“That's not funny...”

“I wasn't joking,” Vincent chuckled disrespectfully, “Food wasn't exactly a plentiful commodity where we came from; some of you might have picked up some nasty habits back than... hehe...”

Both Banzaï and Shetani stared at Vincent for a moment, flabbergasted, not amused one bit, to Vincent's disappointment.

“Hey, come on, where's your sense of humor? You call yourselves hyenas?”

“We took the dead to a sizable burrow south of here,” Shetani finally answered after a long and awkward silence, “Shenya thought they deserved better than to stay out and rot in the sands, under a the scorching sun... and then one of the lions then suggested a small burrow, some kind of cave-complex, to the south, where they usually took the lions of great stature to have died (or anyone to die too close to the Priderock; having dead bodies around your home-den isn't exactly cozy). So we took all the deceased there and piled them up within the cave, lion and hyena alike...”

“In death side by side, huh? Was there something special about that place; you told me the lions used it to entomb their royalty? Quite polite of 'em to let us add our casualties too, by the way...”

“I don't know why they used it as a royal tomb... I guess the cave just looked pretty: 't was near a stream and covered in all sorts of lush and green vegetation. If it hadn't been for the constant eerie feel of death that hung over the place like a dark shroud, it would have mat turned his back to the crowd so he could, as Kani had put it, 'deal with the backstabbing rats'. First of all, he addressed Shetani.

“That's that. And now to get rid of those enemies of our clan,” he yawned, “Shetani, you wouldn't happen to know where all the bodies went after the battle? I can imagine it were quite a lot, but I couldn't see any lying around. You didn't eat them, did you?”

“I see...” Vincent smiled mysteriously.

“Sir... why did you want to know where we brought the... deceased?” Shetani asked, intrigued by Vincent's highly inappropriate smile.

“Isn't it obvious? I want you to take our friends down on the plaza there.”

“But Vincent, your not actually planning on... oh Spirits...” Banzaï gasped.

“Relax, I'm not going to execute them! But they don’t need to know that… It's just to scare them a little, it'll be hilarious!” Vincent grinned, offending Banzaï again, “You've really lost your sense of humor, haven't you? Anyhow, Shetani, after you've passed by where the carcasses lie piled up, take our treacherous friends east. Let them go after a couple of miles and tell them to keep going east 'till they reach a river-crossing. There'll be four other of them traitors waiting for them there. Whatever they do from there on... I don't really care, as long as they keep their filthy paws of our lands. They, and their offspring if need be, should consider themselves banished. Got all that?”

“Got it, sir,” Shetani nodded. Quite frankly, she was indeed surprised Vincent had decided not to kill the whole lot of 'em. For the better: things were brutal enough already without having to add yet another massacre to the mix. And as she considered Vincent's decision rather merciful, she was pretty surprised when Banzaï reacted in shock.

“Wait... there are four more traitors? You mean to tell me more than ten of our clanmembers tried killing you?”

“Not exactly... as a matter of fact, only Kali and Kiuma down there actually tried killing me, them and those guys on the other side of the river. And Umwa of course, but Shatani told me she has already died in the battle; how convenient. As for the rest of the group on the plaza... well, seeing as all traitors could be traced back to the tree most prominent Westclan-families, I decided it be best if we just got rid of the whole lot of 'em...”

“What?” Banzaï gasped, “You can't be serious! You mean most of those hyenas down there had nothing to do with...”

“Probably not, but you can't be too sure. And they serve a great example for the rest of those Westclanners...” Vincent frowned detached.

“Those Westclanners just so happened to have taken the bulk of the fatalities when they fought besides me this morning! Most of them from those three particular families!” Banzaï growled, disturbed at Vincent's distinct insensateness.

Yeah, convenient, isn't it? Means less hyenas to exile.

“Look, Banzaï...”

“No! You listen to me! You can't just throw them all out! I mean, one of them is still a pup, for Spirit's sake! This isn't right... this isn't right at all...”

