| Chapter Three |
Zoay knew something was wrong as soon as she exited the Royal Cave. The gathered pride members were all facing
the cave, but looking on top of it. Even as she exited, they kept staring upward, not even noticing her. Then, one by
one, they began to bow low and hold completely still; lost in awe, beyond mere respect, it was as if they were genuinely
a bit afraid of whatever they were bowing to. The queen, very confused, slowly padded further out of the cave to get a
good look at whatever was commanding such reverence from her kingdom.
What she thought she saw was Nefti, the Pridelands’ golden eagle majordomo, perched high with his wings drawn
together in front of him. But wait… there was something just a little different about the wings… Then the wings came
apart and stretched out dramatically, and Zoay knew. She didn’t understand by a long shot, but she knew.
Her son had found his wings.
“Jo…Jozay?”
Her cub looked down and met her eye. “Mummy? What happened to me?”
Zoay had actually been told she might never have to have this conversation, and she certainly shouldn’t have had to
nearly this early. Her little Jozay certainly was proving to be exceptional in every way. “Well, Jozay… um, you found…
found your wings. And your mark… Destined One.” And she bowed to her son along with the rest of the pride, for the
Mark of the Destined One was indeed emblazoned across Jozay’s left cheek in the same dazzling gold as his wings.
Jozay flapped his new wings a few times, stirring up a very soft breeze that sent shivers up Zoay’s spine. “Found them?
I wasn’t even looking for them! And how is that possible anyway? Lions don’t have wings!”
Zoay smiled despite her son’s distress. “You do.” Jozay cocked his head to the side and stared at them, as though only
now believing they could possibly be real. The queen stood back up. “It’s because you’re the Destined One, Jozay.
Normally this happens when the one Sozo has chosen enters adolescence. By then they develop a very close bond with
Sozo, and in a moment of wisdom and clarity, they find a phrase or a prayer that summons their wings and their mark.
The mark will stay for the rest of your life, but you can shed your wings by mentally commanding them to go away. Try it,
son.”
“But-”
“Trust me, Jozay.”
Now Jozay looked hurt. “Trust you? You kept this from me my whole life! Why wouldn’t you tell me this, especially when
you knew I was seeking after Sozo so hard?!” Zoay was momentarily stunned into silence. Her son had never spoken
like this to her… but she couldn’t really blame him now. Jozay followed up with another question. “And why doesn’t Dah
have wings? He has the mark!”
Zoay’s father, Royal Father K’Tia, rose to his feet from among the crowd to answer. “Your father is only half-Izusan. He
was a… special choice by Sozo in our time of need. His mark eventually appeared naturally, without wings, like those of
our Destined Ones who lacked the personal relationship with Sozo needed for them. It has happened.”
“But Granddad… I didn’t meet Sozo! How could I have a relationship with him? I only talked at him, he didn’t answer
back!”
Zoay trusted herself to speak again, with even a trace of her former smile. “Look at your reflection, Jozay. After your
first flight, tell us if Sozo has spoken to you or not.” Her son seemed to think about this. “And we were going to tell you.
When you were older. No Destined One has ever found their wings this young.”
K’Tia continued, “It was even possible they would never come, since you are not pure Izusan, like your father. It’s why
we didn’t need to explain it to him.”
Zoay looked sharply at her father, even as he himself realized that was probably the exact wrong thing to say. Sure
enough, Jozay’s eyes grew wide and he actually got quite angry. “You never told my Dah? Your King?” The young
prince jumped down onto the mesa of the Izusa Escarpment, and as if pre-arranged the pride members quickly backed
away from him—giving him a straight path to the edge of the cliff. “Well, he’ll know the next time you meet him! I’ll see to
that!”
And before anyone could react to the contrary, little Jozay ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped into unforgiving empty
space. Zoay’s heart lurched within her. “Jozay! No!” But she needn’t have worried. Her son was now stronger then
gravity. He arced upward and began to accelerate forward over the treetops as if he had been flying all his life. He
made a beeline—or a winged lion line—for the Pridelands, where his father currently was visiting and teaching.
