The Pride Days (IC): Hurt

As Kyra had transformed, Snake only progressed an evil sneer. His lips drew into a wicked smile as his glowing emerald eyes narrowed darkly. He giggled. "Kyra, it doesn't matter how much power you summon. It doesn't matter how many spirits you call upon. You can never vanquish me eternally..." he laughed. "Besides, you are rushing things. You want to fight, rashly and it will only end badly for you..." He cackled. "You might not even care if you die, but how do you think poor Var will feel when he stumbles upon your dead carcass? When he realizes he can no longer be with you. My son is too strong to commit suicide and I know that he would never do that. The two of you will be separated... for a lifetime. So, you might want to think about it before you fight" Snake grinned.

He laughed. "But Kyra since you're so bent on fighting and you insist that all of us are weaker than you and you can easily beat us--why not offer you something more challenging? Someone of your 'level'?" Snake laughed. "As if you even have one..." he mumbled to himself. He turned his head over his left shoulder to look back at the bushes behind him. Suddenly a red light shone from behind the leaves and a pitch black fog poured out and whispered strange things in strange tongues. The fog floated around as if it were living and at times formed small bundles that floated around as though they were coating some living objects. The globs of smoke would spread apart and thin out in time. There was a growl in the bushes that sounded warped and unnatural. Beyond anything that a mortal creature could ever dream of sounding. The whispers grew louder before they finally grew quietter.
Snake looked back at Kyra. "Kyra, I would like you to meet Dalmaa. The one who helped introduce sin into our world..."He giggled. "Or YOUR world, as it is now..." He said licking his lips with his now green forked tongue.

Suddenly a dark shape appeared behind the bushes, in front of the enormous circle of red flames. Two enormous scarlet eyes that glowed like hot coals burning violently could be seen through some of the leaves of the bushes. Its eyes glared at Kyra.

"Kyra... dear daughter of the forest..." a dark voice began. It would be without a doubt, the most frightening voice Kyra would ever hear. It was sinister and eerie. It had just the right amount of softness and slither to it and just the right amount of darkness and violence. The voice started again. "You have wronged me..."

The eyes narrowed violently as a growl unlike any other to exist emitted from the brambles. It was warped, beyond mortal vocalization. It made the ground vibrate and the trees swayed with an eerie wind, slightly violent, that swept by and blew leaves from their tips and all around Kyra. The flowers standing around her began to die as did many nearer to the eyes.

It was obvious Dalmaa was powerful and very secretive. His entire body, all but his eyes, were obscured and smoked out by the black fog and strangely swivelling around like a smoke itself. The eyes almost looked like they were on fire, perhaps they were.

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Var got an upset feeling in his stomach. His eyes seemed to light up for a moment, unnaturally. He looked at Zanita and Subira. "We have to go. Something's wrong. I can sense it. Something terrible is happening at the camp! We have to get back immediately! Zanita, meet us there!" Var said as he and Subira both took off into the forest, heading towards the camp.

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The orb of red flames in the bushes behind the notorious Dalmaa began to ignite the leaves and turn them to ashes as they blew up to Kyra. Snake giggled. "You might have the powers of wind and water at your side, but will they serve alongside your pride and your companion? No, they won't. Your entire clan will burn alive if you do not settle yourself and listen to reason. Because these are the flames of Dalmaa and they will not go out like any ordinary flame. They will not simply be put out by water." Snake said sternly. A few bats crawled out from under his black mane and fluttered up into the skies, only to turn into ashes and be breathed in by Snake again. "As your father I advice that you listen, dear. You don't want to fight someone like Dalmaa. And it's not very good when you make Dalmaa show himself. Normally he stays into hiding even during the darkest of battles between his forces and his enemies'. This is a very rare and... dangerous occassion. Kyra, abandon this pride. You and your father have a chance to escape. Everyone else... it's too late for them. You must leave Var forever in order to survive." Snake said.

There was a low growl from the bushes. "She won't listen to you, imbecile. She's as arrogant as the ones who raised her. Her and Var's love burns to strongly to be put out by simple threats and the words that speak we will destroy them if she is not to part... A true test must be in order for her to truly leave him" the malevolent Dalmaa spoke. Snake gave the creature a bitter look. He didn't like the insult or the tone and he didn't like how Dalmaa treated him as a lower creature.
"Fine then! What do you suggest?"

There was a dark breathing sound before Dalmaa spoke again. "Var has arrived..." Dalmaa said at the same time as the eyes slithered back into the darkness behind the bushes and were gone. His form had disappeared and the ring of flames behind him slowly died out. Dalmaa had not disappeared in fear, but in eagerness. It looked as though he was slipping away and moving towards Var. It was apparant as a wind swept from the bushes and began to push through Kyra's fur and down into the camp, swirling around.
Snake stepped over to the ledge of the cliff to look at Var as he approached with Subira. Snake's eyes widened to full extent as he saw the girl come in with him. His jaw dropped open. "No..." he spoke. He gritted fangs and looked at Kyra. His claws lit up like metal being put into flames. He grabbed Kyra by the neck.

"This... isn't OVER!" he growled before throwing her across the clearing with one arm. He looked at Subira again. The spirits around the clearing began to vanish and smear into smoke. Snake exploded into a mass of writhing snakes and vipers that slung into the bushes and slithered across the ground. Inevitably they each disappeared in the end, but it was very obvious that Snake's statement was true. The battle between he and Kyra was far from over.

Suddenly a white light appeared behind Kyra and a voice said her name. It turned to her, and began to form from strands of white light and fog. Silver dust and grains of sand poured out from the winds and went into this strange light as it molded into the shape of a white lion whose skin glowed brightly and he had a strange white and silver aura. His eyes were a deep and glowing blue like they'd been dipped in the sea. He opened them and looked at Kyra.

"Kyra, I am Star, former king of this pride. Jali's father. I have come to warn you, the spirits are indeed very angry with my pride. Even the good spirits who are pure and perfect in every way, are scowling at this clan. There are few who may try to help the pride in sympathy or in pure goodness, and there are those among us who will stop at nothing to destroy you all. I was foolish to take the stone. I thought I could help the world. But I am not the chosen one... but neither is Var. Truthfully there is no true chosen one. There are the Chosen Ones... You, Var, and a few others you will meet along the way. When the battle is over, tell Jali I said to take you down into the caverns for something lies there of much importance... and Kyra... I will be with you." he said as he began to fade away.

A huge stone broke next to her and many behind it did the same until a staircase was built that would safely deliver her from the cliff and down into the camp.

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Back on the ground, Zalika began to follow a trail of scent she had discovered. She smelled something odd. As she came to push back a patch of bristles on the ground with her paw, she knew what it was. It was the scent of two creatures--one of which had an odd difference in smell. She smelled pregnancy, the beginning of it. Her eyes narrowed and a wicked smile appeared. She took her claw and marked on a tree next to her a symbol that looked like a diamond with a horizontal line in the middle of it or what a human would call a minus sign. She sneered as she continued on into the nest.

Her dark and musky aura would have leaked to Gamba's nose by then as the wind was carrying and her smell was already quite strong. She whispered to several unseen beings along her sides. Anyone watching her would think she was mad as she whispered out into open air.
Suddenly a cold chill went by and her fur was blown by it. Her scarred lips smiled as she snapped several twigs going about her way.

"What is his name?" she whispered. She wanted to know about the male, the stronger one, first. There was a long, quiet pause. Finally a weak voice barely murmured "...Gamba."

