The Wild

The Wild

Hatochiisai & Mally-chan

YAOI WARNING

Disclaimer: We do not own Yugioh. If we did, it would not be for public television.

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Chapter 16

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Ishizu looked up from her book and watched Malik and Bakura pause in their rough housing as five fennec kits suddenly charged at them, yapping and tumbling over each other. Malik yipped excitedly and ran to greet them. Ishizu turned and smiled as the parents of the litter sat down on the bench next to her.

"Kheti, Khilek." She said pleasantly in greeting. "Nice to see you again."

Kheti smiled and nodded. "It's good to see you too." She grinned and picked up Malik. "Looks like you got shrank huh?" She said tickling him. "Poking around where you shouldn't have?" she asked rasberrying him as well.

Malik squealed and hugged her. "Kheti!!!" He squeaked, and Ishizu laughed as an alarmed Bakura ran from Kheti's litter with wide eyes. And the litter followed, yapping excitedly at this new.... thing.

"Did you hear about Marik and Ryou?" Ishizu said softly, looking at her brother.

Kheti blinked. "Hear what?" She asked, setting Malik down, watching him yap and scuttle over to Ishizu and begin hopping up and down, trying to get into her lap. "Sis!"

Ishizu smiled down at Malik. "Go save Bakura, Malik." She said, watching him blink, then run away. She sighed and turned to Kheti and Khilek.

"They were kidnapped right out of the pet shop pen yesterday morning..." She said in a low tone. "No one knows who took them or why..."

Kheti nodded. "Hybrid babies are in high demand..." She said softly. "With it becoming illegal to make hybrids without their election to do so, children are... hard to come by." She said shaking her head. "I've had a few offers for my own children, but I politely decline."

Ishizu's eyes widened. "People are trying to buy your children?!" She gasped, horrified. "Oh, Kheti... That's awful!" She turned and watched her brother and Bakura with a new alertness.

Kheti nodded. "People love babies, and baby animals. Combining the two is an irresistable treasure. People want to raise their own hybrid babies." She explained. "It's why Khilek or I are always near ours."

Ishizu nodded solemnly. "I see..." She sighed. "These babies cannot be left unsupervised for one moment..." She shook her head, watching said babies running in circles around a tree that Bakura had climbed, yapping up a hyper active storm.

Kheti nodded, watching as her mate thundered towards the babies and pounced, sending them all tumbling over the grass in a mass of fur and laughter. "Honestly..." She said chuckling softly. "He's so good with kids."

Ishizu smiled and nodded. "He must be a wonderful father." She sighed, watching Khilek wrestling with six kits at once, Malik included. Bakura in the mean time clambored out of the tree and streaked across the grass and leaped into Ishizu's lap. She smiled and hugged him, petting him. "How did you meet Khilek, Kheti?"

"Oh, I didn't meet him on purpose. My mistress bought him to breed with me." She said chuckling. "That's all there was to it."

Ishizu blinked. "So... it was like an arranged marriage? You were just lucky to have fallen in love with your mate, hmm?" She smiled and sighed, wistfully. "That's wonderful. You are SO lucky, Kheti." She looked down at Bakura with a smile. "To have such a wonderful mate AND children." Bakura smiled up at Ishizu and crooned, laying his head on her chest and sucking his thumb.

Kheti laughed. "I wouldn't call it luck..." She said watching as Malik tackled Khilek and began tugging his ears. "He's also a big bum." She said chuckling when her mate frowned.

"HEY! I AM NOT!"

Ishizu laughed. "You're still lucky. He's obviously devoted to you and your kids... I wish I could be so lucky..." She smiled at Kheti, then down at Bakura again, petting his hair gently. "You're a good little skunk..." She said softly, and Bakura smiled and looked up.

"Degrub Misseshizu's garden!" He announced, and Ishizu laughed.

"Yes you do! And you do a very good job at it too!" She said, kissing Bakura's head.

"Malik's going to chew you out for encouraging him to do that, when he's big again." Kheti said laughing. "He always complained to me about Bakura wanting to de-grub Ryou's garden." she added flicking her ears.

Ishizu smiled. "He's a skunk. He eats grubs. Malik can't change him completely. He'll live." She said with a grin. "I hope that they get back to normal again." She looked at Kheti and smiled at her. "Then Malik can baby sit your kits once a week while we go out for coffee." She said with a laugh.

Kheti nodded. "I hope they grow up again too, Bakura swore he'd teach Khilek to mix drinks! He can’t make anything!" She said wrinkling her nose.

Ishizu smiled. "I hear that Otogi has been drilling him. And that he's been doing fine." She said, looking at Khilek wrestling in the kits. "But yes... when Bakura is back to normal I'm sure he'd be glad to teach Khilek."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Seto sighed and sipped his tea, looking down at the aviary below the balcony, and watching flashes of color as five baby birds practiced flying inside of it.

"I called Mikado yesterday afternoon." He said, looking at Jennette next to him. "He says that Ahmose is working as hard as he can. He says that what happened with the birds yesterday is just a taste of what is to come. Ahmose says he could have the babies back to normal in under a month."

Jenette nodded. "Well, at least that's good news..." She said watching as the little birds flew awkwardly, though they seemed happy enough. "Has he heard about Ryou and Marik?" She asked worriedly. "It's such a shame..." she looked down and shook her head.

Seto nodded. "Yes. I talked to Mikado this morning again. As soon as Ahmose found out he hit the books even harder. Last I heard he'd been at it non-stop for nearly 24 hours. Mikado says that the incident with the birds' wings yesterday was a step forward. They aged a few weeks. Long enough for their feathers to come out." He smiled slightly. "But hey... they DID age a bit. It's progress."

Jenette chuckled. "I heard Yami mimicked your voice. He'll remember how to do that... he's going to really be a pain then." She said chuckling. "Do you have a game plan?"

"Removing his vocal chords?" Seto grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Can I... UN teach him?"

Jenette laughed. "No... once a bird learns, it's stuck for life." She said shaking her head.

