Ahadi was sitting at the end of the promontory where he had been for an 
hour or more just looking out over the lands.  Taka crept quietly out on 
to the shaft of stone.  With stealthy pads, he approached his father, 
anxious to see what mood he would find him in.  Akase looked rather 
upset but would tell him nothing about what the King wanted.  He hated 
it when she did that.
	"My son, come sit by me."
	"Dad, did I do something to make you angry?"
	"No.  Come sit by me."
	"You're not sick are you?"
	"No.  Just sit by me."
	Taka sat next to his father.  Taka's breath came and left in 
hurried bursts and there was a trembling in his limbs.  "It's not fair!  
I know something's wrong!"
	"It all depends in how you look at it."
	"I don't even know what it is."
	"It's just that I'm having one of those times when it's not easy 
to be king.  I have to make a lot of difficult decisions, and when I do, 
I come up here and let the wind clear my head.  Feel the wind, Taka.  My 
son, if you concentrate hard enough, you can let the wind blow your 
worries away and all that is left is the decision itself."
	"So you are making a hard decision?  And you need my help?"
	"In a way, yes.  I've made the hard decision already, but I don't 
know how much pain it will cause, my son.  Pain inside me, and pain to 
the ones I love."
	Taka looked away.  "You might have known a long time ago if you 
had been more observant.  Why don't you cut to the chase?  I want to 
hear you say it rather than overhearing it in the shadows and crying 
alone."
	"Very well, son.  Mufasa is going to be the next king.  It was not 
an easy decision."
	"I guess not.  Either pick the one you love the most or the one 
that's best qualified.  Love always wins out, doesn't it?"
	Ahadi looked down.  Tears came to his eyes.  "Oh Taka, before 
Aiheu I hope you didn't mean that!  Muffy loves me, but I've always 
known who loved me the most.  Son, I love you more than I could say."
	"Oh, Dad!  I'm sorry!"
	Ahadi nuzzled him.  "Son, to me you will always be beautiful and 
wonderful, but you are not strong enough to bear the brunt of the world 
when it becomes harsh and unyielding."
	"So it's my scar."
	"No."
	"Then it's my weak body."
	"Not just that, though Muffy's strength was a factor."
	"Then what was it, Father??  Why was I passed over?"
	Tears streamed down Ahadi's face and he looked away.  "Must I say 
it?  What's done is done."
	"Why, father??  At least tell me why??"
	Ahadi looked around and stroked Taka's cheek with his paw.  
"Because your heart is so gentle, you would not be able to make the hard 
decisions demanded of a King.  You are so full of beauty and love that 
you can see no ugliness in anyone or anything.  Muffy has a good Ka, but 
he always cautious to avoid the deceit and wiles of his adversaries.  He 
can be harsh when a King must be harsh.  Could you have put Gur'mekh to 
death?  Could you have slit his innards with his sad, terrified eyes 
looking up at you?"
	Taka looked away.
	"See, your own heart tells you I'm right.  In love, I did not 
burden you with this weight.  You may not see it this way, but I'm doing 
you a great favor."
	"So that was it.  You think me only a scholar??  Did I learn one 
too many stories?  Did I know too much history??  Did I pay a little too 
much attention and not watch the wildebeests enough??"
	"No, my son!  I am not perfect, but I have always acted in good 
conscience."  Ahadi's chin began to tremble.  "Have I not told you every 
day that I loved you?  Did I miss a day?  Do you hate me, Taka?  Do you 
hate your old father who sired you and gave you his unconditional love?"
	Taka looked at him and shuddered.  "How could I!"
	Ahadi leaned into Taka and nuzzled him.  "I love you like the 
rivers love the rain.  Never tell your brother what has passed between 
us.  I love him very much and don't want him hurt.  And I want you to 
love him too.  More than anything."
	"Yeah, right."
	Ahadi took in a deep breath and let it out.  "Don't start ignoring 
me now.  You need to hear this story."  He put his paw over Taka's and 
gave it a light push.
	"When Aiheu first brought light to the world, he brought to shine 
the two brothers Sun and Moon.  And at first they were alike, equally 
bright and warm, and very proud of their great beauty.  But the heat of 
their twin lights was unbearable and no good thing could grow and no 
good thing could walk upon the ground.  And Aiheu repented that he 
created two brothers, and wondered which one should lose his light and 
warmth that the world might live.
	"Sun begged the Lord that he might shine forever, and that his 
faithful service would bear witness to his entitlement.
	"'Moon your brother has also been faithful in his duties and 
served me well.'
	"At this, Sun began to cry and begged the Lord that he should not 
be extinguished.
	"At this, Moon bowed before Aiheu and said, `As my brother has 
asked, so be it.  I cannot stand to see him harmed, for he is my brother 
and I love him.'
	"At this, Sun felt shame.  `Blessed are you, Moon, for you are the 
greater brother.  To you should go the light of Heaven and I will sit in 
darkness and bewail my foolish pride.'
	"Aiheu wept.  He held Moon to his heart and said, `As you have 
asked me, so shall it be done.  But I shall not extinguish you, but only 
cool your light.  And my children will mark their lives by you, the 
brighter light to be the day and the lesser light to be the night.  But 
greater are you, Moon, for your mercy shall be remembered as long as 
this story is told among my children.'  And Aiheu kissed him three 
times, each time dimming his light a little until he only shed a soft 
glow.
	"Now when the living things were made as Ka was placed in forms of 
Ma'at, Aiheu considered that these children would have life, then die.  
And he considered what to do that new life would arise to replace the 
old.  So he considered the brothers Sun and Moon, and one of every 
living creature he made like the Sun, powerful and fiery.  The other he 
made soft and gentle.  And so it was that male and female he created 
them, that by working together through love, the gift of life should 
endure forever.  Because the male is powerful, he fights to protect the 
Pride from all its enemies.  But it is the female whom God has given the 
miracle of bearing children.  Remember, my cubs, to honor your mother 
when she commands."
	Ahadi nuzzled Taka.  "I'm asking you to be Brother Moon.  Mufasa 
thought you deserved to be King.  He also asked me to divide the kingdom 
between you.  I refused him, son.  But I want you to carry all your days 
the secret that he would have given you the kingship and half of 
everything he owns.  Don't hurt him, Taka!  Please don't hurt him!"
	"Oh, Daddy!"  Taka pushed his face into Ahadi's soft mane.  "I 
love you!"

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