... and embrace the past

Days of great change are, without exception, never acknowledged for what they are when they take place, and they always leave those who are to take part in them oblivious until after the events that were to shape history have already come to pass. Days of great change, much like the personalities to shape them, never formally present themselves. It has indeed been said you always see such days coming, but only in retrospect. This day would prove to be no different.
't Was just any other day, just one more day of the ever ongoing drought. One more day of famine, of tensions, of scorching heath. Much like it had for the past weeks, it once again seemed as if the sun didn't even bother to come up, obscured by thick packs of clouds. Clouds that didn't let loose one drop of rain, but just remained inert in the sky, blocking all off light like an enormous shroud that covered the Pridelands and Outlands in thirst, hunger and death. I, of course, didn't see it that way; to me, it was all just a cunning lion trick to annoy me, to mess up my biorhythm. What else could you expect of a youngling like me, who never questioned where food or water came from, and who just believed whatever tale the grown-ups made up to get away from the never-ceasing curiosity of the young. After all, if your parents are up high enough in the hierarchy, droughts and famines never really concern you, especially not when your mother's the matriarch: although food wasn't aplenty, I have to admit I never seemed to be short of it, unlike a lot of others who did suffer greatly from the drought. To ensure things stayed that way, mother once again readied herself for a journey to Priderock, to do nothing short of beg for more food from the King Taka. Where he was to procure that food in the given circumstances, only the Spirits know. As always, the 'odd-couple' (whom only mother and a few others bothered to call by their actual names, Edward and Banzaï) tagged along as mother's only modestly useful acolytes. I still wonder why they bothered, seeing as how them being born in the clan ensured they'd never become her mate.
Anyhow, mom was getting ready to head for Priderock, which was at the time not our actual residence, as about half the clan lived at Priderock, whilst the other half (including me) still had their den at the Elephant Graveyard. Mom had previously lived at the Priderock too, she only returned to her former home at the Elephant Graveyard after me and my sis had been born, a decision which no one understood at the time but which probably saved my life.

Me, dad and Shenya, my sister, were there too, to wish mom good luck on her begging-plea, although only dad really understood what mom was doing; I just considered it one of her many trips made for no good reason whatsoever.

"What humiliation you should beg for food… you, the Matriarch" dad grumbled in his defining cold manner, "Watch yourself out there, all right?"

"I'll watch myself all right, you just make sure ya watch the kids. Make sure they don't do nothing stupid, got it?"

"Hey, Shenzi, cut the small-talk already will ya? We're starving out here! I'm sure Mikhail will still be 'round when we get back," Banzaï interrupted. As always, Edward just giggled, seemingly oblivious to the world. My guess is he got a bit too little oxygen at birth, but I could be mistaking; he isn't around to tell anymore.

"Righ, ya heard 'em, gotta go. See ya soon, darling," mom quickly uttered before kissing dad, "And you guys too. Keep an eye on dad for me, all right?"

Me and Shenya just saluted, as if we'd been given a real assignment. Ignorance is bliss, I suppose.
After one last lick of the manes with me and sis, mom took off. Now, dad was in charge, and he had planned to put his authority over us to good use: he wanted to take us to a small plateau nearby, so we could get a view on he entire Pridelands, which was only fitting now that it belonged to us as well. Mom, however, had never let us out of the den's protection, so we had never gotten a chance to actually see the Pridelands. But now, she wasn't around, now was she? So we went ahead and looked for a nice lookout.
Of course, the ongoing drought kinda put a damper on things, as it really masked out the inherent beauty of the Pridelands. But getting a view on the barren Pridelands is better than getting no view at all, so me, dad and sis set out on our little trip, trying to find higher ground (which is pretty hard as the Elephant Graveyard is in fact somehow what of a basin, a crater even). But dad was very persistent, as always, and although it took us the better part of the day, we eventually found a decent elevation. It was a bit rocky, but unless the rains would suddenly appear after a seeming eternity of absence, it would be pretty safe.
But I'm guessing you've already guessed the drought wouldn't ensue: on the one day we wanted it to stay dry, fate decided it wouldn't. First thing that happened was of course a small lightning-storm, something extremely dangerous if it happens in dry and inflammable surroundings. You get where this is going at?
Right from the first lightning-strike, me and Shenya had wanted to turn back in terror, but as we were only yards away from the highest part of the rocks, dad told us to keep on moving: we'd already gotten that far, why stop now?. So we continiued. Then, when we reached the part of the rock that would give us a nice view over the Pridelands, everything happened at once, as we were gazing over the Pridelands.
The rain started, suddenly pounding down heavily, immediately getting soaked up into the bone-dry ground. As me and Shenya had never before seen rain, we were of course terrified, although dad did his utmost best at calming us.

