Please.”

“OK, OK. If he comes closer I’ll do what I can.”

Thank you, thank you, thank you. You might have just saved my sanity.

“Now just turn around so you can’t see him and at least look as if you’ve settled down and got some rest.”

Right, let’s make it look like I’m settled here. Turn around. Oops careful, don’t step on anyone. Sorry about that… ah you didn’t notice.  This’ll do. Head down, blend in…

“Where’s Sarabi?”

“Sarabi? Err, she’s not here.”

“Yes she is, that’s her over there. She’s got a… distinctive tail hasn’t she?”

“Err, no, that’s Naanda.”

“No it’s not Sarafina. I know Naanda, her coat’s lighter, and her ear marks are much browner. Over there, see? That’s Naanda.”

He’s coming closer! Come on Sarafina, do something!

“Mufasa, look, there’s something I really need to tell you.”

He’s stopped, he’d be here by now if he hadn’t.

“Not now Sarafina. I’m sure it can wait.”

“No! No, it can’t.”

“Hmm.”

Ah! That’s his paw beside me: warm, strong, so strong. He’s so, so close. Got to hold down my breath: can’t let him see what he does to me.  No, no! He’s dropping down beside me! Pressing himself into my flank. He can feel everything: my heart, my breath, everything.

“Sassi.” He’s so quiet, so close. His breath caresses my ear: tickles a little, teasing, offering so much. Take me Fluffy. I give you everything. Right here, right now, everything. Please, take all of me. “I had to come. I couldn’t sleep for thinking of you. I know I shouldn’t, but I had to. Please don’t be angry with me.” How could I be angry with you Fluffy, how? “I just needed to be with you, to feel you.”

“By the stars! Why don’t you just get her in cub already?”

Naanda, Naanda, Naanda. You’re always so…. “You know my sister. She’s always so…”

“Yes Sassi. I know Naanda, I see her every day. She’s direct, but not always tactful. It’s you I want to see.”

“Well, yes, but I… well… I can’t always be with you.” Oh but I want to be. How I want to be. Being this close is too much to bear. Too much to live with, and far too much to live without. I wish he hadn’t come. He said he wouldn’t. I’ve got to go, got to get away. I hate myself for that: I should be wanting to be with him now, and always, but I do. “I… I have to go and seeRafiki.” Just like Sarafina said, yes, that’s it.

“What, now? Why Sassi?”

“It’s a personal matter.”

“Ah, I see.” No you don’t see, but you can think you do if it helps. “I feared I was too much, too soon. I know you’re not ready for all that.”

No Fluffy you… great furball. It’s not like that at all. I’d have you in an instant if things were different. Not gentle, but urgent and powerful. I don’t care who sees, or hears. I want you, you fluffball. Want and need and I’d kill to get you… but it can’t be. Not like this. “No Mufasa, it’s not like that. When I am ready to be your queen, you’ll be the first,” and just for you Naanda I’ll lay this on a little thicker, “and only one to know.”

“Oh, personal. I see. Well, if you’re sure…  I mean if you need to… you… err, better go and see him. I don’t need to know. I mean, not that I’d expect you to tell me or anything.”

No! Please don’t… go. Please do. Oh it feels so cold and alone without him by me. Look at him, he’s shaking his head awkwardly. What’s he doing? Is he coming back? No, of course not, he’s just washing his forepaw! I’d better smile: just a little.

“Sarafina, ah there you are. Now what was it you wanted to tell me?”

“Ah…..” She wasn’t listening! He can’t see me. Point, lift this paw and point. She’s puzzled. Try looking like a tree. How can I? I’m all the wrong shape. Sit up. Us.. how to do “us”? Ah, yes, that’ll do it. Four words, second word… point over there, making stepping shapes. “…err we, yes, Sarabi and I…” He must suspect surely? “We’re going…” Monkey, that’s easy… isn’t it? “ape?” Try again. Do the stick holding thing. “No, silly me! Of course, Sarabi and I are going to see Rafiki! Yes,that’s it!”

