The Shadow Cast from Sin

by Jagabor

This hyena cub committed no crime. And still, he was born a sin. No sin goes unpunished. He has a long road of suffering ahead of him. But roads can often be unpredictable. He'll come to realize that true sins are found in purity. And Shadows be not pure.

4. The Shadow Cast from Sin

The Shadow Cast from Sin

The sun had barely risen, and already all was as it should have been. Sounds of life filled the air as a gentle warmth overcame the land. The skies were clear, allowing the soothing breeze to travel across the lush plain with no clouds to distract them. A nearby river flowed calmly, the creatures within following its smooth current with complete faith that its cool waters would serve as their devoted guide and protection. Most creatures would have greeted the day with vigor and enthusiasm.

Kosa, being unlike most creatures, was unmoved by the beautiful world that awaited him. The only thing that caused him to move was the nightmare that currently plagued him. Unlike most of his nightmares, this one actually managed to nudge Kosa into the area of discomfort. The small, black cub continuously rolled from one side to the next in Edaha's paws, unable to escape his own imagination….or, at least, it seemed like his imagination. A huge part of Kosa felt this dream to be a reality. After all, he was conscious. He simply found himself unable to open his eyes, as if he actually wanted to suffer through the whole dismal imagery.

It was strange. Most of his nightmares involved his father, or at least some lesser demons. This one, however, involved no more than a voice, its tone dark and cruel, yet surprisingly hushed to near silence.

Kosa felt as though the voices words were being whispered directly into his ear. He knew this impossible, however, as the only way that would be possible is if the voice belonged to Edaha. It obviously did not. It was too cold and uncaring. The scrawny cub's body jerked slightly as the voice spoke, directing him not by name, but by description.

"Sinful little Aswad. Do you truly think you'll ever be free? Do you truly believe that you are safe? Kaffir fool. How can one such of you ever be blessed by fortune? The gods hate you, as does the entire physical are hated by all, and loved by none. Despicable scum of the earth. You were born into the right place. Fenyang could have fixed you. But you refused his noble service. You dared to take the first chance you had to escape salvation. Ingrate! Who are you to even be alive, much less free. Well. Whatever you illusions may be, you are all but free. You are damned! Damned to suffer through an eternity in the boiling pits of Hell. Don't you see? There is no hope for you. You go against the order of the gods. None shall pity you. You are alone."

Kosa placed his paws over his ears and snarled quietly at the voice's final comment.

"No," Kosa answered, "You're wrong. I have my brother….I have Edaha.."

The voice let out a quiet snort, before continuing.

"You think you're safe just because companionship has found you? You're even more of a fool than I thought! Edaha may be your brother, but he is also the son of Fenyang the Pious. His misguided view has to end sometime. He is destined to follow in the paw-prints of his father…..and that means continuing Fenyang's work…. How does it feel, Aswad? How does it feel, knowing that your own brother, who you thought your salvation, will be the one to make you suffer most?"

Tears formed in Kosa's still-closed eyes. The black cub's emotions began to flare, and soon made themselves evident as they shot out of his dark muzzle.

"Shut up!" Kosa cried, "That's not true! He's nothing like Father!"

Kosa covered his ears even tighter, rolling back and forth wildly as the voice gave a taunting laugh. However, the laugh only lasted a few moments, as the torturous voice was replaced by the voice of another.

"Brother?...Brother, wake up!" the voice called to Kosa as the black cub felt himself being nudged urgently.

Kosa quickly jerked upward and landed on his feet, looking all around him before settling his eyes on Edaha, who stared back at him with concern.

"You were having a bad dream," Edaha stated quietly, placing his paw on Kosa's head to comfort the cub.

Kosa flinched fearfully as Edaha's paw rested itself on his head. The reflex of Edaha pulling his paw away only heightened the sensation of shock in the shabby cub. Kosa's breaths were clear, as was the cold sweat dripping over his filth-covered form. Edaha lowered his ears and pulled Kosa closer to him, staring the young cub in the eyes carefully. Kosa's breathing slowly managed itself as he looked up at his brother. Edaha smiled bitterly and patted Kosa's head.

"It must've been some nightmare, to give you these kind of chills," Edaha breathed, laying himself down next to his brother and rubbing Kosa's back, "Do you want to talk about it?"

Kosa slowly looked to his brother, before turning his gaze to the ground and shaking his head. Edaha raised an eyebrow at the black cub, before shrugging, getting to his feet, and stretching his limbs.

"That's alright," Edaha stated, "I'm sure you'll tell me when you're ready."

Kosa paused, before nodding. Edaha sat down and looked up at the sky.

"You never need to feel nervous about telling me anything, you know," Edaha told his brother, "I won't bite…..I'm not Father, after all!"

Kosa's eyes widened with surprise, his mind suddenly racing with thoughts. Did Edaha already know about his dream? No, that was impossible. But then…why would he make such a comment? Was it just a coincidence?

Kosa's thoughts were interrupted, however, as a low growl was heard from nearby. The black cub looked around for the source of the noise, before feeling a strange sensation in his stomach. Edaha chuckled quietly as Kosa placed his paw over his underbelly and rubbed it as another growl was heard.

"You're ready for breakfast, I take it?" Edaha asked with a smile.

Kosa quickly looked over at his brother and cocked his head.

"Breakfast?" Kosa asked in confusion, "Ummm….sure. But would it be alright if we ate first? I'm starving!"

Edaha stared at Kosa for a few moments, before looking down at his paws sadly. Kosa examined his brother carefully, soon noticing Edaha's sorrowful expression and dropping his ears.

"I….I'm sorry," Kosa stated regretfully, "I upset you, didn't I?"

Edaha turned his gaze back to Kosa, his expression showing a slight bit of surprise. The expression was soon changed to the smile, as Edaha stepped closer to his brother and placed a paw on his dirt-covered back.

"Not you," Edaha told Kosa quietly, "Never you…..Just what's been done to you….But that's over now….Your pain is over….and so is mine."

Kosa cocked his head once more, slowly opening his mouth to speak.

"How were you…" Kosa began, before being cut off by Edaha.

"Simple," Edaha stated calmly, allowing himself a slight smile, "My purpose was assigned to me from birth. And because I chose a different path, I was met with rough roads…..but that's the past. You keep things like that where they belong. I've found my unwinding path. One day, you'll find yours."

Kosa stared at Edaha in confusion. Edaha merely smiled, before looking to the horizon, his ears twitching.

"Do you hear that?" Edaha asked Kosa.

Kosa paused for a few seconds, before lifting his dirty ears upward and listening carefully. He soon heard the noise that Edaha was speaking of; swift taps to the ground, sounding off in a rhythmic procession.

"Y…yeah," Kosa stated slowly, "It sounds like…..nothing I've ever heard before…..What is it?"

Edaha quickly lifted his brother onto his back, making sure to place the black cub near his neck. Kosa raised an eyebrow as Edaha looked back at him with a wide, excited smile.

"Hang on," Edaha told his brother, "You're about to find out!"

Kosa complained to his brother's orders, and none too soon, as Edaha bolted off in the direction of the noise. Kosa blinked a few times, adjusting his eyes to the slight breeze that now surrounded his face as he bounced up and down on Edaha's back. Edaha released a jovial laugh as he quickened his pace. Kosa glanced down at the back of his brother's head, before looking forward with a smile and laughing, himself. He couldn't explain why, but this was actually fun. Of course, anything would seem fun when compared to life in a pit. Still, this was genuine excitement. Kosa could tell. After all, he felt a similar feeling when he had Bellow's tail in his jaws.

Millions of scents met the young cubs nose as the noise grew louder and louder, before stopping. Edaha slowed down, before coming to a complete stop and panted in satisfaction.

"We're here," Edaha stated, carefully taking Kosa off his shoulders and placing him on the ground.

Kosa looked around, finding himself on a large hill. The black cub looked forward, his eyes slowly widening at what he saw; hundreds of strange creatures, each with four long legs that ended with a stange rock shape. They had stubby tails on one end, and thin necks on the other. Their faces were lean, fitting their necks perfectly. Their most prominent feature was the two long horns that their heads produced. However, Kosa did not find this feature on all the creatures. Some of the smaller, daintier ones lacked the horns. Still, the black cub was fascinated by each and every one of them.

