Author's note: Hello again all. I'm sorry it's been 3 weeks before I got this chapter up, a stark contrast to my recent updates. Thank you all for your patience and your reviews. Hope you like this (very significant) chapter. Leave a review if you get chance. Many thanks!

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

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

Lokanneoro – 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

Rafiki – Adult baboon- Simba's friend, shaman and advisor

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

Cauron – Adult female hyena, currently heavily pregnant

Mali – Adult male leopard

Mamacala – Adult male crocodile

Kachero – Adult male rock python

Oocheva – Adult male plover bird

Never smile at a crocodile

No you can't get friendly with a crocodile

Don't be taken in by his welcome grin

He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin

Never smile at a crocodile

Never dip your hat and stop to talk awhile

Never run, walk away, say good-night, not good-day,

Clear the aisle but never smile at Mr Crocodile!

The band of would-be defenders headed south-east in silence. They were an unlikely group. Vitani, a powerful and savage lioness of the royal family. Amaryllis, a hunting party scout of Simba's pride. Shungi, rookie leader of a pack in the hyena clan. Cauron, a new mother. Babaka the glutton. Kapungu, a violent hyena with a foul temper. Sarkil, the self-interested cynic. Burudi, the loyal lieutenant. And Groco the coward and paw-licker.

It was he who broke the silence, "Does anyone else think this is crazy?"

To his surprise, not only was he not ignored, but everyone stopped and looked at him.

"Yeah, a little", Vitani said.

"Right. Okay", Groco licked his lips uneasily, "I mean, we are off to try and stop a crocodile and a bunch of snakes, apparently, from holding a bunch of lion cubs at Pride Rock hostage, hostages that they'd use to take control over the Pride Lands. Does anyone else find this a little…odd?"

Everyone nodded.

"'Specially since, technically, this ain't our fight", Groco jerked his head in the direction of the two lionesses, "It's theirs. So we got every right to ditch this and get out of here, right?"

"Yup", Shungi said, "You're free to go if you want to, Groco. We won't blame ya. But personally I think we should give this scheming croc his just desserts".

The group went on their way. Groco watched them for a moment, then took a deep breath and hurried to catch up.

Kiara sprinted across the Pride Lands with a speed she had never known she was capable of. The savannah and its herds seemed to flash past her as she powered her way west.

Soon her lungs began to burn and her legs ached. It was a sensation all too familiar – fatigue. And how long had she been running? Probably only a few minutes.

Who knew how many miles it was to the pride? She didn't have a clue. There was no sign on the horizon of either the pride or the hyena clan. All she could do was aim in vaguely the right direction and hope she'd spot them.

Although she was foremost thinking of the deadly threat to her kin and to the Pride Lands itself, part of her was glad that the hyenas were an innocent party in this affair, duped just as much as the lions had been. Not only was it comforting to know this meant they'd listen to reason when she arrived with her news, it also meant the hyenas might just have a future in the Pride Lands after all.

After all, her Dad had been right about them all along. Even she had secretly doubted his faith in the basic decency of all creatures. With the exception of one individual, however, the hyenas had turned out to be utterly innocent.

But she still had to make it in time to stop the fight, or it would all be for nothing. The idea that hundreds of lives now depended on her chilled her to the core, but she blocked it out and did the only thing she could do: she ran.

"So…what do we do now?" Babaka asked.

The small group of lionesses and hyenas had come to a gorge known as Backbone Gorge. They stood on the lip of the left cliff, looking down some twenty feet of rugged rocky bank.

"We go down", Burudi said, "Ridikill said Mamacala was going south east. We ain't seen no sign of him. But this place is the obvious route for him".

"How come?" Cauron looked at him.

"Because the river leads right to the gorge entrance some miles to the north", Vitani explained, "And Ridikill mentioned Mamacala would stick to the rivers wherever possible, and that he'd lie low as much as he could. This gorge runs right along to within about four miles of Pride Rock to the south, so it's fair to assume he'll come this way. It providers cover from anyone on lookout, you see".

