Elanna was very fond of cubs, but after her miscarriage Rafiki broke the 
sad news that she would never have any children of her own.  Starved for 
love, she yearned for the sporadic attentions of the Pride's cubs.  
	Unfortunately, the other lionesses did not approve of her husband 
Taka.  They did not want her to be associating with their cubs, and 
while nothing was ever said to her face, they left no doubt how they 
felt.  Hushed whispers, subtle gestures and icy glances hurt her like 
claws at every turn.  And with anguish she would rest on her rock alone 
and watch cubs playing in the distance while she pined to groom them, 
tell them stories and kiss them softly and lovingly on the cheek and 
between the ears and maybe, Aiheu willing, feel their small soft bodies 
snuggled against her side in sleep.
	It was time for the hunt, a pleasure Elanna had been denied for 
almost three years.  And rather than leave Elanna with their cubs, Isha 
stayed behind to sit with them.  It was the ultimate accusation of 
uselessness hurled against Elanna that a fine huntress like Isha would 
leave the hunt to cub-sit.
	Taka was surveying his territory, about to leave to walk the 
border on his usual evening rounds.  Though Elanna counted herself 
fortunate that he was a very loving husband, he had turned more and more 
inward as the drought had worsened.  He would neglect her for hours at a 
time, even when he was not walking the line.  These times were her 
private hell, as neglected by her Pride Sisters she was also neglected 
by the reason for their scorn.
	Isha had to go relieve herself.  That was what she told the cubs 
at any rate, but the fact was she had other things she wanted to do.  
One was to raid some of the food the hyenas had stashed away to keep up 
her strength.  After days of eating lizards and mice, she felt entitled 
to her turn at raiding the cache.  It would take skill and finesse, and 
Elanna knew she would be gone for a while.
	She sneaked quietly to the cubs and sat down next to them.  "Hello 
there, sweet things!  It's good to see you again!"
	"Hi, Aunt Lannie!" Togo and Kombi said.  Habusu and Lisani rubbed 
against her endearingly and wiggled with joy as Elanna kissed them.
	"How about a nice story?" Elanna asked.
	"Yeah!" Togo said.  "One we haven't heard in a while!"
	Now there was one story they had not heard in a very long while 
because it struck uncomfortably close to home.  It was the only one 
Elanna could think of before they lost interest, so she started 
uncertainly into The Drought of Negeb.
	"There was once a Lion King Ulu who was a great ruler and 
exceedingly kind.  He had a son Negeb and his love for him was 
boundless, and everything that came to his son had to be the best.  But 
Negeb son became spoiled to this attention and when his father died and 
he had to rule the kingdom, he wanted to keep the privileges to which he 
had been used.  
	"Where his father had placed few responsibilities on his 
shoulders, he did not wish to make his daily patrols but instead had the 
lionesses drive off the hyenas and wild dogs whenever they found them.  
And though the lionesses worked harder for him than they did for his 
father, Negeb barely deigned to notice the voices of the lions under his 
rule, and the other animal Incosi were rarely permitted an audience.  
	"Kills made by the lionesses were judged harshly, and if deemed 
unfit for his tastes, he ordered the lionesses to hunt again.  
	"Tashi who was his betrothed came before him and nuzzled him.  `My 
King, I would remain behind from the hunt tonight.'
	"'And why is that, Tashi?  Are you ill?'
	"'I am approaching my first season, and I have come to please my 
husband.'
	"He looked at her appraisingly.  `Then why do you come here if it 
is your husband that you seek.'
	"'But Sire, were we not betrothed by our parents good and true?'
	"'Indeed we were,' King Negeb said.  `And yet your face is round 
and eyes are small, and your constant croaking like a raven is only 
matched by the harshness of your giggle.  What COULD my father have been 
thinking??'
	"'Oh, my King!' she cried, falling prostrate before him.  `You 
pierce my heart with thorns!'  She sobbed inconsolably.  `If my chatter 
bothers you, I shall remain silent, but do not cast me out!'
	"'Who cast you out, I say?  My belly is empty--the hunt begins.  
Hunt well, and you shall remain.  But do not call yourself my betrothed-
-the thought of breathing on your cheek makes me want to wretch!'
	"Deeply hurt, he young lioness went into the North, into the land 
of the hyenas, and when the sentries challenged her to leave or die, she 
