Predators
Optimal Foraging
Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, unless otherwise mentioned, and they therefore belong to Square Enix and Disney. Sweet, simple, to the point.

*EDIT* I put up a poll about this fic on my profile.... go look at it!!!! PLEASE!!!!!

Hey, this is fairly early. That's good, right? Anyways, I know this isn't the longest chapter in the world, but I think I covered what I wanted to in it. Still looking for that missing piece. At this rate, I will probably end up rewriting it..... not fun. It delays the other things I need to do. Anyways, after having a good friend of mine look at it and help with some technical issues, I present chapter seven. Enjoy!

"Shit." The scent was getting weaker. Axel didn't slow down though, pounding the ground with his paws as he struggled to keep track of the rather elusive trail. The scent was.... attached to the ground, which was the only way he could describe it. This meant Roxas either left of his own accord, or was dragged. Considering the teenager's injuries, he would have bet on the latter. However, if by some fluke Roxas had gone himself, he could catch up. It could've been only a couple of hours since he left. He couldn't have gone far considering his injuries, and he had no equilibrium besides. A rumble of thunder rolled across the savannah.

"Aw, come on! What the hell!" Axel ran faster, although nothing he could have done would have stopped the downpour racing towards him. He shivered as the brumal water soaked through his fur, chilled his skin, and fell into his ears. He growled as he shook his head, trying to remove some of the water from his now soaked mane. He ran a while longer, then stopped abruptly.
The scent was gone.

-----

Axel stormed through the door, slamming it and not caring who heard. The communal bathroom hadn't been his original goal, but the cold water soaking him to the bone mixed with the mud that splattered the skin under his taut leather jacket made him feel utterly squalid right down to the core and uncomfortable in places he'd rather not think of.

"Hello, Axel."

He snarled as he turned his head to look at Marluxia. He had large pink curlers hanging from the tips of his multilayered hair. Wearing a long white silk bathrobe, he sat on one of the many countertops, a smirk on his delicately feral face. The curlers gave Axel a clue what time it was, as the Assassin always started doing his hair at 6:30 am sharp in the large bathroom. He preferred the castle's 'bath house', as it was frequently called, because of the slightly pink hue, as opposed to the stark white of the private bathrooms each member held domain over.

"Shut the hell up, Marluxia."

"Touchy, Touchy. Say, weren't you supposed to be in the Pride Lands baby-sitting the twerp?" He gracefully crossed one leg over the other, revealing a pair of comfy looking blue flannel bed pants.

"I said shut up!" He slammed the wooden door to one of the shower rooms, and then growled as he threw it open again.

"For all intents and purposes, I am in the stinking Pride Lands. Secondly, the brat can take care of himself for one fucking hour. Lastly, you would have been running back screaming hours ago if your hair had gotten this messed up!" And he slammed the door again, leaving Marluxia with a stunned and horrified look on his face at the prospect of his hair in disarray.

-----

Axel didn't bother walking to his room, opting to just open a portal. He stepped into the dark confines of his room, flipped on the light, and looked around. He hadn't used any of them yet, but the six small bones incorporated into the intricate knot looked at him disdainfully, as if they knew of his intentions. Mind manipulations were not something he liked to use, but they were the only thing he could think of at the moment. The knot was to remind him of how risky his power was, if the wrong string was pulled, the whole knot would fall apart and he would have to spend hours remaking it. He'd hoped never to use any of the bones, but it was far too late to turn back now. A large white tooth fell into his hand as he pulled the last string.

-----

"Scar, I'm calling in a favor."

"Do you have the payment?"

"As the deal dictates." Axel flexed his paw and the tooth fell to the stone floor.

"You are aware that this will reduce my debt to you. I will no longer be bound to provide the pride's aid in battle unless it is done of my own free will or if you call another favor, at which point you shall then lose power over the hyenas."

"I am aware."

"Then proceed."

Axel had planned what he was going to say while he showered. It was a carefully planned favor. It needed to be something the traitorous lion would benefit from, else he try to exploit it on his own or find a loophole. "Recently, a young cub fell into my care, and I have grown rather.... attached, if you will. While we journeyed here to survey the land I have acquired from our aforementioned deal, he disappeared. Whether he ran or was captured by some foolish animal matters not, so long as I get back what is rightfully mine, alive." He turned from Scar to the entrance of the cave, letting his face lose all emotion. "As you have noticed, this does not directly involve you, nor should it. However, the plains are much too vast to search alone, and so I require assistance."

"So what would you ask of me? The hyenas are already at your disposal."

"The hyenas," He paused, and then sighed. "Are stupid, and unreliable at best. It is not within my power to fix stupid. However, lions are not. Tell me Scar, in every group, is there not one who wishes to incite rebellion? A 'black sheep', so to speak?"

"Indeed there is." One black brow rose, almost eager to hear for itself as the younger lion turned towards him.

"What I require, is a black sheep. I want someone you would not miss from your pride, but is able to track fairly well. I want them to search for the boy separately from myself. Beyond this, you can benefit. If they find the boy, they are to return here with him. However, if they do not, or I find him, they shall not be able to return to Pride Rock or contact your other lionesses. You'd be free from her meddling forever."

Scar looked thoughtful, obviously tempted by the bait laid out before him.

"Do you agree with the favor I ask of you?"

He was silent a moment, then nodded. "I do indeed. You may have Nala."

Mind manipulations? Bones traded for favors?! Deals with scar?!?!
All shall be revealed in due time! In the meantime, how about a review to help out your old pal?

*note* I do realize that in an earlier chapter I had said that it was tricky to open a portal in the pride lands, and I stand by that claim. There is always a certain amount of risk when opening a portal, as it obviously denies the laws of nature, space, and time. If done incorrectly, there are consequences. Axel is back in the castle because he was in a situation where he could focus on making the portal correctly, whereas during the stampede, he wasn't.
Okay, bad cop over. Just didn't want someone to go off on a rampage about that......