"Except us".

"Right".

With that the group picked their way carefully down the rock slope until they were assembled on the pebble floor of the gorge. Amaryllis looked around.

"Well, which way?" she wondered, "Is he ahead of us or behind of us?

"We'll look for the trail", Shungi said, "Everyone start looking. We'll follow it and…"

Sarkil cleared her throat, "One problem. Does anyone have any idea what a trail made by a crocodile and a bunch of snakes looks like?"

No one answered.

The hyena shook her head, "I thought not. Plus this hard ground's no good for tracking. So what exactly are our chances of finding them? Pretty minute, I'd say".

"Ridikill would know where to look for them", Babaka grumbled.

"Yeah well, that scumbag's not here", snarled Kapungu, "We don't need 'im anyway. We'll find them by scent".

"Great idea, genius", Sarkil sneered, "So what's a croc smell like? Or a python? Let's face it, what do any of us know about reptiles?"

"Well then, we'd better head south", Vitani said, "If Mamacala's ahead of us we can't risk going the wrong way, and if he's behind us we can just double back when we get to Pride Rock".

"I say we go north", Shungi countered, "Go as far as the river and if he's not there we double back".

"No way", Amaryllis shook her head, "I won't risk giving Mamacala a chance to get to Pride Rock, not while my son is…oh my God!"

Everyone started and looked at what Amaryllis was staring at with slack-jawed horror. Forty yards down the gorge to the north, and twenty feet above them, was a branch or an old tree root thrust out from the cliff face.

Coiled around it was a massive python. It was staring at them intently with its brown eyes, but when they all looked at it, it jerked back and flung its jaws open wide in a threat display.

The lions and hyenas stared up at the serpent, and it glared down at them, hissing. Then it turned away and hurriedly crawled along the cliff edge, heading back north.

The group watched it go, out of reach and unassailable.

Finally Cauron said, "Guess we go north".

Vitani nodded slowly, "Looks like it".

They went on in silence. The canyon walls grew gradually steeper and taller until they were looming forty feet over their heads on either side. Vitani found herself examining the gorge walls closely, looking for any exits that led to ground level that they might have to retreat to in an emergency. There were precious few.

The trepidation was growing worse with every step north. The group slowed down dramatically whenever they approached a corner they couldn't see around and advanced at a creep, fearing an ambush. They had no idea why they were so nervous, as they knew little of the crocodile, but in truth they had seen the fear in Ridikill's eyes and heard it in his voice, and they all knew how hard it was to daunt Ridikill. That didn't bode well.

Half an hour of travelling later Shungi spoke up, "No sign of 'em. Maybe they turned back and gave up".

They had come to a widening in the gorge. Up ahead the gorge was broader than before, almost one hundred feet across. This went on for as far as they could see up ahead. There was no sign of Mamacala. It seemed as appropriate a place to stop as any.

Amaryllis furrowed her brow, "I don't think he's turned back. Why would he just give up when he's so close to his goal?"

"Maybe that python told 'im we was coming and he decided to call it a day", Groco reared up and thrust out his scruffy chest like a pigeon, "Maybe the croc's all bark and no bite after all".

"Maybe", Vitani sounded half-convinced.

"Or maybe he just changed his route", Kapungu grunted.

Sarkil laughed suddenly, something that seemed very inappropriate in their current situation, "This is stupid", she snorted, "What do we know about this crocodile and his python pals? Nothing, that's what. We don't know where they are. We don't know how to find them. We don't know how they think. And what's more, we don't know how to fight them".

"Shut up", Vitani snapped quickly. She was determined that the band of defenders would not lose confidence, "Sure we know how to fight them".

"Oh yeah? How?"

"Well…you grab the pythons by the tail", Vitani tried to visualize and analyze the python they had seen, "You hold on tight 'cos they can't twist around that far and grab you by there. And then…"

"Actually, you grab them by the neck", someone said.

The group turned around. Standing behind them, just a few meters away, was Ridikill.

