[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Quickly explaining that Lina had to go to tell something to Muroki and Umeme, Delano was very grateful that his parents in law didn't pester him with questions or comments that he was not in the mood to receive. He was hardly able to contain his impatience as Akili was woken up and his son walked over very slowly, no doubt not excited to be woken up. "Come on Akili, let's go home." Upon being informed that Akili had behaved, Delano let out a sigh of relief: He wouldn't have to have any stern words with his son, and would instead be able to go to sleep right away himself. "Well, thanks for watching over him for today," he told Moto and Laini, "I uh... I guess we'll get going then." As quickly as he dared to flee without arousing suspicion, he picked Akili up and headed back to their own den.

When they arrived, Lina still hadn't gotten back, so Delano placed their son where Akili liked to sleep before moving back towards the entrance of the den. Not knowing if he was being foolish or not, he lay down across the entrance just inside the den where he won't get too cold, but would still get in the way of anyone trying to get in, just in case. Closing his eyes, he tried to relax into an uneasy sleep.

---

Umeme was talking quietly to Muroki, not wanting to wake up Ubawa or Marini, when she noticed Lina at the entrance, looking very nervous. "Lina? What are you doing here?" Noticing how uncomfortable her sister looked, as well as the lack of Delano, she instantly got worried. "Where's Delano? Did you two fight or something? Are you all right?" It was very unusual for Lina to walk in like this without announcing her presence, not to mention the fact of simply how late in the day it was. Wasn't Lina supposed to be with Akili?

[TheWhistlerify]

Feeling slightly annoyed that Umeme immediately gained the suspicion that she and Delano had had a fight, though not showing it, Lina shook her head. "We didn't fight..." she said. "He's picking Akili up from mom and dad now... We, uh, left him there this morning..." Noticing Muroki was looking at her with just as worried a look, she became more concerned about what they would say. "You see, we were running together by the border just earlier and... We saw someone who looked a lot like-" She sighed. "We think it was Sanders..."

Like she'd expected, her sister and brother-in-law looked very surprised to say the least. "Sanders was executed." said Muroki with a confused look on his face.

[DGFone]

Much like her mate, Umeme was instantly confused by what Lina told them. "Sanders? But... he's, well, he's gone. The king made sure of that." Even as she said it, Umeme was able to tell that Lina wasn't buying it, at least not completely. Even if it wasn't Sanders who Lina saw, it really had scared her.

Nudging Muroki slightly, Umeme motioned with her head at the cubs. "Watch over them, will you? I want to talk to her outside." Quietly getting up, she walked out the den with Lina. "Are you sure it was him who you saw? What if it was just someone who looks a lot like him?" She wasn't convinced that the lion who Lina and Delano saw was Sanders, whoever it might be. "I mean, remember? Muroki said it. He was executed. Nothing to worry about anymore."

[TheWhistlerify]

Nodding silently at his mate's request, Muroki watched as the two sisters went outside before standing up and slowly walking over to his son and daughter, lying down next to them. The two cubs were sleeping peacefully together in a little furry heap. What has gotten into Lina? Saying that Sanders was still alive... What nonsense... But if both she and Delano were sure that he was still out there... No. Looking at Marini and Ubawa, the lion slightly shook his head before gently scooping the two over with a paw. That horrible killer was gone. He had to be...

Outside, Lina was still finding it difficult to get herself to stop worrying about what she and Delano had seen earlier. "But the police hasn't really proved itself to be too reliable, has it?" she asked with a sigh. There were plenty of examples for that, like thinking Delano was an assistant of the underworld or, well, having Sanders himself in charge... "Besides, we know what we saw." No matter how unlikely it seemed, the lioness just couldn't get herself to relax. "That lion looked too much like Sanders for comfort..."

[DGFone]

As much as Umeme doubted that Sanders was alive, she knew that what Lina said was true. "Alright, so they hadn't been the most reliable. But Sanders... the trial was too big for him to be able to walk away from it. And the king would have made sure that he would have been killed." Seeing just how distraught Lina was, Umeme embraced her sister in a hug.

"If you want, we can go and see the king tomorrow. I am sure he will be able to clear everything up for you." Separating herself, Umeme gave Lina a small grin. "You look like you need some rest. Go on, Muroki and I can come over to you and Delano tomorrow morning. All right?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Lina managed to draw some comfort from Umeme's embrace but she was still somewhat annoyed that her sister didn't believe her. True, had she been in her place, she would have probably found it to be just as impossible. Although, when she was thinking about it, perhaps getting the king to understand what was going on was more important than convincing her sister and brother-in-law. Sighing, she slowly nodded her head in approval. "Okay..."