"Shit..." Seto snorted, polishing off his tea. He winced at a loud crash from inside the house, followed by the laughter of Mokuba and Syrus. "God... I'm almost out of aspirin..."

Jenette smirked. "I'll tell you one thing that's useful about that." She said smirking. "That breed likes to poke it's nose in other people's business... he'd give your poor brother hell if you left the house and he caught him doing something he shouldn't be. Probably spook the poor kid." She said laughing.

Seto chuckled at that. "Now THAT I would pay a LOT to see!" He said, grinning. "God... but the kidnapping has me on edge..."

Jenette nodded. "I know... Bird hybrids are rare enough, but baby bird hybrids are even MORE rare. There were no children made into bird hybrids." She said softly. "We're looking at the ONLY five baby bird hybrids in existence, at this moment. Hybrid pairs that have mated, haven't had children yet..."

Seto nodded. "It's a good thing I have such good security then." He said. "And I'm not letting Yami out of my sight. EVER."

Jenette smirked slightly. "You really love him don’t you?"

Seto smiled and nodded. "Sure do." He said.

"You have so much to complain about, for being lovers." She said laughing softly.

Seto grinned. "It's a love/hate relationship." He chuckled.

"Oh really? Do tell." She said grinning ear to ear. "I've got to hear this."

"We've been rivals for years." Seto said with a shrug. "And... it turns out we had crushes on each other but neither knew and we spent all that time acting like we hated each other."

Jenette laughed out loud at that. "Men." She chuckled. "So, who gets tops?" She asked grinning wider.

Seto eyed her. "Me." He said, after a minute. "Why?"

"Because, that bird of yours doesn't act much like a submissive." She said leaning back in her chair. "He ACTS like you're the one on bottom."

Seto grinned. "Shhh... that's our secret." He said, holding a finger to his lips.

Jenette laughed. "So... curiously. Do you two get along? Are you happy?" She asked smiling and taking the last sip of her own tea, noticing a little gray bunny flitter over and land on the railing of the balcony, before giving the most adorable crow.

"Aww that's cute..." She cooed, giving Dust a sugar cube to nibble.

Seto smiled. "Yami and I... fight. That's how we bond." He laughed. "But I love him with all my heart. And he loves me. He just doesn't like to admit it often. But he does anyway. And he shows me. He built a nest for me after all." He chuckled. "And he cares for my well being. And he lets me know by yelling at me to get off the computer before I ruin my eyes."

Jenette smiled. "He's a good bird. I'm sure when he causes trouble, it's just a cry for attention... just like mine." She said leaning back in her seat once more. "A bird can’t compete with business... trouble pulls us away from the computers... so stick with what works, right?"

Seto sighed. "He's always been like that." He mumbled, and winced when he heard Yami shouting in a voice that was OBVIOUSLY Seto's...

"SHUT UP!!!"

*~*~*~*~*~*

It had been a week, and Marik had slowly begun to appreciate his family... love them. They treated him as an equal member, and showered him with the tenderness and love that a normal family would have. A family he'd never had the pleasure of having.

A week since they'd been kidnapped, and it was the day of the festivities. Nadira purred, nuzzling her cubs and licking them each to wake them up. "Get up little ones, today's the day." She said smiling, the sun's rays peeking in the window.

"Murrrrrr..." Marik whined, and bat at Nadira's nose while hiding his face into Akello's back. The other male cub yawned and stretched, baring claws and teeth as he did.

Nadira chuckled. "Marik we're going to the festival today! Don’t you want to see the king? Maybe get blessed?" She said eagerly. "Eat lots of fish, and meat! Tell stories and play games!"

Akello grinned, his tail lashing. "I'm gonna win all the games!" he announced proudly,

Shanti giggled. "Nuh uh!"

Marik finally yawned and stretched. "Too early..." He grumbled, but purred and licked Nadira's chin when she got within range.

Nadira chuckled. "We have to leave early so we get a good place on the beach." She explained nudging him with her paw. "Come on you lazy cub, up you get." She chuckled standing, Marik losing his heat source.

Marik whined and slowly got up, shaking himself into awareness, but shook a little too hard and toppled over. "Mao!"

"Heheheh...." Akello giggled, trotting over to the litter box as Marik got his bearings.

Shanti nuzzled Marik and tugged him up by his ear. "Excited!" She said eagerly trotting around the room.

Nadira flicked her tail and opened the door, waiting on Akello, who finished his business and trotted over. "Remember what I've taught you; Stay with mama while we walk through the forest. Don’t wander off." She said sternly. "Mama can’t save you if mama can’t find you." And that being said, she began trotting out.

Akello and Shanti frolicked around their mother on the way down the stairs, and Marik calmly trailed behind. Even if he had gotten more friendly towards his foster family, he still felt a bit odd around them, and rarely played with his brother and sister. As soon as they were outside, Marik moved to trot underneath Nadira's belly, while Akello and Shanti stayed near, but played around in excitement.

Nadira lowered her head and licked Marik's cheek. "What's wrong son?" she purred to him. "Aren't you excited?"

Marik gulped softly and nodded. "Uh... Uh-huh..." He said softly, but his eyes were wide and his ears were back.

Nadira chuckled. "Don’t be scared sweetie, You'll have lots of fun." She said as she walked. "We all love each other here. This is a lion's paradise."

Marik gulped. "L-Lions scary..." He whimpered. "Mean! Hurt!!!"

Nadira shook her head. "No, lions aren't scary or mean. No one will hurt you." She cooed softly. "We're all family here... and family loves each other." she licked his cheek once more. "I promise."

Marik whimpered. "But... big lion hurt me... hit and... and claw and bite and choke and..." Marik stopped where he was. "No wanna go!!!" He cried.

Nadira frowned and nuzzled Marik, stopping as well. "That lion was bad." She said softly. "Real lions don’t act like that to their own kind." She said nudging him forward with her paw. "I promise no one will hurt you. Every lion on the island loves other lions. No hurting any lions."

