[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Umeme didn't say anything after that. She was glad that Lina seemed to feel better now that the queen went to talk to Delano. If things will work out, this whole thing will be over very soon, and they will be able to forget about it before they even realize.

---

"I... the first time around, I thought that I was done with them as well," Delano said hesitantly, "I just... don't want to risk thinking that it's all over again, only to be proven wrong once more. I won't be able to handle it." He let out a slow sigh. "I guess what I am saying... until I know for certain, I will always be afraid of them. I know Muroki wants Gaku-Hatari to live, but I don't know if I can live with that... I don't want to go against Muroki, but can I let him let Hatari live?" He groaned. "I don't know. As for Sanders..." He remembered what he told Lina earlier today. "...He could burn for all I care." He felt his anger start to rise again, and forced himself to calm down. The last thing he needed to have was to lose his temper at the queen.

[TheWhistlerify]

The queen listened as Delano explained himself some more, deciding to make no comment to the lion's last statement about Sanders. "I completely understand why thinking that the nightmares are gone and then having them return bothers you so much." she said. "As for Hatari, I haven't the right to try to persuade you in either direction. It's your choice. You could consider the fact that he helped you but you also have the right to think that it's not enough. We all have our own opinions." Nevertheless, it did seem like the conversation had helped him somehow, which was a good sign. "Just make sure you think it over carefully. Don't decide until you're absolutely sure or you might regret it."

[DGFone]

Delano simply nodded, taking what the queen said into account. He knew that he really did not like the idea of letting Hatari go, but that was mostly because of his previous fears about that lion. Muroki and Umeme did not know the Hatari who gloated about murdering innocents... And yet, he himself did not really know the Hatari who regretted his actions, and who risked his life to help strangers just as readily as he used to kill them.

In his own fears, Delano locked his mind up to the possibility that Hatari had changed. So when Muroki mentioned wanting to save Hatari, Delano basically took it as betrayal by his own brother. He really needs to think that one over again.

Before he realized what he was doing, Delano got up and embraced the queen in a hug. His mind then caught up with him, and he say back down, clearing his throat nervously. "Thanks," he muttered, and got up, rushing back into the den. He felt like he really needed to see Lina.

Getting inside, he saw here sitting next to Umeme and Muroki. He walked quickly towards them and lay down next to Lina, resting his head on her paws. While he still felt quite bad, the talk with the queen did help somewhat, and he was even able to let out a small smile at being with Lina again. Lying there, he realized another thing. He felt extremely tired.

[TheWhistlerify]

The queen quietly waited, as it looked like Delano was thinking and might say something else, and was surprised when, all of a sudden, the lion embraced her in a hug. "You're quite welcome." she said with a smile, barely managing to answer him in time before he disappeared into he den, causing her to chuckle to herself.

Muroki was quietly sitting with Umeme next to Lina, not even knowing what they were waiting for to happen exactly. When Delano walked inside it was difficult to determine whether he was more upset or maybe possibly less upset after talking to the queen outside. The only thing Muroki could tell for sure was that his brother was tired, seeing him immediately place his head down on his paws with a yawn.

Lina went ahead and lay down beside her mate when he entered the royal, wanting to hear how the talk with the queen went. Feeling a huge relief wash over her upon seeing the small smile on his face, she gently rubbed her head against his. "So how did it go?" she asked softly, feeling somewhat cheerful after seeing him like this, even if he did look extremely tired.

[DGFone]

Delano gently purred when Lina rubbed her head on his. It really felt nice to have good things happening in his life again. "Well, there is no magical cure," he said sadly, "I'll have to tough it out on mu own like last time... but, it went far better than I feared it might." He cuddled up against Lina a bit more. "I just hope I will have the strength to wait it out this time again," he said, "earlier today, I was really afraid that I don't."

Feeling his fatigue wash over him, he tried to tell himself that the worst he will experience would be unpleasant dreams. He really needed to sleep properly, and not allowing himself to do so could easily make things even worse. So despite his fear, this time, he didn't fight his drowsiness, and quite quickly, he was quietly snoring next to Lina.

Umeme sat with Muroki nearby, delighted to see Lina much happier again. "See?" she whispered, in order not to disturb Delano's rest, "he's already doing a lot better than in the morning." If things will keep up like they are right now, he will be back to his old self in no time at all.

