Shane was sprawled in a chair in his brother’s home in Nairobi, having made an address to Parliament that day.  They were having drinks during a chilly evening that had seen downpours at dusk.  A fire hissed in the grate.  Cassandra was upstairs tucking the couple’s cubs in bed. 

“I wish you hadn’t pressed to bring Steve and Sid back to the Mara.  They’re making a spectacle of themselves whoring around,” stated Shane. 

“When did you become anesthetized to the joys of the flesh?” asked an amused Sefu Simba. 

“I’ve had my last peccadillo, Sef.  I’ve got a wife I love and a daughter who is growing into a harsh judge of my character these days.  She gave me hell for the Caroline debacle.”

Sefu laughed again.  “Alexander was complaining about the overload of cases.”

“He has Sloane with him.  Alex is a whiner.  Sam and I handled that office when you became judge and I was the District Attorney, remember? I think Alex’s wife is his problem.  He married Lucy right out of the nursery.”

“She was sullied by that actor before that.  I think she does hold his feet to the fire.”

“He may be something of a pussy, Sef.”

“Boy, you are in a strange mindset, Bro. What gives with you?  Are your ribs still hurting?”

“I told you, I knocked up that damn Caroline Cheetah.  She caught me drunk and without my guards at the train door.”

“I know all about that.  Whenever Cass and I make it to the Mara, we get an earful of you and Caroline,” laughed Sefu.  “I think Betty and your kids may be causing you to develop a conscience at last.”

“You may be right.  Betty is such a peaceful and loving wife.  She’s a real asset to me, Sef.”

“Glad to hear it, Shane,” said Sefu, slapping him on the back and causing him to wince from the pain it produced in his ribs.  They were called to dinner shortly after that.  Shane made a last trip to the Parliament the next morning before heading out for the Mara and home. 

            After having been read the riot act by Roy Lee, Steve and Sid Simba failed to curtail their activities in totality.  They decided if they made Sunday a day of regular attendance at the First Church of the Ascending Predator that would soothe the pride’s ruffled feathers.  Steven and Sidney would sit sweetly by Leander’s side in services and attempt an expression of pious intent.  Later they would attend the pride brunch at Sarah Lee’s. Sunday night would be spent drinking quietly at the pub with the local females hanging on their every word, pinch and fanny hug.  Sloane was in the process of finding new digs since Caitlin wouldn’t come there.  Linda Cougar was devoted to Steve and Sid, however.  Caroline Cheetah was another disciple.  Steven was the only one that actually liked to walk around the savanna and explore the turf on foot.  Sidney was more the type for sensual pursuits. 

            On a particularly noisy evening of partying, the Simba Fuck Farm was reported to the Masai Mara Police Department.  Chief of Police, Bubba Simba, just turning his shift over to Carson Cougar, got the radio message.  They decided to make the call together.  They went two vehicles strong, sirens screaming. The door was unlocked so the two cops went in.  The haul was amazing.  Linda Cougar was under Steven Simba in one bed.  Caroline Cheetah and Liz Leopard were having a blast with Sidney in another.  At the cry of “Dad” from Linda, Steven hit the floor running.  He hastily grabbed a garment and tried to put it on.  Bubba stopped him by pressing his night stick against his chest. 

“Where you heading, Bro?” drawled Bubba. 

Carson grabbed his daughter from the bed. She was too afraid to even defend herself.

“What do you think we should do with these roisterers, Bubba?” asked Carson, holding his daughter by the nape of the neck. 

“I think they need some jail time with the hose turned on ‘em, don’t you, Carson?” asked the secretly gleeful Bubba.

“Sure do,” agreed Carson. 

“We’re lawyers, Bubba,” said Sidney attempting mediation.

“I know what the fuck you are,” snarled Bubba.  “You’re out of control Simbas.  Roy Lee’s done told you to cool your fucking jets.  You think you can sit in church all pious like and come to Mom’s lunches and everything will be hunky dory but you’re dead wrong. We all know what you’re about.”

There was a loud groan from Steven at this tirade from Bubba.

