CHAPTER: THE HOMECOMING

	Habu was trapped in a small fissure in the side of Pride Rock.  
He'd gotten separated from his mother during the heat of The Great 
Battle, and fled shrieking from a hyena into the first place he could 
hide.  It was barely adequate at best.  If he'd ever had reason to fear 
hyenas before, he had an even better one.
	The guard that was after him reached in with a paw trying to pull 
Habu's small body into his deadly jaws.  The cub huddled back as far as 
he could and watched as the paw swiped slightly closer each time as the 
hyena wedged himself more tightly into the crack.  It was only a matter 
of time until the claws found flesh and began to tear gashes and finally 
manage a grip.  In mad desperation, Habu timed his next move, snapped at 
the flailing paw, and held on to it.
	With a shriek of pain, the hyena gave his paw a mighty yank 
backward.  Habu's canines and shearing teeth had set deeply, and they 
gouged long parallel gashes into its flesh.  Screaming, the hyena turned 
about in tight circles, holding his paw up.  "Krekh toh!  Krekh toh, you 
dirty little bormarkh!  I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do!"
	Suddenly, a tawny streak passed by and with another shriek, the 
wounded hyena was raked brutally across the abdomen.  He collapsed at 
once into a pool of his own blood and humors, writhing in his death 
struggles.
	Habu cowered in the back of the cave, his eyes squeezed shut.  He 
tried to drown out the awful moans of the hyena, putting his head down 
and clamping his paws tightly over his head.
	"Roh'kash!  Roh'kash ne nabu!  Roh'kash ne nabu!"
	Habu could smell smoke.  At first he thought it was the scent of a 
dying hyena, for he had never experienced fire, but as the smell grew in 
its acrid intensity, he felt he must take another look outside.
	What he saw was incredible.  The hyenas were being driven off!  
They were running away!  He looked about and saw flames consuming the 
dry grass.  The whole world was on fire!  He did not understand the red 
plague, but some distant ancestral memory told him to avoid it.
	He glanced down at the hyena.  The eyes turned to look back at 
him.  Though Habu was still frightened, he understood that he was in no 
immediate danger.  He stepped around the blood-spattered body as the 
eyes followed him, and trotted off to find his mother.  Amarakh still 
lay twisted in the knot of her final death spasm.  He had liked Amarakh, 
but he was frightened and could not bring himself to touch her lacerated 
body.
	"Momma!  Momma!"
	He ran down the steep switchbacks of the trail leading to the 
ground.  There at the base of Pride Rock, he stopped for a moment to 
look at his friend Taka who lay with a gaping wound on his abdomen.  He 
trembled and headed to the sad lion that had stared at him balefully.  
Taka had been his friend, and he shoved him with a paw.  "Are you OK?  
Taka?"  He walked about, but the eyes did not follow him or blink.  
"You're dead, aren't you?"  It was a foolish question.  "Poor Taka."  He 
reached out and gently stroked his mane.  "I guess you're gone to see 
Jona."
	It was his first time to see a dead lion.  Sad and confused, he 
wandered off to find someone--anyone--that could tell him where Isha 
was.  He prayed that she was not with Jona too.
	It began to rain.  The pelting drops from the sky were a new 
experience for him, and he watched as the ash on the ground began to run 
in gray rivulets across the parched earth before being absorbed.
	"Habu??"
	Habusu's heart almost went into his mouth.  "Mom??"
	Isha came running across the scorched earth.  "Oh thank gods!!"  
She fell to her side and with a quick swipe of her paw, pulled his 
squirming, happy body to her heart and kissed him repeatedly.  "My 
little boy!  Oh gods, I was going crazy with worry!  Don't EVER run off 
like that again!"
	Miss Priss rubbed against his mud-spattered body.  "Habu!"  She 
was usually very affectionate to him, but this time she spared no degree 
of effort, kissing him and pawing his face until his heart swam.
	A large male lion with a wet but still impressive russet mane 
strode toward Pride Rock past them.  
	"Who's that, Mom?"
	"That's Simba!  He's the true king!  Wave at him!"
	Habusu rose, covered with ash and mud, and waved his paw.  Simba 
turned and nodded at him.
	"Did you see that, Mom??  He winked at me!"
	"He sure did, honey tree!"
	The old mandrill Rafiki stood at the base of the promontory and 
hopped impatiently as the lion ascended the trail leading up Pride Rock.  
He glanced at Taka, shook his head, then spoke with the mandrill.
	"What's going to happen?" Habu asked.
	"He's going to climb the rock and roar for us.  Then he'll be king 
of the Pride Lands."
	"Is he going to do it now?"
	"Soon.  Just watch."
	Trembling with emotion, Isha drew Habu to her side and watched 
through the rain as Mufasa's son ascended the granite promontory.  The 
hyenas were gone, and hope for the future made her heart swell and 
filled her eyes with tears.
	"Gods forgive me," Isha said, "but I never thought I would live to 
see this day.  Look, Habu!  There is your king!"  
	Habu watched the lion come to the end of the promontory.  He had 
never known Mufasa, but he heard so many wonderful things about him that 
he thrilled to see his son come home and take his place as king.  The 
infectious joy and hope affected him deeply, and he nearly danced with 
an excitement that seemed to fall in the rain, blow in the winds and 
bubble up from inside all at once.
	Simba looked down at his faithful pride.  Habu nudged his Mom.  
"Look, he's looking at us!"
	"Shhh, Honey Tree!  Watch!  You'll want to tell your grandkids 
about this."
	Silhouetted against the sky, Simba looked up expectantly.  As if 
to answer him, a rift opened in the clouds and he saw the stars.  
Drawing in a deep breath, he sounded a thunderous roar.
	Isha and the other lionesses poured out their soul, their sounds 
echoing and blending in a joyous song of triumph.


