1mAThe Gazelle By Drew Palmer This story is written from Scar's perspective and he is the narrorator of the story.I write this story after reading a moving writing called 'The Scarlet Ibis'.Mail me at BSQN82A@prodigy.net with any comments. I was the youngest of my mother's litter.My mother,Akase,preffered my larger borther,Mufasa(as did everyone else) To me.This did not surprise nor did the fact that he would be king one day.I was the smaller,quiet,dark bundle of fur,thin and weakened as my brother got first serve when it came to mother's milk. Mufasa chose to ignore me,as if I was a bad influence and would scar his reputation.My bother and I were born between to seasons,the dry season long dead by the rains still had not arrived.I learned to enjoy my solitude,I would lay in the tall,golden grasses,rank with ironweed and various shrubbery,relaxing as the sweet scent of slightly wilted flowers drifted to me for the longest time,watching the azure sky and the ivory white,bunny tail clouds float by and enjoy the evening sky's hues,the colorful colors-some the colors of the african violet's petals,or colors golden and glowing like the sun and ,sometimes,red as a zebra's blood. The sunset and sunrise was a haven for beauty,the only beauty in my life.As I think about it,it seemed that those brilliant sunsets were the best things I ever layed eyes on.My brother was never around,when he was,he refrained from speaking to me and cringed everytime I nuzzled him in greeting.As far as I could see,I had no brother,no one to turn to,Mufasa was just like a second king of the pride. I did-have a brother though.Not Mufasa,no,never.He was born to a low status female of the pride,and old,withered creature named Tando.I called him Mijjy for short but his full name was Mijuiza.I remember it so clearly now ans I lay here benath the stars,my memories suddenly floating back to me like ghost stirred from their tombs-I was peering over Tando's heavy paws,eyeing the tawny ball of fur,covered in dark,brown spots.I smiled slightly,enjoying the adorable sight but,it became obvious that something was wrong with the cub,something that made Tando weep everytime it was mentioned.He was small,thin,frail and weak.He couldn't even lift his head,born much too early and it was rumored in hushed whispers among the pride that he would not survive.In fact,two of the lionesses,while out hunting,returned,heading towards Tando before presenting their kill to their king. "We found a good place." The younger huntress remarked "Pretty,pretty,shaded place in the acacia grove.It's so beautiful how the light dances through the thorns and fronds.." Tando raised her head,large,shell-shaped ears cupping forward as they addressed her."Oh?Why for you go lookin' fer a beautiful place?New sunning area for the pride?" The older lioness turned with a sad frown,eyeing the young huntress with her deep hazel eyes.She turned again,letting out a long,thoughtful sigh,leaning forward and whispering lightly into Tando's ear "No..to put your cub when he dies."Tando blinked,lips raising in a snarl,she cuffed the lioness after she whispered to her and sent the other one running back to the lioness' sunning shelves. Tando's eyes welled up with tears,as did mine.I couldn't bear to see the old,withered thing cry so hard over her baby. The rainy seasons slowly came to their end,letting the dryness set in upon the savanna and evaporate the waterholes and creek beds,turning them into dry,cracked dirt holes.The cub,however,did not die.Thus,Tando gave him a name,Mijuiza which meant 'miracle'.As I said,I called him Mijjy,everyone laughed when I called him that but the name stuck and the other pride members soon began to do the same,renaming him Mijjy and calling the small cub by that title.Often,to try and get him to crawl,Tando would turn him onto his back and he would wriggle around,straining terribly but never able to roll back over onto his paws. The old Shaman,Rafiki,doubted that the cub would ever walk,it would be lucky enough to crawl around.Sitting up was enough of a challenge for the tiny,furball.I watched him do this for the first time.He slowly raised his head,grunting and breathing heavily and braced himself against his shaking forepaws.His rotund face turned bright red,then purple and he collapsed,resting from that simple task.This drove old Tando to tears and the other lionesses let their ears fall back against their heads,leaving the mother and her invalid son. I strolled up to the elder lioness and looks up at her,my young eyes filled with curiousity: "Mis Tando,Ma'am..was wrong wi' Mijjy?" "He's not right,Taka." she replied gravely,eyes squinting shut."He's just not right.He'll probably never walk and,he may not ever be right in the head."That was the most surprising thing to me,I wouldn't want a crazy cub in *my* pride-so I set out to kill the toddler.I paced out of the pride's cavern and out to the shade beneath the kegila trees,spying the tiny baby laying on the grasses.I unsheathed my small claws,ears lowered and eyes unblinking.I stood over his frail form,his big,black eyes looking up at me,he smiled brightly and giggled--I couldn't do it,not to him. I stayed there the rest of the day,until the flat topped acaci trees lost their dark,green shine and turned black,their tops highlighted with burnt orange from the sun's rays.I entertained him as I pounced bugs and noisely chirping crickets and took long strands of rye-like grass nd tickled his tiny,salmon pink nose with them. The months passed slowly and Mijjy grew,but still couldn't walk,but could raise his head for a few