Marik sniffled. "Said I deserve it... not real lion. Call dis... disgrace..." Marik said, looking up at her. "Runt... cuz... cuz love bunny... love bunny... make me disgrace?" He asked.

Nadira sighed softly. "No Marik. Loving a bunny doesn't make you a disgrace. It makes you different." She said beginning to walk again, nudging Marik to walk with her. "Just because you want to love a bunny, doesn't make you a disgrace at all."

Marik sniffled and nodded. "Okay..." He said softly, and took up his place underneath her again as they made their way to the beach. And finally, they got there. Marik's eyes widened. There were lions and lionesses and cubs everywhere! At least seven lions, and a dozen lionesses and what looked to be at LEAST twenty cubs of various ages, and about a dozen between cub hood and adulthood. Had Marik been older, his first thought would have been 'where did all these hybrids COME from?!'

Nadira grinned as Akello and Shanti ran forward, tackling a group of playing cubs. "This is the beach Marik... why don’t you go have some fun?" She said nudging him forward. "Make friends."

Marik squeaked and planted his feet in the sand, refusing to go any closer to the cubs.

"Nadira... where'd you get that little one?" A lioness asked, trotting over with several others. "Your cubs are dark! He's golden!" she said, looking at Marik's hair, not yet considered a mane.

Nadira nodded. "He was orphaned. I took him in." She said licking Marik and picking him up by his scruff, walking over to the cubs and setting him down.

Several cubs mewed curiously and cautiously approached Marik, sniffing eagerly. Nothing but friendly. "Play nicely." Nadira said ruffling hair with her paw.

"MAO!!!" Marik yelped and leapt onto Nadira's leg, clinging as if for life itself, and the lionesses burst out laughing.

"He's so CUTE!!! What's his name?!" One asked, watching Nadira trying to pry Marik off of her.

"Marik." She said prying him off and setting him back down near the cubs, who were curious, and amused.

Nadira backed away when the cubs tackled Marik, and grinned. She was safely out of clinging reach.

Marik flattened himself to the ground and whimpered loudly, covering his head with his paws as if to defend himself from blows.

"He's certainly... ummm...."

"Shy." A red head finished for the first lioness.

"Timid." Added a blonde.

"Is he... normal?" Asked yet another female.

Nadira sighed. "I'm not sure to tell you the truth. He's in love with this little rabbit. Insists he's going to mate it... plus he's told me another lion hurt him..." She said flicking her tail. "Isn't that just... odd?"

The other lionesses stared in stunned silence for a moment until the original lioness finally spoke up. "Another lion hurt him?! Well... that would explain THAT!" She said, gesturing to Marik who was now running around trying to escape the other cubs with a look of panic about him. "But mating a... a rabbit?! That little thing needs help... a LOT of help..."

Nadira sighed. "He can mate what he wants when he grows up, it's his choice... but I do feel that he's... missing a lot of love." She said watching as the cubs tackled Marik and began grooming and purring at him soothingly. "He's absolutely terrified of his own kind... and that worries me."

"It's strange." The red head breathed, watching Marik cower and shake, even under the gentle grooming. "Looks to me like he needs a father around." And she glanced at the males. "Lazy good for nothing beasts..."

Nadira chuckled. "Well... I'm hoping he'll calm down when he sees no one's going to hurt him. It just makes me wonder what kind of lion would hurt another so badly that they fear their own kind..." She said shaking her head. "It's a shame what the world is coming to these days."

The others all nodded in agreement.

It wasn't long before there was a loud THUNDEROUS roar. The guest of honor had arrived. The king.

He was a large lion, though he wasn’t young, he certainly wasn't old in appearance either. He walked across the beach slowly, taking his perch atop a sunned stone. He had loving and wise green eyes, and a mane of sun-bleached honey-colored hair.

The cubs all stopped their playing, and rushed to their mothers, who smiled. Nadira chuckled as Marik stumbled over, shaking softly. "Marik... shh look." She said softly, motioning up at their pride-leader.

Marik turned and looked up at the large lion and gulped, huddling down between Nadira's front paws and behind Shanti and Akello, peeking out from behind them. This lion didn't seem as scary as the other large males, most of whom had dark manes... and that reminded Marik of Constantine.

The leader smiled warmly to his pride. "It's that time of year... the time when we gather here to celebrate life." He said in a somehow comforting tone. "In this great time of joy, we celebrate those young, those old... remembering loved ones who have departed this world, and welcoming new lives to this world." He looked at the cubs and smiled. "As leader of this pride, I am more than proud to announce the festivals beginning!" he gave a loud roar, and chuckled as cubs and lionesses began chatting, and gathering near the beach.

Nadira smiled and nudged Marik. "Do you want to play a game?" She asked smiling. "The little ones are going to try to catch the biggest fish."

"Well... they're supposed to..." Chuckled one of the lionesses. The cubs were running down to the water, but once their paws got wet they would squeal in dismay and run up the beach again. And they repeated the process. Over and over and over again. Marik watched, then calmly made his way down to the water and waded in. The lions and lionesses all blinked, and all the cubs stared at the oddball dog-paddling in the water. Marik made his way over to a rock jutting up above the surface and climbed onto it. Then he sat and stared down at the water. He waited a moment, then raised a paw. He waited. And waited. And waited. And then, in the blink of an eye, his paw shot into the water and scooped out a fish nearly a foot long! He pounced on the flopping thing and lay down on it. Then he looked up at everyone staring at him and cocked his head, lashing his tail slightly.

"Mao?"

Abazu sat up chuckling. “Looks like we have a winner, if no other cub is going to try." he said laughing heartily. "It's just water, you'll dry." he said laughing more.

Soon other cubs grumbled and waded into the water to try their luck at fishing.

Nadira waded out and licked Marik's cheek. "Good job!" She praised smiling.

Marik blinked, then looked down at the fish and began to eat it with a contented purr.

Soon, fish were flipped onto the beach by other cubs. Shanti flipping out a HUGE eel, and squealing as it seemed to chase her across the beach.

Nadira chuckled. "You might have to catch something bigger if Abazu counts that eel as a fish..." She said laughing as Shanti squealed louder and darted behind Akello, who pounced on the eel, before squealing himself and running.

