A/N: - This is my first Lion King Fiction and I know that you may not agree with the Shenzi/Banzai relationship this eventually turns into but I thought that with a one shot then I couldn't really go too far wrong. Please read and review to let me know what you think and whether I should continue with a sequel or not. So, if you like, you can think of this as the Prologue to a much bigger story…
The Last Hyenas
"Shenzi?" Banzai called into the darkness.
"Banzai, is that you?" came the reply. The female hyena was squinting through the smoke trying to see her friends. She spotted Banzai and bounded up to him. They had scrambled up the rocks to a high ledge so they were out of the fire's reach. Ed was nowhere to be seen and they couldn't hear his manic laughter anywhere.
"Where's Ed?" Banzai asked worriedly.
"I dunno – last time I saw him he was making a meal out of Scar."
"I hope he's ok…"
"Yeah, me too," Shenzi sighed. Ed may have been slightly out of it but surely he wouldn't have been stupid enough to remain down in the fire, would he? She glanced at Banzai and they made eye-contact, flashing quick but small smiles to each other in comfort. The two hyenas waited nervously for several more minutes but the flames were rising higher, almost upon them, so they decided to make a dash for it. They would wait in the Elephant Graveyard so Ed could catch them up easily…if he was still alive.
The two hyenas cowered in an elephant's skull, having retreated to the Elephant Graveyard in a reluctant decision to get as far away from the fire as possible. It was beginning to rain now and they had to stay undercover. There was an almighty crash as a pile of bones collapsed. Shenzi jumped and shrank back a little in shock, Banzai sticking close beside her. A silhouette was at the cave entrance, illuminated for a split second by the lightning. It walked towards them and the two friends backed into the wall of the skull, Shenzi half growling and half whimpering while Banzai tried his best to look brave by resisting the urge to whimper and moving in front of Shenzi.
"Don't come any closer," he warned, voice shaking with fear, "or…or…I'll rip your throat out!"
"Wait a minute," Shenzi walked round Banzai and towards the silhouette, which had stopped when Banzai had made his threat. Her eyes widened and she mentally slapped herself for being so stupid, "Aw, Banzai, it's just Ed!"
"What?! Ed, what were you doing, scaring us like that?" Banzai demanded. Ed just burst out laughing and rolled around on the floor, pointing at Banzai. Shenzi spluttered, clamping a paw over her mouth, trying to hold back the laughter; Ed's laugh was becoming infectious. She was glad at the reunion of their trio but knew deep down that life for them was now going to be even harder seeing as they were now regarded as lower than they had ever been looked at before, mainly due to them aiding Scar. They didn't even have Scar to bring them food and keep them alive anymore, and after playing a part in the murder of Mufasa and the destruction of the Pride Lands then certainly wouldn't be welcomed with open paws. Ed was gesturing frantically for them to follow him as he leapt out of the skull they were hidden in. Shenzi saw Banzai give her a questioning look and she nodded and followed Ed out of the skull.
Ed led them though piles of bones, and the rain continued to fall although it was beginning to ease off. The hissing of the dying fire brought the hyenas some comfort in the midst of all the destruction.
"So, where are we going?" Banzai whispered to Shenzi.
"If I knew that then do you think I'd be trusting Ed to lead us there?"
"Good point."
"Hey, I think we're there," Shenzi bounded forward so she was walking alongside Ed.
"Wherever 'there' is," Banzai muttered sourly as he too quickened his pace. He caught up with his two friends who were staring over the edge of the cliff. Shenzi's mouth watered as she took in the sight. Banzai looked on, gob-smacked, while Ed laughed and drooled. In the not too far off distance, the herds were coming back to the Pride Lands. News of Scar's defeat must have spread faster than they'd anticipated. The herds would be back by the evening of the following day, at the latest, and they would have to pass the Elephant Graveyard sooner or later.
"We're saved! We're not gonna starve!" Shenzi jumped up and down excitedly as Ed carried on drooling. He suddenly swung round to join the celebration but his slobber was flung all over his two companions. Both froze and stopped laughing and singing as Ed's saliva dribbled down their faces and dripped off their noses and chins.
"Now look what you've done – yuck!" Banzai yelled.
"Banzai lay off him – we're all hungry." Shenzi, as usual, tried to keep a level head. A difficult task when dealing with your two best friends who are somewhat lacking certain qualities in the brains department.
