Chapter 17:

Ambush!

The next morning, The Group walked until they made it to Lion Peak. " Alright let's get you all clean up. I mean what's your daddy gonna say if you go back all squishy and stinky like this," said Spazz holding the baby, Spazz then licked his hand and started rubbing the baby's face with it. " That looks good. A little here," said Spazz cleaning the baby, when Spazz was about to clean the baby's nose, Fuzzy stopped him and said " He looks clean already Spazz,". " I think he's already starting to look like me. Hey, Leo, what do you think?" asked Spazz to Leo.

Leo looked around. He was expecting the pride to show up anytime.

" Maybe we shouldn't do this, guys," said Leo, trying to find a way so that he could bring the baby to Kazar without a fight, " Why not, Leo?" asked Spazz, " Because if we save him he'll grow up and become something else. And what do you think he'll grow up to be?" asked Leo, " Maybe because we saved him, he would likely become an astronaut. Ow!" said Spazz as the baby poked his nose, " Yeah, and maybe he'll grow fur and perhaps a tail and call you mama!" grumbled Leo, then he stopped and looked around. " What's your problem, Leo?" asked Fuzzy, " Nothing. Let's go, I'm freezing my Mane off," said Leo as they continued on their way.

Leo walked behind the group deep in thought. He looked up and sees Brawn looking out at him. Then Brawn disappeared and Leo knew that he was on his way to tell Kazar. Leo looked at his friends and thought about his situation.

" Hey Leo, you freezing out there buddy?" asked Fuzzy calling to Leo, Leo thought about the situation. He thought about the situation. He thought about how kind Fuzzy and Spazz have been to him while they were traveling and how Fuzzy saved his life. Leo couldn't let Kazar kill them and get the baby, not like this. " Get Down!" shouted Leo as he ran towards Fuzzy and Spazz, " Huh?" asked Spazz, " What?" asked Fuzzy, Leo shushed them and whispered " Get down and follow me!". " Hey Leo, what's going on?" asked Spazz, " At the bottom of Lion Peak…," said Leo as he hesitated for a little bit and then said " ...There's an ambush waiting for you,", " What?" asked Spazz feeling shocked, " What do you mean ambush?" asked Fuzzy as his rage burnt inside of him, " You...You set us up!" growled Fuzzy.

" It was my job! I was supposed to get the baby but then…," said Leo, " You brought us home for DINNER!" said Fuzzy now burning with rage, " That's it, Leo, you're out of the herd!" said Spazz, " But I'm sorry," apologized Leo, Fuzzy held Leo up against a wall with his hands on Leo's chest and growled " No, you're not! Not yet!".

" Look, I can help you," said Leo choking.

" Stay close Spazz! I'll fight our way out!" said Fuzzy.

" You can't. The Pride's too strong, you'll have to trust me," said Leo.

" Trust you?!" asked Fuzzy, he could not believe they have to trust him after what he has done.

" Why in the world should we trust you?!" asked Fuzzy.

" Because I'm your only chance," said Leo.

Fuzzy looked at him for a second.

Meanwhile, The Lions waited near the rocks of Lion Peak until Leo approached them. " Hello, ladies," said Leo gravely, " Hey, look who decided to show up," said Brawn, Kazar appeared from the shadows and said " Leo, I was beginning to worry about you,". " No need to worry, Kazar. In about two minutes, you'll be satisfying your taste for revenge," said Leo as walks up besides Ed, " Very nice!" said Kazar, Ed then started to go berserk and shouted " I see the Monkey! And He's Got The Baby!". Spazz was a couple of miles away, trudging through the snow, carrying a bundle in his hand. " Don't give away your positions until you see the DinoKoosh. He's the one we have to surprise," ordered Kazar, Leo walked up to Ed and asked " You wanna maul something don't you Ed?".

Ed was starting to get impatient and started to yelp like a dog. " I wanna maul!" Ed shouted, " Then what are you waiting for?" asked Leo, Ed roared and ran out like a mad cat. Jack and Brawn roared and followed him. " No! I said wait for the DinoKoosh!" shouted Kazar, Leo shrugged. Kazar roared in anger and started running after his pride.

Spazz trudged through the snow, carrying the bundle in his arms until he saw The Lions running towards him and turned around to run. Just when it seemed like Spazz was about to be caught, he jumped out of the snow and had a pair of makeshift skis on. The Lions continued to chase after Spazz but he was skiing like a professional. Spazz did some tricks in the air and twirls.

But Spazz should've watched where he was going. Spazz bumped into a rock and lost one of his skis. Now Spazz is stuck on one ski. But putting his foot on the ski, Spazz started riding like a snowboard, " Yeah!" cheered Spazz, then he zigzagged through a bunch of stones and said " Salome! Salome, baby!". Then Spazz jumped over a pile of stones and cheered " Whoo-Hoo!". It looks like Spazz is getting away, when suddenly, Spazz was knocked off his ski and slid across the ice below, and dropped the bundle. Spazz slid up and landed on the top of the other side. He looked down and sees the bundle at the feet of The Lions.

Ed was about to grab the bundle when Kazar pushed him aside. Kazar walked forward, turned the bundle, and found...a Snowman baby?