But looking back, it wasn't the rain which was most scary, as I stood there, staring at the Pridelands... it was the reddish glow in which all of the Pridelands seemed to be drenched in, Priderock most of all. The Pridelands were ablaze, caught in a magnificent yet terrorizing inferno. I'd never seen such massive fires ever before: they seemed to cover the better part of the Pridelands... The rain of course put out most of the fire in a reasonably short time, but as the fire had been utmost destructive and intense, the damage had already been done; much of the Pridelands now lay in ruin after a drought and a massive firestorm. But even after so much destruction, there was still one thing more terrifying than the fire, it was the Priderock. I'd never again get the opportunity to look at the Priderock that clearly, seeing it rise up high above the lands, pitch-black in the wake of the storm, both impressive and intimidating. On it, we could distinguish a lone figurine: tall, proud, intimidating, regal. Upon the rock stood not Taka, or Scar as he was infamously called, but another lion, seemingly stronger, bigger and more powerful. In one word, more dangerous. As to illustrate that, the strange lion roared, and his roar echoed over all the land, even reaching as far as our little rock-formation. Although I hadn't the slightest notion of what that strange lion's roar meant, it immediately sent a shiver down my spine. Much in contrast to me, my sis did seem to realize what was going on.

"Daddy, is mommy all right?"

Dad just stared at Priderock in disbelief, and I can't say I blame him. It must have looked quite surreal. As always, though, he was quick enough to get over the surprise.

"Kiddos, we're heading back home… now!"

And he just turned round and began walking towards the Elephant Graveyard again, without any further explanation.

"But dad, where's mommy?"

"Not now, comrade. Come along, hurry it up!"

So we just headed back home, in the pouring rain which made walking the rocks we were on a life-threatening endeavor, but that didn't slow dad down one bit. Of course, we couldn't keep up with an adult without cutting some corners, so it didn't take long before Shenya hurt her leg, forcing dad to carry her. I can imagine he didn't mind too much: it made sure he didn't have to answer any more difficult questions we might pose. We didn't exchange a single word along the way. It must've been somewhere late in the afternoon when we got back to the Elephant Graveyard, by now soaking wet and overly miserable.
The clan was in total chaos. At first, I hoped it was because of the rain, but I was soon to be proven wrong. At the center of the chaotic clan's attention were about three of our clanmates, surrounded by a thick pack of bystanders. With some mild pressure, dad was able to part the crowd, allowing us to have a look at what everything was all about.
Apart from having some of their fur scorched off (probably a direct consequence of the firestorm earlier) the trio at the center of the clan's attention didn't seem all that peculiar. But Kali's mother (Kali, the broad who chased us off the cliff, remember?), who was by the way the only one who seemed to be able to keep her calm, clearly thought otherwise, as she interrogated them in a less-than-subtle manner. She halted when she saw dad.

"Mikhail, tank the Spirits, there you are! Where's Shenzi? I need to talk to her right now, there's…"

"… trouble at the Rock, yeah, I figured as much."

