Chapter 3

"Kiava! Look out!" Zuri shouted to Kiava as the minions of the Shai'tan poured into the hyena queen's throne room and a wilddog dived towards Kiava with its jaws already wide and saliva foaming in its mouth. She didn't know if he heard her warning, or if he saw the approaching threat first, but in either case, the young cub twisted in a moment and unsheathed his claws in a single fluid motion that ended with the dog's loud shouts of pain. Just as Sarafina had taught them. He landed with a pant, and the wilddog yelped and drew back in pain and growled at the young prince. Then there were more shouts and snarls and growls as more and more hyenas joined the fray and lunged at the attacking creatures. Fierce fighting broke out. His foe leapt at him again, but this time Kiava sidestepped the blow and instead clawed upwards. He carved into the canine's flesh and latching into his lower breast and then with a fierce growl he bit forward. The dog fell to the ground as its precious lifeblood flowed from a grievous wound to its throat. Kiava spat out the metallic tasting blood and gave a low growl.

Around him, the other hyenas were beginning to recover from their surprise, and the snarling and yapping of the hyenas clashing with the dogs echoed around the undercavern, the stone walls reverberating with the yells and more cries of battle, the shrieks of pain and war-cries. Not long-ago Kiava would have been terrified at the sounds. Now he couldn't afford to be. He roared as loudly as he could and leapt towards Zuri, who was in a battle of her own, holding off not one but two opponents at the same time and making use of all of the training the two cubs had received at Sarafina's paws. The wilddogs snapped and bit at her but she was holding her own. She swiped at one and moved on to the other before it even began retreating and Kiava was stuck again at how quickly she adapted. He couldn't remember Sarafina teaching them much about handling multiple foes, but she was well past that point.

"Zuri!" He cried out to her. He leapt atop one who had his back to him, and clawed into his back. With the one distracted, Zuri was able to focus her attentions on her remaining enemy. She attacked quickly, and decisively. Caught off guard, her opponent struggled briefly, and then fell to a fury of blows and slices. The scent of blood filled the air, as the he chaos began to subside, and rather than the intermingled duels and conflicts, allies began to form lines, rows together to protect flanks. Within minutes, they would be fully formed lines of battle, and they would be drawn into a protracted battle, rather than a swift skirmish. Roaring defiantly, Kiava mounted another pile of half-eaten bones that seemed to litter Carrocscir.

"Don't let them close ranks! Asante, Zuri! With me!" And without checking to see if he was followed (and at the same time resisting the childish temptation to scream 'charge!' at the top of his lungs) he dived straight into the ranks of the oncoming wilddogs, piercing their lines, and surrounding himself with enemies. It would prevent them from banding together, keeping them isolated and alone in the face of an enemy. It would also likely get him killed. With a yell, he attacked another wilddog, who's expression of bitter fury was replaced by one of incredulity and surprise as he faced an attack from the side from an unlikely opponent.

It was a strange thing. For so long now, Kiava he been chased, hunted, and forced into exile by the legions of wilddogs and others commanded by the Shai'tan. Even as frightened as he was, it still felt good to be in command of his own destiny. Even though he knew it was reckless to charge headlong into the army of dogs who wanted him dead.

Asante watched in cold horror and dread as more and more dogs poured into her parent's throne room. How had they ever made their way through the labyrinth fast enough to evade detection? They would have needed to overwhelm all the dozen guards throughout the twisted pathways – which would have meant making it all the way through without a single wrong turn. The odds of coming across such a route by pure chance were astronomical! Then a cold sickness hit her – as if she had been punched in the stomach. They must have been followed back through the labyrinth, then informed the Shai'tan. The Shai'tan had tried such a trick before, but they had always taken precautions against being tracked by making false turns, always cutting off tails before they were followed to anywhere important. But the last time they had dared ventured outside, when she had unleashed her powers against Kiava, she had been so exhausted they had dragged the captured animals back to the cells with all their haste. They had neglected to take the same precautions. Could it be possible that they had unwittingly lead them all the way back to their home? The realisation struck her so cold that it was only as Kiava screamed "Asante! With me!" That she was snapped to her sense. She cursed. What in the world was the cub doing? As she watched he dived into the attacking dogs.

