A/N: Warning! Long-ish chapter ahead!

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"But it's no fun when the others watch us," said Dinari as they came into full view of the small bowl that the colony was situated in. The other meerkats could be seen hard at work digging deeper and further into the ground, trying to integrate a great dip visible where Timon's catastrophic digging event occurred into the rest of the tunnel system.

"Hey, you think standing and watching you guys hop around having fun is a Sunday picnic for us sentries too?" replied Tinder as he moved up to the top of the small hillock they were standing upon. "You guys run along and… do whatever it is kits do nowadays. And stay out of Maji's sight, Trip. I'd be stuck between a rock and a hard place if she found out I let you and Dinari stay out here. Frankly, you're lucky I didn't take all of you back inside. But you know… extenuating circumstances and all that." Timon bowed his head as the older meerkat glanced to him. Tinder was sympathetic of Timon's plight and knew he would just face ridicule if he went inside. Tinder then scampered off to find a suitable position to set up his guarding post. He could be heard muttering a soon to be familiar mantra until his voice faded from hearing

"Scurry, sniff, flinch, scurry, sniff, flinch, sniff- er, snurry- no, wait…"

Timon thought about what Tinder had said about being stuck between "a rock and a hard place," and glanced towards Trip.

"So did he just call your mom a-"

"It's just a figure of speech, Timon," Trip quickly explained.

"Speech can make figures?" mumbled Timon as the others contemplated what they were to do next.

"We could play Dogs and Meerkats," suggested Daren. Sauda quickly shot that down with a snort. "You always suggest that. And I always end up being the Meerkat! It's annoying."

"Yeah, and you always say no to it," remarked Trip. "There's always something you hate doing, even when it's with us. Besides, you're only the Meerkat all the time because you have no idea how to look at a place with tactic vision." Sauda sneered briefly at him before Daren interjected.

"Why don't you pick then, Sauda?" suggested the male with a friendly smile. "It'd be a nice change."

"A change at least," muttered Timon. Sauda seemed to take her sweet time, with much "hmm"ing to herself, and placing her chin in her paw as she looked thoughtfully skyward. The others stood about and looked at each other quietly while Sauda decided what they would do for the rest of the day. Which, like all the other days, was bound to be long, hot, boring, and full of digging. So they may as well occupy themselves.

"I know… let's play Capture the Flank." At this, the other kits gulped and exchanged rather frightened glances to each other. Capture the Flank was a somewhat complex game where the players divvied up into two different teams, one scavengers, one predators. There was a rock or otherwise equally tangible object (the flank of some unlucky creature) hidden by the predators who had to defend it from the scavengers. Either way, Sauda may not have been a tactician, but she was certainly quite aggressive.

"I still got bruises from the last time we played that!" complained Dinari, the least of them all in terms of being able to defend himself (given that he was worse off than Timon, that was saying something). Sauda smirked and spread her paws placatingly.

"Well, if you're all saying you're just too weak to go up against me again…" At this, Timon, always one to fool himself into thinking he was of far firmer stuff than he really was, blew a raspberry and immediately stepped forward, waving off the insult.

"As if! I'm game enough for anything any of you two-bit stinkers can throw at me!" Daren, Trip, and Dinari all groaned and slapped paws to their foreheads. Sauda grinned, seeing they were all firmly stuck now. If Timon, the weakest, biggest coward there was, was game for it, it would be a great insult to not take up a challenge oneself.

"Then let's get this party started," she said, cracking her knuckles in an intimidating fashion.

Very soon the rock was in place. Using the time-honored tradition of the "not it" principle, it was decided that Dinari and Timon were to be the thieving scavengers, and the rest were the defending predators, and they were looking quite happy about their odds. Timon and Dinari lay hidden in the grass around them, and Dinari listened carefully as Timon outlined the battle plan.

"Okay, Dinari… you need to circle around to the north. Make noise, got it? I'll try and lay low like this on my stomach, and move all the way around to the west-!"

"That's the east part of the colony, Timon," interrupted Dinari when he noticed Timon pointing in exactly the wrong direction.