"Huh?" Kali's mom replied in confusion, "How…"

"Not important. Tell me what happened, how it happened and who made it happen."

"Hey, do remember who you're talking to, will ya?" Kali's mom grumbled a bit annoyed because dad was obviously commanding her, whilst it should have been the other way 'round.

"Please, Sunshine, I'm trying to help here, we can do without formalities for now."

After short hesitation, she seemed to agree with dad and then she reluctantly told him what she'd gotten out off the three hyenas behind her. Turned out they had ran all the way from Priderock, and they had witnessed Simba's return and the ensuing lionesses' uprising, which had targeted the part of the clan present at Priderock. The three hyenas to whom Kali's mom had talked to had been the first, and still only ones to have made it back to the Elephant Graveyard after a failed counter attack of the hyenas present at Priderock.

"You mean there was a fight at the Rock, and we lost?" dad wondered. Kali's mom just nodded. Surprisingly, dad remained stoic, even after Shenya asked the question which must have been haunting him as well.

"Dad, didn't mom go to see King Taka?"

"Dear Spirits…" Kali's mom mumbled after dad had confirmed Senya's suggestion, "You mean the Matriarch is…?"

"We have to assume so," dad nodded without the slightest hint of emotion, "We'll have to do without Shenzi for now, I'm afraid... We'll have to look out for ourselves first. We can't do anything to help yet; the Matriarch is on her own for the time being."

"But we can't just…"

"We have little choice, do we? Look around you, Sunshine, our clan's in panic and chaos. That rabble is in no shape to face the lions, not now that half of us are still left at the Rock."

"But… What do we do then, we can't just wait here and hope for the survivors to make it back here on their own? We have to do something!"

"Indeed we can't just wait," dad noted, even colder than usual, "We can't wait here. We have to run to the hills as soon as possible."

"What?" Kali's mom exclaimed in shock, "You're not truly suggesting we abandon our home, not to mention all the survivors who are still stuck at Priderock and are probably retreating here?"

In stead of replying, dad just signaled one of the three refugees, who slowly slacked towards him upon being ordered to do so. I can still remember the look in her eyes… 't was seemingly empty.

"Right, you tell me what happened!" dad commanded to the refugee, "You tell me what the lions did."

"We... we tried attacking them… we did… but they were too strong, they were almost invulnerable! We tried fighting them… but we didn't take a single one down, we didn't… Everyone's gone! When we broke and ran, they hunted us all down… they'll come get us… They'll kill us all! We can't stop them!"

Dad turned to Kali's mom again.

"Exactly my point. Regardless of what really happened out there, why the lions suddenly turned hostile and butchered us, it is now only a matter of time before they come here and take care of the rest of us. We're weak and vulnerable, possibly even leaderless; only if they were lead by a weak-hearted fool would the lions not seize this opportunity to eradicate us once and for all. I know I would," dad explained with mild condescension. Kali's mom just stared at dad, seemingly shocked, unwilling to follow his cold logic.

"But we can't just leave… any survivors would…"

"If we don't leave, there won't be any survivors! The lions will come here, I'm sure of it! And when they do, we wouldn't stand a chance; even if we could put up a fight (which I dare doubt), we wouldn't last: this place is a death-trap! We'd be stuck fighting on lower ground, and the lions could easily surround us and block off all exits. We'd have nowhere to retreat to but the caves, we'd be stuck in those deep and dark caves filled with poisonous fumes. If possible, I'd like to prevent our clan from getting gassed."

"Perhaps… But I'm not leaving here before all survivors from Priderock are accounted for! I refuse to leave them behind, and I don't understand how you could! Shenzi is with them, for Spirits' sake! Of all hyenas, how could you just abandon her? I'd rather die than leaving our clanmates behind."

"How noble..." dad noted with a whim of cynicism, "But that's not what I asked of you, nor what I was suggesting: I was, in fact suggesting you lead the clan to the hills, whilst I stay behind with a handful of able clanmates to recover anyone else who might have made it back from Priderock. I'm just saying we shouldn't risk all of our clan waiting (or, Spirits help us, go find) survivors."

