The Spirit Quest: Part 15

CHAPTER 41:  THE LETTER OF THE LAW

	Over the next several months, Rafiki watched helplessly as his 
relationship with Taka went from bad to worse.  Taka was a great 
favorite of Rafiki's, and even when most of the lionesses did not like 
him and Zazu addressed him with open contempt, Rafiki kept trying to 
prove that his heart was steadfast.  Still, for Taka, all of Rafiki's 
attempts to make friends seemed like plots against him.
	When Sarabi finally deserted Taka in favor of Mufasa--and most 
everyone thought Taka brought it upon himself--the frayed ends of his 
sanity began to completely unravel.  Rafiki had to avoid Taka completely 
to avoid an "accidental" injury.  And since Taka was pacing about like a 
thing possessed, it became harder and harder to avoid those 
confrontations and still do a shaman's job.
	In the middle of this misery, Sarabi with ever-flowing optimism 
announced that her love for Mufasa was bringing life into the world.  
What words of encouragement they were to everyone--everyone but Taka.  
Sometimes Taka prayed, often beautifully.  Other times he cursed God and 
defied the universe.  In that sense, he was being torn apart from the 
inside, raising love from hate and hate from love.  In a timid way, 
Rafiki sought to bolster the strength of the good fighting within him.  
Once when Taka was deep in prayer, Rafiki slipped down on his knees 
beside him and offered him some jerky.
	"I love you, my precious boy.  Remember when Makedde used to tell 
you stories?  Remember how I would stroke you and sneak you extra 
treats?"
	Taka looked at him fiercely.  "Leave me alone!  Have you no 
pity??"
	"Pity born of suffering.  Pity born of death and despair.  Pity 
that only one who has suffered can understand.  But I have loved, too.  
Loved you and cooled your fevers and rubbed your sprains.  Don't reject 
me, little Fru Fru.  Don't put a thorn in my heart!"
	"Don't call me that!"  he snarled.  "My name is Scar, remember?  
It's what everyone calls me.  It's quite difficult to forget; just look 
at my face, and you'll have no problem remembering!"
	Rafiki passed a hand over his own face, wizened and deeply lined.  
"And am I so different?  We have each been marked with pain, for all to 
see.  But I bear my marks proudly, for they were borne of love.  For 
you, my boy."
	Taka's fierce expression crumbled.  Turning, he walked into a 
corner of his cave and flopped down, sobbing.  "Oh gods, I wish I were 
dead!"
	Rafiki fell upon him, rubbing his mane and kissing his cheek.  
"Not my little boy!  Don't say that, Fru Fru!  You know how it hurts me.  
I saved you once.  I told you to live forever!  You must live!  You 
must!"
	A soft paw reached up and draped over Rafiki.  "Remain a moment.  
I could use some company now."  In that moment, Rafiki felt perfectly 
safe and very loved.
	There were moments like that, and then there were other moments, 
dark ones when Rafiki feared for his life.  Still, he had promised Ahadi 
and Akase that he would take care of Taka, and as long as Aiheu held 
breath to body, he would.


SCENE 42:  KOH'SUUL!

	After the marriage of Mufasa and Sarabi, all of the joy went out 
of Taka's life.  The one thing that held his spirit and flesh together 
was the unconditional love of his parents.  Particularly his mother's 
love, for she saw the childlike yearning for love and responded to it 
much as she always had since he was a young cub.
	Rafiki held out a slim hope for Taka.  Resolutely, he would refuse 
to call him "Scar" for that badger had wounded him just as deeply.  He 
knelt in his baobab in prayer.  "Mano, Minshasa, protect your child!  
Protect Taka from the Makei!  Bring back the gentle light to his eyes!  
Have mercy on him!"
	Just then, Zazu came fluttering in, all in a panic.  "Come quick, 
Rafiki!  The King is feverish--he's dying!"
	It seemed to take an eternity for Rafiki to reach the cave, though 
the did the best he could.  Rafiki arrived out of breath with a small 
pouch of powdered Chi'pim and his staff.  
	Rafiki took some water from the cistern, mixed the leaves in it, 
and gave Ahadi the broth to bring down his fever and bring him to 
himself.  After Ahadi drank it, he checked his eyes, even pulling up a 
little on his eyelids.  He stuck his thumb in the corner of his mouth 
and felt around.  Then he listened to his chest.  His face was grave.
