found you by the hardest. A great price I have paid to be your lover, yet I would count it no loss if you pledged to me!’

“Lord Rainbow married her, and he stayed with her and loved her with a marvelous love that gave his whole existence new meaning.

“Now Nala hunted as she could, but Lord Rainbow was a hungry lion, and he ate much food. Without a territory of his own, he had little to offer his new mate. And under the influence of his love, the light was in Nala’s eyes and she would bring new members into the Pride.

“Long and hard Lord Rainbow sought a new land, but one day when he was despondent, One Who Brings Rain sent a cloud to hover over him to shield him from the hot sun and grant him relief. And Lord Rainbow heard a whisper that there was a land to the north in the valley between two hills that would be a safe haven for his family. This the cloud said for it was not forbidden that his friends should speak to him, only that they should not grant him miracles.

“And Lord Rainbow claimed and guarded the territory which meant that he walked the boundary every morning and evening of the land he claimed for them. And at first the rogue lions who roamed the valley would challenge him for they found that he could not fight well. Once, when he was badly wounded, he cried out to Aiheu that his blood was spilling on the ground, for he did not understand the wounds and their power over him. And Aiheu sent Mano the Blessed to his side. ‘You bleed, but you will not surely die,’ Mano said. ‘Aiheu has told me that I may not grant you a miracle, but every lion deserves fighting lessons from his friends, and the herbs of healing are his gift to all Ma’at.”

“And so it was that Lord Rainbow was healed, not by a miracle but by mercy, and he became a good fighter in his own right and through courage and hard work made safe the lands of his pride.

“When her time was due, Nala brought forth cubs, and the pride grew in size and strength. His three daughters were huntresses already, and his son Eritrea was approaching the days of his mantlement, and Lord Rainbow was happy in the life he had been given. But there came a plague of distemper, and his wife and son and daughters were ill, as was the mother. But he alone was not stricken.

“Again Mano came to him, but he said, ‘There are no herbs this time, my old friend. Your family will die. If you are wise, you shall not kiss them, nor shall you smell them lest you become sick as well.’

“’Aiheu, Aiheu! Why have you forsaken me?? Why was I spared that I might see my whole family die??’

“Now Lord Rainbow knew full measure the pain of which Aiheu had spoken. There was nowhere to go, and nothing to do, and even when he did not look into the faces of his sick cubs, their sufferings put thorns in his heart. And he asked himself if the pain he endured was worth the love after all. But he did not wonder long, for his cubs called out to him, and he came and kissed them and nuzzled them that the plague might enter his body.

“Aiheu had pity on him and came to his side. ‘I have judged you harshly because you did not ask me for a body but sought to satisfy your cravings with deceit. You made shameful what was meant to be beautiful. But that you might know I am a just and kindly God, I swear to you that the plague was not sent by me. Many cubs has Mano gathered, and many more await him.’ And when Aiheu saw him weep, his heart was moved to pity. ‘Once I sent a Nisei to protect Nala. If he were still willing, he could yet protect her.’

“Lord Rainbow fell before Aiheu and cried, ‘Even so, Lord!’ And with a loud cry he gave up his Ka.

And at that same moment a great crimson light shone from the heavens on Lady Nala and her five children. And in that moment she was cured by the power of Lord Rainbow, but she wept for she felt in the light the touch of her husband and that he was no more.

The years went on long and hard for Lord Rainbow. Following his old friend One Who Makes Rain, the crimson light of his Ka would shine down on the land where his wife and cubs dwelled after every rain that the terrible plague would not return. And then when death came to Lady Nala, she joined him so that the bow of light in the heavens was both red and blue. When Nala’s mother died, she joined her faithful daughter and became a yellow light. And in the course of time when his four cubs grew old and died one by one, their lights went to join their family, and so now after the rain the whole family can be seen playing together in the heavens with their first and dearest friend.”

The mercurial African storm died down, and the rays of the sun streamed through the vail of clouds like a blessing. And next to the golden burst of enchantment arched a breathtakingly beautiful rainbow.

“Look! There he is!”

“Yes, child! See Lady Nala?? That’s your namesake, Honey Tree!”

Nala waved with her paw and shouted, “Hello, Nala!”

A few seconds later, a voice answered, “Hello, Nala!”

“She heard me!” Nala squealed with delight. Sarafina suspected it was only an echo, but she groomed her daughter with tender affection and said, “She knew your name. That means you’re special--but I always knew that.”

Elanna was very fond of cubs, but after her miscarriage Rafiki broke the sad news that she would never have any children of her own. Starved for love, she yearned for the sporadic attentions of the Pride’s cubs.

Unfortunately, the other lionesses did not approve of her husband Taka. They did not want her to be associating with their cubs, and while nothing was ever said to her face, they left no doubt how they felt. Hushed whispers, subtle gestures and icy glances hurt her like claws at every turn. And with anguish she would rest on her rock alone and watch cubs playing in the distance while she pined to groom them, tell them stories and kiss them softly and lovingly on the cheek and between the ears and maybe, Aiheu willing, feel their small soft bodies snuggled against her side in sleep.