Author's notes: Hey yet again. Yet another chapter for y'all. Hopefully I can keep 'em coming fairly consistently now that work's calmed down again. Thank you all for the feedback, also I changed the rating of the story. That was something that completely passed my mind over when I was writing it. That's what I need reviews for, hehe.

Anyway, read and review if you're up to it. 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

"No…no…it's not possible", Shungi whispered, staring at the crocodile with unabashed terror, "How…how?"

Mamacala laughed, a booming, harsh noise in the stifling silence of the still early evening heat.

"You unfortunate little creatures. You honestly believed your feeble efforts could topple that which has seen more seasons than all of you combined, twice over? The result of more than a century of growth, gathering strength and cunning? How egocentric of you".

"But…but we…we killed…" Groco stuttered.

"Well yes it would appear that way, to the untrained eye. But we crocodiles, the greatest of all species, have the ability to slow our metabolism to a degree you fast-paced mammals could never comprehend. One heart beat per minute, if we feel the need to submerge for hours. To all but the canniest fellow crocodile, we appear as one dead.

"A useful trick. Used primarily, as I said, to stay submerged for long periods of time, but it turned out to be equally useful for fooling a band of ragtag mammals tearing at my hide.

"And rest assured that you have not inflicted any significant damage to me. Although, to give full credit to you and your friend there", he nodded in the direction of Vitani's body, "I daresay one or two of you managed to give me new scars. But that's all. Now…shall we?"

He arched his back, bared his maw and hissed.

Ridikill shook all over as he stared at Mamacala. He knew what had to be done, but he was loath to do it. And there was no time to sit around contemplating it.

"Listen", he barked, "Everyone go. I'll stay here on my own and fight him".

"Go?" Amaryllis echoed, "What do you mean?"

"We don't know for sure that Kiara made it to Simba in time. And if she didn't, then everything we've done is for nothing and he's won. We need our message to get through. All of you go. I'll stay here".

"But why stay alone?" Shungi asked, "Surely we should divide…"

"Whoever stays behind to fight him dies", Ridikill snapped, "The fewer that stay behind, the better. We got no chance of killing him with just us here. All we can do is make sure he doesn't get his way with Pride Rock. One will be enough to do that. All that's needed is to slow him down".

"And you think you can do that on your own?" Groco stared, "He'll rip through you like…"

"I can cope on my own. I'll slow him down long enough. Now go. No more questions! Go!"

The hyenas took one last look at each other, and then quickly scrambled up the slope. They wasted no more time and bolted away.

Amaryllis remained behind, halfway up the slope.

"Go", Ridikill kept his eyes on the hissing crocodile, "Amy, just go. I'll deal with this alone".

"Why?" a tear trickled down Amaryllis' cheek, "Why do you…?"

"Why does he feel the need to stay behind on his own?" Mamacala croaked suddenly, "Isn't it obvious? You feel responsible for what's occurred on this great day, don't you Ridikill? And you want to right your wrongs and sacrifice your life to 'slow me down' and assure things don't go my way, correct?"

Ridikill nodded and spoke between gritted teeth, "Yes. That's right".

"Oh dear", Mamacala sighed, "There really is no hope for you, is there?"

"I'm staying to help you", Amaryllis locked her gaze on Mamacala and slinked back down into the gorge.

"Amy, no!" Ridikill roared, "I said go! I won't have you dying for something I did. Now get moving!"

"Listen, you!" Amaryllis said fiercely, "You're my friend, and I am not leaving you to die alone! I could never live with myself knowing I had abandoned you to death. Now for once in your life, shut up and accept help!"

Ridikill looked at her, stunned, but the instant he took his eyes off Mamacala the crocodile spoke.

"Ridikill, you honestly believe this creature and others like it deserve to live and you to die? Even though you were raised to be far better?"

"Yes", Ridikill eyed his enemy fearlessly, "I'm no better than they are, and neither are you".

Mamacala snorted irritably, "Of course I am. I am a Godling compared to these weaklings. They don't deserve to live".

"They deserve to choose for themselves!"

"Then you will die with them!" Mamacala launched himself at Ridikill and almost caught the hyena in his wake. Ridikill dodged aside but the reptile shunted violently to his left and managed to slam his bulky body into Ridikill.