	He took Akase to the back of the cave.  "Has he had trouble 
sleeping lately?"
	"Yes."
	"And the muscle stiffness?"
	"He told you about that?"
	"No.  I'm afraid not.  It's a symptom of Koh'suul."  He whispered, 
"When he comes to himself, take him across the savanna to the edge of 
the forest."
	"Where to?"
	"The most appropriate place.  The fever will subside, and he'll 
have a couple of hours of clear thinking.  But my dear, you must hurry.  
He will not live to see the moon tonight."
	"Oh gods, no!"
	"Hsssh!"
	"You're a shaman," she whispered, but every bit as urgent as a 
scream.  "Can't you do something?  Anything?  I can't let death take him 
from me!  I just can't!"
	He looked in her eyes, pulling down the lid gently with his thumb.  
"Don't worry, in his own way Aiheu has shown you mercy."  He silently 
traced a circle around her right eye with his fingertips and touched her 
under the chin.  He wanted her to know she would soon look on the face 
of God and call Him by name.  "Two, maybe three days alone.  Use that 
time to prepare yourself."
	"Oh."  She nodded, and warm tears trickled down her cheeks.  "I 
understand.  Aiheu is merciful.  But if I could have only seen my 
grandchild first.  You must send my love to the child."
	He wiped away her tears.  "Say good bye to no one, not if you 
really love them.  You must not drink from the common watering hole or 
the stream till you have crossed the meadow.  You must not stop to 
relieve yourself until you have found the place.  I will have to purge 
this cave before it is safe."  He kissed her.  "Is there anything you 
want me to tell Mufasa?"
	"No, just say good bye for me."  She sighed.  "Poor Taka, I would 
not live long enough to say what is in my heart.  Promise me you will 
try and look after him.  He is so dependent.  Promise me you'll look 
after him."
	"I promise I will do what I can."
	"Whispering about me behind my back, old girl?"  It was Ahadi, 
much improved.
	"I was just telling Rafiki about the surprise.  You haven't felt 
well, and now that the medicine is helping you, you can take a little 
trip with me to see something special."
	"Yes, I am much improved.  I won't have to be dragged out, and 
that is a pleasant surprise.  Don't think I didn't know my time was up.  
Death has been stalking me--now it rushes in for the kill."  He regarded 
her gently.  "He gave you the marks of Aiheu.  I take it old girl that 
we are in this together?"
	"As always."  She nuzzled him gently.
	With a heavy heart, Rafiki gathered dead grass from the savanna 
and made a pile of it in the middle of the cave.  He put ferns on top of 
it and a sprinkling of powdered Alba.  Then he took a clay pot, and 
emptied from it a few glowing coals on the tinder.
	The coals satisfied their great hunger, raising a cloud of smoke 
that quickly filled the cave with its bitter incense.
	"Fire!  Fire!"  It was Taka.  He rushed into the cave, coughing 
and wheezing at the smoke.  "Is anyone in here?"
	"You must leave," Rafiki said.
	"You foolish ape!  What do you think you are doing??  Have you 
lost your mind??  When Mom and Dad see this, they will cuff you 
senseless!"
	"They will never see this," Rafiki said.  "It was the Koh'suul.  
Flee.  You are in great danger here."
	"Koh'suul?"  Taka's eyes widened.  "But that's fatal.  You mean 
Dad is dying?  Does Mom know?"
	"Akase has gone with him."
	"Hffff!"  He stiffened up.  "She was well.  I saw her this 
morning.  She was well!  What do you mean she has gone with him?  
Without telling me??  She'll catch it too!  Where is she??"
	"You cannot see her.  It would be death to you.  I'm sorry, but 
she had it when I got here.  Death had already placed his mark on her."
	"But I must see her!"  He pounced on Rafiki and held him to the 
floor of the cave with his paws.  "Tell me where she is or I'll crush 
the life out of you!"
	"Your mother made me promise to care for you.  If you must kill 
me, you must. "
	Taka looked confused, sad, and finally released Rafiki.  He turned 
and sat facing the wall.  "Sassie doesn't love me.  My brother doesn't 
love me.  The gods don't love me.  All I had left was here.  Now I'm 
alone.  They are killing me one small piece at a time.  This time they 
killed my heart."  He trembled.  "I walk, I speak, yet I am dead inside.  
