Chapter 20

The moon was high in the sky now. Zira had passed by hours ago, and everything now was still and had been for some time. Danyal shifted on the hardened, cracked ground. It was practically solid stone, dirt beaten to hard and scorched by the sun into almost solid rock. The ground of the canyon was significantly harder and rougher than the loam of the Night Pride. He hadn't realised how used he had become to it., Danyal opened his eyes and crawled to his feet, slowly. He looked around. The cubs were asleep; all of them Calin, Inti, Sara and that friend of theirs, Koron. Not far from them and arranged protectively around them were both Almasi, and Damu, who had fallen asleep their eyes on the cubs. He felt a pang. He wished Kion had been able to bring Kiava and Zuri back to safety. But then again, perhaps they ought to be grateful they weren't here stuck in this mess with them. Harten was also nearby. A quick inspection revealed most of the others. They were all asleep. Lukaan was snoring to himself, the great white lion almost luminous in the shadows. He gave a small smile. As he had predicted, they were all asleep, and the scouts and sentries posted on guard duty were preoccupied with the creatures outside their camp, not within. He rose to his feet, and then made his way around the sleeping forms of the other lions. He was used to moving slowly by now, and that meant he was as silent as a ghost. His mother's lessons from years ago as clear in his head as the day she had taught him.

Kion was the biggest danger. The lithe lion slept lightly, unless aided by Makini and the ever-present tuliza leaf. He wasn't sure she had supplied him with the vital herb, but she lay there with him, leaning against her friend's side, rising, and falling with his breath. His own muscles twitched. There was an irony that without her tender care, there was no way he'd be able to move as quickly nor as quietly as he did. He hoped she wouldn't hate him too much. His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't be spotted. Not now. It would ruin everything. He didn't look for Sundar amongst their sleeping forms. He couldn't afford to. If he did, his nerve might break and he might return to his sleep and pretend nothing had happened.

Finally, as he neared the edge of the camp, he turned back and his gaze lingered on the cubs once again. They had been so thrilled to see him again and would be heartbroken when they found him gone again in the morning. For a moment that alone gave him pause. Then he steeled himself. He was no fool. For all of Koron's bravado, he was the only one to have actually fought a Shai'tan. Even with the cheetahs, the panthers, the jaguars and all those other creatures on their side, those new monstrosities that Rish'ut had brought with him terrified him. They were a game changer. Perhaps if they surrounded one, they could attack from all sides, and overwhelm it… perhaps if they had some snakes on their side with venom... But as far as they knew all the serpent families had sworn their allegiance to the Shai'tan, including their latest chieftain. If they had just a few more fighters or even if they simply had more time to prepare. But with Yessen out cold, they were left with the prospect of a pitched battle. They had planned to help them flee, but Uhani's betrayal had left them vulnerable and trapped.

The only solution that seemed to allow any of them a chance to escape was to except to accept the Shai'tan's offer. Sacrifice Vitani, Lukaan, and the three cubs that had lead the escape from Golgorath. It betrayed how little the Shai'tan understood them that they even deigned to make such an offer. To sacrifice cubs that he regarded as siblings? Vitani would never do it. Nor would Almasi. Lukaan would never accept it. And nor would he. Never. Not in a million years.

His steps where like a whisper in the moonlight, but even so, he could hear something ahead. Not movement, but the slow, steady sound of breath. This was the tricky bit. Getting passed their own sentry.

Danyal slowed and moved forward, keeping his belly close to the ground. Then he pushed his way through the undergrowth and saw a small shape ahead of him. One of Jahi's cheetahs? No. It was a young lion. Danyal cursed under his breath at his miserable luck. One of the cheetah's he could almost certainly bluff his way past, but Helio? For a moment he considered turning back, and trying and circling around to avoid him entirely but that would waste too much time. So, slowly, he made his way forward and trying to remain as quiet as he could he managed to get about halfway around before Helio's ears twitched. Danyal held his breath, and stayed motionless. Helio sniffed a long breath of air. Then he spoke.

