“Of course it did. Not get out of here. I am tired of your company.” The old lion going back to his pile of treasure.

“I don't think so old one. I want more than treasure. I demand that you let us stay here and rest for the night.” Aureo said. “If you don't I will fight you again and this time I won't be as kind. Than I will take all your treasure and you will be left with nothing.”

Hotza gasped. This was nothing like Aureo. It was like something possessed him. “Aureo what are you saying?”

Aureo rolled his eyes. “Hotza I am going to become a pirate. I have to start acting like it. If that means being cruel to an old bag of bones like this guy than I guess I'll have to. You can go back to the pride if you want Hotza. If not you can stay and rest with me and old bags here.” Aureo's attention went back to the old lion. “So what do you say? Let me stay or should I just kill you now?”

“Do what you want. Just stay away from my treasure. When morning comes I expect you to be far away from here.” The older lion said. “I see the greed has already taken hold of you. I expected so much more from you young one. I thought you could have been better than me, better than a lot of us but I guess I was wrong.”

Aureo smirked. “You were completely wrong. As bad as you are, the sins you have committed I promise I will become much worse. For now I will leave you and your treasure be.” He went away from the old lion and found a spot and rested. Hotza followed him. He laid on his back so he could watch the clouds and rest.

Hotza laid next to him. “Tell me now what you are doing. This isn't like you. Before you were so kind. What happened while I was away? Did he say something to you?” She glanced back at the elderly lion. He was looking away from them. She was wishing now that she never would have left them.

Aureo had a genuine smile on his face as he watched the clouds float by. The sky was starting to get darker. “Hm yea I guess I acted a little bit different. I just really want to stay here for the night. I wanted to see what the stars look like here. Where ever I go the stars always look different. Isn't that odd?”

Hotza stared at him with disbelief. “Are you telling me that you threatened that lions life just so you could look at some starts? I take back ever good thing I have ever said about you or thought about you. You are just as bad as any pirate I've met. You will fit perfectly well with them.” She faced her back toward him. “And you plan on becoming worse and worse. I just thought you were going to be better than that. I thought the only thing that mattered was the adventure.”

Aureo sighed. “I am starting to realize there is more to life than just the adventure. Do you see that old lion. He has all that treasure and he's happy. He doesn't need anything else. What if I am just like that. What if all I need is power to make me happy? That's all my father wanted. He wanted to have the most powerful family around. I am my father's son. Which means I will have a hunger for power just like him and I will do what ever it takes to get it.”

“I am not happy.” The old lion called out. Aureo sat up and looked at him. “I am far from it. Treasure doesn't make one happy little one. Because of this treasure I missed out on other things. My friends and my family. By now my old mate would have had her cubs, they would be grown up by now, never knowing their papa. By now they would have had their own cubs. I could have been part of their lives, but I chose treasure over them. There is no greater pain I have felt than leaving my family. No treasure what ever it is, is worth leaving your family over.”

Aureo grinned. “I getcha. I might rethink about being such a jerk.” He let out a laugh and so did the old lion. Hotza felt like she was being left out of an inside joke.

“What is so funny?” She asked Aureo, giving him a gentle kick.

“Your friend, he never had any intention of being cruel. I bet he is one of those lions who has a hard time killing prey let alone a fellow lion. He only said those things to make me realize how unimportant my treasure was.” The old lion said. “You are an interesting lion. I don't think I have ever met one like you.”

Hotza looked at Aureo and smiled. “You're right old one. He is different, but I am starting to think that it is a good thing.”

Aureo laughed and continued to watch the clouds drift by. Night came and the three lions found themselves falling asleep.

Hotza woke up when she heard leaves rustle. She looked over and Aureo was gone. Her first thought was that he left her. He left her and headed back to the pride. Than she saw him next to the treasure and by the old sleeping lion. Was he stealing the old lions treasure? Even after what he had done? Perhaps he was hungry with greed. She watched him for a moment and than got up to join him. “What are you doing now?” she hissed.

“Stealing the treasure.” He said. He wasn't whispering. Hotza thought he might as well have yelled in the old lions ear. Oddly enough the old lion didn't move. “You should go back to sleep. It's still pretty early.”

“He's dead isn't he?” She asked. Everything that was happening was so confusing for her. She didn't know how to take it. “How did he die?”

“Old age. Our duel probably tired him out too much. I thought it might.” Aureo said. He grabbed the body of the lion and dragged it off the treasure. Hotza's eyes started to water. “Don't cry. He's off to the next great adventure. No one lives forever. I doubt anyone wants to live forever. What would be the point of living if you could never die?”

“You say that so easily.” She wiped away her tears with a paw. “What are we going to do with the treasure? I don't think we can carry it all back to the pride.”

Aureo walked around the treasure, examining it. “We aren't taking the treasure. It doesn't belong to us.” He responded. “I am going to burry a grave for the lion and I am putting the treasure with him. I am not about to become what I despise most by taking the treasure. What about you? Are you going to take any?”

“No I guess not.” She wanted to, she thought that some of the fabric would look nice draped over her, she decided Aureo was right. “Can I help you dig?”

“Sure.” The two of them set to work digging the hole. Once it was deep enough they set the old lion in the grave. Than they started putting the treasure in. Once all the treasure was in they put the dirt on top. It took them till midday to finish the task. “Thank you for your help.” Aureo said.

“We should get back to the pride. I want to show you around a bit.” Hotza said with a smile.

“I have been thinking. For so long I've been wanting to be a pirate. Since I was small. I heard story after story about pirates. Up until now I have never questioned about what I wanted to be. Now I am starting to doubt it. That old lion said he gave up his family to have his treasure. It made me realize I've done that exact same.” He slumped to the ground. “I left my family, a couple times now, just so I could go out and have adventures.”

“It's different. Trust me. You belong with the pirates. I know this more than anything now. If you find yourself not fitting in with the pirates than sure I think that maybe you should find your family again. For now though you have to take a step forward and try the pirates. You will regret choosing differently years from now.” She set her head next to his. “Plus I think I would miss you to much. You have made my life much more interesting.”

He grinned. “Alright. I'll check out the pirates, but I am not making any promises that I will stay.” He got up. The two of them headed back to the pride together.

WC: 1,510