"Yeah, but I ain't spitting on everyone," Banzai protested, wiping the slobber off his face, "ugh, who knew one hyena could have so much drool in him at once!?"
"Yeah, it does seem a bit unnatural," Shenzi glanced at Ed slightly apologetically.
"Ed is unnatural!" Banzai pointed out. Shenzi rolled her eyes; she should've seen that coming. At least Ed was laughing with Banzai. That was the great thing about Ed – he always knew how to take a joke aimed at him, even if half the time he didn't fully understand them.
"Will you just knock it off?" Shenzi barked, "The herds are moving closer and we don't them scared off by the racket you're making. They're speeding up and moving closer by the minute – they'll be here by dusk tonight if we're lucky.
"Cool, bring on the grub – I'm starved!"
"Me too – Ed?" Shenzi turned to the other hyena but he just nodded, making an odd grunting noise. The hyenas made their way to the edge of the Elephant Graveyard which the animals would be passing. They would lie low until dusk when the time would come to feast.
"I'd give anything for a zebra," Shenzi sighed longingly. The herds were only an hour or two away and the three famished hyenas could already pick out the sick and injured ones. Trying to catch a fully grown one would be madness in their current states so they'd decided to play it safe.
In a sudden rush, an hour and a half later, the herds arrived and the hyenas crouched low, preparing to pounce. Ed and Banzai were getting restless and Shenzi had to channel all her energy into keeping them silent and in hiding. But nothing could hold Ed back – he pounced out and ran straight into a herd of fully grown zebra. Banzai followed but Shenzi hung back, not wanting to reveal herself until she saw an easy target. She eventually singled out a young zebra with a limp and sprung into the chaos to attack her prize. She quickly and expertly brought it down, her teeth sinking into the unfortunate animal's neck. Dragging the carcass back to the Elephant Graveyard was easy…the not so easy thing was going to be finding Banzai and Ed amidst the mayhem they had caused.
The two male hyenas had stupidly gone for one of the young male zebra who was strong and fast. They were desperately trying to kill it, launching attack after attack, but the zebra deflected everything they tried by dodging, kicking out or purely scaring them. Ed had been kicked in the face just below his left eye and could no longer see out of it as it was swollen and hurt too much to open. Banzai had, so far, escaped injury but it wouldn't be long before the zebra got him if they didn't give up and get away soon. Just as they prepared to strike again they heard a shrill voice scream at them.
"Banzai! Ed! Get your filthy butts back here now!"
"Uh-oh, Shenzi's gonna be mad," Banzai muttered to himself as he and Ed gave up on the zebra and ran in the direction of their leader's voice.
"What did you think you were doing?!" Shenzi snapped at them as they chewed hungrily on the zebra she'd caught.
"We were just so hungry – we couldn't resist!" Banzai replied, somewhat pathetically, tearing off another large chunk of meat. He was feeling slightly sour as they now owed Shenzi a meal for not helping and nearly ruining the hunt. She had lectured them on why males were so useless at hunting but had given up halfway through as she was starving and the lectures would have no effect on her friends whatsoever.
"Ed, your face looks pretty bad. Let me see it," Shenzi gently ran a paw over the bruised flesh of her friend's cheek and eye. Ed whimpered pitifully and Banzai just mumbled something about attention-seeking under his breath. Shenzi heard and glared at him.
"What?" Banzai tried to look innocent, "how come he gets all the attention – he was the one who leapt out before you told us to. And it's only a bruise. I could be severely traumatised and you're aggravating my condition by neglecting me."
"Shut up, Banzai," Shenzi snarled.
"Aw man, I wish I was a girl."
"WHAT?!" Shenzi and Ed backed off a little.
"I would get loads more attention and I would get to be good at hunting and give lectures instead of receive them. And I could pretend to be really self-conscious and then watch all the males fight over me. It would be so cool – and no-one cares about me as I am now and I'm just wishing so I don't see the problem.
"Being a female isn't that great," Shenzi finished checking Ed over and led down, her head resting thoughtfully, almost sadly, on her front paws.
"But you get to be the leader. And girls get to be waited on paw and tail if they're pregnant. And the guys have to protect you because you're the leader."
"Oh yeah, I got some top quality body-guards," Shenzi rolled her eyes sarcastically and then looked thoughtful again, "believe me, Banzai, I love to lead but I hate being so unappreciated by other species just because we fall in with the wrong crowds every once in a while. And if anything goes wrong then the blame always falls on the female, just like it did when Nala escaped from the Pride Lands and brought back Simba."