"Yeah, you grab them by the neck", Ridikill went on, "Bite down and hold on until you sever the spinal column. If you get them by the tail they'll just thrash around and twist about and get you. Just a theory, mind. From my observations of the pythons. Have yet to put it into practice".

"Thanks for the tip", Vitani said through clenched teeth, "Now what the hell are you doing here?"

Ridikill didn't answer right away.

Amaryllis spoke first, "He's come back to help us fight. Haven't you Ridikill?"

"Yeah. Yeah that's right. I turned back and followed you guys down here. So I could fight with you", he replied.

"Not a chance, traitor", Shungi bared her teeth and scowled.

"Try and stop me", Ridikill said, "I'm going to face Mamacala or die trying".

"Then you die", Kapungu answered. "It ain't happening".

"What's the matter, Ridikill? Thought you were too scared to fight Mamacala", Groco sneered, "Too frightened. All that tough-guy talk, and you're just a little wimp. Too frightened to fight! Hah!"

"Frightened?" Ridikill roared, and for a moment he appeared to be his old self, angrily refuting any sign of weakness, but then he said, "Frightened? Yes, I'm frightened. Of course I'm frightened of Mamacala. And so should you be. You don't know what you're dealing with".

"And you do", Kapungu spat, "'Cos you work for him. We ain't gonna let you fight with us. You're probably spying on us or somethin' for the croc. You'll turn on us the moment we…"

"I ain't working for Mamacala", Ridikill barked, "Not any more. I'm…" he swallowed hard, "I'm sorry".

It was obvious to everyone watching that he struggled to say those words.

"I'm sorry I started this whole thing and I'm sorry I let you down by running away", the last comment was directed at Amaryllis, "I know you can't forgive me for what I've done so I ain't gonna ask you to try. I've endangered the lives of all of you and those you care about. I deserve to die.

"But before I do I want to pay Mamacala back for…for what he's done to me. And I hope to at least begin to pay for what I've done to all of you. So I'm gonna fight Mamacala, no matter what. If you won't have me with you, I'm gonna follow you and join in the battle anyway".

Everyone looked at Ridikill. He seemed transformed. Outwardly he looked exactly the same, barbaric and villainous but his manner of speaking was quite unlike anything they'd heard from him before. He was struggling with his words a little, as if he had to force them out, but he seemed determined to say them, and Amaryllis wondered if she saw the trace of a tear in the corner of his right eye.

To everyone's surprise it was Groco who first said, "I say we take him with us".

Several of the group began to nod.

Shungi said, "Alright, we take him, but only 'cos we could use a little more info about the croc and his snake pals".

"Fine by me", Ridikill replied, "Like I said, I ain't asking no one to forgive me, but…"

"I forgive you", Amaryllis said.

He looked at her, "What?"

"I forgive you".

He looked amazed, then almost angry, "You forgive me? How?! That's impossible. After everything I've done to you! I lied, I manipulated, I was a coward, I've done…awful things. Things that could mean the end of you and everything you love. How the hell can you forgive me, Amy? How the hell can you forgive me?!"

She took a deep breath, "I know how much you struggle with your old self, Ridikill. How hard you find it to express your feelings, how you're frightened of being seen as weak by anyone else, how you use your anger to mask any weakness, and also how you feel you owe Mamacala allegiance. But I know you'll make the right choices, because…"

"Save it", Vitani whispered fiercely, "Look".

They turned to look ahead. Seven massive pythons were crawling towards them, the upper third of their bodies raised and their heads rigidly looking in their direction, unflinching. They were about three hundred yards away.

Behind and in the middle of them came Mamacala. As the reptiles drew closer, Ridikill heard many of his companions gasp. They had had so little contact with crocodiles of any sort, let alone one so terrifying as Mamacala.

And he was truly terrible to look at. His armour-plated hide, studded and keeled and crested, was bleached a dull grey by the sun's intense afternoon rays, and his white scars were all too clearly outlined all over his body. The long, powerful tail dragged in the dirt behind him, creating a small cloud of dust above and about him. His clawed feet moved him on at a slow, relaxed pace. Even from a distance the lions and hyenas could clearly see the points of his yellow teeth overhanging his gracefully fluted lower jaw, and his beady green eyes glimmering faintly in his armoured head.

