The Hybrid

Conflict of Interest

"Hehehhehahhhhahaaaaaa!" Shouted a sickening cackle. "Where are you, lion? We can smell you."

"Raven, hide." Lief urged. Raven ran behind a boulder and peeked from the side. The hyenas slowly emerged from the tall grass. They had tribal armor around their chest and waist. Lief stood his ground, standing up erect with his arms folded as four hyenas came up to him. Lief recognized their leader. "Well, if it isn't the Partisan."

"Hahaha, my dear brother," said the lead dog. "What a lovely surprise. And why are you here all alone?"

"I'm going to the doctor," Lief answered strictly.

"Mmm on your last limb," grinned the dog, walking around him and examining him. "And who are you traveling with?"

"No one, Verloor."

"Hmm, you were always a bad liar," Verloor snidely remarked, sniffing the air, "You don't think I can't smell the different scent, or the fact you never travel alone since your... departure from your people?"

"I never departed the Animalists as you did," Lief remarked. So Verloor was an Animalist like Lief.

"Ah, but look at where we are now. You're caught doing something you know you shouldn't." Verloor smirked smugly, "Transportation of aliens."

"This is not a political matter and I'm not trespassing," Lief rebuked, "I am simply going to the doctor." Verloor sniffed more, slowly walking over to the boulder where Raven was. Raven held her breath as the muzzle of the hyena came into view.

"I know you're here dar URK!" Verloor grunted. Raven hit him in the muzzle, scurried around the boulder, and kicked him in the... privates. "*whimper*"

"Now it's time," Lief growled, splitting himself into ten different lions. The group of mirror lions fought the hyenas back. One tossing them back into the high grass, the other bashing two hyenas' heads together. Verloor recovered, snarling at the powerless Raven who ran over to the lion.

"Oh no, you don't!" Verloor growled, grabbing Raven's foot. Raven fell on her back, trying to crawl away from the hyena. "Get ready to face your fear." He opened his mouth and cackled at her. The yellow visible soundwaves came rushing towards her. But... nothing happened. "What the?"

"Hello!" Lief whacked Verloor away from Raven.

"Come on, let's go!"

"Wait," Lief sighed, grabbing an unconscious Verloor and throwing him on his back. Lief made sure to wrap his mouth with rope.

"Why are you taking him? He just tried to kill us."

"Haven't you tried to take care of bad family members?" Lief asked seriously. Raven remained silent. "Plus, I need to know what they're planning. They shouldn't be out this far in their territory." Lief tossed Verloor on the ground against the rock. Verloor growled as Lief unwrapped his mouth.

"I'm not talking," The dog snarkily grunted.

"You don't have a choice," Lief replied. "Your Cackle doesn't work on me or the girl."

"And if I were to tell you what's happening what's my reward?"

"You always had a corrupted head," Lief growled, "Even when we were trainees you always wanted more!"

"Ambition!" Verloor shouted, "Is not bad, brother. I saw that the constant battling on the side of good would always pit me against my own kind. You know that kind of alienation isn't for me," Verloor seriously stated.

"Why are you here?" Raven finally asked. The hyena turned his head to the purple teen. His smug grin showed.

"And why do you want to know, my dear? So you can castrate my other brothers as you attempted with me?"