[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[TheWhistlerify]

Kato was obviously a little caught off guard when Umeme revealed just what it was that had made her brother in law and, in turn, her mate run off like that. It clearly was nothing close to what he'd expected (not that he had any practical idea to begin with). Delano thought Sanders was alive? That would certainly explain the erratic behavior... "I suppose we can't blame him for panicking, then." he said. "But if anybody can calm him down, it's Muroki."

Smiling, the prince was about to change the subject, seeing how worried Umeme looked, when Hatari of all lions came running towards them at full speed. What was he doing there? If he were to be recognized by anyone... "Hatari?"

To Hatari's relief, he seemed to have arrived before Sanders, probably because the former leader of the underworld didn't exactly know where he was going. He'd already expected to arrive and discover that he's too late... But the relief was very brief. Sanders was still looking for them and there was no telling when he might suddenly show up. They all had to go somewhere safer and there was no time to waste.

However, as Marini, Ubawa and Akili all realized he was there and ran over to him in joy, he suddenly found himself at a complete loss for words. How was he going to explain why they had to hurry and leave? ...How was he going to tell them all that Muroki was dead?

[DGFone]

Umeme frowned in concern as she saw Hatari running towards them. He knew better than to go here... unless something was seriously wrong. Something that he thought it worthwhile to risk his own life by coming here. So while the three cubs saw Hatari as another friend to play with, Umeme knew that she had to drag the trio away from Hatari to find out what was going on.

Ignoring her own fears of what possibly could have brought Hatari here, she got up and walked over to him. "It's good to see you, Hatari," she said, forcing herself to sound like him being here was a regular occurrence, "cubs, I need you to run off into the den for just a few moments-" she was immediately drowned out by their complaining, and while normally she would wait it out, she wasn't ready to do so right now, "don't have me make you go in there," she said sternly.

As the three got the message and took their time getting to the den, Umeme was able to return her attention to Hatari. Seeing how he didn't look well only increased her concern and fears. "Hatari? What's wrong? Why did you come here..?" At the same time, Kato also came over, no doubt also wanting to know why the exiled lion was here where he was not allowed to be.

---

Delano ran as fast as his legs could carry him, heading straight towards his den, dreading every moment he wasn't there yet of what he will find there. That, combined with the uncertainty of how Muroki was after he left him, left him ready to just curl up in fear, but he knew he had to press on.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted movement of someone who didn't seem to want to be seen. Quickly glancing to the side where he saw it, Delano nearly stumbled and fell as he identified the lion. It was Sanders! Right here! At first, immediate relief swept over him. If Sanders was here, it meant that Lina and Akili were still safe. But just as quickly as the relief came to him, it left, replaced by an almost crippling fear as Sanders started to walk over to Delano, no doubt having seem him as well.

"Why, if it isn't my most favorite lion in the entire world?" the very-much-alive-rather-than-dead lion said, sneering with glee as he came closer, "how's it going? Delano? Surprised to see me? Perhaps it was too early for you to mistake me for a corpse..." Rather than attacking Delano immediately, Sanders stopped a short ways in front of the lion, enjoying how much he was having an effect just by being there. He will have plenty of time to kill Delano anyways. "I take it you found out about the little surprise I set up for your brother. How's Muroki?"

Delano didn't answer, silently shaking in rage as he tried in vain to mentally prepare himself for the confrontation which he knew was inevitable. As long as he didn't say that Muroki was still alive, Sanders wouldn't have any reason to rush things. Get more time for help to arrive... For a dead lion, Sanders had not been lazying around, and very much looked in his prime, so Delano was not going to be the one to initiate the attack. He was going to have to allow Sanders to play around with him for as long as possible if he was to have any chances of surviving this. "This is over, Sanders," Delano finally said, his voice faltering several times, much to the other lion's amusement. "you're finished."