"So, this is Mamacala eh?" Amaryllis said to Ridikill quietly. He didn't answer. She looked at him. His jaw was open and his eyes were wide. He was trembling uncontrollably.

Dreadful silence swallowed up the group as they saw the perpetrator of the awful chain of events that still threatened to wipe them all out draw near. He was about two hundred yards away when Burudi spoke.

"Go closer".

"Huh…what?" Vitani mumbled, spellbound by the nemesis.

"We gotta move up closer. We can't fight them near this confined space", Burudi gestured in the direction they had come from, "We need to take them out there in the open".

It made sense, but it took a very long time for the first of the group to step forward and lead the way to meet the enemy. It was Amaryllis who made the first move. Both sides advanced on each other.

Soon they were one hundred yards away. Then fifty. Then twenty. Then ten. And then both groups halted in their tracks. Mammal and reptile looked one another in the eye.

The pythons parted their sinuous bodies to make room for Mamacala to shuffle his way forward, but they never took their expressionless eyes off the lions and hyenas. The crocodile walked forward, then his legs bent underneath him and he rested on his belly. In this position the lionesses and even the hyenas were far taller than him, but he didn't seem bothered.

"Well, here we all are", he rasped, "Here we all are indeed".

No one replied.

"Whoever we are", Mamacala went on, "As I'm sure you know I received news of your movement against me thanks to one of my loyal servants", he idly flicked the tip of his tail in the direction of one of the pythons, who positively wriggled with pride, "For I've little doubt you are moving against me. Am I right?"

The answer was a long time in coming. The pythons silently stared at the lions and hyenas, unflinching and unresponsive. At last Vitani managed to muster up the bottle to talk.

"Mamacala", she said, "Listen carefully because this is the only time you'll receive this offer. In the name of King Simba and with the authority of a member of the Royal Family, I'm placing you under arrest. I'm offering you the chance to come quietly".

She expected a booming laugh or a sarcastic snort in reply. Instead Mamacala seemed to take the matter seriously.

"Under arrest eh? What for? For treason? For attempted murder? Attempted regicide? Attempted genocide?"

Slightly flabbergasted, Vitani managed to reply, "For…yeah, for all of that".

"You know, it won't be so easy to bring me down", the crocodile murmured.

The two lionesses and the hyenas tensed. Surely now the great reptile would attack.

"You see, I'm a respected representative of my species at Simba's council", Mamacala explained, "Bringing a respected individual such as myself to justice will be problematic. Who will testify against me? Who would believe that I engineered this war myself? It's a rather tall story".

"We have witnesses", Shungi pointed out.

"Oh of course you do. My loyal follower Ridikill", the crocodile angled his head slightly to peer at Ridikill, "My scout did not report that he was present with this little band of…law enforcement amateurs, so perhaps he has joined you at a later moment eh? Had a change of heart, my dear Ridikill? An attack of conscience?"

Ridikill was still trembling like a leaf. He made no attempt to reply or even look up at his former mentor.

"May I remind you that I assigned you to accompany your clan leaders into battle, and ensure that they did not survive?" Mamacala said casually, "So what are you doing so far away, eh? Let me guess. You became worried about doing the right thing, became wracked by pangs of guilt, and decided to lead a band of your closest comrades and your little lioness friends away from the danger? But they convinced you otherwise, to try and stop me from achieving my goal? And you listened to them, because you are so suggestible when your confidence is shaken, and now here you all are, in the nick of time, or so it would seem".

There was no answer.

Mamacala sighed, "Oh Ridikill, I am so disappointed to see you here. I could sense you were struggling with the enormity of the situation, but I thought I knew where your loyalties lied. After all my years of gentle guidance and…"

"And manipulation", Amaryllis said fiercely, "And using him like a pawn!"

