Chapter 4


"Jak...I'm going to have a baby." Keira whispered to the older lion; the cat's jaw dropped, revealing many sharp fangs.

He couldn't believe it; another child?

"Keira..." Jak whispered, not really knowing what to say. It was only eight years since they had Faith; they weren't prepared, especially not this soon.

Shadow approached the couple with a neutral expression that never left his metal-plated face. He smiled at the young cats with Faith at his heel.

"I'm glad I saved you." Shadow started. "What's a son without his father?"

Jak's long ears perked up; so, it was a boy.

"How do you know?"

Shadow nodded towards the vet, who was currently cleaning his wound from before. Blood still dripped out, but not too much, anyway.

"The human told me."

"Oh." Jak bowed his head in thought; if Shadow didn't save him, he'd be dead, and his children would've grown up without a father.

He owed him his life.

"...Thank you."

"Speak nothing of it; I have a reputation y'know." Shadow smirked.

Jak chuckled a bit. "What reputation?"

"Surely you reconize a Metal Head leader?"

"A Metal Head leader!" Jak gasped, forgetting that he was still very weak. "What about Kor? I was told the army would fall apart if he was destroyed."

"Sure, the army fell apart, but now we can live our own lives, thanks to you." He looked at Jak, who was still confused. "Kor was a tyrant; we've tried time and time again to push him off the throne, none of us were successful. He treated us more like slaves than children, and sent us out to be killed like innocent lambs. That was...until you came along." Shadow pointed a furry finger at Jak. "You killed him, as well as Errol, to free us. That's why I saved you."

At that, the Metal-Liger turned and started to walk out.

"Hey, wait!" Jak called.

"Just take care of that kid, will ya?" Shadow called to the lion before he was out of sight completely.

"Bye, Shadow!" Faith waved at the departing Liger, then scampered back to her parents.

"Jak? Did you know about all this?" Keira whispered into the lion's ear.

"Noooo..."

Faith placed a tiny paw on her mother's fuzzy belly, poked it slightly, then placed a long ear against it.

"When's he coming out?" Faith asked.

Keira nussled the lioness gently, signaling for her to get down before she injured the baby. Jak couldn't help but smile.

"Well, a baby needs time to develop. They don't just pop out."

The older lion rolled his eyes. "If they did, you'd have a LOT more brothers and sisters running around." Jak told the kitten before adding "Oh, joy."

Keira gasped and nudged the lion roughly with her elbow.

"Ow...that's my tender spot!"

The lioness laughed a bit "Your head's a tender spot."

"Oh, I'M thick-headed?" Jak added, pointing to Daxter, who was currently endulged in his "I'm So Dry" song...again.

"Yeah...I guess you're right." Keira sighed.

The ottsel turned, and swayed drunkly from where he stood.

"HEY! I-HIC- heard that!" Daxter shouted, stupidly. "Dun make me cam o'er 'dere and-HIC- mess ya up real good!"

Daxter then punched himself in the face.

"Anyhoo..." Jak said, turning towards Keira. "I got to name the baby last time, it's your turn."

The lioness looked up in thought. She wasn't very good at creating names. (A.N. And neither am I)

"I...don't know."

Faith jumped up and down by her parents, excitedly.

"I know! I know!"

Jak chuckled, "Yes, Faith?"

"Jakob!"

Keira's long ears dropped in surprise. That was really clever. She turned towards Jak.

"What do you think, Jak?"

"Jakob it is."

That night, Jak and Keira were curled up in their little doggy basket by the bar in the Naughty Ottsel. Jak laid a little bit away from Keira, to keep the developing baby safe from harm.

But still...something wasn't right.

The lion tossed and turned in his sleep, uncomfortably. Something was bothering him.

Jaaakkkkk...Jakkkkkk...come to meee..

"What do you want now?"

Jaaakkk...I come to warn you little Jak...

"Warn me about what?"