Marik snorted and paddled over to the shore and climbed out, quickly dispatching the eel and beginning to chew on it. This brought roaring laughter from the male lions.

"He's a spunky one!!!" Laughed the largest of the group, clapping Abazu on the back. "Who gets credit for THAT thing?! The girl caught it, but HE killed it!"

Abazu chuckled. "They're family, they'll share the credit. Nothing is more prosperous than a family that works together." He said smiling. "Why don’t you run down the beach for the races..." He asked the largest lion, the cub he'd blessed years ago that Nadira had told Marik of.

Nadira grinned walking out of the water and shaking off, as did the other cubs and lionesses, who proudly groomed their cubs. "Come now little ones, the race is next."

Akello stood up proudly. Though he hadn't caught a big fish, he was a VERY fast runner.

"I'll win!" he squeaked, trotting over to line up among the other boys. Shanti wrinkled her nose.

"I'll stay with you mama, I don’t like running." she said giggling as most of the girl cubs seemed to agree.

Marik blinked and looked around, and seemed loathe to leave the delicious eel. He looked up at Nadira. "Mreeow?"

Nadira chuckled. "I'll save it for you." she cooed, nudging him. "Run with the boys. Show mama how fast you are." She purred nudging him again.

Marik blinked and reluctantly abandoned the tasty treat and moved over to the other lion cubs, moving a bit off to the side and sitting on the wet sand that the waves washed over every now and then. And when the signal was given, the cubs bolted. Akello and a couple of other cubs quickly took the lead, but Marik quickly found himself struggling to keep fifth place. At least, until he crossed paths with a crab... Then there was a yelp and the little cub tripped and tumbled over himself and the crab. But then, there was a loud shriek and Marik came racing back to Nadira faster than any of the other cubs were moving in the opposite direction to the finish line, and trailing behind Marik was his tail, with the crab clinging on for dear life.

Akello easily won the race, and Abazu chuckled. "Well done Akello!" He called as the lion cubs raced back eagerly nipping at each other in play.

Nadira nuzzled Marik, getting the crab off of his tail and tossing it back into the sea. "Poor thing..." She purred, licking the sting away from his tail. "Feel better?"

Marik sniffled and nodded. "Hurt... mean bug!" He spat, and hissed at the water where the crab had been tossed. Akello pranced over proudly to receive praise from his mother and anyone else who would give it.

Nadira chuckled and nuzzled her son Akello. "Good job!" She cooed licking his cheek. "I'm so proud of you."

Events carried on throughout the day, various cubs winning, Marik even won a couple. As noon approached, a group of lionesses left to fetch lunch, which was a Zebra. Nadira gladly ripped off hunks for her cubs, and waited patiently as the males ate their share.

Marik was already a tired little cub and was basking in the sun away from the main group, which still made him VERY nervous... especially the male lions. Whenever one drew near, little Marik would huddle under Nadira, or flat out RUN.

After lunch, the lions spent about an hour, basking in the sun, lionesses talking and lions telling the cubs stories of valiant hunts and great explorations! Even Marik found his ears perking occasionally to the stories.

Abazu chuckled. "For the final event before sunset, the cubs will go into the forest and the first to bring back a kill will be the winner!" he called to the eager cubs. All of which ooo-ed and ahh-ed at the idea of a solo hunt.

Marik was very nervous at the idea, however. But with all the other cubs going, he couldn't be the only one not to. So when the call was made, Marik turned and ran down the beach a bit before plunging into the woods. He felt determined. He HAD to win this! He HAD to get picked by the King of the pride. He had to be a REAL lion. He froze, and looked around at a rustling. And then, he saw it. A little shrew. He waited. And watched the thing grow nearer. And then, with a yowl, Marik flew forwards and pounced! His hit was dead on, and the shrew's neck broke cleanly. The thing died instantly, and painlessly. Marik grinned in pride. Now he had to get back! But as he picked up the thing, a burning pain suddenly ripped through his entire body. He threw his head back, and shrieked.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ryou had been happily nibbling away at some clover. His surrogate mother had taken the bunnies out on the sunny day, to play in the warm sunshine. The babies were all more than eager to stretch their legs and romp in field she'd found.

He'd wandered off to nibble on clover, and the purple flowers on some weird plants that tasted absolutely delicious. He was just about to take another bite, when his body seemed to catch on fire! It burned for no reason... he let out a loud whimpering mewl and collapsed, whimpering and panting, trying to stop the searing pain that ripped through him.

Two hybrids on two places of the island writhed and cried out in pain as their bodies began to change. And elsewhere, a frantic Ishizu was running to a crying Bakura while Kheti tried to calm a sobbing Malik in her lap. Seto thought he had it bad when Yami started making the most horrible ear splitting shrieks, but Jennette thought she was going to loose her sanity with her four. And Emiko found herself crying in fear when Ivy, Tachi and Kumani collapsed screaming.

Limbs stretched, and bones creaked and grew painfully. Teeth fell out and adult teeth grew in. Torsos expanded and hearts swelled, pumping blood faster and faster, and then... it all stopped.

"Murrrrr..." Marik groaned, and slowly opened his eyes and looked around, dizzy. He gasped and got up, taking the shrew in his mouth and turning, running back to the beach, and towards the pride.

The pride stared shocked as the cub stumbled awkwardly back.

"Heh, looks like your cub hit puberty during the hunt." One male said, nudging a dumbstruck Nadira.

Abazu stood, surprised as Nadira, and slowly hopped down from his rock, stepping calmly over to Marik and looking him over. "Marik..." he said calmly. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked. Despite being a much larger male, he carried no menacing air to him, just an aura of soothing kindness, and wisdom beyond his years. "What happened?"

Marik blinked. Wasn't Abazu a LOT bigger when he left? The lions were all stunned... this young lion was obviously Marik... but he was several times bigger. He was no longer a two year old cub... he was a fourteen year old adolescent, and developing his mane. But he was tiny for that age... he was skinny as a stick and had lost all baby fat, leaving small developing muscles to be seen over his skeletal structure.