"Hmm?" the crocodile's eyes locked onto her, "Oh. So you're Amaryllis eh? The lioness who so simply lured Ridikill away from his years of strength and solitude and indoctrinated him into conforming with a normal social life? What a waste. What an awful waste.

"Do you have any idea how much work went into creating this little paragon of ruthlessness and passion? It wasn't easy, you know. He was so young and so helpless when I found him. Afraid and alone…and yet so eager for guidance, even if it went against what his mother had always taught him was right. You should listen well, Ridikill, because you may not remember all this yourself.

"After your mother suffered her accident, Ridikill, I gave you the guidance you so desperately needed. I raised you to hate weakness and to drive all such frailties from your soul. You didn't need to think: I did that for you. I made you what you are. I'm practically your father. And yet this is how you repay me? You turn on me, and for what? For this lioness? For a friend?

"My dear hyena, friends are fleeting. They come and go quicker than the rains. You think this lioness will want to be your friend forever? One day she will move on, leave these lands, find a mate, have cubs, settle down, grow old. Do you honestly believe you will still be a part of her life then? This is what you betray me for, lay your life down for?"

"I…" Ridikill stuttered and he still did not look at Mamacala, "I may not be able to be by her side forever, but what I will see, I wouldn't miss for the world".

Amaryllis looked at him, amazed and touched, and tried to reassure him that she'd never abandon him, but Mamacala spoke first, "How eloquent. But short-sighted. Oh Ridikill, what happened to you? I encouraged your friendship with this lioness so you could instigate this war, not so that you'd become as weak as her. I gave you your goals. What on earth happened?

"Ahh, but we know what happened, don't we?" he looked at Amaryllis, "You happened. You swooped in and gave Ridikill something precious. You gave my little protégé something he'd never had before: a real friendship. A taste of genuine tenderness and selfless concern for his well-being despite his horridness; you saw something underneath his shell of strength. How disgustingly sweet.

"But I warn you all not to underestimate Ridikill. So you've let him back into your ranks after all he's done to you? What makes you so certain he wouldn't do it all again, eh? He obeys me, don't you Ridikill? Whether he likes it or not. Look at me, Ridikill. Look at me!"

Slowly, irresistibly, Ridikill raised his shamed head and looked at Mamacala with haunted eyes.

"Come closer, child".

The hyena stepped towards him.

"Ridikill, no!" Amaryllis cried, "You don't have to listen to him anymore! You don't owe him anything! And you don't have to fear him! We'll protect you and fight for you".

"Oh, you truly have no comprehension of how utterly I own this creature's very soul", Mamacala cooed; Amaryllis glared at him furiously, "Still, I'll give you a little credit. Your little friendship almost prevented me from claiming my prize".

"Not almost", Amaryllis snarled, growing angrier and angrier with each passing second, "Has. You've lost".

"I think not", Mamacala's stone-hard face had not changed expression, and his eyes were cold as ever, "It won't be so easy to take me into custody. Do you think these scars are for decoration?"

"I don't believe you're half as tough as you make others think", Amaryllis hissed, "You…you monster. You're too afraid to fight for yourself. So you get your servants to do your dirty work for you. Like the pythons and Ridikill. You…you use them as puppets!"

"Oh! Ho ho ho!" Mamacala boomed a short laugh, "I like that. Puppets eh? That would make me…the puppet master? I like it. Oh yes, I like it. Has a nice ring to it. Hahaha! 'Step right up, step right up! Come one, come all! Come and see the master of the puppets, the puppeteer! Watch as he amazes you with what he makes the puppets do! Come one, come all! No strings attached!' Ho ho ho!"

"You're…insane…" Vitani stared with a mixture of wonder and terror.

"So they say!" Mamacala laughed heartily, sending shudders down the spines of the mammals, but then he calmed down swiftly, "But don't you understand? You're all my puppets. You've all been played. You are the puppets, I pull your strings, I make you move, I'm the Master, causing you to do what you do. But you, Ridikill, especially. You…you see what I want you to see and you turn into whatever I want you to be, whatever that may be, enemy or ally".

