Prologue
Fate
It is often said that the Sun answered commands by no one. This, some knew, was entirely untrue. The bright orb was central to many things, many ceremonies, whether it wished it or not. One of its odd attributes was its habit of breaking through the clouds at just the right moment. Just as it was doing now. For just a moment the Sun broke through the clouds, a single piercing ray shooting down from Heaven to illuminate Adhama, mandrill shaman of Mjueri's Pride. The Pride which needed no other name but that of its King, the Pride which had started so small, and which was now so large as to be feared by so many others. Contained in the mandrill's long, slender fingers was a small bundle with wide eyes, which surveyed the surrounding area fearfully as it was thrust toward the clouds, into the shaft of sunlight. The ritual was old, older than anyone, even Adhama himself, could remember. Yet it was carried out, to every Pride who had the services of a shaman at their command. Each newborn heir was treated thus, was shown his or her inheritance, and was shown, in a single glorious moment, where they stood in comparison to everything around them. So it was with Nyunyu, newborn cub to Mjueri and Samawi, King and Queen. As the young female cub calmed down a bit, she cast her eye over the land stretched out below her. Much of it was dense jungle, stretching out away from the Wingu Rock for quite a ways. Though the pride lived on Wingu, which was in the very center of this jungle, they seldom spent very long in it. Only the King's knights, the Panther Guard, lived there, and any sensible pride member knew that they were something to be avoided. Then, to the east, there was the desert. The tan sea was wide enough that, even from this high of a vantage point, all that could be seen beyond the sands was a tiny blot savannah. To the north and west, beyond the ring of jungle, lay the savannah where the pride spent most of its time. Then, after surveying the topography of her domain, the young princess turned her eyes downward, to regard her subjects. They were packed tightly in the small belt of ground between the Rock and the jungle. Predator and prey rubbed shoulders, held by the power of the ceremony, unable to move. They gazed upon the princess, and bowed their collective heads. Princess Nyunyu smiled. Back inside the cave, after the ceremony had ended, Adhama returned the small cub to the embrace of the Queen, while the King watched, his eyes shining with pride. The benevolent mandrill bowed to the royal family, and then turned his attention to the other occupants of the cave, the only other creatures that would be allowed inside of Wingu at such a time. Kiume, Royal Guard to the King, stood proud and straight, his gaze meeting the primate's levelly. By his side was his mate, Imani, who acted as head huntress and Guard to the Queen. Between the two of them, sitting just as tall, straight, and proud, was their son, Maizu. It was to him that the shaman extended one finger, first pointing, then beckoning. It was not in Adhama's nature to speak, except when ceremony demanded. Having been born a few weeks before the princess, Maizu was able to stand on his own, and even speak, if not very fluently. Rising himself to his paws, he padded silently over to stand before the mandrill, his body quivering slightly with anticipation. This is what he was born for, what his parents had told him would happen ever since his birth. Silently, he turned his gaze from the shaman to the princess, who had been brought forward by her parents, so that the two were almost nose-to-nose. Placing his long hands on the heads of the two, the shaman spoke. "As it has always been, so shall it continue. The Circle of Life binds and separates in its turning. Always it will be so." "Always." Murmured the King and Queen, as well as their guards. "Long has the blood of the Royal Guards been passed down in this line, and so it shall continue." "Maizu, Mark of Honor, do you swear to always uphold your family's honor, and to serve your charge, even unto death?" "Yes." That was all that was required. Nyunyu was asked no questions, still to young to speak. She could not refuse anyway, not until she was older. Only a grown member of the royal family could revoke the Guard's Rite. Reaching into one of his hollowed-gourd containers, the shaman drew forth a handful of silvery-gray dust. Suspending his closed fist over the two, he opened it, allowing the dust to drift down. As it did it was caught by a sudden breeze, which swept it around in a circular path. When it settled, it formed a fine, thin ring around the two cubs. There was a long silence after this, as Adhama allowed the Rite to run its course. The two cubs sat stone still and regarded each other as the breeze took the dust away, slowly dissolving the circle. Then, when there was none left, when the circle was at last broken, the primate brought both of his hands together slowly, bowing his head. His words broke through the silence and, in a way; they ended it as well. They were the traditional words that invoked the end of a ritual among the pride, and had always been so. "Thus, it is so."
