As repetitive as this sounds many thanks once again to everyone who read the last chapter and reviewed it, and also others who've messaged me or put the story into their favourite stories etc. I hope you like this chapter. I'm also interested in Fangsire's predictions, hehehe.

For anyone who's familiar with the works there's a little homage to Rudyard Kipling's "The Undertakers" in this chapter. Many thanks, I apologize for the long wait.

Here's the characters so far.

Simba – Adult male lion, King of the Pride Lands

Nala – Adult lioness, Queen of the Pride Lands, wife of Simba

Kiara – Adult lioness, Princess of the Pride Lands, hunting party leader

Kovu – Adult lion, Prince Regent of the Pride Lands, husband of Kiara

Vitani – Adult lioness, half-sister of Kovu

Amaryllis – Adult lioness, foster mother of Amabi, former loner, wanderer, former loner

Nadhari – Adult lioness, mother of Alyssa and Kelt

Sharhal – Adult lioness, a member of Kiara's hunting party

Aetti – Adult lioness, a member of Kiara's hunting party

Tumai – Adult male lion, competitive, aggressive, mocking

Juvi – Adult male lion, quiet, thoughtful young male

Salama – Adult male lion, old and wise but not as wise as he thinks, condescending

Lokannero – Adult male lion, Tenzer's father, veteran survivor, powerful

Maradi – Adult male lion, attractive and pleased with his appearance

Haya – Adult male lion, young, curious about the world

Tenzer – Half grown male lion, loner, quiet character but gentle with cubs

Ryana – Half-grown lioness, talkative and besotted with Tenzer

Amabi – Male lion cub, adopted son of Amaryllis, cheeky, inquisitive cub

Alyssa – Lioness cub, daughter of Nadhari, more reserved and careful cub

Kelt – Male lion cub, son of Nadhari, slightly insecure cub

Zazu – Adult hornbill, Simba's majordomo

Timon – Adult meerkat, Simba's friend

Pumbaa – Adult warthog, Simba's friend

Shenzi – Adult female hyena, leader of Graveyard Clan

Banzai – Adult male hyena, leader of Graveyard Clan

Ed – Adult male hyena, leader of Graveyard Clan

Ridikill – Adult male hyena, hunting pack leader, extremely aggressive and antisocial

Burudi – Adult male hyena, scarred face, Ridikill's 'lieutenant', less vicious, member of Ridikill's pack

Groco – Adult male hyena, weakling, low-ranking scout trying to improve his social standing, member of Ridikill's pack

Agiza – Adult female hyena, hunting pack leader, one of Shenzi's favoured, high-ranking

Sarkil – Adult female hyena, sarcastic huntress, member of Ridikill's hunting pack

Kapungu – Adult male hyena, fearsome hunter with a lust for blood, member of Ridikill's pack

Babaka – Adult male hyena, always hungry, member of Ridikill's pack

Shungi – Adult female hyena, rookie leader of small hunting pack

Mali – Adult male leopard

The lions stared at the baboon. The baboon stared at the lions.

"…Who's that?" Tumai gawked.

"Rafiki!" Simba leapt forward with cub-like-eagerness, "What are you doing here?"

"That can wait", the monkey said in his strange accent and stepped forward on his skinny legs. His palms and feet were wrinkled and brown with long, dexterous digits. A mane of white fur surrounded his neck like a collar. His brightly coloured blue and red face startled the lions who didn't know him. Just as strange was the baobab stick he carried in his right hand, with two gourds lashed to it by use of a vine.

"…Whoever he is, he's crazy", Madari muttered.

Instantly Rafiki's stick came down on his head. Hard.

"Ow! You little…"

The baboon chortled and spoke in a strange, high-pitched yet scratchy voice, "Ooh-hahaha! I'm crazy, am I? You are the one who spends an hour every morning washing his hair in the waterhole".

Simba and a few of the older lions laughed. The rest just looked confused, and none more than Maradi.

"How…how do you know that?" he demanded to know breathlessly.

"My young friend, you'll find there's very few things about these lands and all in them that I do not know", without another word he scooted over to Ryana's prostate form.

"H.-hey! Get away from her!" Ryana's mother managed to snarl.

"It's alright. Trust him", Simba said, and he went to the baboon's side, "What are you doing here? We haven't seen you in the Pride Lands since the wedding of Kovu and Kiara".

"No indeed. I've been very busy".

"With what?"

Rafiki cracked Simba on the cranium with his stick casually, not even looking in his direction, "Less talking, please, young King".