He stared down his shocked and horrified audience, "But don't assume puppeteering is my only talent. I could lay you all low without difficulty myself. But I'm feeling generous today, not to mention I'm in a bit of a rush. I have business at Pride Rock. So, I'm going to make you a one-time offer: stand aside, withdraw and I'll let you all live. You decide, and decide quickly".

"Withdraw?" Groco said incredulously, surprising everyone, "You twisted old fool. What do you think we're here for? You'll get to Pride Rock over our dead bodies. Not before".

"So be it. Time to pull some strings, eh? Be warned though: the snake strikes faster than the eye can chase it", Mamacala took a few steps back, "What a shame"; he looked at his python followers, "To me, my loyal serpents! Do as your Master bids!"

There was a frenzied screech from the seven giant snakes, and then they bolted forward. In a split second, battle was finally joined.

The assault of the pythons took the lions and hyenas by surprise. The speed at which the snakes struck out at them was horrifying. Vitani, Ridikill, Groco and Sarkil managed to leap out of the way in time.

The rest however, felt for the first time in their lives what is was like to be the rodent who is captured by the viper. Each hyena was seized by a set of horrible python jaws in a blur of motion far too fast to follow, Amaryllis too. Hooked teeth dug into fur and skin like a vice, and then with a quick flex of body muscles the helpless prey was suddenly drawn towards the suffocating coils.

One python was still unengaged. It hissed in a horrible voice and then approached the aghast Ridikill, Vitani, Groco and Sarkil.

"Oh God…" Groco murmured, looking the python in its murderous eyes.

Ridikill however was transformed now that he was no longer under Mamacala's scrutiny, "Don't be afraid! Nail him! Go for the head and neck! We need to get the others free!"

Amaryllis and the other hyenas struggled furiously as silky smooth bodies rippling with bone-breaking muscles curled around them gently.

The seventh python slid forward, mouth open wide. It was a fearsome sight. Vitani, Groco and Sarkil stared helplessly for a moment. With an angry growl, Ridikill lunged at it. The python struck out, but Ridikill dodged just out of range and, while the python was drawing itself back for a second strike, he pounced towards it and snapped his own pair of deadly jaws.

His aim was good but the python slipped aside at the last second, and so instead of tearing the vulnerable throat out he instead gripped the snake by the body. The python reared up and struck, fastening its teeth into Ridikill's shoulder in return.

But before it could coil around him Vitani charged forward and sank her fangs into the snake's body. Her teeth plunged past the tough hide and she tasted blood. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her enemy let go of Ridikill and loom above her. But as it dived towards her she released her grip and pounced at the small head, paws and claws extended. She caught the python by the neck with her claws and tackled it to the floor with her momentum. The throat of the squirming creature was pinned before her. As it lashed her with its tail and body she tore into it.

The python didn't stop thrashing but she knew it was dead: she'd once heard from a secretary bird that dead snakes could go on wriggling for quite some time, and the injury she'd inflicted was too sever for any creature to survive.

Sarkil and Groco watched in amazement as the giant python died before their very eyes. Ridikill picked himself up. He was bleeding from an ugly wound on the shoulder.

"Thanks", he gasped, nodding in the direction of Vitani.

"No problem. You're injured".

Ridikill ignored the last remark, "Come on, we gotta get 'em off the others. Sarkil, Groco! Come on!"

Sarkil and Groco seemed to wake up from their stupor. The lioness and the three hyenas leapt towards their friends. As they did Vitani looked past the skirmish to see where Mamacala was and whether or not he was advancing or retreating.

He was gone.

But she had no time to worry about it now. Amaryllis had managed to wrench herself free of her assailant. She swatted at it with her paw and dealt a glancing blow to its head. The stunned python violently jerked away from her, and as it did a length of its tail whipped through the air and nearly cracked Vitani across the face.