Without saying anything else, the lioness turned around and made her way back to her and Delano's den. He and their cub were already fast asleep by the time she got there and she didn't even think much of the way Delano had chosen to lie down right in front of the entrance, instead lying down closely to Akili and falling asleep right away.

[DGFone]

Throughout the night, Delano was hardly able to get any sleep, constantly being woken up by nightmares, which seem to have came back with a vengeance. Waking up yet again surrounded by the nighttime darkness, he curled up from the cold, but didn't move in closer inside the den. Not only was he still worried that someone might try to come in, he also remembered all to well how he had hurt Akili the last time he wasn't able to control himself after waking up from his dreams.

Perhaps from the cold, or from some other reason, but he wasn't able to get himself to fall asleep much, even well into the morning, when he heard Umeme's and Muroki's voices from outside the den, but was too tired to react.

---

"Lina? Delano? It's us!" From outside the den, Umeme's voice called inside before she popped her head in, nearly walking straight into Delano. "Delano? What are you doing out here? It's not because of yesterday..? Lina?" Leaving the lion behind, Umeme walked over to her sister and nudged her gently, careful not to do the same to Akili, who was sleeping between his mother's paws. "Lina? Lina, come on, wake up."

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki was rather keen on getting a more proper explanation as to just what Delano and Lina had seen yesterday that made them believe Sanders was still alive and well who knew where. Before they'd left in the morning he'd considered leaving Ubawa and Marini with their grandparents but eventually decided to bring them along. They'd be able to play with their cousin so to not interrupt, and he would be able keep an eye on them.

Raising an eyebrow upon seeing his brother lying right by the entrance of the den, (he'd told his son and daughter to wait outside), he gently nudged Delano with his nose. "Delano?" he asked quietly. "What are you doing?" His brother sure seemed exhausted. Oh, great... That was just what they needed at the moment... They sure had to clear this whole misunderstanding (hopefully it was just that) before these nightmares got out of hand again.

***

Inside, Lina let out a slight grunt of annoyance when she found herself being nudged awake. "Umeme?" It felt as though she's hardly slept. How come it was morning already? A quick glance at her paws confirmed that Akili was still there, safe and sound. At least that was something she didn't have to worry about at the moment... Yet...

[DGFone]

Upon being nudged by his brother, Delano finally realized that he wasn't simply hearing things, and that Umeme and Muroki were actually there. Letting out a tired groan, he stared at his brother, trying to blink some vision into his sore eyes. "I... wasn't able to sleep well," he explained, placing his head back on his paws and closing his eyes again. "Can you just... leave me alone for a bit? I'm really tired..." Already forgetting that Muroki was there, he curled up at his spot again, hoping that he would be able to actually sleep for once.

---

Frowning at how tired her sister sounded, Umeme nudged Lina again. "Come on now, Lina," she said playfully, "don't you want to visit the king today? Clear up all this nonsense from last night-" glancing between Delano and Lina, Umeme grinned, "stars above know both of you need to be reassured that it's all nothing. Just look at you both - as though you haven't slept for several seasons." As Lina didn't react much, Umeme got an idea. "Let's make a bargain, shall we? We go now and clear everything up, and then Muroki and I can watch over Akili so that the two of you can get some rest. Deal?"

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki was more than able to tell that Delano hasn't slept all that well. He also easily caught onto just how tired his brother was so, basically, Delano was stating the obvious. However, deciding that it just might be for the better if he left his brother alone instead of demanding an explanation, he didn't say anything else. Lina would probably be much more talkative and helpful in that regard anyway. But he didn't go inside, instead walking back over to Marini and Ubawa so that the two little hairballs wouldn't get too bored and come over despite having been told to wait outside. He'd wait for Umeme to wake her sister up.

*****

Trying not to get annoyed by the way Umeme was talking about her and Delano's suspicions as nonsense, Lina let out a soft yawn and slowly rose to her paws, making sure not to wake Akili up in the process. "Deal..." Unless the king could assure her that he'd witnessed the execution himself, she seriously doubted anything he might say would get her to truly think that Sanders was gone. Not after seeing that lion yesterday...