The other lions stared. Those unfamiliar with King Simba's most ancient and mysterious friend were starting to get angry: who was this bizarre baboon, with weird markings on his face that didn't identify him as any species of baboon that they knew, to come hopping into Pride Rock, disregard the lions, inspect their mortally wounded comrade and humiliate King Simba? Tumai and Maradi were beginning to bare their teeth, slightly.

Simba however simply seem amused, "That stick's always reminded me of my place", he grinned.

"Have you forgotten about Ryana? Show some remorse!" Ryana's mother screeched.

"Oh, this little one, such a wound for one so young as her to bear", Rafiki muttered, ignoring the other lions completely, shaking his wizened head back and forth and making disapproving tsk sounds.

At the mouth of the cave Timon sighed to Pumbaa, "Time for the monkey's moment of glory".

"Can you help her?" Simba asked Rafiki.

"Oh yes, most assuredly I can. If I can only have…"

Instantly Tenzer leapt through the crowd, surprising everyone, "If you can only have what?!" he yelled, "Tell me and I'll find it! No matter what you need to help her I'll get it! This is my fault and I want to put it right. So what do you need, old man?"

"Oh-ho, you are eager my young friend, so I shall tell you what I need right now more than anything to help this little girl".

"What? What is it?" Tenzer leaned in to hear.

"Come closer!" Rafiki extended a scrawny arm, gripped Tenzer's ear between two bony fingers and yanked the lion youth closer.

"What?" the lion asked again.

"Peace and quiet!" the baboon shouted in his ear, and followed up with an admonishing whack with his stick between Tenzer's eyes, "Now go! All of you! Except the King and Queen, and the girl's mother".

The bemused pride grumbled and growled amongst themselves. Even for those who had seen him at Kiara's wedding this all seemed a bit much. They stared defiantly at Rafiki who paid them no attention and was instead inspecting the gourds at the end of his staff.

"Do as he says", Nala said reassuringly to the Pride, "Trust me. He knows what he's doing. Everything should be okay now. So go get some rest. You included", she looked at Tenzer and smiled, "Everything's going to be fine".

Dawn was just beginning to break. Ridikill sat on his haunches, staring out at the dark muddy river that knifed its way through the sloping red dirt banks on either side. Normally the river flowed through swiftly, fresh and clear, but as the dry season took hold it was reduced to a slower current of mud-brown water sloshed with occasional white foam. But it was still very deep, far too deep to see the bottom, and Ridikill found himself wondering just how deep the river was.

. A few Thompson's gazelle fifty yards to his left eyed him warily as they took it in turns to lap at the water. Ridikill grinned. He knew it wasn't him they should really be afraid of. There was more than darkness in the depths.

As the hyena looked out over the water he saw a shadow blacker than the brown water take shape. It began to head in the direction of the bank Ridikill was sitting on. As it drew nearer and nearer it grew a little more distinct although it still looked fairly innocuous and wouldn't have alarmed the vast majority of creatures who would quench their thirst at the Pride Land's main river.

It never ceased to amaze Ridikill how well the crocodile hid itself. At last the reptile hauled itself out of the water, startling the gazelle who promptly turned tail and fled. The eighteen-foot predator dragged itself up the bank on four stubby little clawed legs that seemed incapable of supporting the vast scaly barrel-body. Draped in the shallows was a long muscular tail that was bristling with sharp scales.

A short neck held up a long low head with two small protruding eyes that glinted green in the early morning light. The long snout contained dozens of sharp pointed teeth, and Ridikill knew the power in his own jaws paled in comparison to the legendary crushing bite of the crocodile. Over its entire body was a covering of horny scales and on its broad back this was developed into thick plates with sharp scutes.

"Greetings Mamacala", Ridikill said, bowing low.

A harsh grating voice like the sound of stones sliding down a gravel slope answered, "Greetings Ridikill. What do you want?"

"Want? Can't I come and see a friend of mine without being accused of having an ulterior motive?"

The crocodile chuckled quietly, "Give me due credit. I'm no fool and neither are you. None come to see Mamacala, Lord of the Rivers unless they care for a scrap of wisdom or sometimes even a scrap of food. In the same way I do not seek out the miserable fish, the foolish gazelle and the wily zebras unless…I too want something".

"You have little faith in me", Ridikill replied.

"Little faith? Of course not, I just see you for what you truly are. Now…let me get comfortable".