“And since when did you become the clan's conscience? You helped kill a legitimate lion king, you tried killing Simba when he was still a cub (on multiple occasions), and you aided in turning our clan over to Taka... I mean... Scar, bringing about our demise. And you lecture me? Let me tell you something, comrade, our clan is at war, and it has been for generations! This isn't about doing the right thing anymore, we passed that line decades ago, before you were even born. I'm just trying my best to minimize the damage... Not that it'll do any good now...”

Banzaï looked shocked and flabbergasted, staying petrified for seconds on end. Was this Vincent? But before he got a chance to respond, Vincent turned his back on him again.

“Sorry, old friend, I know you’re not used to this, and I can but say that we should talk again real soon; I feel we’ve got a lot to tell each other. But right now I have to get back to my sister. I still have some stuff I have to go through with her. Later.”

Leaving behind an upset and confused Banzaï (not to mention the rest of his clan), Vincent walked back into the cave where his sister, and the lion cubs, were still being held. He asked Shetani to come along, just in case. He quickly noticed the two guards he had posted near the exit to protect Tiko, and keep Shenya static. Tiko appeared in between the guards.

“Ha, there you are. You’re done informing Shenya?”

“Yes, you could say that…” Tiko frowned unaccustomed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You remember when you said she might not really take the death of that guy called ‘Seko’ too well?” Tiko asked, followed by a confirmative nod from Vincent, “Well, it turns out she didn’t just take it not-well, but also collapsed when I gave her the news…”

“What’d you expect, they were lovers… and accomplices…” Vincent shrugged.

“A violent outburst, for one,” Tiko replied, “But she just bowed through her knees and fell on the ground. Hasn’t spoke a word or moved a muscle since…”

“Sounds like overreacting to me,” Vincent mumbled as slowly walked further into the cave. He quickly noticed Shenya, curled up on the rock floor. The lion cubs sat a bit further, huddled together, a bit frightened after all the sudden commotion. Vincent moved closer to his sister.

“Shenya?”

“Go away!” he could hear her sob, though he couldn’t actually see her eyes to confirm if she was really crying.

“So I take it you heard about Seko...”

“You killed him…” Shenya whispered effortful, still concealing her face.

“I wont deny it. Yes I killed him. But he left me little choice… Whether you were in on the attempt to kill me, I do not really know, nor does it matter. In fact, as Tiko undoubtedly explained, it would exactly prove most opportune if you weren’t involved. But of Seko I knew he tried killing me. It was him or me, you have to understand…”

“What is there to understand?” Shanya suddenly shouted as she turned around, her eyes full of tears and her voice drenched with sorrow, “You killed my Seko! You… you… killed the father of my…”

“Wait, what did you say?”

Shenya looked up, directly at Vincent’s face. He had never before seen her magnificent blue eyes express such vulnerability, weakness and helplessness; it felt like they pierced right into his soul. For a moment there, he saw not someone he suspected of having tried to kill him, he didn’t see a traitor, he saw only the Shenya he had almost forgotten about: his big sister, stronger and bigger than him but nonetheless filled with just as many doubts and just as vulnerable at her core.

“I’m pregnant of mine and Seko’s children… and you killed their father before they were even born…”

“Oh Spirits…” Vincent whispered, as for a moment there he reverted back to his usual self in stead of the cold and calculated ruler the events had forced him to become, “Sorry, I… I didn’t…”

Would it have made any difference if he had known? Perhaps not… But Vincent imagined it would have made a difference, feeling guilty as a result; even he was all but made of stone. He tried reaching out with one paw to touch Shenya’s shoulder, but a soon as he touched her, she backed away.

“Don’t… Leave me alone…” she muttered, averting her weeping gaze, “Just… leave me alone.”

With slow and troubled steps, Shenya then got up and made her way towards the lion cubs, who, oblivious to her immense pain, greeted her with enthusiasm. Vincent just stared, his stomach feeling as if he had swallowed solid rock. Obviously disappointed, he turned around, meeting Shatani halfway towards the exit. She looked confused