"But…I can still wish to be a girl, right?"
"If you really want to…"
"YAY!" Banzai jumped up and down with glee as his friends shot him disgusted looks.
"Good thing wishes don't come true," Shenzi whispered to Ed and they watched their easily pleased friend skip round the skull.
The next night, Shenzi heard someone cursing outside the skull. She looked to one side of her – Ed was there. She looked the other side of her – Banzai wasn't.
"Banzai?" she hissed as she strolled over to where he stood just outside the mouth of the skull.
"Not now, Shenzi, I'm busy."
"Oh yeah, doing what?"
"Wishing upon a star."
"You don't really think that works do you? It never worked for me."
"Um, maybe the star didn't like you or you didn't want the thing enough…" Banzai cast his eyes to the floor, sheepishly.
"O…k…and do I even need to ask what you're wishing for?"
"It's none of your business what I'm wishing for and I don't need or want your help if you're gonna put me down and be sarcastic all the time!"
"Fine by me…" Shenzi remarked coolly, wandering back into the skull and laying down next to Ed again. Banzai bit his lip, instantly feeling guilty for snapping at the female so quickly. He knew it seemed stupid but he badly, almost desperately, wanted to understand what it was like to be a girl. He looked up at the brightest star in the sky and took a deep breath.
"Star light, star bright – first star I see tonight. I wish I may and I wish I might have the wish I make tonight: I wish I understood women and what it was like to be one." He shut his eyes but nothing happened. He hung his head and sloped disappointedly back into the skull. He saw Shenzi and Ed curled up peacefully together and felt a strange pang. Snapping himself out of his daze, he led down next to Shenzi and pressed against her slightly for warmth as an unusually chill wind swept through the skull, carrying Banzai off into a deep and untroubled dream…
"ARGHHHHHHH!" a shriek echoed through the skull. Ed leapt to his feet and panicked, tripping over a drowsy Shenzi and flying into a pile of bones.
"What the hell is going on here?!" yelped the agitated female, jumping to her feet, "Ed? Banzai? Where are you?"
"I'm not coming out," was the feeble reply. Ed joined Shenzi, confused. The voice hadn't sounded like Banzai – it was an octave too high. It came from behind a pile of bones.
"Banzai quit mucking around and get out here!"
"I can't."
"Whaddaya mean 'you can't'?" Shenzi growled impatiently, "Do I really have to stoop so low as to come in there and drag you out?"
"I don't want to come out," was the high pitched response. Shenzi sighed and dived into the pile of bones, dragging Banzai out moments later. She spun round to face him, furious, but her jaw dropped in shock.
"Banzai…you…you're a…a…a…" she keeled over and fainted. There was a nasty crunch as she landed awkwardly on her left paw. Banzai nudged her gently but got no response. Ed ran off to the farthest corner and hid, unsure of what was going on. Banzai moved his fainted friend and leader into a more comfortable position and then sat next to her prone form to wait for her to come round.
"What happened?" Shenzi groaned, limping to the entrance of the skull which had become the headquarters of her trio. Banzai meekly went to stand next to her, unsure of what to say.
"Hey, um…" he began.
"Looks like you got what you wanted."
"What?"
"You're a damn girl, Banzai!" Shenzi said, whacking him round the back of the head with her right paw. Her left paw had been twisted slightly when she'd fainted the night before. Her best friend was a girl! He was meant to be a boy! It was all so wrong and Shenzi was confused by it; how could so many laws of nature be broken in one foul swoop? Wishes like Banzai's weren't supposed to come true.
"I'm sorry, Shenzi. I didn't know that wishing upon a star actually worked."
"Yeah, whatever, but I don't see how we're gonna explain this to my aunt and uncle…"
"What?!" Banzai hated Shenzi's aunt and uncle as they blamed Shenzi for everything, including the death of her parents. The truth was that Scar had killed Shenzi's parents because they refused to ally with him.
"They sent a message about a week ago saying they'd be here within the next few weeks and I don't think you'll be changing back anytime soon."
"And you didn't tell me they were coming?"
"I didn't know you were actually going to wish for what you did! And anyway, I forgot – geez, I remember most things, don't I? And right now we have much bigger problems than my relatives to deal with."
"You're telling me."
"Yeah, I am. Now, for the sake of everyone's sanity, you have to act like a girl and we'll call you Bonnie, ok?"
