Kovu gave a strangled growl as the little meerkat tried to yank the sword out. There was a reason paw pads were so hard to pierce--they were really sensitive under that rough skin.

He shoved his head down toward the meerkat's level. "Maybe you should just shove it in further," he said with a certain venomous edge to his voice. He looked up to the hyena. "If you can actually get it out without making it hurt worse, be my guest."

Kovu's lack of confidence in the idea wasn't hard to see.