"Ed….Edaha?" Kosa asked his brother, keeping his eyes on the strange creatures.

"Hmm?" Edaha asked in reply, giving a nod to the black cub.

"What the hell are those things?" Kosa inquired.

Edaha smiled and licked his lips, before replying.

"Antelope."

xXx

Soga's body began to twitch, the tingling of his burns dancing around his entire form as he regained consciousness. The wild dog slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the change in scenery. The previous night he had found himself within the raging inferno of what used to be the greatest threat to his homeland. He now found himself in a dripping cave, much different from the kind of caves that he had become used to. He felt a strange kind of moisture surrounding his limbs. Strange, yet familiar. A glance at his right paw confirmed Soga's suspicion; Agapanthus leaves, laced with the drippings of sweet thorn. A combination that the wild dog had come to know in his lifetime of playing with fire. Soga cringed as he carefully turned onto his belly.

"Stay down, boy," came a voice from behind Soga, "Let the burns heal. Those plants can't help everything, y'know."

Soga turned to face the source of the voice, a scrawny wild dog with a protruding canine tooth. Soga slowly rose to his feet and limped over to the strange wild dog, baring his teeth aggressively as he did so.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Soga growled, "'Boy?' How dare you? Have you any idea who you're talking to?"

"One stupid bastard, obviously," the wild dog answered with a snort, "How you let yourself get caught in a wildfire is beyond me. What are you, some sort inbred moron?"

Soga quickly leaped forward and pinned the scrawny wild dog on his back, shoving his right paw down on its throat as he did so. The wild dog struggled wildly, but found no way to escape the clutches of its attacker.

"Listen very carefully," Soga warned, slowly increasing the pressure on the wild dog's neck, "I want you to give me one good reason why I shouldn't end your life right now."

The wild dog could offer nothing but a few strangled gasps for air, as Soga continued to press down across its neck. Soga slowly shook his head and raised his paw into the air as he stared into the wild dog's fear-filled eyes.

"That's a shame," Soga smirked, "I hate to waste my energy on such an impudent little shit….But, I'm a creature of my word. May your next life end a hell of a lot better than this one is about to."

The scrawny wild dog unleashed a painful cry as Soga savagely rakes his claws across its neck, causing blood to gush around his paw. The bleeding body throbbed wildly for a few moments, before stiffening tightly. It would remain that way for the rest of eternity. Soga gave a satisfied smile and began to lick the blood from his paw.

"Well, now I'm bored," Soga commented, glancing over at the dead body, "Somebody's gonna have to eat that thing….."

"SOGA!" came a shocked voice from the cave's entrance.

Soga turned in the direction of the voice to see another wild dog, this one with its jaw dropped and eyes widened. It did not take long for the eighth –in-line to recognize this wild dog to be his younger brother, the eleventh –in-line for the throne of Jasisi Sheikh.

"Ah, Potevu," Soga smiled casually, "This is a surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you until I got back from destroying Mamlaka. What are you doing out here?"

"Why is the doctor I assigned to you lying dead in a pool of his own blood?" Potevu asked bluntly, raising an eyebrow at his brother.

Soga shrugged and continued to groom his paw.

"I think it's because when you slit a creature's throat, there tends to be a lot of bloodshed," Soga stated nonchalantly.

Potevu shot Soga a disgusted stare. Soga rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Jeez, will ya grow a sense of humor?" Soga groaned, looking his brother up and down, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

Potevu stepped closer to his brother and sat down in front of him with a smile.

"Well, when I heard that you'd be in charge of taking down Mamlaka, I thought that maybe me and my group should follow behind," Potevu stated, before leaning closer to Soga with a wide smile, "Just in case you would do something stupid, like burning it to the ground with you still inside it."

Soga returned the smile and pushed his brother's head back.

"Very nice," Soga rolled his eyes, "And just how many nations have you put an end to?"

"Zero," Potevu answered, examining the back of his paw, "It's funny, 'cause that's the same number of times I've caught fire. Imagine that!"

Soga smiled and shook his head, glancing down at the leaves that remained wrapped around his legs. Potevu stared at Soga for a moment, before turning his attention back to his paw.

"You can take those off now, if you like," Potevu stated, "The burns should have healed, by now."

Soga nodded and carefully tore the leaves from his leg. When he had finished, he found that Potevu was right. No burns remained. Soga let out a heavy sigh and lowered his head.

"Too bad," Soga shrugged, "I kinda like the feeling of burns. Orgasmic, really."

Potevu smacked his forehead as he turned away from Soga.

"You're completely insane, y'know that?" Potevu asked his brother.

Soga gave a slight smile.

"Hey, there's one in every family…maybe about seventy-seven in our own," Soga shrugged, glancing at his right arm before turning to his brother, "So….how serious were they? The burns?"

Potevu quickly turned to his brother, a bit surprised.

"Now that you mention it…." Potevu stated slowly, placing a paw to his chin, "Yours actually weren't serious, at all. I doubt they even made it to the first degree….It's odd…..everyone else you brought with you died from there's….."

Soga allowed himself a slight smirk.

"I'm getting closer," Soga breathed to himself.

Potevu brought his paw down and cocked his head at his brother.

"Pardon?" Potevu asked in a confused tone.

"Nothing," Soga answered quickly, yet not defensively, "It's not important…We should be getting back to the Bloody Shadows."

Soga began to exit the cave, before being blocked off by his brother.

"No," Potevu stated cautiously, "The Shadows aren't safe, right now. I've heard reports of attacks from the Vivuli."

Soga stopped dead in his tracks, eyes widened.

"W…What?" Soga asked in surprise, "The Vivuli? They're back? But I thought we'd killed them all!"

"We did," Potevu answered with a heavy sigh, "But apparently, a new group has taken their place, as well as their name. They captured some of our own, and have been rubbing them out, one by one. Granted, they haven't broken through to the mountain, yet…..still, no one found outside the jungle is safe. So, you can see why now isn't exactly the best time for two members of royalty to go walking into the Bloody Shadows. Too dangerous."

Soga gritted his teeth in irritation as he paced back and forth.

"Damn them," Soga grumbled, "Just as our greatest enemy is finally out of the way, we've gotta deal with some pig-headed rebel group!"

Potevu paused for a moment, dragging his paw across the ground before smiling at his brother.

"Well….no one said wehave to deal with it," Potevu grinned casually, walking to Soga's side and placing a paw on his shoulder to still him, "The Vivuli can't hold out forever. Eventually, our dear old uncle Subiani will get his paws on them. And when he does….well, it's far to gruesome to think about. Besides, you've done enough. You should take it easy, for a while."

Soga raised an eyebrow at his brother and gave a slight smirk.

"Yeah, that doesn't sound like me," Soga stated plainly, shaking his head as he continued toward the cave exit, "I gotta get going, anyway. Duty calls."

Once again, Potevu jumped in front of Soga.

"What duty?" Potevu asked skeptically, "You've already turned Mamlaka into a pile of ash. What more could you possibly do?"

"Get away from you, for one," Soga answered, jumping over his brother and walking out of the cave, "I prefer not to hang around kill-joys. I have much better company to entertain."

Potevu glared at Soga for a moment, before following after him.

"Have you done away with that hyena, yet?" Potevu questioned as he reached his brother's side, "The Mamlaka prince?"

Soga stopped in his tracks and turned to his brother.

"How'd you know about him?" Soga asked , a bit surprised.

"I have my sources," Potevu answered bluntly, "Sources who tell me you've become quite chummy with that Mamlaka scumbag. Which, need I remind you, can be seen as treason to your Jasisi Sheikh. I hope you're not losing sight of your royal blood."

Soga quickly brought his paw across his brother's face, sending Potevu to the ground. Potevu slowly rose to his feet and stared at Soga in surprise.

"Lecture me again," Soga growled warningly, "And you'll be the one losing sight of his 'royal blood', right as it whizzes through the air from my fangs!"

Potevu gulped. Soga smiled casually and examined his claws.

"And for your information," Soga stated plainly, "All attempts at getting closer to Edaha were merely to lead to his demise. I specifically decided to leave him alive in the case that our assault on Mamlaka would fail. Seeing as it did not, I am now free to move on to the "seek and destroy" phase of my plan….funny….it shall end where it began…..except with a spirit rather than a body….either way."