said, `All places are one to me.  Do to me as it seems fit.'
	"Her great sadness touched the hearts of the hyenas, and they 
allowed her to remain and eventually to be adopted into the clan.  And 
for a long time Tashi stayed with them, learning their language and 
their customs.  Because her heart was good, they came to love her like a 
clan sister, and her love for them was returned.  But still there was an 
emptiness in her heart.  She missed her old pride sisters and despite 
all she still loved King Negeb and prayed each night that he would love 
her in return.
	"Aiheu was incensed with Negeb for his sins.  In a cloud of anger 
which blotted the sun and sent thunder and lightning to shake the 
foundation of the earth, Aiheu revealed himself in all his glory to the 
king, who wailed with terror.  `What is this that my servant has done?  
In foolishness have you increased, oh Negeb, and in foolishness shall 
you decrease.  Suffering shall overtake you, son of Ulu, and with the 
measure you granted mercy shall mercy be granted to you.  But for the 
sake of a good lioness who prays each night for you, I shall not rip you 
alive as I had wont to do.'
	"As the days passed, Aiheu's meaning became apparent.  The Lord's 
wrath burned from the heavens scorching the earth below.  Plants 
withered and died under the assault, and animals became scarce.  Only 
the hardy gemsbok remained, scrounging what nourishment they could from 
the dry earth.  The kings lionesses preyed heavily upon the gemsbok, as 
they were their only source of food as well as moisture.
	"One morning dawned to find the plains empty."  Elanna bowed her 
head and tears began to stream down her face.  Lisani snuggled closer 
against Habusu in the awful quiet, and her eyes reddened.
	"Lannie, are you all right?" Habu asked.
	Elanna kissed him.  "I'm sorry.  Really I am.  I just get 
emotional when I tell that story, Honey Tree.  I'm sorry."
	"Oh Lannie!" Lisani cried.  "Are we all going to die?"
	"No, hon.  Don't say that."  She rubbed her eyes and said, "I feel 
much better now, really I do.  Let's finish the story, shall we?"
	Elanna regained her composure.  "Aiheu had instructed the gemsbok 
to leave the land and journey to another kingdom far away which he had 
prepared for them.  The lionesses began to desert the land as well, 
saying, `Shall we remain here and die with one who loves us not?'"
	"I hope Nala comes home," Habu said.
	"So do I," Lisani said.
	"And us," Kombi said.  "Do you think she will?"
	"I hope so," Elanna said.  "Well, the king railed bitterly against 
God for the curse; each day his pride numbered fewer and fewer, their 
reports becoming more and more bleak.  Many things did he learn to eat, 
and days came when he would have been glad to eat anything, but there 
was nothing.  Then finally, he awoke one morning to hear only silence.  
His cries for help were pitiful, but no one remained to hear them.  
	"Utterly desolated, he shrank in a corner of his cave, the taste 
of fear strong on his drying tongue.  Weaker and weaker he became, his 
cries for help becoming hoarse, feeling his body's grip on his soul 
become weak as the water was drawn from him with each breath he exhaled.  
At last in utter misery, he cried out, "Oh gods, kill me!  Aiheu, 
release me form this torment, I cannot bear it any more!"
	Elanna's chin began to quiver.  "Poor, dear creature!  He wasn't 
evil--he was just an overgrown cub that wanted to be loved by someone!   
Somewhere along the way, he got on the wrong path, but his heart was 
good!"  She looked up at Taka as he sat unmoving upon the promontory and 
trembled.  "Who can say what pain and suffering he felt inside?  What 
lonely thoughts he carried in his heart?"
	Lisani left Habusu and snuggled against Elanna.  Habusu then lay 
against Elanna's other side and nuzzled her.  Togo and Kombi looked 
down, depressed.
	"His ear twitched as he heard the gentle pad of footsteps.  A 
voice spoke to him in the hyena tongue, and he shrank back.  `At last, 
it pleases Aiheu to release me from my suffering.'
	"'I do not know what pleases Aiheu,' the voice said plainly.  "But 
it would please me to ease your suffering.'
	"He opened his eyes and saw very dimly a lioness bearing a zebra 
haunch.  'Bless you, child!'  Hungrily he devoured the meat, muttering 
thanks to Aiheu and the stranger.  `I would have perished without your 
help.'
	"'Milord values my presence, then?'
	"'I value you well!'  He said, `Your voice is familiar, but tinged 
with some great sadness.  Who has harmed you?'
	"'I was scorned by my betrothed.  He saw no value in me but my 
