Ahadi paced nervously outside the small cave at the base of Pride Rock which the lionesses used as a birthing den. The king's first son, Mufasa sat watching his father's every move with great interest. Ahadi was far too preoccupied to take any notice of the cub. After all, his queen was in the cave giving birth to their next child.
By the sound of things, Uru was having a difficult time. The queen's groans and moans emanated from within the cave with disturbing clarity. Ahadi could not hear Uru's outbursts with equanimity, yet there was literally nothing he could do to help. Thus the king paced out of concern and frustration.
"Don't worry, Sire," Zazu said blithely. "I'm sure Rafiki has everything well under control."
Ahadi had the strong urge to smack the blue hornbill with the back of his paw but chose to ignore the irritating bird instead. Zazu was the majordomo's son even if he could be an annoying twit at times. Ahadi silently promised himself that he would have a word with Zuzu about the perils of nepotism.
Deep down inside Ahadi knew he only had himself to blame, he did give Zuzu the right to choose her own officers. Firing Zazu would be fun, but if Ahadi did that then Zuzu would probably resign as well. She was a competent majordomo and the king did not want to lose her. He only wished that she would have chosen a job for her son that didn't involve so much contact with himself.
Ahadi would have to wait for another time to deal with the conundrum of Zazu's position in the royal household. Maybe the king could think of a more suitable job for Zazu than royal herald, until then he would just have to suffer.
Ahadi's suffering was nothing compared to what Uru was going through. Her cries had become louder and more frequent. In between the queen's screams, Ahadi could hear Rafiki's gentle voice speaking to Uru soothingly. Each time the queen cried out the king felt his guts wrench. He prayed that everything would be over soon.
Uru gave out one last agonized wail and then fell silent. Ahadi stopped his pacing and stared apprehensively into the cave. He found the sudden silence more disturbing than his wife's screams had been. The king held his breath, it felt as though his heart had stopped beating while he waited.
Only after Rafiki emerged from the cave with a broad grin on his face was Ahadi able to finally relax. The old mandrill embraced the king warmly and then said triumphantly, "You have a new son, Ahadi."
The king positively beamed. Ahadi was quite beside himself with joy as the old shaman retrieved his staff from its resting place near the entrance to the birthing cave and ambled off to his beloved baobab. Then the king strode towards the cave to see his wife and newborn son. As soon as Ahadi reached the entrance to the cave, Zazu's voice invaded his consciousness like fingernails drawn across a chalkboard.
"Your Majesty," the hornbill said.
"What now, Zazu," Ahadi responded irritably.
"Shall I go and announce the wonderful news?" Zazu asked.
The king glared at the bird at first but then his expression quickly turned into a crafty smile. "Why yes, Zazu, that would be a splendid idea," Ahadi said. "But first inform your mother and tell her to make preparations for a presentation ceremony."
"Yes Sire," Zazu responded officiously and immediately took to the air.
Ahadi chuckled to himself, he figured that should keep the irritating little twit busy for quite some time. After taking care of Zazu, the king turned and strode into the birthing cave. Uru lay on her side gently licking her newborn son clean while the tiny cub had already begun to suckle. Ahadi stood over the pair for a moment, beaming proudly. Uru paused from her ministrations to look up at her husband quizzically, or was that an irritated look on her face? Ahadi wasn't quite sure in the poor light.
"What shall we call our new son?" Ahadi asked.
"Taka," Uru muttered under her breath.
"Pardon me," Ahadi said.
"Never mind," the queen said wearily.
The king strode up to Uru and nuzzled her affectionately. Uru purred, at least Ahadi thought it was a purr. Maybe it was a growl instead, again the king really wasn't certain. He tried to kiss her but she pushed him away gently with her forepaw. "I'm tired Ahadi, can we do this some other time."
"Certainly my dear," the king replied. Ahadi turned from Uru and slowly walked away. He turned for one last glimpse of his wife and son. Before exiting the cave the king said, "I love you."
The third day after Uru had given birth was set aside for the formal presentation of the new prince. Uru still had not recovered sufficiently from her rather difficult childbirth to attend and so she rested in Pride Rock's main hall during the ceremony. The rest of the pride assembled on the ledges on either side of Pride Rock's rostrum while the king's loyal subjects from the rest of the Prideland's multitude of species gathered at the base of the promontory.
