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Lion's Pride	By : Rhov Category: +. to F > Fairy Tail Views: 10067 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. I make no money writing this. I do it for my own pleasure. Any lyrics are my own or I received permission from the artist.

Chapter List
- 38
- 39
- 40
"Death was afraid of him because he had the heart of a lion." - Arabian proverb

Chapter 39

The Heart of the Lion
The dust began to settle over a perturbed silence that hovered over the battle-torn beach. Lucy wept softly, feeling guilty now for dragging her friends into this long quest...and for what? She could not pull her eyes off Gray's limp hand sticking up out of the sand and the water slowly filling in the massive crater. Beside her, she heard Natsu's teeth grinding in anger.
"You...bitch!" he roared in fury. Natsu began to run toward Kefira, tripping over his sandals as he raced in blind rage over the ancient pathway.
Kefira sneered at such a barbaric attack and lifted one long, slender finger. "Teach him manners, Leviathan."
A blue watery tendril shot out, and a snakelike head opened wide at the end, hissing with dripping fangs. In his rage, Natsu could not dodge it. The water dragon smashed into his chest, and Natsu skidded over the sand, rolling to a stop. He immediately tried to leap back up, yet he stumbled weakly and held his head in dizziness.
"I feel weird," he muttered. He stuck out his hand and stared at it. "My...my magic. It's gone. That water snake..." He collapsed again and moaned.
"Natsu?" Lucy cried. "Don't just lie there with your face in the dirt. Get up!"
Natsu placed his hands on the road and pushed slowly upward. However, he collapsed again and did not move. Lucy shivered as a thousand worries inundated her. She looked with huge, terrified eyes to Kefira and Haftorang. Suddenly she felt very alone.
"That was but a small trickle of Leviathan," Kefira explained as the water dragon slithered between her and Natsu. "His magic will return in about a week." Her eyes flashed up to Lucy. "Hand over the child and we shall leave in peace. Don't and I will kill thy pink-headed friend." The watery creature hovered over Natsu like a hungry snake. "Leviathan can do more than seal fire magic. Its fangs inject poison. The boy is slowly dying. Haftorang is the only one with the remedy. I will let him cure the boy, but only if thou wilt obey."
Natsu strained to look back to the cave. "Don't do it, Lucy."
Hyperventilating, Lucy reached to her keyring, but her hands shook too hard to grab one.
Kefira chuckled softly. "Planning to fight? Commendable. Brave, even. Nobility like us do not give up so easily. Otherwise, we do not deserve our station. Think a weakling like thee can win where even thy two friends and the Lion failed? Even if thou shouldst try, would the fight end fast enough? The ice mage is alive, but not for much longer. The dragon slayer is strong and might withstand the poison a full day, but his movements are paralyzed. Thy choice is thus: save thy two friends or attempt to protect thy son. Attempt! I doubt thou hast the power. Thou art naught but a Celestial Spirit Mage with no other magical knowledge."
Lucy stiffened and grabbed one of her Gold Keys firmly. "Don't underestimate the bonds I have with my Spirits. Open the Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"
The pink-haired maid appeared and bowed. "I'm ready for my punishment."
"Dig Gray out," she ordered. Virgo immediately burrowed down. Lucy grabbed forth two more keys. "Open the Gate of the Ram! Aries! Open the Gate of the Clock! Horologium!"
Cute Aries showed up along with the tall Clock. The Ram immediately said, "I'm here. I'm sorry!"
Lucy leaned over, panting at the strain and her lack of practice. "Aries, shield Horologium while he gets Natsu. Horologium, protect him inside you and then both of you retreat to the cave."
"Understood," Aries nodded. "Wool Wall!" She shoved a fluffy wall at Leviathan and pushed it aside. It hissed in annoyance, then lost the will to fight amidst the soft defense that made the water dragon want to sleep. Aries whimpered as she ran alongside Horologium, and together they got Natsu placed inside the Clock. However, just as Horologium was retreating, Aries paused and stared at the enemy, properly seeing them for the first time.
"Piscis Austrinus?" she whispered, and in terror she fell to her knees. "Nooo! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please, don't hurt me!"
