President Saurkear sat bitterly on his throne, his patience wearing thin as he awaited the return of his raiders, hoping for good news. Anxious and restless, he shifted in his seat, finding the cushion beneath him increasingly bothersome. In a fit of frustration, he yanked it out and tore it in two. Now seated on the cold stone, he regretted his impulsive act, realizing he had destroyed the only source of comfort on the uncomfortable throne. Overcome with anger at himself, he stood up and called for his slaves to come forth.
Two timid gazelles approached their fearsome leader, bowing low in submission. They cowered before him, eagerly awaiting his next commands. Saurkear let out a menacing hiss in their direction.
"Bring me more cushions, peasants! This throne is utterly uncomfortable for my body. Hurry up and don't dawdle. Don't keep me standing longer than I wish," commanded Saurkear.
Saurkear rose to his feet, hissing in displeasure. He began to pace back and forth, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his raiders. The minutes stretched on like a snail's crawl, and his patience—if he had any left—was quickly fading.
The terrified slaves hurried away in search of more cushions, fully aware that failing to return on time or coming back empty-handed would mean the end of their lives.
At the same time, a nasty striped hyena from the arid desert lands slinked into the grand throne room of Saurkear's dwelling. He let out a soft cackle as he ambled slowly over the cement flooring. Saurkear scrutinized him up and down with curiosity.
The menacing spikes of the creature's hair revealed his true nature as a ruffian. He was a member of the notorious hyena biker gang from Shadizar, the infamous city of thieves. His leather jacket, adorned with patches from the cities they had traversed and claimed, told tales of their daring exploits.
Close behind were two additional members. The raiding guards had prevented them from moving forward until they surrendered their weapons. Their leader cooperated, willingly handing over his brass knuckles and taser stick. His experiences with corrupt leaders had taught him a lesson or two. Moreover, he held Saurkear in high regard above anyone else.
"Thorn, what brings you here? I see your troublemakers Zigzag and Skid are with you too. I don't have the patience or interest in whatever you're trying to trade, so just move along, mut," Saurkear hissed.
Thorn lifted his hands skyward, his leather-gloved palms directed forward. His heavy, muddy biker boots left a trail of dirt across the meticulously maintained floors of Saurkear.
"That's interesting that you mention it. We're not looking to trade; we want to make a deal. Team up with us, and we can help you locate the map and portal keys... what do you think, boss?" Thorn asked.
"What are you doing? You know I don't trust you. What do you stand to gain by finding the portals for me?" Saurkear asked.
Thorn flashed a grin at his crew and released an irritating cackle before responding.
"Let's be clear, we're only seeking an advantage in this new world order. When you're in charge of everything, want the reassurance that my hyena biker gang is well-looked after. We understand that chaos will erupt once the shift happens. Just look at how the transformation has affected all of us. You can remove the animal from the wild, but you can't take the wild out of the animal. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?"
Saurkear was already filled with anger and annoyance from the very beginning when, all of a sudden, his slaves rushed in, their white togah gowns billowing behind them. They presented him with a variety of fluffy cushions, swiftly arranging them on his throne before bowing to their master and disappearing from view.
Saurkear settled into his seat with a smile, feeling much more cheerful now.
"Listen closely. If I agree to this, I want no kickbacks from your crew. My men won't hesitate to take you out if needed. Help me, and I'll help you. But this all hinges on one condition: you must pledge your loyalty to me for eternity, and I require one skull of your firstborn cub. I've longed for a hyena skull to decorate my modest home. So, Thorn, do we have a deal or not?" Saurkear said impatiently.
Thorn was dissatisfied with the final stipulation of the agreement. He had only one heir, and sacrificing his son would effectively exclude his family from any claim to power. Saurkear remained unaware of Thorn's prior concerns. Despite his frustration, Thorn ultimately consented. He nodded and pivoted to depart, but Saurkear called out to him just as he was about to leave.
"I'm looking forward to you bringing your offering first thing in the morning. Whether it's alive or dead doesn't really matter to me. I'll handle everything else once you drop it off."