Potevu smiled widely and walked closer to his brother.

"I knew it!" Potevu cackled, "I just knew you had something planned! Please, Brother. Allow me and my troops to accompany you. I want to see the look on that bastard's face as you burn him to a cinder!"

Soga stared at his brother for a moment, his eyelids lowered.

"You truly have no vision," Soga sighed in disappointment.

Potevu blinked in surprise.

"Huh?" Potevu asked, "What do you mean?"

"The prince of Mamlaka is very valuable," Soga stated, raising a digit of his paw, "Much too valuable to burn to a crisp. Imagine how our uncle would reward the one who takes him alive. He'd make one hell of a slave, don't you agree?"

Potevu blinked again, before giving a wide grin.

"Perhaps you're not as crazy as I thought," Potevu stated, his smile widening, "Or maybe moreso. Why do you think I'd let you get all that glory?"

Soga smiled casually at his brother, stepping closer to him and looking him in the eye.

"That's a very good question," Soga nodded, "And, in turn, it deserves an equally good answer…."

Soga leaped at his brother and clubbed him in the face with the back of his paw. As Potevu hit the ground, Soga placed a paw over the side of his brother's neck and pressed down, holding him in place as he lowered his muzzle to Potevu's ear.

"Allow me to remind you that Iam the eighth-in-line, while youare the eleventh –in-line," Soga growled, "Therefore, Iam better than you,thus I deserve the glory more than you. Oh, and there's also the fact that if you get in my way, I'll use your bones for kindling. Do I make myself clear?"

Potevu looked up at Soga from the corner of his eye and nodded as best he could.

"Clear as water," Potevu coughed.

Soga glared down at his brother, pressing more weight onto Potevu's neck as he did so.

"Clear as what?"Soga snapped.

Potevu cringed fearfully, before speaking again.

"Clear as a….a wave of heat?" Potevu corrected himself cautiously.

Soga shrugged and brought his paw off of his brother's neck, allowing Potevu to his feet.

"Not bad," Soga stated casually, "I was actually looking for 'clear as an ember in a spark', but yours works, too."

Potevu lifted a paw to his throat and rubbed it painfully, breathing heavily as he turned to his brother.

"Besides," Soga continued, examining his claws once more, "He'd trust me more on my own than with a comrade….if you can even be called that….you wouldn't even know where to start…. I, on the other paw, just don't know where to finish. Hmm….broken limbs, or paralysis? It'll be fun deciding!"

Potevu glared at his brother, bringing his paw back to the ground and coughing before speaking.

"Well?" Potevu asked expectantly, "If you're so committed to taking him prisoner, why are you still here? Just go on and do it, already!...Unless, of course, you're still shaking from what happened to you last time you challenged the Mamlaka prince?"

Soga turned his gaze to his brother, finding a cocky smirk on Potevu's face. For some strange reason, unbeknownst to even himself, Soga decided to make no response other than turning his gaze to the back of his right paw as he raised it upward, his eyes glossing over as he did so.

"Don't rush an artist," Soga breathed, his mind seeming to be somewhere else, "Captures aren't nearly as fun without a chase to precede them. I'll allow him time to enjoy his freedom, a bit…..A week, I'd say, and then I'll go after him. Gives me a week to plan…..I'll need that time…..I underestimated him once before…it won't happen again."

Potevu rolled his eyes and walked away from his brother.

"Take as much time as you need, Drama-queen!" Potevu called back to Soga, before running off.

Soga watched his brother disappear into the distance. When he was sure that Potevu was out of ear-shot, Soga stared up at the sky and smiled confidently.

"Well, it seems that all is going according to plan, Old Friend," Soga laughed quietly, "Mamlaka is gone for good, my immunity's almost built to perfection, the Vivuli's keeping Subiani distracted….that alone should buy me some time to delay my wedding to Aina…..I'll have to face that eventually….but I'll worry about it later. Now, all I need to do is to ensure that your son stays alive….Shouldn't be too hard. If Edaha is anything, he's resourceful. And those eyes of his….I'll just have to keep my own eyes on him, just in case….Yes…..All according to plan….It won't be much longer….I will be Jasisi Sheikh…..and all others shall be left to burn inside my light."

xXx

"An…tel…ope?" Kosa asked, a bit confused.

"Antelope," Edaha answered with a nod.

Kosa cocked his head and stared at the hundreds of antelope as they grazed the grass beneath them. The black felt his stomach growl again as her leaned forward and sniffed the air.

"They smell familiar…." Kosa stated slowly, bringing his paw to his chin before looking up at his brother,
"Do they ever come into Mamlaka?"

Edaha sat down and glanced as his brother, before pacing back and forth, his eyes locked on the herd of horned beasts.

"I'm sure their carcasses do," Edaha replied after a short pause, "After all, they're close enough to that horrible place to serve as a reliable source of nourishment."

Kosa blinked in surprise, bringing his eyes up to his brother's.

"Nourishment….like a beating?" Kosa asked, cocking his head.

Edaha stopped in his tracks and stared at Kosa for a few moments, his expression complete confusion.

"N…No," Edaha stated awkwardly, "Nourishment as in food."

"Oh," Kosa nodded, before jumping in surprise, "Wait, we eat those things?"

"Yes."

"All of them?"

Edaha again stared at Kosa, before speaking.

"No," Edaha answered, smiling a bit as he crouched low to the ground and stared at the antelope, "Just enough to survive. One is usually enough for a small group…..Hmmm…There's only two of us, and your still a cub….A small one should suffice. What do you think?"

Kosa looked to his paws, then to the antelope, then to Edaha.

"I think this is murder," Kosa stated quietly.

"What?" Edaha asked in surprise.

"Taking the life of another," Kosa answered slowly, "Murder…..it doesn't seem right. They don't look like they're doing anything wrong. They're just….there."

Kosa's stomach growled again. Edaha took a deep breath and sat himself down beside his brother, reaching over to place a paw on his unkempt back.

"All those beatings," Edaha breathed sadly, examining Kosa's scar-covered form, "All that preaching. All this talk of "saving" you. Father never even told you about the Circle of Life, did he?"

Kosa thought for a moment, before looking up at his brother and shaking his head. Edaha looked away and snorted.

"Figures," Edaha, "Why would he teach you anything right? It's not his style."

Edaha looked back down at his brother, who remained staring at him with a confused expression. Edaha smiled slightly and lied down on his stomach.

"Do you know the difference between predators and prey?" Edaha asked Kosa.

The black cub slowly shook his head.

"Predators are those who eat," Edaha explained, "And prey are those who get eaten. It's one of life's many balances. All living things depend on another for survival. Those antelope, for example, depend on grass and plants. That's why the gods created them with such long necks and flat teeth. So that they may take grass as their prey with little trouble."

Kosa winced and drooped his ears back sadly, causing Edaha to pause in his explanation.

"What's wrong?" Edaha asked his brother, concern in his tone as he rubbed Kosa's back.

Kosa took a moment to let out a heavy sigh, before looking to Edaha.

"All this talk of the gods," Kosa breathed, "…It reminds me of….."

"How father said that the gods hate you, and who created you only so that you would suffer?" Edaha guessed.

Kosa nodded. Edaha gave the cub a pitying glance, before pulling him a bit closer and nuzzling him affectionately.

"For one so sure of his purity, he has yet to learn the meaning of blasphemy," Edaha stated quietly, "Gods do not hate. For hate is one of a creature's greatest flaws. And true gods are flawless, perfect in every way. Hate is the most horrible form of frustration, caused by that which you cannot understand. How could an all-knowing god possibly feel hate? They created us all, you know."

Kosa lowered his head a bit. The gods Edaha spoke of were unfamiliar to him. And yet, already he preferred them to the gods of his father. Still, the few sentences Edaha had spoken were a lot to take in. Edaha placed a paw under Kosa's chin to raise his head. The black cub looked up at the smiling face of his brother as Edaha spoke.

"And with you, they took great care," Edaha smiled, "I have faith that you were created for a great purpose. And it will be my pleasure to aid you on your journey. You'll accomplish magnificent things, one day….Those who've suffered often do."