Zalika's eyes widened. The one who slayed Snake... she thought, remembering the horrid story.
"What is her name?" she asked. "...Layla."
"Where are they?"

"You will not find them with difficulty" a weak and weary whisper said. Zalika nodded as she kept stepping forward.
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Back near the center of the camp, things were only getting worse. The brawl was growing more intense by the moment. Aziza was laughing at Jali as finally she clawed his side and pushed him with a "fist" she formed with her paw, blowing him many meters away into a ditch full of briars.

He simply laid there, feeling as though he were so tired and beaten that he couldn't move a muscle. He'd never seen a lion as strong as Aziza before--no male would ever have her power as he recalled. Only Gamba, Var, or Ammon would have chances of stopping her as they were the strongest people around.
Aziza looked at Var as he had approached. She gave out an enormous roar that stopped everyone who was fighting. Everyone backed away from the center of the camp, leaving a huge clearing and simply.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the little coward gone to find his sister. What brought you back Var? A sudden burst of courage?" Aziza taunted as she stepped forward.

"Leave this pride Aziza. I stand with spirits. I have met three very wise ones who all blessed me with powers" Var stated proudly.

"You really think you're the only one around here with those powers Var? Practically everyone in Snake's family has been gifted. We are far more so than you I can assure!"
Var snarled. "Do you not know that this is the very place where Snake's downfall took place? Why would you take chances of doubling his defeat? Here we destroyed all of my brothers and my father. If I were you, I'd leave this instant. It could save your lives, all of you."

Aziza laughed hard, almost like a hyena. Nassor did the same. "Did you really belive that ALL of your brothers were destroyed? Haha!"

Var was confused. "What? I watched them die, right here! Or do I have more brothers? More siblings I never knew about?!"

"Oh no Var, you only had three brothers. But are you so sure that all three were killed?" Aziza asked. Var's face looked terrified. "You've got to be kidding..." he said almost to himself.

Aziza stood aside as a mangey, dirty, and scum-filled lion approached from behind. His eyes were green and his face was ravaged by purplish scars that virtually made a mask from his snout all the way down to his shoulders. He was greasey and he had yellow puss coming from his eyes. His mane was full of grease and mange and he stunk of the foullest of smells. Despite his filth, Var knew exactly who he was.
"Nithili... but... but how? I watched you die, right over there!" Var said pointing to the lake.

"Pah! You really think I'd let myself go down so easily?" Nithili spat. "Fall loser to the pathetic king of Sunset Pride? Never. I'd never let myself drown. Never! I've never had the ability to swim, but on that night I did fight that out of me and I made it to shore as I ran away. I also may have recieved help from the spirits because fish from your precious lake were pulling me up to the surface and helping me! Besides, even if I did drown, you all would have continued to have drank out of that lake anyways? Even after a dead body has been plunged into it and shall become rotten and decayed, spilling pathogens everywhere?"

"If you're still alive... then why aren't you the one who they want to complete the prophecy?" asked Var. Aziza frowned. "Nithili is about to die... He is diseased and has mange. However the spirits told us if we do well and Kavis bears many young to a daughter of Snake, Nithili may live and help spread our empire on alongside Kavis himself."

Kavis stepped out from the shadows. Var's heart dropped. He saw the nearly black lion with the reddish eyes look down on him with hate.

Subira stepped forwards. "Wait, you're saying that this is all because you want that male..." she said gesturing to Kavis, "to have cubs with me?" she retorted making a disgusted face and shaking her head. Aziza cracked a long and snakey smile. "Yes dear, he'll make a fine father for your children."

"Absolutely NOT!" Subira roared. Many strange strands of fog flew past Aziza making strange whistling noises as they did so. They almost looked like creatures running by her when they came into the light. Subira got angry. "If you actually think I'd allow myself to become slave to that plan, you are extremely foolish. Your little Kavis will die and be the most wretched of all spirits. Even Dalmaa himself will look good compared to him!"

Aziza scowled. "That is no way to talk about your king!" she shouted. She thought for a moment. "You were not supposed to meet your brother..." she said under her breath. "But you WILL give in to our commands."
Subira swelled with anger in her heart. "No! Never!"

Kavis stepped out in front of Subira and gave a roar. She stepped back next to Var in fear. Kavis looked at her with hatred and fiendish pleasure. "My dear, do not fight. You are but victim to this prophecy as much as I. It would be a pity to see you drown in the darkness that Dalmaa has told us is going to fall upon Sunset Pride. He told us that the darkest hour for them has not even come close yet. They will go through an era of terror and destruction. Eventually they will all die out and be destroyed while my family lives on and spreads throughout Africa." He looked at Var, scowling. "Your brother will stay back and fight like a fool for his people. He too will be drowned out eventually. But that is just nature's way. Do not become a part of his demise, dear one."

Subira looked at Var and then back at Kavis. "No. I will stay with my brother and with his family. And as for you and I... I will kill you myself and watch as you suffer in the afterlife" she growled. Kavis scowled and he looked at Aziza like a troubled son would do in request for help from his mother. She grimaced and stepped down from the rocks to stand in the midst of the meeting.

"Subira!" she shouted. Var's sister turned around. "How do you know my name?" she asked.
"You have much to learn" Aziza replied. "I seriously suggest you listen to your mate."
"He is NOT my mate!" Subira shouted. Var put himself between Aziza and Subira. "Aziza, you and your clan had better leave this place..."
The old liger chuckled. "Or else what?"

"We'll kill all of you" Var replied. She laughed in response. "I'm sorry Var, but look around you! You're outnumbered and we have more spirits on our side, and no amount of Khat will save you this time. This is just the way things have to be. I'm sorry."

Var looked and saw his father standing up next to Nassor. He grimaced, frowning and scowling at his son. It was only a few moments and finally Snake was gone when Var blinked. He felt dazed. He looked at Subira, his sister who looked like him and then back at Aziza. Var pounced, but missed and landed on top of Nassor as he tackled him. Aziza shot forward at Ammon and tackled him as well. She cackled a loud, hoarse laugh and drooled thick globs of yellow onto his fur. "Well hello there whitey" she laughed as she started to rake his face with her claws. The pride shot out again in a battle. However nobody touched Subira. She sat watching the fight, not knowing what to do. Kavis approached her. She growled as a crack formed in the ground between them shooting hot steam up into Kavis's eyes. He backed away and finally turned, disappearing into the shadows.


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Aziza looked at Kyra, almost laughing. She stomped her foot onto the ground just before the blade hit Nassor. A crack formed in the ground between the leopon and the blade and a shaft of air came out with hot steam. It boiled the water in the wind so that it was simply a vapor now and the wind that was lef was stopped by a massive stone that shot from the brambles out at it, destroying both it and the blade.
Aziza looked at Kyra, smiling with a tilt to her head. "Dear, you aren't the only one around here with those powers..." Aziza's eyes lit up dark red as she pounded her paws onto the ground. Flames spouted from underneath them, swelling up all around and overtaking the center of the pride. A huge ring of flames formed around Ammon and Kyra and cut everyone off from them. Everyone in the pride had to scatter. The hyena rebels and Snake's family and the Sunset Pride members alike were all shuffled and scattered about the camp. The fire had not reached the dens yet, but was destroying the massive pile of kills and the center of the camp, the huge clearing.

Aziza stepped through the fires like they were nothing and remained unharmed as she stepped into the ring of flames around Kyra and Ammon. She smiled, cackling her old and hoarse voice. "You're both going to die here!" she said as many red marking appeared across her fur. They formed many vertices and angles that simply spelled violence.
She laughed as black markings bordered her now glowing red eyes. Normally her eyes were a slightly reddish amber, but now looked like lava.

