she said curtly.

“Food?”

“Yes, Nenwag…whatever it is, food! Now keep quiet and leave this one to me. It’s not spotted us yet. Though it must be blind, a mole rat would have seen your mane from the other side of the plain.”

‘Food? Is that what she’s on about - she’s wasting time over a snack.’ He looked into her staring eyes and saw his mother staring back. “What is ‘it’?” he asked uncertainly, “Is it enough for two?”

“Baboon.”

“Falana, you really do hate me don’t you?”

“Not you, you monkey! - it!”

“Oh… so you do, I mean, don’t think I’m a monkey?”

“You’re not that stupid, though you have If the nose sit on the face…”

He half closed his eyes and looked on, feeling her moist breath land on his cheek.

She went on, “This one really is stupid - he’s actually coming towards us! Keep down and let me take it.”

“Don’t you think I can have a look too?”

Behind Nengwalamwe, the grass gave way to rough scrub; a jumble of low bushes interspersed with patches of bare almost infertile earth. Falana was too experienced not to consider the available cover. If she said she could take it then she could, of that even Nengwalamwe was sure. Yet, for some reason she held back; tensed ready for the spring.

“It’s seen us! Come on Stupid, come to mamma, you’re still just too far away.”

Nengwalamwe’s curiosity burned him; he felt he simply had to look. He curled his head round over his off shoulder. The horizon slid round in an arc until Falana’s precious prey came into view. It was scurrying towards them, and it looked as if it had indeed seen the lions, and yet was quite unafraid. Nengwalamwe suddenly stood up, smiling broadly.

 “What in the rains do you think you’re doing?! Get down! You’re ruining everything!”

“No I’m not,” he said laughing, “anyway you can’t eat him.”

The prey ran a little faster towards them. Falana began to shake and her breath became light and erratic.

“Nengwe, how could you tell from so far away?” she asked incredulously, “Quick let’s get out of here now! Whatever it’s got I don’t want to catch it - it’s mad, it’s got to be. It’s seen you, it’s running towards us! I’m getting out of here - now!” She tried to back away, still crouching, though now more in fear. Her awkward and uncomfortable wriggling was quite unlike her accustomed grace. Nengwalamwe reached down to her squirming neck and closed upon it gently but firmly, just as his mother had so often done to him when he had tried to escape punishment. She stopped moving the instant the skin of her neck tightened between the lion’s teeth. As was her body, so was her fear restrained by the great warmth and tension bearing down on her. Apart from a quick scrabble of her hind legs, she didn’t move while the infected prey closed on them.

“Nengwe; Jeez, have I been looking all over for you!”

“Nnngngnff” He replied through a mouth full of scruff.

“You lions had better learn to talk proper,” the baboon said, his amused expression breaking into a smile. He saw the lioness’ head protruding from under Nengwalamwe’s mane. “Hey lad, did I interrupt sometin’?”

“No you didn’t!” growled the lioness angrily.

“Sore-ry lady! I didn’t mean nuttin’ by it.” He paused as she grumbled incoherently. He looked up his friend.

 “Come on Nengwe, ain’t ya gonna introduce me?”

She growled again, “Introduce you? You!” She struggled again but Nengwalamwe’s grip held firm but without piercing her skin. “Nengwalamwe! Let me go!”

“Only if you’re not going to run off on me.”

“Nengwalamwe! LET GO!! NOW!!!”

He thought for a moment, his eyes looking over to the baboon giving the silent message, ‘My life isn’t going to be worth living if I don’t let go soon.’ The baboon shrugged. He had not known lions for long enough to be able to interpret such gestures, interpreting those of his own kind was difficult enough at times, particularly those of females.

The lion rose gently, keeping a tight hold on the lioness’ neck. She grimaced as she followed upwards, her expression was clear: she didn’t like this at all. Nengwalamwe paused, the lioness, still scruffed, heaving powerfully in his jaws. He looked to the baboon again.

Mtundu shrugged again, trying to add smile.