"Shh!" replied Timon. "I know that. I was just… making sure that whoever was listening got confused, and… didn't know which way I would be coming. Or going. Anyway… Now the next part of the plan requires good timing, and it will all come down to your actions!"

"You want me to run off and try to lead them away from the Flank?"

"… No. I want you to run straight at them as fast as you can, jump on Sauda, and antagonize them by squealing like a girl!" Dinari blinked as Timon began to slink off.

"Uh… okay, Timon… whatever you say…"

Timon snickered as he clambered (loudly) through the tall grass, feeling rather good about his chances today. If all went well, he could dash in quickly and grab the Flank before anyone saw him coming, especially if Dinari worked up the courage to attack them head-on. When he heard Dinari starting to shout, he knew things would go well. Except… everyone else seemed to be shouting too. He still lay hidden, thinking this was some sort of trick. But then another meerkat's voice reached the scene, sounding urgent and panicked… but that could only mean-

"HYENAS!"

Timon jumped up and saw one of the mangy scavengers charging full tilt at the meerkats from the east. A cold fear suddenly plunged into his chest and speared his heart directly as primal instincts began to churn into action. Everyone seemed to be in a panic and dashing back and forth. The sentries came scurrying down the hill, bursting from their lookout points to try and get to safety. Timon saw his friends go by several leaps off, and it was at this point his legs finally solidified from their jelly state and began to power him towards the colony, and safety. He was making good headway, when suddenly…

SNAP!

He was forced to skid to a stop as a hyena's jaws clamped down shut directly in front of him, spittle raining down onto his face. Fighting his way through a blind panic, Timon darted to one side, trying to go under the hyena's stomach. His attacker, Nakamba, yelled aloud in frustration at how agile his prey was. He tried to twist and grab at Timon's tail as the kit passed under him, but only moved about in confused circle as Timon flew with all speed to the nearest tunnel entrance. Suddenly, a small tan blur collided with him, sending them both sprawling. Dinari had tried to make a beeline to the colony from his position, but being farthest away, Rivu's attack had forced him to one side, fear driving his efforts. The two now seemed to be at the mercy of the gigantic carnivores as Nakamba finished his swing to meet Timon's gaze. The young meerkat froze in shock as the pale yellow irises met his own. There was a deep, gnawing hunger in those eyes, and knowing that he was going to help satiate that void petrified Timon. Dinari squeaked in terror and tried to get his friend moving by pulling at his arm, but Rivu was already closing in.

Both hyenas stopped in slight surprise when two new meerkats appeared, adults by the look of them. Tinder and another male Timon didn't remember had jumped to the rescue. Now they were the only meerkats that remained outside. Tinder gathered them up in his strong arms as the other meerkat (Timon saw only three large stripes on his broad back) stood protectively in front on all fours, arching his back and growling fiercely at the hyenas, who now slowed their pace to enjoy their good fortune. Nakamba may have severely misjudged the speed at which those little flea bags could run when they were in trouble, but now they had a fine consolation prize. Four whole meerkats in one small package!

"Eh, hehehehe…" chortled Nakamba as he advanced on them all, "not exactly the grand haul I was hoping for… but you'll have to do!"

"It's perfect," assented Rivu, a hunger crazed grin on his face. "Two meerkats each! I can't wait! Kill 'em! Kill 'em now!"

"I'll head for the right," muttered the male standing in front of Tinder, only slightly turning his head to speak secretively. Blue eyes, noted Timon strangely in the midst of their peril. "When they're distracted, ran past that big ugly one with the yellow eyes…"

Tinder nodded firmly, his eyes narrowed, keeping a firm grip around the waists of the kits beside him. Timon and Dinari clung to him like he was a piece of driftwood keeping them afloat in this storm, too scared out of their wits to know what was about to happen. Tinder shook his head briefly before the plan went into effect, guilt weighing heavily upon him even now. This was all his fault. He had personally asked to be a sentry all this week. It was his foolish error of judgment that had let the kits stay outside. If he ever got through this, he would preach the safety of tunneling to all the kits he met till his dying day.

