Leo left a note in his room in case the Renegades come back for him. He knew what he had to do. He told Shadow a long time ago he would help her and at this moment she needed him most.
Leo flew away in the aircraft as fast as he could. It took about a day and a half to get to his old hideout. On the way, he wondered how Shadow was doing without him. He even thought about the little kitten that called his older brother. He sighed when he thought of Preaza dying.
A lot had happened since Leo was captured and sent to the Coliseum. Flying over the destroyed land he grew up in, mixed emotions started to form. Leo pushed those away and looked for the head out.
Getting closer to Tigra's territory, Leo saw explosions in the distance. "They've already started the battle."
Moving north, Leo spotted the cliff where Shadow and he built their base. Looking around all Leo saw was wreckage. It seemed like the place was attacked. Everything was a mess.
Leo sighed. He mentally prepared himself that she might be dead but seeing this he wished he was here. Looking around, he found a few corpses that had been here for a while.
*ROOOAAAR*
A cat beast jumped down from the cliff and lunged straight for Leo. Leo was not afraid. A tiger that was by the ship tackled the beast. Leo brought the tiger Sly gave to him.
"Sabra stand down." Leo looked at the mountain lion and smiled. Leo used a technique Durga taught him. "Mind Link!" It is a technique that allows man and beast to talk to each other. "Orino?"
The lion paused and tilted its head. He sniffed the air and smelt a smell he hadn't in a long time. He felt a link with the human and that translated his thought. "Older Brother?!?" The lion ran over to express his joy.
The tiger, Sabra, jumped in between them and growled. "Sabra, that is my little brother please let him come to see me." Leo patted her on the head, and she moved to the side.
Orino came over joyfully. He was purring and rubbing his body all over Leo.
"Orino, how did you survive?"
"Your beast-sister, Shadow, took me in and took care of me."
"You have been with Shadow. Where is she, Orino?"
"Shadow and her people are attacking Tigra's base while the majority of her people left to battle the other beast-people."
Something just came to Leo. How did Orino speak to shadow? "Orino, do you talk with Shadow?"
"No, I learned human tongue, but I'm still not able to speak it."
This surprised Leo a bit, but he knew that with mana most beast has become stronger and smarter.
"Orino, I need you to take care of Sabra, and I need to tell you something in case I don't return." Leo paused for a long second then said, "Preaza your mother saved me, but died because of it. I'm sorry little brother." Leo fell to his knees. A few tears formed in his eyes.
Orino walked over to human and licked the tears off his face. "Don't cry Older Brother. She saved you, my only family left. Even now I can still smell her on you. I lost my mother but gained you. I will be ok."
This young lion was emotionally stronger than Leo had ever been. He even made Leo let out a laugh. How could he show his little brother such a pathetic sight?
Leo stood up. He told Sabra to listen to Orino since the lion was peak Mana Fighter. The tiger would be in good hands.
Leo loaded into the ship and flew to Tigra's base. The whole place was in chaos. Hovercrafts were leaving in a hurry and some returning with injured. Even though Leo didn't know these beastmen, his heart ached.
He had never seen a full-scale war. The closest he ever got to one was the attack on Independence. Sadly, this wasn't even the battlefield. Leo thought things had to worse there.
Two beastmen Shadow Walked past the soldiers into the base. Leo knew that the two running in had to be with Shadow. "Buffalo Three Step!" Leo was launched forward by a movement technique taught by Mahisha.
Behind the main base, the two beastmen were laying down explosives.
"What are you two doing?" Leo asked like he didn't know.
"The two beastmen in full black looked at their new company. They didn't say anything and charged at Leo. The two he was fighting were peak Mana Fighters. The both flew at Leo using Lunar Strikes. "Buffalo Wall! Stone Statue!" A large wall of earth was erected between Leo and the two attacks. Then a thin layer of the earth also formed all over Leo's body.
The beastmen shattered the barrier, and Leo caught each strike with his bare hands. "I'm a friend of Shadow's" The greyish looking statue of a human smiled.
The two beastmen jumped back and said, "Leo?"
"You know me."
"Shadow has told us about you a lot. My name is Goblin." The beastman took off his garb hiding his face.
The other one followed suit and took off hers. "I'm called Mouse. Where have you been? Shadow has been worried to death when you were taken away."
"It is a long story. What are you guys doing and where is Shadow?"
"We are just..."
"Intruders!!! Fire at them!" *Pew* *Pew* *Pew* *Pew* *Pew*
The three of them dove behind a wall to get to cover. Goblin looked over and said, "We will handle this, but Shadow went to the battlefield to kill Tigra and Deathclaw."
Leo knew what he meant. Shadow might need saving. Leo jumped out and threw a draconian grenade at the beastmen firing. A fiery explosion occurred and wiped them out.
"Take these." Leo handed three more grenades to Mouse. "Use them as you see fit." Well, there goes all the bombs he got before he left Lankani City. Leo shrugged his shoulders to his statement. He ran over to an unused hovercraft and took off towards the battlefield.