Ridikill had already seized one python in between his teeth and was tugging furiously, trying to free Burudi. Groco was doing much the same to the snake holding Cauron, and Sarkil was trying to rescue Babaka. They were having limited success.

Amaryllis gasped for air, winded and badly shaken by the grip of the constrictor. She managed to collect enough wit to slap back at her attacker as it swept towards her again. It dodged. She swung with her paws repeatedly: this time she landed a powerful crack to the skull. The dazed python slumped to the floor. Amaryllis forgot about it and turned her attention to the snake still trying to wrap its length around Shungi.

The gorge became a hellish cacophony of hissing pythons, yelling hyenas and roaring lionesses. Mamacala's snakes whirled and thrashed about, lightning fast and incredibly strong. When part of their lithe bodies struck one of the lionesses or the hyenas, either with intent or by chance, it knocked the unfortunate victim flying. The lionesses and hyenas, on the other hand, darted back and forth between the pythons, freeing their comrades, sometimes by yanking the snake off or otherwise pulling the hyena from between the suffocating coils.

When at last everyone was free, the six remaining pythons twisted to face their opponents and hissed menacingly. The mammals snarled back at them.

"We need to retreat", Ridikill bellowed, "Everyone follow me!"

He turned about and galloped back south. Surprised, the rest blindly followed suit just as the snakes attacked. But fast as the serpents were to strike, they were slow in a straight pursuit. They watched their quarry disappear from view.

"After them! For Lord Mamacala!" Kachero wailed, and his followers bolted down the gorge as fast as they could.

Not far ahead, the lionesses and hyenas were still running.

"Mind telling us why we're retreating?" Babaka demanded to know.

"Shut up! Keep going!" was Ridikill's only reply.

They went on. After quarter of a mile more Ridikill halted suddenly.

"Alright, this is far enough. It'll take them a few minutes to catch up", he turned to the others, "Look, we need to talk strategy and I don't want them…" he jerked his head back in the direction they had come from, "…to hear it. Did anyone see where Mamacala went?"

Everyone shook their head no.

"So you noticed that too", Vitani murmured, "He just disappeared. One moment he was there, the next he was gone. He vanished".

"Nonsense", Ridikill scorned, "He can move quick when he wants to. He just scrambled away, that's all".

"Shoot", Shungi spat; a loose tooth and a few drops of blood sprayed onto the rock floor, "He must have given us the slip. Gone round. On his way to Pride Rock right now".

"That's what I figured", Ridikill nodded, "If he's en route, he's our priority. Screw the snakes. We need to go after him now".

"No way", Cauron argued, "We deal with this one problem at a time. Take out the snakes first, then go get him. We don't know where he is. We'd be wasting our time looking for him now, and time is something we don't got on our side".

"Why don't we split up?" Groco suggested, "Half of us stay here and take on the snakes when they get here, and the other half go after Mamacala".

"Hell no", Ridikill snorted, "I don't think we can stop Mamacala, but I do think if we're going to have any chance of it we're going to need everything all of us has. If we split up we're weakened. Come on, you guys have seen him for yourselves now. Anyone really want to take him on with just four or five of us there?"

"I guess you're right", Vitani said, "But if we go for Mamacala now, well, like Cauron said, we don't know where he is. We'd be looking for a needle in a haystack. And if we run away from the pythons now, we'll lose track of them too. We need to stay in control here".

"So…we deal with the pythons first?" Amaryllis guessed, "Take them on here and now, and quickly, and then go after Mamacala. Since he's not fast on the march, we should overtake him before he gets to Pride Rock. Right?"

"Right", Vitani said, "Anyone disagree?"

The hyenas all, one after the other, shook their heads. Ridikill shrugged and said, "Yeah, sounds like our best option, I s'pose".

"Good", Vitani turned to face back north, "Now…"

The six remaining giant pythons were darting towards them, jaws agape and tails whipping and flailing about madly.

Kachero reared up ten feet of his length, looming over the startled mammals, and bellowed, "The Master will not be denied!"

Before the misfit band of hunters could defend themselves, the pythons were upon them.