guardians patrolled, the lionesses hunted while the king and his shaman tended to their duties, and the cubs played near Pride Rock. With Kiara leading the hunts, though not participating at times, she made it so that the party brought home enough food to last the days when the rain was difficult to walk around in.

            The morning after he returned from his last and final confrontation with Hasira, and seeing for himself that Etana had not moved all that night, Baraka left his chambers, approaching the two lionesses he trusted most: Dailia, who was getting ready to join her fellow guardians for patrol, and Saada, who was watching the royal cubs as they talked with their friends.

            “May I ask you two a favor?”

            “Whatever it is, Baraka, I’ll be more than happy to help,” Dailia said. Behind her, Kadiri watched, but seeing the urgency in the king’s eyes, he walked outside with Mabaki and Takata.

            “It’s Etana, isn’t it, Baraka?” Saada guessed.

            “You want us to watch over her while you’re gone.”

            Baraka couldn’t resist shaking his head with an amused expression. They knew him too well and, in some way, knew of his worry about Etana and what would happen if she woke and he wasn’t there. “If you don’t mind,” he said gently.

            “Of course we don’t mind.” Dailia chuckled. “In fact, we were going to ask you if we could.”

            He gave a quizzical look.

            “Baraka, think about it,” said Saada. “Dailia and I wouldn’t be standing here if it wasn’t for Etana and whatever power she has that allows her to heal others and take the pain upon herself. She saved our lives and that cannot be denied by us, you, or anyone else. And she healed Njozi from her heartache.” Her voice grew soft. “I may not be Njozi’s mother, but if I were, I’d have thanked Etana for such a healing.”

            “She’s a special lioness, Baraka,” Dailia added. “No one in the pride or even in the kingdom can speak against that. Look at what she’s done for us, and for you.”

            Baraka swallowed. The emotions he felt the night before were forcing their way up his throat. “Yes,” he said at last. “You’re right.” He looked up at them, his eyes enlightened at their humble request. “Who will watch her now?”

            Dailia stepped up. “Etana healed me first. I know I thanked her by watching over her when she was healing herself from my fever, but…”

            His smile was warm. “I’m sure Etana would appreciate it. I would too.” He nuzzled her. “Thank you.”

            “You’re welcome, my friend, my king.” The gray brown lioness bowed, smiled to Saada, and walked by Baraka, heading to his chambers.

            While Baraka and Saada walked out of the cave, he leaned over and asked, “Will you watch over her tomorrow?”

            The golden brown lioness smiled. “Just as Etana saved Dailia’s life, and mine, I will be more than honored to look after her.”

            Early that evening, Dailia reported that nothing changed. Thanking her with a friendly nuzzle, Baraka took over. As his eyes beheld Etana’s still body, he grew fearful. How long would it take for her to heal herself? Thinking about it pained him and he prayed. He realized that he had never prayed so hard for anything or anyone in his life. The exhaustion hit and he quickly fell asleep. The warmth settled on him mixed with the coldness he’d felt all day, the warmth now overpowering it. He shivered, trembled, then relaxed.

            Sometime later, his eyes opened. His ears rose, and he forced his head up from the ground, looking around. Hearing a faint sound he turned sharply, barely breathing.

            A gray ear flickered, a forepaw twitched.

            His heart pounded. Etana was moving. He saw her mouth slowly move, her tongue running over her lips. Tears formed in his eyes as he lowered his head down to hers, his heart begging to say the words, but his mind protested. She wasn’t fully well yet, but this was a start.

            “Etana, it’s me. You’re in my cave… again,” he said with a soft laugh. “Arif and Rafiki have given you herbs; leaves soaked with medicine and placed them on the most serious wounds just in case.” He expected her to try and speak, but instead she placed her tongue upon her upper lip, telling him that she understood. The urge to nuzzle her or lick her cheek was so tempting and strong that he could hardly contain himself. “Rest now…” His voice broke. “I’ll be here. I’m not going anywhere, I promise.”

            When another wave of exhaustion hit he put his head down and slept through the night. The warmth surrounded him, the cold was gone.

            The next morning she was able to talk and her eyes were open. Baraka hated to leave, but Etana didn’t mind. He had to take care of the kingdom. She was pleased to know that Saada was looking after her. In the evening, Saada left and Baraka entered with a large piece of meat, which they shared as Etana was able to eat. The following morning she was up and walking. Baraka had been with her then. The rain had poured, canceling all duties and meetings.

            Outside the royal chambers, Takata was first to greet his daughter with a purr, and a loving nuzzle. “I knew you’d be okay, but I did worry a bit,” he said.

            She smiled and nuzzled him in return. “You’re my father. You’re supposed to worry.”

            As they mingled among the pride, Baraka watched from his chambers entrance, healed of his past trials and pain.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Arif stared at the painted form beside Baraka’s.

            There was color in the outline: gray. Arif smiled, joy in his heart. This was Etana. It looked enough like her and no one in the pride had her markings. As his eyes scanned it, he noticed that the form’s legs were white, and tears almost filled his eyes. He wasn’t emotional unless his family was involved but he couldn’t help it. He was happy, thrilled, excited, and as he looked on his own form, seeing the bare spot across from it, he knew the ancestors were not going to do the same for him. The message had not been about him, but Baraka. After all the emotional turmoil his brother suffered over the years, he deserved this amazing reward.

            Arif was happy and troubled. Why had he been given the message and not allowed to use it? After Akase died, he often wondered what would have happened if he told the message to the pride in a meeting. Would things be different? Would Akase still be – He had clawed the ground, knowing that if he had revealed everything the results would not have been good. Akase would’ve shunned, judged, and persecuted him sooner. She would have done this in front of the pride and their cubs. Hasira would have attacked Etana sooner. It also would have changed the way Baraka and Etana talked and conversed with one another.

            He knew now, as he did then when first thinking about a what-if scenario, that things were meant to be as they were. Getting over Akase had been hard but support from his parents, Baraka, divine intervention, and Saada, he got through it.

            Saada… She and his cubs were at the forefront of his mind daily, even when he had someone to take care of but when there was nothing to do, he thought of what it would be like to have Saada in his life permanently. A part of him still loved Akase and always would, but he had to move forward. It had been month and a half since her death. He couldn’t live in the past. Like his late grandmother and late great-grandmother said, Akase had only played a small part. And any possible future with Saada depended on