The Pride Days (IC): Hurt

Shebla sighed, putting her face into her paws. "It's just so hard" she said dryly. Then her face rose again. "There's just so much going on. Herb shortage, intruders, Kamuzu dying and y--" she caught herself before she could say 'your mother speaking to me'.

She scratched her ear. "Well hopefully we'll kill Aziza and King Kavis soon and it'll all be over. Then I'll be free of her. This pride will be free. And you can heal in peace." She examined him for a moment. "I've predicted you should gain total strength within the weak. For some odd reason, you've began to heal much faster lately. At this rate it will all be done soon."

The day began to pass. Dusk rapidly approaching. As the sun was almost there, Jali called for the pride to move to the Mourning Hill. A distance away from the camp. Shebla and Ammon went on their way to the site, where five holes were dug. Jali stepped on a large rock to speak first.

"Today we honor ad celebrate the lives of five individuals. We mourn for their deaths, but always remember the lives they left behind. We ask the families to step forward."

Shebla stepped forward, flanked by a collection of others who were weeping. She forced herself not to cry. The families spoke their words. Then all eyes turned to Jali and Shebla.

"Lastly, and... certainly not least... Our great, wise, and forever missed medical lion. Kamuzu. His loss is extremely great. He was one of the wisest, oldest, and encouraging lion in this pride. And I myself will miss him terribly. Now I ask Shebla, the leading medical lioness and closest friend to Kamuzu, to speak on his behalf."

Shebla stepped forward, facing the pride. She looked down into the hole that Kamuzu's body lay in. A couple of tears slipped her eyes as she looked back at the pride. The pride lions seemed to roll their eyes, look at her as though demanding she make it quick. For nobody wanted to make time for her opinions. Some even seemed insulted by her very presence speaking for Kamuzu.

"No one could have ever asked for a better friend. Kamuzu has always been there for me. Through thick and thin. He's been there for me when the rest of this pride hasn't. When I felt cold and alone... He comforted me." More tears. She sniffed and looked up at the red and gold sky.

"Nobody could have ever had a greater mentor. After my mother died, Kamuzu taught me more about the medical field that she failed to. And improved my skills drastically. And I... I can't imagine life without him. He's always been my greatest friend. And I only wait for the day that I join him." Now she was turning into a mess. Hundreds of tears came down until her cheeks were as wet and slick as ice.

"Kamuzu... Wherever you are..." he said looking up at the sky. "Know that you'll never be forgotten. I will keep you in my heart to the end. Only to one day be with you again... And in that day... I will be joyful again..." She closed her eyes, trapping the tears.

"I will always be with you"

Her eyes opened. Shocked and amazed. She looked down at the body. Had it spoken? Was she going insane? What was going on? She looked back at the others and suddenly she felt something spreading in her heart. It was a feeling of extreme surprise. Shouting, screaming with joy deep inside. He had spoken. He lives in her.

And he watches over.

Tears poured down her eyes, but happier tears. Others were beginning to wonder what the cause was in her change of emotion. A few leaves skirted across the ground, followed by some flower petals. The petals swirled around Shebla. Then she realized... they were lily petals. Kamuzu's favorite flower...

More tears, until her eyes just looked like water. She stepped back near Ammon, limping her way to him.

"Well said, Shebla" said Jali. Even e was beginning to shed tears. He smiled. "Please, everyone say your goodbyes to the ones we love..."

Everyone approached the holes, looked at the bodies.

"Goodbye Kamuzu. You great, great lion. Friend. Mentor. You great, great friend. You will never be forgotten, my old friend..." Shebla murmured to the body. She stood next to Ammon as the holes were covered back with dirt. She trew a few clumps in herself. She cried hard, leaning on Ammon for comfort. Some of the females put flower petals on the covered graves. Shebla placed many lilies on Kamuzu's. Then shrunk back to Ammon.

After she'd finished crying, she dried her face. Everyone began to walk back towards the camp.

"Caw! Caw!" Crows above head shouted. Shebla turned around. She saw ravens flying from the trees. A few people screamed as hyenas emerged from the shrubs, all laughing meticulously. Leading them... Aziza.

Aziza softly ran her claws in the soil of Kamuzu's grave. Shebla's muscles tensed, an Ammon would feel it. Aziza stepped forward, her tail violently blasting some of the decorative flowers from the pile. Her face grew a wicked smile.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Whitey and his little princess, my dear, dear Shebla" Aziza purred. "What a pleasant surprise finding you both here. And in the same place too." Then she took into account Ammon' own greeting. "I won't have to harm the burial grounds. Once my hyenas chase the rest of you out of here, they can kill you at the bottom of the hill. Besides, I don't see you fighting. Snow-fur. Not since you foolishly lavished all of your strength for the mere magic edge of a battle, heh heh."

Then she eyed Shebla, noting her wounds. "And what happened to you? Fodder-face?"

"Your little bird queen, Zalika attacked me!" Shebla said. She knew this would tear away Aziza's alliance with Zalika.

The ligeress's eyes widened. Then they narrowed. "Well... I was not aware. I will deal with that fool later then..." A growl formed in her throat. "So anyways, I'm a bit confused by your technique, Ammon. What do you plan to do? Poke me to death?" She laughed. "You probably can't even muster the strength to swat your paw!"

Ammon soon felt a strange feeling. It was a feeling of restoration. Above him, unseen by mortals, floated a creature. A glowing gold creature. Protheus. His enormous golden eagle wings spread an aura onto Ammon that healed him.

Aziza seemed to immediately notice the change. "Well Ammon since you look to be feeling better, I'll allow you the first strike. Go ahead, sink you claws into me. Unless of course, you're afraid to touch a female such as I. Because females are a beautiful thing to treasure, not to harm. You wouldn't abuse a female, would you Ammon?" She sneered. "You wouldn't be like your father now, would you? Of course, it's only natural for the child to carry on with its parents' mistakes. You're becoming more like your father every day. Aren't you? Your father... Do you remember him?" She asked. Aziza was using her very malicious emotional weapons. She peered into Ammon's heart with the information Kyra had spilled which was delivered to her by the vultures.

"Don't listen to her!" Shebla murmured to Ammon, touching one of her paws to his own.

"Do you remember your father Ammon?" Aziza asked again.

Aziza began laughing insanely. "If you think you can prove me wrong, you have already failed in our verbal debate. Look at all of these hyenas, Ammon. They were smart, intelligent. Not easily turned against their leader who taught then how to be so clever. Yet I turned brother against brother. My ambitions are threshing, Ammon. My tongue has been known to destroy entire families before..." She giggled.

"If I cannot harm you with words, I know whom I can" she said lurching down to stare at Shebla in the eyes, who was squatting to the ground behind Ammon.

She rose back up. "Little Shebla, what a touching little speech you gave. Hehe.... It must have killed you when you saw your dear Kamuzu coming home so bloodied. HAHA!!"

Hyenas were gathering, some stopped to watch the encounter and laughed with Aziza. The ligeress went on. "I'm sure you were heartbroken to fin out that I broke his legs, bite open his underbelly, clawed away his flesh around the flanks. How I bashed his head on the rocks... As torturous and slow as possible... All with you in mind," she said this slowly, as if tasting the words.

Shebla was trying hard to resist, but her muscles were tensing with anger and sorrow.

Aziza looked back to Ammon. "You've shown weakness in your care for this lioness. And according to your daughter, weakness is one thing you fear, mighty snow-fur." She narrowed her eyes meticulously. "She is the key to your downfall. And don't you dare deny me that you don't care about her! I see it every time the two of you look at each other!" She shouted.

"Fools!" The hyenas were shouting at them. They laughed their horrendous laughs. Hyenas and the background began to sing a strange cry, a sort of battle song.

"A new king will soon be commended, King Kavis will be all time revered!"

