Book 1: Chapter 15
"You can't be serious, Tombie."
Madoa's words lingered through the torrid night air.
Tombie, for his part, didn't stop walking. Didn't even turn around to face her. It had been an abnormally hot day in the Outlands, and while nighttime usually provided solace from the heat, today the heat had crept into the night. Her face was twisted into a scowl, a rarity for the usually optimistic hyena. She was eyeing the back of Tombie's retreating figure through narrowed dark eyes, her bottom lip tugging downward.
He didn't answer her, instead choosing to continue to walk forward towards the edge of their territory. She huffed and rolled her eyes before following him.
For the past few minutes, she'd been trying (to no avail) to get Tombie to calm down and listen to her and not act like an utter moron. But Tombie woke up today in a particularly paranoid mood. He spent the majority of the day trying to figure out ways to get Dalia out of Kilio Valley alive before finally huffing and beginning to trot towards Kilio Valley without the slightest plan as to what to do when he gets there.
He was hell-bent on getting Dalia out of Kilio Valley (which Madoa can understand), but he was also acting blindly. In addition, Madoa couldn't help but feel like he was underestimating his friend. It wasn't like she was a hostage there or the Lion Guard was blackmailing her into doing this; she'd been the one who came up with the grand idea.
"I hope for your sake you aren't ignoring me," she warned, skidding to a sudden stop after a few minutes of following the head-strong hyena.
At this, Tombie sighed and stopped in his tracks though he still didn't turn around to face her. "I'm only ignoring you because I know what you're going to say, and I refuse to consider it."
"Because you know I'm right," Madoa snapped, her tone far harsher than normal for her.
This time, he did spin around on his heel. "What do you expect me to do, then, Doa?" asked Tombie, the frustration palpable in his voice. "I can't just leave her there, knowing what kind of monsters they are!"
"You don't have a plan," Madoa stressed, practically pleading with him, "You're going to, what, just stroll on over to Scar's Army and politely ask Janja where you can find Dalia?" She took a few steps forward so that she was blocking Tombie's path. "Please, just think for a minute! I know you want to get her out of there as soon as possible, but think of a plan first."
He grunted. "I've been trying to come up with a plan, but so far I've got nothing. And it's been a week already, and I can't wait anymore," Tombie said firmly, "I'll figure it out once I get there."
"And if you don't?" Madoa cocked a brow. "I don't want you getting hurt," she added, her voice softening, "If Janja or one of the others spot you... well, I don't want to lose you."
The stubbornness in his eyes vanished at the vulnerability in her voice, and he dipped his head down to nuzzle her briefly. "They won't spot me," he said, "And I'll be back soon, I swear. Dalia's just not safe there, and I already failed her once — I'm not going to do it again."
After another brief nuzzle, he turned back around and started towards Kilio Valley once more, leaving Madoa in his wake.
She stood there shocked for a moment and then felt anger coursing through her again.
"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe she doesn't want you to go and rescue her?" Madoa asked sharply, and she was pleased when Tombie halted in his step once more. At this point, she was just trying to say anything and everything to stall him from recklessly throwing himself at the enemy's paws. "She's not the same little cub she was when you last knew her. She's practically grown now, and I may not know her well, but if I were in her situation, I wouldn't want you trying to rescue me."
"Grown?" Tombie repeated incredulously as he whirled around with eyes wide, "Sure, she may not be a cub anymore, but she's not any more grown than Jasiri! I'm sorry, Madoa, but would you ever stand by and let Jasiri meddle with a bunch of low-lives?"
Madoa's mouth opened and closed like a fish as she struggled to find an appropriate answer. Finally, her shoulders sagged in defeat.
"Just... just be careful, okay?" she said tiredly, internally hating how weak she sounded.
"Always."
Dalia's eyes blinked open slowly as she felt someone's hot breath on her face.
When she opened her eyes, she thought she was dreaming. Because there, about two inches away from her face, stood a very nervous-looking Tombie. His red fur was gleaming in the moonlight, and his green eyes were dilated as they tried to focus against the darkness. She peered around his head and saw that it was still dark outside — probably still very early morning.
Her brows knitted together in confusion.
"Wha—"
Her words were quickly muffled by Tombie's paw clamping over her muzzle. "Shh!" he hissed, eyes darting around nervously.
"What. are. you. doing," she whispered through gritted teeth once he moved his paw away from her.
Once again, he gestured for her to keep her mouth shut and then began gesturing for her to follow him. Quietly and cautiously, she slowly rose to her paws and began following him out of camp. While doing so, she kept an eye out to make sure she was not accidentally waking up any of the others. The last thing she needed right now was Tombie blowing her cover.
She passed by Janja's sleeping form carefully, taking notice of the scowl resting on his face. The scowl had something that had been present in his expression for the past several days, even when he was sleeping. It was practically embedded into his muzzle at this point.