"You're mad!" She gasped in horror. Then cursing again, she followed him. If she didn't they would be killed in seconds. The three of them fought back-to-back as the endless hordes of dogs moved into the room. Barking and yelling as they did so.

"There are too many of them!" Zuri shouted over the din. Kiava ground his teeth. She was right. There were too many of them to count. The hyenas numbered in their dozens but cut off and surrounded in the throne room they were going to be overrun soon enough. Kiava struck out at another wilddog but the dog was prepared and darted away, before returning strike with a bite that narrowly missed Kiava by an inch. Asante growled.

"Shadowpups! Form up! Get together and stay together and guard the Matriarch!" But Shenzi did appear to need protecting. The old hyena had risen to her feet, as was as much a part of the battle as her mate and daughter, striking left and right out at the oncoming wilddogs.

"We can't stay here! We'll be surrounded and killed if we do. Keep moving – we need to push out!" Banzai shouted over the chaos. The hyenas responded with such ferocity and such enthusiasm that the wilddogs were briefly pushed back and away from the fighters. Kiava took the opportunity to slice into another wilddog's flank, before withdrawing alongside the matriarch. The fighting continued and blood sprayed and filled the air once more. The battle began to slow now, becoming much more practised – the blood-lust and element of surprise had been spent and now the lines were coming together.

"Where is the safest way out of Carrocscir?" He asked her. Shenzi hesitated.

"The north dungeons have only one entrance from above, and have several tunnels that come out on the northern side of Carrocscir. If the dogs are following your scent through the labyrinth, they are coming from the southern side, it should be secure." She told him, while Banzai and Zuri defended the leaders, keeping them at bay.

"Mother, we can't abandon Carrocscir!" Asante protested. Ignoring her, Kiava stared at Shenzi in shock.

"The north dungeons? Is that where there rest of my friends are?" Kiava asked, sounding shocked. Asante nodded, and Zuri gasped.

"We have to go there than, or they'll all be slaughtered."

"We have hyenas down there too; the lion cub is right! We need to leave here and reinforce the northern caverns. We can abandon the tower itself if we need to, and lurk within the tunnels. They open out into the ash plains as well if we are forced to retreat."

"Retreat from Carrocscir? We can't abandon the Ivory Tower!" Asante said, sounding frustrated.

"Carrocscir may have fallen already." Banzai told her briskly. Kiava nodded in agreement.

"If we're going to survive this, we need to meet up with the other hyenas throughout Carrocscir, and we can't afford to stay trapped here!" He warned her. Asante held his gaze for a moment.

"I am not losing my home for you!" Asante said, sounding angry.

"Your home is already lost already!" Kiava snapped at her. "It's as gone as Pride Rock! Don't lose your life as well!" He told her sharply. Then, without waiting for a response, drew himself up, and spoke to Bhagari, who was starting nearby.

"How many hyenas do we have left?" he asked sharply.

"Not many. But there was barley a pack in the throne room – we don't stand on ceremony in Carrocscir."

"So, you have enough to break through the wilddog lines until then?" He asked. Bhagari nodded.

"Get past them? Sure maybe. Beat them though? I ain't so sure of that." He said. Kiava nodded.

"We don't need to. We need to fall back and regroup. The commotion will attract the rest of the hyenas. We need to be outside and organised when that happens, not trapped in here. Shenzi."

"Even if we escape, we'll be slaughtered out there. Without the caverns to protect us and the labyrinth to waylay the enemy, we won't stand a chance against the Shai'tan. Amun will bring the full force of his dogs down upon us and we'll be destroyed as thoroughly as the Lion kings were!"