Var slung Nassor away, pushing him down a ditch that rolled down a huge slope and into the forest. He had to save his mate. The son of Snake tried to step through the fires like he saw Aziza do before his visibilty of the duel had vanished, but he failed. He ended up with hot and stinging claws. His eyes glowed and he began to shout something of another language. Suddenly many strands of water from the lake shot out and flung themselves at the flames to extinguish them... but they failed. The fires underwent zero change. Var's face was horror-struck. Finally, he roared as loud as he could. It had a force that pushed a hole through the wall of flames for a few seconds--he managed to leap through. Aziza scowled. Somehow her body had grown in height. "VAR! THIS IS NOT YOUR FIGHT!"

"You fight with my family, you fight with me" he bared his fangs. He gave out a loud roar, even louder than the last. Aziza squeezed her eyes closed as her ears throbbed with pain and she let out a sharp scream. Her voice somehow became warped. She pounded her fist on the ground again and suddenly the earth under them began to crack. Huge cracks formed in the ground and the firest began to heat the cracks up making tiny sparks spout from them. Var roared again, making Aziza stagger.

"YOU WRETCHED LITTLE BOY!" she screamed. Finally she roared back and what looked like thousands of black bats formed in the flames and shot out at him, pushing him back against the ground as they bit him and pumped their torturous curse into his bloodstream. But the venom of rabies would not harm him, not now anyways. He was still under the power of the spirits. He roared, swatting the bats away. They formed a black cloud that came next to Aziza and molded together as a thick layer of black smoke pushed from them. They evaportated into this cloud that quickly formed Snake. Snake's fur was black all over. But his mane was the blackest. There were dark stains on the fur under his eyes that looked like tearstains. His eyes blazed jade, the deepest green that Var ever knew and his tail was a long reptile tail with a glowing green rattle on the end of it.

He got into attack position and pounced onto Ammon. He bared his fangs, which were now the fangs of a viper. He began to spew venom from new glands in his mouth, hoping to blind Ammon further.

Var tackled Snake before the venom could hit Ammon's eyes but in return Aziza flipped Var onto his back. She held up a paw, flexing her claws which suddenly lit up with a fiery coating. She raked Var's stomach as he let out the most horrid scream of his life. Both a wretched cut and the seething of burning flesh struck him. She laughed. Var kicked her in the throat. He got up, sucking up his pain and tackled her. He held her head against the ground tightly with his paw. She giggled, chuckled, and let out an insane laugh.
Var began to realize the true evil that had become his blood, his family. He was desperate now to ensure that he took from his mother's side and would not share the dire trait of insanity.

Snake ripped Var off of his helper and slung him across the ground. Aziza and Snake both began to walk towards the three. Flames ignited in their footsteps.
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Zalika came into the clearing from the brambles. She seemed calm at first, looking Gamba in the eyes with a bliss look in her eye. She was much younger than Aziza and Nassor, and the rest of the gang--but in her own way was far wiser.

"Gamba... Gamba, Gamba, Gamba. You have missed so much. We barely would have known you were back here at all, had I not searched so thoroughly for hidden dens..." she observed how he was protecting Layla and giggled with her young jaglioness voice. "You don't scare me" she said. Finally things got more sinister. She grew silent and looked at her paws. Then taking a sharp glance up at him she shouted in another tongue the words, "ELIPH SEOLITH!" and something shot out from her sides at Gamba. They were invisible, yet in another way could be seen. They had a strange magenta aura to them as they shot out. They hit Gamba like darts, his side. But they were not powerful enough to cut him open or knock him down. But Zalika was only warming up.

Layla edged away, but getting angry. She tried to supress it, since she knew it may be unhealthy for her pregnancy but at last she looked at Zalika. As if something had possessed her into saying it, Layla spoke the word, "ABOLISH!"

Suddenly many vines from a tree swung down, grabbing Zalika and flinging her back into the bushes. Another figure's voice could be heard. "Layla?! Gamba?!"

It was Fenuku. He gasped as he came upon Zalika's form and he rammed his head into her. She was flung high into the air surprisingly and stumbled back into the large clearing. She got up, dusting herself off and looked at the three as Fenuku entered.

"Who is this?" he asked.
"It is yet another person seeking to kill us!" Layla said as she backed behind Gamba. Fenuku's face turned rotten, so rotten it almost scared Layla.

"...Over my dead body" he growled. With his paw and claws unsheathed, her pounded Zalika in the side of the head with all of the force in his body. The loud pound could have been heard a distance away. Zalika simply fell over sideways with blood dripping from her side. Her vision was blurry for a moment and there was a loud ringing sound in her ears. Before she knew it, Fenuku was biting her side. She shouted and a bright red light shot at his side and flung him up against a tree with so much force it almost broke his spine. He fell down, gathering his wits as he tried to stand. Zalika scrambled to her paws with hatred. She didn't laugh wickedly like the others. She had slightly less insanity... more wisom. But she did giggle.
"It's been a while since I've had a good fight. I enjoy them" she said.

"I can see that" Fenuku noted the horrendous scars on Zalika's lips. She leered. She finally did give out a cackle, but she was simply amused by Fenuku's anger. "If you all were as wise as you thought you were you'd just give up. Surrender your pride over to Snake and the spirits will forgive you The elements of fire, earth, air, and water will not ravage your homelands."

Fenuku did not negotiate, he tried to lunge at her again but stumbled and fell on his face from the pain shooting from his back. Zalika gained pride and looked to Gamba, entering attack position.

Aziza had a shocked face when the stone came up. It quickly turned to vile anger upon the upcoming enemies. She smelled their knew scent and noticed the downfall of her allies. Soon she began to giggle.

"You know Ammon... I have just as much power as you do in this area. Egret will not serve her son any longer!" She shouted and the stone in front of her busted into hundreds of shards. The glows that cases both Kyra and her father both died down but were still visible. The flames suddenly sunk back down to the ground and were smoked out. She let the enemies surround her as her family members like Nassor fled into the forest. They had feared the hyenas... But not nearly as much as the other creature in the area.

"You overestimate your powers. All of you. Even Aziza" spoke a voice from the winds.

Aziza nodded and looked to Ammon. "A mortal can have all the help fro the spirits imaginable... And still fail to tear one like Dalmaa from the mortal world. Because the mortal world IS Dalmaa's world. He's been banished from the spirit world!"

Suddenly thousands of bats foaming from the mouthed shot from the trees and burning in the morning sunlight. The sky somehow dimmed without clouds being present. The blue had now shifted to a pale and unsightly gray.

The bats came together and formed into a huge black leopard. But he ha a smokey black aura and it distorted his looks with many waves, shifts, and ripples. Though his eyes never changed, the piercing dark red they'd always been. He was not amused, not even in a wicked way.

He walked forward an Aziza stood to the side, trembling but hiding it well. Dalmaa looked at Ammon and his daughter and his new son and took in a deep breath before continuing. As he exhaled, the grass not yet dead from singing died and the leaves amongst the trees began to wilt.

"Before you attack me and end up with results you will regret, I advise you to listen to what I have to say..." he began. Var stepped out in front of Ammon an Kyra and gave the monster an approving nod.

"Those who do not listen surely as well be torn from this world. When the spirits give you an omen, consider that it is for a reason. All of you have abused the spirit powers on this night, something they will hate you for. Even their chosen ones broke this law..."