Tombie began leading her out of the camp, and into the cool savannah night. Dalia's teeth began chattering as the winds began to pick up, her fur rifling itself up against the breeze. Once Tombie had led her far enough away from Kilio Valley so that they wouldn't be heard, she turned sharply on her heel and cocked a brow at him.
"What are you doing here?" asked Dalia, a little worry present in her voice.
When she had woken up to Tombie prodding her awake, she had automatically assumed the worst and that something horrible had happened. And now, as she was asking Tombie what in the world prompted him to delve into enemy territory and risk blowing her cover, she expected him to be the bearer of bad news.
She did not, however, expect this:
"I came to rescue you," Tombie explained quickly, "Now, c'mon. Let's go before anyone notices—"
"Rescue me?" Dalia echoed incredulously — as if she wouldn't entertain the very notion of needing rescue.
"Yes, rescue you," Tombie repeated, "It's not safe for you here, acting like a spy for the Lion Guard. You wanna spy? Then come join the Hyena Resistance — where you're safe and being watched out for. If what Jasiri and Madoa have been telling me about Scar is true, then you really shouldn't be hanging around him more than you have to."
Dalia's jaw dropped for a second before her temper flamed within her. "Excuse me, but I don't need any rescuing. I'm sure Kion explained to you that I was the one who volunteered myself for this, right?"
The hyena's eyes narrowed. "He did," he conceded, "But I don't think either of you are particularly bright when it comes to decision-making, so I've decided to step in before anyone gets seriously hurt."
"I'm sorry, but who asked you to step in, huh? I don't need anyone to keep me safe or look out for me. I'm not a cub anymore, Tombie. I'm doing just fine here, on my own, and I'm taking care of myself just fine. My cover hasn't been blown yet — no thanks to you and your meddling," said the lioness, who was now pacing back and forth.
"You. are. not. safe," Tombie said forcefully, enunciating every word with a stomp of his paw. "You're smart, Dalia. Use your brain. How long are you going to keep this gig up? What happens when you've got to fight the Lion Guard or the Jasiri's Clan? Your last performance a few weeks ago wasn't exactly convincing. And when you inevitably give yourself and Imba away, just what do you think they're going to do to you? You think they're going to send you back home with a slap on the wrist, and then everything's going to be all fine and dandy?"
Her jaw locked. "I think I'm not going to get caught, so long as you quit making these visits into Kilio Valley." Her eyes narrowed angrily. "What I don't understand, is why you feel this sudden concern over my well-being. We're friends, Tombie, I know we are. But that doesn't mean that you get to stand there and start trying to act like my mom."
"I'm not trying to act like anyone," Tombie snapped, "I'm trying to make sure my best friend doesn't get herself killed! Every second that you spend with them — with those monsters — I'm worried sick."
"Well maybe you shouldn't be so worried sick over me," Dalia snapped back, her voice laced with freshly unearthed bitterness and resentment. "I'm just a burden, remember?"
{FLASHBACK}
"C'mon, Dal," Tombie had pleaded. "I can't keep doing this."
The small cub, who was curled up in a ball, remained motionless and silent. Her usually pale fur had turned gray and unkempt, silent tears running down her filthy face. They had been on the run for several weeks now, and Tombie spent every single second of his day stressed. He knew that Kali would be looking for them, and the only place Tombie knew Kali wouldn't follow them was the Sand Dunes.
The Sand Dunes were hot, dry, and torrid. The majority of those who wander the Sand Dunes either lose their sanity or die — and only a handful survive. It was risky to escape via the Sand Dunes, but they had no other option. If they went anywhere else, Kali and his henchman would be sure to track them down.
So far, they've managed to survive by hunting the small sand mice that scurried about during the night and drinking the water from cactuses.
However, hyenas and lions aren't meant to live off of rodents and minimal water. And Tombie could see their diet taking a toll on the both of them; if he wanted to, he could count every one of his ribs, and Dalia's bony joints were jutting out.
But what's most disturbing to Tombie — more than scrawny limbs and hollow cheeks — was the constant silence on Dalia's part.
Tombie had been trying to be patient with her, she was only a small cub after all. But it was getting tiring. Yesterday, they (mostly Tombie) had managed to find a rare oasis with sparkling water and he had even managed to take down a very small and scrawny wildebeest. It was the best that had eaten in weeks. But Dalia seemed to be largely uninterested. Tombie had to practically shove the food down her throat and dunk her head into the water for her to drink.
He was finding it increasingly difficult to try and keep someone who had practically zero will to live alive.
And now, as he stood in front of silent Dalia, he felt his patience running thin.
"C'mon, Dal," he repeated, prodding her with his paw, "You've got to get up and drink something; we need to start getting a move on."
Her silence was his only answer.
"Dal," he called, shaking her harder. "Dalia."
When she didn't answer him, again, he felt something inside of him snap. All the pent-up frustration, all the anger, all the sorrow that had been building over the past few weeks burst like a dam.