"I know you are there, Danyal. Why are you sneaking around?" He said. Danyal didn't move for a second. But Helio had already spotted him. He stepped out into the moonlight and nodded his head in greeting.

"Helio." He said.

"Danyal. What on earth are you doing about this hour?" he said, puzzled. "Surely not attempting to make a quick getaway?" He asked, but his own tone betrayed how unlikely he considered that prospect. Even so, Danyal almost growled at the suggestion, but held his tongue.

"You know me better than that, Helio." He said. Helio's whiskers twitched.

"Forgive me. You are a better lion than that. However much I might wish otherwise… you are far too noble." He said.

"That annoys you?" Danyal asked. Helio barked a laugh.

"More than you will ever know." He noted, shaking his head. "You are just so perfect, aren't you? The tragic warrior. The perfect mixture of power and pity. So noble. So wise. So strong. Everything I could never be…" He said. Danyal sighed.

"Are we going to do this tonight? I really would rather we didn't." He said. Helio shrugged.

"Why not? It's not like we are going to get another chance, since will all probably be dead by noon tomorrow." He said. Then sighed. "I really thought that if there was one silver lining to all this it might be that… Do you know how long I've…" He sighed. "It doesn't matter. It was just a lonely cub's dream. A fools hope." He said. Danyal paused.

"What was?" He asked, though he knew, and Helio scowled at him for even asking.

"You know damn well. Or I've seriously misjudged your intelligence. It was pathetic looking back. I would spend hours of every day, following her around as cub, we played whatever she wanted to play… did whatever she wanted to do… she landed us in all sorts of trouble. Sometimes I would try to take the blame, but she would never have any of that…" He sighed. "Everyone thinks it's cute when you're a cub. Not quite the same once you get older, is it?" He said, acidly. "But I couldn't help it. Do you know what it is like, to watch a lioness, and feel as though you're whole? To have your stomach go light just at the sight of one other person?" He said. Danyal said nothing. Helio's lips curled. "Yes. That's what I thought. Now imagine what it feels like to see all that happen when she looks at someone, and have that someone not be you. It hurts Danyal, it hurts so much…" He said. And for a minute, Danyal was overcome with compassion.

"Helio. Just talk to her. Sundar isn't in love with me." He assured him.

"I used to think it was something mundane. That I looked too lanky, or my mane was greasy or something. Nice and straightforward. But Its more than that, isn't it? I can't I make her laugh like you do. She doesn't smile at me in the same way she does you. Is it because I have never shown the same courage? Never suffered the pain you have?" He asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Helio…" Helio only sighed.

"Gah. Who cares about why? She doesn't need a reason or an excuse. What matters is that she doesn't. I can't do a thing about it. Not in love with you, my arse. Do you know that when you're standing next to each other she doesn't stop smiling? Not once?" He told him. Danyal blinked in astonishment. hadn't noticed. But even so he shook his head.

"Helio… I am not in love with Sundar!" He said, defensively. Helio stared at him.

"Bear balls." He said. "You'd take on one of those halfbreeds by yourself for her. I didn't think you were a liar, Danyal. So, look me in the eye and tell me you can't feel a something whenever she stares at you for more than a second. Tell me that when you are with her, you don't feel lighter, that all thoughts of tiredness vanish. Tell me that you do not depend on her friendship and empathy every day to make it through the horror that is now our lives. I know what it looks like Danyal, I know what it feels like." He said, scowling. Danyal paused.

"Helio…"

"Tell me that you don't get a thrill every time she laughs at a joke, or one of your dry cynical comments you make. Tell me that you don't hear birdsong in her voice when she speaks to you. Tell me that you don't find the scent of her breath intoxicating. Tell me that her eyes aren't the purest shade of rosewood. Tell me that when battle is over and the fight is won, she isn't the first person you look for, before even checking your own injuries. Tell me that when you were dying of your wounds, she didn't drag you back. Tell me that when you gave up on life, she didn't give you a reason to live! Because I need to hear that before I believe you do not love her, Danyal. I need to watch you say it. Because even you cannot be so blind a lion that you don't know what we call that." He said.