hunting skills.'
	"'Stay here, then.  I will appreciate you.'
	"'But does my voice not still croak like a raven?  Is my face not 
too round?  Only don't worry, my betrothed, I do not laugh harshly 
anymore, for all the joy has gone out of my life.'
	"Negeb fell before her and sobbed.  `Tashi, Tashi!  How I wronged 
you!  Heaven and Earth have condemned me, and justly so!'
	"'You feel sorry for me?'
	"'I feel sorry for myself, that I have lost the love of a noble 
and gentle creature.  But for your prayers each night, Aiheu would have 
slain me.'
	"'He spared you for my sake that we might be married someday.  You 
have not lost my love.'
	"He nuzzled her and said, `I long to see your lovely round face 
and your beautiful small eyes.  And your sweet raven's voice I would 
hear always....'"
	She looked up at Taka again.  Her eyes followed the curves of his 
body and the sad set of his chin.  "'....and you shall laugh again, so 
swear I before Aiheu that I will put joy back in your life.'"  Elanna 
reached out toward him with her paw.  "Joy and love, my darling!  Love 
that will last till the last beat of my heart.  Love that will overlook 
your faults and build you up when others tear you down.  Love that looks 
past the scars and sees the beauty!  Oh gods, just look at him!  He's 
worrying himself into an early death and all they do is heap abuse on 
him!"
	Lisani started to cry and paw Elanna's tear-stained cheeks.
	Elanna tried desperately to cover and go on with the story.  "'The 
land is dying,' Negeb said, `and I am dying with it.  It is no good to 
stay here.'
	"'Perhaps the Lord will have mercy on you for my sake.  I shall 
remain.'
	"And so at last they became husband and wife.  And Aiheu saw true 
repentance in the lion's heart and relented.  He allowed One-who-brings-
rain to return and make the land fertile again, and called back the 
animals and birds.  Oh, and what a beautiful sight it was, my cubs!"
	She looked out over the dust-choked landscape with its leafless 
trees writhing in mute agony in the dry wind.  "When the rain came, it 
smelled so sweet and dry earth soaked up the water and the grass turned 
green again!"  She ran her paw through the dust.  "Oh to see the green 
grass and the flowers one last time!  To feel the rain pelt on my fur 
again and watch the waterhole grow broad and deep again the way it was 
when I was a cub!  Can you remember when the water was deep enough to 
reach the base of the shrubs?  Can you?"
	"I can," Lisani said, tears coursing down her cheeks.  "Oh, 
Lannie!"
	"Look at me going on like an old fool!  I'll never finish this 
story if I keep wandering like that!"
	"You're not an old fool!" Togo said.  "Don't say bad things like 
that--it's not true!"
	Elanna stroked him with a paw.  "No, you're right of course.  I 
just feel old.  Bless your heart, Honey Tree.  You were always good to 
your Aunt Lannie."  She waited a moment until she was properly composed 
before she continued.
	"The land healed itself of its scars, and Negeb thereafter 
acquitted himself nobly, with Tashi as his queen.  And though Aiheu 
blessed the land and its inhabitants, each year he called the animals 
away for a time and One-who-brings-rain withheld his gift to remind 
Negeb of his obligation to the gods.  And so it is till this day."
	"Did Taka do something bad?"  Habusu glanced nervously at the dark 
lion brooding up on the promontory above.  "Is that why Aiheu is 
punishing us?"
	Elanna drew close and nuzzled him behind the ear.  "No, Habu.  
Aiheu isn't mad at us.  The drought is a part of life, and so are the 
rains that follow behind it.  In this way, Aiheu reminds us of our place 
in the Circle of Life, that we are all equal in his eyes, king and 
commoner."
	Lisani peered up at Elanna.  "Even cubs?"
	Elanna kissed Lisani on the tip of her nose.  "Yes, even cubs."
	"And Taka too?"
	"Of course, even Taka too.  Aiheu loves us all, hon."
	"Good."  Lisani craned her head back up to where the king sat 
still, watching the horizon for some unknown sign.  "I hope God makes it 
rain soon to remind him.  I think Taka's forgotten it."
	Elanna kissed the cubs again and sighed deeply.  "I hope so, too."  
She managed a smile.  "Why don't we do something happy?  How about the 
Sufa Song!  Does anyone know all the movements?"
	"Me!  Me!"
	"OK, Lisani!  Why don't you lead us?"
	Wiggling with pride, Miss Priss faced her small audience.  Her 
eyes narrowed in deep concentration for a moment as she mentally went 
over the parts she was unsure of, but then she brightened.  Facing away 
from the sunset with a paw against her cheek, she began:

		Lord, I want to meet you in the East!
		Lord, I want to meet you in the East!
		When I'm young I won't neglect you in the least;
		Oh Lord, I want to meet you in the East!

	She turned to face the sunset and touched her nose to the ground, 
putting a paw on top of her head.

		Lord, I want to meet you in the West!
		Lord, I want to meet you in the West!
		When I'm old your loving arms will feel the best;
		Oh Lord, I want to meet you in the West!

	Finally, with simple, heartfelt faith, she rolled on her back and 
rubbed her chest above her heart.  Elanna and the others followed her.

		Lord, I want to meet you in this place!
		Lord, I want to meet you in this place!
		When I do, I'll see the beauty in your face;
		Oh Lord, I want to meet you in this place!

	"Wasn't that good!"  Elanna kissed her repeatedly.  "And how big 
you've grown!  Don't wait so long till you come to see me again, or 
you'll be all grown up!"
	Isha, who showed up near the end of the song, said rather 
urgently, "It's time for your bath, Habu.  You too, Lissie."  
	"Oh, I can handle that," Elanna said.  
	"No thank you," Isha said, almost curtly.
	"I don't mind, really!  You take Habu and I'll do Lisani."
	"No thank you, my lady.  Unless that's a direct order."
	"Of course it's not an order.  I just love them, that's all."  
Elanna bowed her head.  "And I thought you loved me, Isha!  Don't you 
remember when I used to groom you after the hunt?  You said we'd always 
be friends!  Have you forgotten, Isha??"
	Isha looked away and sighed.  "Please, not in front of the 
children.  They don't understand."
	"Neither do I.  I wish to Aiheu someone would explain it to me!"  
She looked at the cubs who stared at her with sad faces.  "Good bye, 
Miss Priss.  Take care, Habu.  Well, I guess you other cubs had better 
run along too."  As Isha stalked off with her pair, Elanna left Togo and 
Kombi and sneaked off to hide in the reeds.  
	Shouldering the plants aside, Elanna stared down at the dry dust.  
A tear trickled down her cheek, hanging from a whisker for a moment 
before dropping to vanish into the parched earth.  "Aiheu, Aiheu, why 
have you abandoned me??  This judgment is more than I can bear!  Let it 
rain, God!  One little drop to fall on my husband's parched tongue!  Why 
won't you listen to me!  Oh God, if there's hope for me, show me a sign!  
Don't abandon me, God!  Please don't abandon me!"
	Togo and Kombi came and huddled next to Elanna, kissing her and 
snuggling by her side.
	"I thought you were headed out with Isha," she said, startled.
	"Lannie," Uzuri's voice said from behind her, "would you mind 
looking after these two until I get back?  I may be a while."
	"Zuri!  How much did you hear??"
	"Enough."
	Elanna bit her lip.  "You won't tell anyone, will you?  You're 
such a good person, Zuri.  I hate to cry like a cub, but sometimes I get 
so depressed, and it seems like there's no way out...."  Elanna 
shuddered.  "Nala left the Pride.  Oh gods, Zuri, if you left me, I'd go 
crazy!  Stark raving mad!  Never leave me, Zuri!  Whatever you want, 
I'll make sure you get it!  I'll give you my portion.  Anything, Zuri!  
Don't leave me!  Please!"
	"Did you say you'd do anything?  Then would you consent to be the 
Nurse-mother of my children?  If I died, would you take care of Togo and 
Kombi?"
	Elanna's chin trembled and her eyes flooded with tears that 
spilled over and ran down her cheeks.  It was a few moments before she 
could speak, and her first words were, "I love you, Zuri!  I would offer 
them the blood of mercy if need be!"
	With her paw she fondled Togo and Kombi, and kissed them.  "See, 
Uzuri, God has not abandoned me!"
	"Of course he hasn't," Uzuri said, kissing away her tears.
	"You do know I love you, don't you?  You know I'd do anything for 
you, don't you?"
	"Of course I do.  Now buck up.  You don't want your husband to see 
you've been crying, do you?"
	"No."  She sighed.  "It would be one more thing for him to worry 
about."  She took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and smiled.

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