"You alright?" asked the young lion, watching the lioness as she trundled on by, sulking.
"Huh? Oh…oh yes, I'm fine Lenny. Thanks for asking," replied Shairi, giving him a quick smile as she continued on.
"You don't look it. You know, sometimes my brother looks sad and I always ask him what's wrong and he doesn't tell me. I think it's cos he doesn't like to hear me talk all that often when he's upset though, you know? I mean…why would you be walking around that upset unless something was wrong?"
Shairi stopped walking and heaved a deep sigh.
"Lenny…look…I…I'll be fine, alright? No, I'm not fine right now, but I'll get over it. My sister quit, that's all. Thanks for the concern, but I really…I can't talk to you right now."
"Why not? Is your jaw broke?"
Shairi rolled her eyes. "Let me rephrase that. It is not to my strategic advantage to talk to you right now."
Lenny smiled and got up. He quickly made his way over to Shairi. "Then I'm going to keep talking," he replied. "Because if it's not to your strategic advantage, then it works in my favor, which is good for me as you are a competitor."
Shairi frowned. "Lenny, you're using logic. You're not supposed to do that in the Siku Choka."
Lenny laughed at this. "You're right, you know," he replied. "I mean, if we all used logic, none of us would even enter this game."
At this, Shairi looked back at where her pride was in the stands. Where Winda was.
"Yeah," she replied. "That's the problem."
Lenny got this one. Obviously, in Shairi's opinion, Winda had used 'logic' to talk her way out of competing in the Siku Choka.
"Well at least she's still alive," Lenny put it blunt. "You having second thoughts too?"
Shairi shook her head in response. "I don't even have first thoughts," she replied. "You can't in this game. You've just got to take it as it comes."
"So why don't you want me to talk to you?" Lenny asked, reverting to the original question.
"I need you to stay here and ambush that antelope, so that I can get a new one once it's released."
"Ah," Lenny replied. "So…what if I don't do that? What if I go to the prey-release point myself, instead?"
"It seems that's where you're going," Shairi stated, giving in. "I guess we'll have to find out."
Nala drummed her toes impatiently on the ground as Bilauri brought down a zebra.
"I should've realized this would be a short-lived lead," she noted.
Simba shrugged it off. "Hey, it's still a lot of points. They'll work their way down here eventually. Then we'll be the first in ambush," he stated, as Eboni took the newest zebra down.
"No we won't," Nala replied. "Shairi and Lenny are on their way around here. They'll be taking all the prey down."
"No, just the zebra," Simba corrected her. "That's Shairi's strategy."
"Thanks for telling me."
"I mean—" Simba added, observing his mistake, "that was her strategy…I don't know what it is now, heh."
Nala narrowed her eyes and turn towards her mate.
"Whose side are you on?" she asked him. "You realize we've only got a few hours left, right? Why don't you come to team Nala now?"
"Do you have cookies?"
"No. But if you team up with me, I can talk Elvis out of teaming up with me."
"But…don't you want him as your teammate?" Simba asked. "I mean, that way he sees you as an asset rather than a competitor, and that keeps you safe. And, also, it keeps me safe, as he knows that if he killed me he would lose you as a teammate."
Nala sighed. "True," she confessed. "But stop hiding secrets from me, Simba," she said. "It's too late now. We've got to start working together if we want one of us to win this. We can't put all our eggs in one basket."
Simba smiled back. "Well, you're ahead," he replied. "I guess you've got to start helping me get points."
The crowd was growing increasingly confused as, once again, Shemshi allowed a zebra to walk on by him and be taken down by Eboni.
From farther on down the track, Bilauri groaned. "Come on Shemshi, don't give her all the points!" she exclaimed, knowing that he couldn't hear her however. "You just put Eboni back in the lead!"
Indeed, with Eboni picking off a zebra and crossing the line, she now had a grand total of 335 points. Ten higher than Nala's 325.
However, the last laugh was saved for Simba and Nala: Eboni now had to line up in ambush after them.
