John Burkitt - The Spirit Quest

Taka peered over his shoulder at the half open basket. "Ooh! Whatcha got? Any jerky?" Without waiting for an answer, he darted past Rafiki and was nosing in the basket before the mandrill could stop him.

"Taka, no! Please don't touch that."

The cub looked at him slowly. "All your stuff's in here, Rafiki. Are you going away?"

Rafiki looked at his brother helplessly. "Yes I am, Taka."

Taka's jaw began to tremble, his eyes growing large and bright. "But you love me! You can't go!"

"Taka, I have to go. It was my fault you heard that stupid prophecy. I must leave before I cause you more pain." He move towards the cub, intending to comfort him, but Taka drew back.

"So you're not going to stay? Even if I want you to?" The tears began to roll down Taka's face in earnest. "Is it happening already? Don't you want to be friends anymore?" He buried his face in his paws, sobbing. "It’s my fault, isn’t it? I made you look old. I didn’t mean, it, Uncle Fiki, I SWEAR!” Taka collapsed to the floor of the baobab, crying hoarsely. “I won’t ask you to tell the future again! I’m SORRY!”

"Oh gods, what am I doing?" Rafiki went to the shaking cub and held him close, stroking his soft fur. "I didn't think you'd want me around after that. Yes, I want to be friends! Oh Taka, you know how much I love you!"

Taka looked up at him, sniffling, both eyes now equally reddened. "R-Really? You really do love me?"

"More than life! Just like you love me!" Rafiki reached up and drew a hand down his seamed features. “This is a mark of my love for you. Never forget that. If I hadn’t fought the evil spirit so hard, I’d still be young. But I did--I fought it tooth and claw! I’d fight a whole pride of evil spirits for my precious little boy!”

The little cub peered into his eyes searchingly for a moment longer, then nodded. Reaching up with a forepaw, he drew it down Rafiki’s face lightly, feeling the wrinkles give under his gentle paws. “It’s not so bad,” he said at length. “You look better than I do, anyway.”

Unable to speak, Rafiki clutched Taka to his chest, rocking him back and forth as he stroked his dark fur.

Makedde paced quietly over and emptied the basket onto the floor. Bending down, he picked up Rafiki's medicine pouch and hung it up on the bole of the tree again. Satisfied, he picked up the basket and tossed it into a corner. "You shouldn't need this anymore."

Of all the animals in the Pride Lands, only the lions surpassed the hyenas in their perception of time. The clan watched eagerly as Sister Moon grew pregnant again. This was her sixth litter since the birth of Mufasa and Taka, and they looked forward eagerly to the migrating herds that would soon begin passing through the Pride Lands. One day the scouts returned with a report of Hartebeest grazing only a few minutes away! The hunters chuckled as they sortied forth to the hunt; Great Roh’kash smiled upon them today indeed. Only a few hours later, at highsun, the lookouts spotted the hunting party returning as fast as their legs could carry them. Bolting into the graveyard proper, they were quick to mingle with the large group and lose themselves.

Several guards crowded around curiously. “What happened?”

“Hsssh! Nothing!”

“What is that smell?” One of the lookouts sniffed warily, then recoiled. “My gods, have you been eating lion?”

“None of your business!”

One of the hyenas, Jalkort, had been a little slower than the rest. He skidded down the hill at the entrance to the graveyard and stumbled over a pile of bones. Right behind him came Shaka, the Prince Consort.

“Cripes, you HAVE been eating lion! We’re all going to die!”

In moments, Shaka was on top of him. Jalkort’s ribs creaked as the huge lion rested his weight on the small body. “You killed my wife! You ripped out my heart, and I will rip out yours! I give you a moment to pray to your god.”

Hyenas quickly crowded around, some indignant, all curious. One of them was Amarakh, the ruling Roh’mach.

“You are trespassing on our lands!” she said. “You are holding one of my people!”

“He’s a murderer!” Shaka glared at her, his eyes burning with terrible fury. “He killed my wife in cold blood, and he was on my land! She had two cubs, Amarakh. Two cubs that won’t have a mother coming home tonight! She was alive when they ripped her! Alive!”

She looked at the trembling hyena trapped under the large forepaws. It was a face she knew all too well. “I will investigate it. I know him. He’s a trouble maker anyhow, and you can be sure I will punish him if he’s guilty.”

“IF??” Shaka glared down at his prisoner. “I saw him over her body. Zazu saw the kill.” He drew very close to the anguished face. “You tell her!” he bellowed at Jalkort, the force of his voice flattening the hyena’s ears back against his head. “TELL HER, VERMIN!”

The trapped hyena squealed, “Somebody help me!” He looked into the crowd. His eyes met Fabana’s and fixed pleadingly on her. Her mouth silently formed the words, “Husband! Why??”

Amarakh stared right into Shaka’s eyes, trying to appear as fearless as she could. “You can’t extract a confession to a murder by death threats.” She looked around at the hyena faces and saw agreement in their eyes. It emboldened her. “This is my land, and I give you my word we will investigate within the customs of our law. But you must let him go. Leave--now!”

Shaka spat. “I do not believe you.”

“You are not in a position to negotiate,” Amarakh said. “Leave at once. I will see your brother the King tonight. We will talk.”

Tears began to roll down Shaka’s cheeks. “You are right,” he said. He stared at her, his eyes as empty as the summer sky. “You are absolutely right. I am NOT in a position to negotiate!” Looking heavenward, the lion took a deep breath. “Aiheu abamami!!” He swung down and taking the hyena’s throat in his jaws bit down and twisted, nearly severing the head. Blood shot out and spattered some of the onlookers and the body twitched in spasms before collapsing in a final sightless stare.

Fabana shrieked and ran around in little circles. “Oh gods! Oh gods!”

Hyenas looked at other hyenas. The rage swept from body to body like a grass fire. And as if by an unseen signal they all descended on Shaka and tore him apart.

When she could restore order, there was very little left of Shaka. Amarakh looked at the remains and a fear sank into her like a dagger of ice. “Roh’kash will soon test our mettle,” she said. “The Lion King Ahadi will no doubt wish to avenge his brother’s death. Well, we shall meet fang with fang, and claw with claw.” She raised her head high. “Oh, Chosen Ones! Guard your children now!” Turning to her mate, she nuzzled his shoulder. “Set out double watch, my love. I’m expecting company.”

Tension built as the time passed. Then finally about three hours had elapsed when one of the guards called out, “Lions approaching at post number eight!”

Ahadi appeared at the rim of the depression. Beside him were Sarafina, Uzuri, Isha and Zazu.

The four lions reached the boundary of the elephant graveyard. Waiting for them was a large war party with Amarakh. “Steady lads. Be ready to die for Roh’kash and Roh’mach!”

The lions came in a tightly knit group, with fangs bared. Ahadi came right up to Amarakh. “Where is Shaka??”

“What is left of him is removed to the place of the dead.” Amarakh struggled to show defiance. “He took the law into his own teeth and killed one of ours on our own land without a trial. We offered to hold an inquest, a fair trial by the law of our people. But he turned us down and killed a male whose wife is pregnant.”