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Ubongo understood Mafuu's anger. If he had seen the lion that killed his sweet little Kosi he would have done his best to rip its head off. But Mafuu's anger was consuming her. Right now, they should focus on keeping the remnants of their family safe and whole. If there came a time when they did find the murderer, Ubongo wouldn't hesitate in joining Mafuu on the hunt. But they really had no evidence, no way of finding the one who did it. If Mafuu didn't find a way to control her anger, she would end up going out to find the lion herself. She might even attempt to kill lions at random.

The thought of losing the only daughter he had left to another lion attack gave Ubongo chills.

So he was seeking her out, together with Kitokono. Perhaps the two of them could calm her down. Spotting his daughter, Ubongo called out to her. "Mafuu! Hello, daughter."

Mafuu's eyes opened and her ears turned at the sound of a very familiar voice. She had just lied down for something like a nap (sleep had been successfully evading her lately), and she hoped the interruption was important.

Lifting her head from her paws, she found her father's eyes and met his gaze. Something in him looked off, and the female found herself putting walls up even before Ubongo was near. She spotted her brother-in-law not too far behind him. It was strange to see him away from his pups, and the female narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

Mafuu was many things, but she was not stupid. Her "family's" level of enthusiasm, or lack thereof, in her violent ideals about lions was apparent.

Not bothering to get up just yet, Mafuu looked back to her father.

"What do you want?" she asked coldly.

Kitikono huffed in response to Ubongo's comment, yet quickly regretted that choice. He'd never been on for confrontation, as was abundantly evident by his lack of an urge for revenge as Kosi's passing. But just by the few moments he'd spent with her so far, something told him a calm approach just was not going to cut it.

"Worried might be a bit of an understatement Ubongo.."

Kitokono mumbled the words as he began pacing in the background. The longer he sat here arguing with this hard head, the longer his pups were not under his supervision. Sure the pack would look over them, but nothing was safer than a Father's eye. At least that was his thought.

"To be blunt Mafuu, it's time to take it down a notch."

Kitokono looked even more anxious than Ubongo felt. Understandable. After losing his mate, the male was undoubtedly worried about leaving his pups in the care of strangers. Ubongo wasn't thrilled about having this new pack watch his grandchildren, either ... but trust had to start somewhere.

"Mafuu..." He should have known she would lash out immediately. Mafuu was so strange these days, so full of anger. So different from the pup he had known once. "Of course you're angry. We're all angry. But we can't take on the lions by ourselves ... we have to protect Kisukuku and Kombe!"

'We're all angry.' Oh, please. They weren't angry enough. They didn't know the meaning of the word.

"We can protect them by killing more lions. What part of that can't you understand?!" She then turned her attention to Kitokono.

What nonsense was he babbling about now?! Didn't he get it? Didn't he understand what was happening in the pack right now--with hyenas in general? It always was and always would be about lions versus hyenas. Mafuu never truly understood that until Kosi died. The realization did more to her than she could ever say. But for whatever reason, her father and brother-in-law were still completely blind.

She was tired of their lectures. She was tired of their "concern".

The female narrowed her gaze coldly at the tears in Kitokono's voice. She had no sympathy for him. If he was truly feeling the loss of Kosi, then he would be on Mafuu's side, not pacing in the background like a fool.

"I've thought plenty, Kitokono. I've done nothing but think since Kosi--died." she growled, swallowing before finishing the last part of her sentence. "And if that's all the two of you have to say, you can leave now, because I'm tired of it."

Kitokono did little more than shake his head in confusion. Nothing - not a single word that Mafuu spoke seemed to make much sense! Silently he wondered whether Ubongo felt the same way, but this was something he'd have to continue to wonder over since he couldn't outright ask him. Instead he held his stance in the background, digging his claws into the ground, and grinding his teeth in frustration. He had to remember that she was grieving, and the possibilities were endless with a grieving person.

"What part of that do you not understand Mafuu?

Do you not see the irony within your own words? Protecting our future, by killing our past?

Haven't you ever heard that the past will always come back to haunt you? Do you really want that Mafuu?

The family of those fallen lions, will react just as you are for your fallen kin! Death to the offenders." Kitokono paused mid-rant to catch his breath. Grieving or not, Mafuu had hit a nerve with the male and now she had to accept the punishment for that. A rant.

"My pups - our pups. Are all we have left of Kosi's memory, do you really want to put them in danger for some terrible idea of revenge?

AND DON'T YOU EVEN FOR A SECOND TRY AND TELL ME THEY AREN'T IN DANGER!

The second you make this move, you put all of us in danger.

Is that really what you want? What Kosi would want?