Aziza chuckled. Her claws tapping on the ground. "I want to tear into you so bad, and fill that fur with an actual color. Scarlet seems like such a pretty one. But I know you must be dying for me to give you that. And you won't attack me first because I'm female. Yet another weakness. Please, my dear, dear Whitey, don't expect me to fall fool to that. But you know, I think I can make it up to you." Aziza let out a horrible roar. A few hyenas began to jump from her side at Ammon, their jaws ready to snap at him.

"Do as you've been trained, rip his limbs off! Show no mercy! Leave him lifeless and dead, and do not fail your King!"

Aziza grinned. "Rip it out Ammon, you know you want to. Just think of how it will feel. To tear into me. Nothing's holding you back, Whitey. You know I deserve it."

Jali lunged at Aziza from the side. He gave her a quick swipe across the face. Blood split from cracks in the fur across her forehead. Just a few scratches though. She slashed him deeply in the flank and then in the shoulder. Hyenas tackled him and dragged him away from the scene. Other warriors immediately leaping to the king's aid.

Aziza looked back at Ammon. "I won't deny, you're smarter than the others... But do not think that you are my equal. Because you are not. And when he finally muster the strength to attack me, you will die..."

A hyena snuck up from behind and leaped onto Shebla, lurching down to bite into her neck. She clawed its mouth away to the best of her ability, but her wounds were defeating her.

Aziza watched very closely, to see Ammon's reaction. Would he save her or let her die? She already knew the answer, but the details she wanted surely. Her claws clenched the earth below her, as if she were clutching Ammon's very heart.


Another group of hyenas had burst from the shrubs. They snarled and growled, and leaped into the battle. But these hyenas did not attack Sunset Pride... They pounced on some of the Moonrise Pride hyenas.

Jali got up and looked at them. Sniffing them he realized they were also from Smother Klan. But... Why were they attacking their own? Then it hit him. Not all of the hyenas of that clan probably rebelled. Some may have still been loyal to Scar.

Aziza had a triumphant look on her face. It expressed wicked pleasure. "Compassion is a thing if weakness. Those who love will lay dead. You are too blind to see that, or you'd let her die already" Aziza said narrowing her eyes fiendishly at Shebla.

Shebla got up, growling at Aziza. Her amber eyes narrowed as she looked at the monstrous Ligeress.

"If you want to fight with words Aziza, I could play" Shebla growled. Aziza let out a loud, malicious laugh.

"Oh, can you now? Give me your best shot Shebla" she said.

"I remember your sister. Do you?" Shebla asked, slightly smiling. Aziza's eyes immediately widened and the narrowed instantly after. A soft growl forming in we throat.

"What was her name again? Ma--no, maybe Medi--or, well maybe not. It's not that important anyways. But I remember her quite well, don't you? Do you remember those large footprints left in the ground? The tracks that her body lied in when you found her dead? Do you remember how disoriented her body was after the giants stomped her to death? Putrid. A truly terrible thing. Wouldn't you agree? But oh well, just another waste life the world's expelled."

Aziza's eyes looked like they might be on fire. It was the most furious, rage-filled look Shebla had ever seen Aziza create. They flashed into pure evil, devious darkness and flames boiling in her darkening yet flaring gaze. She let out a huge roar and leaped forward, springing onto both Ammon and Shebla. With her immense strength she threw Ammon into a tree with her hindlegs. Her claws unsheathed so far that it looked painful, like she might hurt herself from sticking then out so far. She raked Shebla violently across her un-wounded flank, and then pinned her completely down.

Through gritted fangs Aziza said in a grunty, unforgiving, destructive tone, "her name... Was Makkrai..."

Shebla's eyes were wide with fear. She'd never seen Aziza this furious before. For a few moments she began to believe that this was her last moment of life. She closes her eyes tightly, ready for Aziza to finally end her life forever.


----------


The tiny lioness, Cyla, snuck past the lines of battle with ease. She slipped straight through within the grasses. She made it down the hill towards the camp. Sneaking past even the extremely alert sentries, she came into the camp. She located Coglon, her assigned target, within it. Her eyes narrowed. She sprung out from the bushes and tackled him, laughing and snarling.

"Well hello there..."

Aziza roared. "Do you honestly think I'm afraid of you, albino? You pathetic fool! Your arrogance will be your doom." She leaped forward and quickly slipped on her back, sliding under Ammon and rake his underbelly, then striking his paws and flipping him onto his side while she tackled him and wrapped around him like a boa constrictor. She attempted to choke him with her arms, but she lost grip. "YOU DON'T HAVE DALMAA OB YOUR SIDE, SNOW-FUR!" She shouted. Her fighting style was... Terrifying. It was wild and so unleashing and outgoing that it needed very little strategy. So fast and powerful that it would take down a target regardless of types of attacks. She spun herself in wild ways, flung certain body parts around that would inflict some sort of damage. Like her hip which she used to pound people to the ground. Her elbow she used to jab at the spinal cord in attempt to paralyze. But failing in her attempt with Ammon. She was like a fiery explosion blazing forth. Nothing restraining her. Nothing holding her back.

Shebla mustered the strength to pry Aziza off of him. And just as Aziza was about to pound her claws into Shebla's eyes, she was interrupted by a loud voice.

"Aziza!"

She turned around, faced an immense male creature with black fur. Kavis's fiery eyes, even deeper and bloodier than Aziza's set gaze on all of them. He motioned with his head for her to leave.

"I--I'm not leaving! This is my chance to kill them! We agreed they are my targets! And since when are you my superior? Eh? I am your caretaker, your mother. Whether it be adoptive or not you do what I say!" Aziza shouted. Kavis bared fangs.

"You may be my mother, but I am your king. Or were all those years of training just another one of your pathetic deceptions? Get out of here. They've already begun to pound down our warriors. Which is why I have come. Now GO!" He shouted loudly. Aziza snarled. She looked back at Ammon and Shebla.

"This isn't over. I'll be back, just you wait. When I do, both of you will be sorry! All of your pride will be dead!" She shouted as she left.

Kavis stepped forward. He didn't have an ounce of anger or rage in him. He was calm and cooling. His red eyes blinking softly as he stepped forward. His size rivaled every lion within Sunset Pride's camp. He looked like a giant storm cloud, appearing with eyes of lightning. His mane was enormous and enormously intimidating. Everything about the Dark King spoke that he was extremely powerful. His giant paws left prints in the ground that were terrifying to gaze at.

His fur was very sleek and neat and it was obvious that many lions groomed him, so their king would look his best. It was a soft, silky fur that was very long and fluffy. Making him look even larger. His claws were finely cut and sharpened. They were tremendously long and would definitely be weapons worthy to fear. His paws were already soaked in blood. Blood that Shebla suspected was not his own.

Shebla screamed at his appearance, unable to hold it in. Because she knew immediately who he was. She stuck close to Ammon, her entire body shivering and shaking against his. Each fur standing on edge.

Kavis notice her fear. Aziza would have smiled in delight of it, but Kavis simply looked at them. Emotionless. Completely and utterly cloudy and unreadable. A stone wall.

"So the spirits decide to fill you with strength for one night... Interesting. Well, Ammon. You are not the only one who the spirits feed strength too." It was almost as if by command. A shadow passes by the bushes next to them. It was the shape of a dark leopard. Shebla knew immediately that it symbolizes Dalmaa.

"Ammon..." She whispered, "we have to get out of here before we really get hurt..."

Kavis's tail swept the ground. It looked heavy and pushed the fallen leaves away and cut the tall flowers in two. "Ammon, I do not want to hurt you. I do not want to hurt anyone. But I will, that is, if you do not surrender."

_____________________

Cyla staggered back, not striking immediately. She caught her breath. "I will not lose. I've waited my entire life for someone my size. Someone I actually stand a chance against! Someone my age, because I'm tired of killing and eating cubs!" She said. She leaped forward, tackling Coglon and raking him in the cheek. Then she leaped away before he could gain retaliation. She growled. Her tail sweeping the dirt violently.