[TheWhistlerify]

Waiting to Umeme to tell the cubs to bugger off, seeing how he obviously couldn't say what he had to say in front of them, Hatari gladly continued delaying the unpleasant moment as the little ones unwillingly went into the den, even if he did know that Marini and Ubawa were bound to find out about their father's fate sooner or later... Just thinking about that made it so harder to hold back the tears he's been keeping in since the revelation of his friend's anything but deserved death, but he somehow managed to do it.

The fact that he didn't have to break the horrible news in front of Muroki's cubs didn't make the situation any less difficult than the former member of the underworld had hoped. It didn't mean that they wouldn't have to grow up without him... And then there was Umeme, too... "W-We have to go..." he said quietly, much to Kato's confusion.

"Why?" Since when did Hatari ever stutter? Or look so nervous, now that he was thinking about it? Something was clearly wrong. "What's the matter?"

"Don't ask questions, please..." said the lion. The sooner they went somewhere safer the better, but he knew he was also deathly afraid to spill the beans. "Look, Delano was right, okay?" Now that he was thinking about it, three cubs weren't that difficult of a target. Kato might just get targeted first if Sanders saw him. "Sanders is alive. Not dead... Please, just do as I say..."

[DGFone]

What Hatari said struck Umeme as though he had hit her with an entire tree log. "He's...? Did you see him?" She asked, getting a slight nod in reply, and then Hatari repeated his request for them to hurry and not ask any questions.

Rushing back to the den, Umeme knew that this could only mean that Sanders was heading this way, otherwise Hatari would not have shown up, or at least would have told them to stay here. But if they had to leave, it meant that even the den wasn't safe. Getting inside, Umeme shook Lina awake, ignoring the cub's questions about what was going on. "Lina, wake up, we need to leave..." Telling the three cubs to get out to Kato and Hatari, Umeme found herself alone with Lina as her sister slowly woke up. "Hatari just came here. He... he says that we need to go. Because of Sanders... He's not dead."

At this Lina froze, and Umeme had to nudge her to get her moving again. "Hatari says we need to go, so let's go. He knows where we should be." She didn't actually know if Hatari had any idea where a safe area was, but he probably had a better idea than she did.

With Lina in tow, Umeme walked back out of the den, and went immediately over to the cubs. "Stay close, and don't make any noise," she told them firmly. Something in her tone must have really scared them, because they actually listened. With Hatari taking the lead, the group began to walk away from the den, and Umeme hoped, towards safety. Walking next to Hatari, there was one last thing that she needed to know. "What about Muroki and Delano?" she whispered, "are they all right?"

---

Sanders broke into laughter at Delano's pitiful attempt at being intimidating. At least for Delano, better for him to laugh than to have to fight him. "And what are you going to do about it, Delano?" the lion asked, "look around. It's just me and you. Also, the last time I checked, I'm dead. Is the king going to rush to your aid just because you got scared of a ghost." He took a few steps close to Delano, who unintentionally backed away the same distance. "We're alone," Sanders repeated, "and no one is coming. So I ask you again. What are you going to do?"

Delano didn't say anything, simply standing and glaring at Sanders.

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, Sanders let out a very exaggerated sigh. "You want to fight, is that it?" he asked, seeing very easily how Delano was not standing in a perfectly balanced manner, as well as how he was leaving himself completely open to attack. Not only was the fool a bad fighter to begin with, Sanders looked over his adversary, noting how Delano didn't even look to be completely fresh either.

"If we fight, you'll lose," Sanders said, still getting no reply, "and if you lose, you die. So you have two choices, you can either step aside and let me walk in peace to your family, or I kill you here and now."

Delano let out a growl. "You will not dare to hurt them!" Despite his fear, he took a step closer to Sanders.

The other lion grinned. "You chose your death. Is that what you wanted then?" he shrugged, "I don't think that really matters anyways. Because that's what I want."

Sanders charged.

[TheWhistlerify]

It took more than just a few gentle nods from Umeme to get Lina to actually snap out of her little state of shock, stand up and walk out of the den with her sister considering what she had just learned from her. Nevertheless, she eventually followed, not even thinking much of the fact that Hatari was way past his limits territory-wise. Obviously nervous, she was about to pick Akili up and carry him when she noticed that the little cub was already walking between her legs, clearly confused and even a little scared because of the sudden, harsh change of mood, meaning that she could keep an eye on him.

