CHAPTER 37:  ASLEEP ON THE JOB

	After a discrete pause to allow the new king to try to compose 
himself, Zazu respectfully requested an audience with Taka to discuss a 
personal matter.  The lion readily agreed, and the two wandered off to a 
quiet corner of Pride Rock where they could talk undisturbed.
	"Now then, my loyal friend."  Taka summoned up a smile and nodded 
to the hornbill.  "What's on your mind?"
	"Well, Sire...I'm rather loath to breach the subject at a time 
like this..."
	"Oh come come, we're all friends here."
	"Well..." Zazu rubbed his primaries together nervously.  "Back in 
the gorge, I was going to fly away and summon some more help to rescue 
the young prince-"
	Taka dropped his head.  "God rest his soul," he said quietly.
	"Indeed."  Zazu cleared his throat, wondering if it might not be 
such a bad idea to drop the subject altogether.
	Finally, Taka lifted his head, eyes bright.  "I'm sorry.  Do go 
on."
	"Well, I must have struck something...because I don't remember 
what happened."
	"Oh, my, yes!"  Taka looked distressed.  "Gods, Zazu, I've been 
terribly remiss; I remember finding you lying there on the ledge!  ARE 
you quite all right?"
	"Why...yes, Sire."
	"Excellent!"  Taka breathed a sigh of relief.  "At least you did 
not suffer any grievous injuries.  Heaven knows there's been enough of 
that today."  He looked at Zazu shyly.  "You know, my brother didn't 
think of you as his servant.  He used to refer to you as "Little 
Brother" when he spoke of you."
	"He did?"  Zazu was clearly caught off guard.
	"Bezraak the Fish Eagle was keen on getting the job.  Mind you, he 
was stronger, sharper sighted, and a prince in his own right.  He would 
have looked impressive perched next to Mufasa when visitors came by.  If 
he'd made the right administrative decision, my little friend, there 
would have been no contest.  But you had something Bezraak did not 
have."
	"What was that?" Zazu asked, greatly interested.
	"Mufasa's heart."  Taka put a paw across his eyes.  "He turned 
Bezraak down because you always tried so hard to please, and because you 
took such good care of him when we were growing up.  He loved you, truly 
loved you."
	"Oh!"  Zazu's head bowed and his tail feathers drooped.  "May the 
gods bless him!  I loved him too, but one doesn't say such things to 
one's betters.  But he's gone now, and I'm saying it."
	"That's fine.  Now about us."  Taka licked his paw and used it to 
groom his dark mane.  "I see no reason why the we should be at odds all 
the time.  Frankly, I'm in no great rush to call Bezraak.  It would be a 
slap in the face of my dear brother.  I've lost enough today--I don't 
want to lose you too."
	"That's very kind of you to say, but...."
	"But?"
	"Well, I feel a little uncomfortable, Scar.  I mean, Sire."
	"In what way?"
	"I'm sure it's just me.  But you know, I know Pa'haal of the 
Wildebeests, and I'd like to have a word with him.  Just to settle my 
mind.  You understand, don't you Sire?"
	"Oh, I understand perfectly."  He gently patted Zazu on the head, 
who cringed but tried to smile.  "Why don't you come outside.  I'll call 
together the lionesses, and we'll have a frank discussion, no holds 
barred.  I'll send Uzuri to find Pa'haal.  And even though I can't stand 
him, I know Rafiki is no liar.  We'll have him do whatever that thing is 
he does at times like these to see if every word I said is not the AB-
solute truth."
	"Oh, I didn't call you a liar, Your Majesty."
	"I didn't say you did, now did I?  But if I didn't lie, I 
shouldn't be afraid to be put to the test, now should I?  And I promise 
you that no one leaves till everyone is completely satisfied.  Will that 
help?"
	"Yes, Sire."  He preened self-consciously.  "I must say you're 
being awfully big about this.  Anyhow, I thought you'd want me to be 
forthright about my feelings.  You know, clean slate and all?"
	"Clean slate.  I like that."
	"Then you're not angry?"
	Taka half laughed.  "Well, not angry."  He looked at his claws and 
groomed his mane again.  "Maybe a little disappointed.  Since we're 
being so open and forthright with each other, I know I'm moody and a 
little tempermental, but I do have my good points.  No one ever takes 
note of those, however."  The lion examined him with his best gazelle 
eyes, waiting for Zazu to melt down and call the whole idea a lot of 
rot.  Zazu did look away with some shame, but he made no move to cancel 
the inquest.
	Behind Taka's calm face, he made a firm resolve to do what he must 
do to survive.  Besides, he was sick of being nice to Zazu.
	The two rose and headed back toward the lionesses, who were still 
assembled at the foot of Pride Rock, deep in their grief.  Clearing his 
throat, Taka called their attention.
	"We have a small problem to address.  Our friend Zazu was supposed 
to protect Simba, you know.  I mean, it WAS his job, or I would have 
been looking over the boy myself.  But we TRUSTED him!"  
	Zazu shifted nervously.
	Taka brought his forearm over his eyes and cried, "What a mistake!  
What a foolish mistake!  It seems one of the lionesses, and I won't 
reveal which one, found him ASLEEP ON THE JOB!"
	Zazu recoiled.  "W-What??"
	"Let's get to the bottom of this serious charge, Zazu.  Where were 
you when my brother and nephew were being trampled, eh?  Sleeping 
again?!!"
	"Sire!  I would never presume to sleep on duty!  Besides, I WAS 
there; you saw me!"
	"Rubbish!  I did NOT see you because you were NOT there!  Are you 
going to add lying to the other charge?"  He looked around.  "Is there 
ONE of you that can vouch that he was on the job?  Did ONE of you see 
him?  Come on, I'm giving you a chance to speak out freely!"  He looked 
around for effect.  "If just ONE will say they saw him with Simba, I'll 
give Zazu the benefit of the doubt."  He examined the faces one by one.  
"Will no one speak in his defense?"
	"You know I was there!" Zazu said, scandalized.  "Tell them, Sire!  
Tell them!"
	"I will NOT lie for you, you pathetic ball of fluff!  Only your 
past record keeps me from killing you here and now!"
	Zazu began to shake as all attention focused on him.  "But I-"
	The lionesses glared at Zazu.  "How COULD you!" Sarabi said in a 
tear-choked voice.  "That's not like you, Zazu!  You knew he was never 
to go there!  I thought you loved him!  Why, Zazu??  Why??"
	Taka bared his teeth.  "Listen to the anguish of a wife and 
mother!  Had you been watching Simba as you were supposed to, he 
wouldn't have wandered into the gorge, would he?"
	"Y-Yes, but-"
	"And my brother wouldn't have had to go after him, would he?"
	"N-No, but-"
	Taka leaned close.  "And IF you had done your job, they wouldn't 
be DEAD, would they??!!"
	"S-Sire, please...."  He whispered just low enough for Taka to 
hear: "I didn't think you hated me that much!"
	"You have no idea."  Taka stared at him with eyes like red coals.  
"So you wish I were a rug so when I got dirty, he could take me out and 
beat me??"
	"Spare me!" Zazu shrieked.  "Just let me go!  Let me go and I'll 
never trouble you again, I swear!"
	"Shut up," Taka said, his voice dripping with contempt.  "In view 
of your past service and the love which my brother held for you, I will 
not have you killed."
	Zazu sighed, trembling, but jerked in alarm as a pair of hyenas 
took up station on either side of him.
	"Instead, you will be confined for the rest of your life, where I 
can keep an eye on you as you reflect on your guilt and hopefully find 
forgiveness and mercy in Aiheu.  For you shall NEVER find forgiveness 
nor mercy in me, not in this lifetime or a hundred lifetimes!"  Taka 
leaned forward until his nose touched the hornbill's beak, his voice 
dropping to a murmur that only Zazu could hear.  "And should you start 
any more trouble, I'll pluck out your feathers one by one and shove you 
in the waterhole to drown.  Understand?"
	Too terrified to speak, Zazu nodded rapidly.



