quickly fading. “Out there, somewhere,” he said, waving a paw vaguely at the northeastern reaches of the savannah. “Some place quiet.”

“Deserted, you mean.” The baboon looked at him in wonder. Nengwalamwe was about to do what Mtundu knew he must not. “You’re leavin’, aint’cha?”

“What does it matter to you?” Nengwalamwe snapped: all teeth and hot breath. “I just need a break, that’s all.”

“A break?” Mtundu guffawed. “From what? You don’t do nuffin’ hardly at all.”

The lion spun on his paws and stalked away stiffly, his back hanging from his shoulders. “Thanks so much. It’s good to know who your friends really are.”

“Hey hey hey...” Mtundu skittered hurriedly into Nengwe’s path, blocking his way. “I’m just funnin’, Fuzzy. What’s the deal?”

Nengwalamwe glanced down, eyes narrowed. “Get out of my way.” Above, the clouds had grown as black and ominous as the lion’s expression.

“Or what? You gonna kill me, huh? The big lion kills the poor defenceless baboon huh?” Mtundu shoved his face dangerously close, until he could feel the lion’s hot breath on his cheeks.

“Yeauh, that’s how it goes.”

“What’s your problem? It’s her, ain’t it?”

Nengwalamwe bared his teeth; the baboon backed off hurriedly. “No, it’s you, its them… so what if it is? Does it change anything? I have no life here. What’s the point?” He moved to one side and pushed passed Mtundu. “It’s well past time I left this place and found a real home.”

“This is a real home. It’s your home.”

“No one wants me here.”

“Sure they do. Loads a folk.”

“Oh right. They just love having a lion around to eat them.”

“Hey, if it wasn’t you it’d be the dogs, the le’pards, the hyena. An doan’ even get me started about the cheetah.”

“What? Do you actually want to get eaten?”

“Nah, ‘course not. That’s not it. Look, we all might go any day, or night. It happens. That’s not what matters. It’s who you’re with – family, friends. It’s how ya live that matters. Not how you die.”

“Nothing’s eating me. I could take you out with a flick of my paw, or a snap of my teeth. Simple, easy and you’re gone. I’m not you, I’m anyone here. No way that’s gonna happen to me. I really don’t belong here.”

“Ere luv… I couldn’t ‘ave said it better meself,” tittered a voice behind them.

Lion and ape turned as one to see the grasses part, the blotched and spotted forms of wild dogs emerging from the cover like mists creeping in at dusk. The animals milled about; forming an arc that now cut off the two companions from where they had came. Several of them parted to reveal a slim figure, one of her chocolate coloured, white fringed ears twitched delicately as she sized up the pair. The other hung loosely down almost over her eye. She made an odd clucking sound with her tongue and teeth. “Tuggles… and ‘ere was I thinking I’d never see you mucking about with the likes of him.”

“Huh?” Mtundu backed conspicuously away from the lion’s bulk. “I was just hopin’ to cadge a bite or two from his leftovers maybe… times are lean, Miss Elizabeth.”

“Is that so?” Elizabeth looked at the lion appraisingly. “Such a big strong feller in’e; I doubt he’d leave you much. ‘’Sides, when did you start eatin’ meat, Tuggles?”

“Since your lovey-dovey decided to run me away from the trees.” The bitch raised her upper lip and panted. The baboon hurriedly added, “Ma’am.”

The dog shook her head. “He was learnin’ you a bit of respect… something you lack big time. And what do you go and do eh? You just took the bleedin’ p…”

The ape shook his head and shrugged, protesting, “I was up there. It weren’t my fault he chose to walk under me.”

“Shut it monkey, you’re well out of order. You ‘ad be’ah show pukka respect from now on, unless you wan’ a see yer brother again real soon.” Mtundu cringed but remained silent. Elizabeth shook her head and looked to the silent lion. “You on the other paw, look like a smart young bloke. One who might take a bit of advice from ‘is betters.” She sat down, moving her tail almost amiably. “Just keep on headin’ the way yer headin’. There’s a distinct lack of need for lions around here if you catch my drift....” She bared her canines in a grin. “…And we’re gonna keep it that way.”