Kavis's tail slowly swept the grass. His gaze was fiendishly calculating. He looked up at Ammon with his incredibly frightening gaze and stared at him. "The spirits will not bother my people when they destroy a burial ground that houses the bodies of their enemies. We are in no danger." Then he pause to think of the offer.

"Leave. Leave at once. And never return to these lands. Wherever you catch a whiff of either Sunset or Moonrise, you turn the other direction. If you ever come back, my forces will find you... And we will kill you. But isn't that just the circle of life?" He almost gave a smile, but it was drowned out by his complete calmness and silence of heart.

He gave a single short roar. The hyenas stopped in their tracks and after he gave a motion with his paw, they ran back over the hill they came from.

Shebla was looking at Ammon. Her ears flattened, eyes closing. Her head hung low. She did not feel betrayal, but felt as though she had failed. It just felt like before, another failed mending attempt. Only death was left. Just like when she'd tried to heal wounds, making error and ending up killing or wounding her patient. The feeling that was in her then, returned at this moment. That strange feeling of sorrow. Of complete failure. Defeat.

She gave a side glance to Ammon, not uttering a word. But she was silent.

"Leave, now. Or I will not hesitate to call them back," he said as he begun to turn away.

Aziza was standing up by the tree that Kamuzu's grave was. She raked up some of the dirt and slashed the flowers before Shebla's eyes. Shebla held back her tears. Everything was just happening so fast. Egret. Kamuzu. Aziza. Kavis. Now Ammon's departure.

And the worst part of it was, she felt like it was too late to save him now.

Just as Aziza ran away, turning down the hill, Kavis began to follow. Suddenly Jali and Taru both tackled him, they pinned him onto the ground. Lionesses made a circle around them, forcing Kavis to surrender. Kavis then picked himself up.

"Fine! I'll go to your camp. But the only reason is because I've made a deal I shall keep. Had I not have made this bargain, I'd be calling back those hyenas" he softly growled.

Jali looked at Ammon, narrowing his eyes. He looked away, a though Ammon were just as evil as Aziza. Shun.

Shun.

Kavis walked with the group that escorted him down the hill. He spoke softly, "this is only temporary. I hope you realize, dear king. But a reprisal is soon to take hand. My forces are meticulous and cunning. And the spirits guide us. Our ways may be slightly sordid, but I assure you... they are etiquette and affective..."

"Silence!" Taru roared.

Kavis looked over at Ammon. "Time is ticking!"

Shebla wanted to say goodbye to Ammon, but she wasn't sure if she should. But her mind was buzzing with what would happen now. She had no friends remaining. She would be utterly and completely... alone.




Jali approached the new hyenas, his eyes narrowed. "Who are you? Why have you come? Identify yourselves now!" He said. He knew he'd smelled their scent before. Smother Klan. But that scent meant nothing anymore. There were two sides of that clan now. Broken. Shattered. Nothing.

Now a female approached from the crowd. She was pale furred for a hyena, having bluish eyes and being rather large. "We're all that's left of Smother Klan. Everyone else rebelled and went to Moonrise Pride. We smelled them heading this way. We had to stop them."

"What's happened to Scar?" Jali demanded worriedly. It was surprising. For once, her worried about her. When he remembered growing up hating her because she'd made herself renown among Ridge Pride as the Witch. A cruel murderer who took so much.

The female shook her head. "No sign of her anywhere. We don't know what happened to her. Both her and her cubs disappeared the night of the rebellion. No scent trails. No tracks. Nothing. It's like they turned into thin air" she said.

Jali sighed, his was hanging low and his gaze clenching the ground. He looked up at the female. "Thank you for your help."

She nodded. "Jali, we also came because... we have no where else to go. King Kavis is hunting us down." She said giving a glance to the Dark King.

"Yes, stay here" Jali said. "We need all of our allies in this time of need. Bokal!" A brown-maned lion stepped forward for Jali's instructions. The king continued, "you and Cirabel go to Zanita. Warn her of Moonrise Pride. And tell Ruda and Nyla to go to Kadir. Everyone must be aware of this threat. We cannot face this threat alone. Smother Klan was large enough to equal our pride times three. To face them, each ally must come together. We must all work together to stop them. I must speak with Zanita. This time in person. But I must stay with my mate and cubs..."

"This will not be done easily" said the leading female hyena. "For our rebels combined with a gang of hybrids and exiled and outcast lions, and a small group of cheetahs..."

"Cheetahs?" asked Jali.

The female nodded. "Didn't you know? Marsh Pride of cheetahs survived the drought. They made it to Ethiopia. King Moral's brother, Seduki made his way to Aziza. Now Marsh Pride is on its way here..."

Jali's eyes widened. He turned to Taru. "Taru, I have... A very important mission for you. You will gather a group to go and search Ethiopia for any other lion prides. Or any clans of any creature for that matter. Seek out new allies. I think I remember catching a whiff of the scent of another pride south of here the night we made it into Ethiopia. Go there first."

Taru took off to the camp, Jali looked at the hyenas. "Follow my brother back to our camp. Make yourselves at home. Build some dens. Eat. Drink. Gain back your strength."

"Thank you, your highness. We are eternally grateful" the female said, bowing her head. The hyenas all began to follow in behind Taru.


_______________________

Cyla felt defeated. She just laid on the ground. A Kal had emerged from his den. He grabbed Cyla and held her down with the force of only his front paws. She was restrained by the force and laid down defeated. Just as Kal was about to bite into her and end her life forever. His cub emerged from their den and watched their father in shock.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill someone in front of his cubs. So he just held her there. He'd have Jali decide what to do with her.

Shebla sighed, aggravated. She gained the strength to limp back into camp and into the medical den. There she passed the place where Ammon would usually sleep. Feeling somewhat a melancholy feeling. A surging in her heart. Her last best friend... was gone, as though dead.

She sighed again and walked into her den. She laid down. Her eyes shut tightly. She bit her lip to try to resist crying. She felt like it was all Aziza's doing. She had pointed out Ammon's opening of heart. Things like that were clear to the ligeress. Aziza could identify easily if two individuals had even the slightest care for each other.

Shebla laid her head down on her paws.

She felt failing. Like she'd let down yet another family. What had she done wrong? That was the question she repeatedly asked herself. And it seemed like Dalmaa was tagging at her shoulder, telling her she was worthless. That Ammon didn't care about her. She wasn't meant to be liked. And for a while it seemed like Dalmaa was winning this mental battle. She heard his voice. Almost as If it weren't in her head, but with her physically.

"Don't you realize it, love? Don't you realize that he doesn't care about you? You have failed. Egret will frown on you, as I do. You pathetic failure. Now look. You are alone. Not even Kamuzu can save you from this looming loneliness."

To clear the voice, she shook her head. Shebla buried half her face in her paws. Her tail lay flat and motionless. Nothing to express. She heaved a sigh and closed her eyes. She perhaps would fall asleep. Maybe Egret could give her answers. Or perhaps the spirit too had abandoned her, passing an going with Ammon. Her heart trembled at the thought.

Despite Shebla's fears and her immense shuddering when in the presence of those fears, she was brave. Only two things scared her. Kavis and Aziza. But, who wouldn't be afraid of such vile people?

Her eyes opened, a bit watery. But she refuse to cry. She uttered out in a murmur, "Egret have I failed you?"

She let a single tear escape. "What do I do?" She asked Egret, who she desperately hoped was listening.

Ammon...

So Far Away.



_____________________

Var approached Kyra. He had a gash above his eye that spilled blood all over his face. His paws were covered in mud and blood, signaling he'd been in such a quarrel that he was dragged and his feet and drove into the earth. His mane was full of thorns an briars. Ruffled and full of sweat. He panted, his jaw hanging low as he tried to pass away the heat. He gulped and then the panting stopped. He saw Kyra crying and had the immense need to support her.