Kosa blinked a few times, before smiling back at his brother.

"You've suffered more than anyone I know," Kosa told his brother, "I mean, eleven years of having….that thing as a father…..I guess you'd know."

Edaha shook his head with a slight smile and turned back to the herd of antelope.

How is it that one who has suffered so many lacerations is more concerned with the mere splinters of another?Edaha thought to himself, Especially one from Mamlaka!

Edaha's thoughts stopped as he felt a tapping at his leg. The young hyena looked down to see Kosa staring up at him.

"So…" Kosa began, a bit unsure of himself, "You were telling me of the Circle of Life?"

Edaha took a moment to gather his thoughts, before placing a paw to his chin and nodding.

"Oh, yes," Edaha nodded with a smile, bringing the paw from his chin to Kosa's back, "Well, the gods created the antelope with their needs in mind. The same was done with all other creatures. But all creatures are different, and thus have different needs. We hyenas were created with sharp fangs, not fit for consuming grass. But they are perfect for obtaining the one part of nourishment that we require the most; meat."

Kosa's ears perked up at the word.

"Oh, I've had that," Kosa stated, before cringing, "But it was all rotten and old….I've always kinda wondered where the meat came from….So, does it come from antelope?"

"It comes from fauna of all sorts," Edaha replied, "If it walks, flies, swims, or crawls, it contains meat. And without meat, carnivores like us would be unable to survive in the world. Do you understand?"

Kosa paused for a moment, before nodding slowly.

"It still doesn't seem completely right," Kosa breathed.

"Nothing is completely anything," Edaha explained, "Nothing pure."

Kosa pulled his head upward and stared at his brother in surprise. Edaha drooped his ears slightly and placed a paw on the black cub's shoulder.

"I know it doesn't exactly feel right, but it's the way that the world works," Edaha breathed, "It's hard to explain. But you'll understand, one day. Trust me."

Kosa turned his eyes to the ground in thought, before looking up at Edaha with a content smile.

"You're the only one I can trust," Kosa told his brother.

Edaha smiled back at Kosa and let out a quiet chuckle, before turning back to the herd of antelope and crouching low to the ground.

"Brother," Edaha stated quietly, yet still pressing importance, "Stay here. I'll be right back with our meal. Just don't move from this spot."

Kosa paused for a few seconds and stared at his paws, before nodding to his brother. No sooner had Edaha run off toward the antelope, than a thought entered Kosa's mind: If they antelope's neck and teeth were for eating grass, what were the horns for? The black cub gulped at the possibilities as he stared down at the large herd, no longer able to see Edaha. A strange traveled through Kosa's stomach as he overlooked the herd. Unlike the other feeling in his stomach that captured Kosa's attention that day, this was not hunger; it was concern.

The small cub began to pace back and forth nervously, still finding no sign of Edaha. Another thought soon entered the mind of the black hyena.

"Can he…..can he even kill one of those things?" Kosa asked himself quietly, "I mean….they're so big….Edaha, where are you?"

Suddenly, every antelope in the herd stood at attention and lifted their tails, before leaping of in a startled dash. Kosa's eyes widened with shock as the antelope stampeded away, leaving a smokescreen of dust behind them. It did not take long for the dust to clear, revealing a familiar figure within it; Edaha, a small antelope locked in his jaws by the neck. Kosa let out a relieved breath as he watched his brother drag the antelope away from the clearing and up the hill, reaching the black cub within a few minutes. Edaha dropped the antelope in front of Kosa and took a few breaths, before smiling at the small cub.

"I figure this should be more than enough to last us a while," Edaha stated, sitting himself down beside Kosa.

Kosa stared at Edaha, and at the dead antelope. Its size seemed almost equal to Edaha's. It was young, no doubt about that. Blood slowly dripped down from its neck, creating a tiny red puddle on the grass below. Its hind legs pointed inward, seemingly broken. Kosa's eyes widened at that fact. How could his brother have been so ruthless? This wasn't even an adult antelope! Bringing it down couldn't have required its legs to be broken. Edaha, having noticed Kosa's expression, stared down at the carcass' legs and cleared his throat.

"I assure you, I had nothing to do with that," Edaha informed Kosa, "It's legs were broken when I found it, barely able to stand as it grazed. It was in pain. Otherwise, I wouldn't have killed one so young."

Kosa looked up at Edaha, before looking back to the antelope and nudging it with his paw. The carcass made no movement. The black cub took another pause, looking both ways as he leaned forward and sniffed the dead creature's bleeding neck. The second the scent of blood enter Kosa's nose, the cub's eyes glazed over, his stomach now going through a transition of growling to roaring. His body began to shake. Edaha smiled down at his brother, amused by the young cub's reaction.

"I take it you never had fresh blood before?" Edaha asked casually.

"Only Bellow's, when I had his tail in my jaws, " Kosa responded, licking his lips.

Edaha clicked his tongue and shook his head with a smile.

"You'll find this to be a far cry from mere rat's blood," Edaha stated with a wide smile, "Go on. Find a good spot and dig in."

Kosa looked up at his brother for a few seconds, before nodding and slowly bringing his head to the antelope's shoulder and carefully locking his jaws around a flab of skin. As soon as the antelope's blood entered his mouth, the rest of the action seemed to come naturally to him. With a swift jerking motion, Kosa ripped the skin from the antelope's shoulder and gulped it down excitedly. The black cub repeated the task, tearing bits of meat from different areas of the carcass' shoulder. Edaha smiled at his brother's enthusiasm, before joining in, chewing on the meat of the antelope's torso. The feast lasted a few minutes, before Kosa stopped eating and looked over at his brother, blood sticking itself to his already stained muzzle.

"E…Edaha?" Kosa asked reluctantly.

"Hmm?" Edaha asked, raising his head from the carcass, a few drops of blood falling to the ground as a result.

Kosa took another moment to think of the what he would ask, before deciding to just be straight-forward.

"When are we going to look for Mother?" Kosa asked, "You said we would, right?"

Edaha lowered his ears a bit as he stared at Kosa, before speaking.

"Of course we will," Edaha stated quietly, "Just not until we're sure what we're doing. We need some leads, ideas of where she may be. Not to mention a safe route to get there. But don't worry. I'm an expert tracker. I found you, after all."

Kosa smiled and gave a nod, before continuing to tear into the antelope carcass. Edaha did the same, keeping his eyes on Kosa with a slight frown.

Besides,Edaha thought to himself as he stared at Kosa, He's in no shape to do any traveling. Look at all those bruises and scars…..and I've seen cleaner bundles of fur in a hairball! Something must be done…..I can't let him suffer any further…This is too much…

"What are you thinking about?" came Kosa's voice, distracting Edaha from his thoughts.

Edaha shook his head to focus, before looking down at Kosa.

"Wha?" Edaha asked, a bit tiredly.

"What are you thinking about?" Kosa asked again, a bit louder, "You look like something's on your mind."

Edaha stared at his paws for a moment, before smiling at Kosa.

"I was just thinking," Edaha stated casually, "You spent the first eight years of your life in that pit with not even the slightest bit of proper care. I imagine a grooming would do you good. Not that there's anything wrong with your current appearance. I just bet there's a handsome young hyena, under all that grime."

Kosa stared at his brother for a few moments, before turning back to the carcass and ripping off a bit of flesh.

"I doubt it," Kosa breathed after swallowing the antelope flesh, "No matter how clean I am, I'm still unnatural….No matter how many scars I have, I'm still a freak. Maybe all this dirt and mud is a good thing. It distracts from my obvious flaw."

Edaha drooped his ears sadly and opened his mouth to speak again, before hearing a loud snarl from nearby. The snarl also gained Kosa's attention, as the young cub picked his head up and looked to the direction of the interference. His eyes widened as they met another hyena as it slowly crept towards he and Edaha, fangs bared and claws extended.

This hyena wore an appearance unlike what Kosa had seen in his father and brother. It was a bit smaller, with a slightly different bone structure. Its back sloped slightly downward, but not enough to be visible under the bushy fur that covered it, which currently stood erect. Its ears and muzzle were pointed. Despite this fact, the hyena's head seemed rounder than what Kosa was used to. Its spots had been replaced with stripes, which traveled down its darkened body and around its legs. Its tail was bushy and stood upward as it continued toward Edaha and Kosa. Despite all of these strange features, Kosa knew this creature to be a hyena. It shared more similarities with his father and brother than differences, after all.