minutes,a vast improvements from before.The day he learned to crawl,the pride cheered and praised Aihue for the blessing.He toddled a few inches across the dry dirt then stopped,laying down to catch his breath.Tando grinned at the other,more fortunate,mothers,head raised proudly."I told you he could do it,he was born in a caul you know." I,being older and near my adolesence,could pick up and carry the cub with a fair amount of effort.My favorite place to take him was the small swamp that resided beside the waterhole.It was serene and quiet,far from the touch of the world we'de left behind.There,We'd gather wildflowers-snakeflowers and water lillies and usually do nothing at all with them,just admiring their simple beauty.The smell of the damp swamp grass was sweet and inviting and I often dodged the numerous bower birds that had made ground nests out of the lush grasses and twigs.Cypress grew in abundance,their large knees jutting from the black waters.Gray colored moss hung down from the boughs of various,water loving trees,draping the area.The canopy,thick and almost unpenatrable,provided a cool darkness,the darkness that I was accostumed to. Mijjy gaped in awe and amazement as I set him down on the rubbery grasses,he stroked one and sniffled "It's so perty,perty."I smiled broadly and licked Mijjy's forehead with my raspy tongue and listen to the weak,barely audible sound of his purr then I picked him up,casually loping to the shaded acacias in the distance.I was,at some times,mean to the poor cub,and this was one of my worst antics.I have this knot of cruelty within my system that,somehow,evolves from love.I dived into the acacia grove,sighing in relief as the cool shade fell upon me,I stopped at the glen in the center and setting him down on the leaf govered ground with an evil grin "This was where they were gonna lay you to rest you,ya know?" The little cubby looked me strait in the eyes and asked "Rest?" I chuckled deeply and narrowed my eyes "Yeah,b'ry,like after you're dead.Everyone was thinkin' you were gonna die." Mijuiza gasped in horror and squeezed his eyes shut.I chuckled evilly,letting my cruel streak play with the child's thoughts and emotion "C'mon." I goaded."Sniff the ground,it's where you were s'posed ta be." He snorted,angry "I ain't gonna".I laughed and put my heavy paw on the back of his head and pushed his maw onto the ground,rubbing his nose against the dirt.He screamed,sending a flock of guniea hens into to the air,buzzing loudly. I couldn't help but laugh although Mijjy was beyond the point of horrified.I picked him up gently by the scruff of his neck and,as the evening shadows fell,we headed home,stopping every now and then to gaze at the endless sea of stars above us. I was determined to teach him how to walk,he would learn--but,perhaps this was out of my own selfishness and not out of love for him.I mean,I had to take him everywhere,as soon as I left the cave I heard my mother call out to me "Taka,take Mijjy with you." and I carried him about everywhere which became more of a bore than a hindrance.I,to frighten him away from me,would carry him in my muzzle,racing through the savanna at break-neck speed,sending the poor,lil guy into a screaming fit.But,even after all my attempts,he cried and whined even if I raised a paw to leave. At the swamp,I lay beneath a tree,the swamp grass folded beneath me as I watched a pair of cranes busy themselves in a ritualistic dance.Mijjy lay on his belly beside me,his head raising every now and then to observe the noisy,avian couple,then,tired he layed it back down "I'm going to make you walk,Mijjy." I said,more like a command than a statement,determination thick in my voice. Mijjy just looked at me,silent and surprised,I returned the befuddled glance with a cool grin then rolled to my paws with a loud grunt."Stand up" I ordered gruffly. "I can't stand up.."he whined. I growled,hating that high-pitched whine of his "I said stand up.." The little cub braced himself against his forepaws,then fell onto the grasses again,crying "I can't do it!!" "Yes!You can!Don't you WANT to walk???" "*sniff*Yes.." "Then at least TRY!" He repeated the pathetic attempt to stand and repeated falling down.This cycle was repeated about 100 times a day,every time we were at the swamp until one day,he stood on his own for a few seconds.coltish legs quivering tremulously beneath his frail body."Brother!Catch me!"He called out,for a moment I was in shock at the word 'brother,then lunged forward,catching the growing cub who was panting and sweating.I looked at him,.eyes widened "You did it..brother.." We continued standing pratice until he stood for a fair amount of time and could even walk a few steps,something that amazed me totally.I *walked* him back to pride rock,stopping so that he could rest every few minutes.I made all the lions turn and close their eyes,making them cross their hearts and hope to die if they looked.I nudged Mijjyt to stand and stand he did,quietly strolling over to his mother and sitting on his haunches beside her.Tando's eyes widened and tears streamed down her dirty cheeks as she lunged forward,hugging and kissing the cub,happy cries pealing through the cave like a bell.I smiled,raising my head smugly as the lionesses circled Tando,swooning and squealing with joy. Time passed slowly and I gained a thin mane,a black one,an odd color but I mane I was proud of nonetheless.Mijjy had nothing but a small tuft of sandy colored mane on top of his big ole head,his big,dorky ears ,goofy grin and his teeny body only making him look more hilarious.As a custom,the mothers of