Zigzag and Skid were baffled by their leader's heartbreaking decision. As they exited the tomb that belonged to Saurkear, Zigzag couldn't help but question the reasoning behind his leader's choice.
"What will you do? You can't part with your only cub. Shazir has already lost one twin. If you lose this one, your family's legacy will suffer more than you realize," replied his worried crewmate.
Thorn recognized the seriousness of the situation. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and devise a plan for escape.
"I have an idea," Thorn replied, pleased with his cleverness. "We'll offer a sacrifice to him, but it won't be my heir. There are plenty of new mothers with young ones who have just given birth to several hybrid cubs. We'll take one of theirs and make him think it's mine. He'll never suspect a thing."
"What a fool," Saurkear hissed. "I suppose we can afford to enhance our protection. Let's see if he lives up to his end of the deal."
Saurkear spoke aloud to himself as his raider parties slow return He felt relieved to have new cushions and appreciated Thorn's company, which helped pass the time during the lengthy wait for the latest updates.
Raider Akil was the first to step forward toward the throne, a scarred caracal, a hybrid poised and ready, awaiting recognition from his leader.
Saurkear twisted his slender neck to face him, gesturing with his elongated fingers to continue. "I've waited long enough, you fool. Just say something already," Saurkear mused silently to himself.
"Leader, I have some good news and some bad news. Which would you like to hear first?" Akil asked.
Saurkear hissed at his lead raider, indifferent to which report came first. All he wanted was to hear something—ideally, something positive.
Akil recoiled at his leader's reaction before proceeding with his report. "The map, my leader, has eluded us for now, but there's no need for concern—the town has been destroyed. We captured a survivor as a hostage, who revealed the identities of those in possession of the map. It's two specific creatures: a mongoose named Admir and her gangly companion Solmar the Oryx. We intend to track them down in the early hours of the morning."
Saurkear flicked his tongue in and out as he scratched his scaly arms. He glanced up at Akil, one eyebrow quirked in curiosity.
"Why delay? Why not track them down again? I want those imbeciles captured and returned to me alive. I will derive immense satisfaction from torturing them. Plus, I need to add new slaves to my expanding collection."
Saurkear released a deep, playful hiss of laughter, clearly enjoying his own dark sense of humor.
Akil hesitated before interjecting with his president. "My leader, we returned solely to rest and restock our supplies. If you want us to head out again, your wish is my command. I'll inform the others to prepare for departure as soon as possible."
Saurkear had complete confidence in his dependable governor. He had a genuine affection for the tough feline and allowed him to head home for the night to get some rest. However, he asked Akil to assign his top second-in-command raider to lead the troops during the nighttime raid in his absence.
Akil's commander provided him with detailed instructions for the mission. He ordered that no town remain intact after the raid. Any survivors should be captured and brought back as new slaves, playthings, or possibly for other purposes. Saurkear wanted his troops to advance towards the land of the ancient rituals of Peloria, where they would arrive in the city of Tarangire.
Akil lowered his head respectfully in front of his leader before setting off on his journey. He was headed to find his friend, Arif served as his trusted second-in-command for critical missions.
Akil recalled the last place he stationed his troops before meeting with Saurkear. The raiders had been in the armory, restocking their supplies, while others were taking a break to refresh themselves.
Akil approached the raiders and conveyed the leader's intention to organize a night raid. He summoned certain fighters known for their reliability in causing destruction to prepare for the mission. As he made his way around the corner, Arif Nadim appeared.
"Hey Arif, my friend. Saurkear wants you to take charge of the night raids. He's directed the raiders to head towards Peloria, specifically to the town of Tarangire. Are you ready for it?" Akil asked.
Arif Nadim was confident he could handle the challenge. After all, he was a seasoned professional in this field.
"Seems like hissy pants has actually given you a night off for a change. What did you do to deserve that?" Arif asked.
Akil shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I guess I'm lucky."
Arif rolled his eyes and let out a lighthearted chuckle at his friend's comment.
The two exchanged a unique handshake followed by a shoulder-lean hug before parting ways.