Your job was not finished, Jak...

"What in Mar's name are you talking about, who are you?"

I am you, Jak...I am always you...you do not know me...?

"Dark...Jak?"

I come to warn you...Metal-Torn and the spirit were spies...

"Huh?"

Leave, little one...leave before it is too late...

"Too late for what? Where am I?"

Leave...turn back...turn back...

"Hey! Come back!"

Just then, Jak was blinded by a flash of blue light, and an angel appeared right before his eyes.

Where did I go?

"Light Jak? What's going on?"

You are in a coma, so I do not have much time.

"What are you trying to tell me?"

You, and the rest of this planet, are in danger.


"Jak you must wake up now, for the planets sake, your destiny shall soon entangle with the one you call Shadow, but I must warn you, do not trust a soul, even your daughter could one day turn against you, time can change all,"

And that was all Light had to say, Jak felt the ground in which he was standing on give way, he found himself falling into a bottomless pit.

And then there was a whirlpool, no fish swam in the vicious vortex, and Jak was falling right into it, he saw a small cliff a few metres away and below him, he stretched out to grab onto the side and then his arms and paws met the top of the cliff and his stomach slammed hard onto the side, he groaned with sheer agony and the rocky surface tore into his flesh blood oozing down his thick golden fur into the water.

He stayed there for a few minutes clinging on for dear sweet life, the sounds of the rushing water growing increasingly stronger, his head was pounding from the continuous sounds of the crashing waves, the muscles in his arms were pretty much screaming out for rest.

He couldn't hold on much, longer, his claws slipped across the stone sending shivers up his spine, his last grip was failing and then, he let go, and found himself falling into the mouth of the whirlpool.

There seemed to be a sudden silence for a few seconds before his whole body crashed into the water, he sank straight to the bottom like an anchor and found himself drowning in one of his worst fears, memories flooded back into his head like the water going up through his nose and mouth

And then, the water seemed to disappear, and only darkness remained, Jak found himself unable to think straight, it was as though something else had taken all of his memories, senses and feelings had deserted him.

That time passed by slowly and painfully, the unawareness was biting away at him, but then he felt something, something sharp on his left ear, and something on his stomach, and also, he had a slight sensation in his tail

Jak growled and then, he felt more and more sensations in his body, his ears twitched, his claws flexed in and out, then he slowly opened his eyes, at first everything was dark and blurred, but then outlines started to form, he could see the dog basket he always slept in, and then also a small paw sliding down his head.

He raised his head very slowly then moved his neck from side to side, his whole body was stiff but being able to see and feel was terrific, but his other senses had not yet returned.

Suddenly a ball of fur about the size of a basketball fell down in front of him, he blinked and saw that the little ball of fur was in fact Faith! She'd grown by a few inches and her fur had become darker, other than that though, she was still the same lioness cub he knew and loved.

He could hear again after a few seconds and he could small juicy meat, one thing he could think of; Dinner! Jak got to his feet but before he could charge into the kitchen to get his food, but something stopped him.

Keira! She stood in front of him and then licked him on his lips, tugged at his ear and directed him back into the basket. Jak reluctantly followed and found a tiny lion cub, its eyes closed firmly shut.

Jak stood and looked at the newborn cub, opened his mouth to speak but when he did, no words or growls came out, but a small meow, his eyes widened then looked around, unfortunately Daxter, Tess, Faith, Keira and the young cub all heard him.

If he could he would have blushed the deepest shade of red imaginable! Everyone apart from the cub burst out laughing and Jak simply sat there and stared at the cub, waiting for the laughter to die down.

Within an hour Daxter had finally stopped laughing, everyone else had stopped laughing after three minutes but Daxter wanted everything to be extra embarrassing for his big fuzzy friend.

After that Jak smiled and laid down next to Keira Faith and his newborn cub "Jakob."


EcoJak: I like reviews. Reviews make me happy.

L.O.D.: Me too!