"I'm not going to lie," Eboni stated, taking her position on the side of the track, "that was a cool play that you and Simba had going on back there with all the zebra. You two are much better at this than I thought you'd be."
Nala returned a smile, but Simba was not paying attention. He was checking on farther back down the track to see what the next piece of prey would be.
Meanwhile, Shairi and Lenny had just made their way around the buffalo and were now up to the prey-release point where they lined up next to Shemshi.
"You going to go for one of these animals today?" Shairi asked, observing, as Bilauri had, that Shemshi had remained stationary for the past ten or so minutes while the rest of the zebra had passed him on by.
"I plan on it," Shemshi replied. "I was waiting on you, first."
"Really?" Shairi asked, bewildered. "Why?"
"Cos I'm sick of Bilauri," Shemshi stated earnestly. "And now with Winda gone, it's not really much of a team more than just a mutual pairing of hatred. I figured you'd be better."
"O—oh…" Shairi replied, biting her lip. She looked down at the ground then back up at Shemshi. She had had plenty of times to rehearse and deliver this line, but it seemed just a bit harder this time. "Shemshi…I…um…Simba's the right teammate for me today. As much as I know you more than him…as much as you're my friend…he's the one I need to work with to win this thing."
"Well you'd better tell him that," Shemshi replied. "He hasn't left Nala's side since they woke back up."
Shairi's heart skipped a beat. Was it really that time already? She checked on by Shemshi and observed that they were together. She had expected it eventually but this early? Well…looked like she was with Shemshi now.
"So how about it Shairi?" Shemshi asked, sticking his paw out. "Want to be my teammate…again?"
Shairi looked at his paw, deep in thought. She thought back to Siku Choka 24, when she and Shemshi had been teammates the entire game. She had finished third that day and had been congratulated by many of the spectators. All in all, it had been a great day, she could have cared less that she hadn't won. But now…it was Siku Choka 27.
Shairi continued to look down at his paw.
"Shairi?" Shemshi asked again, checking to make sure she was still with him.
Shairi closed her eyes. She was still with reality, but she just couldn't bring herself to appreciate it.
"I—I'm sorry, Shemshi," she replied. "I can't. This isn't Siku Choka 24 anymore. I want to put you before the trophy but I can't bring myself to do it. That's what I did all those years ago…back when I was in my prime and…as fun as it was, I kind of regret it. I really want to be remembered…I really want to be a Siku Choka champion…and Simba's the one I need to work with to make that happen today."
Shemshi dropped his paw and shrugged it off. "I can understand that," he confessed. "Honestly…I kind of feel the same way. Just I feel I need to be working with you in order for myself to win it."
Shairi smirked. "Well then I'm really glad I said no," she replied. "If you need me to help you win, and I choose a different teammate, then you can't win…and that's one less for me to worry about."
Bilauri brought down a zebra right at the time that the buffalo was passing on by the prey-release point. The new zebra joined onto the circuit and both pieces of prey broke out into a run as Lenny, Shairi and Shemshi all began to give chase.
Lenny and Shairi went for the zebra while Shemshi went for the buffalo.
"You want the zebra?" Nala asked, watching the prey running down the straight towards them.
"No, Shairi's after it," Simba replied.
Nala rolled her eyes. "Suit yourself," she said back, crouching down.
Eboni and Bilauri also set themselves up into position, both hoping to go for the zebra now that Shemshi had taken down the buffalo.
Shairi realized that she was about to have a lot of competition, so she began to make her move early. She pounced up onto the zebra's back and grabbed a hold of its sides. Unfortunately, she had not pulled herself up far enough, and she was beginning to slide off.
Nala and Eboni took advantage, both closing in on the zebra, while Bilauri decided against giving chase and remained in her ambushing post.
Shairi pulled herself up farther but Nala had already pounced up onto the zebra's back, throwing her off balance. Shairi finally lost her footing and fell off of the zebra's back, while Eboni gave in and made her way back over to the outside of the track, handing a well-earned set of ten points over to Nala. Nala also made her way back over to the outside of the track while a new buffalo and zebra were on their ways towards Shemshi.