"Kyra, don't cry" he said nudging her with his head, though trying not to get any blood on her. He gave her a lick. "I'm sure he was just trying to protect us."

Even though the deal may never even last. I don't remember Kavis or Aziza ever being honorable enough to keep promises, Var thought. To himself, he doubted the deal would last a day. Perhaps enough time for Ammon to leave, but once he was gone he assumed Moonrise would invade the Sunset Pride camp, kill those they desired, and make slaves of the rest. Taking the camp as a new of their own.

"Ammon cares about you. You're his own daughter for spirit's sake. He might not care about the rest of the pride, but..." Var himself was feeling out of words. He also felt slightly betrayed by Ammon's actions and found them to be extremely selfish. Ammon thought of himself and his own weaknesses instead of others. Little did he realize that his departure was a major blow to Sunset. It weakened their forces drastically.

______________________

Kal looked at Coglon, nodded. He grabbed Cyla by the back of the neck and dragged her over to a thick tree that he forced her up against. She pressed her back against it, feeling defeated already. "This isn't fair! It wasn't supposed to be this way!"

The horrid smell if blood poured into the camp like a rainfall's sweet scent. The cage of lions entered with Kavis at their core. He stood proud and tall, almost as though not even acknowledging the fact that he's been defeated. His paws were bloody and left red tracks on whatever pieces of bare earth he could come across. They made him stop near the center of the camp.

"Tell your ravens not to send a rescue team" said Jali.

"Aziza won't listen to that" Kavis said.

"JUST DO IT!" Jali roared at the top of his lungs. Kavis just glared at him. He gave out a soft roar that called a few vultures to the ground. They bowed to him, but looked anxiously at the others.

"Tell Zalika and Aziza that I will not be coming home. I am in Sunset's camp. Tell them I need no rescue. I have made a deal worth my time being spent here" he said. They nodded and flew back into the skies.

Kavis looked back at Jali. "Now what do you plan to do with me?"

"We're going to let the leaders of all of the allied clans and prides, and their people decide that" said Jali.

"I hope you realize this is only temporary. I'm not staying here long enough for you to kill me. And the deal I made with Ammon will expire soon enough anyway. I don't care if he fights alongside you or not, you will all die eventually. This agreement will only buy you breathing time. But in the end, things will only be as they were. And he has weakened all of Sunset Pride by not attending your side in the war. As he, Var, and Gamba are the most powerful lions here. Gamba is with his family, he cannot fight often. Var is a fool. Defying the spirits. But Sunset Pride alone will fall."

"And how is that?" asked Jali.

Kavis flashed him a flat gaze. "A stick alone shall break. But many sticks together will hold strong. Sunset Pride does not have a close relationship with its allies. They are far away. Whereas Moonrise has many allies who all work closely with us. You will fail. most definitely. And I'd like to see you prove me wrong."

Jali rolled his eyes. "Until we have word of Aziza and Kadir, you will stay in our captivity dens. Both you and your companion" said Jali giving glance to Cyla.

"Kal, bring her over to one of the captivity dens. Coglon, you may be her guard. And I want a team of four lionesses guarding Kavis at all times!" Jali said as he led Kavis into a large den which was walled by huge stones and enormous strips of bark, making walls to stop the captive from escaping into the woods behind the den. Jali knew that Kavis would easily demolish those walls, so he had two lionesses sit in the den with him and two remain outside.

By this time, Subira had awoken from her den. She walked out towards the commotion.  "What's going on?" she asked.

Jali shook his head. "You're not going to like this." He pointed with his paw at the den, but Subira could already smell it. She growled at Jali.

"How could you?!" She hissed, "you know what he intends to do!"

"I'm sorry Subira, but we need to keep him so he can't cause any more destruction. And imagine the secrets he could uncover."

"He won't reveal anything" said Magir from the side. "I've met him. You could torture him to the point where he's an inch from death and he'll never budge. Aziza taught him well."

________________


Kal threw Cyla into an identical den, but far away so Kavis could not conspire with her. He then looked at Coglon.  "You should be strong enough to guard her on your own, as far as I see. I'll leave you to it then." He began walking away, leaving Coglon.

"You..." the creepy, yet soft voice of the lioness uttered out. She looked at Coglob through the entrance of the den. "Your name is Coglon, is it not?"

_______________________


Aziza stood at the Shadingtree. The moonlight shone through some of the branches and cast lines of light around Aziza that shifted as she moved.

She was angry. And it was obvious.

"This is only a minor defeat! We will have reprisals soon enough!" she shouted.

"This new kingdom is rubbish!" shouted one of the hyena rebels. "We're losing faith in you, Aziza!" The other hyenas began to give agreeing howls. Aziza's wave of insanity rose over her head. She let out a roar that shook the ground and boomed into the sky. The hyenas grew silent with fear. A literal fear scent began to grow from their bodies.

In rage, Aziza roared out, "You made a promise! If you don't intend to keep it, I'll make you! You rebelled against your queen for a purpose! And that goal will not be reached until you put forth more effort! And if you think you're getting out of this pride, you're dead wrong. Once a member of Moonrise always a member! And if you so much as think of deserting us, I'll kill you myself! Nobody departs us, alive!"

The hyenas had grave faced. They all looked at each other in terror. Aziza was angry. Very angry. "Now, go back to your stations. We move the border inward five acres tomorrow. And remember," she said in a fake-happy voice. In a much darker tone she said, "our spies are everywhere. Watching ever foot of these lands. The birds will find you of you decide to take an... unexpected vacation. Then you can have an eternal vacation, my sweets. Now, off you go."

The hyenas left. Some of them murmuring things like, "King Kavis is so much fairer, far more giving. We must win him back at all costs."

Aziza simply stood with her gaze on the ground. She hummed some strange song to herself which had some strange calming spell on her. She immediately seemed to grow calmer.

"Aziza, I have news" Zalika says to the right. Aziza looks at her, suddenly being reminded of the betrayal. She gazed at her darkly. Zalika continued unaware. "Kavis has been taken captive. He said not to send help. He's got things taken care of."

"What?" Aziza asked in horror. "They... They have my son?!" she said with terror in her eyes. Her eyes were scarlet lakes of fear. For a moment, a twinge of compassion was visible. But she drowned it in the fires of her wicked personality before it could break the surface.

"He's alright. I've told the vultures to watch over him. Anything else you need before we head to the makeshift dens?" asked Zalika.

Aziza's attention retuned to the fact that Zalika not only lied, but disobeyed her. "No..." Aziza growled.

"Speak" Zalika said, identifying that something was wrong.

Aziza clawed the dirt below her, to keep her anger from unleashing. "I know you attacked Ammon and Shebla."

Zalika's face looked slightly afraid. "And?" she asked. Aziza looked at her through the corner of one eye, tilting her head to the side.

"You know what I said I'd do..."

"Oh, Aziza. You couldn't afford to kill me. I'm smarter than you. And you don't have the skill to control all of these birds" she said padding away.

Aziza wondered how she had the guts to say such a thing. But he was right. Aziza could never afford to kill Zalika. And now her anger engine was too worn out to scorn anyone else. Nassor, the leopon approached from the side.

"You alright?" he asked. Aziza hesitated, glaring back at Zalika's hindquarters as she disappeared. Then her scarlet gaze turned to Nassor.

"Fine" she hissed resentfully.

"What's going on?" He asked. He nudged her with his head, like a loving mate. But she shoved him away with the buck of her shoulder.

"Kavis is captive. Zalika may be plotting against us. The hyenas are ready to rebel. What else could go wrong?" She growled, smashing the ground with her fist.

"Aziza, remember how to keep yourself contained. Remember your mother's teachings. Listen, Kavis is strong enough to take on every being in that pride. He'll be alright. No doubt" Nassor said comforting her with a flick of the tail. She clawed him in the shoulder in return.