Mamacala dragged his bloated body further up the bank. Ridikill instantly skipped back on his feet whilst keeping his eyes on the crocodile. He may have been one of the few able to engage the crocodile in civil conversation but that did not mean he was going to be unwary in his presence. It was always wise to be on your toes in the presence of a crocodile as big and as cunning as Mamacala.

Ridikill could see clearer now some of the crocodile's many scars. There was an almighty scrape along the back plates that was probably from a hippo's tusk. Two puncture marks near the armoured neck were most likely from a big cat. Many scars came from other crocodiles: several of his toes were missing on his front left leg and there were many slashes, some clear but most indistinct; they were clearly the toothwork of other crocodiles.

"Admiring my medals eh?" Mamacala grunted, noticing Ridikill's eyes wandering over his scarred form.

"If that's what you call them", Ridikill replied, "The only thing that's more impressive is the fact that you survived all of the encounters".

It was far from Ridikill's character to flatter another, but he was used to fawning over the old reptile and also the respect was genuine. He was very interested in learning exactly where the scars had come from.

"Well, now", Mamacala stretched out flat in the sand, "If you're interested I can tell you a bit about some of them".

"The mark on my neck", he began, "It was from a very long time ago, far longer than any hyena could remember. I was young and it was in the dry season. I was twelve feet in length or so, maybe. The waterhole had dried up and I left during the day to find another. On the way a lion attacked me. A lone male, evicted from his pride by a challenger I heard later, you see. He was desperate for a meal.

"Took me by surprise, grabbing me by my neck and biting down when I was just plodding around trying to follow the scent of water. But I showed him. I thrashed a bit and threw him off and then fastened my teeth into his side. That quietened him down, let me tell you. But to his credit he gave me a good scar. Here, you can take a closer look yourself. I can't see it myself and I want to know how it looks these days. Lean in and take a look, would you?"

"Perhaps some other time", Ridikill smiled cunningly. Although he and Mamacala were conversation-buddies he knew that did not exclude him from the crocodile's menu. Whether or not the croc had genuinely wanted to know how the scar was looking, or it was a cunning ploy to lure Ridikill close enough to be devoured, or if Mamacala was perhaps testing Ridikill's wits as he sometimes did the hyena didn't know. The crocodile was utterly unreadable – compared to mammals such as himself Mamacala's stiff face and rigid skin prevented him for making any real facial expression. Instead the croc made his mood and intentions clear – and then only rarely - through body language, evil eyes and cutting words.

"Oh well", the crocodile sighed as if disappointed, "Anyway, you might have noticed that disfiguring scar on my back. That was from a hippopotamus bull".

"Ahh, I thought so. One of those lunatics get too close for comfort?"

"Far from it. I killed him".

Ridikill sat up straight. This was hunting on a scale that impressed him.

"You killed an adult hippo bull? Alone?"

"Well, I'm not really an advocate of this co-operative hunting you hyenas are so fond of", Mamacala mumbled as he opened his jaws to bask.

"But…that's incredible!" Ridikill had heard stories from far away about prides of lions sometimes working together to kill hippos when they came onto land at night, but he'd never believed them, "How could you kill a hippo alone?"

"It wasn't easy, I'll admit. Wouldn't have that scar otherwise. But I thought he was getting too big for his own boots, forgetting his place and all. Plus I was hungry. So I took him out. That was a few years back".

Ridikill stared. Mamacala was the biggest and most powerful crocodile, and indeed predator that he'd ever heard of. He didn't really know the limits of the reptile's full power.

"No-one else can compare to your age and power, Lord of the Rivers", he said reverently.

"Needless flattery's not becoming. And also: what would you know? There's one ancient fellow I doubt you'd know of who might be even older than I am".

"So, you mind telling us who that creepy monkey is?" one of the lionesses grumbled as the lions slumped down some distance away from the cave.

"Well, he's an old friend of the family. Really old", Kiara replied, "It's hard to explain what exactly it is he does. But he's very wise. If anyone can help Ryana now he can".

"Wise my foot", Salama the elder male muttered as he licked one of his forepaws that was still tangled with dry hyena blood, "He's just an old lunatic".

"What'd you know?" Vitani snapped, "Maybe you should keep your patronizing 'wisdom' to yourself for a change".

"Will you knock it off? I'm trying to concentrate" Maradi said in the midst grooming himself desperately, "Oh, this hyena blood is not going to come out of my whiskers any time soon!"

"Show some backbone", Tumai sneered.