Ridikill went spinning across the canyon floor and landed in a heap on the dusty floor. Mamacala surged forward to devour him.

"Join them in extinction!" the crocodile screamed.

Seconds before his teeth could close on the stunned Ridikill Amaryllis leapt forward, seized the hyena by the nape of the neck with her jaws like he was a cub and in one fluid motion bounded out of the reach of Mamacala.

Ridikill, eyes wide, found his feet and Amaryllis released him.

"Think it's about time you started accepting a little help?" Amaryllis almost smiled.

"I…listen, you should just…" Ridikill stuttered.

"Just accept it, Ridikill. I'm staying with you and helping you out. 'Til the end".

Mamacala cocked his head and waited patiently. He seemed interested.

Ridikill didn't know what to say.

"But if we're going to slow him down, I hope you have some kind of plan", Amaryllis looked at the behemoth reptile, "Because I think Groco was right. I don't know if we'll even slow him down for five minutes".

"I got a few ideas", Ridikill narrowed his eyes, "Just…follow my lead, okay?"

"Got ya. But what I don't get is why did he let the others go? He must know that if they get to Simba…"

"I know this", Mamacala's eyes glinted, "If your friends make it to the pride and the clan's battle, it will make no difference to this day's events".

Ridikill and Amaryllis stared at him.

"You see", he went on, "I haven't made my plans idly, trusting to mere chance and circumstance to assure my ascension to power. No, I have placed my faith in the very nature of both lion and hyena.

"You may believe that your unique little friendship proves that your two kinds can make peace, but it is not so. For longer than even I have lived lion and hyena have warred: for food, for territory, for power, for thrills, for pure hatred. That hatred runs deep, far deeper than a twisted friendship between two mismatched individuals, no matter how profound they may believe it to be.

"Perhaps you hope that your faith in each other will change things, but you do not see your kind for what they truly are. The nature of you all is that cannot see the world as I do".

"What are you talking about?" said Amaryllis.

"Just this, child. Emotions rule your kind. Both species lack the cool-headed clarity to step back from a situation and calculate your options, or what is best for you. As such, do you think news that this war was arranged will stop your pack mates from fighting? Oh no. They will fight and kill until none are left, now that the bloodshed has started".

"You're wrong", Amaryllis snarled in disgust, but at the same time she felt doubt creeping upon her. Most of the pride hated the hyenas. Would they really disperse once the truth was revealed? Or would they lose themselves to the moment and use it to slaughter each other? Would they listen to Kiara's message? Would they…want to listen?

"Deny it all you want, lioness", Mamacala cooed, "But it's the truth. My plans hinge on it, and I do not plot idly. And with the lions and hyenas of the Pride Lands destroyed, the folk of this land will know a true ruler. One who will bring in a new age of respect for those who have lurked in the shadows of the lions for so long".

"Hah!" Ridikill barked, "You actually believe the Pride Landers will accept you as their ruler?"

"Oh yes, I know it. The herds recognize authority when they see it. And now, enough talk. I don't need to justify myself to my victims. Do you justify your actions to the wildebeest? No. Then sit back and do as they do: accept their fate. The destiny to be prey to a superior beast!"

He lunged. Ridikill turned and ran a few steps, and Amaryllis followed suit just in time. Mamacala's attack fell a few feet short, but he was after them instantly, hurtling towards them and snapping left and right.

"Move it!" Ridikill yelled, and he led Amaryllis in a swift retreat down the canyon.

"What are we going to do?" she glanced back over her shoulder and saw the crocodile was frighteningly close. She picked up the pace.

"We wear him out", Ridikill replied, "By baiting him. We retreat when he goes for us, and we go back in and nail him when we got the chance. But don't take no risks. This is gonna require both of us. Got it?"

Amaryllis nodded, "Yeah, but…"

Ridikill was not running by her side anymore. She wheeled about and saw him galloping back towards the oncoming crocodile.

"Ridikill! What are you…?"

When he was within two feet of the tooth-laden prehistoric jaws, Ridikill leapt. He sailed above Mamacala, who jerked his head upward and just missed the target. Ridikill landed on Mamacala's iron-hard back plates, then instantly he launched himself into the air again just as the crocodile swung about and clapped his jaw shut in the air Ridikill had just occupied.