And he was off. Free as a bird, he was off to Pride Rock.
the cave, but looking on top of it. Even as she exited, they kept staring upward, not even noticing her. Then, one by
one, they began to bow low and hold completely still; lost in awe, beyond mere respect, it was as if they were genuinely
a bit afraid of whatever they were bowing to. The queen, very confused, slowly padded further out of the cave to get a
good look at whatever was commanding such reverence from her kingdom.
What she thought she saw was Nefti, the Pridelands’ golden eagle majordomo, perched high with his wings drawn
together in front of him. But wait… there was something just a little different about the wings… Then the wings came
apart and stretched out dramatically, and Zoay knew. She didn’t understand by a long shot, but she knew.
Her son had found his wings.
“Jo…Jozay?”
Her cub looked down and met her eye. “Mummy? What happened to me?”
Zoay had actually been told she might never have to have this conversation, and she certainly shouldn’t have had to
nearly this early. Her little Jozay certainly was proving to be exceptional in every way. “Well, Jozay… um, you found…
found your wings. And your mark… Destined One.” And she bowed to her son along with the rest of the pride, for the
Mark of the Destined One was indeed emblazoned across Jozay’s left cheek in the same dazzling gold as his wings.
Jozay flapped his new wings a few times, stirring up a very soft breeze that sent shivers up Zoay’s spine. “Found them?
I wasn’t even looking for them! And how is that possible anyway? Lions don’t have wings!”
Zoay smiled despite her son’s distress. “You do.” Jozay cocked his head to the side and stared at them, as though only
now believing they could possibly be real. The queen stood back up. “It’s because you’re the Destined One, Jozay.
Normally this happens when the one Sozo has chosen enters adolescence. By then they develop a very close bond with
Sozo, and in a moment of wisdom and clarity, they find a phrase or a prayer that summons their wings and their mark.
The mark will stay for the rest of your life, but you can shed your wings by mentally commanding them to go away. Try it,
son.”
“But-”
“Trust me, Jozay.”
Now Jozay looked hurt. “Trust you? You kept this from me my whole life! Why wouldn’t you tell me this, especially when
you knew I was seeking after Sozo so hard?!” Zoay was momentarily stunned into silence. Her son had never spoken
like this to her… but she couldn’t really blame him now. Jozay followed up with another question. “And why doesn’t Dah
have wings? He has the mark!”
Zoay’s father, Royal Father K’Tia, rose to his feet from among the crowd to answer. “Your father is only half-Izusan. He
was a… special choice by Sozo in our time of need. His mark eventually appeared naturally, without wings, like those of
our Destined Ones who lacked the personal relationship with Sozo needed for them. It has happened.”
“But Granddad… I didn’t meet Sozo! How could I have a relationship with him? I only talked at him, he didn’t answer
back!”
Zoay trusted herself to speak again, with even a trace of her former smile. “Look at your reflection, Jozay. After your
first flight, tell us if Sozo has spoken to you or not.” Her son seemed to think about this. “And we were going to tell you.
When you were older. No Destined One has ever found their wings this young.”
K’Tia continued, “It was even possible they would never come, since you are not pure Izusan, like your father. It’s why
we didn’t need to explain it to him.”
Zoay looked sharply at her father, even as he himself realized that was probably the exact wrong thing to say. Sure
enough, Jozay’s eyes grew wide and he actually got quite angry. “You never told my Dah? Your King?” The young
prince jumped down onto the mesa of the Izusa Escarpment, and as if pre-arranged the pride members quickly backed
away from him—giving him a straight path to the edge of the cliff. “Well, he’ll know the next time you meet him! I’ll see to
that!”
And before anyone could react to the contrary, little Jozay ran to the edge of the cliff and jumped into unforgiving empty
space. Zoay’s heart lurched within her. “Jozay! No!” But she needn’t have worried. Her son was now stronger then
gravity. He arced upward and began to accelerate forward over the treetops as if he had been flying all his life. He
made a beeline—or a winged lion line—for the Pridelands, where his father currently was visiting and teaching.
And he was off. Free as a bird, he was off to Pride Rock.
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