"The Lion Kings aren't dead. Not by a long shot." Zuri interrupted. Shenzi looked from her to Kiava, looking shocked and frustrated and angry and a dozen other emotions that Kiava recognised. Were it not for the desperate battle around them, he would have felt sympathy for the matriarch. Instead, he growled.

"I need you to trust me." He said.

Amun moved through the maze of passages and walkways. At last, his spies had found a way to move through Carrocscir. The hyena's scent was everywhere, but there was a new taste to it. A familiar scent of something. It was familiar, but not quite what he was used to. He would figure it out at his measure shortly. Ahead of him, the first wave of wilddogs were moving through the tower, butchering, and killing as they did. Many of the hyenas were caught by surprise and were unaware. Many were asleep, eating, or lying on the ground surrounded by their young ones. It made them easier to kill. The massacre was near total. Occasionally, one of the hyenas would make a desperate leap at him. He simply moved sharply to one side and struck out with a single paw. His claws would penetrate flesh and muscle, and slash away the unfortunate victim's life in a single vicious swipe. Then he would continue his march.

The hyenas were in many ways, very like their cousins the wilddogs. Or perhaps closer to the jackals. The canines fought well as a group, but they were easily frightened and lacked the strength to do any real damage when isolated; so long as you could stay back from their bone-crushing jaws. They were pack creatures and together their threat increased exponentially. He had heard of the creature felling mighty kings together when they had the opportunity, and inclination to combine their efforts and wills to the task. He had seen the affects their fighting had had on his troops. Which was of course, why he had taken the smarter plan and attacked them when they thought that they were safe. It had, like all his plans, succeeded wonderfully. Amun moved with the comfortable ease of a natural predator, of a natural killer. The tunnels twisted and moved as he paced. Eventually, he found he had caught up with the remaining wilddogs, and sniffed.

"Why the delay?" He asked the lead wilddog in charge. The dog's head jerked sharply at hearing his master's voice, before nodding.

"We've reached the throne room easy enough, but the passageway is only three dogs wide. The area is under attack."

"You've separated your forces?"

"We sent the greater part of our troops throughout the tower to make the most of our surprise attack. The rest are here, trying to break their lines. we believe their rulers are inside and didn't want to waste the opportunity." The dog explained. Amun thought for a moment, before giving a smile.

"You've done well my friend. The Imperium needs more competent commanders such as yourself. Good work." He said. Then he bellowed a roar. "Attack them! Wipe them out!" He howled. Invigorated, the wilddogs surged forward and struck at the opening again. Several charged through only to be cut down, and their companions continued the charge over their corpses. Suddenly however, there was a change in the flow of the battle. A faint lull, and then an explosion of energy. The wilddogs were thrown backwards as an almighty blast of air ripped through the tower, sending the dogs flying. Then, from out of the throne room, the hyenas surged forwards, a collective wave of fur and tooth. They swarmed over the wilddogs like army ants, and then made their escape, travelling not towards the entrance where the rest of the dogs lay in waiting, but deeper down into more of the tunnels. Amun swore. Entrapped, they were easy to take down, but he was loath to allow them to start another guerrilla war on his troops by hiding in the tunnels. Before he could issue the order to cut them off, they had passed him, and another surge of wind struck him. He ground his claws into the ground fighting the pull of the air, and braced the howling winds. They only lasted a few seconds. His mind twisted at the possibilities. And then he saw her. Asante his spies called her. The leader of several of the hyena's most vicious animals and the daughter of their leaders. The hyena ran ahead, and for a moment, her eyes – black like all the hyenas, seem to light up with a blinding white light and the spell of mint leaves filled the air as a turbulent blast of wind struck for a third time. Amun was no expert on the shamanistic mysteries, but he was a devious thinker, and he had spent more than enough time with Marsade to recognize a shaman when he saw one. He cursed, and withdrew silently. The hyena looked exhausted. and after only three generic bursts of wind? Perhaps she was not as powerful as Marsade? He was not willing to gamble however, and quietly, he withdrew from the battle, nodding to the wilddogs' commander as he did so.

