Pocahontas reached out to touch his hand as she sat up a bit straighter, holding Koda a bit more securely, not even letting go of his breakfast through his momma's nipple, "Do not think like that, Haku Teika. It's not your fault or anyone else's fault. Time is part of this world, and we cannot stop it. It isn't set in stone as the river of time changes like a ripple. My father knew that anyone who is killed by a lot of dark magic cannot be saved, and I was in denial, depressed for a week before he set me straight, telling me that my baby needs me more than ever...He smiled brightly when he felt the first kicks of his grandchild, saying that the child will be born of greatness and love. He died not too long after that, in battle only two days later. They told me that he died with a smile on his face, and I imagined that he reunited with my mother.".
"I thank you for telling me that, Pocahontas... but it's... well, it takes a while to truly get over the guilt at times. Sometimes it's called survivor's guilt; that one shouldn't have survived that day, or that more could've been done that saved others... I guess I'm more in that second category in a way.", Haku explained.
Pocahontas blinked in surprise, "That sounds familiar...There was one man who defected from Ratcliffe, his name was Thomas. He risked his life and got killed for it. He felt guilty that he killed Kocoum, and brought John to his death indirectly. He couldn't move on without knowing that he left me a widow of sorts with an unborn baby...He was a spy for us, saying that it was the least he would have done...".
"Yeah, it's similar; in some ways.", Haku gave her a small smile. "Sorry, I don't want to burden you with all this, not today and not with what just happened with you. You're a proud mother now, you need the time to enjoy with your child.".
Pocahontas smiled softly as she looked down at Koda who hiccupped, finishing his first breakfast, and she rubbed his back as Koda hiccupped again, and Haku chuckled, "There's a bit better way to do that. May I?", reaching his hands out, and Pocahontas smiled, handing Koda to Haku who leaned the little babe over his shoulder with a swift towel on it, patting his back, and Koda burped.
"There you go, Koda.", Haku chuckled, adjusting Koda, handing him back to Pocahontas, "Turns out the over the shoulder method helps babies digest faster and get rid of gas easier than on his back downwards.".
Pocahontas smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Haku...You're a natural with him...", chuckling softly as Koda snuffled, snuggling against his momma as he yawned, falling asleep.
"I've had a bit of experience.", Haku chuckled. "Having to take care on occasion with Emma and John's five, it can be crazy sometimes... but, they are a bit older than they are at times, so it makes things a bit easier in a few cases.".
Pocahontas chuckled, "I can imagine the chaos.", with a giggle, "You would have loved the village. We all take care of the children as a community.".
Haku nodded, "That sounded quite wonderful. The team, we are close-knit, so we are family of sorts, because in soldier culture from our old realm, we call each other brothers and sisters in arms. It was weird at first, but I am glad to be an uncle of sorts to the five rascals.".
Pocahontas smiled, "That is good. We all need friends to be family in a way. Nakoma is my best friend, yet we treat each other like sisters.", before looking thoughtful with a concerned frown, "Is someone going to know that Ratcliffe is dead? Emma said something about the goon patrols.".
"Well, eventually for sure; either Clayton's former forces will find the bodies or by the time they are way overdue from showing up. Someone's going to know, but I don't how'll they'll react to his demise.", Haku explained.
Pocahontas nodded, "I see. I do hope the rebels get their homes back. Do not get me wrong, the ruins are a beautiful place, but I have seen the leader, their king, Shere Khan, looking weary. John Smith had told me that he had a best friend in a woman called Jane Porter, and that they treated each other like siblings, and that Jane Porter was married to Shere Khan and Tarzan. John was most upset when he read one of the letters that Jane was dead.".
Haku sighed, "Clayton killed her when he attacked in the first place. Shere Khan took all the surviving villagers and his children far deep into the jungle, eventually ending up at the ruins while King Tarzan was stripped of his status, his health, forced to be a slave and treated as a wild animal in prison.".
Pocahontas gasped softly, "How horrible! Are you going to attack soon?", and Haku sighed, "We do not know, because this is Shere Khan's territory, his homeland, and today was a win for the rebels when we saved you and your people...I listen to Emma, my leader, but when someone like Shere Khan is in charge, it's better to wait and not risk something else.".
"Right...", Pocahontas gave a small nod. "For all we know, the prison could be a fairly elaborate trap for all of us. We're not foolish to run into a fight; not without at least some planning and stacking some of the odds in our favor.", Haku replied.
Pocahontas smiled softly, "At least we have a bit of a respite for us to rest.", and Haku smiled genuinely, "Yes, indeed.", continuing to talk about other things like explaining about his old culture, his parents who disowned him only a week prior to his trip here to Enchantia, just for not wanting to marry a Chinese woman.