Abazu circled him, looking crossed between worried, and absolutely amazed. "Marik, answer." He said in a commanding, though gentle tone. "What happened while you were hunting?"

Marik blinked and dropped the shrew. "I dunno, I--" Marik snapped his mouth shut and clapped his paws over it. His voice sounded... geeky!!! Like it had when he had been... Marik turned and darted to the water and leapt onto a rock, peering at his reflection. His eyes widened and he threw himself back onto the beach with a loud "MAOOOOOO!!!"

Abazu stepped forward once more, and looked Marik over. "Come." he said, pushing Marik lightly with his paw, taking him somewhere private to talk.

"Tell me what happened in the forest young one. Did you eat something you should not have?" He asked sitting down and giving Marik a serious look.

Marik stared at Abazu, stunned. Slowly, he shook his head. "N-N-No..." He squeaked in his Kermit the Frog voice, and upon hearing himself, he wanted to die of shame...

Abazu frowned and felt Marik's forehead with a paw, and gave him a few sniffs. "Are you feeling well?" He asked slowly.

Marik blinked. "N-Not really... no... I think I'm gonna pass out..." And he did waiver a bit where he sat. He stared up at the lion that was still a good three or four times his size. "I... I killed my shrew and... and then... pain... all over..."

Abazu nodded slowly. "I see. Go to your mother and lay down. I will see that some food is brought to you. Eat all of it. You're obviously in need." He said standing and crawling under Marik, hefting the smaller lion onto his back and carrying him back out to his mother.

"Lionesses, this young one needs something to eat. The hunt for our dinner has been moved forward to now. Nadira, you shall stay behind and tend to your young." He said in that warm leading tone, setting Marik down before his mother and sitting near them as the lionesses gathered and went into the woods once more, cubs scuttling out when they heard their mothers instruct them to.

Marik gulped and lowered his head, ears back. He felt the eyes on him, and he knew that they were all thinking the same thing... freak... Marik remembered now... He remembered everything. His life as a human, and being made a hybrid... those horrible days in the lab, barely clinging to life, and Rem nursing him back to a state of health that he had never experienced. He remembered the other hybrids picking on him... he remember Ryou. And Pegasus and Bakura and Malik andd Yami... he remembered the Twilight Menagerie... he remember Constantine... he remembered his five months in therapy, and then... coming upon the druid ritual. He remember what it had done. And he remembered everything up to this very moment.

Nadira nuzzled Marik and began grooming him. "My poor baby... shh it's ok..." She purred pulling him into a warm hug. "No one here is looking at you differently son..." She said softly nuzzling him. "You're still my son, and a part of this pride."

Another lion nodded. "Yeah, don’t feel bad, everyone hits puberty sooner or later." He said grinning goofily. "It's all good here. Besides, you won! You're probably the best cub hunter we have!"

Marik frowned, and to everyone's surprise, he growled. "I'm not your son..." He said in a low tone (though he still sounded goofy). "If I've grown... Ryou has too. And I'm gonna find him." He got up to all fours and shook the sand off of himself.

Abazu frowned. "Wait… at least until you have eaten." He said calmly. "I will not allow one of our own to wander off in a weakened state to roam off on their own." He said giving Marik a firm look. "You will wait until the lionesses come back."

Nadira frowned and nuzzled Marik once more, licking his cheek. "My poor baby..."

Marik frowned and moved away from her. "I'm fine! I may not be completely back to normal yet, but I'm fine as I am right now! I'm going to find Ryou, and then we are going to go HOME!"

Abazu gave Marik a firm look. "After you eat." He said once more. "You were faltering moments ago, and I wont allow you to leave your mother's side until you've eaten."

"She is NOT my mother!!!" Marik shouted, backing away, growling. "Mama is REM!!! And I wanna go home!!!"

Abazu sighed. "Calm yourself. She cared for you as her own, for that you owe her respect." He said calmly. "Whether she's your real mother or not, she loves you the same as her own cubs. Be kind." He said giving Marik a calm look. "Now sit with us, and when you are done eating, you can search for your friend. You'd be no use to this Ryou, if you collapse of hunger in the middle of the forest."

Marik frowned. As much as he hated to admit it... Abazu was right. He sighed and looked at Nadira. "I'm sorry..." He mumbled, and purred softly, nuzzling her and licking her chin in apology.

Abazu smiled and nodded. "That's much better."

Nadira smiled and nuzzled Marik. "I'm sorry I'm not your real mother." She said softly, looking a bit hurt. "But you'll always be my son." She added licking a tuft of Marik's hair that was out of place.

Marik purred. "Rem isn’t my real mother either..." He said with a slight smile. "But she's mama. She's the first to ever really... love me and take care of me... she saved me from death and helped me grow..." then he frowned and pouted. "And now I'm just like I was before I had the fortune of coming to her..." He grumbled.

Nadira licked his ears and pulled him into a hug. "You're still my cub. I'll take care of you if you let me." She cooed to him, nuzzling him. "We're a pride... everyone here would take care of you. We all care for each other."

Abazu nodded. "A pride is a family. No one is left out."

Marik blinked at her. "R-Really?" He gasped, looking back and forth between Nadira and Azabu. "I... I never was... I never... I've never been in a pride before... Before I came here I only knew one lion... and he..." Marik's ears flattened and he shuddered.

Abazu nodded. "All lions on this island are welcomed into the pride." he said flicking his tail. "We are family. We've raised our young on this island, grown old, some have even passed on, on this very island." He said looking up at the clouds passing by. "This is our home, and any lion that comes here, is welcomed. This is a lion's paradise." He said looking back to Marik.

"There is bountiful food, warm places to bask in the sun... no lion wants for anything, because our brothers and sisters in the pride are always there for us. No one is alone."

Marik smiled. "And perhaps a year ago I might have longed to stay here." He said. "But I have a life off of this island. And I want to return to it. I have a mate... friends... and, hopefully, a job waiting." He sighed and slowly lay down. "The question is... how do I return to it...?"