Now though, he could only focus on getting Timon and Dinari out of all this safely.

The male dashed off, and Tinder launched himself forward, dragging the two kits along with him as he went. The two hyenas were momentarily distracted, their gazes drawn to the scampering meerkat. Rivu immediately gave chase, but Nakamba had a sharper eye than his companion. He took a step forward, then wheeled back around to greet Tinder as he ran low and fast, as best he could while burdened with the kits.

Time seemed to slow. Nakamba's slavering maw opened wide to receive them all in one bone-crunching bite. Tinder looked up, eyes wide, and forcefully threw Timon and Dinari out to the left, while he kept steady on his course…

… Straight into the waiting jaws of Nakamba. Something clicked in the back of his mind, said he was doomed rather insistently, but there was no way he could have avoided this without endangering the kits as well. It was better this way…

Tinder's death all only happened in a matter of seconds, but he felt every bit of it. When he came into contact with the hyena, a sharp pain lance through his chest as his sturdy frame was impaled on the hyena's razor sharp teeth. The bottom jaw went to meet the top, and there was a sickening crunch in his back. He spasmed involuntarily, and suddenly, he could no longer feel his legs and tail. Darkness and a foul stench enveloped him. There was a burst of white before his eyes as shock took over his senses momentarily. He felt himself being lifted into the air with a rush of nausea, and then thrown back down again, landing like a boulder as Nakamba, knowing the meerkat wasn't going anywhere, released Tinder to renew the assault on Timon and Dinari. Tinder felt a wet something stinging around his eyes as an inky black settled over his vision. He could only hope he had done enough now.

"My fault… my fault," he muttered, and then knew nothing more.

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Timon and Dinari, fortunately, had not bothered to stop when Tinder gave himself up, not even looking back as they charged onward to cover the last few paw lengths that lay between them and total protection. Timon felt a hot rush of air on the back of his neck and instinctively threw Dinari down next to him. The hyena flew over them both with a great whoosh! and landed in front of them. The two kits wasted no time in getting back to their paws and running like things possessed. Before they got two steps, another, stronger pair of arms fell on them, and they were suddenly off the ground and being heaved into the comforting darkness of the tunnel. Timon twisted about to get a good look at his savior.

"Dad?"

Danso jabbed a claw down the tunnel.

"Quiet! Both of you get to the lower chambers NOW!" The look in his eyes and the tone of his voice would brook no argument. Dinari did not even spend a moment in hesitation, but to Danso's ultimate surprise and alarm, Timon rushed back up, paws out in a reasoning gesture.

"Dad! There's still two more of us out there! Tinder, he-" Danso pressed a paw down atop Timon's head and forced him to stay away from the entrance. Nakamba had gone back to help Rivu chase down the other meerkat, and so they were both safe for the moment. Timon couldn't see a thing over the rim of the tunnel from where he was, but he could get a good idea from the look on his father's face. It was a mask of total anxiety and anticipation.

"Dad, come on! We have to get out there! They might still be alive! Where are the others? They can help, right?" he begged insistently, trying to press up and get a better view. Danso's face screwed up in frustration as he continued to observe, pressing Timon's head down with his free paw as he used the other to bang on the dirt in front of him.

"Come on, come on…"

"DAD!" yelled Timon, frantic now, actively trying to wrest his father's paw away. "What's going on? We can still go get them! Please!"

Danso's face suddenly fell to sadness, and then he quickly swept up Timon and began half carrying, half dragging him back down into the safety of the tunnel complex. Timon lay limp in his father's grasp, only comprehending what had happened outside on a deep level he would come to terms with later.

The last thing Timon heard before they rounded the corner was the triumphant giggling of the hyenas above.

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The two had just come down into the main chamber of the second level. Just about everyone in the colony had gathered here; fear of the hyenas had driven them all right past the first level. The moment the two stopped, Danso immediately set Timon down and began looking him over, his eyes still wide with a fear that greatly discomfited his son. Both of them were overlooked as Shombay and the others counted off the rest and reunited family members that had scattered in the general panic that followed the raid.