The hyena had cleared the gigantic crocodile's length, but he hit the ground running. Mamacala was after him immediately. The crocodile hissed and gurgled furiously as he trundled after Ridikill.

And then Amaryllis realized Ridikill's plan and saw her moment. She charged at the crocodile's unprotected back and sank her fangs into his right hind leg. She managed to drive her teeth past the thick scales and draw blood.

She felt the crocodile shudder and begin to turn. Immediately she let go and backed off just as the giant pile-driver tail pounded the dirt where she had just stood.

Mamacala lurched about, heaving his one tonne body about with difficulty to face Amaryllis. But as he did Ridikill hurled himself forward and worried Mamacala's tail.

"Aaargh!" Mamacala bellowed, more in frustration than in pain. He was bleeding from separate wounds now but he felt no real pain, just a vague sense of discomfort. But as he swept back and forth, each time more and more desperate to catch his foes between his teeth, a dull ache spread through his veins and he recognized the first warning signs of fatigue.

Ridikill, perhaps sensing weakness, lunged forward and bit the base of Mamacala's tail. Again he tasted blood.

The taunting and baiting of Mamacala continued for some time. How long Ridikill did not know. He loathed the method of destroying his former mentor, but it was the only option. The fight went on this way. The sun sank lower in the darkening sky. A red haze descended on the Pride Lands as evening wore on.

Eventually Mamacala slowed to almost a stop. He had to drag himself to and fro instead of swinging back and forth nimbly, and judging by his rapidly pulsating dewlap he was obviously exerting himself. At last he stopped moving altogether and lay flat, head bowed in the dust.

"Okay, finish him off", Ridikill said grimly, as much to himself as to Amaryllis. He was sweaty and exhausted, and stained with reptilian blood.

He wanted to finish this quickly. He could barely believe his old master had finally fallen. While it occurred to him the crocodile could be feigning defeat again, the flowing blood staining the dirt said otherwise.

Amaryllis and Ridikill closed in quietly. Ridikill approached the ancient head and Amaryllis crept towards the torso, which was upturned slightly, displaying the relatively vulnerable white belly.

"Make it quick", Amaryllis said, closing her mind off to what she was about to do.

"Right", Ridikill looked at the unprotected, heaving throat and stepped forward.

"Oh please", Mamacala smirked.

The crocodile leapt back to life. He struck out with his head and caught Ridikill in the ribs. The hyena went spinning across the canyon. Mamacala struck out with his tail. Amaryllis was flung to the floor.

"Is that the best you could do, Ridikill?" the crocodile sneered, "And to think you genuinely thought you could destroy me".

Ridikill wasn't even surprised that Mamacala had been feigning defeat again. He knew it was a mistake to be so optimistic when going up against the invincible crocodile.

"It'll take more than a few pathetic flesh wounds for you to defeat me, Ridikill", Mamacala was approaching Ridikill slowly, "I've survived wounds that would slay one of your kind ten times over".

Mamacala's massive webbed foot pinned the barely conscious hyena to the floor. There was no fight left in Ridikill. He'd been beaten to within an inch of his life and he knew Amaryllis was in the same state. They couldn't keep fighting the unstoppable pillar of strength that was Mamacala. But at least they'd given it their all and given the rest of them a chance to…

Mamacala exerted a little pressure. It drove the breath out of Ridikill. His eyes bulged and he gasped for air.

"Realize…" Mamacala whispered, "Realize how utterly helpless you truly are…"

Ridikill looked up into the rows of piercing, conical teeth and finally saw his death. He was determined to face it. But before he did, he was going to look at Amaryllis one last time and thank her for everything…

Slowly, painfully, he turned his head towards Amaryllis, who was struggling towards him. He wanted to tell her it was okay, or to tell her to get out of there while she still had the chance. He struggled to muster the breath to speak.

"Well well, no last words?" Mamacala's green eyes glinted.

"Y…yeah. Amy…th…thank you. Don't give up just for me. And as for you…" he glared defiantly at his adversary, "Well…I guess this is 'see ya later, alligator' huh?" he spat on the reptile's snout.