Abazu looked Marik over closely. "You'd leave a place like this... to go work in the human world again?" He asked flicking his tail. "When you have everything you could ever need here?"

Marik looked at him, and nodded. "Without hesitation." He said. "I've worked too long and too hard over the past year and a half to become human again. I won't abandon that when I'm so close to getting there!"

Abazu chuckled. "Why?"

Marik blinked, then looked away, his ears flattening again. He said nothing. All he could see was Constantine's sneering face as he beat the golden lion into sobbing submission and forced rabbit flesh down his throat. And Marik wanted to hurl.

Abazu chuckled. "Why would you want to be a human when you can live in content with other lions, lions who love you for who you are... regardless of anything in your past, or any outward appearances?" he asked calmly.

Nadira nodded and nuzzled Marik's cheek. "Regardless of mates you pick, or lifestyles you choose, you're family to all of us. You're my son."

Marik sighed and laid his chin on his paws. "Forgive me but... I won't be happy here. I need to find my mate and... and go home..."

Nadira frowned. "Why?" She asked laying near him and nuzzling his cheek. "What more could you want?"

Marik sighed and stared at the sea. "I have a home. A house. A mate to provide for... who needs me. I have friends, I have Mama... and I have the freedom to be my own man. To live in peaceful dignity... where I don't have to kill to survive..."

"You eat meat do you not?" Abazu said calmly. "Even if you aren't the one doing the hunting, you are still killing another creature to survive. If predators did not exist, prey would overpopulate, the sustaining grasses would die off, and they'd die a much more painful death of starvation..." he said wisely. "You can have a home here, with family, your mate and all the friends you have here. There are no rules Marik, and you can be your own man or lion, which ever you choose."

Marik shook his head, smiling. "I could never ask Ryou to do that. He has so many dreams. And I want to see him achieve them." He stood. "I... I have to find him."

Nadira frowned nuzzling Marik. "If he's your mate, then you should be able to ask him for things you want too." She said softly. "Please stay until you've eaten."

Abazu nodded, the lionesses returning with their catch. A pair of dead gazelle were laid out. One before the Abazu and Marik, and the other laid out for the other males.

Marik sighed. "I dunno, I... I really wanna find Ryou!" He said, prancing in place a bit, unable to decide whether to stay or go.

Abazu smiled. "Eat with us Marik. How often do you do things YOU want to do?" he asked flicking his tail. "Besides, I'm sure your mother will want to see this mate of yours." He said offering Marik the honor of the first bite.

Marik frowned and looked down. "She's... already seen him..." He mumbled. He didn't want the pride to find out that his mate was a rabbit... because whenever someone found out, their reaction was never one that Marik wanted...

Nadira smiled. "Marik, you're grown enough now, that whatever you decide to mate with, is your choice. I think it might be nice to introduce that little Ryou boy to the pride." she said smiling.

Marik looked at Nadira. "I... don't think that would be a good idea..." He said, stunned that she was... accepting his relationship with Ryou. But not for a moment did he consider that the rest of the pride would.

Nadira nodded. "Don’t you think you owe it to your family to introduce us?"

Abazu nodded. "I would like to see this creature that's stolen your heart." He said smiling. "So I may give my blessings."

Marik blinked and his eyes darted around at all of the lions, lionesses and cubs. "I, I, I.... I dunno... he'd be scared! Constantine hurt him, too!"

Abazu chuckled. "No one will hurt either of you. We will all respect you and yours." he said nodding. "Now eat some of your dinner, and then bring your mate to meet us."

Marik gulped and carefully opened the belly of the carcass and began to daintily eat, as if afraid that he would suddenly be attacked by the lions for eating before them...

Though such an attack never happened. The dinner was eaten calmly, the noise of chattering amongst lions and waves against the beach.

Shanti looked up at Marik wide eyed. "Brother got BIG! King bless?" She asked Nadira who chuckled.

Marik looked down at her. "No... I was cursed. That's what made me little. Before then I was even bigger than I am now! I hope I'll grow back to the way I was..." He said, offering a bit of the liver to Shanti.

Shanti giggled and nibbled it happily. Akello nuzzled Marik's legs. "Wow big brother!" he said eagerly. "Biggest brother of all!"

Marik blushed slightly. "Umm... thanks?" He offered, weakly. This whole pride thing was so new to him... he wasn't sure what to make of it...

Nadira chuckled as she ate, stopping to nuzzle Marik. "Don’t be so embarrassed. You're his brother, he's proud of you." she cooed, before going back to her meal.

"Umm... yeah... sure..." He said. "Can I go now?! I really wanna find him!"

Abazu nodded. "Alright. Come back here before sundown." He said firmly. "I want to see this mate of yours, and your mother will worry."

Nadira nodded. "Come back before sundown sweetheart... I don’t want the wolf hybrids snacking on my son."

Marik blinked and slowly stood. He nodded, then turned and loped off into the jungle of the island in the direction of the house, his mind solely on Ryou...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Pegasus sat on a bench, watching the bunnies play in the park; he had decided to give them a change of scenery today. Spunky hopped over to a picnic blanket where a woman was napping while her children played. He eyed her wrist, or to be more precise, the diamond bracelet on her wrist. He frowned and stared at it for a while, his enhanced brain working out how the thing worked. And then, carefully, he unclasped it and removed it, then ran away with it as fast as he could. Then, he found Angel, sunning herself in some clover.

'Hi Angel...' He said softly, hopping over to her. 'I... I have a gift for you...'

Angel flicked her ears and looked up, yawning. 'What do you want?' she said scratching her ear. She had been having the nicest dream...

Ahmose Inarus: 'I brought you a present.' Spunky said, and laid the diamond bracelet down before her. 'Almost as pretty and shiny as you.'

Konekomallychan: Angel sighed softly, looking at the diamond bracelet in slight shock, slight awe. '...where'd you get it?' she said sitting up and looking quite thrilled with such a pretty collar.