"Get after them. But beware the leader." He warned him. The dog nodded. Suddenly, Amun's attention was diverted, but a sudden spark of colour amidst the dark grey and blacks of the hyenas' and dogs' coats. A jet of light in the tower made of ash and dust and ivory and bone. Two specks of gold. He was so taken aback by the sudden appearance of the two lion cubs, he was unable to say a word and unable to issue any commands once again. The sight of them were unmistakeable. They were lion cubs. And what were the odds that these lion cubs were just rouges, passing through the shadowlands, out for a leisure stroll past river lord invested waters, swamplands, and into the ashy plains of Carrocscir, ignoring seismic instability and thermal emissions through the war-torn and ravaged wasteland that made up the hyenas' borders? The odds were small; it had to be said. He smiled softly. The victory over the Pridelands would be in his paws. And after Sekhmet's and Rish'ut's persistent failures, he had no doubt that he would be rewarded for it.

"Asante, that was fantastic!" Kiava told her as they ran. Shenzi smiled at the compliment.

"You see, Lion King? Imagine if we had our daughter on our side during Scar's reign! None of the catastrophe would have happened. She could have killed Sobek for a start, and saved the land from drought!" She said proudly.

"Let's just focus on saving ourselves now shall we?" Banzai suggested. The grizzled male move throughout the passageway without a hint of hesitation, knowing precisely where he was going. He led the pack of hyenas and lion cubs out of the throne room and they soon lost the pursuing wilddogs. The sounds behind them faded, but the sounds of battle ahead only increased. Shenzi cursed.

"They've sent more dogs ahead of us. We won't have time to rest! Asante, so you have any strength left?" She asked her daughter. The hyena nodded.

"To fight, yes, but not to do that again. Whatever they are, they take a hell out of me." She panted. Kiava blinked in surprise. She didn't even know what they were herself? There was no time to argue further, as soon enough they crashed through the tunnels which opened out into a deeper cavernous space.

"Come on ya filthy mutts! Just try it! Just try it!" A voice shouted over the din. It was Ookai. He was wielding an elephant tusk like a polearm. Kiava knew that Rafiki could fight with his staff but Ookai wasn't fighting anything like that. He was brutal and untrained and did not waste his time with elegant twirls or spins. He simply clubbed any dog who got close in the face. His eyes lit up when Kiava entered the room, followed by Asante her mother.

"Ah! The lion, the witch, and the matriarch! Splendid. Perhaps someone can explain to me what the hell is going on?" He shouted. Kiava leapt over the heads of the wilddogs and struck out. Suddenly surrounded the hyenas quickly made short work of the wilddogs. Kiava spat out blood and nodded.

"One of the Shai'tan is here! I think I saw him back there for a moment. He's launched an attack on the tower."

"Oh marvellous. I guess it makes sense. You scent is different that of any of the canines, he'd easily pick it out against the smell of the hyenas." Buzz said. He held a blood-soaked javelin in his hands, covered in blood up to his elbows. He shuddered.

"I know I said I hate hyenas but I am starting to despise wilddogs." He said. At the news that one of the Shai'tan was among in the invaders though, the rest of the hyenas were beginning to mutter among themselves, sounding disheartened.

"Quiet!" Kiava shouted, turning back to Ookai. Zuri cut the throat of a wilddog who was writhing on the floor, before licking away the blood and padding next to Kiava. "Zuri – take two hyenas and get down that tunnel. If anything comes down it, get yourself back here don't try to fight them." She nodded and disappeared down the tunnel. "Where is Bruce?" He asked, feeling more comfortable now he had a better control of the situation.

"Right here." the gorilla said, trying not to look at the gore around him. Ookai patted his friend on the shoulder.

"You did great work, old fella." He said. Bruce still slumped.

"He leapt at me. So I hit him. he snapped." He said, shaking. Kiava winced, looking at the gentle giant.