"That's ridiculous, I'm not running from those savage beasts!"

"I'm not asking you to run. I'm asking you to lead the clan out of harm's way. As head of the second-highest ranking family-line, that's your duty: if no-one else makes it back from Priderock, the clan will be counting on you."

That was of course an offer she couldn't refuse: Kali's mom was practically promised leadership over the clan in case Shenzi didn't return, even though my sister, the true heir, was still alive. But in times of great need, you often make promises you don't intend to keep.

Anyway, long story short, Kali's mom rounded up most of the clan and took off towards the hills (beyond which lay the Wastelands) whilst me, dad and sis stayed behind with a couple of other battle-ready hyenas, just in case we'd have to fight our way back. I often wondered why dad decided not to send us with the clan, to safety, but in stead kept us with him, it seemed a bit odd. But consider this: were we, children of the missing matriarch, really that safe around someone who could potentially become the new matriarch if we were to disappear as well? So we stayed behind, in the Elephant Graveyard, waiting for survivors, not saying a word: it had already become clear to me and Shenya what fate had probably befallen onto our mom, but the less we spoke of it, the less feasible it seemed to become, so we just didn't speak at all.
Hours passed, and the rain poured down still. Night began to fall. Every now and then, one sole survivor would come stumbling out into the Graveyard, each one more badly hurt and burned than the previous one. And they all told the same story, one of bitter defeat, endless carnage and painful flight All in all, the survivors added up to nine. Half of our enormous clan had been reduced to nine battered, hardly living carcasses.

Then, as we were just about to give up hope of mom ever returning and seek out the remains of the clan, out of the shimmer and rain, one figurine seemed to appear, moving forth provocatively slow. As it came closer, we saw it were in fact two shades to draw near, one dragging the other along with it. But before they reached us, the one shade to still stand upright collapsed, so we all ran forth to help them. At first, I didn't recognize them, as they were both soaking wet and severely burned on multiple parts of their body, not to mention the many battle scars that covered them. Dad immediately rushed towards the one who had been dragging forth the hyena next to him. Dad could hardly recognize him, as his face had been severely mangled, he had even sustained damage to one of his eyes. But as he moved closer, he could recognize the moaning and incoherently mumbling Banzaï, whom he tried to talk to. Meanwhile, me and sis had moved closer to the other hyena lying next to him, the one he had been dragging along. She was burned and wounded as well, whilst also covered in mud and dirt after being dragged around.
I can still smell it; molten fat, burned flesh, scorched hair… sickening… Then I noticed: it was mom. Me and Shenya immediately rushed forward, of course, glad to have our mom back. But we didn't cheer, we cried, 'cause it was obvious she hadn't really come back; 't was only a body devoid of all life that lay before us. We tried cuddling and waking her, but she moved nor drew breath, and she felt cold and wet. Each time I think back, I can't help but remember the grotesques of it all: her mouth slightly open, manes wet, full of dirt and sticking to her neck, gazing at us with half-open but unseeing eyes…I've never again felt as bad as I did then, I really haven't.

"And that's it. That's the one dream to visit me every now and then, to haunt me till the very edges of the world, even to this desolate place…"

"It's not easy losing your mom… I know the feeling…" Vitani sobbed after having listened to Vincent's tale, "But it helps to talk, right?"

"Yeah... It's always better to come clean with the past…" Vincent sighed. But he lied, he hadn't come clean with the past, for he had refused to tell Vitani the second part of his dream, the part he hadn't dreamed ever before (as his dream usually ended when he was confronted with the corpse of Shenzi). And it had in fact been the second part of his vision to bother him the most.


"S-Shenzi?"