Dalmaa tried to approach Kyra to intimidate her, but Var moved between them an gave the creature a stern buck with his shoulder. Upon Dalmaa's contact with Var, it sent a pulse through his body and burnt some of his skin. Singing away the fur o the particular spot.

Dalmaa simply glared at him. "Get out of my way"

With the slash of one of Dalmaa's menacingly long claws, Var was flung several meters away. His entire body stung and he almost felt paralyzed from Dalmaa's power.

The monster looked at Kyra. "You and your father have done me a great favor tonight. You fought my forces with magic and rendered your chances of gaining favor I the eyes of the ancient spirits very low. Now I call my forces to retreat... As you have fulfilled my goals for one battle" he said giving a moment's glance to Aziza. She took off with the remaining rebels into the forest. Now Dalmaa looked at the three and seemed to slightly smile, but due to his distorted and nearly visible form it was almost impossible to make out.

"I do think you have not taken me much into consideration. But remember, when a spirit--one as powerful as I--tells you something... It is wise to follow it... Until another day, Kyra..." Dalmaa said. He glared at Ammon for a brief second, sending an eye's death threat and glaring at Var who was squealing on the ground. He spat on the fallen lion, burning a bit of skin an fur on his back and then Dalmaa was gone.., his body had vanished as though the win had swept it away.

Zalika was still on the ground, but she could smell her friends retreating. She also sensed that much of the spirit power in the area had left. Only a small portion remained and she uses it all.

Weeds shot out from beside Gamba and pulled him off her, at the same time she attempted to heal her broken jaw. It worked, but she'd have a pain for several weeks in her mouth. She ran off far from his reach and looked back.

"You're lucky we're retreating, otherwise you'd be carrion! I'll be back, and by Snake I'll kill you!" She shouted before leaping off into the woods and catching up with her family. As she ran she recalled the markings she'd scratched into the tree just outside Gamba and Layla's den.

Fenuku made his way to stand and looked at them. "Are the both of you alright?" He asked.

Var was aching and growing into a state of loss of his consciousness. But he fought it and remained awake. He looked up at Kyra with tears beginning to form.

"I'm... I'm sorry I left you" he choked out.

Jali crawled his way out of the ditch, having witnessed what happened. "I will help take him to the medical den. The severely wounded ones will be treated first in the medical den. Others should just remain in their dens until such time as we can treat them. Where are my other two medicals?" Jali asked. Shebla sat at the entrance to the royal cave, up on the hill. Having heard her summon, she left Ramla to the care of Sira and began to walk down to the gathering. The older male lion, Kamuzu came out from the bushes where he had been hiding. His incredible age and early-life wounds rendered him unable to fight. The two gathered next to Mabel.

Jali looked around. He pointed to the ones most severely wounded as they began to carry them to the medical den. Jali thought for a moment, looking at last to Taru.

"We may need to form a second medical den. It may help speed things substantially. Gather the warriors who remain virtually unharmed and have them scout the area for enemies lingering around" he said. His brother nodded and went to gather the remnant.

Those whom were dead were picked up and placed in neat rows in the center if the camp. There were five in all. Two males and three females. One of the females was only a teenager. Their families mourned over them. They would be buried later that day. People were yelling and snarling at Magir, and clawin her--calling her a spy. She begged for mercy and told them she had nothing to do with the attack, finally being dragged to the royal cave for a word with the king when he eventually came.

It was about this time that Jali spotted Coglon and the stranger lion. He approached with his claws ready in case this stranger was an opponent. His eyes gave obvious distrust. He stalked up the clearing and finally in front of them.

"You! Who are you? Why are you here? And Coglon, what are you doing with him?" Jali asked. He noted the difference of this lion and thought on it.


Layla nodded. "I'm fine" she said. "Dad, are you okay?"

Fenuku looked a bit beaten and dazed, but he nodded. "I'm alright. But that doesn't matter..." He said pondering the moment. "I care about my daughter--and her mate... More than I do myself."

Fenuku smelled something strange. Something like freshly cut wood and he knew it wasn't a good sign. He limped into a group of trees, eyeing then. He saw on one of them the symbol that Zalika had carved. His eyes widened with shock.

"Gamba, you may want to look at this..." He said pointing to it. Upon touching it he felt a vibrating sensation in the tree under his paw. It made his toes feel terribly numb upon touch.

"This look like a curse marking. Normally you could just scratch one and the spell would wear off, but this one feels too powerful. It will take the destruction of the tree itself..." He said eyeing the tree. It wasn't too thick, but it would take some force to completely snap--unless they somehow burnt it.

"If a lightning strikes the tree, the spell will wear off... Or if we snap it. Until then you both might want to visit Ramla. She can give you a repellant... That jagilon is smart. She placed this here in case she failed."

Jali looked at Mabel angrily for a moment. "Do you honestly think I would have known ANY of that? Spirit recognition and magic is the department of the local Seeress, Ramla. Not the king! And how could I not have been suspicious and violent? Did you not see the horde that just raided this place? Do you not clearly see the wounds they inflicted on my people, the wounds you seek to heal?" He then tried to calm himself.

"Forgive me... Shadow. I was not aware."

Shebla approached. "Jali, are you alright?" She asked as she saw the king's aggravation and stress.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but I've had a very bad day. Mabel, you and Shebla watch over things. The healer may do as he has come to do and I will respect that... I have to clear my thoughts..." The king said as he began to walk towards the lake, near a silent part where nobody was.

Layla and Gamba had both emerged from the trees. They were given many stares and glances from not being seen for a long time. Save for Gamba's trips to get food.

"Gamba, Layla, thank goodness! We were getting worried!" spoke Taru as they walked past the group of warriors.

The cubs and mothers had just been released from the cave, leaving it empty except for Sira and Ramla and Magir inside.

They walked in, Layla gasping to the sight of Magir beaten an bloody on the ground. "Oh my... Are you alright miss?" She asked. Magir coughed a hoarse, angry cough before lookin back at them. Her eyes seemed greatly angry and also filled with sorrow.

"I'm fine dear. You seem to be the only one that cares though..." Magir said.

"What happened here?" Layla asked.

"SHE'S what happened here" Sira's angry voice spoke out from the side of the room. She approached them. Layla was surprised, seeing it was obvious Sira's pregnancy had greatly progressed.

"This mongrel lead those monsters here! She came into our camp begging to join us, and she left a scent trail that was easy for them to follow!"

Layla tried to help out the old lady. "It's pretty windy out... Are you sure Sira?"

"Oh please! She smells like she went rolling in a bunch of carrion soaked in dung and urine! You could have a wind as powerful as the spirts come in here and you could still smell her a mile away!" Sira said.

"Sira, are you sure you should be pushing all this stress on yourself right now? Maybe if you calm down..." Layla said, making sure she herself was calm.

Sira flicked an ear annoyed but then seemed to calm herself. She sighed. "I'm sorry Layla. But as you can see, Jali and I aren't in the best of moods right now. It's very hard being a king or queen, especially in these moments... Now we're in an entirely new war... Speaking of which, I have to find a crew of people to search for Queen Scar" she began.

"Yes" spoke another voice from the shadows. A male hyena came out from a place in the room nobody would notice. "Please help me find my mate and our cubs... I can't live without them."

Sira nodded. "We'll do our best Feth... But we don't have many soldiers to spare. Normally I'd send Gamba or Var... But Gamba is busy caring for his mate and Var is in the worst peril of his life. I still need to speak to him later, he and Kyra both."

