Mohatu made his way across the plains of the Pridelands, as the deep purple sky hung over him. His step was slow and wavering, as he was exhausted from his travels. For the last few months, he had grown accustomed to not leaving the sanctity of the Pridelands, so the strenuous traveling had taken quite a toll on him. Mtundu had offered to let Mohatu stay for the night, but Mohatu knew that Mtundu wanted to be alone. He needed to grieve, without his younger brother trying to comfort him.
He cast a weary look at the deep purple sky that hung over him. The evening was young. His stomach felt like it was digesting itself in hunger, and his aching muscles begged for a reprieve. He looked yonder, to see that he was only about a ten-minute walk from Pride Rock. Finally. Home at last.
Suddenly, he heard a loud rustling in the long grass behind him. He whirled around, startled by the sudden break in his solitude. There was nothing; only the gentle night breeze making its way through the grasses, causing them to dance in a bit of a lonely, eerie manner.
He swallowed hard, then slowly turned around and continued walking. Just as he turned around, he came face to face with Rafiki. With a cry of surprise, Mohatu back-peddled and fell onto his rump. Rafiki just laughed in jest of the king's folly. "Surprised to see me, eh, Majesty?" he asked with a grin.
Mohatu gave a bit of an irritated sigh and clutched his chest with a paw. "Gods, Rafiki," he exclaimed, "you scared me half-to-death!"
"Well, let's just hope that it doesn't happen again," Rafiki replied jokingly.
Mohatu gave a rhy laugh at Rafiki's joke, but he was hardly in the mood to hear such things. His brother had been put through hell for the last few days, and Mohatu had to witness it. He had traveled back and forth between his kingdom and Mtundu's, and was emotionally and physically worn out.
Rafiki instantly read Mohatu's expression, and knew what was bringing him down. His smile slowly faded and he gave the king a sympathetic look. "I heard about what happened, Highness," he started, "I'm sorry for your loss."
Mohatu forced a smile. "Thanks," he replied. Sorry wasn't going to bring Malkia back to life. Sorry wasn't going to erase all the pain Mtundu had gone through. Sorry wasn't going to eliminate the questions Thabiti would have about her mother's absence when she got older. But none of that mattered, he realized. Rafiki had nothing to do with Malkia's death, and was at least trying to show some sympathy.
"You know," Rafiki started, leaning in, "I truly think you should consider having cubs."
These words hit Mohatu like a 10-lb. hammer. This was the last thing he needed at a time like this--more lectures on producing cubs. He groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. "Oh, come ON," he growled, getting to his feet, "not you, too." He began to walk off, head hung low in irritation. Rafiki chased after him.
"I gather that I'm not the only one who thinks so?" he continued.
Without warning, Mohatu spun around and came face to face with Rafiki, so fast that he nearly knocked Rafiki over backwards in surprise. Rafiki put his hands up in a bit of surrender as Mohatu's usually tranquil teal eyes burned into his own. "Now you listen here," Mohatu warned through gritted teeth, "my brother's mate just died. Was slautered. And the worst thing is, I have no idea who did it. Now he's defending the kingdom himself, and gods-only-know what untimely demise could come to him if the one who killed his mate is after him, too."
There was a silence. Rafiki didn't move, kept his hands up in surrender and his soft yellow eyes looked into Mohatu's with inquisition and fear. Mohatu stared into the golden pools. Never before had someone looked at him with such fear, such worry. Sure, he got several reverent looks from the lionesses, but that was because they respected him, not because they feared him. He didn't want to be feared. Especially not by a friend, who had helped him triumph only months before. His eyes softened, no longer ablaze with the fear, anxiety-triggered anger that clutched him moments ago.
"I'm...I'm sorry, Rafiki," he apologized, eyes lowering in shame, "I'm just under a lot of stress right now, that's all. I'm worried about my brother. I'm worried about his kingdom. I'm worried about his daughter."
"And I'm worried about you worrying about everyone," said Rafiki with a solemn expression, "you can't expect to solve every problem, you know, Mohatu. King or not." Though he looked solemn, a certain kindness twinkled in his eyes. He placed his hands on Mohatu's shoulders. "You're a great king, Mohatu. You've done great things. But you can't weave miracles. You can't bring Malkia back, and you can't take Mtundu's pain away. Fate has taken its course, and they're nothing anyone can do to stop it."
Mohatu sighed. He didn't like it, but it was the truth. How he wished he could erase all the unpleasantries that had occurred over the last few days and go back to the way things were. But he knew that couldn't happen. "I know."
"All you can do is secure you're happiness, and the future of your kingdom so that if something happens to you..." Rafiki trailed off. He obviously wasn't comfortable suggesting that Mohatu might die, and realized that Mohatu didn't want to think of that either. He gently lifted Mohatu's chin, looked him in the eye and continued with a toothy grin. "So, back to our conversation about cubs..."
Mohatu couldn't fight a smile, and he affectionately pulled away from Rafiki. "Gad, you're really not gonna let up on me, are you?" he asked with a broad smile. "None of the other lionesses were this persistant."