Dead."
	"There must be something I can do," Rafiki said, getting up.
	"Haven't you done enough?"
	"That's not fair, Taka.  When I was young, my mother died of 
Beh'to.  Before the end, she was banging her head on a tree, trying to 
force the headache out.  I watched her die in the most dire agony.  
That's when I knew I must be a shaman.  I would never have to feel so 
helpless again."
	"Then why not help them?"
	"As my knowledge grew, every answer raised new questions.  I 
cannot heal every wound.  So more important than my herbs and spells is 
knowing something to say to comfort the Ka when these bodies of Ma'at 
crumble."
	"Then say something comforting to me."
	He stroked Taka's mane.  "I think about the prophesy.  I think 
about it a lot.  Oh, I knew where I wanted to be and what I wanted to do 
in a year, in five years, in ten.  Now I am committed to fight this 
thing.  All my hopes and dreams have been turned upside down.  In this 
way we are alike, my friend.  Our childhood dreams are over.  The 
morning has come and we awake to face reality in the light of the sun.  
Let us find something real in the sunlight, something that pleases us, 
and hold on to it.  All else is vanity."
	"You are a foolish ape," Taka said.  "But even a fool may say the 
right thing at times."
	Later that evening, Zazu reported the death of the King.
	Rafiki came and put his arms around Muffy and whispered, "It's 
time."
	Mufasa climbed slowly up the precipice of Pride Rock and when he 
reached the tip, paused for a moment.  Then he lifted up his head and 
roared.  It was a sad and terrible roar that rent the evening sky, and 
the lionesses joined in.  The King was dead.  Long live the King.
	The following weeks took their toll on both Mufasa and Taka.  The 
death of Ahadi and Akase left them without guidance and they had to 
become self-reliant.  The emotional toll was especially bad on Taka, but 
Mufasa nearly crumbled under the the weight of ruling a kingdom.  He 
found himself increasingly turning to Rafiki for advice.
	The mandrill chuckled lightly, arms crossed.  "Why ask me?  You 
are the king; I am just a simple old monkey."
	"You are not simple.  You're a whole lot wiser than I am."
	Rafiki shook his head vehemently.  "No!  A whole lot older, I'll 
grant you."
	Mufasa shifted uncomfortably.  "You are gifted, Rafiki.  You can 
see the future.  Can't you tell me what the right course will be?"
	"Ah, so that's it."  He grunted as he sat down on a low rock.  
"Come here, my boy."
	Mufasa obligingly padded over and sat next to him.  Rafiki reached 
up and patted Mufasa's shoulder.  "Gods, you have grown.  I still 
remember the young cub who used to come to me for jerky."
	"It was good, too," Mufasa said.
	"Let me give you something to chew on that is not as tasty, but 
fills the empty spirit."  Rafiki leaned forward.  "Mufasa, it is better 
not to be tied to the future.  It is the natural way of things to happen 
as they will.  Your brother is bound to the future.  It has crept around 
him like a small vine.  But look what happens as the vine gets larger."  
He took out one of his walking sticks, the top of which was coiled and 
curved.  "It will grow to dominate your life, and twist your path in 
many directions.  You will stop ACTING and go through life REACTING.  
You will be like a stone that lies around helplessly, waiting to see 
where the future will toss it next."
	Mufasa sighed.  "I guess you're right.  I just...I'm afraid of 
making the wrong choices."  He looked at Rafiki, his face open and 
honest as ever.  "I don't want to ruin someone's life because of an ill-
thought decision."
	The words stung Rafiki.  He had a vivid recollection of young Taka 
cringing in the corner of the old baobab, crying out in terror: "No!  
Tell me it's not so!"  He gasped and dropped his staff.
	Mufasa blinked and peered at him.  "Are you OK?"
	Rafiki took a deep breath.  "I'm fine, my boy.  I don't think it 
is wise for me to coach you on every small decision.  Still, I don't 
guess it would hurt THIS ONCE to look out for a major crisis?"  Rafiki 
took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "Meet me at my tree this 
evening.  Come alone.  Tell no one."
	The time seemed to drag on interminably.  Zazu made several 
reports to him which Mufasa only half heard, his mind on the coming 
evening.