Haftorang pouted down at her, but he did not move in to attack. "Go, gentle Ram," he said sadly. "Thank you for staying by the Lion's side all these years-s-s. I knew you would." He gave her an amiable smile and nodded for her to escape.
Slowly, still quivering, Aries got up. "I...I knew you were good. I knew what they said about you couldn't be true."
"Likely, every word of it was true," he admitted. "I'm not the Spirit I once was-s-s."
She began to turn, then looked back around. "Come back to us, Piscis Austrinus!"
His head dropped with regret. "I'm afraid it's too late for that. Go, before she orders me to attack."
Aries sniffled as she fled with Wool Wall still shielding her.
Virgo popped out of the ground next to Lucy. "Princess, your ice prince is safely inside the cave."
"Good. And he is not my ice prince!"
"Forgive me. Will I be punished?"
"Go back, Virgo." The Spirit disappeared in a poof, and Lucy slowly pulled out another Gold Key. "Open..." However, the drain was almost too much, and she leaned against the cave wall. "Open...the Gate...of the Goat! C-Capricorn!"
He appeared and immediately took her shoulders, gently helping her to stand upright. "Such slouching is undignified for the heiress of the Heartfilia Konzern, Lucy-sama."
"Capricorn, you're sworn to protect my mother's family, right?" She shrugged off the baby backpack and handed Luke over to the Goat. "Protect him at all costs."
"Understood, Lucy-sama," he bowed, then left to take shelter with Aries inside the cave.
At last, with her friends and son safe, Lucy turned to face the two enemies. "Now we're just two women on equal grounds. I'll fight you...for my family and for my pride as a Fairy Tail mage."
"You needn't fight alone!" Suddenly, Loke reappeared standing beside her. He still looked beaten, although he wore fresh clothes. The arm he had lost was back but in a sling. Still, the burning determination in his eyes shined brighter than the stars. Suddenly, beside him appeared Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius, Cancer, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Gemini.
"Moshi-moshi!" Sagittarius saluted. "We're here to support you, Lucy-dono."
Virgo stared unemotionally at Kefira. "For hurting Brother and Princess, you will be punished."
"We are going to teach you a lesson," Scorpio grinned menacingly.
"Mooo!" Taurus roared. "You dare to threaten Lucy's boobs!"
"You messed up Leo's hair, ebi," said Cancer.
Aquarius sneered haughtily. "I don't like that you're so old yet look so young."
Gemini combined and formed a double of Lucy. "Lucy loves all of us. Love makes a Celestial Spirit stronger."
Loke jolted. "Hey, that's my line!" Gemini stuck its tongue out at him.
Kefira simpered softly, then chuckled, and slowly it grew into a laugh. Then her head threw back, her mouth opened wide, and she cackled loudly while holding her stomach. "Kahahaha! Oh my! Seeing all of you again. And on this island of all places. How deliciously ironic! Kehehe!" She wiped a tear aside as she still laughed in jolts. "How long hath it been? And ye all wish to fight me? Not even all twelve, and no army to back you up this time. Your defeat is assured."
Lucy pointed emphatically. "Taurus, Scorpio!"
Scorpio used his sand to blind them while Taurus went in for an attack. Haftorang stepped in their way and spit out two streams of water. Taurus was hit instantly and yelled for only a second before vanishing back to the Spirit World. Scorpio was a little luckier, managing to shield the attack with his sand.
"Lucy," Kefira smiled. "Dost thou know the strength and weakness of a Celestial Spirit mage?"
Lucy ignored her. "Sagittarius!"
"Moshi-moshi!" The Archer pulled back his bow and let loose an arrow. Kefira raised her hand, and a shield of light blocked the shot. At the same time, Cancer moved in from the side and took a swipe at her with his scissors. She expanded her magic shield outward fast, and it slammed into Cancer, searing him until he was forced to return.
Kefira continued as if giving a child a lesson. "Spirit mages are like generals in battle, especially those powerful enough to call forth multiple Spirits. We make decisions on which ones to summons, their strengths, their weaknesses, balancing their talents against the abilities of the enemy."
Their side ignored Kefira's lesson. Gemini grabbed Lucy's hand. "Let's do it!"
Lucy nodded to the Twin and began an incantation.

Survey the Heaven, Open the Heaven.

All the stars, far and wide,

Show me thy appearance

With such shine.