Nengwalamwe glanced at Mtundu for a moment. Just a few short days before he would have been amazed at what the dog had just said, amazed indeed that a dog said anything at all. Now he wouldn’t have been surprised had she done a back flip in tuck with branch between her teeth. He looked back at her. “That way?” he said, indicating behind him with a twitch of his head. She nodded, and began to scratch herself absently behind one ear. “When you don’t see us on your arse no more, you can like, assume it’s safe to stop.”

The lion thought a moment, then sat up and nodded agreeably. Mtundu looked on worriedly. Nengwalamwe paused to groom a wayward lock of mane back into place and then turned southward again. 

“And if you ever come back here you’ll get it for what you did to Mary!”

The lion took two steps and paused, an intense look of concentration came over his features.

Elizabeth got up and trotted toward him. “Are you really thick?! Shift it I said..! GAAH!!” She shrieked in outrage and fury, tumbling backward, soaked in urine, covering her in Nengwalamwe’s overpoweringly strong scent. Mtundu looked on with a trembling mixture of horror and childish pleasure. The lion turned his head to look at the dog, snorting, “Who do you think you are, eh? What does a dog know about ruling anything? It takes a real lion to handle things, and that’s exactly what I am, see?” He scratched at the earth with his rear paws, sending a shower of earth atop Elizabeth contemptuously. “I didn’t do anything to your Mary, whoever she was. Nothing, you hear?!” He enjoyed the effect he was having on her entourage of dogs. They just stood and stared at their leader in shock and outrage. “Anytime you need another lesson, you just let me know.”

Elizabeth rolled furiously through the patch of sand and rose, glaring at the lion so fiercely that he stepped back momentarily, dismayed by her chilling, defiantly furious stare. “If it’s lessons you’re after, lion, then I’ll gladly give ‘em.” She gave three shrill yaps that flattened Mtundu’s ears. Nengwalamwe stood firm as the arc of dogs closed around him and Mtundu, threatening to encircle them.

Looking around and trying to back away he said, “Lessons in keeping clean? Hmmm? I think not!”

From deep in the arc, an unwary dog barked in amusement.

“What you laughin’ at George?” Elizabeth snapped. “You’re grooming me tonight!”

George’s laugh collapsed into a strained whimper, the other dogs holding their flapping tongues. All eyes were fixed on Elizabeth. Both her ears, torn and round, hung flat.

Nengwalamwe sprang and leapt away over the arc in a single, earth pounding bound, covering the nearest dogs in loose earth and dust. Some rose and ran after him. Mtundu stared after him, choking in the dust.

“What are you doing sitting there Meatball?!” Elizabeth bawled at him, “You ain’t no good to me sitting there! Get yer arse after him!”

Mtundu didn’t wait to be told twice, in moments he was scuttling after Nengwalamwe who, with every stride, was stretching his lead from the chasing dogs; his head in the wind, mane streaming out behind him; his paws barely touching the ground. Nengwalamwe roared in laughter, at once exhilarated and shocked; he’d not quite expected this reaction from the dogs, or indeed any reaction, but rather a meek obeisance to his authority. Elizabeth had caught him by surprise, and her blatant disregard for any authority temporarily unbalanced his mind. He could so easily have turned on the dogs, killing some and putting the others to flight.

Regal arrogance was something which his father had conditioned Nengwalamwe to accept unquestioningly. When Elizabeth had lorded it over him, he had acquiesced. Now, disorientated and at a loss as to what else to do, he loped across the savannah aimlessly, content for the moment to keep the baying yaps at his tail, turning again and again as they drew close on one side or another. All he knew and all that mattered was that he was heading steadily away from them.

At length, he slowed, chest heaving with exertion, and peered back. His ears flick-flicking as he fought to listen over his own rasping breath. They’d either lost him or they’d given up; there was no trace of the dogs in any direction. Satisfied for the moment, he paused to get his bearings and orient himself.

This was unfamiliar country. He could see neither the rock, nor any of the other landmarks he was used to navigating by. He was, in a word,

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