"Hey, tough guy, I couldn't help but notice that you weren't the first into battle, you over-grown…"

"Cut it out!" Kiara interrupted, "Look, it's been a long day. We're all a little tense. Let's just take it easy, okay? We'll let Rafiki take care of Ryana. I suggest we all get some sleep".

"But we're hungry", Haya looked up at her pleadingly, "We didn't eat last night. Can't some of you go hunting now?"

"Urgh, males!" Kiara sighed in frustration and turned away, Kovu shortly after her.

The lionesses gradually dispersed, leaving the six males all alone.

"Well, go figure", Juvi muttered, "We save their lives and they complain!"

"That's the way females do things", Salama explained, "They're complicated. Apparently gratitude is beyond them".

"Oh, some of them must have been impressed by our skills", Tumai pointed out, "It was quite a show".

"Sure was. I'm sure one or two of the lovely ladies will have warmed up to me by now", grinned Maradi.

"…You need to kill things to impress lionesses?" exclaimed Haya.

"In my experience, yes", Tumai nodded, "Females act all sensitive and stuff, like they want you to look after them, but deep down inside they all want a mate who has that killer instinct. Someone tough, you know?"

"Give them more credit than that", Lokanneoro argued, "All lionesses are different. They can't be figured out by some simple principle".

"Yeah. They want good looks too", Maradi grinned and ruffled his mane.

"Oh, who cares right now?" Juvi snapped, "One of our pride is injured in there and we may have just started a full-scale war with the hyenas. Can't you think of something else but mating for a change?"

"Oh, it's not all that bad", Haya smiled, "Life's pretty good right now. No amount of hyenas are a match for us males, and what, may I ask, is more powerful than a male lion in his prime?"

"An elephant. A rhino. A hippo. A buffalo. A crocodile. And most worryingly, one hundred hyenas. We don't know how many of them there are", Salama reminded.

"If the worst comes to the worst and we have to go their lair and kill them all, big deal. It won't be a problem. It's what us males are for", Tumai shrugged.

"Simba will never allow something like that", Juvi picked himself up and padded away, "I'm going to get some rest. We should all do the same. Who knows, maybe it won't be too long before Simba calls on us again to save the day".

Mamacala had talked for a while now about most of his little scars that were indeed from territorial disputes with other crocodiles. Ridikill was pleased with how accurate his guesses had been. He listened with interest to Mamacala's tales of the battles he'd had with other crocodiles. He noticed Mamacala did not mention his missing toes but Ridikill did not press him.

Ridikill enjoyed good tales about hunting and fights to the death, and Mamacala enjoyed recounting his stories from years so long ago to an eager listener. The hyena listened with rapt interest and so the two got on well.

But it was not surprising. Much of what Ridikill had learned in the ways of manipulating others through terror and causing chaos, and the pleasure to be earned through being a vicious outsider had come from Mamacala.

The two of them had met when Ridikill was less than half-grown. He had been hunting alone at night when he came across the gigantic crocodile crawling on his belly from one waterhole to another. Mamacala had made a half-hearted attempt to eat him but the great reptile was sluggish on land and had eventually just ambled on. In the end Ridikill had followed him, curious to learn more about this fearsome behemoth. The two had engaged in conversation as Ridikill followed at a safe distance. It hadn't taken long for Ridikill to come to admire the cruelty, terrible strength and the cold attitude of Mamacala.

Soon after this initial meeting Ridikill began seeking Mamacala out once in a while. He would bring meat from kills (for Mamacala was not too proud to eat scraps) in exchange for a mere chance to talk to the reptile and absorb his ruthless wisdom. In turn Mamacala saw Ridikill as diverting entertainment, almost a project who he could mould to become like a lesser version of himself. Ridikill would never truly realize just how much he had been influenced by Mamacala's cunning.

"Well, anyway, enough of this", Mamacala said after a while, "You've come looking for me, and not just to hear an old croc's tales, I'm sure. What do you want?"

"I don't want anything", Ridikill answered, "I just thought I'd drop by and see an old friend. And I thought you might like to know that yesterday evening there was a fight between my hyena clan and Simba's lion pride".

"I'd heard something of it", Mamacala closed his horny eyelids, "There was a lot of vultures overhead as well, more than you'd find on average carcass. A few deaths then eh?"

"Yeah. We lost eleven hyenas".

"Your clan must be upset".

"Sure is. If you can believe it even our leader is disturbed!"

"I certainly can believe it. You mammals are so…fragile, both emotionally and physically".

