Kingdom and Clans, Into The Woods (Book 3 )

Don't Hesitate

His face flushed deeply under her gaze. Zarda observed as the scientists, Private Anderson, and the other two soldiers hurried toward a metal double door on the left side of the room. They vanished into a vacant hallway, where more blazing red lights blinked incessantly. Soldier Gibbs still standing nearby seized his rifle and glanced back at Zarda, his eyes appearing to capture the lion’s thoughts. He swiftly separated himself from the group and returned over to the lion.

Deep down, he understood that the choice before him would not be an easy one. Whichever path he took, he faced the threat of jeopardizing his life and long-held position, or, conversely, he could compromise his morals and the life of another. Yet, Gibbs was steadfast in his determination to lend his support to Zarda.

he said, “Listen, kid, if you’re going to make a break for it, now is your chance. I’ll come up with an explanation for how you slipped away from me, but you need to leave—now.”

Zarda glanced quickly over his shoulder at the black doors behind him before redirecting his gaze to Gibbs. A question arose in his mind: why did his legs seem so unwilling to move? It felt as though an unseen force was holding him firmly to the ground, as if his feet were trapped in concrete.

The alarms pierced the air, their volume rising as Gibbs and Zarda exchanged a tense gaze. Zarda's eyes widened in fear at the relentless noise echoing around them.

“What’s going on?” Zarda queried the soldier. Gibbs shook his head.

Does it really matter? Just run already!" Gibbs urged. "Come on, lion! We can't wait forever. This is your best chance for an easy escape. I’m certain one of their experiments has broken free. We need to get you out of here before they come back. You should leave now—I’ll keep an eye out.

As Zarda prepared to leave, a recognizable scream reached his ears, capturing his attention. It was the same voice he had encountered upon their arrival. This time, he could make out some of the words being uttered.

“Please, someone help us get out of here!” A distant voice cried frantically.

This time, a multitude of voices resonated with their request. Zarda, who had been attuned to a single voice for what seemed like ages, found himself captivated by the symphony of appeals. His heart quickened, filled with both guilt and curiosity.

His heart sank as he recognized that familiar voice. The plea lingered in his mind as he realized it belonged to Queen Maleena, the wife of King Kwanza, the hyena king. He found himself questioning whether she was aware of her husband’s murder. In his heart, he doubted she knew. He was unwilling to confront the task of delivering such devastating news to her.

Gibbs looked at Zarda with a growing sense of impatience. "Listen, lion, I'm becoming impatient here. What are you waiting for?" he said sharply, feeling the tension rise as time continued to pass.

"I cannot abandon those who are calling for my help. There is one voice I know well, and if I were to leave without offering assistance, I would bear the weight of their death on my conscience for all my days," he replied.

Frustration seeped into Gibbs' voice as he exclaimed, "Forget about them. By now, they’ve probably had wires implanted—perhaps even tracking devices. This is madness, Zarda," he stated with conviction.

Zarda’s heart urged him forward; it was natural for him to embody the role of a good King. A true leader stays by his people's side in their hour of need, leaving him with little choice. He dashed down the staircase, leaving Gibbs momentarily bewildered. The old soldier grappled with the urgency of the moment yet felt compelled to follow the lion. Who truly held authority in that moment? It appeared that Zarda had, with undeniable confidence, taken on the mantle of leadership for both himself and Gibbs. The older man followed, seemingly more inclined to obey than to command. Zarda’s influence was clear as they navigated a maze of tables, cages, and equipment, drawn by a distant voice. The science labs hummed with activity, featuring bubbling cauldrons of vibrant liquids and swirling clouds of smoke. Various machines emitted peculiar sounds, and the motherboard blinked with flashes of orange and red light. Meanwhile, the heart-wrenching cries of caged animals permeated the atmosphere, their pleas for freedom echoing amidst the chaos. Through it all, Zarda honed his keen senses on Maleena’s voice.