"Are you all right, Timon?"

"I'm fine, Dad. But-"

"You're not hurt, are you? No cuts? Nothing?" continued Danso, talking very fast.

"No, Dad!" replied Timon, the tension in his father beginning to make him extremely uncomfortable. As the adrenaline subsided, he began to feel tears well up in his eyes. The moment that began, Danso fell on him, wrapping him up in a careful, firm embrace.

"Oh thank the stars, kit! I was so worried about you... you're fine." Timon put his arms around his father and sniffed, shaking as fatigue and fear overtook him. For at least a full minute, both of them only sat on the fringe of the packed to bursting chamber, surrounded by the buzz of quietly conversing meerkats, holding each other like it was their last day on Earth. Timon, surprisingly, was the first to recover, and muttered quietly,

"We could have gotten the others back..." Danso opened his eyes and pulled back in surprise, holding his son at arm's length.

"What? Timon, whatever do you mean? There was no way we could have fought off those hyenas. There were two of them, Timon! You shouldn't have even been up there in the first place, not so far from the colony entrances at least! Who let you stay up there?" A trace of maternal anger was beginning to invade his tone. Timon hung his head and muttered quietly.

"Tinder," he said so only his father could hear. Danso was quiet for several moments, unsure of what to say. He had seen the corpse outside, through the grass...

"Timon! Timon, where are you? Is that you? Agh! Where were you two, I was worried half to death!" Meeca suddenly bulled her way out of the crowd, jumping into the welcoming arms of Danso, and crushing Timon against her as she spilled out her lamentations for their feared deaths.

"When I saw just Dinari come down, I thought you were both dead already! Timon, don't you ever scare me like that again!" Danso sighed and patted Meeca's back gently as Max approached, sighing with relief. He did no more and turned back to watch Shombay and the census.

"It's all right, dear, we're both fine... just got a little lost on the way back." He conveniently neglected the part where he had been forced to dash up onto the surface to recover both kits. That part could wait until after the general terror and chaos subsided.

"Ma," said Timon, his voice breaking from both sadness and the crushing power of his mother's embrace, "Tinder... he... he got us out safe, Ma, he really did, but..." He was unable to finish as his voice cracked into nothingness, some small part of him wishing the two that were now gone would come speeding down the tunnel, bloodied but unharmed for the most part. Meeca looked up at Danso, who shook his head quietly.

"Tinder equaled his shortcoming with his bravery at the end. As did Bali," he said, having borne witness to both meerkats' final moments. He knew the latter from a few days being partnered on the digging crew. More than a few meerkats seemed to overhear him, which was unexpected.

"Hey, wait... where is Tinder?" remarked one of the males, a good friend of the recently departed meerkat. A pretty young female meerkat with blonde hair and cerulean eyes suddenly gasped and began looking about frantically. Timon didn't know it, but she and Tinder would probably have been mated in just a few weeks' time had this incident not so swiftly stolen him.

"Tinder? Tinder! Where are you? Tinder!" She ran up to Shombay, who had to step back and hold her up at the elbows in the middle of her hysteria.

"Where is he? Where is he, Shombay? He's coming back right? Isn't he? He's still all right! He's here, isn't he?" Shombay followed the gaze of several other meerkats to Danso, who stood up under the scrutiny. Very slowly, he shook his head. The female sounded like she was choking for a few moments, then retreated to the arms of her family. Shombay took in a deep, shaky breath as he began speaking.

"I will need some of us to travel back up and determine where the hyenas are now," he began in a loud, firm voice to override the sorrow of the rest. "Mosi, Twitch, you're with me. Max, Redat, take the south side." He paused for several moments.

"We will honor our dead... and then continue with our work, as we have always done." Very slowly, the meerkats drifted off, to attempt to begin life anew. Timon watched the pretty female be taken off by her family, tears streaming down her cheeks. His paws were balled into fists. It shouldn't have gone like this.