O Tetrabiblos.
Lucy's eyes shined and her hair fluttered with the powerful surge. The land around them darkened and grew brighter with orbs of star power and swirling magic. Haftorang glanced around as the landscape no longer looked like a tropical island, but like the heavens themselves.
"Stars above, she even knows this?" he exclaimed in awe.
Lucy did not stop her incantation with Gemini.

I am the ruler of the stars.

Aspect became complete.

Open thy malevolent gate.

O 88 Stars of the heaven,

Shine! Urano Metria!
The numerous globes began to converge upon Kefira. She gazed around with frustration. "Annoying child, listen when thine elders speak. Gravity Magic: Supermassive Black Hole." A huge blackness opened up in front of her just as the eighty-eight colorful spheres threatened to crush her. All the balls of star magic sucked within the threatening darkness and vanished. "Gravity is a star killer. Remember that well, young one. As I was saying, Celestial Spirit mages are generals. We order our soldiers—our Spirits—and send them into battle knowing they might...get...hurt!" Kefira raised her hands together, and a purple-black ball formed between them. "Cursed Magic: Black Sins of Orlov!"
Kefira shot a massive blast out of her hands. Aquarius used her jar to pour out water that shielded Lucy and Loke, but Scorpio, Virgo, and Sagittarius were easily wiped out by the attack. Gemini used itself to block Lucy and was affected severely by the blast, crying out for a moment before poofing back into two small creatures, then vanishing altogether.
Lucy trembled. The encouragement she felt a moment ago standing with her Spirits had faded. She realized just how powerful these two people were and had to admit, there was no way she could win at her current strength.
Kefira continued as if nothing had happened. "Celestial Spirit mages make the hardest choices. An average melee fighter may think little of the well-being of his opponent, caught up in the rush of battle. However, since we stand afar and witness the battle from a vantage point, we are more affected by the pain of others. We see how our attacks agonize enemies. We know our decisions may hurt our friends. We have time to consider it. We plan for it to happen. We are the most sadistic sort of mage out there, Lucy Heartfilia of the Fairy Tail Guild. Thou art no different than I. Haftorang," she smirked. "Kill Aquarius."
Lucy gasped, the Water-bearer stared in shock at the Southern Fish, but Haftorang did not move.
"Ah, but see, little Spirit mage," Kefira smiled. "We can order them only to a point. In general, Celestial Spirits have no choice but to obey our wishes. Even if they don't want to attack, they do if the will of the owner is greater than their own will. However, a Spirit is autonomous. They have feelings and can act upon them if those emotions override the will of the owner. It is a matter of willpower. The weaker the will of the mage, the more unruly the Spirit. The stronger the will of the mage, the more obedient the Spirit. Back when Haftorang was called Piscis Austrinus, he and Aquarius were lovers. His will to protect her is strong, and I truly have no desire to see her destroyed. Thus he can disobey. Their bond can never fully be broken. Similarly, Leo and I were lovers, and a part of him will always belong to me."
"No," Loke shouted. "You always thought that, Kefira, and you're wrong. You don't own me!"
"I do by birthright," she replied sharply. "And keep quiet, Lion. I am speaking to the child in hopes that she may learn a lesson. In the end, Lucy Heartfilia, we Spirit mages are useful only to send others to their destruction. A general in wartime cannot be bothered by the guilt of knowing that if he were to send a thousand soldiers, five hundred may die. A general must think only of the goal. I have a single goal today and am fully prepared to sacrifice all I have to achieve it. My will is strong." She pulled out a key that shined blue in the tropical sunlight. "Stronger than anything Haftorang may feel, and stronger than those ambivalent emotions thou thinketh are love."
Haftorang's bulbous eyes grew wider at the sight of the blue key. "Mistress-s-s, no, please!" He then looked over to Aquarius, Loke, and Lucy with dread. "My king, get out of here!"
Kefira closed her eyes and began an incantation.

Thou Solitary One, oh Royal Star,

Watcher of the South, Star of Alchemy,

Navigator of the heavens, judger of ideals,

Ancient Guardian, make thyself known to me.

Smite with thy chilling Winter's Breath.

Examine my worthiness and grant my wish.

Gate to the Guardian of the South, I open thee.