"I'm coming for you. Where are you? Keep calling out so I can follow your voice," Zarda called out.

Maleena heard the voice of her old king’s rival and began to doubt her own sanity. "Are my ears deceiving me, or is that truly... no, it can't be. Can it?" she wondered. She observed intently, her tears flowing freely as she struggled to comprehend the situation. Her voice rose higher in desperation.

Zarda turned around a towering aisle of shelves and stepped into an open area, coming to a sudden halt. His gaze fixed on a large metal cage, vast enough to hold an adult elephant. Inside, pressed against the bars, was the hyena queen, Maleena. She appeared emaciated, her eyes dull and devoid of life, while the fur on her face was thinning and matted with the remnants of tears and blood. Bruises and raw patches marked her arms and legs, and she was dressed in a white medical gown that hung loosely on her fragile frame. The shoulder drooped, and excess fabric bunched at her sides. Maleena struggled to comprehend it—she had indeed heard Zarda's voice. As she began to weep, she found herself dry-eyed, having exhausted her tears long before.

“I’ve never been happier to see you, Zarda. Thank the creator! Please, hurry up before they return and catch you aiding me,” Maleena said anxiously.

She stepped back from the bars and made her way to a mound of tattered blankets nestled in the cage's right corner. There, she found a young African wild dog cub, frail and fighting for survival. Gently, she cradled him in her arms as if he were a precious infant. His tiny, underdeveloped body felt fragile, little more than skin and bones, and each breath he took was a struggle. Zarda and Gibbs shared a look of horror as they observed the scene.

“Those sons of bitches! How could anyone do something like this to a young creature?” Gibbs exclaimed.

He scanned the area, looking for something that could assist Zarda in prying open the door. Gibbs moved about the surroundings, searching for any object that might serve as leverage. Unfortunately, he returned without any findings.

“Is there a key they use?” Zarda inquired of Maleena.

She nodded in agreement, though the whereabouts of her cage key eluded her. Then Maleena recalled that the humans always had key sets on their person. However, she remained unsure whether all the scientists possessed identical copies or if it was only the mindless guards who did.

I believe they possess the keys. I’ve caught a glimpse of them now and then during the treatments," she said softly, her voice barely rising above a whisper. Her gaze fell, revealing eyes filled with sorrow. "The pale figures took us before we could make it to your coronation. I’m truly sorry; I had every intention of attending, but my small hunting party was captured before anyone noticed we were gone. It seems we weren’t alone in our plight. They also took some cubs from the African wild dog’s pack. You just missed Footman Echo just an hour ago, but now it’s only Jabari from King Tambo’s tribe who remains with me.

“The alarms we are hearing must indicate that Echo made a run for it while they were conducting routine tests. I believe that’s who they’re after right now. We can’t afford to delay. Zarda, can you break the bars?” Gibbs asked.

He scrutinized the bars intently, grappling with doubt about his strength, yet he was resolute in his decision to give it a go. “If only I had my staff,” he mused. With a firm grip on the bars, he placed his feet shoulder-width apart and summoned his determination. He strained against the bars with all his might, his veins popping and muscles straining, but despite his fervent efforts, the bars refused to yield even the slightest bit. In that moment, Soldier Gibbs caught sight of a pile of broken metal bars that had previously escaped his notice. He hurried over to the heap, seized two of the bars, and hurried back to assist in prying open the cage.

“Zarda, take this pipe,” Gibbs said. “We can use pressure and leverage to our advantage to open up the metal bars. That should be enough to widen it a bit. She’ll definitely be able to fit through.”

