trouble. By now, Kovu’s annoyance over being mocked by an inferior life form had overcome his fear.

“Hey, comrade one-eyes, how ‘bout letting us in on the joke before we mash you to a pulp?”

The hyena didn’t seem to mind the mockery concerning his appearance, although his tone changed from amused to grim, even mean.

“Just a déjà vu, two-eyes, déjà vu. Curious lions that stray from the pride always seem to bump into me… I just hope this time, it’s gona be a happier ending.”

“Gee wiz, it can count too… two-eyes, what a pun. I wonder whether he bothered to count us too, ‘cause he’d notice he’s alone, and there are three of us. How ‘bout tuning it down a bit?” Nuka growled as he approached the hyena, halting only inches from him. The hyena didn’t move, and that was when Vitani realized he hadn’t come alone, although she should have figured that one out way sooner. She also remembered that instead of pissing the hyena off to the best of their abilities, it might be wise to be a bit more polite as they still had an assignment to fulfill: seeking an alliance with the hyenas. But as things were looking now, she feared getting out alive would already be a real stunt to pull, let alone engage in some friendly diplomacy. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a sound she’d been expecting all along: the ticking of claws on the canyon rocks behind her. They were surrounded. As they tried to suppress their panic, Vitani and Kovu turned around to face the new threat. Meanwhile, Nuka was still staring at the hyena who sat only a few inches in front of him. If it hadn’t been for his dark fur, Nuka would have turned pale, as he was not at ease, to say the least, staring at the hyena’s yellowish fangs.

Vitani saw him as she turned around: another lonely, gray shade, casually striding towards them. She didn’t know what annoyed her the most: their own incompetence, or the talent these hyenas had developed in the field of stealth and secrecy. Both presented a threat. But now, she had to focus on the figure approaching her. He actually looked quite different than the hyena behind her. He was just as skinny, but his face, for one, looked unharmed, and his nozzle was a bit darker, and pointier. He had a darker tan altogether, so he probably was younger than his mutilated counterpart, Vitani realized. But the thing which truly put him apart were his manes: thick and way darker, and his fuzzy ears. That, and his eyes. She only noticed those as he came closer. Not pale and green, but a deep, dark brown. She couldn’t help but stare, and he stared back, into her unusually blue eyes. None said a word. The silence was so unbearable, she actually felt relieved when the ticking of small rocks falling down the canyon reached her ears. Kovu looked up, and as he had come to expect, about a dozen big, though also skinny, hyena’s stared back. Vitani could see them too, and judging by their size, they were all females, bigger and more threatening than the two who were in the gorge with the lions, all of whom were scared shitless by now. Fearing this day to be their last, the lions rallied into a defensive triangle. The hyenas on the other hand, didn’t move.

“Right boss, what do we do now?” the one eyed hyena asked his younger counterpart.

The ‘boss’, the younger, dark hyena didn’t say a word, but instead signaled two of the females above him, who immediately sought their way down and took position alongside the ‘boss’. He then approached the lions, keeping his gaze fixed upon Vitani, who started growling as he got to close, as not to reward his arrogance. Strangely though, his look wasn’t threatening, for a moment, Vitani even thought he looked rather… charming? For a hyena, be it. The ‘boss’ suddenly spoke out with a slow, deep but still very hyenaish voice.

“You know, Banzaï, you really shouldn’t be calling me boss…”

“Sorry b… Vinnie, nasty habit, ‘s all. But what are we gonna do with them? From the looks of it, I’d say they’re outlanders, not fat enough to be pridelanders.”

Vitani wasn’t sure whether that was an insult or a compliment.

“So?” 'Vinnie' asked.

“Well, you know the saying. Or maybe you don’t, not the point… ‘The enemy of my enemy…’ and so on. They’re in a cold war with the pridelanders, maybe we ought to listen to whatever it is they have to say, if anything.”

Vitani felt an opportunity, and before the other hyena could reply she had already started talking, as quick, self assured and confident as she could in the given situation.

“Indeed you should! Because it just so happens that we’re here not to spy or sneak around, but to have a civilized meeting, a polite chat even between potential allies…”

But Vinnie ignored her, at first.

“I know they’re outlanders. But outlanders are still lions. We have our orders, whether we like ‘em or not,” he replied to Banzaï, after which he addressed Vitani.

