CHAPTER:  THE THIRD PRIDE

	As they topped a ridge, Mabongo roared and a lioness replied.  
The king turned to Elanna.  "Come...they know we are coming."  
Quietly, they walked down the rise.  A small group of lionesses and 
cubs were gathered below, looking at the visitor with great interest.  
Mabongo smiled and said, "This is my pride."
	Elanna looked over the small group, trying to gauge their mood 
at seeing her.  In the group were five lionesses and a few cubs who 
huddled uneasily next to them.  "Very nice," she said, scanning the 
cubs' eyes for some sign of acceptance.  "You must be proud of them."
	Mabongo ran to one particular lioness and nuzzled her.  Elanna 
guessed that she must be his queen.  
	"This is Elanna.  She comes to us without a home.  I feel that 
it is the right thing to do is to allow her to stay here if she wants 
a home."
	"Flip that mane out of your eyes, babe," the lioness said, 
stepping toward Elanna with a pronounced swaying strut.  "How do we 
know this gal is worthy?"  The lioness walked up and looked at 
Elanna's face.  "Pretty enough for two, but who knows what kind of 
past she might have--or what future."
	Mabongo looked at Elanna uneasily.  "That is Ujuzi...my queen.  
She means no harm."
	Ujuzi pawed Elanna's shoulders politely enough.  "Of course I 
mean no harm.  But Sweetcheeks, if you want to run with this crowd, 
we gotta check you out.  If you got nothing to hide, you won't mind 
answering a few questions."
	"I'm willing to answer any of your questions, Your Highness." 
Elanna said softly.
	Ujuzi looked back at the timid lioness. "You can skip the Your 
Highness bit.  Yes Ma'am and no Ma'am do nicely."
	"Yes, Your--uh--ma'am."
	"Well, for first, what brings you to these parts?  You tick off 
your queen?"
	Elanna sighed softly, "I was the queen.  I was driven out by my 
pride sisters..."
	"Driven out by your pride sisters?"  Ujuzi stared at Mabongo.  
"I guess you already knew that?  And I'm sure she also told you why 
while you were flapping your jaws, but I want to hear it with my own 
ears."  She turned back to Elanna and said, "So you're going to tell 
me you're very sorry and you just want a second chance?  What 
happened?  Did he catch you crouching in the bushes?"
	"No!"
	"No, WHAT??"
	Tears sprang to Elanna's eyes.  "No, MA'AM!"  Her head hung low 
and tears streamed down her face.  "Thanks for the offer, Mabongo, 
but I won't stay where I'm not wanted."
	Elanna started to walk off, but Mabongo cut her off with a 
gentle nuzzle.  "Ujuzi, would you calm down and let her finish?"  He 
turned back to Elanna and smiled softly.  "Come on, dear.  It's OK."  
Mabongo glared at Ujuzi, showing a little tooth.  "I'm sure my wife 
didn't mean it the way it sounded."
	Elanna regained her composure and turned to face Ujuzi 
respectfully but firmly.  "I was driven out because my husband was 
disposed.  My only crime was that I loved him."
	"And where is your husband?"
	"Dead."  A tear ran down her cheeks.  "He was ripped alive."
	The other lionesses drew in a quick gasp.  Even the queen was a 
little nonplused.
	Mabongo wiped her tears with a paw and gave her shoulder a pat.  
Then he turned to Ujuzi.  "There.  You see!  Nothing wrong with 
that."
	"Yeah, right."  Ujuzi looked about uncomfortably.  "So we have 
royalty among us."  She turned her gaze on Elanna.  "I'm not 
heartless, honey.  Just remember who's the queen around here, and 
who's the subject and we'll get along real fine.  There's no special 
treatment here for ladies of leisure.  Forget breakfast in bed.  You 
want hard work, clean living, and fair treatment, you came to the 
right place."
	Elanna went and fell before Ujuzi and kissed her forepaw.  "Oh 
thank you!  You won't regret this, I swear it!"
	"Well let's hope not," Ujuzi said, touching Elanna's cheek with 
her paw.  "Welcome to the pride, but remember you're on probation.  
I'm keeping my eye on you."  With that, she turned and walked away, 
disappearing.