"Dalia, don't you just sit there and ignore me while I'm trying to help you!" he yelled as stinging, frustrated tears welled up in his eyes, "I've done nothing these past few weeks other than trying to keep you alive, and you've done nothing but make that difficult for me! So, please, for once in your life — quit being so difficult and help me help you because I can't do this on my own! You hear me?"
Tombie had hoped that his biting remarks would prompt a reaction from her. That it would make her angry enough that maybe she'd stand up and start taking care of herself. Because Tombie was tired and weary and he needed her to start pulling her own weight. At that point, Tombie didn't care whether or not Dalia would be angry with him. He just needed that fiery spirit that was so characteristic of Dalia to return.
Instead, she curled in on herself even further, tucking her head closer to the ground.
Tombie blinked in disbelief, his mouth opening and dropping as he struggled to find words.
"You... you're such a burden!" he shouted, his voice edging on insanity, "Such a burden. I wish I'd never agreed to help you, you miserable brat; I endangered my life in agreeing to save you, and for what? Just so you can starve yourself before Kali ever gets his paws on you? I didn't agree to help you just so you could die on me! Now get up! Get up now, and start helping yourself!"
Dalia lifted her head at his words. Just enough to peer at him through gummy eyes. Then, she lowered it once more and her scrawny frame began shivering despite the heat.
Tombie's eyes widened and guilt started searing through him once he understood the gravity of his words. "I... I'm..." he began, trying to find words.
Except he didn't finish his sentence, because he didn't know what to say. Should he say that he was sorry? Or that he didn't mean it? He didn't know if either statement would be true. Saying sorry implies that you won't do it again — and Tombie couldn't promise that. And regardless of how he said it, his words held some truth to them. So, he didn't say anything.
Looking back on it years later, Tombie knows that he should've said something. But he didn't. He was silent.
The next day, Tombie began the journey to the Tree of Life. Since he was a pup, he heard stories about the world's greatest healers residing in the Tree of Life. In addition, they also provide shelter and refuge to any and every animal. Tombie was adamantly against traveling to the Tree of Life in the beginning because he didn't know how secure it would be.
But now, as Tombie looked at the shaking cub curled up on herself, he realized that the Tree of Life would be their only option.
{END OF FLASHBACK}
"I'm just a burden, remember?"
Dalia's words resonated in the air, leaving an uncomfortable chill.
Tombie was rendered absolutely melancholic at the lioness' reference. "Dal, I..."
The lioness raised a brow, waiting for him to find his words again. When he didn't, she scoffed.
"You don't have to apologize, Tombie," she said, "What's in the past is in the past. But you do have to stop interfering. I live my life how I want to, okay? I'm in charge of my own life and my own choices. As long as I'm not hurting anyone else, I don't see the issue here."
"How can you not see the issue here?" Tombie exclaimed, eyes wide, "You putting your life in danger is hurting everyone who cares about you. Your mother made the biggest sacrifice for you the night she died, you can't just waste that sacrifice by just living recklessly! Then Nyla would've died for nothing—"
Dalia's eyes flashed and a snarl stretched across her muzzle. "Get out! Get out now," she snarled, unsheathing her claws, "Who do you think you are? You don't get to use my mother against me. Ever. You don't have any right to start interfering with my life and try guilt-tripping me. You aren't my mother, and you will never be! So just — leave — me — alone!"
Tombie growled at her almost ferally. "Fine," he shouted, turning on his heel to start leaving, "Spy on Scar all you want! Go and get yourself killed — see if I care!"
With that, Tombie began stomping away. Dalia growled at his retreating figure, "I hate you, Tombie."
"Ditto!" the hyena shouted over his shoulder.
With a snarl still present on her face, Dalia spun around and started heading back to Kilio Valley. Her mind was a whirlwind with all sorts of different kinds of emotions. Perhaps that's why she didn't realize that glowing eyes were hiding in the shadows. Perhaps that was why she didn't realize that she had been followed this entire time. And by the time she did realize it, it was already too late.
Because as she was returning to Kilio Valley, she was suddenly tackled to the ground. Before she could figure out how to react, her assailant had their already unsheathed claws at her throat and ready to strike.
With a low growl, her assailant lowered themselves closer to her. Their claws were beginning to cut into the soft flesh of her throat.
"Give me one good reason I shouldn't just kill you right here, right now," growled a far too familiar voice, "You two-timing spy."
Dalia's eyes went wide at the familiarity of the voice. "Janja?" she breathes.
A cloud passed overhead, and the moonlight that was once concealed now shined directly on her assailant's face. Janja's face was twisted up with fury, and he was practically shaking with rage. His teeth were gleaming and his claws were way too close to her throat for comfort.
Dalia, not for the first time, mentally cursed Tombie.
Janja clearly had overheard her conversation with Tombie, and now he knew that she was a spy.
Only one thought flashed through her mind as Janja's breath grew hotter against her face: I'm screwed.