"Ridikill…no…" Amaryllis dragged herself towards Ridikill.

Mamacala bristled with anger, then his jaws unfurled and reached out for Ridikill's helpless body to close about him in a snare of ivory fangs.

Ridikill didn't close his eyes. His death seemed odd, not like he'd have ever had imagined it. The killing jaws were about to close on him, and then they froze inches from his body for what seemed like an eternity. The moment just seemed to stretch on and on forever, like a horrendous, slow-motion torture. Ridikill began to wonder if they'd ever slam shut and finish him. Or maybe he was already dead, and this was the afterlife, where he was doomed to gaze for eternity into the jaws of death?

He blinked. He felt the sting of tears and pain throughout his body. Could you feel pain after you were dead? He wasn't sure. The crushing weight on his torso forced a hacking cough out of his bruised mouth. Did you cough in the afterlife? Was he even dead?

He chanced looking around. He was still on the floor of Backbone Gorge. Mamacala was still pinning him, but the jaws had withdrawn. Amaryllis was still off to one side, but both Mamacala and Amaryllis weren't looking at him. They were staring at the cliff walls.

And that was when Ridikill noticed the dozens and dozens of lions and hyenas perched on the edge of the gorge cliff walls, looking down at them.

"Stand down, Mamacala!" a voice roared. Ridikill recognized it as King Simba's.

Mamacala gazed up into the furious eyes of…a lot of lions and hyenas. It was difficult to say how many there were, but all he could say with any degree of certainty was that even he was ridiculously outgunned.

"Get your stinkin' claws off Ridikill!" Banzai snarled, stepping forward with the familiar faces of Shenzi and Ed, "We'll decide what happens to him. Now back off!"

Slowly, Mamacala moved off Ridikill, never taking his eyes off the amassed mammals staring down at him. The wretched lioness Amaryllis grabbed Ridikill by the nape of the neck and towed him out of reach.

"Oh", was all Mamacala could say to the assembled lions and hyenas of the Pride Lands, "Oh".

"'Oh' indeed", Simba said, his mane flowing and his eyes stern and wrathful, "So, you planned to have us all destroy each other, huh? So you could climb to power yourself?"

"Yeah, well sorry to disappoint you, swamp-toad", Shenzi barked, her normally suave and calm composure gone, "But that ain't happening. But what is going to happen is we're gonna redecorate this gorge with an interesting new colour called 'hint of crocodile'. Come on, guys!"

"Wait, wait!" Mamacala bellowed, "Let's be reasonable. Simba, I've served you faithfully for many years! Am I not at least entitled to a fair trial?"

"Sorry, but I'm with her on this one", Simba nodded in Shenzi's direction, then turned to his followers, "Bring him down!"

As one, nearly a hundred hyenas and over thirty lions charged down the side of the gorge towards the alarmed crocodile.

Mamacala whirled about and with surprising speed scooted away. He wasted no time with a passing comment or a plea for mercy: he simply ran for his life.

Ridikill watched the crowd of lions and hyenas, wall-to-wall, pursuing the crocodile, who was lost in a mass of bodies. The dog hyena struggled for a moment to maintain consciousness, then shook himself awake and stood up shakily on his quaking legs.

"Are you alright?" a voice said next to him. It was Amaryllis.

"Yeah. Never better", Ridikill tottered slightly; Amaryllis moved to support him.

"Guess they got over their differences after all", she said, watching the last pursuing lions and hyenas disappear around a bend.

"Guess so", Ridikill spat abruptly: a few drops of blood and a molar tooth shot out.

"So what happens now?" Amaryllis muttered.

"I dunno", Ridikill replied, "But technically I'm still a conspirator. Only…"

"Vitani!" a voice screamed next to him, painfully loud. He shuddered.

Kiara ran to Vitani's body. Several other lions and hyenas had remained behind with her to tend to any wounded.

"No!" Kiara wailed, "No! No!"

Amaryllis sobbed suddenly. She bowed her head and her shoulders heaved. The pain of Vitani's death had only just kicked in. Ridikill couldn't bear to look at her or Kiara. It had never left his mind for a moment that this was all his fault.

"You okay?" someone asked.

Ridikill turned. It was Groco.