	Mabongo frowned as his wife disappeared into the grass.  "Don't 
let her intimidate you.  She will warm up to you with time--she's 
just mistrustful.  Come...meet your new family."
	Elanna nodded and walked with him to the group.  Another 
lioness stepped forward, "I am Wehu...hunt mistress."  She sat down 
in front of Elanna and smiled disarmingly.  "Don't worry about my 
mother.  She's just grumpy because she missed on the hunt and she 
keeps thinking she's getting old."  She nuzzled Elanna and half-
whispered, "She is, but most people are at her age.  She's been 
keeping the cubs, but we need to get her back on the hunt again.  
Build her confidence again."  With a chuckle, she said, "Until we get 
you up on our lands, we might just allow you to stay with the cubs.  
Then she'd HAVE to hunt!"
	Elanna said.  "I would love to watch the cubs."  She turned to 
look at them.  "They are so adorable."  One of them smiled back at 
her, and Elanna broke into a candid grin.  "It's the only time I feel 
like a real lioness."
	"I bet you were a very good mother," Wehu said, admiringly.
	"I never got the chance.  I came close once, but I...."
	"You're shy?"
	"No, dear."  Elanna nuzzled her softly and whispered, "When I 
had my miscarriage, I lost my...."  Elanna looked down, her eyes 
filled with shame and tears.
	Wehu took her paw and gently lifted Elanna's chin.  She kissed 
her gently on the cheek, the corner of her mouth, and the tear-stain 
that flowed from her eyes.  Her warm hazel eyes peered into the 
depths of Elanna's pain, misty with compassion.  "I'm sorry I made 
you cry."
	"Don't be."  Elanna returned her kiss.  "I have smiled as well.  
I've had a good life, a full life, and every time I've needed help, 
someone like you would come to me.  Aiheu has dealt kindly with me."
	Wehu smiled.  "I'm glad you came.  I'm sure they will be too, 
even my mother."  
	She motioned to a lioness with two cubs huddled around her.  
"That's Kiesi...and her cubs Inwiena and Ibura" She turned to another 
lioness with three cubs around her.  "That's Tetesi and her cubs 
Asuri, Kirizi and Machosi" Finally she turned to the last lioness in 
the group, a younger lioness and much darker than the rest.  "That's 
my daughter, Gamaiusi...but we just call her Darky."  She smiled 
softly to Elanna.  "Mother always said I had a dark streak...and it 
shows in more than her fur."
	"MOTHER!"
	Elanna laughed.  It was a pretty laugh that had waited a long 
time to come forth.
	"We have some meat left over from last night's hunt. We won't 
hunt again till tomorrow, so we can let the cubs get to know you 
better before we leave them in your care."
	Elanna nodded and smiled.  "Thank you."
	"You have a pretty smile.  Use it often, my friend.  With my 
mother going through one of her phases, someone has to be in a good 
mood."
	Silently Mabongo walked up to her, before lying his massive 
body down.  "I'm sorry about my wife...she gets like that sometimes.  
I do hope you have a better impression of us now.  Her moods scare 
away most new pride members."  He looked to her, "I hope she hasn't 
driven you off."
	Elanna shook her head, "No.  I'll be hard to scare off.  I'm 
afraid of being alone."
	The king nodded.  "I know what it's like to be alone..."
	Slowly, the cubs started to make their way away from their 
mothers towards the king and Elanna, helped by some nudging of their 
mother.  Elanna smiled and rolled on her back, patting her chest with 
a paw.  "Come on and see your Aunt Lannie!"
	There was a moment of initial hesitation, but a light seemed to 
come from Elanna's face, one of such peace and joy that even the 
least perceptive of the lionesses saw it and was struck by it.  A 
beautiful grin and a pat of her paw swept the cubs toward her in a 
wave of laughter.
	The cubs mobbed her, biting at the tuft on her tail and tugging 
at her ears with soft giggling.  Elanna grunted with pleasure, 
fondling their small bodies and anointing them with kisses.  As the 
group huddled about her, a pair of eyes watched the pride from the 
covers of the grasses.


CHAPTER:  FITTING IN

	Kiesi was the first lioness to approach Elanna and make 
conversation.  "I hope you'll be happy with us.  I was just noticing-
-I mean--my Aunt had a ubruki nose too.  You're very pretty."