The day has passed, getting close to sunset when Scar and his lackeys, using their fastest horses on one of the easiest, secret paths through the mountains to the Congo, have arrived at camp, and Scar grew furious when he heard the news of Ratcliffe's death and the shipload of slaves missing. He knew that Clayton and Ratcliffe had a partnership with trading exotic animals for slaves or vice versa.
He made it up to the treehouse to use Clayton's old contact mirror to patch through to Pride Rock, in the war room where there's a painting of African art that had been stripped away to only glass, "Shenzi, Facilier, anyone! This is General Scar!".
Captain Shenzi was alerted to the call as she has been standing by, while commanding her brothers to have their squadrons on battle currently, and she bowed, saluting, "Captain Shenzi, awaiting to hear the report, sire!".
Scar growled, "We have lost another ally in terms of human labor. Killed by the rebels and the United Talons, I suspect. Where is Facilier? If they took slaves from me, it's time to take something from them.".
"No need to call for me, General. I'm always around, thanks to the shadows,", Facilier chuckled, emerging out from the shadow of the door, the click-clack sound of his cane on the floor as he smirked, "Time to get even, hmm? What do you wish of me to do?".
Scar narrowed his eyes, "Is General Mulan in Pride Valley?", and Shenzi nodded, "Yes, sire, she has been fighting on and off today, leading lines and lines of soldiers to my brothers' squadrons.".
Scar looked at Facilier, "Can your shadow minions do a massive capture of all her soldiers, and especially her? I want her gone for good, and if she's cursed as a donkey by your partner, the Coachman, fine! Just get rid of her!".
Facilier scratched his chin, "Hmm... it would be a very tall order... and very difficult too for me to do. Such a size would very much have a strong risk of failure." He smirked. "What would you be willing to give me in exchange for it to be done? Much less, successful?".
Scar narrowed his eyes, "As long as the successes are bigger than the failures. I'll give you the souls of my deceased troops from today.".
"Oh, someone's clearly smart.", Facilier chuckled. "I thought you'd be foolish enough to give your own soul.".
Scar raised an eyebrow, "I know better than that, Facilier, and besides, someone needs to be alive to handle Frollo.", and Facilier chuckled, "True. He's intense.", before nodding, "It'll commence at sunset in a half hour, and I'll handle that Mulan for you as a gift of courtesy.", with a smile.
"Very good.", Scar scoffed as Faclicer gave a dark grin, "Oh, I think you might want to know, I've heard from the grapevine that she's been having a close connection with one of those Talons." Scar raised an eyebrow, "How do you know that?".
"I have my ways...", Facilier smirked with a chuckle. Scar nodded, "I will not ask. Just do it. Shenzi?", and Shenzi nodded, "Here, sire.".
"Mix the newbies with the seasoned ones, so that General and her troops will think that it's normal and lead them into places where they will not find ways to escape Facilier's shadow minions, but do it subtle, understand?", Scar commanded.
"As you wish, your majesty.", Shenzi gave a sick grin as she slowly bowed and made her way out. "At least you have decent forces under your command.", Facilier chuckled.
Scar nodded, "Decent is better than poor, and Clayton's forces are poor yet dangerous. I expect a report when you're done.", and Facilier grinned, "It will be the best report, I can promise you. Good tidings, General.", slipping away into the shadows to see to his shadow minions.
Scar closed the communication connection, and exhaled, "Let's see how you can live without an ally like General Mulan, United Talons.", with a chuckle to himself.
It was a quiet night for the group as they were resting in the ruins, unaware of the plans that had been made by their enemies. Haku found himself waking up when he heard distant crying, the cries of a baby. He started to walk through the dark before he found Pocahontas feeding Koda.
"He hungry?", Haku chuckled as Pocahontas looked up at him. Pocahontas smiled, "Yes. He's happy that he's safe..He already did bathroom facilities for the first time earlier. Who knew that diapers can be so smelly?".
Haku laughed heartily, "You are going to learn how to keep him clean and dry as it will happen often every day. Having an appetite already is good.".
"At least he seems he'll be okay... after everything that had happened... I was worried he might...", Pocahontas trailed off. "Have issues?", Haku finished with an understanding smile, and she nodded as he sat down next to her.
Haku smiled softly, and caressed Koda's cheek with a gentle finger, "He's happy-go-lucky. It means that he's got a positive attitude. He's going to be a great man with an open mind wherever he goes, with compassion, hope, and love in his heart.".
"I hope he'll be able to have that sort of life someday... it still seems so dark right now...", Pocahontas said as Haku nodded.
"I understand; after all the losses you've suffered, I know it's probably hard to think there much good left out there... but there is... right here is proof.", he rubbed Koda's head tenderly with a soft smile.