O Fomalhaut: Mouth of the Fish!
"I'm sorry," the fishman said faintly as he began to glow.
Aquarius backed up as the shining light grew brighter. "Leo," she said in a soft, worried tone. "He's transforming."
Loke leaned down to Lucy's ear. "You have the Regulus Key. You need to use it now!"
She looked up in confusion. "What?"
"There is no way we can defeat Fomalhaut unleashed." Loke glanced back to the enemies and breathed hard as the glow intensified. Kefira was too far away to hear his whispers, and the rumble from the fishman blocked most sounds. "The only person who could stop him is Regulus. You've gotta use that key."
She pulled back a little. "If I use it, you'll be super powerful. You...you'll take Luke from me."
"Lucy, this is not the time for that," he whispered harshly. "Fomalhaut is more powerful than the black dragon. If he unleashes his full power, he could wipe out the island, including you, me, Luke, Natsu, Gray, everyone! You've gotta use the Heart of the Lion so I can stop him."
She looked at the box she was carrying, then to the cave where Capricorn and Aries were keeping Luke safe. "I...guess..."
Her hesitation cost them. A new being stood before them. He glowed pale blue-white with smooth, nearly transparent skin, a tall creature with no neck and a fish-like face, yet unlike any sort of sea creature Lucy knew. His head was wide, broader than his shoulders, with a humongous mouth stretching from one side to the other. Fins of glowing rainbow colors flowed down from his head and along the spine, moving gracefully as if he was in water, and glittering with each gentle movement. As Lucy watched in fearful awe, she felt the power emanating from this creature. It was a strength of magic beyond anything she had ever encountered.
"Fomalhaut," Loke breathed as a tremble shook through him.
The creature looked to him. "I know you," he spoke in a reverberating voice, like five voices speaking at once. "You're the one Regulus chose."
Loke's face drew tight in anguish. "Fomalhaut, please. Please don't hurt her."
The glowing pale creature gazed coldly at him. "It's not my will, but that of my mistress. Yet the Southern Fish within me also pleads for your sake. You and he were close friends for a time."
Loke looked aside with guilt. "Best friends."
"Fomalhaut," Kefira said smugly. "Send Aquarius and Leo back to the Spirit World and kill the girl. Yet be careful. There is a child within the cave who I need."
"I understand and shall be mindful of my power, mistress."
"No! Stop!" screamed Loke. "Fomalhaut, I command thee to cease," he roared with an undeniably majestic overtone to his words.
The Royal Star halted for only a moment, then that multi-toned voice chuckled. "No...sorry, but you are not my king. Scion of Regulus you may be, but your authority is not even a speck of my true king."
Loke grimaced, and for the first time in four hundred years he wished he was King of the Heavens once more. He grabbed Lucy and shielded her. "Aquarius!"
She moved in front of them. "I'll do what I can." The mermaid glared back at Lucy. "You owe me big time, bitch."
The glowing creature prepared to attack. "Fomalhaut Fountainhead!"
From Fomalhaut's massively wide mouth, a blast of energy shot out. Aquarius used a massive wave to try to block it, but when the blast hit it easily crushed her wall of water. Aquarius was blown back and slammed into Loke with a cry of surprise. Lucy screamed as she felt the gush of magic flow through her, shaking her down to the marrow of her bones. She heard Aquarius scream, and then she was blown off her feet. Loke wrapped his arms around her tightly as they were sent flying. With her ear against his chest, she heard the growls of pain, yet he struggled not to yell. She knew it was because he did not want to worry her. He loved her enough to take on any amount of pain, wanting to shield her and keep her alive.
"Loke," she muttered into his suit coat as they were airborne and carried along on the gush of magic. "I...love you."
She felt a glow around him. Love made Celestial Spirits stronger, so she poured out all the love she felt for him, all the dreams she had of a lifetime together with him, all the happiness of being his friend, then his lover, and now the mother of his son; all the love she felt in wanting more in their relationship, wanting to be together forever...wanting to get married! Yes, she even dreamed of that. She dreamed of having more children, a family they could love and raise together. She balled together all those feelings and tried to thrust them into Loke, hoping it would be enough.
Then her body slammed into a wall and her head cracked against hard metal. As she sank into darkness, she muttered Loke's name, two syllables that she hoped would convey all the hope she was now entrusting into him.
Loke had just barely managed to hold onto Lucy with his one good arm, yet as they were blasted away, just as he felt himself slipping back into the Spirit World, pure strength had flowed into him. He knew it was from Lucy, and it was enough for him to stay, hold her as they were hit by Fomalhaut's attack, and shield her from its fatal destruction. However, in keeping her body away from the blast, it meant she was closest to the wall when they were blown into the cave and to the antechamber. He tried at the very last second to protect her head and take the crash on his shoulder to protect her, but part of her body still hit. He heard the crunch of bones and shivered in horror at what might have happened. That blast was truly precise, enough to blow away Aquarius and nearly send back him, aimed purely to kill a Human like Lucy without destroying the land around them.