It was only when she heard Umeme quietly ask Hatari where Muroki and Delano were that the lioness remembered how her mate had left earlier that day. It slipped her mind because of how sleepy she'd been at the time. How could she have forgotten?? "Yes, I'd like to know as well." she said hurriedly. There was a chance that Hatari didn't know anything, but if he did then she obviously wanted to hear it all.

Hatari's lips quivered as he took in a deep breath before giving a slow, impeccable shaking of his head. "I-I...I didn't... I didn't get there in time..." Stuttering his answer quietly as he looked at Umeme in the corner of his eye, he quickly broke the eye contact because he just couldn't get himself to maintain it for more than a single second. "I'm sorry, Umeme..."

It was all his fault for not taking Delano's concerns seriously... If he had then they might have gotten to Muroki in time... Now his best and first friend in the world was dead and Delano was who knew where and- wait! Delano was still out there! Hatari had hurried to his den in order to try and get there before Sanders but, seeing how the former leader of the underworld wasn't there, Muroki's brother was in danger of running into him. "Kato, take them all to your father's den." Quickly turning around, he sprinted back towards the gorge. He wasn't going to let someone else die if he could help it...

[DGFone]

Umeme felt her chest clench as Hatari struggled to tell her... what she now really didn't want to hear. "No..." she whispered without meaning to, "it's... it's not true. It can't be!" Quickly glancing at the cubs, who didn't seem to notice yet, she struggled to contain her emotions for their sake, even though the news was tearing at her insides.

For some reason, a wave of anger towards Hatari swept through her, most likely due to her refusing to believe that Muroki was dead. "You're wrong," she finally said firmly, "Muroki will come back. Just you wait." The lion didn't say anything, instead looking very ashamed and afraid, until he suddenly sprang back to life, running away from them, with a very determined look. Watching him go, Umeme's anger faded, replaced by pity for him. It wasn't Hatari's fault even... even if Muroki really was dead. She can't blame him simply for telling her the truth.

A nudge from Lina broke her from her thoughts, and the group continued to walk towards the king's cave system, where they can be safe.

---

Even though he had expected Sander's attack, Delano was still too slow in moving out of the way of the charge, and after a heavy impact, felt himself flying through the air before coming to a hard and painful landing on the ground. As he struggled to get back up, he heard Sanders gloating right next to him.

"What? That was it?" Sanders had hoped for a better fight than to win so easily just from the opening move, "surely you can do better than that? Even Muroki put up a better fight before he was killed!" Waiting for Delano to get up again, the lion din't actually give him enough time to actually prepare to fight though, as he charged and sent Delano to the ground once more.

Walking over and pressing down hard on Delano before he could get up a second time, Sanders 'accidently' clawed his side, enjoying the screams of pain that Delano let out. "I don't want you to die quickly," Sanders whispered to his ear, "that would be too boring. No, I want you to suffer. Long and hard, so that your life can end by my paws just as you ended my ambitions to rule this kingdom."

Cursing at Sanders, Delano found the strength to lash out at his opponent, connecting his claws with Sander's muzzle, and tossing the other lion off him. Scrambling up to his legs, Delano knew he couldn't last for much longer, but that the longer he did, the more time Lina and Akili had to get away.

Sanders was already up and waiting for him, chuckling as he rubbed the bleeding wound with a paw. "So you can fight!" he sounded awfully excited at being wounded, "much fun!"

This time, it was Delano who charged, but Sanders was prepared, and met his charge head on. From now on much less reserved, both lions fought savagely, both delivering and receiving wounds as one fought to defeat the other. But while Sanders was very much toying around, Delano was already at his limit, and only got weaker and weaker as he received more blows than he gave to his enemy.

Getting knocked down to the ground, his vision was getting blurry as he struggled to stand up, his legs failing him, unintentionally whimpering in fear of his inevitable death. A heavy weight pressed down on his back, preventing him from moving, and he cried out as Sanders proceeded to bash him furiously.