Ahmose Inarus: Spunky smiled and nuzzled her. 'It's a secret.' He said. 'Do you like it? Would you like for me to put it on you?'

Konekomallychan: Angel nodded slowly, sitting up tall so Spunky could put the pretty collar on her. 'Thank you...'

Ahmose Inarus: Spunky put it on her. 'I would have liked to have gotten something that would match your beauty, but... I don't think such a thing exists...'

Konekomallychan: Angel would have blushed if she could, but instead she buried her little face in her paws, laying back down on the ground ears back. 'You're just saying that...'

Ahmose Inarus: "Angel is beautiful." Spunky said softly, licking her cheek. "VERY beautiful."

Konekomallychan: Angel frowned slightly. 'Why did you do this for me?' she asked, uncovering her face. 'I've been nothing but mean to you...'

Ahmose Inarus: Spunky stared at her. "I love you." He said, nuzzling her.

Konekomallychan: 'Why? I'm not even NICE to you!' She said ears drooping. 'Why would you even try?'

Ahmose Inarus: Spunky sighed and took a deep breath. 'I may not be big and strong and handsome like Secret... Or exotic like the Scottish bunnies... but I'm smart.' He said. 'A lot more than them. Who else could tell you out loud that you're beautiful? Who else could find you a gift like that and learn how it works? Who else could love you as much as I do?' He asked, cocking his head and flicking his tail. 'I'm smart! And I can LEARN to make a home for you, and gather food for you, and... anything else you want me to learn, I will!'

Konekomallychan: Angel sighed and shook her head. 'You'll never give up will you?' she said flicking her ears.

Ahmose Inarus: Spunky shook his head. "Never!" He chirped. 'You're so pretty... just like a showbunny. The princess of the showbunnies... You always look like a princess. The lunkhead is right in calling you that.' He told her, nuzzling her and licking her cheek. "Beautiful."

Konekomallychan: Angel sighed and nuzzled him. 'Fine... I'll give you a chance... Don’t make me regret it.' she cooed, licking his cheek in return.

Ahmose Inarus: Spunky squeaked in delight and nuzzled her. 'I love you... I can be nice! And I'll get groomed and be pretty for you!'

Konekomallychan: Angel nodded. 'Alright... don’t blow it, I don’t give second chances.' she warned, but seemed to be smiling. 'Why dont you go get fixed up?'

Ahmose Inarus: Spunky squeaked and turned, charging at Pegasus. He leapt into the man's lap and squeaked at him. Pegasus blinked.

"Spunky?"

"Groom!" Spunky chirped, and the man blinked.

"You want to be groomed?"

"Yeah!"

"Uh... okay. As soon as we get home." He said, petting the skunk bunny. "I'll groom you with Angel."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ishizu stared in shock at the skunk on the floor. Bakura blinked and looked around.

"What the fuck?!" He blurted, and Ishizu's hand flew up to her mouth. Kheti had suddenly found herself with a fourteen year old Malik sitting in her lap, buck naked. And the equally naked Bakura was sitting on the floor. And he had to be the most gawky, skinny, awkward boy that Ishizu had ever seen. This was definitely Bakura in his awkward stage...

Malik blinked. "Well hello sexy." He said. His voice wasn't awkward, his proportions were near perfect... that bronze tan...

Ishizu groaned. "Oh gods..." she mumbled. "It's when he developed his ego..." She said looking at Malik... who was a picture of jail-bait.

Malik blinked and looked at Bakura, his jaw dropping. "Oh... my... gods... a-are... is... Oh gods Bakura, do you have... FRECKLES?!"

Bakura blinked and slowly his hands moved up to his cheeks. He looked down at himself, and his eyes widened. The skunk yelped and whirled, running to the bathroom. And then, came the loud, high pitched scream of horror.

Malik blinked and followed him, peering in. "They ARE aren't they?! You have FRECKLES!" he said awestruck. "Oh GODS!" he laughed slightly. "They're so... CUTE." he laughed harder.

Bakura stared at himself in the mirror in horror and disgust. "Oh man... this... this is NOT happening!!!" He cried, his voice breaking in his stress.

"And your voice is changing!" Malik said snickering. "Oh this is too rich!" he laughed. "Oh gods I need to go shopping, go out! I have to see how many guys I can get to sleep with me illegally while I still can!" Malik blurted suddenly.

Bakura whirled. "Oh no you don't!!!" He squawked, his voice breaking again on 'don't'. And he tackled Malik.

Malik laughed like a maniac and squirmed out from under him. "You can’t stop me! I ALWAYS regretted not using my powers for evil!" he called, dashing down the hall to his room.

Ahmose Inarus: "MISTRESS ISHIZUUUUU!!!" Bakura howled, going after Malik and banging on the door.

Ishizu sighed. "DAMMIT MALIK!" she shouted down the hall. "Stop screwing around!"

"I HAVEN'T STARTED YET!" he called out, digging through his closet, proud to find some of his old clothes. He donned the clothing he'd somehow saved. A pair of tight black jean shorts, that were ripped off halfway up the thigh, and seemingly torn in half, held together only by leather strings which zig-zagged between each half on either side of his waist. He pulled on the black tattered cutoff shirt, which bared his midrift and had a skull emblem on it.

"I AM SO FUCKING HOT!" He called out the door. "Oh GOD I forgot just how fucking gorgeous I was when I was this age!"

Bakura growled. "That is SO not fair..." He grumbled under his breath. "MALIK!!! You are NOT sleeping around! You're still my mate!!! Dammit, if you wanna sleep around, you have to take me with you and I have to approve of who we fuck!!!" Ishizu's eyes widened, and then she groaned, letting her face fall into her hand.

"I'm climbing out the window now in hormonal teenage rebellion!" Malik called out.

"NO!!! NO NO NO NO NO!!!"

"Malik! You're too young to drive your motorcycle!" Ishizu called. "And I've confiscated your keys!" She stuffed said keys into her pocket and dropped onto the sofa, sighing and looking at Kheti.

"I CAN WALK!" He sang out, opening the window and sliding out.

