"Touch of the Nisei" - читать интересную книгу автора (Burkitt John H., Morris David A., Layton Ian)

CHAPTER: THE WITNESS

She had a head wound from a canine tooth that opened into her brain. Her pain was stronger than her fear, and she looked over the group whimpering in pain. Her eyes stopped on Rafiki. “The pain! Oh gods, the pain! Please help me!”

Sarabi pushed forward, “Now listen to me, you fiz’lo! Where is my sister Elanna?”

The hyena whimpered. “Help me! Please! Please?”

“We will give you something for the pain,” Sarabi said, “But only if you tell us what you know.”

Rafiki pushed past her and held out some herbs. “Take this.”

The lionesses scowled. Isha said, “Those painkillers should go to wounded lionesses!”

“There is enough to go around, Isha. They are no great friends of mine, by and large, but the poor wretch is dying. Let me work.”

“Kind ape, turn me to face the east,” the hyeness stammered. “I want to see Roh’kash.” Rafiki grunted with the exertion, and without help from the lionesses managed to drag her forequarters part of the way around. But Uzuri saw the strain on his face and helped move the hyeness on around. She never questioned his motives on anything.

The hyeness started to fade out. Using a small twig, Rafiki cleared the clot of blood from the head wound. Blood came out, relieving the pressure on her brain. He then held some silvervein in front of her nose. It made her mind work more clearly and she briefly opened her eyes again.

Gently, Rafiki said, “Tell me where Elanna is. It is too late to save you, but you can undo hurt for those who go on living.”

Struggling to focus on his face, the hyeness said murkily, “Taka said he’d kill himself if anything happened to her. We thought we had a plan. Skulk said....” She grimaced with pain. “....bring me his tail to prove he’d done it. We carried her to the woods. Ten of us.”

She started to fuzz out again. He held silvervein in front of her nose and stroked her gently.

“And?”

“She knew what was about to happen. Die with dignity.... Screaming.... Fire everywhere.... The whole world on fire.... Mer’kh toh embas, doh pekhtureh frogam meklu.... De’h mirchet ere.... Immobrek Elanna mes kroth....”

“What’s she saying?” Yolanda asked.

“Did Elanna die??” Sarabi demanded. “Common speech! I don’t speak that gibberish!”

The hyeness drew in a breath and shuddered. “Ten hyenas to kill one lioness.... Ten hyenas to kill....” Her eyes closed.

Sarabi put her paws on her chest and shook her. “Did you kill her?? Tell me, damn you!! DID YOU KILL HER??” Sarabi put her paws on the hyeness’ chest and began to slowly sink them in. Blood sprang from the points. “DID YOU KILL HER??” Her claws moved slowly down, leaving red trenches. “DID YOU KILL HER??” Sarabi’s voice fell to a near whisper and she drew close to the hyeness’ face. “Please? Please tell me?? Oh God, I have to know! Did you kill my sister?”

The hyeness’ eyes opened briefly, though it is doubtful she saw much. Her breath escaped in a long gurgle and her pupils dilated to large black lifeless orbs. A stream of urine ran unchecked down her hind legs, forming a pool beneath her shattered body.

“DID YOU KILL HER??” Sarabi pounded on her with her paws and shrieked, “SPEAK, DAMN YOU!!” She gripped some silvervein and scattered it across the still face in her panic. “IS SHE DEAD?? IS SHE??”

Rafiki gently but forcefully gripped one of Sarabi’s paws. “It’s too late. Don’t make a scene, dear.”

Sarabi stepped back from the dead hyena. Her chin trembled. “She didn’t tell me,” she stammered. “She had nothing to lose. Why wouldn’t she tell me??”

“I think she did,” Rafiki said gently. “I’m sorry.”

“I saw Lannie just yesterday,” Sarabi said, still in shock. “You know what she said? She said, ‘We need to talk.’”

Rafiki put his arms around her neck and held her. “You poor dear!”

“She wanted to talk but I said, ‘I have nothing to say to you.’ My gods, can you believe I said that to my own sister??”

Rafiki began to stroke her cheek and kiss her. “Poor honey tree! Poor dear honey tree!”

She pulled away from him and headed to the top of a small kopje. “Elanna??” she shouted. “ELANNA?? CAN YOU HEAR ME??”

The name echoed off the surrounding hills, mocking her.

Sarabi’s chin trembled again, and she drew in a deep breath. “ELAAAANNAAAAA! PLEEEEASE!! I’M SORRY!! OH GODS, ANSWER MEEEE!!” She roared and pounded the ground with her paw. She roared again, and the other lionesses joined her. Tears began to course down Sarabi’s cheeks, and she stumbled off the kopje, nearly collapsing to the ground. “First my parents, then my husband and my son, now my sister! I’ve tried to live a good life. Why does everything bad happen to me??”

Rafiki ran his paw through her fur gently. “Lannie is with Taka now. That’s where she would want to be, Honey Tree. At least you got your son back. Go to him, Sassie. He will bring you comfort.”

Sarabi kissed Rafiki, then turned and slowly trudged up the side of Pride Rock. “Yes, I have Simba. Thank the gods! I should be grateful.”