Edaha stared at the strange hyena as it approached him, keeping its eyes locked on the carcass. The young spotted hyena then grabbed Kosa by the scruff of his neck and carefully placed the black cub behind him.

"Stay put," Edaha whispered quietly, "I'll take care of this."

Kosa stared at his brother with wide eyes, before nodding. Edaha returned the nod and turned back to the strange hyena, examining it carefully as it snarled up at him.

"You're a striped hyena," Edaha noted, "Odd. I thought your kind only came out at night."

"And Ithought you spotted travel in packs," the striped hyena stated, now smiling through his snarl, "You must be pretty stupid to come out here on your own. This opportunity is too perfect to pass up…"

The striped hyena leaned backward, before lunging forward to dig his claws into the earth.

"Back away from the antelope!" the striped hyena ordered, "It's mine, now!"

Kosa blinked with surprise at the striped hyena's words. Edaha, however, remained calm and collected, as usual.

"I beg your forgiveness," Edaha stated with a yawn, giving a slight nod to the striped hyena, "But I have not only myself, but a cub to feed. This is our meal, and we're not finished yet. Kindly come back later, and maybe they will be something left."

The striped hyena blinked, completely surprised by Edaha's comment. Not so much by the comment itself, but by the casual way in which the comment was delivered. His snarl soon returned as he took a few more steps forward. Kosa could hear the sound of earth being dug up by claws, yet no movement.

"You arrogant little prick!" the striped hyena snarled at Edaha, "You think you have more right to this carcass than I do?"

"Well, I did bring it down," Edaha replied quickly, sitting up straight, "So, yes. For now, I have the rights to it. Please. Just leave. I don't want any trouble."

"Then back off!" the striped hyena barked, stomping his right paw on the ground and baring his fangs.

Edaha made no movement, but kept his eyes on the striped hyena. Kosa peeked out from behind his brother to get a better look at what the intruder was doing. Within moments, the striped hyena caught sight of Kosa and cocked his head.

"What the hell is that thing?" the striped hyena asked, pointing to Edaha's side with his nose.

Edaha glanced back at Kosa, before pushing the cub back behind him carefully.

"I already told you," Edaha told the striped hyena slowly, "I have a cub to feed. My brother."

The striped hyena blinked a few times, before allowing himself a slight smirk.

"Seems a bit old for his baby coat, don't ya think?" the striped hyena asked with a snicker.

Kosa took a step backward, hiding directly behind his brother. Edaha narrowed his eyes and examined the striped hyena's figures. Unlike most of its kind, this striped hyena had a darkened coat, with only its paws and underside containing the tan coloring attributed to most striped hyenas.

"You're one to talk," Edaha stated dryly.

The striped hyena shot Edaha a glare, before turning his gaze back to the carcass and licking his lips.

"Dark as I may be," the hyena stated, staring at the dead antelope, "I'm nowhere near as freakish as the aswad you got there."

Edaha blinked with shock. Kosa flinched at the word "aswad". He had heard the insult many times before, from his father and Bellow. However, this was different. For it came out of the mouth a creature whom he had never met before. Thus, Kosa's suspicions of being judged upon sight for his black coat were confirmed. The small cub drooped his ears and lowered his head slightly, staring down at his paws, only to lift his head upward as Edaha began to speak.

"Excuse me?" Edaha asked the striped hyena, anger clear in his tone, "What did you just call him?"

The striped hyena stared at Edaha with a smug smile, stepping confidently closer to the spotted hyena.

"An aswad," the striped hyena stated casually, leaning over to glance at Kosa, "I call 'em as I see 'em. Not that I need much vision to tell a proper hyena from an aswad. Hell, a blind owl could see your brother is an aswad!"

The striped hyena through its head back and let out a loud cackle. Kosa quickly recoiled behind his brother. Edaha stared at the laughing hyena for a moment, before turning around and lowering his head to Kosa's.

"Close your eyes," Edaha whispered, "And keep them shut until I tell you to open them. I don't want you to see this."

Kosa stared up at his brother in confusion, before giving a slight nod and closing his eyelids. The sound of the striped hyena's laugh came to a close, making way for a new sounds. A few new sounds actually, the first of which being a series of snarls. This was followed by a loud thud, the sound of something whipping through the air, and then the striped hyena's voice letting out a loud yelp and unleashing a list of profanities, all ending in a succession of footsteps as the trudged into the distance, before fading into silence. A few seconds passed, after which Kosa felt a paw on his shoulder.

"You can open your eyes, now," came Edaha's voice, calm and collected as usual.

Kosa slowly lifted his eyelids and looked around, surprised to find that the striped hyena was nowhere within sight. The black cub brought his gaze upward and cocked his head as he looked to his brother.

"He's….gone?" Kosa asked Edaha, a bit surprised, "What'd you do?"

Edaha smiled down at his brother, placing a paw on the young cub's head.

"What makes you so sure I did anything?" Edaha chuckled, "Did you ever consider the possible that maybe he just politely went on his way, deciding that the meal wasn't worth all the trouble he was going through?"

Kosa stared at his brother skeptically. Edaha couldn't help but smile.

"Alright," Edaha admitted with a shrug, "I kicked his ass. We can't all be saints, you know. And nobody calls me brother an…..that word and gets away with it!"

Edaha smiled slightly, before frowning and staring at the ground beneath him. Edaha's smile faded as he looked down at his brother's gloomy expression.

"B…Brother?" Edaha asked carefully, lowering himself to Kosa's level, "Are you alright?"

Kosa looked straight into Edaha's eyes with little emotion, before speaking.

"No," Kosa breathed, "I'm freakish."

Edaha's eyes widened at Kosa's comment, before quickly wrapping a forearm around his brother and pulling him closer.

"No," Edaha stated softly, yet firmly, "You can't take to heart the words of a fool. He had no idea what he was talking about, nor the right to say such things. Believe me, Brother. You're not freakish in the least. You are magnificent."

Kosa glanced at Edaha with a forced smile, before shaking his head and taking a few steps away from his brother. The black cub sat down and looked toward the sky, and then lifted his right arm to examine it, carefully looking over every detriment that covered it. Needless to say, he did not have to look hard.

"Magnificent," Kosa muttered, almost sarcastically, "Are magnificent things caged in a pit for eight years in order to be tormented just for being different? Are magnificent things called the horrible insults of others upon first sight? Are magnificent things left in such a shabby condition that they're doubtful as to if proper grooming would even make a difference? Are magnificent things plagued with scars just to remind them that they're hated? No! I'm not magnificent. I'm just unnatural."

Edaha drooped his ears as he stared at his brother. The adult hyena took a step forward, before rethinking the action and pulling his paw back slowly.

"You….you really are uncomfortable with your current state, after all," Edaha breathed sadly, "Aren't you?"

Kosa glanced back at his brother and stared at him for what seemed like an eternity, before opening his mouth to speak.

"Before you even mentioned it," Kosa told his brother slowly, "I often wondered what I would look like without all this dirt, and these scars. There was a time when I used to stare at my reflection in the dirty water I was given, and imagine myself as something different. Something…..normal….But as time went on, I looked at my reflection less and less. It got to the point where dreaming was painful. After all, you wash up kak, it's still kak…..There's no changing that. No matter how hard I try….I will never be pure."

Edaha looked at Kosa with pity, before walking over to his brother and sitting down beside him.

"Kosa," Edaha breathed, surprising even himself by addressing the black cub by his actual name, "Let me tell you something about purity."

The adult hyena slowly lowered his head to Kosa's ear.

"It doesn't exist," Edaha whispered quietly.

Kosa froze for a moment, before facing his brother with surprise.

"…What?" Kosa asked, a bit surprised that Edaha, the favorite son of Fenyang the Pious, would say such a thing.

"There's no such thing as purity," Edaha reiterated, "As I told you before, nothing is complete, nothing pure. Within every whole, there are many parts. No one thing can exist on its own. Everything in the world depends on something, and thus is not complete on its own. We depend on our prey. Our prey depends on the plants. The plants depend on the soil, which depends on the care of nature. Because each living thing depends on the rest of the world, we all depend on each other. We are connected. That is just a small portion of the Circle of Life."