"Never mind that, Bruce. I am just glad you are safe." He looked around. "Are these all the hyenas we have left?" He asked. An older hyena, one who had been leading the hyenas in the cavernous space when they arrived made several yapping sounds. Whatever he said, it seemed to make sense to Banzai who nodded slowly.

"Well done Ed. He says that some have already escaped: he sent as many of the hyenas out of the tunnels ahead of them and then tried to hold off the dogs that came down the cavern you just came through. A good chunk of the fighters went to protect the pups and the ones too injured to fight went first. He thought that it would be better to try to hold them off as long as possible while we got out of here." He said. Ed yelped some more, and Banzai smiled. "He's also very glad to see we're still alive." He said. Kiava only blinked. Then he nodded.

"Does he – "

"He don't talk much." Banzai said – as if that cleared everything up.

"So at this point, anyone who hasn't made it out of the tower already is dead, or is about to die any moment, with no chance of rescue." Shenzi said. She sighed but Banzai nodded.

"If we want to live, we need to get out of here now and join with the other survivors. We should be able to trace them down the same tunnel." Buzz said. Then he cocked his head. "Did I miss something? When did we start fighting with the hyenas?" He asked. Shenzi narrowed her eyes.

"Have we met before?" She asked. Buzz snorted.

"Uh, Shouldn't think so."

"You seem familiar."

"Probably something you ate." He said. Kiava grinned.

"Ouch. He's got you there." Their discussion was interrupted by loud shouting, and Zuri came darting back down the corridor.

"They are coming – and there is a tiger leading them!" She said.

"Amun." Asante said. "It's Amun." She said.

"Blood and Ashes. Already?!" Shenzi cursed. "Well kid. You seem brimming with ideas. Tell me you have another plan." She said turning to Kiava. The not-so-young cub look frightened for a moment, but then determined.

"Bruce! Bring down the tunnel!" He shouted. Bruce's eyes widened, and Ookai looked at Kiava in panic,

"Are you mad?! Its massive!" But even as he spoke, Bruce, Kiava, Zuri, and the hyenas clawed into the stone rockwork with all of their strength. And slowly, the sides of the tunnel began to crumble away. The ceiling began to creak ominously, and more dirt and dust began to fall away. Kiava grinned as the rocks bean to shift and moan.

"Now! Everybody out!" He shouted, and they ran. They ran as hard as they could. The familiar pressure of the chase burning behind Kiava's eyes. The fear, the scent of blood and death. But he was used to the fear now. Used to the danger and the chase. Used to seeing the world as prey did. Used to it, and alive in it. Every day since he could remember he recalled the same fear, and now it wasn't as frightening as he had been. Now, it gave him strength. The hyenas, the apes, the lion cubs, and the meerkat ran out of that tunnel, even as Carrocscir began to howl in protest. Shenzi grinned. They couldn't have brought down the whole of the Ivory Tower – such as task would have been impossible – but they had wrought such damage upon the tunnel that that passageway would very soon crumble into nothingness. She giggled. Well played Kiava. She risked a look behind her, and saw, sure enough, that rocks and stones were beginning to fall away. The tunnel was beginning to collapse. Laughing, the hyenas made their way into the Shadowlands, across the dusty, acrid plains of ash. and to relative safety.

Several hours later, Shenzi called a halt, and the exhausted pack of hyenas slowed. She looked around and made a swift headcount. They had no way of knowing how many others had escaped before they collapsed the tunnel but even so, more had escaped then would have done otherwise. Many more. She sighed. Too many had not. Kiava pulled to stop and flopped to the ground. The young cub had kept up just as well, but by now must have been exhausted. To her surprise however, he didn't lie there for long. After a moment he dragged himself to his feet and move around, checking first to his friends, and then to several of the nearby hyenas. Warily she approached him.

"Hey. Lion cub."

"What?"

"… Look. That was an impressive thing you did." She told him softly. Kiava shrugged.