	"So are you, Kiesi.  You are, Kiesi, aren't you?"
	"Yes ma'am," the lioness said shyly.
	"You don't have to ma'am me," Elanna said, nuzzling her.  "Just 
call me Lannie."  She looked at the two cubs that drew near to her 
and rubbed against her legs.  "That goes for you too, Inwiena.  
Hello, Ibura."
	"I'm Ibura.  She's Inwiena."
	Elanna laughed prettily.  "Give me time!  I'll get it right."
	Tetesi came up.  "Honey Tree, I hope you know star lore.  I've 
run out of stories."
	"I love star stories," Elanna said.  "Meholo and Darzee, the 
Brothers of Marabo, the Seventh Trail...."
	"Oh thank the gods!  I'm telling you, Hon, you just might know 
enough to keep Asuri busy for a week.  I warn you, he's like dry 
earth--he'll soak up whatever you give him and come back for more.  
And always `why.'  Why this and why that!"
	"I'm so glad!"  Elanna could tell by the shy grin which one was 
Asuri and she nuzzled him warmly till he giggled.  "We're going to 
get along just fine."
	Gamaiusi, an adolescent lioness, came up and said, "Star lore?  
Do you mind if I listen in too?"
	"Sure, Honey Tree!  Your mother is welcome too."
	Wehu smiled broadly.  "I'll take you up on that.  But we'll 
also cover the lands too.  You need to learn this place if you're 
ever going to hunt here."
	Elanna smiled broadly.  "Yes, I'd like that.  You've been so 
accommodating."
	"Dad really likes you, I can tell."
	"He's a dear old thing."
	Wehu laughed.  "You add a touch of elegance to our pride.  You 
know, I love mother to death but sometimes she can be so...."
	"Wehu!" Ujuzi shouted, "hike your buns over here and help me 
drag this carcass!  We have a visitor!"
	Wehu smiled and nodded in the direction of her mother.  "That's 
my mom, all right."
	Wehu and Ujuzi pulled in a large wildebeest carcass.  The 
lionesses came around with their cubs by their side and began to tear 
at the flesh.  Elanna came over and tried to nose in.
	Elanna discovered to her great surprise that the other 
lionesses gave way before her and offered her the deference they paid 
the queen herself.  The look in Ujuzi's face was not exactly angry 
but it was not approving either.
	"You know," Ujuzi said, her mouth full of meat, "I think 
wildebeest is good for one's constitution.  I mean it stimulates 
one's enduring if properly mitigated with other circumstances."
	Elanna looked up quizzically.  Wehu's face was pained.
	"I'm so glad you invited me in," Elanna said.
	"My husband invited you in," Ujuzi said.
	"Still, now that I'm here, I think we can be real friends.  You 
have a delightful daughter."
	Ujuzi pulled off another large hunk of meat and minced it.  In 
words clogged with meat and humors, she said, "That Wehu's a good'un.  
Just like her Poppa.  Yes ma'am, a real first class act."
	The next few days for Elanna were touch and go for her.  She 
seemed to be accepted by most of the members of the pride.  Even the 
cubs had come to call her `Auntie Lannie'.  The cubs flocking around 
her made her very happy.  For the first time, she felt that she could 
play or tell stories to the young ones without getting bad looks from 
their mothers.  Even Darky, although a young lioness, would often 
stop and listen to her musings.
	Most of the lionesses were very kind and trusting to her, 
especially Wehu.  Wehu had been taking her off to the side during the 
day and showing her the lands, often to the sighs of the cubs that 
were gathered around her.  Slowly, Elanna felt that she was learning 
the skills she would need to hunt in the group again.  She had 
enjoyed spending the hunting time with the cubs, getting to know them 
better, but she was anxious to get in some hunts.


CHAPTER:  THE SIGNAL

	Elanna finally got her chance to hunt with her new pride.  