Without a moment’s pause, the soldier slid the steel pipe between the bars and began to twist it repeatedly. Zarda watched intently and quickly replicated his every action, focusing on the lower half while mirroring all that Gibbs had done with the upper part. Their efforts paid off as they managed to create enough space for Maleena to slip through. She handed Jabari through the bars into Zarda’s waiting arms. As Zarda gazed down at the tiny, fragile form, he spoke to Jabari in a soothing voice. His gentle words turned into prayers, and miraculously, they were answered. The young pup’s eyes fluttered open. Initially frightened, Jabari soon relaxed upon recognizing Zarda, he smiled at him. In the lion’s embrace, Jabari felt a sense of comfort and safety he hadn’t experienced in months, perhaps even longer. Zarda nuzzled the cub’s head affectionately. Meanwhile, the distant sounds of scientists and soldiers foot fall echoed not far off.

"Let's go, Zarda I hear footsteps. Follow me." said Gibbs.

Zarda and Maleena pursued Soldier Gibbs through the labyrinth of the laboratory. Zarda kept Jabari securely against his warm chest, glancing back often to ensure Maleena was close behind. Though her body looked frail, her spirit was resilient enough to propel her forward. Ahead, she sensed glimmers of hope and freedom. Her heart raced with anticipation. As Maleena caught her first full glimpse of the lab, a wave of nausea washed over her. Nevertheless, she pressed on, determined to fight through the rising turmoil within her.

As Zarda took intermittent breaths, he called out to Maleena with questions, "How many others are here? Where are they as of now?"

"There were five of us hyenas, and if my memory serves me right, there were four cubs as well. Now, only three of us are left: me, Jabari, and Echo. Actually, it might just be two of us. The others didn’t make it through the side effects of the testing," Maleena said, her breath heavy as she spoke.

Zarda was furious. He would do anything to protect Maleena and Jabari. They made their way back up the seemingly endless stairs. Gibbs swung open the black doors and pressed himself against the railing. Just then, scientists and soldiers stormed into the main room. Hopkins shouted for soldier Gibbs to stop them. Gibbs acted as though he had just come out of a brutal fight, struggling to get to his feet. Zarda gave Gibbs a puzzled look, but soon grasped his ploy. The act worked in Gibbs’ favor; the scientists assumed the worst.

“Hurry, Private Anderson, shoot those beasts! It looks like Soldier Gibbs is under attack and needs our assistance. Fire your weapon, but don’t harm the white lion!” Hopkins shouted.

In an instant, Zarda crouched low and placed Jabari gently on the ground just outside the open door. At that very moment, a liquid dart zipped past him, striking the opposite door with a sharp thud. Casting a cautious look at the projectile, Zarda shifted his gaze to Jabari, his expression filled with intensity.

"I need you to run to the woods and not look back. Find a tree or something to hide in. If I make it through this, I promise I’ll come for you. If you don’t see me in two days, keep going until you find another hybrid who can help you. Now go, quickly," Zarda implored, tears flowing down his cheeks for the first time in what felt like ages.

He felt a whirlwind of emotions as he sent Jabari out; he was either leading him to his demise or granting him a chance at freedom, and he had no way of knowing which it would be. He could only hope that the young one would make it through the night.

He watched the weak cub limp off as fast as he could. A piercing scream followed by a thud behind Zarda shattered his concentration. He turned to witness a liquid arrow strike Maleena in the back. Reacting quickly, he stood, only to feel a sharp pain as an arrow lodged itself in his right bicep. Zarda glanced down at the wound and then up at soldier Gibbs, who was aiming a steel gun directly at him. Slowly, Gibbs lowered his weapon, his expression heavy with regret. He understood the necessity of his actions to protect himself and ensure his continued participation in the mission. Gibbs believed that remaining in the field would increase Zarda’s chances of escaping later. He had sworn to safely extract his friend and now Maleena as well. At least Jabari was safe for the time being. Overwhelmed with adrenaline, Zarda turned back to the door and propelled himself forward, sprinting toward the shadowy outline of the forest. His vision began to blur, the realization of what was happening dawning on him. He knelt to the ground to avoid collapsing, lowering his right arm and resting his head on his elbow as his body relaxed sideways. The world around him faded from a hazy white to an inky black. Zarda slipped into unconsciousness, vulnerable to the whims of the scientists.