Aujilo watched sadly from his perch as Rafiki moved about the inside of the Tree of Life, mumbling a chant quietly to himself. The words tore into Aujilo's heart especially, for they were the chant that shamans often give before they join their kings and ansectors in the sky. Rafiki's time was drawing ever nearer, and it was painfully evident in the way he slumped deeper and deeper with each round of the beloved Tree of Life.
Near Aujilo perched Penrai, the small green messenger. He wept unashamedly as he viewed the spectacle, not wanting to say goodbye.
Rafiki looked at them then stopped in front of the massive wall of bark in front of him, staring up at his works ranging from the King Ahadi and Queen Uru through King Maten and Queen Arina.
A prophecy which just hadn't come true.
He leaned on his staff and bowed his head, uttering a final quiet chant before he picked up a half a fruit. He dipped a thin finger in the mush inside of it and brought it up to the wall. Aujilo watched carefully as the old mandrill did his final work.
With the black ink, Rafiki drew a line through Arina's body - the sign of impurity, which was not even drawn on the young Taka. Next to the fantasy he made the rough sketch of a black bird, and next to this he drew a spiral with lines coming off all sides, almost like the sun. He sighed contently when he finished and rested his staff against the bark opposite before turning to Aujilo and Penrai.
"De circle is complete."
He closed his eyes as a mighty wind blew through the Tree of Life. Penrai flinched away and hid his eyes as the gust stung them, but Aujilo watched as a gold and brown blur appeared next to Rafiki's body. After long moments the frail form collapsed and the wind died.
A roll of thunder echoed through the Pridelands, followed by the anguished cries of a fishing eagle. Aujilo took to the sky despite the wind and rain and screeched his grief to the world, a call which was carried by the winds to all corners of the Pridelands.
Rafiki was now with the Great Kings.
Aujilo landed on a high branch of the Tree of Life, spreading his wings and throwing back his head. He chanted for the end of an era and a legend, praying to all the ancestors above that Rafiki would journey safely to his deserved rest and watch over these lands for his eternal life. And then, with a final screech, he bowed his head and folded his great wings. The wind stopped and the rain slowed to a drizzle, and the bird looked into the sky. In a spot clear of clouds he watched the birth of a new star in the midst of the stars of the Kings.
And, soon, this star was joined by another.