"Yes, " he said deliberately. "It would be a great tragedy...for both of us."

Shenzi looked awfully smug in the face of his open threat. The life of the cub hung in the balance, and unlike Simba, she had nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

Losara lay with her head upon her paws, watching Habusu and Bashak chase each other back and forth among the bones and rocks in the graveyard. The two were apparently blessed with an inexhaustible supply of energy, and Losara had already had to discourage them from the fun game of trying to see who could hang from her tail by their teeth the longest. Chuckling despite herself, she dodged as Bashak shot past at a dead run, yelling, "Nyah nyah, you can't catch me! "

Habusu followed hot on his heels, but balked when he saw the hyena pup vanish into the dark recesses of an enormous skull. Peering warily into the interior, he saw nothing but darkness. He thought for a moment, then leaped upwards.

Giggles resounded from inside the bleached elephant skull as Habusu clambered his way up the front of it, grinning. He made his way slowly along the chipped tusk, feet splayed and claws extended slightly to keep his balance. Nestling up to the face of the skull, he leaned his head towards it and pressed an ear up to the surface. "Come out, come out, wherever you are! "

More giggles came forth from the interior. "No way! You have to come in and get me! "

His grin widened. 'Gotcha, ' he thought. He peered upwards, gauging the distance. Crouching down, he leapt, his claws flicking out to latch onto the rim of an eye socket. With great effort, he hauled himself up. He had his forelegs braced and was preparing to pull himself in when a face loomed in front of him. Bashak grinned toothily, and yelled "BOO! "

Startled, Habusu lost his grip and slid down the face of the skull to land in a heap of bone splinters. "Ow! "

Bashak stopped laughing and peered down worriedly. "Hey, Habu, you okay?"

The cub sat up and shook his head, examining a bloody scratch on his leg. "Yeah, I'm okay."

Losara appeared from behind the back of the skull, an annoyed look on her face. "What in the world are you two doing now?" She saw Habusu shaking his injured leg and trotted over. "What did you do?"

"I slipped and fell, that's all. It's just a scratch, see?" He showed her the injured limb proudly. "It doesn't hurt."

She frowned down at him sternly. "You be careful, now."

"Yes ma'am." Habusu breathed a silent sigh of relief as Losara returned to where she had been lying. He had been terribly afraid that she would make him go home. Home...

He grimaced as he thought about his mother. He had gone off without telling her where he was going again. His bottom tingled with remembered pain as he thought about what had happened that time. Hearing a rustling noise, he looked over to see Bashak emerging from the mouth of the skull.

The hyena pup glanced at him, abashed. "Sorry; I didn't mean to scare you like that, man."

"You didn't scare me! " Habusu said indignantly. "I just, uh, lost my balance."

Bashak laughed at him. "With feet like that, I'm not surprised! "

"Oh yeah? Well you don't have the best looking feet yourself." Suddenly, his eyes widened as he stared at Bashak's furry paws.

The pup looked down. "What? What is it?"

Habusu stared in horror at the shadow the pup cast straight down. It was almost highsun.

"Oh, man, Mom's gonna KILL me, " he groaned. "I gotta get home."

Bashak's face drooped. "Really?"

"Yeah. I'll see you later, okay?"

Habusu turned to leave, but bumped into the strong arm of a large male hyena blocking the path. "And just where do you think you’re going?" Skulk scowled down at the annoying little furball before him. Shenzi crept up beside him, grinning malevolently.

Habusu cringed. "Uh, I was just heading home, sir. My mother's gonna be awful mad if I don't get home soon." He moved to circle around Skulk, but a paw slapped him brutally away. He went sliding across the dirt to crash into Bashak, sending both of them tumbling. Rasing a paw to his face in shock, Habusu started to cry.

"SHUT UP! I'm tired of listening to your whiny little voice." Skulk glared at him, fangs bared as he turned to Kh'tel, one of his attending guards. "Mount watch on this little furball. Don't let him out of your sight. If he tries to run, stop him, but don't kill him...yet. If Shenzi's right, he may yet be of some use to us."

The guard nodded energetically. "Boy, Shenzi's really smart, eh, Skulk?" He giggled insanely. "I bet she tells you ALL of her secrets, doesn't she?"

Skulk merely stood silently and stared at him until his laughter died away to nervous silence. "I'll send some others to help you guard him. For now, keep an eye on him." He leaned towards the other hyena until their noses were only inches apart. "I will hold you personally responsible for anything that happens to him. Do you understand?"

Kh'tel swallowed audibly. "Y-Yes, sir."

Nodding, he looked back at Habusu and Bashak, who were both bawling at the top of their lungs. "Losara, " he growled, "make yourself useful and get those two brats to SHUT UP! " Skulk looked at Shenzi. "Everything's working according to plan."

Wheeling about, Shenzi and Skulk stalked away.

Losara glared after them as she trotted over to the children. "Shh, " she whispered, holding them to her with a paw. Habusu buried his face against her chest and continued to cry hoarsely. "I w-want my MOTHER! "