Danyal stood there for a minute. He opened his mouth to deny it but the words simply wouldn't come.

"You're right. Hearing her voice is like a drink of clean water after wandering the desert. Her laugh is like a deaf lion hearing birdsong for the first time. She brought me back to life and she gave me a reason to live it. But I don't believe for a moment Helio that she would see anything in a broken life-weary lion to the hopeless romantic who has been by her side since cubhood." He told him.

Helio stared at him.

"I wish you were right Danyal. But whatever her reasons, she does." He told him, firmly. "If we get out of this alive you should tell her how you feel whilst you still have the chance, because otherwise it will pass you by like dew in the dawn. And you'll spend the rest of your life cursing the cowardice that lead to you living with only half a soul." He said.

Danyal winced.

"That's not gonna happen." He told him.

"What do you mean."

"I mean I won't be coming back, Helio. Once you get out of my way, I am going to speak with Asamode and Rish'ut and tell that we are prepared to accept their offer sacrifice. But no cubs. Just the lion who killed Sekhmet." He said. Helio stared at him. Whatever he could have said, he didn't expect that. He was staring at him in shock.

"Lukaan and Vitani agreed to this?" He asked, looking somewhat horrified. Danyal shrugged.

"They would stop me if they did. But each of them would take the cubs place if they could. They'll understand." He said.

"I doubt it." Helio said darkly. "You can't. Lukaan or Vitani they'd execute without a second though, but if they knew you were the one who killed Sekhmet, they'd make it slow. Painfully, publicly, and slowly. If they could they'd flay you alive and let your screams would fill the air for all to hear. You wouldn't be buying our lives with one death, Danyal, you'd be buying it with hundreds. Stretched out over days. You can't do this." He said shaking his head.

"I can and I will." He told him. Helio's description filled his heart with dread and made his stomach coil. He had suspected as much.

"Danyal, they'll torture you! Do you really want everyone here to know that? That's even assuming they keep their word, which is one hell of a gamble as it is." Helio said.

"I've been living on borrowed time ever since I fought Sekhmet and shattered my spine." He told him.

"You just all but admitted you love Sundar. How can you throw away your life now?" He asked. Danyal sighed.

"I have people worth protecting." He said, thinking of Sundar, of Almasi and the cubs. "Just… take care of Sundar, Helio. And the cubs."

"I have no intention of being anyone's second choice, or of trying to compete with a ghost." Helio said, sourly. "This is a mistake, Danyal. Another of your heroic delusions. But if you are resolved I can't stop you. Do what you will. Take a piece of advice though." He told him.

"I'm listening."

"Don't run. This may well be your last night on earth. If so, then go in peace." He paused. "And for what it's worth, go with peace between us. You're the better lion for Sundar and I may have never accepted it but I have always known it." He told him. Then he turned around.

"I'll be back in a short time; do what you want to do before then." He said. And he left, tail swishing in the midnight air. Danyal watched him leave, before taking a deep breath. If he didn't do this, then they would all die. It wasn't as choice between whether everyone he loved shared his grave. When framed like that, it became an almost straightforward decision.

The air was dry and acrid. He had to be on the lookout for loose rocks and scattered pebbles. The Shai'tan would have no idea he was coming. The muddy scent of wilddog filled the air. The jackals smelled similar to his nose, but other more skilled trackers insisted it was a dryer, dusty variation. The scent of the Shai'tan was unmistakable however. Tainted with blood. He stalked around, and saw the expected sentinel. The jackal glared across the dismal canyon with penetrating eyes. He was certainly dedicated to his task, but then, the Shai'tan rewarded apathy and disinterest with the same passion they rewarded overt failure.