"Ok, but what do I do if someone-----"
"SHENZI MARIE PREDATORA VELDETTA JACQUELINA HYENA!"
"Uh-oh, it's Auntie Tiz," Shenzi cringed. Two very proper looking hyenas were strutting towards them.
"Good morning, Shenzi-Marie. And who is this?" Shenzi's Uncle Frasier asked, inspecting the female Banzai, who took a pose he saw Shenzi strike whenever Scar was lecturing them; he looked alert but his eyes were wandering to other areas. He put one paw slightly forward, imitating his friend.
"Who, this?" Shenzi pointed at Banzai, "Oh, this is Bonnie."
"Hi…uh, what can I call you?"
"I'm Tiz and this is Frasier. I'm so glad you got rid of that useless parasite, Shenzi-Marie. He only wanted one thing from you."
"That's not true!" Banzai burst out, forgetting the role he was supposed to be playing, "He was Shenzi's best friend."
"He didn't actually like her. We all saw through him but he corrupted Shenzi-Marie and he has corrupted you."
"I wouldn't – I mean, Banzai would never corrupt anyone. He's not that kind of hyena!"
"See; that is exactly what Shenzi-Marie always says when we try and point out her mistaken trust in him. He is a no good, lazy, smelly, ugly oaf that doesn't deserve you or Shenzi-Marie. And I suppose Ed left with him…?"
"Ed is here, Auntie Tiz, and he's fine." Sighed Shenzi.
"Yeah, and banzai doesn't smell, he's very handsome and he isn't an oaf. And I'm sure Shenzi agrees with me." Banzai was glaring at her.
"Knock it off, Banzai," Shenzi hissed in her friend's ear. She turned to her relatives with a false grin on her face, "how long will you be staying?"
"As long as we please," Frasier answered his niece. He was Shenzi's mum's brother, and was a little tubby around the edges, unlike his wife who was angular. Banzai grimaced and stalked off, imitating the way his mother walked. Hearing Shenzi snigger, he emitted a low growl and she stifled the laughter that was threatening to burst forth.
Banzai was curled up in a corner; gently dozing off, when he felt a body flop down beside him.
"Who knew they'd be so picky about which part of the graveyard they slept in?" an exhausted Shenzi said.
"Am I really all the things they said?"
"No, of course not!" Shenzi elbowed her friend lightly, "you may be lazy but you don't smell that bad and you ain't a no good oaf."
"Ah, but am I as ugly as they think I am?"
"Nah, you ain't that ugly."
"Really?"
"Yeah, and you make a pretty good girl – but we're gonna have to work on that walk of yours," Shenzi snickered as she remembered how stupid he'd looked when he was trying to walk like a female.
"Oh, hey Ed!" Banzai greeted the other hyena as he walked over. But Ed was still confused about the whole situation and so he scurried round to Shenzi's other side and dozed off there.
"Why did you wish to be a girl?"
"I dunno,"
"How long will it last?"
"I dunno – I wished I could understand what it was like to be a woman. So I guess it lasts until I understand."
"That could take weeks!"
"Yeah, but----"
"No buts, Banzai, we have to get you changed back somehow." Shenzi got to her feet determinedly, still not resting her full weight on her left leg.
"And how're you planning that we do that?" Banzai opened one eye to look up at her.
"I'm not sure yet."
"Then get some sleep and figure it out tomorrow. And anyway, I thought you'd like another girl around."
"What, to seduce my friends until they turn to jelly at the slightest thing she says or does? I don't think so!"
"Yeah, but that would be a stranger – this is me."
"I liked the old you – and Ed did too," Shenzi whined, "You've seen how scared you've made him of you. It's because I'm calling you Banzai but you don't look like Banzai."
"Ok, I get the point; we'll try and change me back! But what about your relatives?"
"They don't need me to take care of them but it's not like I have a choice. Look, I'll deal with them and sort out your mess in every spare moment I get."
"Ok, but now get some sleep – it looks like it'll be a busy day tomorrow." Banzai reached up and pulled her back down into the gap between him and Ed, "Night, Shenzi," he whispered.
"See ya tomorrow, 'Bonnie'," Shenzi yawned in response, using her friend's female name. She'd lost count of the amount of times she'd had to sort out the messes Banzai and Ed unintentionally created but this was going to be tougher than anything she'd ever done before.
Banzai was up early and he was about to wake his friends when a shrill voice did it for him.