	Rafiki was also restless.  He spent his time in prayers and 
preparation.  Set lovingly by the scrying bowl was a large dose of 
deadly euphractus.  At the first sign of trouble, he would take it 
immediately and silence himself forever.  No more would the makei use 
him as a weapon against the ones he loved.
	Mufasa found himself urging the sun to hurry along its path in the 
sky.  Finally, the cool of evening encroached upon the land, and Mufasa 
excused himself from the others.  Slipping quietly into the night, he 
wended his way along well known paths through the grassland until he 
reached the soaring baobab.  Rafiki greeted him warmly, then bade him 
wait outside.
	Rafiki entered his home and crossed to where his scrying bowl sat, 
the surface of the water lightly rippled by the slight breeze that blew 
through his home.
	"Mano protect us.  Mano equip us.  Mano, we thank you."  
Completing his prayers, he sat crosslegged before the bowl.  The water 
rippled a moment longer, then stilled.  Rafiki felt a pulling sensation, 
then all went dark.
	He drifted in the darkness, floating calmly.  This was only the 
beginning of the process, and sometimes it felt like it took hours 
before the vision would appear.  Impatience only disturbed concentration 
and slowed the process down, so he relaxed and waited.
	Abruptly the darkess took on a deeper tone, and fear began to make 
him shiver.  The cold of death, more icy than an arctic wind, brushed 
him slowly.  He felt a dragging sensation, pulling at him inoxerably 
with a grip of iron.  He jerked away as two eyes flared alight in the 
darkness in front of him, a cold light emenating from them which 
illuminated nothing.  Pain awoke in his hands, slamming up his arms in a 
wave of agony.  Suddenly the eyes vanished, along with the dragging 
sensation, and he tumbled helplessly through the dark, crying out in 
fear as unseen shapes began to buffet him mercilessly in a frightful 
current of invisible force...
	And then he opened his eyes to see the bowl of water shimmering in 
the bright moonlight that seeped through the leaves of his home.  
Shuddering with the reaction, he sat for a moment, composing himself.  
"Mufasa?"
	The lion appeared quickly. He started to speak, but cut himself 
off, staring at the mandrill's wan expression.  "Are you all right?  You 
look like you've seen a ghost."
	Rafiki laughed shakily.  "I'm supposed to see ghosts, my boy.  
That's my job, remember?"  He put out a hand to push himself off the 
floor, but winced.  Pain throbbed in his hands as he looked at the 
bloodless gashes that perforated the backs of his hands.  They faded 
even as he watched, but the pain left slowly.
	Mufasa glanced down curiously.  "What's wrong?"
	"Nothing.  Just a little mifupa setting into these old bones."  He 
flexed his hands gingerly.  "I had a strange vision-"
	Mufasa held up a paw, the gesture so like his father's it broke 
Rafiki's heart.  "Hold, my friend.  I was thinking while I was waiting 
down there about what you said to me earlier.  I don't want to know.  I 
want to make my own destiny."
	Rafiki relaxed, smiling slightly.  "And you said you weren't 
wise."  He placed an arm around Mufasa's shoulders.  "All right, but let 
me give you this little bit of advice: some of us are destined for long 
life.  Others are not.  But a little caution never shortened anyone's 
time."
	"Sound advice for a king," Mufasa grinned.  "Thank you, my 
friend."  He started to turn away, but paused.  "Are you sure you don't 
need to tell me something?  You looked awfully scared."
	"No, my friend."  Rafiki put his arms around Mufasa's neck and 
gave him a quick hug.  "I worry about you sometimes.  Just a foolish old 
ape with the jitters, I guess."  He backed away and flapped his arms at 
the huge lion as though he was shooing a fly.  "Now beat it.  Sassie's 
probably waiting for you."
	"Well, since you put it like that..."  Mufasa chuckled as he 
headed away into the night.  Rafiki watched him go, then lifted his 
throbbing hands to his face again, his smile fading as he looked at the 
red spots that remained.
	The next day, Rafiki led Uzuri aside.  "I was wondering if you 
could perform a favor for me."
	"Certainly."
	"Shhhh!  Quietly.  Should Mufasa go with you on your hunts, please 
be careful.  I don't want to see anyone get hurt out there."
	"I am careful on every hunt, no matter who goes."  She shrugged, 
lionlike, by flicking her tail.  "Still, it won't hurt to bear extra 
caution."  She peered at him warily.  "Why?  What is wrong?"
