Aha! And you all thought i'd given up on this story! Although admiteddly you had every right to... Anyway, i haven't quite given up but i've being too busy writing other stories in the Kane saga and kind of negletted this story. But i've got a couple of chapters ready so i'll try and get those out in the next couple of days. Anywho... enjoy the next part of the story...

Chapter 10 - Tricky Alliances

David and Corporal Wilson had travelled through the night, heading north away from the sounds of the hyenas. In the early hours of the morning they came across a barren wasteland, full of skeletons of dead animals.

'What is this place?' wondered David out loud.

'I don't know, but it freaks me out,' replied Corporal Wilson. 'Let's keep moving.'

The trek through the rocks and bones was tiring. As the sun rose high above them, they stopped to rest for a moment.

'Hey, Corporal?' said David.

'Yeah?'

'Do you think we'll ever see home again?'

'Of course you will, you stupid creatures!' said a voice.

David and Corporal Wilson spun around to see a monkey standing and looking at them.

'Please don't say that monkey just spoke,' said Corporal Wilson.

'Of course I spoke you stupid creature!' said the monkey.

David and Corporal Wilson stood there, staring at the monkey. Eventually, David said, 'Well, so much for this being a simple mission.'

'Who and what are you?' said Corporal Wilson.

'I am Uduak,' said the monkey. 'And I believe you two may be of some help to me.'

Trusting the monkey, David and Corporal Wilson followed him through the bones to a small hovel and were led inside. Sitting on the floor because of a lack of furniture, David and Corporal Wilson listened to what Uduak had to say.

'You are fighters, yes? Warriors of men?'

'Pretty much,' answered Wilson.

'Yes, yes I could tell. We only have old legends about your species and they tell of your fighting prowess.'

Uduak seemed almost excited by the prospect of fighting. His eyes burned into David and Corporal Wilson as he continued, 'You are not from this world, although you recognise many things in it, don't you?'

'Well,' said David, 'we have monkeys and hyenas in our world as well.'

'I know that!' said Uduak impatiently. 'Don't you recognise a rhetorical question when you hear one!'

David decided it was best if he just shut up.

'Your coming to this world is not accidental,' said Uduak, 'I created the portal that brought you here and incidentally have the power to send you back.'

'Can you send us back then?' asked Corporal Wilson.

'I could. But then what would I gain from that?'

David felt inclined to speak up again. 'What do you gain from bringing us here in the first place?'

The monkey gave a small smile and said, 'I have enemies I need dealing with. Another shaman who hides behind the protection of a pride of lions. If you help me destroy his power, I will let you go home.'

Corporal Wilson and David looked at each other and before David could say anything, Corporal Wilson spoke. 'Well, I think we could help you in this task Uduak.'

'I dunno Corporal…'

'The decision isn't yours Private. With the others dead, I am the commander of this mission now.'

David thought of mentioning that they didn't know whether Kane or Captain Wood were dead or alive but figured he couldn't argue with the Corporal and remained silent.

'Good, good,' said Uduak. 'Now rest. We must use the next few days planning, you need rest.'

Uduak wandered out of his hut as David and Corporal Wilson tried to get comfortable enough to sleep.

Uduak walked through the elephant graveyard until he came to a small clearing and waited until three figures skulked into view.

'You did well or at least well for hyenas.'

'Yeah, we'd have done better if they hadn't killed so many of us,' said Banzai.

'These humans better be worth it, Uduak,' said Shenzi threateningly, 'You better hold up your end of the bargain.'

'Do not worry my friends. Once Rafiki and his lion allies are defeated, the Pride Lands will be yours.'

Uduak walked off without saying another word.

'Hey Shenzi. You reckon we should have told him about the human that lioness saved?'

'He doesn't need to be bothered by that. Besides he's got two of them, they can deal with the lions on there own.'

'What if the lions have that other one on their side?'

'Well, two beats one right?'

Ed's laughter brought the conversation to an end.