Fate
It is often said that the Sun answered commands by no one. This, some knew, was entirely untrue. The bright orb was central to many things, many ceremonies, whether it wished it or not. One of its odd attributes was its habit of breaking through the clouds at just the right moment. Just as it was doing now. For just a moment the Sun broke through the clouds, a single piercing ray shooting down from Heaven to illuminate Adhama, mandrill shaman of Mjueri's Pride. The Pride which needed no other name but that of its King, the Pride which had started so small, and which was now so large as to be feared by so many others. Contained in the mandrill's long, slender fingers was a small bundle with wide eyes, which surveyed the surrounding area fearfully as it was thrust toward the clouds, into the shaft of sunlight. The ritual was old, older than anyone, even Adhama himself, could remember. Yet it was carried out, to every Pride who had the services of a shaman at their command. Each newborn heir was treated thus, was shown his or her inheritance, and was shown, in a single glorious moment, where they stood in comparison to everything around them. So it was with Nyunyu, newborn cub to Mjueri and Samawi, King and Queen. As the young female cub calmed down a bit, she cast her eye over the land stretched out below her. Much of it was dense jungle, stretching out away from the Wingu Rock for quite a ways. Though the pride lived on Wingu, which was in the very center of this jungle, they seldom spent very long in it. Only the King's knights, the Panther Guard, lived there, and any sensible pride member knew that they were something to be avoided. Then, to the east, there was the desert. The tan sea was wide enough that, even from this high of a vantage point, all that could be seen beyond the sands was a tiny blot savannah. To the north and west, beyond the ring of jungle, lay the savannah where the pride spent most of its time. Then, after surveying the topography of her domain, the young princess turned her eyes downward, to regard her subjects. They were packed tightly in the small belt of ground between the Rock and the jungle. Predator and prey rubbed shoulders, held by the power of the ceremony, unable to move. They gazed upon the princess, and bowed their collective heads. Princess Nyunyu smiled. Back inside the cave, after the ceremony had ended, Adhama returned the small cub to the embrace of the Queen, while the King watched, his eyes shining with pride. The benevolent mandrill bowed to the royal family, and then turned his attention to the other occupants of the cave, the only other creatures that would be allowed inside of Wingu at such a time. Kiume, Royal Guard to the King, stood proud and straight, his gaze meeting the primate's levelly. By his side was his mate, Imani, who acted as head huntress and Guard to the Queen. Between the two of them, sitting just as tall, straight, and proud, was their son, Maizu. It was to him that the shaman extended one finger, first pointing, then beckoning. It was not in Adhama's nature to speak, except when ceremony demanded. Having been born a few weeks before the princess, Maizu was able to stand on his own, and even speak, if not very fluently. Rising himself to his paws, he padded silently over to stand before the mandrill, his body quivering slightly with anticipation. This is what he was born for, what his parents had told him would happen ever since his birth. Silently, he turned his gaze from the shaman to the princess, who had been brought forward by her parents, so that the two were almost nose-to-nose. Placing his long hands on the heads of the two, the shaman spoke. "As it has always been, so shall it continue. The Circle of Life binds and separates in its turning. Always it will be so." "Always." Murmured the King and Queen, as well as their guards. "Long has the blood of the Royal Guards been passed down in this line, and so it shall continue." "Maizu, Mark of Honor, do you swear to always uphold your family's honor, and to serve your charge, even unto death?" "Yes." That was all that was required. Nyunyu was asked no questions, still to young to speak. She could not refuse anyway, not until she was older. Only a grown member of the royal family could revoke the Guard's Rite. Reaching into one of his hollowed-gourd containers, the shaman drew forth a handful of silvery-gray dust. Suspending his closed fist over the two, he opened it, allowing the dust to drift down. As it did it was caught by a sudden breeze, which swept it around in a circular path. When it settled, it formed a fine, thin ring around the two cubs. There was a long silence after this, as Adhama allowed the Rite to run its course. The two cubs sat stone still and regarded each other as the breeze took the dust away, slowly dissolving the circle. Then, when there was none left, when the circle was at last broken, the primate brought both of his hands together slowly, bowing his head. His words broke through the silence and, in a way; they ended it as well. They were the traditional words that invoked the end of a ritual among the pride, and had always been so. "Thus, it is so."