	"Just a feeling."  He sighed, then patted her shoulder.  "Not to 
worry; I doubt much will come of it."


SCENE 43:  FAMILY MATTERS

	The warm sunlight backlit the mandrill as he walked through the 
crowd of animals, stretching his shadow out before him in a wavering 
line.  Rafiki nodded and smiled at the familiar faces as he made his way 
through the throng, the creatures parting before him in a living wave.  
Reaching the foot of Pride Rock, he began climbing the steep rocks 
carefully, finding a grip easily in the time worn stone as he ascended.
	His arm curled up and over, laying flat upon the surface of the 
promontory as he hauled himself up.  Gaining his balance, he lifted his 
head and saw the hulking form of Mufasa sitting there, awaiting him.  
The wind ruffled Mufasa's mane lightly as a smile spread across his 
face.  Rafiki grinned back at him, setting his staff down and embracing 
his old friend.  The two stood there for a moment, then they both turned 
to look behind Mufasa.
	Sarabi lay quietly, her forepaws wrapped around the small furry 
bundle that had become the center of her universe.  As Mufasa came to 
stand beside her, she nuzzled him, burying her face in the soft tresses 
of his mane.  Their purring blended in a soft rumble as they looked down 
at what their love had brought forth into the world.
	Rafiki stepped forward slowly and peered intrestedly at the cub 
nestled next to Sarabi's chest.  The tiny head turned and looked up at 
him, the young eyes open now and staring up at him with a wonder that 
delighted the mandrill.  Sarabi smiled at him and nodded, and he picked 
the cub up gently, feeeling the child's purring in his hands as he held 
him to his chest.  He looked up as Mufasa and Sarabi for a moment, then 
turned and headed toward the end of the promontory.  Reaching the end, 
he looked with awe at the assemble throng of life which spread before 
him.  The sight took his breath away, and he held the cub out for all to 
see.  "May the wind blow kindly on you," he said softly, as the crowd 
below burst forth in jubilation.  "May the sun shine brightly on you.  
May the gods take you to their heart."
	As if in answer, the clouds above parted, a brilliant shaft of  
light shining down directly upon him, dazzling his eyes.  A golden 
nimbus surrounded the cub he held in his hands, and he stared in wonder 
and joy as the animals below knelt in reverence.
	At last, he lowered the child and held him for a moment, then 
returned him to Sarabi's loving arms.  She smiled radiantly and nuzzled 
him.  "Thank you, Rafiki."
	Mufasa nuzzled his son once more, then turned and descended the 
rocks carefully, his good mood fading.  He had an unpleasant visit to 
make.
	Some distance away, a small mouse lay flailing madly at the empty 
air in panic, her tail trapped in between two enormous claws.  Taka 
stared across the gap between himself and the rodent, feeling as though 
he had been set aflame.  Slowly, he turned the mouse this way and that, 
noting idly how the light glinted off the beady black eyes, now spread 
wide in panic.
	"Life's not fair, is it?"  he queried the struggling mouse.  "For 
you see, I...well, I shall never be king."  He uttered a grunting laugh, 
then looked at his captive in mock commiseration.  "And you..will never 
live to see the light of another day."  Chuckling lowly, he spread his 
jaws, fangs gleaming in the morning light.  "Adeiu."  He closed his eyes 
and extended his tongue expectantly, preparing to savor the delightful 
crunch the rodent would make before she was swallowed whole.
	A voice which had begun to annoy him increasingly of late spoke 
from behind him.  "Didn't your mother tell you not to play with your 
food?"  Zazu glared at Taka, who lowered the mouse, sighing with 
exasperation.
	"What do you want?"  he rumbled.
	"I'm here to announce that King Mufasa's on his way," Zazu 
informed him gleefully.  "So you'd better hava a good excuse for missing 
the ceremony."
	Taka's claws flexed angrily, and he felt the mouse struggle free 
of his grip.  The creature scurried acros the floor into a crack and was 
gone.  "Oh, now look, Zazu, you've made me lose my lunch," he growled 
angrily.
	Lunch became the least of his worries after Mufasa's arrival.
	"Sarabi and I didn't see you at the presentation of Simba," he 
said.  Please say you were sick, he thought.  I don't care if it's true 
or not.