When the surge of magic ended, they were on the ground. Lucy was limp in his arms and bleeding heavily from the head. He shook her and called out her name, but she made no response. He felt her pulse. Weak but there. At least she was alive. Then he looked around and saw a pink, fluffy wall with Aries and Capricorn hidden within but peeking out in worry.
"I'm sorry," Aries cried out. "I didn't see you two soon enough. I'm sorry."
Loke did not answer. He stayed knelt beside Lucy, feeling her arms and legs for broken bones.
"Is she...okay?" Aries asked with a shudder of dread.
Loke looked at the pooling blood on the ground seeping from Lucy's head. She was definitely not okay, and he feared the crash might have cracked her skull. "Capricorn, take her and the baby. Get them out of here."
"We can't take Lucy-sama to the Spirit World. More exposure will make her sick."
"Just get them out!" He looked at the box Lucy still clutched to her chest. "Kefira apparently doesn't know we already have the Regulus Key. She wants Luke to find it. If she were to get this, she'll want to kill Luke as well as Lucy. So please, keep them safe and hidden. Go down two rooms. That should be enough." Then Loke reached to Lucy's keyring, flipped through them, and carefully pulled off the Key to the Lion's Gate.
"Leo-sama!" Capricorn cried out.
"What are you doing?" Aries shouted in astonishment.
His face hardened as he glared at the cave opening. "Anything I must to protect my family." He looked back and forced himself to smile at them. "Hey, it's me! I'll be safe. Now get going."
Aries picked up Luke and tugged Natsu by his shirt collar, yanking him slowly across the floor. Capricorn threw Gray over his shoulder and lifted Lucy into his arms. Once they were gone, Loke gave a deep sigh and looked down at the Gold Key in his hand.
"Forgive me for doing this, Lucy." He walked out of the cave and faced the ageless former monarch and blue-white glowing Royal Star. "Shaman-Queen Kefira," he addressed formally. "You want my son solely to seek the Key to the Heart of the Lion, true?"
"I have no other use for a brat like that," she nodded.
"Then I propose a trade. Leave Luke and Lucy alone, don't bother them again, and in exchange..." He hesitated a moment, burying the protests in his heart. He felt sick inside, but the powerful being standing before him reminded Loke that there was no other choice in this matter. He had to get Haftorang and Kefira away from Lucy or everyone would get killed, and if she discovered the Regulus Key, even Luke would be nothing but a piece of shameful evidence that Loke loved someone else. She would kill the child for sure. "In exchange," he said again, burning the last remnants of doubt and guilt in his heart, "I will go with you." He handed forward the Gold Key. "By right of combat, defeating the Celestial Spirit mage Lucy Heartfilia, I am free to pick my new master. I choose you."
It took Kefira a moment to respond, as if she was wondering if this was a dream or a trap. "Thou shalt give thyself freely to me?"
Loke's face tensed up as a surge of protests wanted to roar out of his throat, yet the glowing form of unleashed Fomalhaut was enough for him to realize this truly was the only choice, as despicable as it was. Loke was a combat Spirit, fighting was second nature to him, but his love for Lucy outweighed his desire for revenge. There was no way for him to win against a Royal Star. Surrender was the only option that could save Lucy's life.
Frigid with determination, he declared: "I shall once again be yours, Yamataikoku No Kefira." Slowly, feeling as if he was crushing his heart, Loke bowed his head. "Please accept me into thy service once more, my queen."
Kefira stepped up to him, took the Gold Key, and put it on a ring along with Fomalhaut's Lapis Lazuli Key and Piscis Austrinus' Silver Key. She placed a hand on his chin, tilted his head up, and gazed into his eyes. She pulled off his shades and tossed them to the side. They clattered against the ancient roadway, and the blue lens cracked into a spiderweb design. Then Kefira leaned in and gave Loke a kiss. He held still through it, not closing his eyes, but not pushing her away. Instead, he glanced to the blue-white creature that stood to the side watching all this with disinterest.
Kefira pulled back with a gentle smile on her lips. "Welcome back, Leo. Let's go home."
His eyes were cold and empty as she wrapped her arm around him and vanished with Fomalhaut. From the cave entrance, Aries had been peeking out and saw the whole scene. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her delicate hands tightened into fists.
"Leo, you idiot," she muttered with a sniffle. "How...How could you do this to Lucy? Idiot Lion! Stupid, stupid, stupid Leo! You...you...big dummy!" She turned around quickly and sobbed as she fled back into the cave.