Kosa nodded slowly, before cocking his head.

"I…I think I understand," Kosa stated slowly, "But what does that have to do with purity?"

Edaha opened his mouth, before slowly closing it and placing a paw to his chin thoughtfully. He needed a simple way to explain his words to a cub. The adult hyena looked around for a visual aid, soon finding on beside a nearby tree.

"Perfect!" Edaha breathed excitedly, before looking down at Kosa, "Brother, follow me."

Kosa cocked his head, soon following his brother as Edaha walked over to the tree and sat down.

"There," Edaha stated, pointing at the ground one side of the tree, "On the ground. What do you see?"

Kosa examined the ground carefully, before looking up at his brother.

"Um…grass," Kosa stated.

Edaha smiled slightly and shook his head, pointing to the spot once more.

"Yes, but what's on top of the grass?" Edaha asked.

Kosa blinked a few times, before staring at the spot again. It took a few moments for the black cub to produce another answer.

"A shadow?" Kosa guessed.

"Correct!" Edaha nodded, patting Kosa on the back, "Now tell me something. Are shadows pure?"

Kosa twitched a bit, surprised at his brother's strange question. He had never really wondered whether or not shadows were pure, before.

"W..Well," Kosa stated thoughtfully, bring his paw to his chin, "I suppose they're pure darkness."

Edaha smiled slightly and raised a digit on his paw.

"That, my Brother, is a common misconception," Edaha explained, "Though many think shadows to be a reflection of darkness, they are actually the opposite; a reflection of light."

Kosa jerked back in confusion.

"Wha….What?" Kosa asked, completely perplexed, "That makes no sense….How can shadows have anything to do with light, much less be a reflection of it?"

"Simple," Edaha explained, "Shadows are formed when the light of the sun meets with a physical being. The light cannot pass through anything physical, so a dark reflection is formed opposite the sun, due to the light being blocked. You see? Without the sun, shadows cannot exist. Shadows are merely the darkness produced by light."

Kosa stared at Edaha, before smiling. What his brother had said made perfect sense.

"Wow," Kosa stated, sounding impressed, "You seem to know a lot about shadows."

Edaha smiled down at Kosa and gave nod.

"They've always fascinated me," Edaha told Kosa, "They're a true marvel of nature. See how it covers the grass, and yet still allows it to remain visible? And no matter what you do, you can't destroy it. You can pound it, claw at it, even burn it, and it won't do a thing…..They're indestructible…..A lot….A lot like you, actually…."

Kosa looked up at his and cocked an eyebrow as Edaha looked up at the sky, thoughtfully. A few moments of silence passed, before Kosa decided to speak up.

"Um….maybe we should finish eating," Kosa suggested.

Edaha shook thoughts from his head and glanced down at Kosa, before making his way back to the carcass.

"Yes," Edaha nodded slowly, "….That's probably a good idea."

Kosa followed after his brother and sat down beside him as they both reached the carcass, continuing to take bits of meat as they did before. All the while, Edaha stared at Kosa's mangy form. He began to feel a pain from within him. Something about seeing his brother, who was the first hyena to show him any compassion, having to go through life in such a bad condition made Edaha physically sick. He knew that he needed to do something. The only question was, how would he go about it? The adult hyena managed to keep down the bit of meat that he was currently in the process of swallowing before turning to Kosa and clearing his throat.

"So….if you don't mind me asking," Edaha began cautiously, "If you were given the chance satisfy your curiosity, about how you'd look without the scars and dirt….Would you do it?"

Kosa lifted his head from the carcass and looked toward Edaha, before giving a slight nod.

"Couldn't do any more harm than staying the way I am, I suppose," Kosa shrugged, "Might be nice just knowing….Why do you ask?"

Edaha paused and glanced over his shoulder, before turning back to Kosa.

"Just….curious," Edaha stated quietly, lowering his head back to the torso of the carcass, before raising it slightly as an idea came to him, "But are you sure that you're telling me the truth?"

Kosa swallowed a bit of flesh and stared at his brother in confusion.

"Huh?" Kosa asked, "What the heck are you talking about?"

"If you are truly telling the truth," Edaha stated quietly, "Then say it while looking me in the eye. Tell me you'd like to satisfy your curiosity."

Kosa raised an eyebrow at his brother as he looked Edaha straight in the eye.

"Um…alright," Kosa nodded, "I'd like to….I'd like to….whoa…"

Kosa began to feel strange, weaving back and forth as if he could not feel the ground beneath him. However, no matter how much he stumbled, he could not tear his eyes away from Edaha's. It was as if he was in some sort of trance. Little did Kosa know, he was.

"Edaha…." Kosa stated with little emotion, "I feel strange…."

The adult hyena nodded, keeping his eyes locked in with his brother's.

"You look tired," Edaha breathed in a soothing tone, "You should lay yourself down , for a bit. You'll need your energy, today."

"Y…y..y…yes," Kosa stated tiredly, "I just need some rest."

With that, Kosa collapsed on the ground, landing limp on his right side. Edaha unfocused his eyes and shook his head, before examining his younger brother carefully. Kosa made no movement or sound other than steady breathing.

"I…I shouldn't have done that," Edaha whisped to himself, lifting Kosa's chin with his paw, "Abusing my gift like that….and on my own brother, no less…But I need to help him put this nightmare behind him….restoring him to what he deserves would be too painful….It's better that he be unconscious for this…Supplies….I'll need supplies….and a river may be useful….I think there's one nearby."

Edaha nodded to himself and wrapped the scruff of Kosa's neck in his mouth, keeping his tongue recoiled to avoid receiving a bad taste from the filthy cub's coat. Taking great care, Edaha lifted his brother into the air and began to walk off, only pausing as he heard the sounds of flesh tearing behind him, followed by a series of gulping noises. After placing Kosa gently on the ground, Edaha turned around to see a striped hyena feasting on the antelope that he had left behind. It was the very same hyena that Edaha had encountered earlier. With a heavy sigh, Edaha addressed the scavenger.

"You again," Edaha groaned, "Didn't take you long at all, did it?"

The striped hyena glanced at Edaha with a toothy smile.

"Shuddup," the striped hyena snorted, "Your pressing your luck. You caught me off guard, before. It won't happen twice."

Edaha rolled his eyes and began to walk off, before hearing the striped hyena call after him.

"What the hell are you doing out here, anyway?" the striped hyena called, "Every dick with half a brain knows that this land is dangerous. Just a stone-throw away from Mamlaka, after all….heh. They'd be sure to give you the "Honored Guest" treatment, that's for sure!"

Edaha turned around and stared at the striped hyena for a moment, before looking towards the sky, casually.

"Mamlaka?" Edaha mused, "Hmm….Ah yes, last ruled by Fenyang the Pious, if I remember correctly….I hear it's not what it used to be. Seems the entire nation was burned to the ground. The doing of the Bloody Shadows, I'd wager."

The striped hyena's eyes widened at Edaha's comment.

"It's…..it's gone?" the striped hyena asked in complete surprise.

Edaha nodded, before turning away from the dark-furred hyena. He was about to pick up Kosa in his mouth, when the striped hyena spoke again.

"Do you know what happened to Fenyang?" he asked, "Is he still alive?"

"Highly doubtful," was Edaha's reply, "He was right in the center of the ambush….I've heard."

Once again, Edaha turned to pick up Kosa. And once again, he found himself interrupted by the striped hyena.

"…..Do you have any idea if Fenyang's son ever returned?" the striped hyena asked, "He goes by the name of Edaha, I think."

Edaha froze, slowly bring his gaze to the striped hyena.

"I….I believe he did," Edaha stated carefully, "Why do you ask?"

The striped hyena snorted loudly and began to scratch his neck with his hind paw.

"Not that's its really any of your business," the striped hyena stated matter-of-factly, "But my curiosity springs from the fact that I met someone who knew him not too long ago…..someone who's been hoping to see him…..someone who took pity on me when no one else would. Hmph….maybe it was for the best she was forced out."

Edaha cocked his head in confusion as he stared at the striped hyena.