"SHENZI MARIE!"
"Oh, crap," muttered the drowsy Shenzi as she hauled herself to her feet, "What is it this time, Auntie Tiz?"
"You are to come hunting with me."
"Can I come?" Banzai asked, unexpectedly.
"Actually, Bonnie, I was hoping for a quiet family chat with Shenzi Marie."
"Oh," Banzai said, mouthing 'sorry' to Shenzi. She grinned tiredly at him as she left the skull with Tiz. Frasier walked in just as they left and Tiz hissed in his ear as she passed him on her way out.
"You know what to do…"
"Shenzi Marie, I wanted to know if you've found yourself a mate yet," Tiz said as they slunk through the Pride Lands, trying to stay unnoticed.
"Not yet."
"Good…"
"What? Why is that good?" Shenzi stopped dead in her tracks.
"I have found a survivor of the blaze – an extremely handsome hyena that I'm sure you can't have noticed. He arrives tomorrow when we will leave and he will stay for a week. Then, when all goes well, you shall be married and we will come back and see to arrangements and see the ceremony." Tiz finished as she spotted a herd of wildebeest, "Now, let's hunt."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute – you've chosen me a mate? You can't do that! I'll choose my own mate when I'm ready."
"We're just trying to speed up the process as you clearly can't find one yourself."
"Hello? Most of the hyenas died in the blaze or have fled never to return. Me, Banzai and Ed are the only ones left."
"Well, Gehrun didn't die or flee. He came with us and is in hiding until the time is right to reveal him. And he's the last decent male left."
"What if I'm happy the way I am?"
"I'm afraid you have no choice in this. You'll also have to get rid of your so-called friends," Tiz hissed at her, "or I'll do it for you – I will personally hunt them down." She crept up on the herd and pounced. Shenzi sighed but helped her Auntie anyway. Between them they brought down an elderly wildebeest but weren't counting on the other animals in the herd trampling them. A large male leapt at Tiz and, despite all her efforts, she was knocked to the side. Shenzi dodged the large male but was thrown off balance by a pregnant female running in all directions. She flung herself onto a rock to avoid the rest of the stampeding animals but her head came into contact with the hard surface and she was out cold.
"Shenzi Marie, get up!" Tiz hit her niece with one of her front paws. Shenzi whimpered pitifully and shakily got to her feet. Her vision was blurred but she could just about make out the carcass of the animal they'd killed. They would have to get it back to the Elephant Graveyard somehow before Simba spotted the traces of a stampede or sent his little advisor, Zazu, out and caught them in the Pride Lands.
"I'm back!" Tiz called, "and I brought food."
"Excellent, I'm starved," Banzai, or Bonnie as Tiz and Frasier knew him, daintily walked out to meet her, using the walk he'd been practising all morning, "So, uh, where's Shenzi?"
"We were trampled by the wildebeest herd and on the way back here she said she needed to rest and would catch up with me. She fell behind at about the halfway mark so she should be back soon." Tiz explained, offhandedly and with a sickly sweet smile.
"I'm going to find here…what if Simba catches her?"
"Oh, Gehrun will take care of him when he arrives tomorrow. Gehrun is to be Shenzi's mate."
"NO!" Barked Banzai, running off out of the skull to look for his friend, not stopping to look back. He would find Shenzi before Gehrun got to her. He had to tell her that Frasier had tried to kill Ed earlier that day. He had tried to strangle him but Ed had run away and not come back yet.
"Wake up, my darling," a deep, rich voice whispered gently into Shenzi's ear.
"What? Who are ---- ARGH!" Shenzi leapt up and backed off but had to sit down again as her head was still pounding.
"I am Gehrun; and you are the most beautiful hyena I've ever met."
"Oh, really? Well, sorry but I'm not interested," Shenzi stood again and staggered off in the vague direction she thought would lead her back home. Gehrun followed and walked beside her, pressing up against her at every opportunity and making many vain attempts to start conversations which his unwilling future mate completely ignored.
"SHENZI!" a distant voice called.
"Bonnie?" Shenzi looked round baffled to see Banzai's female form hurtling towards her as fast as he could go.
"I found you!" Banzai barked joyfully, jumping round her, but stopping when he saw Gehrun.
"Who do you think you are?" scoffed Gehrun.
"This is Bonnie and she's staying with me for a while."
"Yeah, and I need to talk to you…in private," Banzai glared at Gehrun, who walked off and allowed the other two hyenas some space.