CHAPTER 38:  ALONE

	Simba stirred in the cool morning air, feeling with a paw for his 
mother's comforting presence.  He opened an eye and glanced around.  The 
awful truth dawned upon him that for the first time in his life, he was 
completely alone.  As far as he could see all around was featureless 
sand.
	He rose, stretching, and groomed himself in the pre-dawn quiet, 
the slight rasp of his tongue the only sound in the stillness.  Holding 
forth with an enormous yawn, he began padding slowly across the dunes, 
his tiny paws leaving a pockmarked trail in the pristine sand as he 
walked slowly but steadily, face turned towards the darkened western 
sky, the gentle breezes of twilight ruffling his fur and tickling his 
whiskers with cool fingers.
	But the cool did not last long.  His shadow sprang into abrupt 
relief in front of him, harsh and outlined in red.  He glanced over his 
shoulder to see the sun heaving its crimson bulk above the horizon.  The 
temperature began to climb steadily as it rose higher in the sky, the 
cold dry winds becoming hot dry winds, the rays of the sun beginning to 
pierce him with anger and spite.
	On the second day of Simba's journey, he fought new enemies.  
Tiredness, hunger, thirst, hoplessness.  The one thought that kept him 
going was his faith that friends lay to the west.
	Panting in the dry air drained moisture from him.  A sweat that 
did not cool him matted his fur and burned his eyes.  He longed to feel 
firm earth beneath his feet again.  The soft give of the sand made 
walking more difficult.  His small feet scrabbled for purchase on even 
the smallest of dunes, and he had to struggle up one side, then slip 
down the other.  He had daydreams about soft fragrant grass wet with 
morning dew, and stopping by the cistern to drink the cold, fresh water 
that collected from the rain.
	His gait became unsteady.  He stumbled along, unsure why there 
should be anything better to the west than there was to the south or 
north.  He couldn't go east--that he could NEVER do.  The east was where 
his heart lay.  The most desirable and inaccessable of things.  His 
mother's soft fur, and Aunt Uzuri's quiet voice that said so much in so 
little.  Perhaps someone was eating fresh meat.  His stomach began to 
knot up and growl.  Overhead the sun stared with its one hateful eye, 
willing the life from him step by step.  Each breath sucked precious 
moisture from his small body.  In the sky, vultures circled slowly, 
meeting his gaze with undisguised eagerness as he fought to remain 
standing.  He stared at one, and watched its image separate into two, 
then slowly recombine as he fought to keep his fragile grasp on 
consciousness.  The image separated again.  He felt his legs collapse 
and the shock hitting the ground.  "Aiheu," he moaned, the sand rasping 
dryly against his cheek in a deadly caress.  "Help me, Aiheu.  I think 
I'm dying."
	He put his paw across his face and surrendered.  Everything went 
dark....


