John Burkitt - Touch of the Nisei

Her tail lashed in embarrassment and she looked away shyly. “I’m not beautiful.”

“You’re right.”

Her eyes turned to glare at him. “What??”

“You aren’t merely beautiful.” He drew a paw along the side of her muzzle, tracing the soft line where her fur lightened. “Sunsets and flowers are beautiful, but they don’t inspire love. There must be another word for this.”

A nervous laugh escaped her. “The word is lucky. Do you really think I’m attractive?”

“No.”

She glared at him again. “Will you make sense?”

“I don’t have to think so. I KNOW so.” He nuzzled her again, more intensely this time. “I wish I were a flea so I could spend my life on top of you.”

“Oh, don’t say such things!” She giggled, enjoying his attentions. She lay her head back, purring louder as his rough tongue bathed her throat, immersing herself in the waves of pleasure he was inciting in her.

“I wonder what our children will be like?”

Elanna tensed. Her eyes opened in alarm and she twisted to look at him, but his expression was far away and dreamy.

“Uh...it’s a little early to think about--”

He grinned at her, the sight so overwhelmingly beautiful it stole her breath away. “Just think of it Lannie! Our children...” He glanced down absently at his crossed forepaws, as if contemplating a squirming cub there.

“But I thought that would be an awful burden on you. You have no lands of your own, and you’d have to support your children.”

“I don’t mind! They would be OUR children. They’ll be safe and well fed, I promise you! I’ll take such good care of them and love them, my darling.” He looked at her again and beamed. “And they’ll all be as beautiful as you.”

Lannie wore a look of pain. Abruptly, his expression melted away like water steaming under the hot son. “Lannie? What is it?”

Tears were coursing down her cheeks as she stared unseeing out the darkened entrance to their cave. “I can’t talk right now!”

“Elanna?” His voice took on a frightened tone. “Elanna, what’s wrong?” He raised a paw to touch her and flinched in surprise as she jerked away, her eyes burning.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” she shrieked.

“I’m sorry! What did I do? What did I say??”

“Leave me alone! Please, just go away!” Elanna lurched into motion, leaping up with such violence that her hindpaw struck Kubali in the face, dazing him momentarily. He shook his head, fighting to clear it, only to see the empty savanna stretching before him in the night.

“Lannie?” He rose and paced out worriedly. “Lannie! Please come back!” He swallowed heavily, fear gripping his heart and making him giddy. “Oh gods...LANNIE!!”

The subject of his concern was just over a rise, her own sobs too loud in her ears to hear him. “M-My love, I’m sorry...oh gods, Taka, I miss you so much!” She choked back a cry and looked down at her forepaws. “I wish you were here.”

A soft touch brushed her shoulder and she growled unsteadily. “Damn it, Kubali, I said leave me alone!”

“You summon me and dismiss me in one motion?” A warm voice chuckled behind her, making her eyes widen. “Come, Lannie, make up your mind.”

She whipped around to behold a dark maned lion surrounded by a soft glow of starlight. “Taka??”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Dear Aiheu, how I’ve missed you! I’ve been so alone!” She swept forward and collapsed against him, feeling his soft fur and breathing in his dear, familiar scent, now touched with wild honey.

Taka lifted a paw and stroked her cheek. “I know, love. But I have sent you help and you have refused it. Lannie, go back to him!”

“What??” Elanna stared at him. “How can you say that? Taka, I want to be with YOU.”

“No you don’t, love. The tides of life still beat strong inside you. My time is past, but you still have a path to walk here.” He lifted a paw and brushed away a tear from her face. “He needs you, Lannie...and you need him, not some old memory of love.”

She shook her head, silent tears still rolling down her cheeks. “He doesn’t need me. Not like you did.”

“No, our needs are different, but that does not make his need any less, love. There is a thorn in your heart, and only he can remove it.” Taka purred deeply and kissed her muzzle. “When I see you happy with him, it fills me with joy. Go to him Lannie. Go to him and LIVE. If you don’t, I cannot be happy.”

Elanna nodded and nuzzled him one last time before turning away and padding slowly back towards the kopje in the distance. A final warmth passed through her and then the savanna fell dark and silent again around her. Lifting her face to the heavens, she beheld the glitter of the stars, and sought out one in particular. “Thank you, my love.”

The star seemed to shine brighter for a moment, as if in answer.

“Lannie!”

She jerked her head down to see Kubali bound over the rise, puffing for breath. “Lannie! Thank God I found you! I heard someone talking over this way and recognized your voice...” He trotted over to her and drew up short of nuzzling her in greeting, suddenly uncomfortable.

“Lannie? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you...can we talk about this?” He looked at her miserably. “Please?”

Elanna cried aloud and ran to him, wrapping her forepaws around him and bearing him to the ground as she covered his features with warm kisses. “I’m so sorry, Kubali...I’ve been such a fool.” She rubbed her cheek to his and nibbled his ear gently. “Love me, Kubali...you make me feel so special.”

He smiled at her warmly. “You ARE special, Elanna. I want to make love to you, but I need to understand what just happened.”

“My mate appeared to me. He told me that I should not be afraid of my feelings for you.”

Kubali stared silently at her in awe. “I’m glad. Your Taka really loved you. I really love you too. I won’t be jealous if you won’t feel guilty.” He nuzzled her. “Do you want to tell me about him?”

She initially looked away, but she settled beside him. “Taka was very sweet but very sad and afraid. Once when he was a cub, there was this badger....”

The next morning, Gamu looked at Kubali with a smile but also a hint of reproach. “Miss some sleep last night?”

“Yeah. The lightning and thunder.”

“I bet. It’s a wonder you slept at all.” He glanced at Elanna who hung her head embarrassed. “All that lightning and thunder.”

Kubali looked at Elanna. “Lannie, are you OK?”

“Why shouldn’t I be?” She edged nearer to him, but said nothing more. Kubali glanced at Gamu, then back at her. She made no sign whether she wanted Gamu to know about them.

“I bet you didn’t sleep well either,” Gamu said at Elanna, pointedly. He winked slyly.

“Look here, Gamu,” Kubali said sharply.

“Yes?” Gamu smiled.

For a moment, Kubali was nonplused. He didn’t know what to do or what to say. He looked at Elanna again, seeing how she wanted to curl up and die.

“Look here, Gamu. I’m unworthy of her, an exiled prince with no one to blame but himself. But last night, that wonderful creature....” He became inarticulate for a moment, looking for the right words.

“We made love,” Elanna said, moving next to Kubali and nuzzling him.

Kubali found his tongue again and straightened with pride. “Yes. Many times. And if I died tomorrow, I could look Aiheu in the face and tell him I’ve lived a full and meaningful life. Well, Gamu, aren’t you going to congratulate us?”

Gamu smiled meekly. He’d clearly lost the first round. But if anything, he was tenacious. “I’m glad for you. Both of you. I’ve lost to the better lion.”