she knew someone who might be able to.

Rafiki too seemed to have aged greatly since the death of Mufasa, and Sarafina wondered for the first time how old he was as she looked into his sunken eyes. The baboon shaman had been dispensing medicine and wisdom to the pride since her own parents were cubs like Nala.

"Well, I can prescribe a powdered root for the sleeplessness and berries for the loss of appetite," Rafiki told her, scribbling with his long bony finger on an imaginary pad.
"That's not what I meant when I said Nala needed your help, and you know it." The lioness bristled. "Please, Rafiki - no games. I really think she might die if she doesn't get over this." Rafiki nodded slowly.
"Bring her to me at sunrise and I'll see what I can do," he promised.
"Thank you, Rafiki. I know Mufasa's death has been hard on you, too," Sarafina said humbly. "
Oh, Mufasa hasn't gone far, don't you worry." The baboon stared for a moment at a spot of empty air beside him, grinning, then took Sarafina's velvet paw in both hands and clasped it. "Don't you worry about a t'ing!"

Nala was nervous. Though she knew Rafiki to be kind and gentle, she had only been taken to visit him when she was ill and the monkey would make her swallow bitter leaves, or dress her bumps and scratches with smelly liquid that stung. The roof and walls of his dark little hut were hung with shells and bones, nuts and fruit and things Nala could not recognise. He was also mysterious and unpredictable, and had sometimes made her or Simba the butt of one of his pranks. She trailed unwillingly behind her mother.

"Come on, Nala! Rafiki's not going to bite. He just wants to talk with you."
"Mm-hmm," Nala grunted unhappily through the spray of white flowers, fat with nectar, which they were bringing as a gift for the shaman.

Rafiki lolloped across the grass to meet them, swinging himself along with his stick. "Flowers? For me? Oh, you shouldn't have!" He buried his muzzle in the bouquet for a long sniff, then carefully dipped in a finger and sucked the sugary nectar from it. "Too kind! Now Nala, you come with me, and Sarafina - you go! Shoo!" He gave the lioness' rump a shove, and she jumped away looking very undignified. Nala gave a small giggle, and Rafiki turned a brilliant smile upon her. "That's it! Come along now!"

To Nala's relief they weren't going to his creepy hut, but to the top of Pride Rock, stark and beautiful against the dawn. Despite his age and biped stance she had trouble keeping up with the baboon as he clambered up the steep slope. When he reached the summit he sat cross-legged facing the sun, to all appearances as fresh as when he had begun the climb. Nala, panting and shivering in the chill air, gladly lay down beside him when he beckoned.

"So what are you and I going to do on this lovely morning?" Nala shrugged listlessly. "OK, I tell you. We're going to put Simba where he belongs."
"What do you mean, Rafiki? He belongs here, with us...but he's dead." New tears came easily to Nala's eyes, for she was weak and the slightest little thing upset her.
"Let me show you. Currently, Simba is here." Without warning, Rafiki sprang onto the cub's back and put his wiry hands around her neck in a stranglehold. Nala sank to the ground, gasping with shock.

"Not very comfortable, is it?" The monkey craned over Nala's head and looked at her upside-down, waggling his bushy white eyebrows.
"N-no!" Nala squeaked. Rafiki let go and squatted beside her.
"But that's how it feels. Simba is weighing you down and suffocating you. It is time to say, No, Simba! This is where you belong." He held his arms out to Nala, placing one pink palm on her forehead and the other on her chest. "Here and here. In your head...and in your heart."

Nala squinted cross-eyed at his hands. "How?" she asked.
"Look." Rafiki pointed with his staff, the twin gourds at its tip rattling and sloshing faintly as their hidden contents moved within. "What do you see?"

The mists were rising and the Pridelands were coming into view. Rosy sparkles came from the shimmering pool where the animals drank. Nala gazed. "I see the water-hole?" she ventured.

"Not a test, Nala!" chuckled Rafiki, ruffling the smooth fur between her ears. "So, then. The water-hole. And what do you remember about the water-hole?"
"Nothing special. I go there every day, to drink."
"Nothing special ever happen there? Think."

And Nala remembered. She remembered one scorching day when she had lain panting at the water's edge, trailing one paw in the cool flow, too listless to move. Then Simba had come crashing out of the grasses, full of energy despite the heat, bounced on top of his friend, and they rolled together into the water. The bath had revived Nala instantly and the two had played there, splashing and ducking each other, all afternoon. She turned smiling to Rafiki, wondering how she could explain all that to him.