	His heart sank as Taka looked at him in a expression of utter 
contempt.  "That was today?  Oh, I feel simply AWWWful."  Stretching, he 
drew his claws down the rock face with a screech that set Mufasa's teeth 
on edge.  "Must have slipped my mind."
	"Yes, well, as slippery as your mind is, as the King's brother, 
you should have been FIRST in line!"  Zazu glared at him.  His 
bellegirence vanished quickly as he dove away, Taka's fangs clicking 
together in the empty air where he had been.
	"Well, I was first in line," Taka shot back acerbically, "until 
the little hairball was born."  What little chance he had of making 
something of himself had vanished with the arrival of that cub.
	Shocked at this outright insult, Mufasa felt his blood boil.  
"That hairball," he rumbled dangerously, "is my son, and your future 
king."
	The discussion went downhill from there.  Taka emerged from the 
cave seething, his tail lashing angrily as he swatted rocks out of his 
path with a powerful forepaw.  His own brother had challenged him, by 
the gods!  And in front of that idiot Zazu, no less.  Taka groaned and 
collapsed in a clump of bushes, hiding his head under his forepaws.
	Rafiki found him there a few minutes later.  "Taka?  What are you 
doing hiding in here?"
	"What does it matter to anyone now what I do?  They have their 
prince," he said, biting the word off savagely.  "They don't need me 
anymore, do they?"
	Rafiki slipped in and tentatively laid an arm around Taka's neck, 
relaxing when the lion made no move to disengage.  "Ridiculous.  Of 
course you are needed.  Simba will need his mother and father more than 
anything.  But there will come a time when he need someone else to talk 
to.  His uncle."  Rafiki turned Taka's head to face him.  "You are 
special, Fru Fru.  He will share things with you that he will never tell 
anyone else.  You'll be his best friend, and his most trusted 
confidant."
	"How can you be sure of this?"  Taka looked at him.
	"Because, I have my own nephew.  Or have you forgotten?"  He 
tapped Taka's nose gently with a forefinger.
	The lion blinked, chastened.  He looked into Rafiki's eyes for a 
moment, then smiled, a real smile, the first one Rafiki had seen from 
him since the death of Ahadi and Akase.  "You're right.  By the gods, 
I'm going to see him right now!"  He sat up and hugged the startled 
mandrill to his chest.  "Thank you!"
	Shortly after, Sarabi was surprised to see his brilliant green 
eyes blinking timidly at her in the gloom of the cave.  "Sassie?"
	"Yes?"
	He figeted nervously.  "Can I...I was wondering if I could...see 
him?"
	"See him?  You could have done much more than that, had you been 
here this morning," Sarabi said icily.  "Why bother now?"
	His ears fell flat and his whiskers drooped as he stared at the 
ground.  "I was wrong," he said.  "I'm sorry."  He turned to leave, his 
tail dragging in the dust.
	"Wait!"  Sarabi looked at him for a moment.  "Come here."  She 
shifted her foreleg as he slowly padded over to where she lay, exposing 
the sleeping cub to his questioning gaze.  Taka stared, captivated by 
the tiny form.
	Simba lay quiescent in his mother's care, the morning light 
shining in and gleaming on the little whiskers that poked from his 
muzzle.  He twitched and moved slightly as he dreamed peaceful cub 
dreams, enjoing a peace Taka longed to return to.  Taka bent his muzzle 
to the cub, filling his nose with scent of his nephew.  Making the 
lightest of contacts, he nuzzled Simba with his nose.  "Gods, Sassie, he 
is beautiful, isn't he?"
	Sarabi watched him wonderingly, seeing him as she had not seen him 
since cubhood, his eyes aglow with utter delight.  "Yes, he is."  She 
licked the tiny form, eliciting a belated wriggling from her son.  "He's 
going to be a great king someday."
	A terrible pain wrenched at Taka, and he closed his eyes tightly 
until it passed.  The light seeping in became cold and dull, and he sat 
up, looking down at the object between Sarabi's paws.  "Oh, yes.  He 
looks so much like his father."  He glanced disintrestedly at the cub's 
face, the words falling upon his own ears like so much dead grass.  
Whoever the cub looked like, it had nothing to do with him.  His eyes 
flickered coldly as he peered at Simba.  "You will live an intresting 
life."
	He turned lithely and paced out.