And all of the sudden, the weight lifted off him, allowing Delano precious time to recover whatever strength he could. Trying to see clearly, he stared at what looked like Sanders fighting off another lion. Had help finally arrived?

[TheWhistlerify]

Kato and Lina were just as shocked as Umeme by what Hatari had just told them. Like her, they couldn't and didn't want to believe something so terrible. Muroki couldn't be dead... Sanders couldn't have gotten him, it just couldn't turn out this way, not after everything they've all been through... Marini and Ubawa... What would become of them? And of their mother? "L-Let's keep moving..." muttered Kato quietly, trying to push the subject out of his mind. But how could he?

●●●●●●●●●●

Hatari recognized his adversary the moment he saw him, but it was only once he knocked the unexpecting lion off of Delano that he got a really good look at him. But he wasn't there to stare, and immediately proceeded to close the small gap between them and swipe at the other lion, claws fully extended. Sanders, perhaps "used" to the easy fight Delano had just provided him as well as taken by surprise, wasn't quick enough to either avoid or block the blow, resulting in 4 deep claw marks on his chest.

As the former leader of the underworld roared out in pain and backed away, Hatari stared him dead in the eye. He was responsible for Muroki being dead, and he was going to pay for it. "Is that a look of pure hatred on your face?" he growled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or are you just pleased to see me?"

[DGFone]

Umeme walked in silence behind Kato, in complete shock over what she heard. She couldn't believe Hatari, bu at the same time, he won't lie to her about that. It wasn't like him...

Arriving at the caves, Kato got them quickly inside before rushing after his father. Sitting down and holding Ubawa and Marini close to her, Umeme could could only stare at the wall in silence, even as Kato returned with his father and no fewer than the most trusted guards in tow. She faintly heard the king order the group to find and follow Hatari's scent as fast as they could, but didn't react at all to the background noise. She could feel the presence of her cubs, but was also very much feeling the lack of contact with Muroki, the one she loved... Where was he?

---

Pain from Hatari's attack threw Sanders out of focus, but he regained his composure quickly enough. "It's good to see you too, Gakuru," he said with a smirk, hiding his anger at being interrupted by a look of pleasure, "I am in fact very pleased to see you again. Because you know what this means?" Getting himself ready for another attack, Sanders flashed his teeth at Hatari, "It means I get to kill both of you. First you. Then finish what I started with him." He nodded his head towards the still body of Delano, "but you die first, my dear friend."

However, it was Hatari who attacked first, no doubt knowing better than to wait for Sanders to take the initiative. But his adversary was no fool, and Sanders easily dodged the charge, swiping at Hatari's limbs and even getting a claw to connect with the lion's side. Unlike when he played around with Delano, Sanders didn't bother to give Hatari any free chances to attack, for he knew that doing so would cause him dearly. Before Hatari turned around, Sanders was already pouncing onto him.

When Hatari had urged earlier in the day for Delano to take caution at going after Sanders, it wasn't because he knew that Sanders had an army with him. Even alone, and even after his fight with Delano, Sanders was still more than a match for the younger lion, but their fight was much more even. But as the fight continued, Sanders started to slowly gain an advantage, even if only a small one.

Finding the opportunity, he clawed Hatari's side, sending the lion sprawling to the ground. Jumping on him, Sanders pressed his claws deep onto Hatari's throat. "Both of us knew I was always the better lion out of the two of us," Sanders said in between breaths, refusing to admit just how worn out he now was, "what did you hope to accomplish by showing up here? Now you die, Gakuru, dearest of all my friends."

Pressing down harder on his adversary, Sanders let out a startled cry as Delano rammed him in the side from out of nowhere, and immediately felt a set of jaws clamp down on his own throat.