"Sira, we need to talk to Ramla about something urgent" Layla said.

Ramla's ears pricked up. She stood from her laying position and walked forward. She was blind, but she could still see shapes and outlines, and light.

She saw their shapes and stopped in front of them, but she looked in a direction she only guessed was the destination of their faces. "What is it?"

"Our den was cursed. A jagilon came and marked a symbol on it. My dad said it was a curse?"

"Your father would know a lot about those things..." Ramla said looking down. Layla was confused. "Why?"

Ramla thought for a moment. "Dear, you're pregnant an it's not my place to give you those kinds of family secrets. Later, when your pregnancy is more stable, ask him about it... Now the jagilon... Was it wielding magic?"

Layla nodded, but then recalled that Ramla was blind. "Yes. She attacked my father fiercely."

"Your father... Was this creature Zalika?" Asked Ramla. "Yes" said Layla.

Ramla's face looked grave and sorrowful. "The symbol, describe it."

"It was a diamond with a dash in the middle" said Layla. Ramla identified it immediately, without hesitation.

"That is the Chaos Sorrow Curse. It sends dark spirits to attack the victim, ruin their lives, and bring bad luck... It also creates infertility, miscarriage, and still birth to pregnant mothers--how... How long we're you around it?" Ramla said getting worried.

"Just a few minutes" said Layla. Ramla looked relieved. "Good. It takes a few hours of exposure to fully set in in most cases. But just in case... You both should stay here until we can get the mark destroyed."

"But my dad's still back there!" Layla pleaded. Ramla shook her head. "He will have to come out of there on his own. Until this matter is taken care of, we must forbid people from going back there. I also have something to help you" Ramla said. She walked over to the wall, feeling with her tail for it. Finally she scratched a circle into it and from the ring a strange water dripped from it.

"Drink this liquid, it will repel the curse" she said.

-------------------------

Var stood up, regaining his strength as he felt Kyra's power already beginning to swell inside of him. He looked at her, gathering a smile as he got the feeling that everything would be okay.

"I'm not exactly sure how to say this Kyra... But I realized overnight I've had feelings for you. An you found that out of course, my dead-dad and his crazy army had to break the news to you. I much rather would have liked to tell you myself. But I suppose that's what you get for going along with your father so long without protesting his ways..." He thought.

"Kyra, what do you say?" He looked up at her. His deep emerald eyes looked like they were glowing, the sunlight lit them up so beautifully. They looked like deep pools of green.


Far from the territories of Sunset Pride, in a dark and muggy dead and rotting forest, Aziza gathered her many followers. She stood on a high rock overlooking the hyena rebels and the depraved hybrids driven to insanity. She roared angrily.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!?" She shouted. "You call that a fight? You hyenas were terrible in that fight! I was certain we would have won!"

A voice slithered from the trees. "Perhaps it was meant not to be won. Calm yourself Aziza, for this is only the beginning of this feud. Where is my heir?"

Kavis stepped up to the rock, Aziza moving to the side. "I am here, master." He looked down at the rest of the clan.

"We must capture Subira, the daughter of Snake and bring her to the Badlands, where we shall fulfill the prophecy and establish Snake's Dynasty. We shall name our pride, Moon Pride. For it was by Full Moon that we all met. We shall attack again--but later and more fiercely. We shall not strike their camp, but their lands... Without food to hunt or water to drink, it will become as useless as their old Kenyan lands!"

The hyenas let out shouts of eagerness. Kavis smiled. The shadowy one looked at them with a wicked smile.

"For now we have our spies in the skies above, watching every move of our enemies..."

Zalika came out from the shadows. Aziza was shocked to see her wounded and approached her, asking her what happened. Upon explanation, Zalika told her about Gamba, the one who had also broke Snake's paw.

"He likes to break bones eh?" Aziza whispered, to keep from interrupting Kavis's speech. "We'll give him a taste of his own poison... Kavis is famous for snapping bones" Aziza said recalling all the moments Kavis had snapped open dead animal skulls and bones with his paws merely out of boredom.

Layla looked at her mate nervously. "Alright, but how are we supposed to take that thing down?"

---------------------------

Var's wounds began to heal. He felt them slowly vanish. Finally he stood feeling rather triumphant and healthy but at the same time horrified.

He smiled to Kyra. "I am so glad to know that." He looked to Zanita. "Thank you Zanita. We would love that."

Finally he turned to Kyra again and gave a look to Subira who was standing in watch. "Kyra, I have someone I'd like you to meet. This is my sister, Subira. Who I didn't even know existed until today."

Subira smiled. She seemed like the shy type. She gave little words. Var looked to her. "Subira, this is my mate, Kyra."

"Hello, Kyra" Subira said. "I'm Var's sister as he said. Glad I finally found this place."

Var began to think. "I wanted to ask you, what's happened to you? What were you doing before you got here?"

Subira had a sorrowful shade of emotion to her face. "It was Dalmaa. He watched over me when I was a cub and at times I felt like I could hear him speaking to me. All of the other cubs were afraid of me and thought I was crazy when they heard me having a conversation with someone who wasn't really there... He brought my pride to ruin by a flood that wiped everyone out. Those that didn't drown were eaten by dragons that came up with the water. Me and my mother escaped. Some of my sisters did as well... But I never found out what happened to them. So after that Dalmaa did something to my mother... He latched thousands of dark spirits to her an she grew into something dark... She was gone. I was taken to a place Dalmaa had prepared for me. A place called the Dream Field. It was a place I could never leave. It tricked me with hallucinations I faced by every hour. It was a soothing place at first. But then it grew pale on me. I kept learning that things weren't as they seemed. The good characters that Dalmaa had formed in my visions soon turned... Dark."

"I was released a moon ago. The spirits guided me here... And now I stand before you."

Var thought for a moment. "It's all our father's fault." She nodded.

"Dalmaa told me about Snake. He also told me about how you saved my life Var... When I was too helpless to do anything about it."

He looked at his paws, finally able to recall that dreadful night. "Yes... Well, I will need to rest. I have zero doubt in my mind that there will be another battle very soon. Kyra, you should get your share of rest as well. For we will both need as much of it a we can possibly gain." With that he began walking toward his den, slipping inside it.

------------------------------

Thousands of dark shapes flung across the ground in the crimson morning sky. They frightened the camp of cheetahs below. The leader was standing boldly on a rock looking daringly at the swarm of death promising vultures landing all around. Some in branches, some on the ground. A huge one, four times the size of a normal one landed. It was definitely not natural. It had huge red eyes and a silvery beak stained with blood. It stalked forward.

"King Moral" it darkly screeched. "Aziza call for your clan. You must fight with Moon Pride and keep the promise you made to her long ago..." It said.

"I knew the time had come when I saw you approaching in the horizon... But why now? I have heard a thousand stories about what's been going on in Sunset Pride, but none of that affects my clan. Why should I fight?" Moral asked.

"It has everything to do with your clan! We're talking about the spirits. They will determine the future of these lands through the war that is about to unfold. Come to the war or the ear will come to you!"

Moral thought for a moment, fearing Aziza in his mind. "I heard that you lost."

"Moon Pride only lost because Zanita and her clan showed up unexpectedly. We need as many allies as Subset Pride. Plus, Dalmaa wanted us to lose the first round. The first round never counted. It's what's to come that really matters... But anyways, you DID promise Aziza"

Moral made a decision. "Fine. But when this is over I expect the clans to go their separate ways again!"

"Very well... Your brother Seduki will also be coming in. Goodbye." After that, the vultures took off into the skies.

