blearily back at her.

“Are you feeling all right Nengwalamwe?”

“I… think so. What are you doing here?”

“I’m… looking after you.” She reached down and pressed her cheek against his.

“Where is here?”

“Here? Well, we’re under the overhang of your rock.”

“Oooh, I thought I was by the lugga.”

“That was yesterday Nengwalamwe. Yesterday.”

“Was it? How did I get here? Where’s Mtundu?”

“It’s OK. He brought you here. He’s with mother.”

Nengwe thought about Shaha growing fat on baboon meat, but resisted the urge to say it. He struggled to rise.

“No, don’t get up. There’s no need.”

“Yes, Falana, there is.” He swayed a little on out-stretched angled, painfully stiff, forelegs.

“No Nengwalamwe!” She rushed to his side, he brushed her aside.

“Please let me do this.” He cracked his forepaw joints. They stung. He gasped and breathed in sharply, holding in. His head swam lightly, then clearing he breathed again, closing his eyes. She could do nothing to help him, and dare not do anything to stop him. For long seconds he did nothing but breathe. Then with effort drawn from deep within he lifted his hindquarters and drew himself up to stand. She moved back to his side. He wavered but did this time welcomed her support. She leant her head to his softly. “Now, let me go.”

“Why Nengwalamwe?”

“There are some things a lion needs to do by himself. Especially if he’s been asleep all day.”

“Oh…” She drew away from him. He appeared steadier. He tried to walk forwards: a single pace. His forepaw twisted under him. He drew it back up in pain. She pushed close to him again. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Maybe not, but I’ll live. Now let’s try that again.” This time he was able to land his forepaw soundly, then another. He drew slowly and haltingly away. She followed a few lengths behind. He stopped and without turning said, “There really isn’t any need Falana. I’ll be fine. Please let me go. I’ll be back soon.”

“All right, but call if you need me.”

With a simple, “I will”, he walked off.

He returned with much of his fluidity of movement regained. Falana noticed a dullness of his eye, but other than that she felt he looked much like he always did. He suggested they go up the rock. She wondered if he was up to the climb through the boulders. He though felt no such reservation, and while he was certainly more careful and slower than normal, they both arrived on the promontory bright and alert. There together they watched the evening creep over the savannah, and as the remaining clouds began to turn orange saw two elephants, a large male and another, probably a female. Between slipped a lioness and…

“Mtundu? No, it can’t be… and is that…”

“Mother!? What are they up to Nengwe?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

“They aren’t coming here, are they?”

“It looks like it Falana. I hope we don’t have to go and meet them.”

“Of course, you must still be feeling a bit err… off.”

“Well, maybe a little.”

Nengwe was relieved when the lead elephant, calling himself Kudlavu, took one look at the boulder slope and gave up the idea of climbing to the promontory. From the edge Nengwe could see and hear them clearly, and safely enough. Elephants were something of a mystery to Nengwalamwe, and he had no intention of getting to know them any better.

 

20.Opening the Cave

 

“So, you’re the one who’s been roaring up there.”

Nengwalamwe lay at the edge of the promontory, casually dangling his forelegs over the edge. “Yes.”

“Who are you?”

“Me? I’m Nengwe, just Nengwe.”

Falana, a little behind and not visible from below, leant over and pressed her flank to his.

The elephant blinked and flapped the outer edge of an ear. “Well then, Nengwe, I am Kudlavu. I speak for all the elephants in these parts. I won’t stand out here all day: too hot. I’ll keep it short. What is it that you want from us?”

“I don’t want anything from you Kudlavu, nor from your people.”

Kudlavu flapped again. “Then why are we here?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t ask you.”

Kudlavu looked down at Mtundu, swinging his trunk towards the baboon. Mtundu shrugged.

“Then why are you here?”

“Me? I… I live here. Some don’t like that it seems.”

“Indeed, and do you know where here is, lion?”

“I’m beginning to… I think.”

“Well, some time ago this rock was the home of many of your kind. Some called them kings.”

Nengwe looked back to Falana. She had nothing for him. He flexed his off forepaw, circling it. “I’m not a king. I’m just a lion.”

“We’ll see about that. And those that don’t like you being here, would they be hunting dogs?”

“Yes. Yes they are and they are going to kill me if they can.”

“Well, yes… I mean no, but no king, or queen, has ever ruled here without the elephants’ support… until now. There are many that want to see the end of the dogs’ time. Their queen is old and may not be with us long. Her daughter…err…”

An awkward silence fell over the rock.

Nengwe broke it: “Elizabeth?”

“…Aye, that’s the one. Is not generally regarded as a wholly worthy successor, and you, well you seem to have what is needed to challenge.”

Nengwe closed his eyes for a moment. “I appreciate your support Kudlavu but it’s not that easy. I have to take down maybe ten wild dogs at once most likely. I mustn’t leave any alive to kill Falana or Shaha. I’m not strong enough.”

“Nengwe, we… we elephants can’t be part of your… petty war.”

Nengwalamwe dropped his head on to his forelegs.

“…but I think we might just have something to share with you. We hear there’s to be a… erm…. a presentation. Yes, that’s it.”

“What’s that?”

“It’s where all the animals come here to see their new king Nengwe,” interjected Falana brightly.

“That’s… that’s what I saw with Yali!” Falana looked at him blankly. “But it wasn’t me they are going to see as their king, it’s…”

“Nengwe, what are you talking about?”

“Falana, I saw it. It was dawn. I was out there on the ridge.” He looked out to the east. Falana was puzzled. “All the animals were coming here. Kudlavu, you were here too: right there, where you are now. And Elizabeth stood up here all bloodied and… she’d killed someone: the old king.”

Kudlavu stamped, Nengwe even felt it on the rock. “What was that lion?”

“I saw it. Here. She killed the last king, but I didn’t see it did I? It hasn’t happened.”

The elephant looked about. The grassland below the promontory was empty and quiet.

“It has happened before.”

Shaha spoke slowly, “I think you, Nengwalamwe, saw what you feared might happen, but it won’t be like that. That’s what the dogs want you to think. They want you frightened. They want you to fear them.”

“But…”

Kudlavu shook his head, trunk swaying. “No young Nengwe. They may want to kill you, but we elephants won’t let it happen. It takes a good while to organise a presentation; if anyone can even remember how to. The word only went out a day or two ago. I doubt they intend to present you, but they won’t try anything till it’s all ready, until then you’re safe.”

“Oh great, what am I going to do till then?”

“I hear you need rest. So take it easy. Do whatever it is that lions do. I’m sure your lioness there will be able to find something for you to do.”

Nengwe turned to Falana. She lay expressionless. Turning back to the elephant, “And you? What will you do?”

“As I say, we can have no part in all this… but we can make sure those dogs of yours don’t have it all their own way. We can keep them busy. They won’t be able to harass you and… errr...?”

“Falana,” prompted Shaha.

“Ah yes, of course, Falana; lovely name. Now then, we must be going. Trees don’t eat themselves you know, and it’ll take forever to get round that lugga now the flood’s softened it up.”

Kudlavu lifted his trunk in respect and then moved off, circling away with his companion. Shaha and Mtundu looked to each other and nodded silently.

“Aren’t you two coming up here?”

“Nah Nengwe, I reckon you’ve got your paws full as it is.”

“Eh?”

“We’d just be kinda in the way.”

“Yes, Nengwalamwe. You just relax and get your strength back; you’re going to need it. Let Kudlavu and the elephants do their bit. You just do yours. I’ll look after Mtundu. Did you know he can pick fleas from your back?”

“Err, yes Shaha. You’ll look after him won’t you? I want him back in one

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