Memories came flooding back to her of the few good hunts she'd had 
with her old pride.  There was a time she had enjoyed the title of 
lioness while her sister the queen reveled in Mufasa's love, and poor 
Simba enjoyed the ignorance of youth.  Sarabi, lithe and lovely would 
stride through the golden grass beside her as Uzuri forged a path 
across the trackless savanna.  For the longest time it had seemed 
like a distant dream rather than a memory.  Now it was clear and 
sharp once more.  
	The group closed in on some gazelles that were grazing in a 
clearing.  Elanna's pulses pounded, and her breath came and went in 
restless tides.  She felt so alive, so aware!  The moment of fate was 
approaching, and her prey would either live or die.  
	Then Elanna saw what looked like the signal to cut off escape 
and she joyously lunged forward.  Behind her came shouts of, "No!  
Stop!"
	But surely she had read a tail wave from the hunt mistress!  
Could it mean something different here?  The realization made her 
stomach knot tightly.  Rather than cutting off escape, her gaffe only 
spooked the gazelles who ran like an opening blossom of tan across 
the grassland.  
	The lionesses looked upset at her move...but understanding as 
it was her first hunt with the new pride. It wasn't until she heard 
the queen yell, "Damn," Did she feel the blood rush to her face in 
embarrassment of her move.
	The lionesses of the pride came up to her and nuzzled her 
gently, each telling her that it was all right.  Wehu was 
embarrassed.  "I should have gone over our signals with you.  I'm so 
sorry!"
	"It's my fault, Wehu.  I should have asked."
	Elanna understood, though, that she would be cub-setting again 
for a while.  The queen went up to her and scowled, "Damn honey...I 
know you are new here, but that was downright stupid of you to go 
charging in on the alert signal."  
	"But Ujuzi, ma'am, in our old pride that was the signal for cut 
off escape...."
	The Queen just snorted at her.  "Maybe it still does.  You'd be 
of some use there."
	"Please, Ujuzi, forgive me!  It was an innocent mistake, I 
swear!  I'm a good huntress--really I am!"
	"Well dearie, why don't you go over your signals while you cub 
set for a while longer.  And remember Hon, you will be sitting the 
cubs...NOT my husband."  The lionesses looked with shock at the queen 
as she disappeared over the ridge.
	Wehu sighed and gave chase to her mother.  Finally catching up 
with her, "Mother!  Please!  Give her more chance!  She is almost 
having to learn to hunt again.  It isn't easy for her, and besides, 
what she did wasn't any worse than that miss you made with the 
wildebeest."
	"Damn it, that wasn't the same!  Not at all!"
	"Whatever you say, Mom."  She looked at her with a sigh.  "And 
could you PLEASE tone down your language a bit?"
	Ujuzi turned quickly, her eyes full of rage.  "What...am I not 
good enough for the little princess now?  I will not sit here and 
suckle that overgrown cub, while we grow thin enough to catch gophers 
in their holes.  Not only do we have another mouth to feed in the 
pride...but here she goes and ruins our hunt so we have NO food.  If 
she doesn't start getting her butt in gear, dear...I'll throw her out 
on hers...understand?  My responsibilities is to this pride...not to 
some deposed queen that has fallen on some bad times."  With that, 
she walked away, leaving Wehu in shock.
	Latter that night, the pride had bedded down.  The cubs were 
against their mother, enjoying their warmth, giving Elanna a breather 
from what seemed like constant story telling.  Mabongo noticed Elanna 
alone and moved to lie down next to her.  "I heard about what 
happened earlier"
	Elanna looked up to him, "I'm really sorry...I just got my 
signs messed up."
	Mabongo chuckled, "It's all right.  I remember what it was like 
when I started hunting, and when my daughter, then my granddaughter 
did.  It's not an easy thing you do, and I'm grateful to have such a 
fine group."
	Elanna smiled softly, "It won't happen again...I promise."  She 
looked around uneasily.  "Where is the queen?"
	He shook his head, "She probably off moping somewhere...she 
does that when she is in a foul mood.  I hear she didn't take your 
mistake too lightly."  He chuckled softly, "I'm actually kinda happy 
she is gone...she can be such a pain when she is in a bad mood."  He 
nuzzled her softly and smiled.  "I know the cubs ragged on you all 
day, but I would love to hear one of your stories."
	Elanna smiled gracefully and began telling him more about Taka, 
grateful that she had found her place.

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