Mikhail froze after he turned his head away from Banzaï, towards Shenzi's body. Whilst continuously crying her name, he sat down next to her and slid his paw beneath her neck. He gently pulled her to him. Vincent and Shenya were still both firmly pressed to her. Much to the surprise of any bystanders, Mikhail started to weep as he tried to lick Shenzi's manes clean; they weren't used to cold Mikhail displaying such vulnerability. After a while, he stopped and just pressed his face to Shenzi. She felt cold. The badly wounded Banzaï, still lying next to Shenzi, lift up his mangled head.

"I-Is… is she alright?"

Mikhail didn't respond immediately, but kept sobbing in stead for another minute or so, as did his offspring. Then, he suddenly got up, his face covered in dirt, tears and a little blood.

"She's gone… She was already gone when you brought her here…"

Banzaï gasped.

"But… how could she… she was just talking to me only minutes ago…"

But Bazaï didn't know Shenzi had suffered from massive internal bleeding as a result of countless bites and blow she had endued at the Rock; sometimes, it are the wounds you don't notice that are most dangerous. It remained unsure just how long Banzaï had been dragging along a lifeless corpse.

"It doesn't matter anymore… She's gone… Thanks, Banzaï," Mikhail whispered, "You're a loyal friend to have brought her here, even if she didn't make it. Now we can at least say farewell in a decent manner…"

Meanwhile, the pups were still petrified with grief, and thus largely immobile. Mikhail, however, brutally cut their mourning short as he pushed them away from the body of their mother. The pups, of course, violently protested, to no avail.

"We have no time to mourn, we have to move on. They were probably the last ones to make it from Priderock, anyone to have moved any slower is already dead. We have to leave before the lions get here."

"For Spirit's sake, Mikhail," Banzaï coughed as he tried getting up, "Give them a minute, for pity's sake…"

"If we want to get you out of here alive, we won't have a minute," Mikhail snapped, "It's nothing short of a miracle you got this far…"

He then looked at Shenzi, still lying on the ground out in the pouring rain. He turned to the rest of the present hyenas around him.

"All of you, help Banzaï up and get out of here, head for the rest of the clan. Four of you stay here with me; help me get the Matriarch into a cave. I'm not leaving her out here like this... Who will help me carry her?"

Much to Mikhail surprise, all hyenas around him stepped forward, even the wounded who had survived the battle of Priderock, including the mangled Banzaï. Mikhail just nodded, after which the group grabbed Shenzi's corpse and moved it to the deepest cave in the entire boneyard, deep, cold and dark. The two pups, Vincent and Shenya, followed the adults into the cave for a final goodbye. Vincent was at the tail of the group. As they headed further into the cave, the surroundings darkened, until Vincent eventually found himself surrounded by darkness: nothing in front of him, next to him or behind him but deep and dark blackness, silent blackness.

This couldn't be real. Where was everybody all of a sudden? They had been right in front of him… Where was the cave? Around him were no stone walls, just endless dark space. He wanted to shout, but no sound exited his throat. This couldn't be real. A shrill voice suddenly echoed through the darkness.

"Scared?"

Who's there? Who said that?

"It's me. You haven't forgotten me… that wasn't a question, by the way."

You?

"Me."

You died… You died months ago! This was just a dream… You've already joined mom. You're dead!

"You're right, I am. But I'm here now. Maybe I'm a Spirit… Unless you don't believe in those, of course. If so, I'm just you. Your own mind"

Mikhail? Dad? Why…

"Why the new addition to your dream? 'Cause we need to talk, kiddo. Talk about you."

What about me?

"Isn't it obvious? I'll cut the formalities here, son. You're going the wrong way. You've deviated from the path I set out, and look at what it brought you."

Wha…

"I'll try putting it different, son: did you never wonder why I didn't train Shenya to lead the clan, but you in stead? You didn't? I'll tell you why. Because Shenya is weak. Just like your mother, she's too weak of hearth."