CHAPTER:  THE CRISIS

	When good news is too good to be true, it's sure to be followed by 
something bad.  Simba's return to the Pride Lands offered hope to the 
despondent and strength to the weary.  But Isha found her rejoicing cut 
short when realized her most precious possession was missing--Habu was 
nowhere to be found.
	Simba and Nala were just waking up after their first night home.  
Before they could go for a morning drink at the cistern, Isha bounded 
into their cave, wild-eyed.  "Forgive my intrusion, Incosi, but I can't 
find my son!  Please help me!"  Isha was nearly incoherent.  "I let him 
go play with Uzuri's cubs' but they don't know where he went and he 
won't answer me!"
	"Calm down, Isha."  Nala touched her with her tongue.  "Think now, 
where did you see him last?"
	"I was lying in the grassy spot over by the north face.  He went 
off to play with Togo and Kombi.  I told him to stay near Uzuri but he 
didn't listen."  She struck the ground with her paw.  "I should never 
have let him go!"
 	Uzuri slinked in morosely.  "I can't find him, Isha.  I don't know 
where he went, but I found out why."  She frowned at her twins who tried 
to look small and inconspicuous.  "It seems Togo and Kombi were playing 
a little...rough."  She patted Isha comfortingly.  "Don't worry, Hon, 
he's probably just sulking somewhere."
	"That's just it; he always comes when I call him, no matter what 
mood he's in.  He's such a good boy."  She buried her face into Uzuri's 
shoulder and sobbed.  "My son!  My little son!"
	Simba glanced at Nala.  "Oh boy.  I'm gonna go ask Rafiki if he 
can help.  Maybe he'll know where to look.  In the meanwhile, get some 
search parties organized."
	Simba worked his way quickly down the rock, then ran unbroken 
toward Rafiki's acacia.  Isha had taken several bites meant for him 
during The Great Battle, and he felt suitably grateful.  "Aiheu, help 
us!  Isha deserves better than this."  By the large trunk of the tree he 
stopped breathless, looking up into the branches.  "Rafiki!  Rafiki??  
Are you awake??"
	"Indeed I am.  What is all the commotion about?"
	"Habusu is lost.  Can you do anything to help us?  We have to find 
him quickly, before something else does."
	Rafiki started.  "Aiheu forbid--I will try."
	Back at Pride Rock, Isha was going crazy with worry.  Nala was 
stroking her with a paw, nuzzling her.  "We will find him, Auntie Isha.  
I promise."
	"How can you promise something like that?"  Isha trembled.  "You 
can't!  What if he's dead already??  What if he's fallen into a 
sinkhole??  Maybe he's calling for me!"
	"Easy, girl!  Easy!  Don't think such things!"
	Simba came running back to the cave with a frantic looking Rafiki 
on his back clinging to his mane.
	Isha stepped out of the cave, looking hopeful, but her face fell 
when she saw no sign of her cub.
	"Isha, my poor dear," Rafiki said, running up and hugging her 
neck.  "Do not fret.  We will find your child."  He quickly set up his 
scrying bowl and filled it with water from a gourd he carried.  "Do you 
have anything that he might have touched or played with in the past day 
or so?  An old bone, perhaps?"
	"No, he doesn't play with toys very much; he likes to pounce and 
wrestle more than anything else."
	Rafiki frowned. "Hmm. That will make it more difficult; I don't 
think I'll be able to find him without something."
	Isha said, "How about some dead grass?  I made him a soft place to 
sleep."
	He paused, stroking the flowing white hair which grew from his 
chin.  "Yes.  Yes indeed."
	She brought a small mouthful of dry grass, but he only took a few 
strands.  She watched closely as he dropped the grass into the bowl, 
where it floated about in a small circle.  Isha and Simba peered over 
his shoulder with interest as Rafiki made a short prayer, then studied 
the pattern of ripples in the water.  "Makpelah the Circle.  He lives."
	Simba sighed with relief as Isha sank to the ground.  "Aiheu be 
praised," she whispered.  "Where is he?"
	Rafiki scratched his head. "I don't know."  But all too soon, he 
would have a good idea.
	"Hey, your Majesty!" called a hyena voice.  "I would most HUMBLY 
request an audience with you."
	"I know that voice," Simba said.  A distant but horrible memory 
came back to him.  "Oh gods, no!  Shenzi!"