Ahadi sat midway between the tip of the rostrum and its base holding his younger son between his massive forepaws. Uru should have been at his side, but the king knew that it couldn't be helped. Rafiki sat in front of Ahadi and chatted with the king while they waited for Zuzu to arrive and formally start the ceremony.
"I trust you have decided on a name," the old mandrill said conversationally.
"Oh, yes," Ahadi replied. "Uru chose the name Taka."
Rafiki made a face and asked, "Are you sure that's what she wants?"
"Well that is what Uru said when I asked her," the king answered.
"Perhaps we should ask her again," Rafiki suggested.
"You said yourself that she needs her rest," Ahadi admonished.
"Yes," the shaman admitted. "But this is important."
"What's wrong with Taka?" the king demanded.
"I don't think that's a proper name for a prince," Rafiki answered.
"It's what Uru wants," Ahadi countered. "She's tired and has been in a bad mood lately. I don't think we should disturb her."
"But," Rafiki began.
Just then Zuzu landed before the king and then bowed to him courteously. Ahadi acknowledged her with a stately nod. The majordomo flew to the end of the rostrum and announced in a surprisingly loud voice, "I call on all loyal subjects of the King of Pride Rock to witness the coming of a new prince!"
Ahadi smiled and then looked at the shaman expectantly.
Rafiki shook his head but proceeded with the ritual despite his misgivings.
"Who is the child?" Rafiki asked the ritual question in a surprisingly loud voice.
"Taka," Ahadi replied clearly, there were more than a few suppressed snickers from the audience below.
"Who is his mother?" Rafiki inquired.
"Uru, Queen of the Pride Lands," the King answered.
"Who is his father?" the shaman intoned.
"Ahadi, King of the Pride Lands," Ahadi responded proudly.
"Does anyone dispute this?" Rafiki asked rhetorically, naturally no voice was raised.
The mandrill looked towards the sky and held both hands high over his head, his right hand clutching his staff; "I call upon the great kings of the past to watch over Taka, son of Ahadi and Uru."
The shaman looked down upon Taka once more, but the cub's attention was focused elsewhere. Rafiki shook his staff over Taka's head, causing the gourds to rattle. Cub completely ignored the gourds but stared intently into the mandrill's eyes. The shaman spoke a prayer while shaking his staff, "May hate not infect your heart. I call upon the great kings of the past to watch over Taka, Prince and heir to the throne of Pride Rock."
Rafiki removed one of the gourds from his staff and held it above his head to bless it. He carefully ripped the gourd apart and cast half of it aside. The shaman anointed Taka's head with juice from the gourd. Then he scooped a handful of sand and carefully sprinkled it over the cub's head.
Rafiki carefully picked Taka up and walked over to the end of the rostrum. Ahadi followed and stood about ten feet behind the shaman. Rafiki turned Taka to face the crowd and slowly raised the cub as high as he could. From right to left, the mandrill slowly passed the young Prince before the eyes of the assembled throng. The animals cheered their new Prince enthusiastically.
Finally, the shaman raised Taka directly before him as though presenting the Prince to the sun himself. Rafiki spoke a prayer in a loud, clear voice, "Great Rahimu, behold your servant, Taka, Prince of the Pride Lands. May your golden light shine upon him." All the animals assembled on the savanna below kneeled before their Prince.
Rafiki walked back to Ahadi and carefully placed Taka on the ground between the king's forepaws. Then all the members of the pride walked up the rostrum and one by one ceremonially welcomed the new prince to the pride.
Once the ceremony was over, the mandrill carried Taka back to his mother. Ahadi followed the shaman down the rostrum but paused when they reached the entrance to the hall to confer with Zuzu. The king's meeting with his majordomo was interrupted by Uru's voice thundering from deep within Pride Rock's largest cave, "HE DID WHAT?!!!!!"
Ahadi and Zuzu stared into the cave in stunned silence while Rafiki approached them. The old mandrill patted the king on the shoulder and said, "I think it would be best if you slept on the summit for the next couple of nights."
Ahadi and Zuzu looked at each other quizzically while the aged shaman ambled down the pathway to the base of Pride Rock. Rafiki used his staff to help him keep his balance as he made his way down the path. The king could hear the old mandrill's playful chanting as he went out of sight.
"Crazy baboon," Ahadi said to himself. He started to enter the main hall but thought better of it. The mandrill may be crazy but his advice was correct far more often than it was wrong. The king turned and took the path that led up to the summit of Pride Rock instead.