Tell her hat next time she tries to kill me…

"Kindness does not inherently exclude impulsivity. She's lead by her emotions; angry at the start, but inclined to become repentant afterwards. She'll never finish what she started. I thought you would prove to be more…"

Like you?

"Yes. But you disappoint me."

That's 'cause I'm not like you.

"You are. You are me."

I'm not!

"You are. You've just refrained from showing it."

I'm not like you!

"Then where did I come from? Where did my voice sprung from all of a sudden? I'll tell you: out of your own mind, out of your sorry little self. I am you, but you just don't act it. You act weak. You allow treason to run it's course. You leave lions be, or even worse, you befriend them. So why the aversion against me? I made the clan strong, I made it what it is today. Unlike you."

You're a murderer.

"So are you. You just haven't found out yet."

I'm not a murderer…

"No? Strange, I could have sworn your inability to root out traitors has just lead to one of the greatest massacres of your generation. You don't know what that means, do you? No worries, you'll find out 'bout that soon enough… And to prevent such slaughter from happening again, you'll find out just how much of a murderer you are. You'll finish what Shenya started, but you'll put a stop to what she started as well. Too cryptic? Well, too bad. Anyhow... I suggest you give your lion-friend one last hug before it's all over."

What? You leave Vitani out of this…

"How could I? She's right in the middle of it! And She's as good as dead already, thanks to you."

Don't you dare…

"Dare what? Vitani's already dead."

Not if I can help it.

"Whatever the cost?"

"Do you still serve the clan?"

Yes.

"You want the clan back?

Yes.

"Whatever the cost? Anything for Vitani... Anything for the clan… Son, it is up to you. Save the clan, save your lioness. Whatever the cost. You know, we are the same, you and I: we reach our goals no matter what.
Maybe you can save the clan, maybe you can save Vitani. But just remember..."

Whatever the cost?

"Self-evident! You'll notice soon enough; some goals do justify any means. Even murder."

No! Never!

Suddenly, upon his rejection of Mikhail's (or whoever voice it was Vincent heard in the darkness) suggestion, the darkness was violently swept away, and in no time, he found himself surrounded by endless savanna. Ablaze. Fires roared all around him, though he did not feel the heat.
In front of him sat his spitting image, only more scarred, with different eyes. He stared at his clone, until he noticed, in between them, a silent shade on the ground. He looked closer. It was a lioness, she was lying down. Dead. Blood bulged from her mouth, her eyes were turned back. It was Vitani. Vincent's counter-image grinned viciously as he too stared at Vitani's corpse. Blood began dripping from his yaws. He had killed her! Vincent suddenly found himself racing onward towards his own image. Whoever it was, he'd pay dearly for what he had done to Vitani! In stead of fighting, however, the other 'him' ran away, forcing Vincent to chase and hunt him down. The blazing fires conveniently moved away as he chased his foe. Suddenly, he caught it! And it didn't resist, so it only took a few well aimed bites to kill it. After finishing his enemy, he looked back at where Vitani had been previously. But she wasn't there anymore; in hear stead lay the corpse of another, a hyena. Vincent immediately recognized himself, lying mangled in a puddle of blood. What the… he turned back to his own prey. But as Vincent lift his blood-soaked face up from his foe, he noticed he hadn't been chasing his own image: beneath him lay... Vitani! Vincent jumped back, startled. Was it her blood dripping from his face? He could imagine hearing a faint laughter in the background. Out of his mind with grief, disbelief and despair, he let loose an incredible scream of agony.


"Vincent!"

"No!"

The hyena suddenly jumped up, still screaming, pushing back the startled Vitani. She fell on the cave floor, whilst Vincent stood over her, panting frantically, his teeth showing. Drool dripped from his chin onto Vitani, who found herself gazing at the hyena's enraged eyes in terror.

