Chapter Thirteen

Tavros slowly crossed the desolated land, reaching the lip of a cliff and looks over his former home. It lacked life, it is painted in grays. Seeing the desolation, Tavros' expression changed to determined, and even fury.

"Tavros, wait up!" Vriska trotted up to Tavros and stood next to him on the ledge. "It's awful, isn't it?"

"I didn't want to believe you." Tavros sighed.

"What made you come back?"

"I finally got some sense knocked into me. And I've got the bump to prove it. Besides, this is my kingdom. If I don't fight for it, who will?"

"I will."

"It's gonna be dangerous."

"Danger? Ha! I laugh in the face of danger. Ha ha ha ha!"

Eridan and Feferi joined the two.

"I sea nothin funny about this." Eridan stared down at the lifeless land.

"Eridan? Feferi?" Tavros looked at them. "What are you doing here?"

Feferi bowed to Tavros. "At your service, my liege."

"Uh," Eridan pointed at the land in front of them. "Wwe're goin to fight your uncle... for this?"

"Yes, Eridan." Tavros nodded. "This is my home."

"Ffh. Talk about your fixer-upper. Wwhale, Tavv, if it's important to you," Eridan bowed to Tavros. "Wwe're wwith you to the end."

Tavros smiles appreciatively. All four of them begin sneaking up on the edge of their home, hiding behind a log and observe the hordes of seadwellers.

"Those dirty swampdwwellers." Eridan growled. "Alwways swwimin in filthy wwater. I hate them. So wwhat's your plan for gettin past those guys?"

"Live bait." Tavros whispered to Eridan.

"Good idea." He sat there for a moment. "Heeey."

"Come on, Eridan. You guys have to create a diversion."

"Wwhat do you wwant me to do? Dress in drag and do the hula?!"

"LUAU!"

"If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat,
Eat my buddy Fef here cause she is a treat!

Come on dowwn and dine
On this friend of mine
All you havve to do is get in line!

Aaaaare you wwishin"

"Glub glub glub."

"Fooooor some fishin?"

"Glub glub glub."

"Sheeeee's a big fish!"

"Glub glub."

"You could be a big fish too!

OY!"

Eridan stared at the hordes of seadwellers, all standing around them with their mouths open.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" Eridan and Feferi screamed as the started running away from the hungry seadwellers. Tavros and Vriska snuck in after they left.

"Vriska." Tavros turned to her. "You find everyone and rally them up. I'll look for Dualscar."

Vriska nodded and headed off in one direction as Tavros began to climb up the tall rock.

"MINDFANG!" Dualscar called down.

Mindfang begins climbing up to Dualscar, the seadwellers snapping at her feet as she looked disdainfully at them.

"Yes, Dualscar?" She answered.

"Wwhere is your huntin party? They're not doin their job."

"Dualscar, there is no food. The herds have moved on."

"No. You're just not lookin hard enough."

"It's over. There is nothing left. We have only one choice. We must leave the Pride lands."

"Wwe're not goin anywwhere."

"Then you have sentenced us to death."

"Then so be it."

Mindfang stood in astonishment. She snapped disgustedly at him. "You can't do that."

"I'm the king. I can do wwhatevver I wwant."

"If you were half the king Summoner was you would nev-"

Dualscar whipped around and backhanded Mindfang. She fell to the floor.

He hissed at her. "I'm ten times the king Summoner wwas!"

Tavros stood on a ledge over Dualscar and grunted loudly. He jumped down and went to comfert Mindfang.

"Summoner?" Dualscar looked at him, appearing very frightened. "No. You're dead."

Tavros helped Mindfang to her feet. She looked up at him.

"Tavros?" She stared delighted at him. "Your alive? How can that be?"

"It doesn't matter." He answered. "I'm home."

Dualscar stared at him. "Tavvros?" He pretended to look happy to see him. "Tavvros! I'm a little suprised to sea you... alivve."

Condesce, Cronus and Meenah gulped audibly and sank into the shadows.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart." Tavros growled at him.

"Oh, Tavvros, you must understand. The pressures of rulin a kingdom..."

"...Are no longer yours. Step down, Dualscar."

"Oh, oh, ye- Wwhale, I wwould, heh, naturally, heh- howwevver, there is one little problem. You sea them?" He pointed to the horde of seadwellers above him. "They think I'M king."

"Well," Vriska interupted, standing in front of a large group of trolls. "We don't. Tavros is the rightful king."

"The choice is yours, Dualscar." Tavros grumbled at his uncle. "Either step down or fight."

"Oh, must it all end in vviolence?" Dualscar relpied. "I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family memeber. Wwouldn't you agree, Tavvros?"

"That's not gonna work, Dualscar. I've put it behind me."

"Eh, but wwhat about our faithful subjects? Havve they put it behind them?"

"Tavros," Vriska stepped closer to him. "What is he talking about?"

"Ahh, so you havven't told them your little secret. Wwhale, Tavvros, noww's your chance to tell them. Tell them wwho is responsible for Summoner's death!"

All the trolls stared at Tavros as he looked down and took a deep breath.

"I am." He told the group.