"What?" he heard his father say. Timon must have said that out loud.

"I said it didn't have to be like this," repeated the kit, pointing back up to the surface. "Dad... those hyenas... they were downright mangy! They looked skinnier than my muscles! If we... if we had all just gone up there-"

"Timon," snapped his father quickly. Meeca gasped and looked back and forth between them, trying to understand what they were on about. "Hunger only makes a predator even more desperate! They would massacre every meerkat we have if they could! Don't you talk like that, Timon. Tinder and Bali gave their lives to defend you! They stood their ground and look what happened! I will not have you entertaining ideas of repeating a stunt like that!"

"Stunt!" gasped Timon, stepping away from his parents. Meeca looked terribly distraught, but neither of her family seemed to notice. It seemed incomprehensible to her that so soon after a terrifying day like this, they would find the time to get mad at each other.

"Dad, that 'stunt' saved my life! I'm alive because they were brave enough to stand up to those freaks! Where were you, anyway?" spouted Timon accusingly, anger now beginning to cloud his judgment. "Digging tunnels?"

"Yes, digging tunnels!" replied his father, eyes narrowing. "Digging tunnels that would have saved all of our lives if you and your friends hadn't been so dead set on gamboling under the sun!"

"What's wrong with the sun, Dad?" demanded Timon. Meeca could only look back and forth between them in shock. This was the first time something like this had happened. She could feel tears starting to sting her eyes. "The sun is pretty!" continued Timon. "I like watching it set and rise! I'd watch it now if I could!"

"You will do no such thing!" shouted Danso as he reared to his full height. A few meerkats stared as they went by. "What's gotten into you, kit? You're talking utter nonsense! Don't you know what we are? What our lives are like?"

"I do, Dad! And right now I'm thinking our lives are pretty pointless!" Before he could get himself into more trouble, Timon turned away and stomped off down a side tunnel. Danso's face immediately seemed to soften, and he stepped forward, reaching out to his son's back as it disappeared around the corner. Meeca stopped him by placing a paw on his shoulder.

"Let him go, honey... let him calm down. Let him think." Danso only now seemed to realize what had just happened. He put his face in his paws. "What just happened, Meeca?" he asked desperately. Max's voice piped up next to him.

"He's turning into a rebel, that's what's happening. You need to go find him, Dan. Go tell him what being a meerkat is all about." Danso shook his head slowly.

"No... no, no, no. I'll just... I need to calm down myself." He turned away to go back to the family nest.

Timon, meanwhile, found himself in the west wing, kicking rocks angrily out of the way.

"It could have been different," he muttered to himself. "Way different! Tinder and Bali wouldn't have... wouldn't... they'd be here if we all had just got up and did something! Instead everyone ran to cower in their little holes..." He stopped his ramblings and leaned against the tunnel wall, sighing heavily.

"Oh, come off it, Timon! What are you trying to prove? Maybe Dad was right... we're not cut out for fighting hyenas. What am I trying to say? That I'm a fearless little furball that likes pain?" He growled and shook his head vigorously. "No! I'm not! I'm more than that! We're all more than that! Or at least we could have been. We could have fought those hyenas off... I know we could have! Lousy, mangy, stupid poachers. We could have messed them up good... yeah... made 'em black and blue. Just like... like...?"

He paused again as he looked behind him to see a large rock protruding from the wall. On it were several charcoal drawings, arranged in a storyboard fashion. Each section had a small, simple drawing of one meerkat in particular, exhorting his fellows to some sort of action, and then chasing down hyenas all by himself. Timon suddenly realized where he was. This was one of the oldest places in the colony! This part of the tunnel system had been built back when the whole thing was just a few underground nests and smelly, waterlogged storage tunnels. A record marker was here to signify something important in the colony's history. And oh, how important this was. A smile began to form on his face as his gaze landed on each of the mosaics, which soon turned into a small grin. From the depths of his memory he dredged up an ancient song some of the diggers still sang, incorporating it into their work days.

Sing the ballad of Fearless Buzz, greatest meerkat there ever was...