mind?”

            “You’re worried about Dad and Mom. Adisa and I are too, but we can’t do anything. They have to work it out on their own –”

            “That’s the problem,” Njozi snapped. “Dad wants to work it out but Mom won’t give him the time of day! She hates him! And she thinks my dreams are his fault because he’s a shaman.”

            The brothers exchanged glances. It wasn’t their father’s fault. It wouldn’t be even if he weren’t a shaman. Life had callings for all and being a shaman was their father’s. Who were they or their mother to say anything?

            “She mocked me,” Njozi said softly. “She thinks I’m crazy.” The young princess’s voice cracked with hurt. She sank to the ground and cried quietly.

            Adisa rushed to her side and purred soothingly.

            Adabu, meanwhile, battled his own emotions. He couldn’t believe that his parents’ relationship was falling apart. He didn’t let it show, but he was angry that his mother didn’t come home when Njozi fell sick. He was, however, thankful to have Adisa and that they could help each other, their father and sister through this. They’d wanted to talk to their mother several times but Arif had been hesitant. Adabu couldn’t blame him. For the first time in his life, Adabu never realized how stubborn and cold his mother could be. He lowered his ears, but some of Adisa and Njozi’s conversation captured his attention. He walked over and sat on the other side of his sister.

            “You don’t think that’s weird?” Njozi was saying. “Does it upset you?”

            Adisa was in deep thought for a moment, then, “No, I don’t think it’s weird, and it doesn’t upset me. It’s obvious she likes Dad. And he likes her. They’ve known each other since they were cubs. It makes sense that they would have such a close bond.”

            Adabu understood. They were talking about Saada. He decided to speak. “Well… this may sound wrong, but with everything Dad and Mom are going through… I can’t imagine them – Mom and Dad – being together. Just picturing it…” The prince shuddered. “It makes me sick.”

            Njozi smirked. “You’re not getting visions too, are you Adabu?”

            He smiled gently. “No, sorry, though I wish I could. It’d be easier on you.”

            Njozi shook her head. “No, this is my gift, not yours or Adisa’s. Tell us, Adabu… we all love Mom but she hasn’t –”

            “Hasn’t been there for us the way Saada has?” Adabu nodded. “Yes, I know.” He considered his next question with carefulness. “Do you ever get the feeling that our lives, and Dad’s, would be better if Saada was our mother?”

            Adisa and Njozi looked at each other and nodded. A silence passed for a long moment until Njozi broke it. “Remember when I told you guys how after Mom insulted Saada, that Saada and Dad were walking close? And that Saada rested her head on Dad’s shoulder?” She took a deep breath. “I knew then that Dad would be happier, us too. But…” Njozi’s ears fell. “That may not happen.”

            “I wish it would,” Adisa muttered. “We’d be better off. However, I wish no ill toward Mom.” He shook his head aggressively. “Why are we feeling this way and why now?”

            “Maybe we always have, that is, since Mom and Dad started arguing.” Adabu turned to his sister. “‘Jozi, you were the first of us to receive some real, almost motherly comfort from Saada. How did that feel?”

            The princess searched her memory. “It felt… good. It was nice to have someone, other than you two, actually listen. Saada listened to everything. And I saw no cruelty or mockery in her eyes. I was drawn to her.”

            Adabu and Adisa agreed. “That’s how we’ve been feeling,” said Adabu.

            Njozi got up and walked to a nearby waterhole. The vision came without warning. She fell to the ground and put her paws over her head in pain. Adabu and Adisa came to her side but Adabu was called away to their friends, who said that his father was coming. Adisa tried to comfort his sister but she did not hear his words. She shut her eyes, the pain worsening.

            What she saw in her vision terrified her. Her body began to grow weak and numb.

            Within seconds, Njozi lost consciousness and fell into a deep sleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Saada watched Prince Arif’s cubs from a respectful distance. She felt isolated and wanted to cub sit them, but decided that doing that every day wouldn’t be good. She wasn’t part of Arif’s family. It made her emotionally sick. She had no one else, aside from Mabaki.

            She suddenly noticed Arif coming to his cubs. She smiled. The young royals needed him, but something was wrong as Arif rushed to them. Saada watched as he lay down next to …Njozi? Saada felt her heart beating fast and hard. Did Njozi have another vision? The irresistible urge to find out, to help in any way if Arif wanted it, was so great but she stopped herself. She couldn’t. It wasn’t her place. She loved the cubs but that place wasn’t hers nor could it ever be. Agony spread across her features.

            The light brown lioness left the area, needing to be on her own.

            Saada didn’t know where she was going but she needed time from watching Arif and the cubs. She didn’t want to suffocate them. The thought was unbearable. She felt her heart ache in a way she never before experienced.

            As she walked in a random direction, her chest felt heavy and her breathing shorten. Soon, her walk turned into a run. She needed it. Maybe it would clear her head. It did and she was thankful. She ran for a good long while. She suddenly stopped to catch her breath and inhaled the cool air. Looking around gave Saada had a surprised expression on her face. Where was she? She had never been to this side of the Pridelands. It was green and full of life yet there was a chill in the air.

            In the distance, she spotted a lean figure. Was that a lioness? Saada felt her stomach twist and turn. She recognized the figure. Akase… Saada shivered. She hadn’t expected to run to the place Akase made her home. Should she turn back? She tried but her legs wouldn’t move. She felt frozen, her paws stuck to the grass and dirt. Then she realized she hadn’t talked to Akase privately. Maybe with just her and no one else… She moved up to the princess.

            “Akase?” she asked politely. When there was no response, she tried again.

            “What do you want?” asked the hard edged voice.

            “You need to see Arif and your cubs,” Saada said. She watched as Akase stood and faced her.

            Saada’s heart sank. Akase had been gone only a few weeks and she looked like this? What was she eating? Was she sleeping? She looked… Saada shrugged. She didn’t want to think about it.

            The lioness grunted. “Now why would I do that? Thanks to Arif, my daughter may be a shaman when she grows up!”

            Saada shut her eyes. She had to be truthful, even if it hurt. “Your daughter; you haven’t been treating her like one. She needs her mother, as do your sons. But you’re too blinded by your anger at Arif to realize that. Your children don’t have a mother. You stopped being their mother the day you left Pride Rock and