the pride would bring back wounded,young animals,usually gazelles for matured cubs to kill.I had successfully completed my rights of passage into adolescence(successfully,for me,being about 5 times.)and it was Mijjy's turn.Surprising as it may be,I was nervous and waiting in anticipation as Tando carried the young gazelle,the little thing stained in crimson.The old lioness dropped it,the tiny gazelle stumbling about on it's limber legs,big eyes widened as it looked,in desperation,for it's mother.It bleated once,it's voice fading to a hoarse wheeze.Mijjy frowned "It's a red ba'ba gazelle..." Tando laughed quietly,looking over the scarlet-hued gazelle and shook her head,sitting down beside me as we watched Mijjy circle the newborn gazelle.It trembled,falling onto it's sharply bent legs,the legs delicately folding beneath it as it's breathing began to slow.It raised it's head,jerked it twice,then let it's eyelids cover it's eyes.Mijjy blinked,watching the frail body for a few minutes,and I knew what he was feeling-kinship to the dead animal.His mother frowned deeply,eyes narrowing in scorn "Well,you'll have to wait now...Well,eat it anyway Mijjy."I stood quickly,padding over to the vermillion stained carcass,licking my maw in anticipation of a good dinner. Mijjy glared at me,as if saying 'Get AWAY',and I did."I ain't hungry momma." Tando sighed and plodded off,shaking her head and moving to her pride sisters to tell of what happened.I watched Tando for a brief moment,shruged and turned back to my brother who quickly picked up the gazelle by the neck and began dragging it off as best he could.I blinked "Bro?Whatcha doin'?" "Gonna go put it inna acacia grove."I blinked again,understanding and that evening,my dinner was solemnly laid to rest as Mijjy hummed an old tune taught to him by Ahadi.I was less than reverent. Mijjy and I set out for the swamp one final time,the swamp crows flying over head,heading north in noisy flocks and we laughed as we gently wrestled in the grasses.I began to,now,feel my greediness and selfishness melt away as I saw the look of pure love in my newfound brother's eyes.The way he looked up to me made me feel like I was the most important lion in the world and I returned the love to my brother. We plodded through the shallow,swampy waters,the sun still blazing hot upon our backs.Locusts were buzzing about in the reeds and large,grey storks picked and turned over rocks in the shallow cataracts.I turned,hearing a rumbling towards the south and I saw the fateful clouds,rumbling as they headed north,promising rain.The ominous black clouds rumbled like my father's roar,seeming to shake the earth beneath it and a breif,flash of white lightening shattered the growing darkness with an ear peircing crackle.We increased our speed,plodding out of the water,shaking then heading up the green hills to the savanna and arid plains.The storks squaked and careened away from the fish-filled shallows and songbirds took to the wing,heading further north to their roosting trees.Mijjy was panting and trembling,afraid and tired,weak and growing exhausted.He suddenly tripped over a jutting rock,falling face first into the mud.I helped him up,he wiped off his eyes and offered an ashamed smile.I quickened my pace,not wanting to be caught in a feirce storm and he struggled to keep up with me,his paws often slipping out beneath him.I winced at the growing sound of thunder and a few,icey drops that splattered on my pelt,fear was creeping up on me.I began to run,faster than I had before,reaching out my limber legs in great strides,clearing ground fast..Mijjy shot after me,desperately trying to keep up with me but his legs failed him and then fell with a loud shriek and sob.I blinked back tears and continued running as his voice peirced the rumbling of thunder and fall of rain "Brother!!Don't leave me!!" He voice died away as I padded up a hill,stopping to catch my breath and squinting as I desperately tried to see through the sheeting torrents of rain.The wind,once howling like a wild siren,had died down,the rain now falling strait like ropes from the sky.I watched,anticipating my brother to appear from the plains,the emerge from the mists like a wraith-But-- No one was coming. I trotted back a little ways and stopped,calling out to Mijuiza.My voice pealing through the rain. No reply,nothing at all but the ropy rain. I walked up to the figure whose form was visible through my tear-blurred vision,a young lion that was slumped over on his haunches,face obscured from sight,forehead resting against the ground.I nudged him worridly,expecting him to turn and stand "Let's go home Bro." He fell. Limp and lifeless to the gound.His head was tilted back and his body twisted awkwardly.He had been bleeding at the mouth,the crimson dripping down his maw and down his neck,staining his little body with vermillion.His little legs bent sharply at the joints,paws raw from skidding across rocks.I screamed his name,urgently calling to him-whever he was--to awaken. But he didn't. The realization of what had happened dawned upon me and I stumbled to the ground,eyes widened and dripping with tears. Sobbing,I collapsed onto my little,fallen gazelle,sheltering him from the relentless downpour of rain..t happened.I watchemAw '/[ &' '  Z[ `[E E0\[\\\[&'''\w \/w `''&By\\s\u\w\\6\9\\\? \ \ \' \ \\<  \,\\\\\K\\?\ \N\\\~ \t!\\< t!#\8%\%\%\C&\&\&\&\'\(\(\+\+\/\1\\< 12\:3\3\4\5\;\U=\i=\=\=\?\?\|@\@\A\\< AgA\oA\3\4\5\;\U=\i=\=\=\?\?\|@\@\A\\<  Arial to my brother. We plodded through the shallow,swampy waters,the sun still blazing hot upon our backs.Locusts were