Layla nodded. She began thinking for a moment. As they were leaving the cave, she turned her head over her shoulder to look at the Seeress standing in its entrance. "Ramla" she spoke. The blind lioness looked up towards the sound.

"Yes dear?" She asked.

"Could... Could you tell me anything about my pregnancy?" She asked. Ramona's eyes closed before opening again with a gaze that seemed to hold an answer.

"Giving too much of the future angers the spirits. But I can tell you that you will have a safe pregnancy and your children will be greatly gifted... And they will play a major role in all of this..." She said. At that she turned away, following what shapes she could see and turning to the darkness of the cave.

Magir looked at Gamba and Layla and sensed the love and care between the two. She then glanced at her paws solemnly as it had reminded her of the times before. She crawled into the dark to sleep on her thoughts and to recover from the inflictions she had received.

"Indeed" Subira sighed. "But I look at the positives. At least they retreated. At least I got out of Dalmaa's prison at all." She flicked her tail. "I'm glad to meet you. But we can talk later. Everyone needs their rest. And I need to go speak to the queen. I'll see you later" she said as she padded off towards the cave, passing Shadow as she did so. She gave a quick glance to him, recognizing some of the markings on him. Afterwards she continued on.

Layla tilted her head as she looked at the markings. She had little knowledge of spirits or magic. Practically zero. "I... I don't know what this means either. Gamba, what do you think?" She asked. "If it is in agreement with Ramla, it must have something to do with our cubs."

Subira passed them, giving a shy glance. As she and Layla made eye contact, she looked away. She kept going until she was in the cave.

"Um, is Queen Sira anywhere in here?" Subira asked.

"Yes. What do you need? And who are you?" Asked Sira.

Subira looked at the queen with a bit of fear. "I am Var's sister, Subira. I would just like to ask you, would it be alright if I joined your pride? I know I just got here, but now King Kavis and Dalmaa are after me. They will stop at nothing to find me and fulfill the prophecy. I am also a good hunter and have some knowledge of the spirits. I could be of use to you."

Sira nodded. "You may stay. Family of Var's is family of ours--" she cut herself off realizing what she had just said. "Err, at least in your case" she smiled. Subira chuckled.

"My dad was quite the pain. You have every right to hate him."

-------------------------------

Kavis was laying down in the darkness of his enormous den. The den was full of piles of bones and carcasses. Many of which were mauled and broken into many fragments.

Aziza was pacing back and forth within the clearing, impatient. "How can we just sit here like this? How? We have so much to do, so much."

"Be patient" Kavis mumbled, barely awake.

"Your true love is out there, her mind being poisoned by the enemy! If they corrupt her far enough she'll never fall for you!"

Kavis clutched part of a jackal skull in his paw. "In time, they'll all fall." He snapped the skull with the spreading of his massive toes.

"Not like that!" Aziza said. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to send some vultures to watch over them. I'll go tell Zalika--Oh, wait, I remember. I needed to tell you something" Aziza said shaking him awake.

"What?" Kavis asked.

"The tiglon who is responsible for Snake's death is still at large. The one who spread the curse of Khat, and killed the innocent. He seems to like to snap bones. He broke Snake's arm when he was still alive. He attacked Zalika and broke her jaw. Luckily she was able to heal herself in time. We need to show him how that feels. You're famous for your ability to snap stuff so easily. Break his neck or something. And make him suffer. In our next attack, bring me his body... Got it?"

"Yes." Kavis said.

Layla's eyes widened, ears pricking up. She looked from the symbol to her mate. "I... I had no idea. I wonder what kind of gifts the spirits could grant them... What do you think Gamba?"

Var was sound asleep by now. He was laying down peacefully in his own den. His mane blowed peacefully in the slow moving breeze. His flank moved up and down with his breath. He was dreaming... and dreaming deeply.

He was standing in the middle of a forest. A forest that was thick with the night. The stars were bright above his head. The moon was enormous and for some reason it's size seemed to place emphasis on it. He came next to a creek where he saw a lion sipping from the waters. As its head reared he recognized it. A long scar down his right eye, a thick black mane an piercing green eyes. Snake padded down into the bed of the creek where it was simply rocks with a centimeter of water running over them. He arose on the other side, standing in front of his son.

"Son..." Snake said.

"Father..." Var replied.

"What will it take?" Snake asked. "I am dead. You got what you wanted. And Var... I know I'm a terrible person. I know I'm not right in the head and I know about insanity. We are enlightened of every last thing when we die. Spirits know almost everything. Even the darker spirits are wise, even the most foolish spirits are extremely intelligent..."

"I am not about to forgive you" Var said.

"I would have thought so... But I would like you to know that even though I hate you with all my heart... I still love you. You are my son, and nothing can change that..." Snake said.

"Why are you suddenly saying this? Have I threatened your forces this badly?" asked Var.

"No Var. I will win. You'll see. I'm a spirit. I always win. Just wanted to tell you before you died. The afterlife is... It's quiet. I suppose that's why spirits spend most of their time watching over mortals. But it's always been forbidden to interfere directly. The only one who has ever gotten away with it has been Dalmaa. But that's only because all spirits--even the ones that formed the universe--fear him. They dare not challenge him. Dalmaa is not a normal spirit. He was here before the universe even began..." Snake said.

Var tilted his head. "I thought he died, just like everyone else."

Snake shook his head. "Not exactly. Before the universe was created, there were other universes that the spirits dwelled in. A bit of leftover energy and matter formed into a simple consciousness that evolved into an intelligence. It came down with the birth of a leopard. It quickly became an ultimate evil and after its mortal shell died, it took even more power over the sprit worlds. Now we have Dalmaa..."

"So how are we supposed to fight him?" asked Var. Snake shrugged. "You can't."

Var looked up at the stars. "Where are the brothers?"

"They deserted me... They watch over those who share their pain as mortals... Wretched sons... All of you. Nithili's the only one who's been truly loyal to me."

"It isn't my fault you were a horrible father" said Var. "If you would have been different, that never would have happened."

Snake scowled. "Var, I brought you here to tell you something important."

"Which is?" asked the lion. Snake made a face as though he were angry to speak. "The prophecy is more complex than you know. Too complex for you as a mortal to comprehend. A group of children will be born unto your pride..."

"Gamba and Layla's?" Var asked. Snake shook his head.

"Their children are a part of this group, but are not its entirety. A few others shall be born. If you pay attention, you will see the pregnancies brewing around the pride and realize which mothers will bear this group... As for you and Kyra... I have fear that the prophecy will become true..."

Var thought for a moment. "Which is?"

Snake seemed to crack a grin but suppressed it. "If you continue to love each other, she will die in childbirth. And you will become as insane as I was..."

Var looked at his father. "You're lying..." He said.

A voice seemed to whisper from the bushes. "Don't listen to him"

"Shut up Urathi!" Snake hissed over his shoulder. He looked back at Var, grinning. "I know the future. Pieces and shards at least. And I can tell you that this is true. If you truly love her, you'll set her free and spare her a slow and painful death. Killing both her and whatever cub you may have."

"YOU'RE LYING!" Var shouted. "LEAVE ME!" He roared. Snakes form transformed into a cloud of black smoke that dissipated in the air. Suddenly the trees around Bar began twisting and cracking and emitting strange whispering sounds. More sounds emerged. They sounded like slithering or hissing. He realized it now. They had transformed into enormous snakes. They began shooting out at him. Several caught him, latching onto him and coiling around him. The ground disappeared from under him. He blazed downwards from some height. The next thing he knew, he was awake. He felt like the dream was too real. Like the snakes' voices were still echoing in his head. He tried to tell himself that it wasn't real. But it was as if he could still feel the grip the monsters had around his neck.