‘I guess,’ thought Nengwalamwe, ‘that means: yes, go ahead.’ He took a deep, noisy breath in through his nostrils. He suddenly let go and instantly drew back, expecting the lioness to jump up at him. She did with glaring teeth and tightly drawn back lips.

“Go on cubbie, introduce me to the loony babboonie!” She scowled angrily.

“OK,” he said, trying to manage a half-smile, “as long as you promise not to hunt him.”

She roared angrily. “Don’t push it cubbie!” Mtundu started but held his ground bravely. “Wait a moment…” She turned to Mtundu with bared teeth and hot breath. “You - Monkey - did you say something?”

“Who me? Lady, are you talkin’ to me?” He presented his array of bared teeth. “Yeah, I spoke; you wanna make something of it?”

“But you can’t, you’re stupid. Everyone knows baboons can’t talk.”

“Everyone but me lady, and my family, and friends, and heck lady, the whole damn lot of us. Hell, even my youngest brother talks, and he sure is dumb.”

She shook her head. “But you can’t - you just can’t, it’s not possible.”

“Sure it’s possible. Ain’t I provin’ it?”

She stood motionless. All her anger spent, she lay down speechless and confused.

“Nengwe. I told you she was sumtin’ else, didn’t I?”

“Yes Mtundu,” he said pointedly. “Falana certainly is something all right. Whatever it is, she sure is it.” He looked to Falana, “Falana, I’d like you to meet Mtundu. He’s my friend and… he’s a baboon.”

A little of her fierce demeanour returned. “I can see that! What are you doing with a baboon?” She shook her head and before Nengwalamwe could answer added, “No! Don’t answer that. Just don’t say anything.”

“But Falana…”

“Don’t you ‘but’ me cubbie, I’ve had it up to here with you. I’d be more than happy if I never saw you - or him - again. Do you hear me?”

“Yes, I hear you.”

“Right, you’d better have. We’ve got a job to do, if you don’t remember, and it’s more than my life’s worth not to get it done.” She rose and stood four square. “Now get him out of here and we can get on with what we’re in this forsaken hole for. The less time I have to spend with you the better.” She looked up to the sky in despair, “Mother, why did it have to be me?”

Nengwalamwe gave Mtundu a look that had universal significance.

“I guess some other time eh?” He scurried off leaving Nengwalamwe to his fate in Falana’s paws. Before he had gone ten strides he threw a parting comment into the by now blustering wind, “See you around Nengwe..alamwe! And you too, Falana. It was good seein’ ya!”

The rest of what little remained of the day passed tensely but uneventfully. Falana saw Nengwalamwe’s rock. Despite her dismissive and generally derisive comments, he could see she was more than a little taken by the great rock; she even paused at one point to push with her nose and forepaws at the rocks that covered the cave entrance.

On the way back, in the last golden rays of the setting sun, not far from where they’d run into Mtundu, Falana once more grew tense and fearful.

“Quiet Nengwe.”

“What again? What for this time? And it’s Nengwalamwe!”

“Hushhh! She’s coming. Sit down, shut up and smile.” He stood still, resolutely refusing to sit down. 

“Quick! Nengwe, she’s coming!” Falana sat back and dropped her head to look at the ground. Nengwalamwe stood and looked on. A wild dog walked towards them, her tail held high and her wide rounded ears, one tattered and torn, erect on her up-held head in a confident, almost arrogant posture. She slowed, passing no more than three lengths from the lions, her strong scent flowing all around. She looked to the lion; not to Falana, but to Nengwalamwe; looking him up and down silently for a moment. She flicked her tail and moved on wagging it vigorously. Nengwalamwe watched her in speechless disbelief. When she was gone, he turned to Falana as she lifted her head.

“What was that all about Falana? It was only some dirty dog.”

“She’s no dirty dog Nengwe, she’s a dirty bitch and no mistake.” Then she said flatly, “She’s Elizabeth, daughter of the Queen of the Pridelands.”

“Daughter of the Queen? So when did they make lionesses rule?” He stared at Falana. “Daughter of the Queen? You mean the queen is a DOG. You gotta be kidding

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