"What's wrong?"
"Your uncle tried to kill Ed after you left this morning. Ed ran away and hasn't come back yet." Banzai said it all in a panicked rush.
"Why the hell is Uncle Frasier trying to kill Ed?"
"I dunno – but then he started searching the graveyard from top to bottom for me – meaning the male me. I heard him muttering something like 'stupid, lousy parasite must be hiding.'"
"And now Gehrun's shown up – I have to marry him in a week, Banzai!"
"You have no choice?"
"Not a bit – what do I do?"
"Maybe we should find Ed and run away."
"But where would we go?"
"We could ask Simba for help…" suggested Banzai, desperately racking his brains for a solution.
"Are you crazy?!"
"There is one other thing we could do…"
"I'm listening."
"We could get Gehrun to like the female me more than you."
"You'd do that?"
"Would I have suggested it otherwise?" Banzai grinned lopsidedly.
"Thanks, Banzai, you're the best!" Shenzi gave him a quick nuzzle and they made their way back to Gehrun. Banzai talked all the way while Shenzi walked ahead and ignored them completely, keeping her distance.
"So, Bonnie, what's the best way to propose to Shenzi?" Gehrun asked.
"I dunno," Banzai stared at Gehrun, "I love your eyes – someone could drown in eyes as deep and wonderful as yours."
"Thank-you…so, what's Shenzi's favourite food?"
"Zebra, I think. You must work out regularly because you are one hot hyena." Banzai just had to get Gehrun's attention away from Shenzi. But it wasn't working.
"Look, Bonnie, I appreciate all the flattery but I just want to settle down with the hyena I've had my eye on all my life. And I actually stand a chance now," Gehrun walked up behind Shenzi and licked his lips. Banzai felt disgusted and, in spite of himself, he growled a low and angry growl.
"And what about her two best friends, Banzai and Ed?" Banzai asked, keen to know if Tiz, Frasier or even Shenzi had mentioned them.
"Oh, those morons? I don't have to worry about them – Banzai only wanted Shenzi for one thing and was just biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to launch an embarrassing and degrading harassment."
"Oh, really?" Banzai managed through gritted teeth.
"Yes, and I'm to mate with Shenzi as soon as possible to keep the race of hyenas going – after all, Tiz is expecting another pup and says that me and Shenzi should have a cub as soon as we can." Gehrun was talking in a low, quiet voice to make sure Shenzi didn't overhear. Naturally, she did but she kept her mouth shut and just picked up her pace.
"Uh, how soon are you thinking?"
"Some time this week so she'll have no choice but to accept my proposal – after all, she'll be expecting my pup."
"What if she refuses to mate with you?"
"Why would anyone refuse to mate with me? I'm perfect – so all the pups will be perfect." Gehrun held his head up high and Banzai mentally threw up, promising himself that he would not let Shenzi out of his sight for the next couple of weeks.
Banzai could hear crying; a small, muffled sound but a cry of distress all the same. He didn't even need to think about who it could be. He sighed and padded softly over to where his distraught best friend was huddled by a rock, sobbing for all she was worth, which, in Banzai's opinion, was a lot. Banzai kept at a safe distance and tried to listen to what Shenzi was saying between her sobs.
"I don't know if this will work – it's never worked for me before – but I'll do anything to have my best friends back," she sobbed. Banzai's heart went out to her – he wanted nothing more than to comfort her but he also wanted to hear what she was going to do. Shenzi continued, "Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight. I wish I may, and I wish I might, have the wish I make tonight. I wish that Banzai was back to normal and I wish that Ed came back and I wish----" she stopped, sensing that she was not alone. Turning and sniffing the air, she looked round warily. Banzai chose this moment to step forward.
"Gehrun wants to mate with you this week."
"I know."
"Why didn't you wish for him to go away or for something nasty to happen to him?"
"Because having my best friends back is more important. I know matriarchs aren't supposed to cry and show weakness but this is all just too much…"
"You know what? I think I'm finally beginning to understand women." Banzai said solemnly, feeling a heavy weight lift off his shoulders. And with that, a bright white glow flashed through the graveyard, illuminating everything for a split second. Suddenly, a hysterical laugh could be heard and Ed bounded into the skull, tackling the other two hyenas to the ground and slobbering all over them, "Wait a minute," Banzai pushed Ed off him and clamped a paw over his mouth; his voice was back to normal. That meant he was male again!