CHAPTER 39:  FRIENDS IN NEED

		"Better is a neighbor who is nearby than kindred 
		who are far away."

                                 -- PROVERBS 27, 10

	"Pumbaa, come ON," Timon groaned.  "The ground's as dry as a bone, 
now; we're not gonna find any more bugs out here."
	"I don't know..." Pubaa's voice was filled with doubt.  "We found 
that beetle a little while ago, remember?"
	"`A little while ago?!'  That was two hours ago!  I'm fried!"  
Timon continued to gripe as the foraged listlessly among the cracked and 
dried flats.  A brief rain had sprung up this morning, the dry ground 
greedily soaking up the moisture and driving the insects out in droves.  
The meerkat and warthog had delighted in this banquet, at least until 
the sun emerged again.  The insects had vanished with the water, the 
ground drying into the haphazard mosaic that lay before them, baked hard 
now in the glaring sun.
	Sighing, Timon leaned down to try again when faint movement caught 
his eyes.  He skittered up Pumbaa's back to perch atop his head, shading 
his eyes in the glare.
	"H-Hey!" Pumbaa, laughed.  "That tickles!"
	"Hush!"  Timon squinted.  "A-HA!  Buzzards!"
	Pumbaa grimaced.  "Ewww!  I hate buzzards."
	"Pumbaa!"  Timon tapped his friend's head reproachfully.  "We do 
not speak ill of those who might show us where to find some goodies."
	"Huh?"
	"They might be giving us a pointer on where we might locate a 
leftover culinary delight!"  Timon's stomach growled in anticipation.
	"Awwww!"  Pumbaa looked downcast.  "I was hoping they might show 
us where to find some food."
	The meerkat sighed.  "Just head thataway."
	Pumbaa trotted off obligingly, heading towards the circling birds, 
who were beginning to descend, a sure sign that whatever they had been 
stalking was about to expire.  Fresh meat!  Timon shook the rough mane 
on Pumbaa's shoulders with glee.  "Oh boy oh boy!  We're gonna eat right 
today, pal, just you wait!"
	Pumbaa halted suddenly, nearly sending Timon overboard.  "Why do I 
have to wait?!  Who says YOU eat first?!"
	"No, no!  Just forget it and head for the buzzards before they get 
the good stuff!"  Timon seized Pumbaa's ears and flicked them, kicking 
his heels into the warthog's neck.  "YAHHHH!!!"
	Pumbaa accelerated, a horrendous war cry of his own issuing from 
his mouth as the two charged into the pack of jostling birds, sending 
them scattering in disarray, feathers flying as they squawked an 
indignant protest back at the two.  Ignoring this, the duo checked 
around themselves for any malingerers, then relaxed, Timon chuckling at 
the sight.
	"I love it!"  Pumbaa snorted in mirth.  "Bowling for buzzards!"
	Timon guffawed.  "Gets `em every time!"  He proceeded to brush 
himself off as Pumbaa examined the carcass that lay at their feet.  "Uh-
oh.  Hey Timon!  You better come look.  I think it's still alive."
	The meerkat drew up involuntarily.  "Yeesh!"  Steeling himself, he 
meandered over, trying to look nonchalant.  After all, Pumbaa WAS 
watching.
	"Allrighty, whatta we got here?"  Bending low, he sniffed the air 
carefully.  The scent filled his nostrils; something exotic, but vaguely 
familiar.  But alive, he could tell that much.  Shrugging, he wriggled 
under the paw that covered the creature's face and strained, lifting...
	...and saw the soft furry features, the whiskers, and the tip of 
one ivory fang protruding over the lower lip.  His blood ran cold as he 
dropped the paw, staggering back in terror.
	"Jeez, it's a LION!"

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