"Aziza, I'm just trying to be nice to you" he exclaimed.

"You know I don't like that kind of contact! Compassion equals weakness. Did you not hear of Ammon? I pointed out his weakness of Shebla, he deserted them. Wise, very wise on his part. But now we are bound to a deal. We must not fight for several nights... Anyways, my point. I care not for love. It destroys people. Wrecks armies. There's no room right now for love."

"And we planned to have cubs" Nassor said.  "And how can we have children if you can't bear a loving touch?"

"For one, you can't have children you infertile imbecile. So there's no point in even discussing it" Aziza said.

"Dalmaa promised to heal me. And when he does?" asks Nassor.

"If he does" Aziza growls.

"What, what do you mean?" Nassor asked surprisingly. He looked at Aziza with widened eyes. She just had a look of spite.

"Honestly Nassor, do you trust Dalmaa, honestly? You've heard the old tales. He deceives the people he uses. We are just pawns until his big blow" said Aziza aggregately.

"So, you want us to desert him?"

"Of course not you fool! I'd rather be a pawn of Dalmaa's than an enemy. Do you have any idea what he's done to his victims? His enemies? We have zero clue what he's going to do and what he's going to grant. We can only wait and see. Until then, keep your paws off me!"

"Sometimes I wonder what I saw in you!" Nassor shouted with a growl. Aziza slashed him in the eye, giving a huge bloody mark across the left one. He roared in pain.

"I know exactly what you saw in me. You saw a strong, powerful, dominant female with enough force in her body and silk in her speech, she could turn brother on brother. Sister on sister. Mother against son and daughter against father. And you fell for her, like a blind dog."

Nassor was a very strong male. But for some odd reason, he felt the need to cry. His eyes watered. Aziza tilted her head. She pursed her lips. "What now Nassor, are you going to cry? Get out of here before I give you a real reason to cry."

Nassor began to pad away. He looked back at Aziza when he was a distance away. "If only your mother could see you now..."

Aziza seemed hurt by it. She had a slightly saddened face. Nassor did not allow her a reply. He just kept walking, not looking back.


_______________________
___-----_________-----___
_______------------_______


Saber looked back at the camp. He stood a distance, where he could just see into it. He turned and kept walking. He padded through mud and through the forest. Eventually leaving the heart of the territory. He escaped the gaze of the sentries and all guarding creatures. He could hear the vultures above, following him.

He stopped at a large hole in the ground. It was stretched into a ray of hills that shot back towards the camp. Then it was obvious. The tunnel in Jali's cave led out here. Saber looked around, and searched through bushes and shrubs.

"Megira?" He called out. "Megira?"

"Over here, Saber" said a feminine voice. He found an ebony colored lioness laying in a ditch covered by brush. Nearly invisible. A small cub suckled at her side. Saber licked it, as well as this lioness.

"It's not safe out here anymore. I've caught onto their strategy. They're moving their forces inwards toward the camp. Completely blocking everyone off from the world. They'll find you eventually. As well as this hole. Now... King Kavis is captured in the camp, for now. But I still want you to come anyways. You'll be safe. Jali will keep Kavis locked up."

"How can you be sure with the brother of the one who killed you? The son of one of the most deceptive, greedy, corrupt lions in Kenya?" asked Megira.

Saber shrugged. "I don't trust him. But I expect honor out of him at the very least. Come on, it's not safe for you or our cub anymore. Osiris needs a safer place to play. I couldn't bear it if either of you got hurt," he said licking her ear.

She thought for a moment. "Saber. You said you had a mate before."

"We don't need to talk about that" he said.

"We do. You never let me talk to you about it" Megira said.

He sighed. "I'll make you a deal. Come walk with me, right now, and ask me your questions. Alright?" She nodded. She picked the cub puny the scruff and shuffled him onto her back. He looked only to be a few days old.

It was obvious now that Saber had replaced his family. He was starting anew. Megira followed at his side. They spoke in hushed tones, preventing the vultures from hearing.

"What do you want to know?" He asked.

"What was her name? What was she like?" Megira asked.

"Her name was Nara. And... She wasn't your typical mate. She was among the shadiest of River Pride. Not a good person. Always encouraging me to do wrong. And... Queen Sira killed her" said Saber.

"Did you have any cubs?"

"No. We did not. But we had been trying. She was beginning to show signs of pregnancy during the final days of the pride. That was when Sira killed her, just as my suspicions rose. But that doesn't matter anymore. I have you and Osiris" he smiled.

"Did Sira give you those scars?"

"Now. Taru did. He clamped his jaws over my eyes and my snout. That's why these scars almost look like tears. Thankfully the spirits regenerated my eyeballs" Saber said.

"So, do you ever miss Nara? Be honest" Megira said.

"Honestly... Not that much. She was only interested in me because I was king. And I had killed several others to obtain that position. Many in the pride view that as strong and desirable. The females fell all over me."

"How many did you kill?" She asked.

Saber took a moment to calculate. "Five" he said. "My two older brothers, my uncle, my cousins. I poisoned them all so nobody knew it was my doing. I hate to eat some of the poison myself to lower suspicion. I had to eat a special fruit that was an antidote. But the antidote had the horrible side effect of turning my eyes to the color of blood. Originally they were a deep amber. I miss my eyes..." He said.

"The spirits wouldn't give you new amber eyes?" Megira asked.

"No. They saw it as punishment for earning them in the first place. My pride was filled with lions and hyena both desperate to put down Ridge Pride and end evil. But some of us became the very evil we swore so deeply to destroy... Myself including. My cause was good, but the way I went about making that cause was perverse and evil."

"But you're not like that now. You're a good lion" Megira said smiling. Saber smiled back, but there was doubt in his eyes. They had soon made it into Sunset Pride. Sentries and Jali already surrounding them.

"Saber, who is this and what are they doing here?" he asked.

"This is my mate and my cub, Megira and Osiris. While I was within your cave I would go out and eat and drink on my own, because I refused to drink Dalmaa's poison waters. I met her out there. She has managed to live in your territory undetected. And I request she be brought here so I can keep her safe from Aziza."

Jali was about to protest, but a few others shot glances that told him not to. "Very well. They will stay in your den. Make sure you introduce them to the rules of this place..."

Saber nodded, leading his family away.

Shebla twitched at the sight of the spirit. But more curious than afraid. Not yet grasping its seriousness.

"This... This is a lot to take in. Ammon leaving triggered this? I... I hope he's okay. Egret, please keep him safe." She sighed, slowly flicking her tail. "If only he knew how much he's weakened us. His departure will be a drastic downsize to our pride... If only he'd understand we need him. Perhaps I didn't try hard enough to convince him of the pride's love. Now everyone hates him. They're calling him a traitor. Especially Jali, since he left right after Kamuzu died. Leaving me alone in this time... I'll never be able to convince him now," she said solemnly.

"I hate Aziza. She convinced Ammon to leave... That horrible female. She's so crafty, she knows exactly how to tear people apart. She knows how to get to you. No matter how strong you are. Ammon might not realize it, but by leaving he's only given her the victory she lusts for." Her ears flattened, her head hung low. "He was a good friend to me, I'll miss him. My heart goes with him. May he be safe."

She looked at Egret, into her eyes. Notices the change in everything. "Are, are you alright?" She knew it was a stupid question, as spirits don't have physical pain. But she was under the illusion that Egret may have been affected by the events. Then she moved onto another question, impatiently. "Egret. What do I do? I'm just so confused. I thought Ammon cared about me. I thought he'd in time, decide to stay with us. I don't know what he thinks, but I do care about him. Much more than he thinks. And I just wish he'd realize that. But please, just... Tell me... What do I do? What do you want me to do? What's best? I mean... Do you want me to break the deal, go after him? I know Moonrise wont keep their end of it anyways, but... Ugh, I'm just so confused!" She grunted in frustration. Her tail whipped around angrily. She scratched her head. "Just what do I do?"