            The crew were divided between the two police cruisers and hauled back to the Mara jail.  There they were treated to the roughest of admissions.  Their orifices were explored for drugs, their mug shots looked frightful and they were treated to the hoses as a sobering device.  Liz Leopard couldn’t stop weeping envisioning eventual loss of license and deportation to her native Tanzania.  Linda Cougar sat huddled in the corner of her cell and visualized being sent back to Montana and her quarrelsome mom.   The end result of this trauma was sobering but much less lethal than anticipated by those incarcerated.  Fortunately, the paparazzi were caught up in one of Bop Boon’s tantrums held in the Watering Hole Pub, and failed to follow the routine disturbance complaint that is so widespread in the savanna on a Saturday night.  No one knew about Liz, Steven and Sidney’s jail turn and since it was not a felony, it couldn’t affect their law careers.  Carson Cougar cut off all financial help for his daughter until she could prove herself to him.  It was a sober group that made their way to their respective homes early on that Sunday morning.  Linda Cougar sat by her father and Monica during services at the church as did Steven and Sidney Simba with their mother.  Liz Leopard licked her wounds within the confines of her Salt Lick townhouse.  Caroline Cheetah, on the other hand, made herself a breakfast of granola laced with fruit.  She had not imbibed that night past her single glass of wine.  She had simply enjoyed the sexual pleasures.  She was doing nothing to harm Shane Simba’s male fetus which lay within her womb.  She rubbed her tummy as she ate the cereal and fruit. 

            Sloane decided it was time to build a home of his own.  He hired Nat Cougar and Lewis Lyon Construction.  He bought a lot very near the Mombasa Road which was undergoing intense real estate expansion.  He continued to live in the much more restrained home with Steven and Sidney.  Since Bubba and Carson’s bust, they had been greatly chastened.  That’s not to say the twosome were less inclined to intense sexual action but they certainly were more self-possessed in the way they went about it.  Roy Lee had been told of the group arrest by Bubba. He wrote each a reprimand.  They had their orders.  Either shape up or ship out.  Despite the wealth of the Simba Pride these days, Roy Lee, Sefu, Sam and Shane still held the purse strings.  Leander’s sons had not amassed the affluence and had no control over where it went.

            The week after ANIMAL FORTUNE magazine had its annual list of the richest animals in Kenya.   The Leoparde family with their banks and multifarious global holdings still topped the list.  The Lyon Pride was in second place tied with the Simba Pride. But there were new winds blowing across Kenya.  Maude and Harold Hyena with their expanding McDonalds franchises would be worth taking note of very soon as would the Bushbucks and Impalas.

            Maude and Harold Hyena had been friends of mine from my earliest years with Bertram Baboon in the Masai Mara.  With their new wealth and ostentatious home built on Lyon Avenue, they invited Bertram, Lachlan and me to supper one evening.  Lachlan had counseled their gay daughter so they knew him as well.  I have always liked Harold and Maude.  Most animals in East Africa don’t take hyenas seriously.  Lions, especially, loathe them.  They are powerful predators in their own right and in the older gorier days in our nation would take kills from lions. Hard feelings don’t cease over night and the lions of the Mara still loathed the hyenas.  Of course there is an exception to every rule.  Arlon Lyon, with his daily load of burgers and fries from McDonalds has made firm friends with Maude and Harold.  They attend all his soccer games. 

            There were so many liveried servants in the house that night when we dined that Bertram’s eyes popped.  They were human as well as animals and wore rather outlandish attire with braid adorning one of the houseboy’s shoulders.  I was glad they had finally come into their own.  Of course it was a dubious victory for we animals have our own set of prejudices and, unfortunately, hyenas rank high among those disparaged in East Africa.   The meal consisted of ham, turkey, mutton and beef.  It was enough to feed the entire forces fighting in Iraq.  But such is the way with those having just arrived at a state of wealth.  We had brandy in the library, which is stacked with unread volumes bound in Moroccan leather, and carried on over the meal like a bunch of overstuffed Arabs.  Bertram even managed to suppress a loud burp just before it sounded across the cavernous room. 

            Lewis and Ashley Lyon sat with their half brother, Daniel, one evening at Lewis and Gina’s beautiful home in the Mara.  Leah and Gina were in the den chatting.  The brothers were doing the same over cognac after a delightful meal. 

“I’d be willing to put up the backing for you to have your own law firm, Daniel,” said Lewis.  “You need to get away from those Simbas.”

“Luke and I would back you too, Dan.  We’ve made a fortune with our safari clubs,” offered Ashley. “We could use another investment.”

“That’s a tantalizing thought.  Do you think it would wash?” asked Daniel.   

“With Dad the president, damn right it would,” said Lewis. 

“The Simbas have a hinky reputation. You could distance yourself from them,” added Ashley.

“And if Dad retires and leaves the deal to Shane Simba, then what?” asked Daniel. 

“Dad is retiring no time soon and Shane Simba would have to be elected.  We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.  But Dad is a legend and everyone adores him and the Lyon name,” said Lewis. “The Simbas are Johnny-come-lately.”

“When do we start?” asked the enthused Daniel.