Danyal briefly considered exposing himself to the guard and allowing them to bring him before the Shai'tan but that would have been unwise. The wilddogs were not renowned for their intelligence nor their ingenuity and though the jackals possessed low cunning and guile he wasn't sure they wouldn't simply kill him there and then. Dying in such a way would be exceptionally pointless. He would have to somehow get past the guard, and surrender to one of the Shai'tan themselves. He peered around, looking for another point to cross without revealing himself. He gritted his teeth. It was getting late and soon he would be out of time. He moved along the edge of the clearing when he heard something behind him. He froze, resisting the urge to growl. Had he been discovered? He sank into the shadows, melting into the night, and turned around. He could see nothing. There was nobody there. At least no one careless enough to not be taking pains not to be seen.

Hesitating, he moved away from the rocky wall of the canyon. If he was going to have to fight, he didn't want to alert more guards then necessary. Then he saw movement. He tilted. What did he do? Defend himself? Attack? Try to sneak away, or return to his original mission? Then the shadows moved, and Danyal saw a familiar shape, coming out of the darkness. He hissed.

"You!" He moaned, aloud this time.

Vitani glared back at him. She wasn't alone. There was a hyena with him. Jasiri, the hyena who had accompanied them form the outlands.
"There he is!" Jasiri called out. "I have him!" Their voices were quiet, but when Vitani approached, he saw cold anger in his eyes and knew she was supressing her urge to shout at him.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" She hissed angrily. She moved over to him, fires blazing in her eyes. Her claws were unsheathed, and she looked angrier than she had ever seen him.

"I could ask you the same thing! Are you following me!" He asked her, indignantly.

"No, I am fetching you. What in the name of the Creator do you think you are doing? If I ever dreamed you would attempt something this foolish, then I would have had you watched as closely as a newborn cub!" She hissed.

"Helio told you." Danyal realised, flushing. After everything the lion had said to him. Don't run. Wildebeest dung. Vitani looked as though she could have slapped him.

"And a good thing he did! And better still that Jasiri is as good a tracker as Almasi or Damu is." She said.

"You didn't bring them?"

"No. In case we couldn't find you!" She snapped, shortly. Jasiri crossed her paws.

"Are all Pridelander lions as foolhardy? This is the sort of thing I'd need to shake out of Kion from time to time." She muttered. Vitani looked as though she was agreeing with her.

"Is it true what Helio claims? That you were attempting to sell yourself to the Shai'tan in exchange for the rest of us? Do you have the faintest idea how ridiculous that is?" He told him.

"I can't stand around and do nothing!" Danyal told her.

"Then don't! But there is no need to throw your life away!" She told him. Vitani was glaring at him. "Where did you even get such a foolish idea?" She asked him, looking outraged.

"It's not foolish! Vitani, let me do this for everyone. I'm not afraid." He lied. Vitani growled to him.

"You should be! Being afraid is normal! It stops you from making stupid decisions like this! It's what keeps you alive. I won't stand here and let you throw your life away! You already traded your life for us once, Danyal! That was on me. We would never have asked this of you! Even if we thought for a moment that it would work!" She told him.

"You shouldn't have to ask!" Danyal told her. "This is my Pride! My home! Those cubs! They're all my family, no matter what people like Sabini or those other used to say!"

"You say that." Vitani hissed. "But did you give any consideration for what they would want? Or how they would feel to know that they lived only because of you?"

"They would be alive!" Danyal retorted.

"You don't know that." She told him. She was scowling at him. "Are you going to come back with me?" She asked him. "Or are you going to make me beat you around the head and drag your body back with me? I could do it, Danyal. It would be a struggle, but you're not so grown yet that I couldn't manage it." She hissed at him. Danyal glared at her in anger and in frustration. Her words made sense but if he couldn't convince her, there was little he could do about it. The thought was tempting though, to make her work for it.