“Sarafina, if I didn’t know better I’d say you and Sarabi are up to something.”

“Us? No, of course not. Why ever would we do that?”

“Just bring Sassi back in one piece. Please, she means everything to me.”

There he goes. At last.

~oOOo~

“Are we even going to see Rafiki?”

“I am.”

“Not me too? So tell me again ‘Sassi’: why am I here?”

So you were listening…. “Because…” two can play that game Sarafina! “Saffi, It’s what friends do: support each other; and you know about climbing trees.”

"Trees?"

"No, just one." That got her: she's stopped dead! This'll really do her in: "I know all about the Jamalayla Incident."

"Nothing was ever proved. She made it all up."

"You stole her cache didn't you? You somehow got into her tree and took her kill. I know you did."

"What if I did? She’s only a leopard."

"Tell me how. Tell me how to climb trees." Just over this rise… and there! There it is at last. He might have chosen somewhere closer.

“What tree?”

I’ll just stand here, she’ll get the idea. “That tree.”

“That crazy monkey's baobab? Sarabi, you’ve got to be kidding!"

“You don’t have to do it. Just tell me how.” She’s holding back. Come on Sarafina. Let’s walk and talk.

“Sassi, hey! Wait up!”

Look at the size of that thing! It is big; very tall. How am I going to get up there?  I’ve got to. I must. She’s catching up. She should know I’m serious by now.

“Is there any other way? That baobab is…”

“There’s no other way. It’s something I have to do.”

“Look, climbing isn’t that hard. You’ve just got to mean it.”

Oh, I mean it all right.

“OK. It’s not like walking or running. It’s all in the forequarters.”

Go on. Tell me.

“Baobabs have near straight up trunks. You need your claws out all the time and once you’ve on, keep moving until you’re on top of something. If you stop you’ll fall off, or tear off your claws trying to hang on. Believe me, that’s not good.”

“Yes, I’ve got that: once on my way keep going.”

“You can’t use your hind paws. If you get anything from them you’re lucky. It’s not like walking, where you uses all four legs, just your forelegs: left-right, left-right. Take a good leap from the ground and haul yourself up and just…”

“Keep going.” That explains your shoulders. “How do you now? How did you learn all this?”

“Oh, my mother taught me. I don’t know why she did it. She actually liked swimming too.”

Can’t think why… so you had a mother. Of course you did Saffi, we all do. “What happened to her?”

“Not now Sarabi. Just concentrate on climbing. It’s going to be tough. That’s not just any tree. It’s a massive baobab, with a monkey on top.”

Blue and Gold

 

We’ve been walking forever, and we’re not even half way there. There’s nothing here, only red earth, flat, hot, arid: empty, and that tree. Maybe Saffi’s right, it is too high, it’s getting higher and we’ve still a ways to go. It doesn’t look as steep now: the north face slopes over; that’s the way up; but it is higher to the crown.

“Are you sure about this? It’s a long way up. Isn’t there another way?”

“I’ll attempt the north face. It doesn’t look so hard.”

“No Sassi. Isn’t there any other way to see Rafiki?”

“I’m not the king. I can’t summon him, and I’ve not got a messenger to do it for me.” See there, some bird’s flying from the ancient canopy. It makes its own choices. Not beholden to anyone. Free to go wherever it wants. Where’s it going? Take me with you. Give me your freedom. Free from him in my head; free from everyone. “So I have to go to him.”

“What if he’s not there?”

“He will be. All I have to do is wait.”

“And climb that. By the stars Sassi, you are mad!”

~oOOo~

Hold on! Nearly there, so close. Keep going. One more heave. Paws burning, can’t stop, mustn’t stop. Pads over – come on now, just one more and I’m there. I’m there! I am there!

It’s not as big up here as it looked from down there. What are those things on the walls? Markings, they look… Ah, I don’t know. Hey, where’s

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