away?”

“No chance. We could stand and take them down, there are only two and Lizzie.”

“Stand and fight? D’ya reckon?”

“No, not here. We’ve got to take all of them. These need to tell the other’s we’re here.”

“Tell the others? Are you nuts?”

The dogs approached steadily. They showed little sign of having even seen the lion and baboon. The lead dog called, “Here, you there! Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“Come on; let’s give them something to tell the others.”

“What d’ya have in mind?”

Nengwalamwe dropped his forequarters to the ground.

“Get on.”

“What? You are nuts Nengwe?”

“Get on, and hold on tight.”

“Whatta y’mean, ‘get on’”

“Stop yabbering and climb up on my back.”

Mtundu looked uncertain. He reached over and grabbed a handful of mane. The lion closed his eyes and hunched down as far as he could. Mtundu hesitated for a moment, and then looking at the still closing dogs, swung his back leg up and over the lion’s back as best he could and pulled himself on.

“Hold on real tight now.”

“I am.”

Nengwe rose sharply. Mtundu slipped to the right, clinging on with his arms and squeezing with his legs.

“Tighter Mutt, tighter!” Nengwe struck up with his forelegs and turned on his hind, wheeling round tightly. The baboon clung. The lion took a pace, then a half pace to change his lead and surged, gathering pace with every lengthening stride; gathering his strength.

“We gonna turn and charge these dogs?”

“No, Mtundu,” Nengwe gasped, already taking in deep breaths, “We’re going to the waterhole.”

Mtundu just managed to croak out, “Waterhole?” as the ground rushed beneath them. He barely dared to look up; the edge of the bluff was rushing up to meet them. Then with a surge which crashed over Mtundu like lightening the lion punched up with his forelegs, moments later kicking the ground away with his hind. Mtundu hunched tight over the lion’s shoulders. “Ohhh Shi…”

Few animals ever experience the adrenaline fuelled power of a male lion at close quarters. For most it’s thankfully something that happens far away and to others. Many of those that do felt it don’t live to tell the tale. Even they do not feel what it’s like to be the lion. Here though was one who did. Perhaps indeed the only one who ever had and might ever do. Mtundu was one with the lion, feeling his strength and power through his hands and the thumping beat of his heart through his feet. He was enveloped in his scent, wrapped by the warmth of his blood and flesh, tousled by the rushing air. He felt the strength, beauty, grace and life force of the lion were all his to share.

If all that wasn’t enough the ground was rushing up to meet them fast. Nengwalamwe stretched out his forelegs to greet it. The unaccustomed weight was carrying him over more than he had expected: it was going to be a rough landing. His legs buckled as they hit, he was barely able to stay upright. His hindpaws crunched and slid. Somehow, by not fighting his forward motion, he managed to keep his balance. Had he fallen and rolled over, or worse had his head been taken under he would have crushed Mtundu, instead he flowed forward, breaking into an all-out run, carrying them both in a gently curving headlong run away from the bluff.

They crashed through the buffalo that spread in panic all around them at the sight of the monkey head lion beast. One fell; others jumped and tumbled over the fallen. Then the herd all took to headlong flight. Beyond, neither saw nor heard any sign of the hunting lionesses, they had all but vanished into the dust. A little later the lion slowed to walk, breathing heavily. He stopped, hanging his head to breathe more easily. The baboon slipped off his back.

“Nengwe, if you’re gonna do sometin’ like that again, ask me first!”

“Why,” the lion rasped, “So you… can say no?”

“No, so as I can keep my eyes open and enjoy the ride.”

Mtundu was going to be able to dine out on the experience for a long, long time.

***

“So where are they?”

“We dunno Elizabeth. We ain’t seen hide or hair of ‘em for days. They’ve just up an’ gorn.”

George stared at Elizabeth. He dropped his head and curled his tail down tightly. He had given up any hopes of her favours. Now he knew he was just another of the dogs. Behind him, down slope, lay a near grey bitch, her ears still up, a slight smile on her muzzle. Her tail lay easy on the sandy ground above Saffi’s Bluff.