"Maybe I will." He said to her, shortly. Vitani growled in frustration.

"Kings above, you insolent –"

"Sssh!" Jasiri shouted in warning, and all three fell silent as one of the jackals looked in their direction. His gaze passing over where they hid. Then he moved along. Vitani let out a breath of air that they had all been holding.

"Danyal. Please. Rish'ut has made it plain that for whatever reason he wants Inti dead for the riot he caused in Golgorath with his courage. As we needed any further proof of his depravity and insanity." She said. "If Inti got it into his head that he could save Sara, that Koron cub and all the rest by handing himself over to be tormented and killed in whatever way most amused the Regent, would you allow him to do so!"

"Of course not! He's an innocent cub!" Danyal snapped.

"What, precisely, do you think that makes you to me or to Almasi and Damu? I know better than most what it means to grow up in a Pride at war, Danyal. It's in my name. I know what it means to have to grow up quickly to serve some cause. But don't mistake my understanding for my approval!"

"I'm not a cub." Danyal told her, shortly.

"Were you ever?" She asked him. Danyal opened his mouth but he didn't have the words. Vitani shook his head.

"Nor I." She said. "We haven't always seen eye to eye." She admitted. "I know that. That's on me. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you do something stupid." Her eyes narrowed. "And you are damn lucky Helio fetched me and not Almasi. Or that Sundar lioness." She told him. Danyal grimaced at the thought. That was true. He couldn't imagine Almasi's expression if she had been the one to catch him. She wouldn't be happy, he knew that. As for Sundar… The thought actually twisted his stomach more than the thought of the Shai'tan's creativity. Danyal hissed in anger. It was blatantly manipulative. He didn't know Vitani was capable of such emotions.

"Fine." He said. "Okay. Fine." He said. Vitani relaxed. Jasiri nodded.

"We've come to an agreement? Great. Back this way then. If you please." The hyena told him, sounding annoyed. The three of them marched back to their encampment, hidden in one of the many caves and crevices that scattered the canyon that formed the gorge at the edge of the Pridelands. If nothing else, they might be able to hold back some of the wilddogs for some time. After walking in silence for several moments and once they were sure they were out of earshot of the Shai'tan and their minions, Danyal finally let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry." He said after a moment, his eyes down. Vitani grimaced.

"You've had plenty of chances to show your courage, Danyal. I don't doubt your bravery. You'll have plenty of chances tomorrow to protect the ones you love. We all will." She told him, shortly.

"I just."

"I know." She told him. They continued to walk in silence.

Jasiri took a moment to stare at Danyal, and made a tsking noise. "I reckon there is something in the water when it comes to lions in the Pridelands." She muttered. Danyal scowled at her.

"Do you have anything useful to say?" He asked him. He snorted. "You've got spunk kid. I ain't gonna lie about that. If we get out of this, you've impressed me. But if you had a death wish, you only needed a little more patience." She said, with a jaded laugh. "Good luck out there tomorrow." She told him. They made it back to their makeshift lair, and passed the various animals. Danyal didn't see Helio and was glad of it because he was spared another row. He was still angry at him. His eyes fell on Sundar. He thought back to what Helio had told him, how she made the two of them feel. She couldn't be. He muttered to himself. How he felt about her couldn't be denied. But the night before a pitched battle was no time for confessions that could break their concentration. He licked his lips and settled down next to her.

"Danyal?" She muttered, drowsily. "Where'd you go?" She muttered in sleep addled confusion.

"Nowhere." He replied quickly. "I'm right here, Sundar. Right here. I'm not going anywhere." He sighed.

Vitani shook her head, as she stalked away. She couldn't believe the foolhardiness of that boy. Little more than a cub himself and already willing to throw his life away in a fit of heroics. She couldn't figure out where he had gained such notions. Jasiri followed after her.

"Well." She said. "That happened." Vitani scowled at her, but nodded her head in thanks.