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina was rather surprised to hear what Delano was saying because, more or less, he was repeating things that had already been said to him before. Whatever Kato's kother had said or done, it seemed to have convinced him that he shouldn't take it too hard, seeing how the only thing Delano could do was to wait it all out. "Just remember that we're all here for you." said Lina with a smile, nuzzling her mate as he slowly difted off into sleep.

Muroki couldn't help but smile at just how better his brother appeared to be feeling, especially when he saw just how happy it all made his sister in law. He didn't know what the queen had done exactly, but he just might ask her later in order to satisfy his curiosity. "It appears so." he said with a smile, making sure not to raise his voice. "I wonder what did Kato's mother do." he added, leaning his head against Umeme's. While he still didn't know what would become of Hatari, at least one thing seemed to be improving.

[DGFone]

Umeme let out her own yawn. With the day coming in to a close, she figured that it wouldn't be a bad idea to go to sleep as well. While the idea of going with Muroki back to their den sounded like a very nice one, she thought that it would be better if just for tonight, they rested in the royal den as well, just in case Delano or Lina needed them for whatever reason. Looking around, she noticed that both Hatari as well as most of the guards were gone. They must have taken him back to wherever they kept him when she wasn't paying any attention.

"Well, I think it will be good night for now, Lina. We'll be around here somewhere, so if you'll need us, just call out." She gave her sister a quick nuzzle for goodbye before walking to a quiet corner with Muroki. She remembered wanting him to talk with Delano about the whole Kato issue, but didn't bring it up now. Delano needed to rest, and even Muroki improved today significantly over how he treated his brother. Still, tomorrow, she was going to get them to talk, even if it meant forcing them.

Lying down on the ground, she gave Muroki a quick lick across the cheek. "Well, goodnight Muroki."

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina smiled as her sister and brother in law came over to bid her good night. "Goodnight to you too." she said, this time sounding genuinely optimistic. She still didn't know just how the night would pass for Delano, but after the talk he'd had with the queen earlier, it felt like there was very little to no reason to worry. Resting her head in her mate's warm mane, she let out a sigh of content before closing her eyes and going to sleep as well.

After bidding his sister in law goodnight, Muroki walked over to another corner of the den with Umeme, lying down beside her. While the day hadn't necessarily started off too well, it ended up with a feeling that the odds of everything working out in the end weren't all that low. The lion purred as he felt his mate's tongue run accross his cheek, wrapping a paw around her and allowing her to lean her head into his mane. "Goodnight." he said quietly, falling asleep shortly afterwards.

[DGFone]

In the darkness of night, Delano woke up, gasping for air, as another nightmare tore him away from sleep. He trembled where he lay as he looked around him, noting how it was still very dark, meaning that morning will not come soon. He had hoped desperately that he would be able to at least sleep through the entire night again, but it looked like he wasn't able to. Next to him, Lina still lay sleep, oblivious to his disturbance.

He rubbed his eyes with a paw, struggling to calm himself down. It was Hatari again, ruining his rest. Except that strangely enough, Sanders did not appear in any form in the nightmare this time, only Hatari... Who was very close to where Delano was now...

Giving one last look to Lina to make sure that she was still asleep, Delano struggled to get up to his legs before wobbling out the den and heading over to where Hatari was being held. As he expected, guards were still there. "I need to go and talk to him," Delano said gruffly. He didn't care that it was the middle of the night. He needed to see Hatari and find out why that lion was tormenting him every single time he tried to get some rest. "Let me in. It's only to talk." He hoped that because he had helped the pride by going undercover, he would be allowed to talk to Hatari alone now. Nor did he want to wait for the morning, as others would wake up as well. He needed to do this alone.

[TheWhistlerify]

Guarding has never been fun. You'd stand around in the exact same area for hours on end without being allowed to do anything but what you'd been sent there to do; guard. Doing those during the night had mainly it's disadvantages, but one advantage was that it was quiet and chilly rather than hot and noisy. That is, until Delano decided to show up and ask them to let him do the one thing they probably shouldn't.

At first they told him to bugger off, but he kept insisting. So far Hatari has been quite docile, to say the least, and they were quite a few guards guarding his cave. What could possbly go wrong? "Just yell if you need help." said one of the guards, standing aside. "And don't even think about doing anything stupid. He is to remain unharmed until his trial."