“And where the heck’s Edward? Has he just gone and vanished too?”

“But Elizabeth, you know ‘e can look after ‘imself. He always turns up, one way or another. The river, it’s that fast flowing we can’t get across it. We’re watching the only crossing point day and night. There’s no other way they can get back. We’d have seen ‘em.”

The waxing moon flickered through heavy broken cloud. It shone down picking out Elizabeth’s tattered ear hanging down over her face.

“Don’t bring me your flamin’ problems. Give me soddin’ solutions!”

“Yes Miss.”

“That flamin’ monkey could do it, so so can you. It’s only bleedin’ water.”

George looked incredulously at Elizabeth. “You want me to swim the river?”

“No, I want the whole bloody lot of you to. Just get on with it! What the heck are we doing way out here eh? Traipsing around all flamin’ day, and for what? There’s bugger all round here. Have you seen any tracks? Smelt a lion’s scent? Seen any stray monkeys? No, ‘cause I haven’t either.” She paused, and then went on slowly and deliberately, “That’s because THEY AIN’T HERE! Geddit?” George nodded passively. “They’re still out there over the river. Eddie too for all I soddin’ know. I want them found. Now!” Elizabeth bored her eyes into George who shrank back. “Come on Jane, let’s get out of ‘ere: I’m getting bleedin’ cold.” She turned and stormed off. The light bitch got up and slipped behind her. George let them go, and then turned and walked toward the river in the most obvious, direct way he could, ignoring all cover and following the pools of moonlight.

***

From below, Shaha watched the dogs on top of the bluff. She couldn’t catch any of what they said, they seemed unusually quiet, or perhaps what little breeze there was carried their sounds away. She afforded herself a wry smile when they split up and started off back the way they had come. Once she was sure they had gone, she paused a few moments to remember her grandmother who gave her life here, and gave her name to the bluffs that overlooked where she fell while saving others. Shaha doubted anywhere would ever be named after her. Lifting her head and taking a deep breath to compose herself, she slipped away into the night, smiling again and broader still when, a little later she came across the unmistakable track of a heavy lion, almost certainly a male, running fast, and heading toward Pride Rock.

By dawn she had returned to Silent Rocks and wondered if she ought to take the time to visit the great rock. It was not far, but it was most of a lifetime away. She gave in to her memories and stayed at Silent Rocks until Falana roused her in the late afternoon. By then, she knew that her previous night’s efforts had not been for nothing and she was able to turn her whole attention to hunting with her daughter.

***

As dawn approached Nengwe began to feel more at ease. He and Mtundu had made good time; the great rock now loomed ahead, dark, monolithic, massive, but still home.

“Well Mtundu, here we are. Home at last. I guess you’ll be wanting to get away.”

“Err, not just yet Nengwe. I, err, well, ya know.” Mtundu sat back and began inspecting the back of his fingers. “I can kinda stay here for a while.”

“Mtundu, that’s not very convenient.”

“Ohh, ya wanna go see Falana?”

“Well, there is that too.” Nengwe tipped his head and almost smiled. “But I was thinking more of getting something to eat.”

“Yeah, fine by me.”

“I can’t hunt with a monkey on my back.”

“No, ‘course not.” Mtundu leaned forward, conspiratorially close to Nengwe’s ear. “What ya gonna catch?”

The lion looked left and right, then whispered, “baboon if he doesn’t let me get on with it.”

“Ahh, righty. I get ya. You just go ahead and do your thing. I’ll just stay right here and look after myself. Yep, that’s what’ll do.”

Nengwe softly licked the side of Mtundu’s face. “What’s up?”

“Yeah, well, I’m kinda alone here without you. Its lookin’ mighty lonesome from where I am. Can I stay with you?”

“This is something a lion’s got to do for himself. Then I can knock up the lionesses on a full stomach.”

Mtundu’s eyes opened wide. “Err Nengwe. I really don’t think that’s the sort of thing you oughta be saying around Falana,” but Nengwalamwe wasn’t listening. He was looking