"I appreciate the help." She said, icily. Jasiri padded away.

"Happy to help. Not sure what difference it's going to make though in the long run." She admitted though. Vitani couldn't help but agree but didn't say anything. Jasiri left her and returned to where she had been sitting on guard. She sighed.

"Did you track down our little escapee?" A voice asked her from the dark. She didn't jump even though the words sent a chill down her spine as she glanced as the gleaming red eyes that emerged from the darkness.

"Mother." She scowled. Just what she needed. "I don't want to deal with you right now. And for your information, he wasn't escaping. Far from it. Danyal was having a bout of heroics. You wouldn't understand." She sneered. Zira chuckled.

"Perhaps not." She conceded. "But you might be surprised. I have seen my share of heroic sacrifices and noble last stands. I was not always as you know me." She told her candidly. Vitani glowered. She wasn't sure she believed that. In fact, she was very confident she didn't. "The lad in the child of one of Simba's Pride?" She asked him, curiously.

"One of ours actually. Kulaana. She died when he was cub."

"Ah." Zira said. There was a pregnant pause. Vitani waited expectantly. Then she sighed.

"You don't even remember her, do you?" Vitani growled, frustrated. "One of the many lionesses you hurt and you don't even remember her name." She accused her. Zira didn't deny it.

"Hmm. I will apologise in person when I next see her." Zira said. Her expression was stony. "You should get some sleep, girl. You don't want to be fighting a battle on a few hours' sleep. Believe me." She told her.

"Your advice isn't appreciated." Vitani snapped.

"You know I'm right. Go to sleep, child." Zira told her. Vitani closed her eyes. It wasn't quite how she had expected things to go. But she had rescued the cubs from the darkness of Golgorath. If Danyal was to perish it would be alongside his Pridesisters; and with other animals free of the Imperium's rule. She had been devastated to learn that Kion had failed to bring Kiava back as he had promised. But perhaps it was for the best. The Shai'tan would believe the threat to their power extinguished. Who knows? Maybe they would survive the oncoming fight after all. It was a better chance than they had had before now.

Danyal lay next to Sundar, thoughts consumed with anxiety for the coming dawn and the battle it would bring. She would have hated him if he had left without a word. Hated him for dying in that way. But she would be alive. That was worth her hate. The same with Almasi and Sara and the others. At least that was what he told himself. But the more he lay there, the less he believed it. He valued their love to highly. They would simply have to trust themselves and trust in the kings, that when the dawn came, they would prevail in the ensuing battle. If only Yessen was recovered. They could create a gateway and escape, with everyone. All of them. All the animals, all the lionesses, the cubs – even himself! It was a desperate thought and he tried to banish it. It didn't do to dwell on might-have-beens and maybes. Then the thought jolted him. It crystalised in front of him.

"Sundar. Sundar!" He said, suddenly. Sundar yelp and snorted awake and kicked out in blind panic. The blow sent him reeling.

"What – Danyal? Spirits, what –"

"It's okay!" He said, rubbing his head and shaking the stars free from his vision. "Sundar! Sundar listen to me! Could you do it?! Do it with Rafiki, instead of Yessen?!"

"Do what? Open a Gateway?" She asked him, staring at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Exactly! You're a shaman. Like Yessen. And you've done it before!" He told her.

"I'm not like Yessen, and I didn't – "

"Semantics! Are you close enough to Yessen to do what he did? To act with Rafiki, to open a Gateway to safety?" he asked her, urgently. Her eyes widened as she realised what he was suggesting.

"I… What?! No! Of course not!"

"Sundar! You can do it. Do what you did to escape the Shai'tan in the first place!"

"I only reopened a Gateway Marsade had already made! I can't make a new one!" She protested.

"Have you ever tried!?" he asked her. The thought was racing through him. "Get up!" He urged her. "We have a lot to do, and not much time." He said. The moon was hanging low. Dawn couldn't be far off.