"Yeah. I'm okay", Ridikill replied, then said, "Thanks, man. You didn't go with the others?"

Groco shook his head, "No. I figured you might need some help".

"I appreciate that".

"Yeah. I dunno what good it'll do. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed are mad, man. You shoulda seen 'em coming here. I don't think they're feeling generous".

Ridikill shrugged, "I figured I was gonna die here one way or the other. Just wish I hadn't taken no-one else out with me, except maybe Mamacala".

Groco smiled, "You've changed. For the better. Maybe Shenzi will be merciful after all".

"I doubt it. Anyway, how did you…"

He was interrupted by a piercing cry from Kiara.

"She's alive!"

Ridikill and Groco exchanged looks, then dashed over to where Kiara and Amaryllis were tending to Vitani.

The battered and bloodied Vitani was looking about, blinking in a bewildered fashion. Ridikill started. He had been certain Vitani was carrion.

"Hmm? Huh? Where am I?" Vitani said thickly, "Ki…Kiara? Amy? What's going on?"

"You're okay!" Amaryllis sobbed and buried her face in her fur, "She's okay!"

Kiara and Amaryllis nuzzled Vitani lovingly. She looked at them, dumbfounded and confused.

"She'll need water", Ridikill said.

"I'll get it", Groco yapped.

"No, I'll…" Ridikill paused, "Actually, I think perhaps I better stay here and wait for Shenzi, Banzai and Ed to get back here. Okay, you go dude".

Groco darted away south.

Amaryllis and Kiara were still fussing over Vitani, who apparently had merely suffered mild concussion. Ridikill was pleased, although he decided to leave the lionesses to their reunion. It wasn't his place to get involved.

The other lions and hyenas were looking about uncertainly, eyeing the battlefield in disbelief. Great rocks had been gouged out of the cliff by sweeps of the crocodile's tail. Impressions were left in the dirt of the reptile's great struggle, and drying blood was spattered in the sand and on the rocks. And in the distance the carcasses of the huge pythons were strewn about.

Ridikill walked over to where Burudi lay. He stared at the mutilated body of what could have once been his friend, as if after Vitani's sudden awakening, he expected Burudi to stand up all of a sudden and reassure Ridikill that he was okay. But that wasn't going to happen. Not all of Mamacala's work could be undone.

Mamacala charged back down the gorge, body bouncing and tail slamming in the dirt behind him in an ungainly fashion. He knew his only hope was to get back to the river at the mouth of the gorge. There were far too many lions and hyenas for even him to fight off.

He hadn't gotten far down the gorge when he felt several impacts on his back. He realized several lions and hyenas had leapt on him. Nonetheless he barreled on, not daring to look back, fearing for his life for the first time in decades.

Nala tore at the crocodile's armour as she clung on grimly. Next to her the hyena Ed was biting furiously at the thick sales. Yet more lions and hyenas bounded onto the back of fleeing reptile.

Mamacala didn't even slow down. But soon he was covered in attacking lions and hyenas, all gnawing and clawing at his armour plating. And if one fell off two more leapt from the charging crowd to replace it.

Soon the mammals were positively swarming over the giant crocodile. Several lions had managed to get their long claws under his scales and into his flesh. Some hyenas had managed to crack holes in his plating and tear at his vulnerable fleshy tissue.

Mamacala slowed, not from pain or injury but the sheer weight of his attackers piling on top of him. Now more than ever in his life he was tired. So very tired. Perhaps it would be good for him to take a break, to relax, to give in…

No. Not Mamacala, Lord of the Rivers. He would survive. He would endure. He always had, and always would. He was not about to let a few miserable pussy cats and inbred mongrels extinguish his glorious life-force.

He thrashed violently. Lions and hyenas were flung off him, while some managed to cling on. He hurtled forward, ignoring the now all-too real pain torturing his ancient body. He ran faster than he ever had in his long life. It wasn't far to the river. He knew it, he could smell it…

It was fortunate for him that he was in a ravine. If they were on open ground they'd have surrounded him and pulled him down long ago. As long as he kept lashing his tail to and fro as he fled he would prevent them from caging him in.

At last, he saw the end of the gorge ahead of him! He must have been running for quite some time. There was a small stretch of open ground between the gorge and the river. Mamacala would have to chance it. He had no idea how many lions and hyenas were atop him now, tearing into him, but he wasn't about to let them stop him.