Either that, or it was the real snake wrapped around his throat. A thick, black snake with green eyes. It began strangling. Var tried to shout out. He managed to only get fragments out.

"KYR---KY--HELP--HE-K-H" he choke out.

"Silence my son" the snake whispered into his ear.

Var caught his breath and looked up at Kyra. "I don't know what I'd do without you" he said. He seemed troubled, having a stressed face. He looked up at her once more and sat up to look at we with proper eye level.

"Kyra I need to tell you something... I just ha a vision. I don't know what items really, it was an ill-fated omen. My father said there will be a group of children born... It's true, there are already several mothers..." He thought for a moment, counting the ones he knew.

"Then he said... You would be one of those mothers and that you'd die in childbirth. I know, he probably lied... But what if it really is true? I couldn't live with myself if you died that way. Kyra... He's tormenting me. I thought I escaped him when he died, but even when he's dead I am haunted by his personality. Even when he doesn't haunt me I still have nightmares about him on my own. And I will do everything in my power to protect you from him. I never wanted you or anyone else to get involved. This is my family and my fight... But I need help, I need help to hold my sanity..." Var said.

Layla smiled. "Our children will be gifted... I wonder if this means something. What a great gift."

She flicked her tail and finally felt her stomach growling. "I'm hungry. The kill pile was burnt in Aziza's flames... We'd better tell Taru to gather a hunting party," she said.

Var nodded. He clearly knew what she was talking about. "Jali said something like that before the attack. When the stone was mentioned he also said he knew someone who could tell us about it. It's rather strange. We should go. Knowing Aziza she will be quick to retaliate. We must be fast to find answers, before the situation worsens and something else happens. Lets go talk to Jali" he said peeking his head out of the den. "I see him by the lake. Come on" he gestured with a flick of his tail. He led them out near the shore of the massive lake. But then with a silent motion of his paw he gestured for her to wait a moment. He heard the king talking to someone. But who? Himself? His reflection was Var's only guess. He was staring down at his appearance in the water with a sad expression.

"Why father... why have you forsaken me..." he said, lowly so that none would hear him. But Var was standing just a distance behind him, so he heard. The king went on with his mumbling. "I ask you for one answer... the time I need you the most... and nothing. As always your answers are faint, vague and unable for me to understand. But now you leave me in the dark. I am lost. If the spirits are speaking to us so closely now, why can't you simply answer me?"

Suddenly another form came out from the brambles. It was Shebla. She seemed to look sympathetic to the king. She had overheard and sat next to him. She felt the soft, sun-warmed sand beneath her paws. Her toes flexed through it. She noted that her arrival had interupted Jali's thoughts and he wasn't very happy. He had told her he wanted to be alone. But that agravation was mixed with the fear that she might have overheard.

"Jali, it won't be like last night any more... The spirits are still spirits. Things are going to return to normal. We won't likely hear from them again, for a while. There may be a time in the future... but not soon. Last night was very... unnatural. Even the biggest legends we've told our cubs haven't been so intense. And after today it will just be another one of those legends that people barely believe in. Just something for cubs to entertain their imaginations with" she said faintly smiling. Jali looked to her. He nodded solemnly as she continued.
"Your father loved you. But he can't... speak to you. Not vocally, not directly" she said with a comforting flick of the tail. The king replied with a sigh.

"Sometimes I can here his voice though. Since his death, there have sometimes been moments when I hear a soft whisper by the brush of the wind or the stir of the clouds... But when I need him the most... Nothing" Jali said looking back down at his own reflection.

"The world is changing, no doubt" Shebla began again, "but we must accept that we are mortals. We cannot have that kind of relationship with spirits. Ramla said last night was putrid. The boundary between the afterlife and the mortal world was broken--temporarily of course. Things seem to be better now. We are extremely lucky though to have been able to use such power last night. Ramla also said that magic of that power will usually kill the caster on normal occassions. The fact that Var, Kyra, Ammon, and all of those others survived using that type of magic... is... astonishing. Your father no doubt was watching over us all. He may be one of the only spirits left who doesn't hate us... since the stone was placed in our own paws" Shebla said.

"It was wrong of him" said Jali. She nodded.

"Yes, it was. He was very selfish to take the stone. He is not the spirits Chosen One. We will probably never know who it will be, until they actually arrive. But we shall see what time brings. Now, things look bleak. Yes, and I do fear for our pride. We now have many new enemies. An entire clan of rebel hyenas and a group of savage hybrids with immense power. All led by a powerful king groomed by evil and two corrupt and tainted seer hyenas. They're all commanded by a powerful spirit who has been here since the dawn of time" Shebla said shaking her head sadly. "It's bad enough that the spirits are angry with us. I do believe that they pushed the drought in Kenya on us on purpose. As punishment. And I believe that they are beginning to side with Dalmaa and raise him up--some at least. There are a few that still remain rather pure. But the majority of them are siding with Dalmaa and using him as a tool to extinct us. But I also believe that we can repair our broken relationship with the spirits by returning the stone" she added. She looked to her leader as he was still staring at himself.

"You are... very right" Jali said. He took in a deep breath with a wind that blew threw his golden mane. He turned his head to look at the medical lioness. He added with deep emotion, "you look so much like your mother."

Shebla recalled horrible memories all of a sudden, but shook them from her mind. She looked to Jali who was obviously still stressed. She tilted her head to the side. "Jali, why are you out here sighing and crying alone when you could be in your den receiving the warm and affectionate comfort of your mate?"

Jali shook his head, slowly closing his eyes. "Sira is my greatest friend and the one I love the most. And she has comforted me through much and made me feel better. But when it comes to the spirits and to my father, sometimes I just feel as though she doesn't understand. Nobody does. I sometimes wish it had been I who slayed Saber, not Taru. Sometimes I want to see Saber's spirit, like we saw Snake's and I want to scream at him."

"You cannot dwell on those emotions" Shebla commented. "They will consume you." She paused for a moment, letting the words sink in. "Besides" she finally added, "I wouldn't be so quick to wish those things. With all of the spirits roaming around here lately... you may get exactly what you wish for. Personally I'd be more fearful of Saber's spirit than Snake's. Snake has killed many more, but Saber is much more torturous. He threw lions off a cliff into broods of dragons. In my mind, there aren't many deaths more painful. Perhaps fire is worse, but that is the only thing that comes to mind. I'd rather be in the wilderness, diseased and starving than to be ripped apart by hundreds of those monsters after having my body cracked from the impact of that fall..." she shook her head. "But cheer up. Everything will be okay. Aside from this new war, your life is good right now. You have a healthy, happy mate who is about to have your cubs. You have many friends and people who support you. Just think of all of the good things. This pride is already too full of depressed lions! We need someone happy to lighten our days. No doubt we've all gone through darkness to get here, I couldn't think of a single person in our pride today who hasn't been through some harsh times... But that doesn't mean all light is lost."

Jali nodded. "Thank you. I will heed your words" he said. Shebla gave a nod. Between the both of them there was a deep silence. He finally looked to her again. "How is Ammon?"

"He will be doing alright. The healer has repaired his eye, luckily. Without the arrival of that new lion, Shadow, he would have lost all vision in his right eye. Aziza's claws are amazingly long. The longest I've seen in any lioness. She cut him up pretty badly. I sensed something strange between her and Ammon. She had some sort of unconditional hatred for him, but I don't know why. I don't understand why she had such a deep desire to kill him..."