"Who?" Edaha asked, narrowing his eyes.

The striped hyena stopped scratching himself and looked Edaha up and down, before speaking.

"Fenyang's old flame," the striped hyena stated, "Tii."

Edaha's eyes widened with shock, his entire form beginning to shake.

"Wha..wha…wha….What?" Edaha managed to ask through his shock, "Are you….are you sure?"

The striped hyena raised an eyebrow at Edaha, his expression one of confusion and annoyance.

"What the hell is up with…." The striped hyena began, before pausing to examine Edaha carefully, "….Wait….Why couldn't I see it before? You're a sperm-drop of Fenyang's if I've ever seen one! I suppose that makes you Edaha?"

Edaha paused a moment, before nodding, knowing that there was no sense in hiding it anymore. The spotted hyena then shook his head, and stared directly at the striped hyena with an urgent expression.

"Please," Edaha breathed loudly, obviously in a state of shock, "If you know anything regarding the whereabouts of my mother, you must tell me!"

The striped hyena stared at Edaha for a few seconds, before turning its head and rubbing the back of its neck.

"Being the son of Fenyang, you must know of the Bloody Shadows," the striped hyena stated, raising its right paw and pointing forward, "So I'm sure you don't need to be told how dangerous they can be. To the east lies one of its colonies. It's the last place I saw her. I doubt she's still there, but there's bound to be someone there who knows more about the situation than I do. Maybe they can help you find her."

Edaha glanced in the direction that the striped hyena had indicated, before facing him once more.

"Can you take me there?" Edaha asked quietly.

The striped hyena snorted and turned away, his face mirroring disgust.

"Hell no!" the striped hyena barked, "I'm a deserter. Going back there would cost me my life, and nothing's worth that price. You're on your own."

Edaha blinked a few times, before glancing down at the sleeping cub beside him.

"No," Edaha stated, "I'm not. I have my brother. We're going together. We're family, after all."

The striped hyena whirled around to face Edaha, his look of disgust now turning to repulsion.

"Family!" the striped hyena spat, "You spotted are so naïve! You fail to realize how little family really means. When it comes down to it, all they do is screw you over…..So willing to sell out their own to save themselves…You'll see. Once your brother is no longer of any use to you, you'll see. It's an unnecessary inconvenience, having to look out for anyone other than yourself. We all have to accept that eventually. The sooner you do, the better."

Edaha merely stared at the striped hyena, before narrowing his eyes to meet those of the one who'd addressed him.

"If you really believed that," Edaha stated plainly, "You would have had no reason to tell me anything. Your past has left you confused and bitter. You can keep telling yourself that you don't care, but it won't make a difference. Deep down, all you want is companionship. But you fear losing it, and thus push everyone away. You'll find your way, one day. I'd just recommend actually looking, first."

The striped hyena stood silent and stared at Edaha for a short while, a blank expression on his face as he returned to the antelope carcass.

"Whatever," the striped hyena grumbled, "Just remember, should you need any help whatsoever, do not seek me out. For I will only refuse you. As far as I'm concerned, my debt's been repaid."

Edaha quickly nodded to the stripped hyena and turned around to pick up Kosa, only to be interrupted for the final time.

"And if you find your mother," the striped hyena stated, "Tell her that Nakama says 'We're even.'"

Edaha looked back at the striped hyena from over his shoulder and gave a slow nod.

"I'll be sure to send her your warmest regards. Thank you," Edaha stated with a slight smile, before thinking for a moment, "Oh….and sorry about slamming that rock on your…."

"Yeah, you're lucky I don't rip yours off!" the striped hyena interrupted with a snarl, glancing between his hind legs, "Now would you mind pissing off?"

Edaha gave a shrugged and turned back to Kosa, picking the black cub up in his jaws before running off, leaving the striped hyena and the antelope carcass behind.

I can't believe it,Edaha thought to himself,It hasn't been a day, and already I have a lead!...I wonder…..how did he know so much?...It doesn't matter. All that matters is that I'll be able to start my search. Mother….I'm coming…..but first thing's first. I've got Kosa to think about. He'll be ready for the journey in a few days or so, if all goes well. If not, we'll just have to wait until he is ready. I won't force any more unnecessary hardships on him, and leaving him behind is not an option. He's been through enough. And what right have I to deny him the chance to be with his mother…There, it's not selfishness. It's morals. And right now, my morals are telling me to see to it that he can began a life anew.….But rest assured, Mother. We will find you. Together, we will find you. We'll finally be a family again. I swear it on my life!

xXx

Nakama tore of another scrap of meat as he watched as the spotted hyena disappear into the distance, the black cub clutched safely in his jaws. The striped hyena looked toward the sky as he swallowed the flesh, before allowing himself a slight smile.

"Hmm," Nakama smirked, "Foolish spotted probably has no idea what he's getting himself into. But saves me the trouble of seeking Tii, myself. And if he fails….well, I'd rather not think about it. Lords of Nature can be most unforgiving."

xXx

Kosa slowly awoke and rubbed his head, still feeling a bit odd. As he lifted his eyelids, he found himself on a bed of leaves, shaded by a large rock. He was in a different area than before. The black cub noted a nearby stream, a few trees different than the one he'd seen before, and that the sun's elevation had risen from morning right into midday. It wasn't too shocking for Kosa, but it did come as a bit of a surprise.

"I see you're finally awake," came a voice from above, "How are you feeling?"

Kosa looked upward to see Edaha looking down at him from atop the rock. The adult hyena's content expression masked the concern he had been feeling for his brother.

"Um….I'm fine, I guess,"" Kosa stated, continuing to rub his head, "I must've been out for hours…."

Edaha leaped off the rock and sat down beside his brother, placing his paw on Kosa's back.

"You were," Edaha told the black cub, "Four of them, to be exact…..are you sure that you're feeling alright?"

Edaha stared at his brother for a moment, before closing his eyes and bringing a paw to his forehead.

"Y..Yeah," Kosa answered, "Just a bit dizzy."

Edaha allowed himself a slight smile as he helped Kosa to his feet.

"Come on," Edaha told his brother softly, "I'll help you to the river. Maybe a drink'll make you feel better."

Kosa nodded and leaned on his brother's leg as Edaha slowly led him to the river. When he had reached the bank, Kosa leaned forward and began to lap up the water below. Suddenly, he stopped, having noticed something strange in the water; an unfamiliar black cub staring back at him. Kosa jumped back in surprise. Edaha merely smiled.

"What's the matter?" Edaha asked with a small laugh, "It's only your reflection!"

Kosa quickly glanced at his brother in surprise, before slowly making his way back to the river's back and looking over the edge reluctantly. The black cub that stared back at him was a lot different from his usual reflection. This cub was well-groomed, with no signs of dirt or mud anywhere on his body. It's peeking mane was brushed back, and its ears contained no wax. Kosa had to raise his arm, just to be sure that the reflection was his. He was shocked to see the cub in the water mimic his action. However, it was what Kosa noticed about the cub next that was a far greater shock; its body hosted no visible cuts, bruises, scars, or burns. Kosa could see as he raised his arm that his protruding ribs were in perfect alignment with each other. Kosa continued to stare at the new cub, eventually coming to its facial features. It didn't look half bad. Actually, it didn't look bad at all. Besides the black fur, this was pretty much what Kosa imagined a hyena cub would look like. However, one feature on the cub's face took Kosa's attention away from the others; its lack of a swollen eye. It was at that moment that Kosa realized how much clearer his vision had become. If there was any doubt before, it sas gone, now. This was his reflection. With a look of shock, Kosa brought a paw to his face rubbing his cheek as he turned his head from side to side.

"I figured as long as you were out, I'd satisfy your curiosity," Edaha spoke up, sitting himself down beside his brother, "What do you think?"

Kosa quickly looked up at his brother, his eyes full of astonishment.

"Y….You did this?" Kosa asked, completely taken aback.

Edaha nodded. Kosa stared back into the water and examined his reflection.

"But…but how? " Kosa breathed, "All those scars, and bruises, and burns…they're all…..all…."