With a frightening clamour Mamacala and his pursuers spilled out of the gorge and into the open. A startled troop of zebras hooted and galloped away as the crocodile, unseen beneath a mountain of assailants, dragged himself towards the river. Several drinking elephants looked up and waved their heads and bellowed in alarm.

Simba charged at Mamacala and tore into him. The enemies were overwhelming the crocodile but he was still crawling towards the river, inch by agonizing inch. With a last spurt Mamacala bolted for the water, dragging his foes with him.

"Aaaargh!" the crocodile roared.

Shenzi, seeing Mamacala surge towards the water, raised her head and called, "Everyone off! Get out of there! Let go of him!"

Some obeyed in time. Others were dragged into the water with the crocodile with a tremendous splash. A dozen or more bewildered lions and hyenas bobbed to the surface.

At the river's edge, Nala recognized the danger "Everyone out of the water!"

Even as she spoke a dark shape materialized in the midst of the confused allies.

"Out! Now!" Banzai yelled.

They scrambled for the river bank. Mamacala rushed to the surface in the middle of them, snapping his jaws. But he was weak and weary, the attack was half-hearted; with a groan he sank below the surface.

The last of the hyenas were picking themselves out of the water. Simba approached the bank and looked into the murk.

Kovu looked at him, "Did we get him? Is he dead?"

Simba narrowed his eyes, "Maybe. I'm not sure".

"He might get tired and drown", Shenzi said, walking up to Simba with her two companions.

"Or he might die of his wounds", Banzai added.

Nala focused at a line of bubbles heading away from them. An inky trail of blood flowed behind it, "Maybe. We'll see".

Vitani was standing weakly, supported between Amaryllis and Kiara. She was slipping in and out of consciousness, but it didn't look like she'd suffered any serious damage. Sharhal and two other lionesses waited nearby.

Ridikill stood off to one side in silence, sitting on his haunches and head bowed. Several other hyenas mooched about. They had in fact been given orders from Shenzi to capture Ridikill and prevent him from escaping, but it didn't look like he was going anywhere. In fact they had the distinct impression Ridikill wasn't going to resist at all.

They heard the trotting of quick feet. Groco reappeared from around a bend. He carried half a gourd in his mouth. It was filled with water.

"Here", he said in a muffled voice.

Sharhal took it from him between her teeth and lifted Vitani's head back with her paw. She titled the contents of the gourd into her mouth. Vitani coughed and spluttered.

"We need to get her home as soon as possible", Kiara said.

"Yeah. But we should wait for the others", Amaryllis answered, "I don't want us to have to walk her home alone. But I guess hyena attack isn't a worry anymore?"

Kiara shook her head, "No. They're not interested in fighting us anymore".

"Glad to hear it", Amaryllis looked at her, "So…what happened? You got there in time to stop the fighting?"

"No. I got there and they'd already met".

"Then…then there were casualties?"

"No. They didn't fight. They met and they realized something was wrong".

"How? What do you mean?"

"Dad didn't have chance to explain it to me fully. As soon as I told him what was really going on him and the hyena leaders decided to come here as quickly as possible, to save you guys and to bring down Mamacala.

"But when I got there the two armies had assembled but nobody was making a move. Mom said to me it just felt like neither side really wanted to be there. Simba demanded a meeting with Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, and they agreed. They were just sitting down and trying to figure out how both of them had been tricked into marching to war when I arrived".

"Oh", Amaryllis smiled, "So Mamacala was wrong. We can work things out".

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Look, they're back".

The tide of lions and hyenas marched down the gorge towards them, wall-to-wall. There was no separation now: lion and hyena mingled freely and talked amongst themselves, discussing the day's events.

At the head of the column came Simba, Nala, Kovu, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed. They strode towards the waiting lions and hyenas.

Ridikill suddenly found himself nose to nose with Shenzi. The bitch hyena's yellow eyes glared into his own and her black lips curled back to show her canines. Banzai and Ed were on either side of her, snarling.

"Now", Shenzi growled, "I hate to remind everyone of another unpleasantry, but it's time to decide what we do with you, traitor."