"You going to go for the buffalo?" Simba heard someone asked him. He turned back around to see who it was.
"Oh," he exclaimed, "hi Sarafina."
"You seem to be better at taking them down now."
"Yeah…Shairi taught me."
"Ah, I see," Sarafina replied. "So…" she added, looking back up the track, "…Nala's going to help you catch up, I take it?"
"It would seem that way," Simba replied. "I don't think I'm ready to part with Shairi yet though. I think she's still got a few things she could teach me."
Sarafina shook her head in disagreement. "She's taught you enough," she replied. "You know enough to win this Siku Choka if you wanted to, Simba. You've just got to play your cards right, and hope that the rest falls your way."
"Well thanks for the pep talk," thanked Simba. "How's Kiara doing?"
"She's fine," Sarafina quickly stated, "don't go worrying about her. Just worry about yourself."
"Alright then. Which piece of prey do you think I should go for?"
"Buffalo."
"But Shemshi's going to go for that."
"Him and what army? If you go for the zebra, the others are going to swarm you in ambush."
"So go for the buffalo?"
"Absolutely. Just watch out for Eboni. Don't worry about Nala, she should let you get it."
"We'll see," Simba replied, exchanging a smile with his mother-in-law before returning his focus to the track.
Nala will let me have it? Doubt it. She wants this win for herself.
I should reeeeaaaallllyyyy let Simba get this buffalo, thought Nala, digging her claws into the mud. I really, really should not move from my spot until he has got his ten points and I have given him a chance to catc…ah, screw it, I'm not going to be able to talk myself out of this.
Nala sighed and delivered a sly smile off towards the distance. "Good luck Simba," she stated, watching as he broke ranks and joined Shemshi in the buffalo chase.
As expected, Eboni soon ran out to join them.
However, out of the corner of her eye, Nala caught on to an unexpected movement.
The lioness didn't even begin to notice that Simba had actually already made his way up onto the buffalo's back; her attention had already been fully distracted towards this new motion.
Elvis had gotten up.
Nala's teammate was up on his feet and had just made a bee-line across the track, blocking the buffalo from running straight.
Nala realized what was happening and soon took off into a run.
She wasn't running for the buffalo though, she was running from it.
Elvis wanted the buffalo for himself; that was understandable. However, the only reason he could possibly stop Simba from getting it right now, was to throw another curveball at the prey. By standing on the inside of the track, he had caused the buffalo to change route. This way, Eboni and Shemshi were both thrown off course as the buffalo made a sudden right turn towards the outside of the track.
Problem: the outside of the track was where Nala had been standing, and where Juveda was still sleeping.
Elvis took advantage of the fact that Eboni and Shemshi were gone to jump up onto the buffalo's back and join Simba in tearing at the buffalo's neck.
It wasn't until Simba saw Elvis pulling at the buffalo's neck that he realized what he was up against. The lion king let go of the flesh and allowed himself to fall off the back of the buffalo.
Elvis, meanwhile, continued to ride the gigantic beast, right until its veins were pierced and it collapsed into a heap on the ground…right on top of Juveda.
Simba and Shemshi ran up towards where the incident had occurred. Nala would have joined them, but she had already passed the point of the incident, while Eboni had gone to line back up in ambush, ignoring all of the commotion.
Elvis, now playing the role of Good Samaritan, attempted to lift the buffalo off of Juveda. Shemshi soon arrived on the scene, however, and roared at the young lion, forcing him away from the accident scene. As he did so, Simba lifted the buffalo up and pushed Juveda out from under it. The lioness was bleeding heavily from the head.
"Juveda, can you hear me?" Simba asked, Shemshi joining his side.
The lioness sputtered as a response, spitting chunks of blood out.
"Hell, Shemshi, go get a doctor," Simba commanded. The Nyaziland lion did as he said, without hesitation.
Juveda reached a paw up and tried to push Simba away. She was moaning, but Simba couldn't make out what she was trying to say.