"What are you doing? Its me…" she whispered barely audible. Vincent blinked his eyes, then backed of, startled as he saw just who he had been about to attack. It had all been just a nightmare, which had for a second there, as he had jumped Vitani, almost come to life. But now, he was back to real life. Where was he? What had happened? He remembered so little…

"I-I'm sorry," he stuttered, "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… oh Spirits…"

"Okay, okay, it's all right. You're safe now."

"W-What happened? Where are we?"

Vitani got up, looked around, then turned her head back to Vincent. She briefly smiled.

"Same place we were yesterday. We're at White Pass."

In a flash, Vincent remembered what had happened prior to his nightmare. They'd climbed towards the White Pass. And then… Kiruhu! That sneaky little rat… He had stabbed them in the back for some reason they weren't aware of yet. He remembered falling down… and being trapped in a blizzard! How had they…

"But how… I just remember endless whiteness… Snow everywhere!"

"Indeed," Vitani confirmed, "But then I stumbled upon this cave here. Seeing as you were both pretty much passed out, I looked for shelter here. And the Kings of old must have smiled upon us today, 'cause we made it, one way or another."

Vincent looked around, and then he noticed to his right an opening, 'round which some snow lay gathered. Sunshine peaked trough. They should have been dead, by all accounts. But the cave and the snow blocking most of the entrance had proven to be superb insulation it seemed. So Vitani was still all right!

"Thank the Spirits and thank your Kings," Vincent exclaimed relieved as he got up and stepped forward to embrace Vitani, who reacted a bit unaccustomed, seeing as the hyena had only moments ago been atop her with his fangs poised to strike.

"Thank heavens you're all right… but… Kiruhu! Where's that lying, backstabbing vermin?"

"The cheetah? He's outside, in front of the cave."

"You let him go?" Vincent gasped.

"Why wouldn't I have?"

"Because he tried to kill us. He wanted to kill you! And you saved his life! But I'll take care of that, I will!" Vincent snarled as he began running out of the cave, despite the soar state his body was in after the previous' day's events. He rushed out into the snow covered canyon. As he got out, however, he was startled by the intensity of the sunlight, relentlessly blinding him by reflecting on the pure white snow. It took a moment before he could adjust to the intense light. Luckily, the very agreeable warmth the sun-rays caused made the otherwise chill surroundings quite bearable. What fortune that the blizzard had disappeared to make way for a clear, blue, cloudless sky.
Vincent spotted Kiruhu: he just sat a few yards outside of the cave, motionless. He looked a bit bruised. Vincent sprung forward, intent on pinning him down. Much to his surprise, Kiruhu didn't move, even when he noticed Vincent was steaming towards him.

"Die, traitor!" the hyena shouted as he jumped at his prey. But as he was just about to snap his yaws shut around the non-resisting Kiruhu's neck, two enormous paws violently pushed Vincent away, into the melting snow. Vincent tried getting up again, but Vitani's strength and weight kept him firmly pressed to the ground.

"Vincent, calm down! What on earth are you doing?"

"No! I'll get that backstabbing rat! He tried to kill you!"

"He did?" Vitani wondered a bit ironically, "You did, cheetah?"

Kiruhu,, who had by now gotten up again, just nodded.

"You see? Vitani, finish him! Finish that backstabbing piece of filth!"

"By dragging me into that cave with you, you saved me life after I had tried to take yours," Kiruhu suddenly whispered at Vitani, "Because of that, my life now righteously belongs to you. It is your right to do with it as you please…"

"You heard the scum, take him down!" Vincent snarled. Viani seemed to be in doubt for one moment.

"You stay put…" Vitani instructed Vincent as she took her paws of him and turned to Kiruhu. They faced each other, the cheetah bowing down his head indifferently; awaiting the final bite. Vitani licked her lips, and then suddenly struck out with her right paw, mauling Kiruhu right in the face. The cheetah fell sideward, coughing. Blood dripped from his nose onto the white snow. He spat out blood and particles of teeth. Vincent looked a bit disappointed; Vitani just remained motionless after only one blow.

