CHAPTER:  A BLESSED EVENT

	Isha responded to Baba's love by kindling new life within her.  
Baba had never witnessed pregnancy before, and he spent many days in 
anxious pacing as the evidence of his new family began to show.
	"This waiting is killing me!" he said after two moons.
	"What do you think it's doing to me??" Isha asked.  Then she laid 
on her side and motioned for him to come over.  "Lay your head against 
me here.  Now listen very carefully."
	Baba settled against her belly, straining to hear the sounds of 
new life.  "Hey!"
	"Did you hear anything?"
	"No, but something moved!"

CHAPTER:  THE NEXT DAY

	Baba was anxious to hear news of his matchmaking game, but his 
mother's polite smile prepared him for disappointment.  "It was 
interesting," she said.  "Things just didn't work out.  I felt guilty, 
like I was about to cheat on my husband, and he felt like he was 
sneaking out on his wife.  In the end, we just sat and talked politely.  
He's a good friend, and I'm glad I got to know him better, but neither 
one of us had nerve to go make love."
	King Mabatu passed by.  "Hello Baba.  Good morning, Kako."
	"Good morning to you too," she said.  "I trust you slept well?"

CHAPTER:  ALONE AT LAST

	Isha was amused at all the new attention she received as wife of 
the prince.  It was sweet revenge for all the humiliation she had 
suffered when her cubs were born.  Still she turned away the respectful 
titles thrust on her, insisting with a disarming laugh that she was not 
a "Mistress Isha" or a "My Lady."  With a casual nod, she would say, 
"I'm just plain old Isha."
	Her husband smiled.  "Plain old Isha, eh?"
	She padded over and flopped down next to him.  "And what's wrong 
with plain old Isha?"
	"Oh, nothing!  It fits you, actually..."  He rolled over and

CHAPTER:  MATCH POINT

	Shenzi began circling Uhuru slowly, sizing him up.  He was 
smaller, but he was very quick and agile.
	Fighting to remember all his mother had taught him about combat, 
Uhuru kept his head low to the ground, trying to give her the smallest 
target possible.
	"Kill her!" Azuba shouted.  "See if her Roh'kash comes to her aid!  
I think not!"
	Suddenly Shenzi lunged, jaw snapping and claws swinging for 
purchase in his living flesh.  Most of the lions watched spellbound as 
the battle raged on, but all Isha could think of was her son.  She began 
looking about frantically calling, "Habu!  It's Mommy!  Answer me, Habu!

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

CHAPTER:  THE BIRTH OF THE CUBS

	When Isha's time had come, she had three cubs.  Her son looked 
like the newborn Mabatu, and so she called him Habusu.  Maybe he would 
meet a good lioness who would love him the way she loved her Baba and be 
a prisoner to her love.  The daughters were named Minshasa and Jona 
after her favorite lionesses in  star lore.
	Rumors had circulated about the father of the cubs.  While it was 
still uncertain, most of the lionesses would have bet their whiskers 
that she had mated with Mabatu before his mantlement.  Some of her pride 
sisters filed by to see them, more out of curiosity than of joy.  They

CHAPTER:  THE CONFRONTATION

	Unwittingly, Baba was heading right into the eye of the storm.  He 
was a gentle-natured soul and knew nothing of what he would face in The 
Big World.  He kept a piece of advice that Isha had given him in the 
forefront--let Aiheu be your landmark and he will lead you home.
	Baba came to a stream.  Under the searing sun, he sought to slake 
his thirst in the cool, clean water.  He dipped his muzzle in and drew 
out refreshment, then he reached in with a paw and threw the cold, 
invigorating drops in his face, heaving a sigh of relief.  A nearby 
acacia tree offered some shade, and he crossed the stream and settled

CHAPTER:  MID-MOON

	Late that night near mid-moon, he looked at his resting consort 
and said, "Isha, my lover, can I ask you a favor?"  She smiled and said, 
"Again, my little brush fire?"  She licked her paw and groomed her face.  
"Let me prepare myself."
	"No, not that.  When I face Aiheu, I want to face him as your 
husband.  Would you please pledge to me?  Please?  I hear you're not the 
marrying type, but when they ask me who I'm praying for, I want to say 
it's my wife."
	She was stunned.  She'd never been asked quite that way before.  
She only had to think a moment.  "That's the only thing that could make

CHAPTER:  A NICE COLD DIP

	Mabatu was living up to his promise.  Those who thought handsome 
babies often grow up to be plain had to admit that there were exceptions 
to every rule.  At one year of age, Baba was still a youngster, but his 
beauty would turn the heads of the female cubs.  Like warm sunshine was 
his smile, and his walk was a carefully choreographed dance of joy that 
delighted the eye and gladdened the heart.
	Lela padded over to him at the cistern as he stopped to draw 
refreshment and watched him with deepest admiration.  "Baba?  What'cha 
doing now?"
	"I'm seeing what I'd look like with big round wrinkles."

CHAPTER:  OUR LITTLE SECRET

	Isha did not know if Kako had heard any of the snide remarks.  She 
grimaced with embarrassment as she went to see Mabatu's mother and clear 
things up once and for all.
	"Isha!" Kako said with her usual sunshine.  She nuzzled Isha and 
patted her shoulder with a paw.  "You're so sweet taking care of my 
Baba.  He had such a good time last night, he was talking about it on 
and on!"
	"Oh?"  Isha smiled timidly.  "Anything I should know about?"
	Kako's ears twitched, but she made nothing of it as if she didn't 
hear the question.  Isha was not about to ask it again.