Raised Like A Phoenix

Chapter 6 - Before We Go

"So what now?" Vardy asked Sir Fangar as he paced around the table. Maula, Icebite, and Stealthor eagerly awaited his answer, as they all sat in what the lions had dubbed the map room. When Sir Fangar conquered the Temple as his own he had a few modifications to it, so they could map out where all the Hunters had settled and get rid of any trace of those pitiful tribes.

Removing the eyestain that was Mount. Cavora and replacing it with tiles replicating his saber tooth gate had brought him sadistic glee.

"Well... it's obvious that he has returned." The Saber-tooth spat out.

"And how can we be so sure?" Stealthor said.

"Have you gone deaf? Of course he's come back to life! Did you not hear that roar?! No doubt that they will surely do the same for the others!"

"But each one of them is hidden away, to the point where we don't even know where. How will they find them?" Maula mentioned.

Sir Fangar scoffed. "Perhaps it was not pure coincidence that the lion's body was discovered here. Surely it simply knew where its so-called home was and stayed put. If this is true for that lion then it should be true for the others."

He slammed his fist down on the table, making the others jump.

"When they return to OUR territory, we will be ready! When they try to revive their final hope, we will shoot it down just as before!"

Icebite grinned sadistically, mumbling, "Hurt... shoot... kill... hurt..."

Vardy scooted his seat away from the terrifying bear.

"We shall make them feel our freeze! And they will feel it FOREVER!" The others cheered and Fangar shouted his signature war cry.

"So, here's the plan..."

-

Before they left for the swamp to find the first of the Firewings, before they left to find the others, before they went out on another adventure, Laval wanted to see his grave.

Li'Ella and Flinx guided him to the middle of town where the eight headstones dedicated to him and his friends were, offerings still placed around the area. Petals danced in the wind as the flower places began to wilt. The smell of freshly baked treats beginning to go sour. Candle wax was now leaking at the base, upon the concrete.

Laval walked up to his tombstone and read it out loud:

Time and time again, evil he foiled

Here we dedicate this rest to,

Laval the Loyal

So, unlike the plaque Sir Bucky had put up for him outside the temple. He turned to the other ones, reading each one out loud.

Never useless, though he may seem reckless

Howls in the heavens

Worriz the Ruthless

His kindness, his sweetness

Was infectious

Now rests

Gorzan the Generous

Rogon the Eager

Now breaks rocks among the stars

May they fire like comets and go far

Awoken from a peaceful dream

He returns to another

Now sleeps eternal

Bladvic the Dreamer

Trinkets and treasure

Would never rust

Just like his legacy

Razar the Opportunist

A future she knew, brought forth the bold

With fire she flew

Now her story shall forever be told,

Eris the Oracle.

Family lost and found

He rests now with friends

Amongst the clouds

Cragger the Determined.

When he finished, he stood up and turned towards Li'Ella and Flinx with a skeptical face. The two looked at each other with worry, then at their revived friend.

Li'Ella wasn't sure what reaction to expect from Laval. Perhaps sadness at seeing how each and every one of them was seen. Feeling the weight of expectations crushing him all over again. Maybe he'd want to put an offering for the others just in case...

No!

Don't think about it!

They'll be fine. They will all be fine!

"This suck."

Li'Ella blinked as she was snapped out of her train of thought.

"Wha?" Flinx said, with a slight chuckle in his voice.

Laval began to laugh. "Yeah, I don't know. What's with all the titles and stuff? It's so serious. Ha, ha! I mean, "Laval the Loyal." Ooooh. Better take him seriously. Ha, ha, ha!" His laughter was contagious as the lioness and the young phoenix broke out laughing as well.

It was a little ridiculous, but at least the thought-to-be long gone lion could get a chuckle out of it. When the laughter died down, Laval gave them a smile as bright as the sun. He turned towards Li'Ella.

"Now let's go save our friends!"