" Sorry, guys! He caught a little frostbite!" shouted Spazz, Kazar roared in anger, threw the bundle aside, and shouted " Get him!". Spazz went running with Ed, Brawn, and Jack right on his heel. The Lions turned at the corner and came face-to-face with Fuzzy, who was carrying a log. " Surprise!" shouted Fuzzy as he threw the log at Brawn, Jack, and Ed and it sends them flying. The three Lions fell and landed on the snow below. " Okay, follow me! We'll pick up Spazz and get out of here while we can," ordered Leo, the two toys started moving until Leo heard a familiar voice.

" Come on, Leo! Let's bring this DinoKoosh down," said Kazar as he walks up to Fuzzy.

Meanwhile, Spazz was walking through the snow trying to remember where he hid the baby. But he was unaware that he was being followed by Ed, who somehow survived the fall, and is waiting to pounce on him. Spazz walked up to a rock wall with a hole and finds the baby hiding inside. " There he is," said Spazz, unaware that Ed is getting closer and closer. Spazz was about to pick up the baby, the baby imitated Leo's peek-a-boo. " That's right! Where's the baby?" laughed Spazz, obviously not taking the point that the baby was trying to tell him that Ed is behind him. But Spazz quickly realized what the baby was trying to tell him and wheeled around to see Ed leaping at him and the baby.

Spazz quickly grabbed the baby out of the hole and dodged out of the way as Ed flew right into the hole.

Spazz jumped up and pushed Ed deeper into the hole and said " Survival Of The Fittest Toy? I don't think so! Yeah!". Then Spazz and the baby high-fived and headed back to find Fuzzy and Leo.

Leo and Kazar walked towards Fuzzy and it looks like it was going to be a one-on-two battle. However, Leo has other ideas. He suddenly turned around and faced Kazar. " What are you doing?" roared Kazar in rage, " Leave...The DinoKoosh...Alone," replied Leo, Kazar growled, his second in command has turned on him. Jack and Brawn came up from behind Kazar growling. " Fine, I'll take you down first," said Kazar as he walked around Leo, Leo looked at Kazar and growled fiercely at him. Then Kazar jumped at him and the two started fighting. Kazar charged at Leo swatting his paws as Leo jumped back and slashed Kazar.

Fuzzy, on the other hand, was trying to help Leo, but Jack and Brawn blocked his way. Jack jumped onto Fuzzy's left shoulder but Fuzzy threw him off. But Jack and Brawn kept swatting their paws and snap their jaws at Fuzzy's forefoot. Fuzzy looked over to see Kazar grab Leo and threw him against a rock, knocking him out. Kazar growled and heads to Fuzzy. Fuzzy fought against Jack and Brawn, but they were forcing him to the corner, just like they planned. Kazar walked around his two cohorts, waiting for the exact moment to strike. Leo, who is dazed, woke up and saw Kazar ready to attack Fuzzy.

Fuzzy looked at Kazar and swung his tail at him. But Kazar dodged and leaped into the air, ready to sink his teeth into Fuzzy's neck. Leo leaped into the air, right in front of Kazar, who dug his claws and fangs right into his shoulder. Leo winced as he fell to the icy ground and fainted from the pain. Fuzzy looked down and saw his friend wounded.

Spazz appeared from behind the corner carrying the baby. But he was shocked by what he is seeing and the baby squealed as Kazar was about to bring down the finishing blow on Leo. Kazar looked over and saw the baby, whose mouth is covered by Spazz's hand. Kazar smiled a sadistic smile and started to walked over to Spazz and the baby. But Fuzzy delivered a swing of his tail which sent Kazar flying into the rocks. The force of the collision caused the sharp icicles above Kazar to unhinged and fall towards him. Kazar looked with fear before the icicles went into him and impaled him. Jack and Brawn were in shock for their leader have fallen. Fuzzy looked at the two and growled " You two. Beat It!". Jack and Brawn ran off.

" We did it, Fuzzy!" said Spazz smiling, Fuzzy tried to smile, but this was no time to celebrate, for Leo is wounded and probably near-death.

Fuzzy and Spazz walked over to where Leo was laying and he was in a bad shape. Leo opened his eyes weakly and said in a whisper-like voice " We were some team huh?". " Were? Come on, Leo we're still a team," said Fuzzy feeling kinda surprised, " I'm sorry, I set you two up," said Leo with a sigh, " Ah, you know me, Leo. I'm too lazy to hold a grudge," said Spazz as he set the baby down near Leo, the baby crawled over to Leo and placed a small hand on Leo's snout. " Hey, knock it off squirt. You gotta be strong. You've got to take care of Fuzzer and Spazz...especially Spazz," chuckled Leo quietly at his joke, " Come on you can lick this. You're a Lion. Look we'll carry you, come on, what do you say?" said Spazz, Leo sighed.

" Come on, Leo, come on. Tell him he's gonna be okay Fuzzy," begged Spazz, Fuzzy wanted to say it but he didn't want to lie to a friend who fought like an animal. " Listen, you'll have to leave me here. If those humans get through the pass and made it to their rocket, you'll never catch them," said Leo as his strength begins to fade, " You didn't have to do that, Leo," said Fuzzy, Leo looked at him with his eyes locked and said " That's what you in a family. You watch out for each other,". Fuzzy watched as Leo closed eyes for probably the last time.

Then Fuzzy picked up the baby, who whimpered. Fuzzy and Spazz stood there looking at Leo. Fuzzy, Spazz and the baby then walked out of Lion Peak quietly. They will remember Leo for as long as they live.