" Gone," Edaha confirmed quietly, before pointing to a pile of rooted plants and herbs, "I'm not going to lie. It took a lot to fix you. Luckily, I found everything I needed. Those plants work miracles when used right….but they also cause the one treated with them to feel a great deal of discomfort. It's a good thing you slept through the whole thing. Had you been conscious, the pain would have been overwhelming….I'm actually surprised you managed to sleep through it. Even with the sedatives, I half expected you to wake up before I was finished. And yet, you barely made a thrash. I said it before, and I'll say it again: You're something to behold."

Kosa slowly turned his gaze from Edaha to the water. It was strange. This was the first time that he stared at his reflection without giving much thought to his black coat. It was as if his color didn't matter, anymore. Something about seeing himself without all the injuries and grime caused Kosa's self pity to fade. He felt almost normal.

"To think…." Kosa breathed, "After all these years….all the time I spent staring at my reflection…I never saw this…."

Edaha smiled and lowered himself to his brother's level.

"Perhaps you were simply looking into the wrong kind of waters," Edaha suggested.

Kosa looked back at his brother, slowly cocking his head.

"Why did you do this?" Kosa asked in confusion, "Not that I'm not grateful…I am. It's just….it seems like you went to so much trouble."

Edaha stood up straight and stretched his back casually, before looking back down at Kosa and speaking.

"I did," Edaha nodded, "But you're more than worth it. One such as you doesn't deserve a moment's discomfort. I want to help you forget about the horrible times that came, and make way for the good times to come. I know appearance won't help all that much, but it's a start. After all, admiring injuries such as the ones you've suffered would do nothing but bring sadness…anger…even hate….Those times are over. You're a new hyena now, Brother…..That reminds me. I just may have come up with the perfect name for you."

Kosa drooped his ears back, a bit reluctantly.

"I'm…still not sure about this whole 'changing names' thing," Kosa stated, staring down at his paw as he dragged it across the ground, "I…like the idea well enough….it's just….are you sure your allowed to do that?"

Edaha stared down at his brother with a reminiscent smile, before opening his mouth to speak.

"I'm sure," Edaha told Kosa, "After all, Mother did it."

Kosa quickly shot his head upward in surprised.

"She did?" Kosa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Mmm-hmm," Edaha nodded, "Mind you, it wasn't of her own choosing. Father forced the name of Tii on her. But, I assure you, this is a much different situation."

"What was her name before she changed it?" Kosa inquired eagerly, "And why'd Father make her change it?"

Edaha's smiled shortened as he looked down at Kosa with a heavy sigh.

"Her original name," Edaha breathed, "Was Taa."

Kosa blinked a few times, before speaking up.

"You're serious?" Kosa piped up.

"Yes, I am," Edaha nodded, looking into the distance, "And in my opinion, that was the perfect name for her. For upon many things it stood for 'devotion' and 'light'…..But Father saw the name as pretentious, and forced her to change it to Tii."

Edaha stopped there and narrowed his eyes. There was a pause, soon being broken by Kosa.

"What…What does Tii mean?" Kosa asked carefully.

Edaha closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"It also stands for many things," Edaha muttered, "Most notably, 'loyal slave'."

Kosa's eyes widened. Edaha gritted his teeth.

"He disgusted me," Edaha growled quietly, his claws digging into the ground, "To give one so wonderful such a name….and not much changed, did it?"

Kosa stared at his brother's frustrated expression, before placing his paws on Edaha's leg.

"So….um….tell me about this name you have for me," Kosa began, attempting to change the subject.

Edaha retracted his claws and covered his teeth beneath his lips as he turned to Kosa. A smile soon adorned his face.

"It was only after grooming you that I realized something," Edaha explained calmly, "You, unlike me, do not share Father's features. You're appearance is really more similar to Mother's."

Kosa blinked heavily and pulled his head back in surprise.

"It…it is?" Kosa asked, taken aback by Edaha's statement.

"Minus the black coat, of course," Edaha smiled, patting Kosa's head, "And your body structure. But your facial features….just like Mother's. I'd been considering one name for you, but it wasn't until I noticed your resemblance to mother that I realized how much it fit."

Kosa perked up his ears and leaned forward, his form beginning to shake.

"So?" Kosa asked quietly, trying to hide his excitement, "What is it?"

Edaha smiled down at his brother warmly, before speaking.

"Kivuli."

Kosa blinked slowly and thought for a moment, considering the name Edaha had suggested. It did not take long for Kosa to form an opinion, as a wide smile soon found itself upon his muzzle and his ears stood almost vertically.

"Kivuli," Kosa mused, placing a paw to his chin, "Kivuli….it has a nice ring to it….Kivuli….it sounds special….important…..Kivuli…..Now that'sa name!"

Edaha stretched his limbs, still smiling at his brother.

"So, you like it?" Edaha asked, already knowing his brother's answer.

Kosa nodded excitedly, before thinking for a moment.

"What's it mean?" Kosa asked in curiosity.

Edaha sat down beside his brothr and wrapped a paw around him, pulling Kosa closer before speaking.

"It means 'shadow'," Edaha answered with a smile, "For you were created in the image of light, and yet wear a darkened appearance."

Kosa stared up at his brother, his expression full of awe. The name seemed to get better and better the more he thought about it. Edaha turned his head away casually and shrugged.

"Of course, you don't have to take this name if you don't want to," Edaha stated jokingly.

Kosa quickly jumped at his brother, managing to lift himself onto Edaha's back.

"What're you, nuts?" Kosa laughed, "I love it! When can I start using it?"

Edaha chuckled as he lied himself down and glanced back at his brother.

"Right away, if you like it that much," Edaha told his brother jovially, "From this day forward, creatures far and wide will come to know you as Kivuli! A marvel among hyenas!"

The two brothers shared a period of joyous laughter, slowly winding down within a few minutes. Suddenly, Edaha remembered what the striped hyena had told him. After carefully taking his brother off of his back and placing him on the ground in front of him, Edaha sat up straight.

"So, Kivuli," Edaha smiled down at his brother, stressing the name as he placed a paw on the black cub's shoulder, "I believe that I may have a lead as to how to find Mother."

Kivuli instantly leaped forward, leaning his weight on his brother's other leg.

"Really?" Kivuli asked excitedly, "Then what are we waiting around here for? Let's go!"

Kivuli began to run off, before being caught by his brother, how picked him up quickly and gently placed him on the ground. The black cub stared up at his brother in confusion.

"Not just yet," Edaha told his brother, "Even if you can't see them, your wounds are still there. It'll take a few days for them to be completely sealed. Until then, you have to take it easy."

Kivuli's smiled slowly faded, a look a disappointment taking its place. Edaha patted his brother's head and smiled.

"Don't worry," Edaha smiled, "We'll be off to find her soon. In the meantime, we need to prepare ourselves for the journey. We need to know what to expect. The world's a lot bigger than Mamlaka, Kivuli. You've a lot to learn."

Kivuli's ears began to prick up, a smile slowly coming upon his face as he looked up at his brother.

"Will you….teach me?" Kivuli asked hopefully, "You're really good at explaining things."

Edaha smiled warmly at his brother and gave a nod.

"I'd be more than happy to," Edaha nodded, "It'd be a true privilege to answer any questions you may have."

Kivuli thought for a moment, before smiling at Edaha.

"Um…would you mind explaining the Circle of Life, again?" Kivuli asked Edaha, "I'm not sure a fully get it."

Edaha smiled widely and lied down beside his brother, pulling Kivuli close to his side.

"Of course," Edaha nodded with a grin, "I couldn't think of a better place to begin!"

The two brothers talked late into the night, Edaha answering each and every one of Kivuli's questions, filling the young cub's head with as much knowledge as possible. Kivuli soaked each and every word in, and was sure to ask more questions if he failed to understand something. Edaha enjoyed teaching Kivuli. After all, it was part of undoing the damage that his father had done. And even ignoring that point, Edaha knew it was his duty to educate his brother about the world. For soon, they would go off in search of their mother. Kivuli would need as much knowledge as possible.

However, despite everything he learned by questioning Edaha, there was one bit of knowledge that would stay in Kivuli's heart for the rest of his life; the knowledge that he was not worthless. The knowledge that just because his coat was black, it did not make him lesser than any other creature. Kivuli knew it. Edaha knew it. Tii knew it.

Soon enough, all of Africa would know it.