CHAPTER:  HOLDING OUT HOPE

	Shenzi had offered to help look for the child, but her veiled 
threats were all too clearly read, and they proved to be more than just 
a trick to gain influence with Simba.  After a long and frustrating day 
of searching, Yolanda and Sarafina came and bowed breathless before 
Simba to make a startling report.  
	"We found Habu."
	"Where is he?" Isha gasped.  Her stomach knotted.  "Oh God, tell 
me he's not dead!"
	"He is alive, Isha.  Aiheu forgive me for saying so, but it might 
be better for him if he had died.  The hyenas have him."
	After a moment of pain and anger, Simba roared loudly and said, 
"Come, Isha. Let's go get your son."
	Every able body was called into the rescue operation.  Only the 
cubs were left behind.  Uzuri took charge of the team for all prey was 
one to her, and she took this particular hunt to heart.  There could be 
no sudden rush, for it is likely the prey would not flee.  It required 
something more subtle than a dash for gazelles, and she was willing to 
do whatever it took to ensure the safety of her pride sisters as well as 
that of Habusu.  In the back of her mind, however, she remembered Ber, 
Makhpil, and several others whom she could see no evil in.  She prayed 
they would be safe as well, and maybe that they would help her.
	Quickly and silently, the ghosts of Pride Rock slinked through the 
grass as silently as a gentle wind, but they were a mighty thunderstorm 
ready to strike the enemy with lightning.
	The guards posed little problem.  The quiet approach caught a 
couple of cowardly hyenas by surprise, and within moments they were 
driven off into the uncertain night.
	Uhuru, the Roh'mach, was making his nightly rounds before he 
slept.  He saw the stealthy approach of the lions, and it surprised him 
that they came unannounced.  "I'm going to have a word with Griz'nik," 
he grumbled as he headed to meet them.
	"Sire!  What an honor!"  He bowed.  "No news on your missing 
child, I'm afraid." 
	Simba ran to him and snarled viscously.  "What in God's name do 
you think you're doing with our cub?  Did you think we wouldn't find 
out??"
	Uhuru quailed and shrank back.  "Sire??  I don't understand!"
	Isha stared into his eyes.  "Liar!  Where is my child?  What have 
you done with him??"  She scanned the area frantically.  "Habu?  Habu, 
it's Mom!  Oh gods, answer me!"  Her voice echoed, mocking her.  She 
turned back to Uhuru, her ears laid flat in anger.  "What have you done 
with him?"
	Sitting above them on a ledge, Shenzi laughed.
	Simba glared up at Shenzi.  "Are you responsible for this?"
	"And what if I am, cubby?  What are you going to do about it?  
Touch me and your little babykins is going to be tonight's dinner."
	Simba strode forward angrily.  "What do you want?"
	Shenzi laughed.  "Are you that dense?  I want that pathetic excuse 
for a Roh'mach replaced.  We need someone more qualified."
	"That someone wouldn't happen to be you, would it?"
	"Why, dearie, I thought you'd never ask.  I'd be delighted to 
volunteer."
	"I'm sure you would!"  Simba roared loudly.  "I will not be 
dictated to by anyone, especially you.  You helped Scar kill my father, 
and by God I either get Habusu back or I'll rip you."
	"So she helped kill Mufasa too?" Uhuru asked.  He confronted 
Shenzi, shouting, "Let's end this here and now.  I call on the gods to 
witness our Shih'kal.  I challenge you to fight to the death."
	Deathly silence fell as Shenzi stared at Uhuru, openmouthed.  
"What?  You can't do this!"
	Azuba stepped forward.  "But he has."  She was a loyalist and 
hated Shenzi.  She scrabbled up to the ledge and drew close to her 
enemy, speaking through the clenched teeth of her rage.  "Accept the 
challenge, or forfeit forever your claim as Roh'mach."
	Shenzi looked around at the other hyenas.  The challenge had been 
witnessed, and she faced only two paths.  "Very well.  I accept the 
challenge."  She shoved past Azuba and stood before Uhuru, spitting at 
his feet.  "Fool.  You would have lost your title.  Now you lose your 
life."
	"Really?"  His eyes bored into hers intently.  "We shall see."

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