"No it wasn't. There should have been another way. I was panicking. But I trapped any hyena that was still inside the tower." He said, frustrated.

"They were dead already, Kiava. You saved this many – and goodness knows how many others by delaying them in the throne room for as long as you did." Zuri told him, gently. It felt strange to be taking the hyena matriarch's side.

"I didn't do anything unique." He protested. "Nothing no one else couldn't have thought of." Shenzi laughed at that.

"You'll find, cub, that much of being a leader isn't doing the right thing, but just doing something when everyone else is in mindless panic." She pointed out. Kiava gave a small smile.

"I guess so." he said.

"We need to regroup with the other hyenas. If any escaped, they'll have fled to Skeleton Canyon. To the east. The Valley is steep on both sides, so there is only one defensive line. Its defensible for days with enough of us." She said. Kiava blinked. Perfect. The gears in his mind were already spinning, thinking of the possibilities.

"Good. After a short rest, you can lead us there. We did some serious damage. to them."

"I'll appreciate your company on the way there, Kiava. But after that, you should be on your way. This isn't your fight." Shenzi began. Kiava laughed.

"Oh, don't even try it. I am depending on you and yours to help me reclaim the Pridelands, Shenzi. I would be a poor ally if I abandoned you now." He said. Shenzi coughed.

"Kid. I ain't gonna lie to you. This doesn't change nothing. I told you – the hyenas would never trust the word of another Lion King."

"Oh, don't worry. I don't expect them to yet. I'll just have to follow through on my end of the deal, first." He said.

"Umm."

"The conditions of our alliance, you said earlier."

"What are you talking about?"

"To Break the Siege. To defeat an Army of jackals. And to Kill Amun." He quoted her. Shenzi gaped. When she had said that, she had been intending to illustrate the impossibility of it. but now, Kiava had a familiar determined look in his eye. A look had seen before. A look she had seen on the face of King Scar. As he had plotted and schemed. And now, she could feel that Kiava had also discovered a rare gift. He was beginning to plan. Kiava broke the spell suddenly when his serious face turned into a wide grin.

"Don't worry. I have a few more ideas."

Zuri groaned.

"You can't possibly actually have plan."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I said 'idea'." He corrected her.

"Whatever you say." She muttered. "What could possibly go wrong?"

It was hours later, when Amun paced through the wreckage of the tunnel angrily. They had been so close! They had been right there! Staring him the face. But they had escaped yet again. A lion cub. It couldn't be the Prince. But what if it was? The Lion Prince, and the rulers of the Ivory tower, along with half of the fighting hyenas, and the majority of their non-combatants (being hyenas, there weren't many of those) has somehow managed to escape at the last moment. It had taken them hours to figure out another passageway through the maze of the tunnels, and by that time, the daylight was fading, and the hyenas and their allies were long gone. Amun could have roared in anger. As it happened, he simply allowed himself an indulgent swipe at a nearby rock, sending it cartwheeling into the air, spinning, and crashing into the dirt with a loud clatter. To his surprise, the stone struck something, and that something gave a yelp. Instantly, honed instincts of vicious murder kicked in, and he leapt forwards, bring terrible claws to bear against the unseen life form.

"Wait!" The voice said urgently. Amun halted himself just in time. A shriek of terror would have been expected, begging for one's life was also a frequent occurrence for other animals. A short reprieve was not the status quo. It signified that the voice had expected to see him – and had not been surprised by the attack, merely panicked. That alone delayed him long enough to take a second look at his prey.

It was a hyena. A young one, he realised as she looked at him.

"You?" He asked in confusion.

"Amun." Asante said. Her eyes flashed white and Amun was shifted from Asante by a sudden gust of wind. Strong though it was, only that he not been braced for the blast meant that he was shifted from his feet. Startled, he fell back on the age-old response, snarling and growling.

"You were either very brave or very stupid to return here. Now you can die here as well." He said, and swung at her, ready to swipe at Asante's face.