Rafiki simply nodded. "Good...and how about over there?"

Night seemed to linger over the place known as the Elephant Graveyard. Long shadows reached out towards Pride Rock, and Nala shuddered. She remembered Simba leading her there, promising a cool adventure. They had been two bold cubs that day, full of their own bravery and cleverness. But the hyaenas' attack had turned their gloating to terror. She recalled slipping down a long spine bone, almost into the wicked mouths of the waiting pack, and Simba rushing back to growl and claw her defence. What a day that had been. What a day.

"You see?" Rafiki broke into her thoughts. "Simba, he's your friend. He doesn't want to hurt you. He wants you to be happy and playful again."

"I can't!" Nala wailed.

"You can. You must. For Simba's sake."

Nala frowned, not understanding. How could it help Simba if she was happy? But then, how could it help Simba if she was sad?

"Simba can no longer run and play in the Pridelands. He can no longer smell the scents and taste the tastes. So you must do the work of two cubs. Enjoy your life to the full. Climb and jump, and when you do say, See, Simba! How fast I can climb, how high I can jump! Look at me!"

"But I'd be talking to myself. Simba's gone, Rafiki. He's not there."

"Oh, but he is. Let me show you something." The shaman closed his eyes and breathed deeply, his narrow chest swelling. He rocked gently for a moment and hummed tunelessly at the edge of Nala's hearing. Then he became still, and rested for so long that Nala thought he had fallen asleep and wondered if she should prod him with a paw.

Suddenly the monkey came to life. He nodded and smiled, his eyes following something Nala could not see. "Yes, Mufasa! You are quite right, as always!" He turned back to Nala. "I was talking to my good friend Mufasa."

"You were pretending," the cub accused. She knew it was wrong to make things up.
"No, no. What you saw was real. Try it. Close your eyes and think of Simba - not as he was, but now."

Nala shut her eyes tight and summoned up a picture of Simba. He came easily; she saw him everywhere she went. This time he was sitting before her, flicking his tail cheekily. "Hey Simba," Nala said, moving her lips without making a sound.
"Hi Nala, how's it going?" she made the image reply. But it sounded false, and she knew it was her putting words in her friend's mouth, imagining what he would say. It was useless. The picture dissolved.

"It will come in time," Rafiki said, drying her tears with his paw. "When two friends are as close as you and Simba, a little thing like death cannot tear them apart. Simba will always be with you, Nala, whether you see him or not."

He swept his staff in an arc, taking in the whole sky. Orange and crimson around the climbing sun, the higher air was still night-blue and a lone star lingered. Nala stared with him, out into the morning. "Isn't it beautiful, Simba?" she said without thinking, leaning to one side as if resting against someone her own size. She knew just how Simba would react: another day for play and adventure! Now she would treat the new dawn as a fresh start, too.

Rafiki nodded. "Now you have it! That's the way. And so, back to your mother with you."

"That's a wonderful idea, Zazu. Thank you," Sarafina was saying. "Oh, here she comes!" She greeted her daughter with a nuzzle, which Nala returned, butting the lioness with her small head.

"Mom, Zazu, I'm going to do as you said and keep going." She tilted her chin up, looking determined. Her mother embraced her.

"My darling, I'm proud of you. I know it won't be easy, but we'll all be here for you in the sad times. Zazu, Sarabi, Rafiki - everyone. And Zazu has a job for you, if you'd like to accept it."

The hornbill cocked his head. "I feel it's time you had more responsibility, Nala. You're growing up fast. So how would you like to come on dawn patrol with me? You can cover the ground while I keep tabs on what's happening up above." Bird and lioness watched anxiously for Nala's reaction, afraid she would shake her head t seemed to linger over the place known as the Elephant Graveyard. Long shadows reached out towards Pride Rock, and Nala shuddered. She remembered Simba leading her there, promising a cool adventure. They had been two bold cubs that day, full of their own bravery and cleverness. But the hyaenas' attack had turned their gloating to terror. She recalled slipping down a long spine bone, almost into the wicked mouths of the waiting pack, and Simba rushing back to growl and claw her defence. What a day that had been. What a day.

"You see?" Rafiki broke into her thoughts. "Simba, he's your friend. He doesn't want to hurt you. He wants you to be happy and playful again."

"I can't!" Nala wailed.

"You can. You must. For Simba's sake."

Nala frowned, not understanding. How could it help Simba if she was happy? But then, how could it help Simba if she was sad?

"Simba can no longer run and play in the Pridelands. He can no longer smell the scents and taste the tastes. So you must do the work of