Rafiki returned the friendly smile, and casually leaned against his walking stick. "What have you got against it? You're a handsome, well-built lion. Mzungu is a beautiful, graceful lioness. Your cubs would knock the gods dead, even, if they took after their parents."
With a laugh, Mohatu sat down. Now, he no longer felt the same hostility or tension in the air as he had before. He now felt more comfortable. He felt that he could be open with Rafiki. Perhaps it was because it no longer seemed like an interrogation session but rather, a chatting session between friends. "Well, thank you, Rafiki."
"Tell me, though, why not?"
Mohatu thought about this a moment. It wasn't that he didn't want cubs. He did, but he had a lurking fear that he wouldn't be a good father. After the less-than-decent interactions he had had with his own father, he couldn't help but worry that such parenting-techniques could be hereditary. Of course, he would never even consider raising a paw to a cub now, but he could change. His mother had claimed on numerous occasions that Onevu had not always been a monster. Apparently, before Tiifu broke the news of her pregnancy with Mohatu, Onevu was quite docile and kind. The thought that the same could happen to him terrified Mohatu.
"I...I'm just worried that I wouldn't make a good father," he replied hesitantly.
Rafiki only stared for a moment, then shook his head slowly. "My friend, what ever put that idea into your head?" he asked. "You can manage a whole pride, a whole kingdom...what's a few cubs?"
Mohatu smirked inwardly, remembering similar words from a few days before. "Funny," he said, half to himself, "Achana told me the same thing."
Rafiki nodded. "I'm not surprised," he replied, "Achana is quite insightful for her age."
Mohatu nodded in agreement, but said nothing. Rafiki shifted his weight, then looked upon Mohatu with a knowing expression. "Funny how even though her parents were monsters, she turned out to be so kind and insightful, no? Nature versus nurture in its greatest form."
What was Rafiki getting at? Mohatu leaned in, squinting at Rafiki questioningly. "Nature versus...wait, what?"
"Nature versus nurture," replied Rafiki, with a broad grin. He was obviously proud of himself for knowing more than his king. "Meaning, even though Achana's nature--or genes--should have caused her to be as manevolent as her parents, she became just the opposite because of how she was raised...nurture."
Still puzzled as to how this statement pertained to cubs, Mohatu stared. "But what does that have to do with anything?"
Rafiki raised an eyebrow. "Well, YOU raised her. If you could raise her in a way that cancels out her genetic nature...you'd make one heck of a father, don't you think?"
Mohatu sighed. "Okay, first of all, Mzungu and I BOTH raised Achana. So did the pride sisters. Everyone had a part in it. Second, she was very young when her parents died. She didn't have a chance to learn and emulate their attitudes. Besides, just because her parents were...you know...doesn't mean she'll be the same way."
Rafiki looked Mohatu straight in the eye. "Then what are you worried about?"
"Mzungu...Mzungu..."
Mzungu groaned in her sleep, and was slowly pulled out of her slumber. Groggily, she rolled over a bit and opened her eyes to see who had disturbed her. A dark figure stood over her. She recognized the figure's scent before her eyes allowed it to materialize into a lion. "Mohatu," she groaned with a smile, "what are you doing up?"
Mohatu smiled at her lovingly. "Thinking," he replied.
With a blink of confusion, Mzungu said, "Thinking? About what?"
Mohatu didn't answer. Instead, he gave her a mysterious smile, and nodded towards the mouth of the den. Without so much as a purr, he walked out of the den. Captivated by Mohatu's strange, somewhat seductive behavior, Mzungu slowly rose to her feet as to not disturb her pride sisters and followed her mate out of the den.
When she found him, he was sitting at he tip of the promontory, looking over his kingdom. She slowly made her way over to him. "What is it?" she asked.
"Look," started Mohatu, in an awed voice as he looked at the skies, "look at the stars."
Mzungu was perplexed. She followed Mohatu's gaze to the sky. She awed silently. The sky seemed so clear, and the stars so bright, or maybe a combination of the two. But details mattered not. It was certainly a sight to see. "Wow," she muttered.
"Remember when you and I and Tuli and Ucheshi would go out when it got dark and look up at the stars?" asked Mohatu, remembering fondly. "We used to all just lay there, for hours, making pictures out of the clouds and constellations." He looked to her, with a smile on his face.
Mzungu smiled back. "Of course I remember," she replied, "some of my fondest memories."
Mohatu's tail twitched mischievously. Instantly, Mzungu knew he was up to something. "Whadda ya say we go back in time?" Mohatu asked, rising to his feet. "Live in the past for awhile. Just you, and I and the stars?"
Suddenly, Mzungu was overwhelmed. She knew that Mohatu had more on his agenda than just stargazing. She could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice. And she was ready, and had been for some time. She loved him dearly, devotedly, and had longed to express her love to him since they were teens. Now he was finally ready. "That sounds divine," she replied.
With that, the two trekked side-by-side down the fortress of Pride Rock.