"She is a wicked female. Probably one of the most putrid I have ever met" Jali replied. "What happened between you and her, out in the marshlands that day?"

Shebla sighed. "It was all a blur. But I remember stumbling too deep into her territory. She and her sister were at the time too lazy to renew their scent marks on the borders. They had a small piece of land they shared and hunted in all by themselves. I sniffed out there fresh-kill, found it. They tried to drive me out. But they chased me far past their own borders. I got into a nasty fight with them. See this Scar on my neck?" she added pointing with her toes to the long, purplish scar that was extremely noticable running down from the top of her throat to the beginning of her chest.

"That was from Aziza?" asked Jali.

"Yes. Her claws are extremely... sinister. I fear them. When I hear them unsheathe, my heart trembles. I was so close to death. Her claws had come so close to piercing my throat too deep. Had Kamuzu not saved me, I probably would have bled out. But yeah, Aziza did this. I managed to lead them into a group of elephants. I hid behind a large tree, inside the trunk where the roots had parted. The elephants took the two sisters as a threat. They strayed too far towards their young. They stomped Aziza's sister to her grave. I forget her name. It's been so long. Aziza eventually saw me as I made my retreat. She screamed her taunts, promising to get revenge. She was cut off by the elephants and forced to run away. I ran in the opposite direction, with my cut. I was bleeding terribly. I passed out just outside of the Ridge Pride camp. That's when Kamuzu found me and bound up my wounds. He's the only reason I am sitting next to you today" she said. "I've been asking those among the stars to help him. He's so sickly and old lately. It breaks my heart. I know that... that his time is coming short" she said looking off into the lake. Her ears flattened with a twinge of pain for a moment. Her eyes teared up for an instant but soon dried.

"But at least we have the sudden appearance of so many other medical specialists. I couldn't possibly be a lone medical lioness. It would be overwhelming. I'm so glad Mabel has come, and Shadow too if he plans on staying. I couldn't possibly tend to all of these pregnancies either. Especially after..." Shebla silenced herself immediately. Jali looked at her, his eyes deep with a sudden sorrow and a bit of sympathy.

"Shebla, you can't hold yourself to that. You're one of the best medical lionesses I've seen. You can't constantly live in the shadow of your past mistakes. You failed many times to save people... yes, but you have improved. You have learned. You are much stronger, much better. And I have faith in you."
"But I can't do births anymore. Not after... your aunt" she shuddered. Jali sighed. He looked at her, a bumped her with his shoulder.

"It's alright. Just don't bother yourself with it. I'm sure Mabel would be willing to help with the births of the new cubs. Kamuzu even. He helped with Mira's" said Jali.
"Yes. I know... Anyway, I do want to mention that we need more herbs. Moss will also do nicely. We're all out. We'll need a party of lions to hunt some down" said Shebla.

"Alright. But it will have to wait. We're already sending people to go and get food" he said eyeing Taru's party behind him as they rushed through the trees. He hadn't noticed Var who was standing behind the bushes. Finally everyhing fell silent and Var stepped out to speak.

"Um, your highness" he spoke. Jali turned his body to get a view of the warrior. "I need to speak to you about something very important" he replied.

"What is it?" Jali asked. Shelba seemed equally interested.

"Well, Kyra and I, as you know, have encountered many spirits throughout the night. Many of them have referenced your cave. We think there may be something of importance there. Hidden. Do you know of any such things?" asked Var.

Jali nodded, as though it were an uneasy topic judging by his face. "Yes" he sighed, "the cave has a narrow opening in the back which leads down into a massive chain of caverns that travel deep below the ground. The caverns could not possibly be normal as they are filled with... abnormalities. But I warn you. When I first went down there, admittedly I was very frightened. The walls are filled with strange markings and symbols and there are drawings of a black leopard's face everywhere. Some of them of a black leopard's full body. I know what they reference now. But the fact that they are there still scares me. I was at first afraid to allow Sira and I to sleep in the cave, but Ramla assured me it was alright. But she refused to go down into the caverns, so I do not know what the markings mean... You have dealt with spirits, you may be able to know what it means. I'd expect Coglon to know some of the symbols as well. He made the calender over there" Jali said pointing with a tail flick to the calender in the ground.

"Go and gather Gamba. Layla may want to stay here with Sira. But I know that the tiglon will be of use to us. He is very smart. Wiser than most of us. He is the sole reason we killed Snake in the first place. Without him, undeniably we still would have won... but it would have been much trickier knowing Snake's advanced stealth and swiftness" Jali said. "Shebla, I think you would be of service."

"Indeed" Shebla said. "As can Var's sister, I do believe."

"Yes. Subira has advanced knowledge about Dalmaa. It would aid us greatly. She should come" Var replied.
"Very well. Var, Kyra, you two go around and gather those individuals and anyone else you think should come. Shebla, come with me. We'll go explain this to Sira and Taru and have them watch over things until we get back" the king said as he and Shebla began to walk up the camp again, stepping over the ashes from Aziza's flames in the center.

Kyra nodded, "Yes, sir." She said, before nodding at Var, and rushing over to where she saw Layla, Coglon and Gamba at the far side of the camp. "Var and I just spoke to Jali, we're going to go down into the labyrinth inside his cave. There's going to be a lot of magic symbols and writings, it sounds like." She looked between the tiglon and the small lion, "Gamba, Coglon, we want you two to come down with us, you might be able to make more sense of the writings than we could." She said. She flicked her tail, "We don't know much yet, but apparently it has something to deal with Dalmaa, there are drawings of him all over the cavern walls. It might help us figure out what we need to do to get the spirit's favor back, and maybe a way to stop Dalmaa." She looked between the two of them, her tail flicking wildly, but her eyes having a serious glimmer in them that suggested she wasn't excited, but wary of what she would encounter.

Gamba slowly nodded, "Very well, but perhaps we should bring him, as well?" He nodded over at Shadow, sitting back on his haunches next to the cave, still watching them with his dark, unreadable gaze. "He seems to know much of magic, and even more about the universe than most, and he was drawn here by something. Perhaps it is the fact that laws were broken, or perhaps it is the disturbances, maybe even the future brought him here. I am not sure, but I think we should perhaps bring him with us."

Coglon flicked his tail, "I might as well come along, regardless if Shadow comes or not, I can read various symbols and their meanings, and if Shadow does come, then I am the only one that appears to properly understand what he is attempting to say."

Layla stood up. "I'll stay with Sira. She probably needs someone to help her relax anyways. I hope you guys figure out what you're looking for." She gave Gamba a loving nudge on the shoulder with her head and then began walking towards a place beside the cave where Sira was standing. She was speaking with Taru and looked exhausted and stressed.

Jali, Var, and Shebla had now gathered with Kyra, Coglon, and Gamba. He had overheard. "Yes, that lion may be of use. We'll take Shadow with us. Var, go get your sister. She'll know more about Dalmaa than any of us."

Var took off towards a bit of shrub that Subira was standing next to. He mumbled to her this new mission briefly and she tagged along as they met with Jali once more. "We're ready" he said.

"Good" says Jali. "I'll be right back." He walked over to Sira, Taru, and Layla, leaving the group.

Var glanced at Gamba and Coglon. He felt a sudden awkward sensation as his glance moved to Coglon. He wondered if he knew about the new relationship he and Kyra had formed. "So..." he began roughly, "how did you guys do last night? Were you alright?"