Much like when he would help Lina hunt, Delano grabbed on and didn't let go of Sander's throat, no matter how much it made him feel sick, nor the agonizing pain throughout his body as the lion under him struggled to get free. Feeling the fighting beneath him weaken and finally cease, he let go, raising his head away from the choke-hold. "That's for trying to kill my brother," Delano spat at Sander's body, "and my family and me." As he struggled to slide off Sander's body, he froze in fear as he heard a weak chuckling, feeling the body beneath him shake with the laughter.

"So the fool didn't die after all?" Sanders asked weakly. It was almost as if he was unable to comprehend that he was defeated, still resisting as long as he could breath. "Makes it just like your pathetic attempt to finish me off. Just know that-"

Whatever Sanders wanted to say, Delano wasn't going to listen. Snapping out of his frozen state, he lunged back towards Sander's throat, clamping his jaws so tight that they began to hurt. He felt tears mix in with his blood as he put all of his fear and hatred for Sanders into this final hold, not daring to let go. Not even as he felt Sander's breathing cease for good, and even after all traces of a pulse faded away.

Hatari moved over to his side, gently placing a paw on his shoulder, but still, Delano didn't move. His jaws still locked around Sanders, he let out a loud, muffled, wail as all of the emotions that he had kept hidden in him for so long finally burst forth from deep inside of him.

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina lay down next to her sister, gently scooping Akili over with her paws and holding him closely to her chest. Much like his cousins, the cub still looked quite startled, and the sight of the king suddenly rushing outside with other lions he's never seen before didn't help much. His mother licked him once to remind him that she was there before looking at Umeme. Was Muroki really... gone?

●●●●●●●●●●

Muroki and Lin were still in the process of making their way to the king's den. With Muroki now feeling strong enough to walk, though not all that quickly even with Lin's support, it was bound to take the two of them some time to get to the royal den and to safety. To see Delano and Hatari, however, with the body of Sanders above all lions being held from the throat by his brother, was the last thing Muroki and Lin were expecting.

Hatari, noticing the pair, quickly ran over and embraced his friend. "You're alive!" he said, sighing in relief. No thanks to him, though... Delano was the one who had gone to look for him in the gorge... Umeme was definitely going to be relieved, but the former member of the underworld saw no reason to tell her mate that he'd told her he was dead.

"It's over, isn't it?" asked Muroki quietly as Hatari let him go. His expression was rather blank and, for the most part, quite unreadable.

[DGFone]

Umeme didn't know why she looked outside where the king and his group had went, but doing so seemed to have woken up something within her. A force that told her that until she found Muroki's body, she wasn't going to rest for a moment believing that he was actually gone. Glancing quickly at Lina, she told her sister, "watch over Ubawa and Marini," she muttered, giving them a quick lick to calm them down, "I'm going to fetch your father. All right?" Giving her sister an encouraging smile, she ran out and followed the fast fading dots that were the king and his guard.

---

Delano didn't have much of an idea of what was going on around him, for the world was a fuzzy blur to him. He felt someone nudge him gently, or perhaps he had just imagined it? What sounded like Muroki was calling out to him, but the voice sounded echoey and faint. As he felt himself quite literally being pulled from Sander's body did he finally begin to show signs of consciousness.

Placed gently on the ground by Hatari, Delano looked slowly around, his eyes first falling onto the lion who was an enemy now turned ally, to Lin, and finally to his brother. "Muroki..." his voice was horse, and he spoke hardly above a whisper, for he lacked the energy to be louder, "I... I killed him..." While he had hunted before, this was the first time he had taken the life of a fellow lion. Even if it was Sanders who he had killed, doing so left him feeling very... drained. He looked over at Sander's body, and immediately felt sick to his stomach, quickly turning away before he would throw up and make himself feel even worse.

Trying to stand up, Delano hardly moved as waves of pain brought him back down to the earth. Groaning from the pain coursing through him, he lay his head on the ground, closing his eyes to try and avoid seeing the world swimming around him. Ever so slowly, more feeling returned to him, which more often than not, came with even more pain.

As he heard more faint voices shouting in the distance, Delano again felt a certain comforting blackness reach out to him, and this time he allowed himself to be taken by it as he slipped into unconsciousness.