_______________________

Var gently licked Kyra and then rested his head against the side of hers. He said softly, and meaningfully, "We won't."

He sighed. Comforting his mate. He parted her on the back. "Everything is going to be okay. We will leave for the stone... Tomorrow. And we will stop all of this."

He pulled away at last, but his tail still brushed her paw. "Come on. Let's get some rest. I want to sleep beside you one last full night. Because... who knows how many nights we have left, Kyra." He said. He didn't want to remind her of the dangers of the journey. But he wanted to make sure if it really would fail in the end, he would at least have this night to look back on.

_____________________

Cyla sat up haughtily. Her shiny orange eyes rolled. She had a bit of white fur on her forehead, which almost looked like a heart or a leaf or maybe a brand of fire. An array of scars covered her left shoulder. Each one seemed neat. Almost as if each had been cut individually, not all at once.

She clenched the earth on the ground.

"How can you be him... They told me he was weak. They told me I could defeat him. They told me I would finally have this moment, the moment of true victory" she said. The reality of Aziza's lies began to sink in to her.

Cyla scratched the ground even harder in anger. "That wretch..." she whispered to herself. "She lied to me again. She doesn't care anymore..."

Cyla scratched herself with a single claw in the shoulder, next to all the other scars. Causing a huge gash to form. One would wonder exactly, why. She let out a brief squeal as she had cut too deep.

______________________


Kavis grumbled. "Jali" he called out. The king turned to look at the Dark King in the prison den. He padded up, looking at him with disgust.

"What?"

"Aren't you going to make an announcement of my captivity?" he asked with an almost soothing voice. It was strange how sinister he was without even acting in a threatening way.

"I may. What's it matter to you?" Jali growled.

"I wish to make an announcement to your people myself," Kavis said. "As well as set some... New arrangements."

"You're mad" Jali answered. "Absolutely not."

"Either let me speak and set some terms, or I'll call my hyenas. You and I both know they're dying to come back an save me" Kavis said.

"That wasn't the deal" said Jali.

"It will be" Kavis said unsheathing a single claw and running it along the dirt.

"That's not fair!" Jali shouted.

"Honestly Jali, did you expect me to keep my word? Let me speak. Or the teeth of my hyenas at Sunset's neck" Kavis cooed. Jali gave a soft growl in his throat, then signaled for the lionesses to bring him out. They all made it up to the large rock Jali usually stood on to make announcements. It was near the bottom of the small hill where his cave stood at the top. He overlooked everyone.

"Attention!" He called, "all pride members gather for a meeting." The pride gathered around the rock. Though a few mothers could only poke their heads out of their dens for the safety of their cubs.

"We've had a couple of horrid days lately. So much death in so little time... The burial was, as you know, interrupted by Aziza. Luckily we suffered no casualties tonight. But many are wounded and being treated by Mabel. Our other medical lioness is out for the moment, and I advise everyone to leave her alone for the night. She is suffering so much loss all at once. We gained two captives tonight. A small lioness and King Kavis."

Kavis pushed Jali out of the way. "I want to say right now, that this little deal between Ammon and I is so minuscule, you wouldn't believe it. It means absolutely nothing. And I can promise you, my forces will be back for my rescue. Now how many of them come, an when, is completely up to you. I am to be treated as well as your king while I am here. For many of you elders should remember that the spirits once said, 'all kings must be treated as kings'. Though I am prisoner, I want just as much respect around here as your leaders. Besides, if I were you, I wouldn't take the chance of offending someone who may send his forces to end you one day. I'm not big on revenge like the rest of my family, mostly because I don't let little things bother me. But I can promise you, no forgiveness will be given to those who are a pest to me here. Did any of you realize that I am willing to recruit those of you that the spirits are not angry with? Join me and I can promise you all the prey in the world!" The crowd gasped in shock.

"That's enough!" Jali said trying to bat Kavis away. But he wasn't strong enough to move the Dark King from his spot.

"I am also to be allowed to hunt for my own food during my stay here. As is my companion who you have captured, Cyla. And you will respect her as much as I."

It wasn't noticeable before, but it suddenly became enormously clear. There were hundreds of vultures and ravens sitting in the camp. In the trees. Bushes. On the ground. And more were constantly flying in to listen. Many flew in circles above Kavis, high in the air.

"And once a day, I must be met with Subira. For an hour or so. For I wish to meet her" Kavis said. There was a roar from the crowd at this. Kavis's enormous roar silenced all. Then his eerie calmness took place once more.

"Now, everyone shout out, 'Long Live King Kavis'!" He said. Many protested, but he shot them an evil glare that made everyone shrink in fear. They began shouting out the phrase, horrified of this Dark King. Jali did not speak it, Kavis turned to gaze at him.

"Jali, you can speak. I haven't cut your tongue out, yet" he said. Jali took this as a threat. A threat to cut out his tongue. And even he, deep inside, was afraid of Kavis. And all this time he felt like Saber was the only person he feared. He began to quietly say the phrase, ashamed that it was coming out of his lips.

"Louder" Kavis grinned.

"Long Live King Kavis" Jali said louder. Kavis gave him a chilling stare that told him to speak even louder. He had to. For his life. For his mate. For his children.

People were very, very shocked to see Jali shouting the phrase. Many looked terrified now. Felt hopeless. Kavis simply gave a slight smile to the crowd, but barely showing emotion. The vultures were beginning to sing the phrase, along with Kavis's song, though they were joyful about it.

"Hush," Kavis said, immediately making everything go quiet. "Where is Subira?"

The emerald-eyed daughter of Snake stepped out of the crowd with her head down. She didn't look up at Kavis. She just stared at the stony ground.

"Meet me in my den" he said.

"If you think I'm going to allow you to--" Jali started.

"Ah, ah, ah" Kavis corrected. He then almost seemed to giggle. A small, barely audible purr rose from his throat. His whiskers twitched. "Jali honestly, this is the end. In a day or so my forces will return to this camp, without my command. They'll kill everyone that is a target and anyone that gets in the way. And anyone willing to surrender will be forgiven. You are a target. If I were you, I'd use this time to say you're final goodbyes. Go, be with your family while you still have them" Kavis said walking off of the rock, flanked by a few guards. Subira was forced to follow.

An elder warrior jumped up onto the rock next to Jali. "I thought the word 'captive' meant something different! What were you thinking? Bringing that... that... Monster, here?"

Jali did not respond. He turned away and began walking up to the royal cave.

Kavis was back in his prison den. Surrounded by lionesses. Subira stepped in, but did not look at Kavis.

"Subira" Kavis said slowly, tasting each letter of the word. "You are said to be the mother of a massive master race of lions. And I the father. We would be defiant of the spirits not to follow that guideline."

"You're just as insane as the rest of them if you think I'd allow myself to--"

"Hush" Kavis murmured. "Subira, I do not wish to do you harm. But it's what the spirits want."

"And who told you this?" asked Subira, finally gaining the strength to look up at him. Her limbs already began to shake as she looked into his red gaze. It was strange. He ha some strange ability to instantly push flavors of fear into people that simply glanced his way. Subira knew it was because Dalmaa lived inside of him. She knew Dalmaa better than anyone. And she could see that Kavis's eyes looked exactly like the black leopard's.

"The Witchdoctors of course" he said. Subira growled.

"How do you know you can trust those two? They are false prophets. They feed you lies. All of you. And you are fools to believe them" she said bravely. Kavis made an angry expression that forces Subira to sit, because if she stood the trembling would force her to fall.

"Those two are the sole reason I'm so strong today. As well as Aziza's parenting skills. Now, be gone. Come back to me tomorrow at sunhigh."

Subira turned away, walking out of the den. Her head was low and a few tears and mournful, shaky breaths sobbed out. It seemed like everyone in the entire pride was crying. Or too dazed to do anything at all. Now Kavis's power was undeniably, risen.