"Garn! Not me!" Ridikill snapped, losing his temper for a moment.

"You are an exception. Or at least you are becoming one. But you still become angry so easily. That's an emotion as well, you realize. A weakness. It could be your undoing".

Ridikill considered the reptile's words, then lowered his head, "You're right. I'm sorry".

Mamacala's eyes flew open, "And don't apologize either. It's an admission of wrongdoing, and accepting that you've done wrong is another weakness. Anyway, why are you telling me this?"

"Just because I know you like to be informed about such things. Although I've no doubt you'd find out in your own way eventually. Also, I somewhat upset a few of my clan at the funeral rites, including our leader, so I'm lying low for a few days".

"Oh, your leader? That's the female…what's her name?"

"Shenzi. I'm surprised you don't remember. You've got a good mind for such things".

"The lives of mammals are so fleeting. In my time I've seen two dozen or more hyena clan leaders rise and fall".

Ridikill shook his head. He could never fully comprehend just how old the crocodile was. Ridikill had only known two sets of clan leaders during his life: Shenzi, Banzai, Ed and their predecessors whom they'd driven out. He was still in the prime of his life and from what he could tell he would never see the wonders Mamacala had seen in his timeless existence.

"So, you're running loose for a few days then eh?" the crocodile shifted his weight slightly, "What are you going to do? Hide in the Pride Lands or head further North?"

"I'll stay in the Pride Lands, but I wouldn't really call it hiding".

"Hmm. And these leaders of yours, this 'Shenzi' and her cronies…do they still have a firm grip on their position?"

"I'd say so. I think everyone feels a little sorry for Shenzi. I think she's getting soft myself. Maybe someone a little tougher should step up".

"Someone such as yourself".

"Oh, it's far too early to say that", the hyena grinned, showing his teeth, "But anyway. I'm sure the political lives of us lowly mammals bore you rigid".

"More or less. The same with the lions. Marriages and births and feuds and initiations into the pride and ceremonies…how dull. Us crocodiles just do things the simple way: the most powerful rules, by which of course I mean me".

"That's something I don't get", Ridikill cocked his head, "The lions let you stay in the Pride Lands because you're not in direct competition with them, unlike us hyenas. But you're more powerful than any lion. Most adult crocodiles are. So why do you even listen to what the lions say?"

"I've no reason to argue with the lions. The finest, more fertile wetlands in all the lands even I know rest here, and the river does not shrink so severely in the dry season. The prey here is good. So if we must pretend to care what the lions say and do in order to stay here without a fuss then so be it".

"Must be hard to pretend to like those overgrown desert cats!" Ridikill spat.

"I hold no allegiance to either lion or hyena. I do my own thing and if I'm left alone I'm content. Speaking of which, time for you to go. I've heard enough for today. Doubtless I'll see you soon. Things are going to change in the Pride Lands.

"The news of the lion and hyena war will spread like fire and neither side will be content to let the other have what it wants. So you keep me informed. Frogs and egrets are about the only animals willing to hold a conversation with a croc at even a safe distance. Apart from that I must listen to idle gossip from drinking grazers and attempt to filter through the interesting news, which is tedious. Now go".

Ridikill nodded and trotted away: not so fast that he appeared scared, but just fast enough that he was quickly out of reach of the crocodile's lunge in case he suddenly decided he was hungry. It always was a gamble, chatting with a giant, wily old croc.

"Sure, it's a pain, but it's our lot in life", Vitani was saying as she and Amaryllis walked through the dry grass in the mid-morning heat. The pair of them, along with several other lionesses, had been sent out to scout for any remaining hyena interlopers. Vitani and Amaryllis had immediately struck out north while the other lionesses dispersed.

"Yeah. I don't mind, but you have to admit it's dangerous, being sent out here after that close call with the hyenas. What if there still are hyenas here, and there's a lot of them? What do we do then, just run for our lives again and pray for the best?" Amaryllis countered.

"Well, we volunteered to go", Vitani grunted, "Let's just get this over with. We don't need to go any further to the Northern border than the old baobab tree, Kiara said. So this won't take long".

"Yeah. I just hope Ryana's okay. Do you know what the deal with that monkey is, by the way?"

Vitani narrowed her eyes, "Sort of. He's kinda like…a doctor or something, or a…magician. A wise man. I don't know how accurate all this talk about his skills is, but I know he's an old friend of Simba's family. And I mean old. They say he was there at Mufasa's birth, and maybe even before that".