"Stop!" She shouted. She seemed nervous, and her eyes had a haunted look to them, almost guilty. "I didn't return here to die. I came here to live!" She said desperately. Amun paused. Then a cruel smile began to form on his lips.

"Live. Ah. You came to bargain for your life?" He asked softly. Asante shifted.

"Please. I am the daughter of Shenzi, the matriarch. We are no strangers to unlikely alliances in the face of a common foe. I. Am prepared to make a deal with you Amun. A deal to bring peace and stability back to the Pridelands. A deal that will end resistance to your rule. Is that not something we can both agree on? Your alliance with the Serpents shows that you-"

"Enough." Amun said sharply. And Amun ceased speaking immediately. He looked around. The carven was deserted, but other wilddogs were only a roar away. Smiling now, Amun turned to Asante. "What did you have in mind? Hmm? You expect me to believe that you will surrender after all this?" He asked her.

"The lion cub you saw. He is the Prince of the Pridelands. Don't you want him?" She asked him. Amun froze. He licked his lips. When she saw his interest, she gave an infuriating laugh. "Shai'tan, the hyenas are not united on this matter. But that is what rulers do they make the tough decisions that underlings can't make. I... I will not see any more of my people be killed for a lost cause. I am willing to surrender to you. Surrender the Prince of the Pridelands to you. On a few conditions." She said. Amun laughed.

"Bargaining already? Hmm? Well, I have the authority to make certain agreements, if I chose, but what makes you think for a moment that you can negotiate? Why shouldn't I just kill you now? Or hold you captive against you parent's behaviour? Or demand unconditional surrender? You really need to think these things through more Asante, daughter of Shenzi." He said, his voice becoming a low and dangerous hiss. Asante's eyes widened, and she took a step back looking genuinely frightened. Then she gritted her teeth.

"I watched my mother abandon Carrocscir after it was lost. I know what she won't accept. We can't live against that power; it will just keep coming. We will have to adapt. And I think that we can come to an agreement." She said, leaving the name unspoken. Amun hesitated. True. After a moment he nodded his head, and she continued. "I want a guarantee that there will be no repercussions for the hyenas who survived. If we surrender, we live. We start a new leaf, as servants of the Shai'tan. We leave this blood behind us."

"Easily granted."

"I want you to leave the Shadowlands under their own rule. We are not bound to Rish'ut's murders at Golgorath, we aren't expected to fight for our meat. Any hyenas you recruit to fight for you will readily patrol these borders, and the borders in the Pridelands, but not the outlands, not the swamplands, or the desert borders. We won't become grunts for you to throw away. And we'll chose our own governors. They'll be loyal to you, but no Shai'tan gets moved into Carrocscir, no giant purple serpent or anything. We'll handle our own hierarchy, and we won't be an issue for you."

"You desire self-rule? Hmm. Well, I can grant that, but if the Emperor disagrees, I won't be bound by that promise." He warned him. Asante hesitated then nodded.

"Fair enough."

"Anything else?" Amun asked, starting to feel a laugh rising in his belly. This was too easy.

"If... If it turns out that my parents choose to side with the Lion King? They are still respected and powerful. Not everyone will follow me. If they decide to stand against me in this matter... if my own parents… I... I'll… I'll require. -"

"You'd want help overthrowing your mother and father?" Amun asked. Asante's stricken expression said it all. "With pleasure. Was there anything else?" The great tiger asked. Asante shook her head.

"No. Do we have an agreement?" She asked. Amun laughed now, and it echoed throughout Carrocscir.

"Yes. Yes, we do. Now Asante. tell me. Where can I find the Lion King Kiava? Lead me and my forces to him. and you shall be Queen of the Shadowlands, and your reign shall be long and prosperous. Not a single drop of hyena blood from that day on need be spilt. All that I require... is the death of Kiava." He told her. Asante stared at the tiger for a full minute before opening her mouth.

"Very well. I can take you to him."