"Juveda, you need a doctor," he affirmed. "You really have no idea of how bad you look."
"You…" Juveda tried to make out, "…no idea…bloody…look bad."
"Juveda, you're not making any sense."
"I'm…you bloody…I'm okay…"
"No you're not, Juveda. You're bleeding all over."
Juveda didn't try and snap back at Simba for this, but the lion king could still tell that she wasn't pleased.
"Look, Juveda, if you can't make out what you're trying to say to the officials, then they're going to say you are too unfit to respond."
"You just…you want me out of this game…that way I can't beat you."
"No, Juveda, that's not true at all. I—I have nothing against you. Hell, if it wasn't for you I would have never known about Elvis. That's why I want what's best for you and, right now, what's best…"
"No!"
"Juveda…"
"No, I will not…bloody…them take me!"
The infield track workers had run up to Juveda's side, but they knew that they were not allowed to touch her until she gave in or was non-comprehendible.
Simba exchanged glances between them and Juveda. It seemed that he had forgotten about this rule.
"Well, what the hell are you guys waiting for? Take her!"
"We can't," a cheetah replied, "she hasn't given us permission to."
"You're going to let her just lie here and die!?" exclaimed Simba.
"I'm not…die gonna…"
"Not if I drag you to the infield, you're not," Simba replied.
"You'd get disqualified for that," the cheetah cautioned him.
"What, for saving her life? It seems you two aren't in a hurry to do it!"
Finally though, Simba's conversation with the track officials was cut short as a lion ran up behind him and shoved him forwards, knocking the lion king down off his feet and sliding about five yards away. Simba got back up and whirled around, livid with whoever had just knocked into him.
"You're not going to be able to change her mind," Shemshi snapped, getting his voice in before Simba could raise his, "you were just making the situation worse. I had to knock you out the way to get you away from her…we've got to let her figure it out in her own sweet time."
"She doesn't have any time!"
"If she truly doesn't, then she'll shut up, and the officials will take her away," Shemshi reasoned. Simba didn't snap back at him for this. He was glancing on by Shemshi's shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on with Juveda.
Shemshi saw this, and so he took a step to the side, blocking Simba's line of vision.
"Hey, look, if she doesn't make it, we can blame me, alright? You've got to let it go Simba. You did all you could, more than you should have, in fact. You've just got to let it go."
Simba knew he was right but he couldn't help but growl. He whirled around leaving Shemshi with a snarl. However, he wasn't the only Pridelander that was unhappy.
"Well Ah have to confess…" Elvis began.
"Don't," Nala snapped back.
"Ah, another song title I see."
"No, don't," Nala replied angrily. "I've had enough of listening to your lies Elvis. I know what you did and I know what you've done and I've had it. You're doing it on purpose and it's sickening to me and I hope you get what's coming to you."
Nala continued marching on by her former teammate. She didn't care if he came for her right now. She'd take him down. But that was it; their 'friendship' was over. Deep down though, she knew that this game had just gotten much tougher for her. Her chances of survival, in her opinion, were very slim.
Meanwhile, Elvis was wearing a very perplexed expression.
"Ah well-uh, what's her problem?" he asked aloud.
(A/N: So...do you think Juveda will live? I'll let you in on this much; she's out of the game, that's for sure. Here are the scores of the eight competitors left standing:
1st: Nala (335) - no teammate as of right now
2nd: Eboni (335; -0 points) - no teammate
3rd: Simba (296; -39 points) - teammates with Shairi
4th: Shemshi (290; -45 points) - no teammate
5th: Elvis (255; -80 points) - no teammate
6th: Bilauri (255; -80 points) - doesn't know it, but no teammate now
7th: Shairi (244; -91 points) - teammates with Simba
8th: Lenny (233; -102 points) - will be teammates with Elvis or Nala still?
FYI; Guvu passed with with 280 points - technically he's still 6th (Juveda is 5th with 282). About three hours left in this game; I'm trying to not get writer's block as often :) Reviews appreciated!)