Pocahontas smiled lightly, "Yes, you're right, Haku...Koda is proof of my love and John Smith. I have hope.".
Haku nodded, "That's right, keep ahold of that, and it will be all right. You will see, Pocahontas.", with a warm smile, and Pocahontas nodded, seeing that he is so absolutely sure of it, starting to believe it now.
Elsewhere, far down from the Congo, across the mountains, in Pride Valley, battle is ensuing everywhere.
With the time that was gained in regrouping; as well as the fact that the pretty much many of the lands had now been freed and were united against Scar and Frollo now; the tide was very much against them, and if things didn't change fast; they'd join all the others. In Pride Valley, Mulan was leading a task force to probe Scar's major positions where they could find a good place to either launch an attack or draw Scar's forces into a battle and perhaps break their way to Scar's seat of power itself.
It was confusing and bewildering, loud and chaotic as the troops of General Mulan found the squadron of Captain Shenzi, and began fighting, with shouts and battle cries filling the air, and spit/blood splattered throughout the ground, on flesh and armor.
However, things were turning dire fast for Shenzi as she clearly underestimated just how much the fighting had changed in only a few months. Mulan's forces were suddenly better trained to combat her troops and their moral and equipment matched it as well. In short, she was losing way too many troops at such a rapid fashion while barely causing many casualties on Mulan's forces. And she had her outnumbered at the start!
Shenzi then noticed something she got used to seeing, yet it still creeps her out a bit, seeing Facilier slip out of the shadows, and gave one single nod. Shenzi knew it's time, and she pretended to panic, "Fall back, Blackguards, fall back!", leading the troops and General Mulan into thinking that they are able to finish the job with the cliffs surrounding their enemies' backs.
"General, do we pursue?", one of the troops asked as she stopped for a second. Something was nagging her in the back of her mind. This seemed off. She had run into Shenzi's forces before, she knew how she commanded. Retreating into the nearby cliffs with nowhere else to go. She had driven Shenzi back, but she always had better planning in case the battle would turn south for her.
Other commanders that Scar had like her brothers might be dumb enough to make this mistake, but not her. So, what on Earth was she planning?
Mulan frowned, "We have killed off more of her troops today than before. Many of them were newbies, due to their lackluster skills of swordsmanship. She must be noticing that we are stronger than them. Spread out to block them in case if they are looking to slip away.", and the troop nodded, passed on the word.
Mulan went straight for Shenzi, remembering Jason's words about cutting off heads. Well, Shenzi is a minor head, but she works under Scar, and that would work for Narnia's advantage in a way.
It still nagged her about the situation; but Mulan wasn't going to pass up a chance to strike a critical blow to Scar; especially if that could help Jason in the next few weeks. She moved fast with a small token force with her to watch her back at least.
The two women battled and fought for several minutes, and then Mulan heard screams near and far, and she stopped in confusion as they weren't battle screams, but screams of fear and desperation, and she then saw her troops being attacked by shadow minions, falling through black shadow holes, and...nothing.
It happened so fast, seeing faces she knew at camp, and she was then alone, with Shenzi, and a tall, dark man smirking at her, "Say hello to my partner, General Fa Mulan.", before whistling low and sharp, and then a huge shadow minion grabbed into her.
She fought back, swinging her sword and kicking, but the minion was too strong, and then she saw it, the black shadow hole that took her troops, and now is going to take her. She fought back even harder, furrowing her feet into the ground, and she was pushed, falling down to the ground, grabbed by the feet.
She screamed, reaching for her blossom flower necklace, touching it, "Cri-", but before she even finished saying it, she was enveloped in darkness, tears falling, her mind racing with memories of her family, her friends, and Jason. She doesn't want to die! She has too much to live! She hadn't even experienced her first time with Jason!
She vanished into the nothingness as Shenzi chuckled, "Well, I must hand it to you, conjurer, I didn't think you'd actually be able to pull it off.".
"Oh, it's much easier than you would think, but you played your part perfectly.", Facilier said as he walked up to her. "Truly devastating loss, I would think, to both Mickey and those Talons.".
"Scar will be very pleased. We might be able to regain our former strength and push them back to the brink once more soon.", Shenzi smiled wickedly with a laugh.
"Perhaps... but there is one problem.", Faciler said as he was now only inches in front of her. "That is-?", Shenzi looked at him funny before her whole body went limp from a sharp pain she felt in her chest. Her eyes looked down to see the blade that Facilier had up his sleeve now sticking in her chest.
"Payment.", Facilier smiled. "The souls of fallen forces is nice and all, but I'd much rather take a more... fresher and stronger soul. Scar was smart enough not to offer his own... but I don't remember him saying that I couldn't have yours instead.".