Ishizu got up and walked out the front door. "Malik Amasis Ishtar, you get your fuzzy ass back in this house RIGHT NOW!!!"

Malik laughed and darted off. "REBELLING!" he called back disappearing around the corner.

Ishizu frowned and crossed her arms. "DO I HAVE TO CALL THE POLICE?!?!" She screamed, then frowned. "Again..." She muttered as Kheti stepped out onto the porch too.

Kheti laughed. "Oh my... You'd call the police on your own brother?" she asked curiously.

Ishizu sighed. "I've had to before in the past... he's always been so much trouble... He didn't turn things around until he brought Marik home and took in Bakura..." She smiled. "Since then, he's been so... wonderful."

Kheti chuckled. "So... are you going to call them on him now?" She asked curiously, flicking her ears. Khilek chuckled.

"Ahh… teenage bliss... I remember when..." he said looking thoughtful.

Ishizu frowned. "How can I?!" She asked, turning to Kheti. "He's on file as being eighteen! That is NOT an eighteen year old!!!"

Kheti coughed to hide a laugh. "Oh, so you were flinging bodiless threats and he knew it." she reasoned.

Ishizu frowned and sighed, drooping. "Yes. I made an empty threat and he knew it was empty..."

"Sooo... basically he's free to do whatever he wants with no repercussions." Kheti added chuckling. "I told you he was a smart one Khilek!" She said turning to her mate. "We REALLY need to talk to him about that threesome."

Ishizu glared. "With my FOURTEEN year old BROTHER?!" She nearly shrieked, when suddenly Bakura came barrelling out of the front door in jeans and a t-shirt. He put his nose to the ground and scuttled off, tracking Malik's scent.

"Oh of course not! When he's back to himself." Kheti said calmly.

Meanwhile. Malik chuckled and walked down the street. Oh he was hot. Hot hot hot. "Gooooodddsss I missed this age!" he said stretching. "Now...who shall I tempt first?...." He looked around at his unwitting male prey...

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Seto stared at Yami. Yami stared back. "... Umm... wow Yami... you, umm... You... you're... short." and then, he burst out laughing.

Yami growled. "Oh you're paying for this.." he hissed, hitting Seto harshly with his wings, going full-out bat-shit on him. "I AM NOT SHORT! I'M YOUNG! THERE'S A FUCKING DIFFERENCE!" he squawked as he attacked his lover, furious he'd been seen in his 'younger' years.

Ra damn those genetics...

Seto laughed and giggled as he ran from Yami, just tickled to death by this... revelation. "You are so PUNY!!! THIS is how you were at age fourteen?! Oh my GOD Yami, you are SO lucky you had your growth spurt before we met!!!"

Yami shrieked and flapped after him, dive-bombing his head and just BEATING the shit out of Seto whenever he got the chance. "I'll CUT OFF YOUR FREAKING DICK YOU BASTARD!" he howled. "Make fun of ME will you?!"

Jenette could only laugh at the theatrics before her.

The four tween birds also watched as Yami chased Seto about, every now and then cheeping in amazement.

"Hey Dante..." Dmitri giggled. "Think Yami will nest with us now?"

Dante smirked. "Well... he IS a horny teenager..." he said hopefully.

The twin brothers giggled at that, while Melody and Isabelle rolled their eyes at the boys.

"Come on Yami! You've always been short but now you're... like... obscenely short!!" Seto was laughing.

Yami yowled loudly and pulled Seto's hair harshly. "BASTARD THIS IS NOT FUNNY!" he howled making ungodly shrieking noises in his fury. "SHUT UP!"

"Jeeze, Yami. Shut up!" Mokuba growled, walking in. "You're short! Get over it!"

Yami growled at Mokuba but continued to hit Seto. "It's one thing to be short, it's another to have it pointed OUT to you!" he growled.

"YOU! ARE! SHORT!" Mokuba bellowed on the top of his lungs.

"And you're dating a rat! Go suck faces and leave me to kill your brother!" Yami snapped tossing Seto's cellphone at Mokuba's head.

Mokuba ducked. "My God Yami, you are SUCH a prick! I don’t know how my brother can STAND you sometimes! You insult him all the time, don't give it if you can't take it!" He snapped, and Seto stared at his brother in surprise.

Yami glared at Mokuba. "I haven't! Incase YOU haven’t noticed I've hardly done anything but ADORE your brother. You're just damn in the WAY!" he puffed up slightly. "You and that damn fucking RAT!"

Jenette chuckled softly. "Don’t provoke him Mokuba, birds are territorial... and as far as I've heard from Seto, you and your friend caused quite a bit of... attention stealing mischief while he was a baby." she said giggling.

Mokuba scowled and glared at Yami. "In case you've forgotten..." He hissed. "Seto is MY brother and this is MY home!!! YOU'RE the one in the way, Yami! Ever since you came, I haven't had a MOMENT with my brother! He's always with YOU! Even though all he gets from you is CRAP!!!"

Yami growled back.

Jenette chuckled, watching Yami cling to Seto's back and neck. "I think you're in a bit of a rut Seto." She chuckled softly. "Adored by all." She shook her head. "Maybe you and your brother, and Yami, should start doing activities the three of you enjoy. That way they stop fighting over your attention." she said laughing as Yami puffed up more, warning Mokuba that Seto was HIS mate.

"Or you could always give Yami to us!" Dante piped up.

"YEAH!!!" Dmitri cheered.

"YOU'RE the home invader... NOT me!" Mokuba growled at Yami, then stormed out of the room, slamming the door. Seto winced and got up, shoving Yami off and heading for the door.

"Mokuba?!" He called.

Yami growled softly, but stayed where Seto had shoved him. That hurt.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I am SO sorry for the disgustingly long time you all had to wait for an update... I spent way too much time procrastinating... What with my Taekwondo training, my new dog, my job and... *GASP* a sudden SOCIAL life, I've been neglecting my readers. I am SO sorry! I am going to be at A-Kon 20 in Dallas this weekend, and I will update again when I return. I PROMISE!!! Please forgive me!!!