"Wow", Amaryllis shook her head, "Well, let's just hope he's good at whatever it is he does, because to me it looks like a miracle is needed to save poor Ryana".

The grey lioness stopped in her tracks and looked up ahead. There was the tall circle of elephant grass around the little waterhole she had encountered the strange hyena at – was it only yesterday?

"What is it?" Vitani asked.

"Nothing. I'm just going to check out that waterhole. You go on ahead, I'll catch up".

Vitani shrugged and walked on. Amaryllis approached the waterhole and pushed herself between the fronds of sharp grass and looked at the little pool.

The hyena was there as well.

Ridikill bared his teeth and growled ferociously, spittle dripping from his canines. Amaryllis looked back at him, slightly at a loss for what to do.

"Well, hello again", she said eventually.

"Well well well, what have we here? It's that trespassing female desert cat again!" Ridikill snapped.

"Trespassing, me? Like I said yesterday, you're the one on our land!"

"Well, I've claimed this little spot for my own. And I'll kill anyone who thinks they can just march into it without my permission".

Amaryllis cocked her head, "Are all hyenas as friendly as you?"

The remark seemed to amuse the hyena; he stopped growling and sat down on his haunches, grinning, "I'm a rare breed. Even my clan thinks I'm a little…antisocial".

"I can see why, no offence meant".

"None taken. It takes more than exchanging pleasantries with a witless female with delusions of grandeur to offend me".

"Delusions of…hey, like I said, you're the intruder here!"

"Oh, then please, show me mercy o great and noble ruler!" the hyena threw his head back and laughed in a harsh, mocking tone.

"I'd watch your step", Amaryllis tensed a little, "I'm under orders to either kill or drive off any hyenas after what happened last night".

"Oh yes, that little scuffle. I missed that, sadly. Were you there?"

The lioness nodded slowly, sceptical about her wisdom in even conversing with this creature.

"Well then, you'll know exactly what happened. Tell me, did just the male lions do the killing, or did you lionesses join in?"

Amaryllis looked at the dirt on her paws. She wasn't really in a mood to discuss the killings, least of all with an apparent psychopathic enemy.

Ridikill leaned forward, "Well? Answer me!"

"Just the males", Amaryllis muttered.

"Oh, I figured. You see, you females, regardless of what species, always lack the true killer instinct and raw fighting attitude of us males. More interested in silly things like getting a mate, idle gossip, how you look and raising children. How repugnant!" Ridikill spat and then sneered at Amaryllis.

"Excuse me?" Amaryllis gaped.

"Oh, you heard. Now run along, little female. Go tell your skulking king what you will about my presence, but rest assured by the time you lions come to kill me I'll be long gone!" Ridikill burst into arrogant laughter again, thrilled by his own cleverness and dominance.

"Or maybe I could just kill you now? Ever think of that?"

The hyena stopped laughing. He looked at the lioness. Her tone of voice had changed; no longer an offended exclamatory voice but a soft, powerful and menacing whisper. Her eyes shone with what the hyena immediately recognized as killer instinct; her claws were unsheathed and her normally pleasant face was contorted into a vicious snarl with bared teeth.

She took a step forward. The hyena found himself taking a step back.

"You see, your first big mistake was in assuming you know me", the lioness practically purred, her voice oozing hidden danger, "But you don't. You know nothing about me. I'm not interested in mates or gossip or how I look or anything like that. I'm a survivor. And to survive, I've had to kill as well. I'm a killer too".

Ridikill flattened his ears and showed his teeth, his mane bristling and tail pricking up angrily: but he knew it was a useless show of defiance. He focused all his energy into stopping his legs from shaking and his body from quivering. He glanced at the lionesses' feet.

She took a step forward.

Then the look of predator intensity was gone as suddenly as it had appeared. Her face relaxed into an agreeable smile and her eyes twinkled with amusement. The hyena stared at her.

"So, like I was saying", Amaryllis grinned, "Don't assume you know me".

With that she was gone, padding away through the elephant grass. Ridikill didn't move until she was gone. Then he threw himself onto the floor and sighed in relief.

That had been a little…strange. He had always assumed that all females had only one dimension to them and that was the rule with females across the board. Only Shenzi and one or two other female hunters like Agiza and Sarkil in his own clan differed in that. He assumed that female lions would be even weaker and more pathetic, fighting only when absolutely forced to.

If he had been a little more honest with himself, the hyena would have admitted he was actually somewhat impressed. And if he had been completely honest, he would have admitted that he had been scared too.