            It was announced in the Masai Mara Daily as well as the evening newscast on WMM-TV that Lyon & Associates would open a law office in the Mara and Nairobi.  Daniel had given notice to Simba Brothers and started the process of hiring attorneys to join the firm.  The Simbas became uneasy.  Since Ralph Lyon had a lawyer son, any one of their positions could be replaced by him or forthcoming Lyon pride attorneys.  Arlon Lyon, being close to his father, grandfather and grandmother, was in his last year before attending university somewhere.  Both his grandparents and his father encouraged him to study law.  Liz Leopard was the first to join Lyon & Associates.  The Simbas had failed to make her a partner so she went for potentially greener pastures.  Things began to get tense between the two prides as extreme competition had its way with them.  Shane was the least threatened and had always welcomed rivalry among commercial and professional operatives as a good thing for Kenya.  He spoke with his stepson, Arlon, of his future in law and encouraged him to go to law school in England. 

“But I’ll join my pride’s law firm then, Shane.”

“That’s what you should do, Arlon.  Go for it.”

            Caitlin Cougar, for all her stirring passion and love for Sloane Simba, harbored grave doubts about a future with him.  She wanted to trust him and believe he was a good match for her but her misgivings haunted her night and day.  She began to lose weight which was noticed by Sylvia and Bernard.  This is how the sculptress and combination journalist fell into the lap of my love, Lachlan Lion.  Sylvia asked him to see Bernard’s niece who seemed to be engaging in an internal struggle of great magnitude.  He complied and the tense and nervous cougar female sat before him with her claws bitten to the quick. 

“From what you tell me and what I am actually hearing from you, Caitlin, you are now engaged to a male you love very much.  But you seem far from happy.  Do you want to tell me about it?”

“I know he won’t be faithful to me, Dr. Lachlan.  I need to be assured of that.”

“Why do you think that, Caitlin?”

“He continued to have girlfriends when he was seeing me,” she said, lighting a cigarette.

“Did he lie about it?”

“Oh, no, he was very honest about it.”

“So, then, why the distrust?” probed Lachlan. 

“I don’t know, just a gut feeling.”

“Is it because he is very attractive with females all over him and you can’t imagine having captured him for your own?”

“Yes, that’s sort of it,” she said with a short laugh. 

“I am going to prescribe some Valium for you and trust you not to abuse it.  My advice is to go ahead and enjoy your fiancé.  What can happen to wound you more than you’re hurting yourself with all this suspicious angst? I’ll see you in two weeks and get a bead on how you’re doing,” said Lachlan, tearing the prescription from the pad and handing it to her.

            If I could have been a fly on the wall of Sloane Simba’s office, I am sure I would have heard him send silent prayers to Lachlan for after Caitlin’s first clinic visit; she was an entirely different cougar.  She ate heartily, creating delicious meals in her new apartment for herself and Sloane.  They lay in her bed in the night, making love and laughing at secret things in the darkness.  Since Sloane’s new home was in a viewable phase; the couple would visit in the late afternoons.  The rental home in the bush was no longer an issue.  Sloane spent most nights in Caitlin’s bed in the apartment he had once leased. 

            Dodi Dik Dik Lyon’s brother, Daryl Dik Dik, is an itinerant preacher that goes between the Mara and Tanzania preaching the gospel.  On a rain swept but still romantic evening, Sloane and Caitlin went to his home by appointment and quietly tied the knot.  They announced it at the Simba Pride brunch two days later.  Caitlin had already called Sylvia and Bernard and told them of her marriage to Sloane Simba. 

            Dr. Carey Caracal has a sister who is an attorney.  She has been living in South Africa and returned to the Mara to interview for a position in Lyon & Associates law firm.  Daniel Lyon was impressed and hired her.  She stayed with her sister a few nights but didn’t care for her loose behavior and moved out to a room at the safari club recommended by Daniel.  Cameron (nicknamed Cam) Caracal is a professional like her sister but not in the least like her in ways of social and sexual matters.  Cam Caracal is a firm believer in closed legs before you get a firm commitment.  This approach enabled her to be a brilliant lawyer, fully mindful of ways to get the most out of the least. 

            Alexander Simba is wild about his cub, James, loves his wife, Lucy, and is glad to welcome a second round of fatherhood very soon.  The catch manages to be the fact that Lucy, having grown up with any and everything she ever wanted, tends to be petulant at the slightest physical discomfort.  Now one could say that this is normal, but in a young female dealing with one newborn and determined to have another as soon as possible, one could expect valor.  Lucy Cougar Simba has stated that she wants as many offspring as possible.  Being plagued with reproductive problems, she has failed to adapt and lessen the grievances her husband suffers during her, frankly, shitty moods. 

“Lucy, when this litter is born, let’s not have anymore children,” begged Alexander, one morning over coffee on their porch. 

“I want at least five cubs, Alex.”

“You have too many problems having them, Lucy, and just frankly, when you’re pregnant you’re always in a bitchy mood.”

It was the wrong approach this sunny morning.  Lucy tossed her cooled coffee in her husband’s lap and stormed in the house.