Later that day, as the setting sun turned the ocean into a sea of blood, Wendy came out of the cave and quietly stepped up to Erza as the ocean breeze whipped the mage's scarlet hair.
"The poison is out of Natsu's system," she reported. "Gray's throat and lungs were damaged from inhaling sand, he's beaten up badly, but he'll heal. Also, Virgo popped up and gave me a box of seirei tea from the Spirit World. That's what Loke was drinking to maintain his vitality. I put it in Luke's baby bottle, and it seems to have cured his headaches."
"Then they really are caused by him being in this world," Erza realized softly, frowning at this discovery.
"It seems so. Levy is still exploring this temple hoping for some more clues, anything at all. I asked Charle to try to get a vision of where Loke and the two enemies might have gone, but nothing so far." Wendy looked up worriedly to the warrior, then out to the shoreline. "How is she?"
Erza pouted sadly. "You healed her concussion, but the injuries to her heart won't heal by even the magic of a dragon slayer."
"Aries said he did it to save her."
"Yes but...but he still betrayed her. He still left willingly with the enemies and joined their side, even if it was in exchange for her life. Lucy knows Loke did it purely for her sake. That's why she's torn between hating him and feeling immensely guilty. Lucy has always felt she was the weakest on our team. Now she feels like she was so weak, Loke had to sacrifice himself for her."
Wendy frowned and looked to where the surf made soft crashes against the powdery golden sand. Lucy sat on a rock by the shore, one partly demolished when Loke and Gray fought. In her hands she held Loke's broken sunglasses, twirling them by the bent ear piece. She stared out at the setting sun as if she could burn all her troubles away in the flames and bury her emotions down along with the dying star.
Erza gave a sigh. "Tell Levy, if she wants to study the ruins, she has three days. We'll leave as soon as the ship returns for us. Then we're heading directly back to Magnolia on the fastest ship possible. The trade winds should be in our favor. Traveling by ship will be faster, especially if you use a little wind magic to speed us along."
"I'll do what I can," Wendy said with determination. "But...should we really just leave? What if Loke...?"
"If Loke wants her, he'll find a way to get to her."
"If?" Wendy whispered in worry. "Erza, you don't think Loke really just gave up on her, do you?"
"No," she muttered. "However, I know from experience that men do some foolish things if they think they're protecting someone they love." She smiled softly as she thought of the stupid things Jellal did. She missed him! Erza turned away from watching Lucy. "When Natsu wakes up, tell him to get a fire started so we can eat dinner."
"He still can't use magic."
"Oh yeah. No magic for one week, right? Well, let's see if he can start a fire the old fashion way."
"What about Lucy?"
Erza paused and glanced back at the lonely blonde staring out at the endless sea. "Let's leave her alone for a while. She needs to sort out her feelings on her own." Then Erza walked back into the cave and the golden temple within.
Wendy looked out at Lucy and bit her bottom lip. Part of her wanted to give Lucy a big hug and tell her it would all be okay, but part of her knew that empty words would not help. There was nothing any of them could do besides be there to support her in every way possible.
"Cheer up, Lucy," Wendy whispered to herself, then she turned to let Lucy watch the sunset alone.

End of Chapter 39
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Lion's Pride