So much for the careful plan

We crept through the rocky terrain as silently as Hercules' massive frame would allow, which honestly wasn't very silent at all.

Every step seemed to echo off the mountain walls, and I kept wincing at the sound of loose stones rolling beneath my feet.

"Remember," I whispered to Iolaus, "we're not trying to surprise it - we just need to get close enough to start the plan." My leather-wrapped hands were sweating inside their grips, and I kept running through the sequence of moves in my head like I was preparing for the world's most dangerous dance recital.

And despite me warning Iolaus, I was more concerned about myself rather than him messing up the plan!

The lion's lair looked different in the full light of day - more exposed, but somehow more terrifying. Massive claw marks scored the rocks around the entrance, and the ground was littered with bones that I tried very hard not to look at too closely.