The ability to fight Moonrise was slowly dwindling away. People were surrendering. Even Jali seemed to have given up. He stood in his den, curled up with Sira and their son an daughter, Kadei and Thema.

Jali and Sira were both sorrowful and melancholy. Their eyes were wet with tears as they licked the fur of their cubs.

"I heard the shouting from here" Sira said. Jali nodded.

"I can not have someone give me commands and make me seem inferior. Not in my own pride" Jali said.

"Jali what are we going to do?" Sira asked.

Jali looked into her eyes. He put a paw on her shoulder. "We're going to keep hope. We'll send Var, Kyra, and Taru for the stone."

"What if Kavis attacks before they get back?" She asked.

"If all else fails... Dare I say this... We will leave. You and me, and our children. We will have to escape and find a pride that will accept us. Wherever one may be. But that's our last case scenario."

Sira nodded, finally burying her head into Jali's gold-brown mane.

_____________________

Bokal and Cerabi made it to Zanita's territory. They passed several sentries as they got deeper. Having been familiar with each other, the hyenas greeted the lions happily. But things were urgent, so there was little time for chatting with the guards.

They made it to the camp, calling for Zanita. "Zanita! Zanita!" Bokal called out. "All of the allies are in danger! Moonrise Pride is going to destroy them all!"

_______________________

Aziza skulked around the fields. The camp was very near. Her smell drifted off the wind in that direction. Zalika walked around as well, but kept a distance from Aziza. Nassor was far off somewhere in the plains. Hyenas patrolled all around. They were closing in. A young male hyenas approached Aziza and stood at attention.

"The outer grounds are clear" he said. Aziza nodded, she called for one of Zalika's vultures and killed it on the spot with her black claws. She handed the corpse to the hyena.

"Your reward" she said. The hyenas obviously wasn't fond of eating birds. Birds were dirty, disease-ridden creatures. Especially vultures, as they ate carrion. But he accepted Aziza's gift anyways . The birds above were suddenly not so willing to accept Aziza's call.

Zalika approached. "Don't do that" she snapped.

"Do what?" Aziza asked.

"You know what, kill my servants. I don't go around an kill your hyenas as rewards for my vultures!" Zalika mewed.

"At this point Zalika, I'd advise you to tighten your lip" Aziza said, turning away. Zalika followed behind.

"And why is that? You really going to risk losing so many spies?" Zalika asked.

"I could" Aziza growled back, her ear twitching annoyingly.

"Well," Zalika said haughtily, her tail flicking some weeds. "You know I've been a very good companion of yours. The ravens talk to me. And then I give you their information. I could very well feed you false information. But I don't do that, because I'm on your side" Zalika finally answered. Aziza rolled her eyes.

"Right" the ligeress said sarcastically.

"I am" exclaimed Zalika, "we all are. And we've all been through death and darkness to get here. But Snake willing, we've come out of that. He brought us together for a reason. And that's to finish what he started. To fulfill Dalmaa 's wishes. We're all in this together. And you know that. You can't do this without us, neither can we without you."

Aziza stopped and looked at her reflection in a small puddle of water. Zalika stood next to her, seeing the corner of her own head in the puddle. Aziza sighed, "there you have it. We're all in this together...."

"Yes" Zalika said. "You need to stop being such a leader. It's supposed to be Kavis taking the lead, not you. And you rush into things. The Witchdoctors have told you this many times."

".....Have you ever had your sister taken from you, Zalika? And your brother? Parents? Ever been raised as I was?" asked Aziza.

"I've had my own cubs taken from me, Aziza," Zalika snorted. "My own mate. Be thankful yo have Nassor. Because you'll wish you were when he's dead."

Aziza's muscles tensed. "Why should I be thankful for that lowlife?"

"He is a good mate, you know. He cares about you," Zalika exclaimed. Aziza's ears lowered.

"I know... I'm just..." She growled and slashed the image in the puddle of water, making her face disappear and the puddle itself shattering and gone.

"Things must change. Especially if you want to keep the loyalty of the hyenas. For without them, we have no army. Without Smother Klan's rebels, we are just a group of lions and hybrids and a few cheetah families. No threat. Keep the hyenas. Keep our power. During the next gathering, give them something pleasing."

"Very well..." Aziza said. She grew very quiet, and her back tensed. Before Zalika could walk away, Aziza lunged. She tackled the jaglion, roaring as she began slashing. Zalika was striking back. The vultures swooped down an raked Aziza all over, and beamed we with their razor beaks. Zalika tried to perform the Kiss of Death, but Aziza resisted. She pulled away from the jaglion.

Zalika commanded the vultures to stop attacking her. She approached Aziza with blood on her fur. She breathed deeply, out of breath and sweating. "Happy?" she asked whipping her lips of drool and her chin of sweat.

Aziza did not respond. Zalika rolled her eyes and began to walk away. The birds flapped along with her. Nassor approached, looking at Aziza as if she were a truly disgraceful creature.

The ligeress lay motionless, looking at her "mate". He just shook his head and kept walking, not looking back. Aziza laid her head down, tired.

Shebla nodded. "I would like that, a lot." The soothing words that Egret spoke of Ammon's return was like thin fingers massaging Shebla's mind. She sighed, sitting back sadly. She looked around at the shadows and the spirits that passed. And she felt fear in her heart. She felt it coupled with sorrow. The realization that this, though a dream, was also real. She slowly grew to know that Ammon was really gone. Kamuzu was gone. And she knew others would dwindle away as well. She prepared herself.

___________________

Cyla snarled. "I'm not scratching an itch, you fool. And even if I was, I think I'd know better than to cut so deep. No, when Aziza lies to me, I cut a line into my shoulder. To keep track. I told myself when I got to number five I'd leave our pride..." She said looking down at the nine scars. She sighed. And then she looked back at Coglon. "I'm sorry, does the smell of blood bother you?" she asked in a mocking tone. "A warrior isn't repulsed by a little blood, or its smell. If you're the warrior that I saw in our fight, act like it" she said licking the blood off of her paws. She groomed her fur and laid down on her side. She felt exhausted.

_______________________

Bokal nodded. "Good, good. I think Nyla and whoever went with her went that way. Now come, we must break through Moonrise Pride's barrier around our camp an free our territory of them."

He began to stomp off towards the direction of the camp. The smell of enemies growing thicker in his nose with every paw step. Eventually they came to a ridge that overlooked the border that led into Sunset Pride's territory. He hid in the bushes and watched as an enemy hyena patrol of five paced around the trees.

_________________________

Nyla came into Skywalk Pride's camp. She stampeded into the clearing, looking for Kadir. "I need to speak to Kin Kadir! His pride, our pride, and the hyenas are in grave danger! Moonrise Pride threatens to kill us all!"

Shebla nodded. "I understand. It won't be easy, but I will not fail. I will not give in. And I will wait as long as I have to. I will wait until the moon falls from the very sky. Though I hope his return is soon, I will always be anticipating it. My heart is with him, always." She said smiling. She heard another voice calling her name, waking her up. She looked to Egret as light was peering into all she could see.

"I'll be back soon, Egret" she uttered out before her eyes finally awoke. She looked up at Jali who was nudging her shoulder with his paw.

"Yes?" Shebla asked.

"Shebla, I'm sorry to wake you. I know you've been going through some things. But I need your help. For one, there's injured warriors. For another, I need you to help me keep Kavis unprovoked."

Shebla sat up, her eyes wide. "I don't want to go anywhere near King Kavis."

"But I need you. Taru went out to scope out the enemy layout. I really need you" Jali pleaded. Shebla sighed and finally nodded.

"What do I need to do?" she asked.

"Just keep Kavis occupied until our allies arrive. We need to make sure he doesn't spot them or smell their scent before they can arrive. So keep his mind off of the surroundings" said Jali.

