‘You can’t ask it like that!’ yelped Dominic at Leo, even while the ameshek once more simply tilted her head to one side, her antennae waving back and forth slightly faster than normal. The former-human was abruptly regretting encouraging Leo to take point on this.

He’d thought that it might be a good opportunity to get Leo on board with accepting the amesheks – if he was the one to convince her to join, then he’d automatically feel better about the idea. Well, that and Dominic did feel a bit guilty for making most of the big decisions lately. But he feared that it might be backfiring a bit.

On the other hand, maybe a bit of bluntness might be a good idea? Perhaps Leo, a lion at heart as well as in body, might have more in common with another predator. Especially one who had only recently reached a state of awareness. Maybe he’d have a better sense of how to approach the situation than someone who still thought mostly like a human. He decided to wait and see for a bit.

‘First explain what you promised earlier,’ the wolven creature replied neutrally a few moments later. ‘Before I can even consider joining you in any deeper way than I currently am, I need to know more about you. Especially when you have changed to such a degree in such a short space of time.’

From what Dominic could tell, Leo found the question completely reasonable, and so decided to give just as reasonable a response.

‘We were once two, but are now one.’

Or not.

Dominic felt like face-palming, but since he wasn’t currently in the mental space, he was unable to actually do it.

‘Congratulations,’ he said to Leo sarcastically. ‘I’m sure she’ll know exactly what you meant there.’

‘I know, it was succinct, yet informative, wasn’t it?’ For some strange reason, Leo appeared to be being absolutely sincere. Either that or he had developed the ability to mentally bullshit without Dominic being aware. The former-human wouldn’t put it past him.

The ameshek gazed at them with her red eyes.

‘I do not understand,’ she said slowly. Big surprise. Dominic shook his head mentally as Leo huffed a little in frustration – apparently he had been expecting the leader to understand exactly what he’d meant.

‘Before, we were two. Now, we are one.’

‘Man, you’re bad at this,’ grumbled Dominic to Leo.

‘Then you should have taken on this task,’ shot Leo back at him. Dominic found himself momentarily speechless – much as he hated to admit it, the lion had a point. He was definitely starting to regret giving the task to Leo, though.

‘You…are two beings in one? Two of your kind?’ the ameshek asked, not being privy to their internal conversation.

‘No,’ Leo answered her. ‘My brother was a human, a species of two-legged primates that was a plague upon the world Before. I have always been a lion. I hunted him just before the world changed and was feasting on him when, abruptly, everything went black. I found myself still in my body but unable to control its movements. It took me a while to understand what had happened – and even longer to regain any control.’

Dominic found himself listening with interest. He’d never actually asked Leo what the beginnings of things had been like for him. They’d mostly talked about the world before the System arrived for both of them or what to do in the future. The period of time between the merge of their consciousnesses and the soul battle in the dungeon wasn’t really something that had come up.

If this situation elicited sympathy from the ameshek leader, it could be a good approach, for sure. The pendulum of ‘leave this up to Leo or step in’ swung more towards the ‘leave this up to Leo’ side.

‘But you were not in control earlier?’ the ameshek asked. Dominic sensed a hint of reluctant appreciation from Leo’s side of things – it appeared that he too was recognising the intelligence of this creature.

‘No,’ the lion answered. ‘I appreciate the ability to relax and let him do most of the hard work. I like to show him how a real lion hunts sometimes, and he recognises my clear superiority when it comes to mating –’

‘That’s a lie!’ spluttered Dominic at the lion. ‘I just don’t like weird lion sex!’ Annoyingly, Leo just ignored him and continued like he hadn’t said anything.

‘– but most of the time I let him be in control.’

‘I see,’ the ameshek responded thoughtfully. ‘You spoke of a Pride,’ she asked, abruptly changing the subject. Apparently, Leo was willing to go along with it, and, though still feeling a bit indignant at the blatant lies of his companion, Dominic was glad to see that he seemed to be warming up to the wolven creature little by little as they continued speaking.

‘I did.’

‘Why do you wish me to join? And why should I?’

‘Not just you,’ the lion pointed out. Dominic was glad he decided to clarify that. ‘You and your pride. As for why, can’t you see how clearly beneficial it is considering the recent battle?’ he asked as if it should be obvious. ‘We, with fewer numbers and lower levels, still beat you.’

‘You can’t put it like that?’ groaned Dominic, the pendulum once more swinging back the other way and making him itch to take control again. ‘You sound so arrogant. And reminding her of her recent losses…not a good idea.’ He’d already made that mistake when he’d pushed too far earlier. And he didn’t blame her – he’d had some time to review that conversation and realised that he wouldn’t have reacted well to someone asking him those questions and practically throwing Mara’s death in his face. And he’d only lost one lioness.

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It seemed that Leo didn’t agree with his assessment, though.

‘Either take over, or shut up,’ he snapped in return. From what Dominic could interpret of his thoughts, he felt that he was saying no more than the truth; that it was necessary to remind her of the reality of the situation. And, Dominic supposed, if it helped her feel that her followers would be safer with their Pride than not, maybe it could work. He’d just have to hope that the ameshek leader continued to show more reasonability than he honestly thought he’d be capable of in the same situation.

