[PRIVATE: DGFone & Thewhistlerify]

[DGFone]

Spoiler: show

Reaction on seeing a reply: SWEET! And as for the long wait: That's fine. Don't worry about it.

Delano couldn't really say that he knew what was going on inside Muroki's mind. However, he couldn't help but feel like his brother was hiding something. Trying to figure out what, he almost didn't hear Kato mention that they need to head back. What it also made him realize was that the ex-chief was still most likely near Hatari's den where they left the others behind.

While he was certain this ambush was what the ex-chief was grinning about, Delano didn't want to risk taking any more chances. "Muroki," he muttered, watching as Hatari picked up the dead lion. "Listen, the Chief... he was acting like he was planning something. Don't go anywhere on your own, all right?"

When it came to the crazed lion, Delano couldn't tell where one plot to either escape or hurt someone ended and another began. For all he knew, there could easily be some other lion they don't know about just waiting to pounce on one of them if given the chance. And sure, Muroki handled this well enough, but it was mostly a matter of luck that he wasn't more seriously hurt, and considering what happened these past days, Delano didn't want to know what will happen when Muroki's luck finally runs out.

Still, just because he was paranoid about another attack doesn't mean that he knew how to stop them. Feeling rather useless about it, Delano let out a frustrated sigh. "Come on, let's go. The sooner we leave this place, the better."

[TheWhistlerify]

Muroki briefly nodded his head but, other than that, remained unresponsive. For obvious reasons, he wasn't planning on going anywhere without his brother at least for the time being. Delano could end up being jumped as well and he wanted to keep an eye on him. Besides, according to his words, the ex Chief seemed to have planned this little surprise attack out. Frankly, he wanted to be there to see the look on his face upon realizing that it had failed.

"How come you knew to go after Muroki?" Kato suddenly asked, looking at the youngest lion out of all of them. This was all looking all too convenient to him for some reasons.

The latter yawned, rubbing one of his eyes. "That's a tough question..." he muttered.

The prince's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "It's quite simple, actually."

The detective eyed one of his paws, frowning. He hated having blood on his fur... "No, I meant it would be difficult to answer without praising myself like some egotist..." he said, his voice rather quiet. "Your friend's alive. Let's get going. I still need to interrogate that weirdo..." The young male sighed as Hatari blinked. It was odd hearing this strange guy calling someone else weird. "What a drag..."

[DGFone]

At this point, Delano was beginning to wonder if their young ally was even actually helping them or not. The carefree, almost disinterested talk, and especially his cryptic answers, reminded him way too much of the Chief's style of talking, and this young lion seemed to know too much about what was going on. Combined with the fact that this lion demonstrated plenty that he really knew how to fight, and Delano couldn't help but feel rather nervous around him.

However, at the same time, what else was he to do? At least the lion didn't seem to harbor any ill feelings towards them. But then again, others also had been able to hide their true intentions until it was almost too late. A lot like the now dead lion on Hatari's back.

Finally, the small group began to move. They weren't walking too quickly, but they also didn't have that much to walk though. Despite that, Delano still hoped that they won't walk right into another ambush, or worse, another one of the Chief's "surprises". "I don't see why we need to interrogate him," he muttered beneath his breath, "the sooner we kill him, the better." The chief had a nasty habit of refusing to die, or cooperate with any forms of keeping him under control, so Delano really couldn't see any benefit in giving him even more time to plot something else again.

[TheWhistlerify]

Next to his brother, as they walked, Muroki was having very similar thoughts. He too wanted the ex Chief to be put to death as soon as possible. He hardly cared about what information it was this not-even-adult detective was hoping to get but, at the same time, this young lion was definitely someome important given the fact that even the king had seen him in person for the first time that day.

There was definitely more to him and this whole thing than they knew, it seemed. But, hopefully, whoever else their young helper might be after, they didn't harbor any murderous grudges against him, his brother and their families. Just thinking about how Umeme would react when he came back gave him a headache. His mane around the throat was covered with blood so it wasn't like he could hide the incident for the sake of not making her worry over something that was already over...

[DGFone]

For some reason, as Hatari's waterhole came into view, along with the king and his guards, Delano felt a huge sense of relief sweep over him. That was all despite the fact that a certain other lion was still there. And sure, the ex-chief was currently very well guarded, but by his habit of escaping otherwise escape-proof situations were enough to keep Delano from getting too close, just in case.

Despite that, he still gave the ex-chief a hard glare, telling him without having to use words that his little 'surprise' with Muroki didn't go according to plan, made more evident as Hatari dumped the body he was carrying unceremoniously in front of the king. Tearing his glare away from the ex-chief and towards the body, Delano had to wonder how many more lions were still around like that: so-called friends who were waiting for the perfect opportunity to go for the jugular.

Not feeling like saying anything, he sat down next to Muroki, watching to see if his brother showed any signs of fatigue or weakness caused by his attack. To his relief, he seemed all right for the most part, despite the red stain on his lower main that would need to be cleaned off soon.

[Azdgari]

Was it weird abandoning something almost 450 pages in?

[DGFone]

Eh, it's also a 5 year old RP. Was fun while it lasted, but eventually, everything has to come to an end. No point in turning this into a beaten horse of an RP.