"That'll do…" Vitani grinned darkly.

"But... he's still breathing!" Vincent grumbled disgruntled.

"Yeah. But I'm not the lioness to hold a grudge… I've been pardoned myself a way too many times for that… Kiruhu, you're off the hook."

Both Vincent and Kiruhu stared at Vitani in awe and confusion, Kiruhu most of all. Was that the monster he'd been trying to combat all his life? Was that the blood-thirsty enemy?

"I-I… Thank you, milady… My life is in your debt once again," the cheetah stuttered.

"If it weren't for Vitani, I'd gladly make you pay your debt, treacherous swine…" Vincent grumbled viciously.

"I wouldn't know how to ever repay you!" Kiruhu added, ignoring Vincent's nasty remarks.

"Well, you can start by leading us from this blasted Pass, for one, to a crossing. Considering it even exists."

"It does, I assure you, ma'am, it exists!" Kiruhu greedily reassured Vitani.

"But do try not to get us lost this time, backstabbing vermin…" Vincent grumbled. Not that it would really matter that much: the storm was over, so the mountain couldn't get them anymore. And their timetable mattered neither, as it was (thanks to their little delay atop the White Pass), already too late to stop Shenya. But Vincent nor Vitani knew that, so they continued their journey in ignorance. As they were slowly making their way down (now guided the right way down), Vitani suddenly spoke to Kiruhu.

"Kiruhu?"

"Milady?"

"I bet you won't like to bring it up, but I was just curious, why did you try to kill me anyway? I mean, it does seem to happen a lot to me lately…"

"Doesn't it figure?" Vincent interrupted rudely.

"What?"

"Isn't it obvious why he tried to kill us? I mean, isn't it the same sorry story everywhere? We're all out to get vengeance… and we all have some lame-ass story to justify it. I doubt our little 'friend' here is any different," Vincent snapped bitterly, "I bet some lion at one point in history took down a handful of his relatives, or something alike. It's all so transparent, so routine, isn't it?"

Kiruhu seemed to have trouble responding, as Vincent's words had been deadly accurate at silencing him. Just another sorry-ass excuse… Kiruhu distanced himself from his two companions (or captors) so he could come to terms with his emotions on his own.

"You're stone-cold sometimes, you know that?" Vitani grumbled at Vincent as they continued following Kiruhu, who was now at a little distance because he preferred some privacy and Vitani had granted it. Vincent just mumbled something incoherent, avoiding Vitani's remark.

"And then again, sometimes you're as vulnerable as a cub…"

"And you never give up, lose faith or let off, do you?" Vincent responded a bit annoyed.

"Not yet. That might change; everyone changes… And sometimes, that happens really fast too. Like just now in the cave, where you were shivering and on the edge of crying in your sleep at one time, and attacking me franticly only moments later."

"Oh yeah… Sorry 'bout that…"

"What was that all about anyway?" Vitani wondered.

"A dream… A vision… A nightmare…"

"Ah… You wouldn't want to talk about it by any chance? I mean, we'll be on this journey of us for quite some time still, so a little talking won't hurt…"

Vincent wasn't sure. Of course he wanted to talk to Vitani, if he could he'd tell her anything there was to tell. But he knew he couldn't. He couldn't just share visions he himself hadn't come to terms with yet, like the second part of his dream. The recollection of the events to take place during the day of the Battle of Priderock had already come to visit him in his sleep on numerous occasions, however. But the encounter with the strange voice, or the surreal fight with Vitani were something new. And until he knew what that was all about, he'd keep it to himself. But he would still tell her the first part of his dream, the one he already knew by heart.

"I wouldn't quite know where to start... Well, maybe something that gets you thinking; those make great openers.
Days of great change are, without exception, never acknowledged for what they are when they take place, and they always leave those who are to take part in them oblivious until after the events that were to shape history have already come to pass..."