DarkEcoOttsel: Thanks for the reviews! Not a lot of romance in this chapter but a major cliffhanger at the end. Sorry!

Untainted Souls 2: Confessions with A Bloody Paw

By: DarkEcoOttsel

Chapter Four

For the total time she was asleep, Shenzi had been having a weird dream.

A glowing figure stood before her. It appeared to be a hyena much older than Shenzi was, though Shenzi couldn't see the hyena's face. It spoke to her in a calming, feminine voice that was very familiar to Shenzi.

"Shenzi, do not be afraid. The dangers that lie ahead will be perilous, but do not give up. You will find strength in those you love. Return to your land with your family and claim what is yours. Do not lose heart!"

With those words spoken, Shenzi awoke with a start. She looked around and silently gasped. Banzai was awake and sitting up, coughing up blood onto the cave floor.

"It looks like Scar did a lot more damage than I thought, damn him," Banzai muttered, lying back down. Most of the bleeding had stopped, but he was still in pain.

"Banzai?" Shenzi said quietly, standing up.

"Oh, Shenzi," Banzai seemed surprised, but he relaxed. "Sorry if I woke you."

"No, my dream woke me up," Shenzi stated. "But that's not important. Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine," Banzai lied.

"You don't look fine," Shenzi said, raising a brow. "Is that blood?"

"Uhh...well...." Banzai put his paw over the blood on the floor. "No."

"Lemme see," Shenzi demanded, walking up to him.

"No."

"Let me see."

"No."

"Lemme see, dammit!" Shenzi snapped.

"No!"

Shenzi reached down to try and grab his paw, but Banzai was quicker. He used his other paw to grab hers.

"Banzai, if you're hurt, you should tell me," Shenzi said quietly. "I want to help you."

Banzai released her paw and muttered, "How could you? Most of the damage I've got is internal."

Shenzi muttered, "I want to do something to help you, but I don't know what."

"Trying to stop the bleeding seemed like a good idea."

"You're not bleeding that much anymore."

"Yeah, on the outside. On the inside, however...."

"I can't do anything for you," Shenzi sighed. "It's all my fault that's you're hurt."

"No it's not," Banzai stated firmly. "This could have happened to any one of us."

Shenzi sighed and remained quiet. After a long pause, she asked quietly, "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Why did you save me from the burning branch? You could have died."

"You're my bud, Shenzi, and I'd do anything for you," Banzai said with a smile.

"Even jump off a cliff and into a raging whirlpool of lava?" Shenzi asked with a smile.

Banzai laughed a bit, as did she.

"So...what was your dream about?" Banzai asked quietly, changing the subject.

"I think my mom was there," Shenzi replied. "She told me not to give up and...."

"And?"

"She said that there're dangers that lie ahead," Shenzi looked worried.

"Dangers?" Banzai snorted. "What dangers? Scar's dead—"

Banzai's ears fell back onto his head and his pupils shrunk as he stared at something behind Shenzi.

Shenzi's ear twitched and she slowly turned around.