"Will he attack me?" Shebla asked.

"Probably not. But there's guards surrounding him if he tries anything" Jali said.

"Alright, I can do that."

"Thank you, Shebla" Jali said before both of them left the medical den. Shebla was directed to the large captivity den that Kavis was being held in. She pushed through a bit of shrubs until she came inside. The Dark King was sitting with his enormous paws seated neatly in front of him. His tail curled over them. He sat straight and tall, pride flowing in his blood.





"Ah, the little medical lioness" Kavis said slowly. His piercing gaze sent chills into Shebla, but she remained brave in the presence of the monster. She knew Dalmaa was flowing in his blood strongly. Living in his heart, breathing with his lungs. But she kept her head up, her gaze strong as stone.

"Yes, and you are the evil king," Shebla said. Kavis rolled his eyes. He licked a bit of dried blood from his jet black claws and used them to pick some flesh from his teeth. Flesh that had got caught in there after biting something, probably.

"So, your snow-fur friend deserted you, eh? Not much of a friend in my opinion" he said glancing from his claws back up to her.

"He only left to protect the pride" Shebla corrected him.

"What a valiant effort," Kavis cooed darkly. "You realize his departure hasn't had the slightest impact of help? All it did was cause me to call off my forces for a night. Dawn is approaching. When the sun rises, blood will rain again."

"Your blood, perhaps" Shebla said.

"My blood? Is that it? Well, in that fight I only saw you hiding like a little cub behind your albino protector. Imbecile," Kavis said putting his paw back down on the ground.

"I was wounded. I couldn't fight" Shebla said.

"I saw the fear in your eyes. I see it now. Though now, you are blatantly trying to hide it." Kavis said flicking his tail. Shebla remained silent, not knowing exactly what to say. Kavis continued in his creepy, soft voice. "I know the things this pride has done. And you, I know, you do as well. Yet you go along with it.  Meretriciously, you are in fear of what is to come. You are afraid that there's nothing left. And you could never face the outside world alone. So you stay with this, this quarrelsome pride. You are alone. I can see it all over you. Loneliness has a certain color. I can see the very tear stains on your cheeks. I can see how worn and weary your eyes are. You are alone. Your greatest friend is dead. And the one you thought could offer you something new, has, inevitably, betrayed you..." He said. His words frightened Shebla. He had never even met her and he had already read her like a book. It was as if he'd been watching her all along.

"Ammon did not betray me" Shebla said.

"You deceive yourself. You are unable to accept it. And the spirits might tell you that he did not, but I'm telling you now... Mortal to mortal... He is gone. He could not fight me, because I am stronger than him. Even in his full strength I rival him in size and strength. And he knew that I'd kill him. He left. But that was only part of the vast reason behind the obscure act. He was selfish. He knew that he had introduced you, a weakness, into him. It was as if you were a thorn, being caught in his eye. Blinding him and stopping him from moving on. He became weak. He cared. I could see it. So he left to stop this. I saw the looks in his eyes as he left. He didn't like your sorrow. But he knew that that very desire to make you happy again was just another shade of that weakness. Now, he is gone. And you, are undeniably alone."

Shebla looked at him. How could he have been able to see so much, just by his observations of the battle? She grew an angry expression. "Let me tell you something right now, 'your highness' " she said in a mocking tone. She approached, pushing his shoulder with her paw angrily. It didn't budge. It was almost like Kavis was just a mass of muscles.

"Ammon is going to be back. And when he returns, he's going to tear your apart" she said with a hideously furious face.

Kavis actually made an emotion. He smiled. It was a sinister, malevolent smile. He seemed to purr in the back of his throat. "I anticipate the day any mortal could perform such a feat." Some of his mane got in his eyes, he flicked it back with a motion of his head.  "But know this, Shebla. When Ammon does return, his days will be numbered. His white fur will be colored red..."

"He's not albino, I hope you know" Shebla growled. Kavis did not respond, but just kept glaring at her.

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Cyla looked at Coglon. "I can do it myself" she said swiping the cobwebs and applying them to her wounds. "And, even if I am just a pawn, I'd rather be a pawn for them than the lot of you. I want to be on the winning team. I want to live in the end. Because anyone that opposes Dalmaa isn't going to end up nicely. I've seen it a hundred times."

The sun had finally lifted over the treetops. Kavis could already feel the sensation of a battle lifting out of the waters of the new day. He knew that from dawn till dusk, blood would spill.

Shebla could tell he was thinking about the battle. She had to change the subject on his mind. "So tell me, what's your secret to being so high and mighty?" She asked.

Kavis looked at her. "It's a thing you get when you're king. The Witchdoctors told Aziza that I'd be special. They told her to raise me as one would raise a mighty king. And she did. Later she discovered I actually would be a king."

"I meant, how are you so powerful, strength-wise" Shebla said. Kavis almost cracked a grin, remaining silent and looking at her. His eyes told her that there was a dark meaning to his strength. The strength she knew that Dalmaa had provided. "What are you planning to do?"

"Everyone will die. Everyone that stands in my way. Everyone with a target on their head. Anyone lacking both of these can be spared though. But they must prostrate themselves to my order," Kavis said in a meticulous way that sent a chill down Shebla's spine.

"And what about Subira?" She asked.

Kavis's face turned slightly troubled. As though it were something that might have brought him distress. But then it faded. "Subira is a daughter of Snake. So far, the only daughter we've managed to come across. As Dalmaa demands, she and I must mix our blood. Mix our blood to create the perfect bloodline, the perfect master family."

"You're insane" said Shebla. Kavis shook his head.

"No. I am not deranged as the others are. I still possess my sanity." Kavis said.

"Don't flatter yourself. " Shebla said. Kavis looked at her, quite questioning.

"I am not one to flatter myself. Nor am I one to brag. I do not exaggerate. I am accurate. Even when I lie. Consider that a benefit on your behalf, dear fool" Kavis said darkly.

____________________

The Moonrise Pride members were lined in the plains and forests just outside the Sunset Pride camp. Their foul scent was strong. Reinforcement arrived, flanked by many hordes of ravens and vultures. The skies were filled with storm clouds that were so hideous they were black. The coming storm looked so deadly, some of the lighter clouds had yellowish tints to them.

Thunder boomed, but no rain. The reinforcements of Moonrise all smelled very odd. Their pelts were coated with a strange pulp. The guts of berries coated them. Only a medical lioness would identify that the berry they smeared on their pelts was a poisonous one. The same kind that Saber used to become king. The same kind that killed Zalika'a children. The Deathberry.

Aziza was soaked in the juice of the berry. She looked at Nassor who flanked her as they sat in watch. Zalika stood on a high rock, vultures swarming around her. Her eyes squinted. Her fur began to spike up in pure blood lust. Her scarred lips drew back in an ominous snarl.

She looked at Aziza who have her a nod. Then she let out a sinister battle roar. The hyenas sprang from the forest, all racing down towards the camp.

Cheetahs came from the sides. These ones were not if Skywalk. They were sinister. Evil shapes shot forth. Two king cheetahs, brothers, walked calmly as their brothers races past. Moral and Seduki. Seduki only had one eye. The other, his right, had been gouged out long ago. Leaving a damaged mix of flesh on his face. Seduki seemed far more bloodthirsty than his younger, more timid brother Moral.

Seduki was going to serve Aziza. At all costs.

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"I..." Cyla wanted to argue Coglon. She growled in frustration.

She immediately smelled the Deathberries. She smiled. "Well, maybe you and your sister can have that game in the afterlife. Because one thing's for sure, death will be everywhere today." She giggled.

_______________________

Nyla and Bokal met with their other companions at the point where Skywalk and Nightstone were both entering. They looked at each other gravely.

"Is your family going to be alright?" Bokal asked her.

"Nobody's is. That is, if the battle takes place in the camp. We can hope it happens outside of it" Nyla asked.

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