The ameshek took her time to respond.

‘You fought well, but had I not offered our duel I suspect that we would have been victorious in the end,’ she said slowly and very deliberately. Clearly, she wasn’t looking for a debate. Dominic wouldn’t be inclined to start one with her. After all, he rather agreed.

The thing was that the lionesses had definitely been disadvantaged against the ameshek. Lower levelled and without the powerful group Abilities of the wolven creatures, they would have succumbed quickly if not for Dominic’s intervention. If he had then been tied up in fighting the leader, it would have left the lionesses vulnerable. Not to mention made his own battle harder if some of the amesheks had ganged up alongside their leader.

The ameshek had continued speaking while he was wrapped in his own thoughts.

‘–at a cost I was not willing to pay: even more of the lives of my pack.’

Once more, Dominic felt kinship with the large creature. As, for a moment, did Leo. The lion moved quickly on.

‘Perhaps,’ he allowed, ‘but that is not what happened. The fact is that you surrendered to us, even though we had all the apparent disadvantages. You should join us.’

‘Which is why I ask, how would we be advantaged if we join you?’ the ameshek repeated with more patience than Dominic would have expected of her.

‘Well, you’d be part of my Pride,’ replied Leo with a hint of confusion, like he didn’t quite understand why the ameshek was struggling with grasping this fact.

Dominic sighed. Leo had come a long way, but ultimately, he was a lion. As far as he had gathered, they didn’t do negotiations.

‘I’m going to have to get involved, aren’t I?’ he murmured quietly, not sure whether Leo would even hear him – and not really caring either. Continuing, he spoke louder, intentionally projecting it both to his companion and the ameshek. It took more mental focus, and he sensed that he’d tire more easily than when he used Telepathy while in control of his body. At least it was possible.

‘There are several advantages to being part of our Pride. More Prey points, enhancements to our attacks, the ability to talk easily to each other mentally which helps coordinate attacks, and sharing of Prey Points among those who are part of the fight. We also have better chances of getting a good Ability every half-step and full tier.’

‘I thought I was supposed to be leading this?’ asked Leo privately, his tone accusing.

‘I decided to step in when you seemed to be so convinced that joining our Pride should be the hope of all predators around that you weren’t going to actually describe the real advantages of it,’ Dominic sniped back at him.

‘Well, it should be,’ grumbled Leo. ‘This is why I think we need to put even more enhancements into our mane – that will show all these creatures that we are both powerful and desirable.’

‘That only works on other lions!’ exclaimed Dominic.

‘Well maybe if we put more in then it will work on more than just other lions – since you seem determined to interact with non-lions in more contexts than just hunting them,’ Leo shot back at him.

About to reply, Dominic hesitated. Actually, Leo might have a point, if what had happened when he hit level 10 in Muscular Constitution had been anything to go by…. His thoughts were disrupted when the wolven leader finally responded.

‘I see,’ the ameshek answered slowly. ‘How do you benefit, then? Since it seems that we would benefit greatly.’

‘We get Pride points when new members join or current members increase by a half or full tier,’ explained Dominic readily. ‘These points allow us to purchase more enhancements. So it’s a virtuous circle, you see.’

‘Not entirely,’ the ameshek admitted, ‘but I think I understand you well enough.’

‘Then you’ll join us?’ Dominic asked hopefully.

The leader eyed them and then looked beyond them to where the lionesses slumbered.

‘Your pack will accept us?’ she asked. Both Dominic and Leo hesitated for a long moment, a flurry of internal communication ensuing.

‘Will the lionesses cause a problem? What do you think?’ Dominic asked.

‘I…don’t think so?’ replied Leo, though sounded uncertain. ‘This is not a situation I have ever encountered before.’

‘I guess it depends on whether they hold a grudge for the death of Mara, or not,’ mused Dominic.

‘I don’t think they will,’ says the lion, this time a bit more confidently. ‘Survival of those still alive is far more important than satisfying those already dead. If this is the best option for the pride then they will accept it, I think.’

‘And do you think that this is the best option for the pride now?’ asked Dominic, his turn to be uncertain. Leo took a moment to answer, long in their mental communication which typically took a lot less time than even the telepathic communication with external beings.

‘I think it is,’ Leo replied finally. ‘If we can guarantee that the rest of our pride is immune to the effects of the canines’ attacks, and we can be more sure about the loyalty of the creatures, then they could be powerful allies.’

Typically for him, he didn’t seem inclined to admit that Dominic had been right – even when he was agreeing with something he’d been rather against earlier.

‘And if they’re part of the Pride, and benefiting from that, they have more reason to want the Pride to succeed,’ added Dominic, feeling better about the whole thing now that he and Leo were back on the same page.

‘Yes, the rest of the pride will accept it,’ Leo said to the ameshek, finally answering her question.

The wolven creature gazed at them for a moment longer before giving her answer.