“You say you came here to forge an alliance? That’s why you’re here right?”

Vitani nodded, now again fearful because she could about guess what Vinnie’s orders were. His gaze hardened as he spoke to her again.

“For one, it’s not within my authority to conclude an alliance. Even if it were, I would be inclined to decline your proposal. I suggest you go find your cannon fodder elsewhere; we’re through doing someone else’s, and especially lions’, dirty work. And then there are my orders still, stating I am to kill any lion that crosses our borders.”

That being said, everyone braced for combat, but no-one seemed willing to commence the seemingly inevitable slaughter, Banzaï least of all.

“Wow, hold it, lets not rush things here… We shouldn’t interpret orders to the letter, you know, they’re more like guidelines anyway. The way I see it, there are three of you lions, and about a dozen of us… If wfamily: "Bookman Old Style";" lang="EN-US">“Well, you know the saying. Or maybe you don’t, not the point… ‘The enemy of my enemy…’ and so on. They’re in a cold war with the pridelanders, maybe we ought to listen to whatever it is they have to say, if anything.”

Vitani felt an opportunity, and before the other hyena could reply she had already started talking, as quick, self assured and e fight it out, you’re all goners, and we win, though we’d have to go home telling a handful of kido's their mom ain’t commin home no more.”

Kovu wanted to comment it was to be expected of hyenas they’d prefer running off in stead of standing their ground, but since he preferred going home in one piece too, he kept his mouth shut. Luckily, Nuka had come to the same conclusion. Banzaï continued.

“Besides, the border is like what, a mile, half a mile from here? Maybe it’d be best if we… misplaced it for the time being.”

What? Only half a mile? I knew it, I knew it! But did those blockheads bother to listen? Nooo... “Females can’t cope with directions”, yeah right. No wonder we didn’t find them, we were going in damn circles… Well, guess that’s the last time I’m letting Nuka’s lead the way, that’s for sure…

Vinnie seemed to think about it for a while, then he suddenly addressed Vitani.

“Well, Sunshine, you’re awfully silent and gloomy all of a sudden. What do you suggest I do?”

“Huh? Eh… Well I… we,” Vitani stuttered, “I say you get us to that border of yours, we all go home and pretend this never happened… no?”

Vinnie grinned, and as he was a hyena it was hard to tell whether he meant it to be friendly or menacing: it just looked… mean, to oversimplify the matter, and even slightly vicious. Even when he tried to grin in a rather friendly manner.

He then looked up at his clanmates who were still positioned above them.

“No-one got a moral issue with that? You’re all fine with it?”

The biggest, though not the oldest, female replied.

“Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I think Banzaï’s right; I promised my Keavy I’d take her out hunting tomorrow, so she’d be real disappointed if I didn’t come home tonight. But we'll follow your lead, sir, to whatever end.”

“Right. That settles it?” Vincent asked Vitani, “We‘ll… escort you to the border, make sure you don’t get hurt: this is a nasty place after all. Accidents will happen, especially when one of you wanders off.”

“How nice of you,” Vitani replied as she tried to sound amused in stead of cynical.

“Right then, we haven’t got all day. We’ll take the lead, Banzaï and two of you close the group, and you cover the flanks. Needles to say the lions take the middle position.”

The odd group set off. Everyone felt uneasy at best, especially Kovu, who whispered to Vitani: “I don’t trust these guys… I think they’re up to something…”

“Loosen up, at least were still alive. And we’re going the right way for a change, ain’t we? Beides, the guy in charge looks ok.”

“He looks like a hyena to me.”

“Oh my, you noticed?” Vitani giggled, “That reminds me, I still have to find out if we can’t pull of an alliance.”

“Ain’t happening. He’s already said no.”

“He already said he’d whack us too, but here we are. Besides, it won’t hurt to try…”

She tried moving up the group, which didn’t go unnoticed.

“Sunshine, if you wana talk, just talk. And try smiling for a change,” Vinnie grumbled without even looking back.

“You too aren’t exactly looking like a bundle of joy, you know…”

“Yeah, but I just disobeyed direct orders, whilst you on the other hand had your life spared.”

“True. Thanks by the way, it’s not exactly every day my eternal enemy decides to pardon my.”

“The pleasure’s all mine Sunshine.”

“The name’s