"Whoa, maybe I was wrong about this whole wishing thing," Shenzi laughed, pouncing on Banzai and pinning him to the floor. The noise of the three joyful hyenas echoed round the skull. It was a relief that Gehrun had decided to sleep in a different skull for the first night of his stay. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were so tangled up that you couldn't tell one from the other and Gehrun would've had a fit if he could've seen them asleep like that.
"No, uncle Frasier, STOP!" Shenzi screeched as she jumped between her friends and her uncle.
"I found these rats curled up with you this morning – I didn't expect them back so soon."
"Yeah, well we would never abandon each other for anything, and a selfish guy like you isn't gonna change that."
"How dare you,"
"Sorry, but you had to be told the truth sooner or later!" Banzai growled menacingly.
"Banzai, that's enough," Shenzi intervened once more, "Uncle Frasier, you will not touch either of my friends ever again."
"Fine." Frasier said, and he stormed off.
"Keep and lookout, guys – he'll be looking for a way to split us up and kill you two. From now on we don't leave each others' sides."
"I'd already silently made that vow while talking to Gehrun yesterday," Banzai scuffed at the floor.
"You did?" Shenzi seemed slightly surprised. She cracked a small smile and nuzzled each of her friends in turn.
"So, I see that I have competition for my dear Shenzi's affections." Gehrun said smoothly, his silky voice sending shivers down Shenzi's spine. Why was life always so complicated?
"You're damn right you've got competition – except I'm fighting for the freedom of my best friend – not to commit an 'embarrassing and degrading assault,'" Banzai smiled cruelly, imitating what Gehrun had said the day before.
"You! You were the girl!" Gehrun bellowed but Banzai just batted his eyes at him in a flirty way. Gehrun snarled, "Then I challenge you to a fight tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"In the gorge…unless you're scared…"
"You know what I say? Bring it on!"
"What. Were. You. Thinking?!" Shenzi paced up and down, "he'll cheat – he'll kill you! And you're fighting in the Pride Lands!"
"So? I wasn't exactly gonna sit by and let him rip our trio away from each other. I know I'm a lazy, cowardly asshole sometimes but I'm not that much of a lazy, cowardly asshole." Banzai grinned. Shenzi didn't grin back like she usually would.
"Banzai, you have to pull out."
"No, Shenzi, I won't."
"What if Simba catches you? And what if you're killed? Then I won't even have you there for moral support."
"Well we only have one other option, which I know neither of us will be particularly keen on." Banzai bit his lip, knowing that this other option was near impossible as Shenzi agreeing was about as likely as her saying yes to marrying that meerkat.
"Try me," she dared him.
"I get you pregnant and you tell Gehrun it's his…"
"You know, I really don't think your head's screwed on properly today," sighed Shenzi, laying down and glancing around desperately. She didn't like either of the options they had but she would have to do something. If she allowed Banzai, and possibly Ed, to fight Gehrun then Banzai would most probably be killed. But if she tricked Gehrun into thinking that Banzai's pup was his then it would change everything between her and Banzai and if Gehrun found out then they'd all be killed anyway. She would just have to stop the fight somehow.
"Sire, the hyenas are in the Pride Lands!" squawked Zazu as he flew in circles around Simba's head.
"Come, Zazu – lead the way." Simba followed the hornbill. The hyenas knew the penalty for returning to the Pride Lands so what were they doing?
"Banzai? Ed?" yawned Shenzi sleepily, waking as the bright light of dawn filtered through into the skull.
"Shenzi-Marie, up at last," Tiz cackled, "your friends are out on their suicide mission."
"Let me past!"
"I don't think so."
"Well I do," Shenzi pounced on Tiz, biting and scratching at her until the elder hyena gave in and collapsed in exhaustion.
Shenzi urged herself forwards and followed the sound of hyenas laughing and fighting until she glimpsed her friends. Gehrun and Frasier had knocked out Ed and pinned Banzai to the ground. Gehrun was about to sink his teeth into the neck of the struggling hyena when he heard a threatening snarl behind him. Looking round, he saw Shenzi, fur spiked on end, advancing on them.
"Ah, look, my future wife and slave wants to play too."
"Ha – you'll be lucky! I'm here to fight so the odds are even. This is two against two."
"Then I'll kill you first." Gehrun bared his teeth and leapt at a ready to fight Shenzi They viciously clawed and bit at each other until Gehrun eventually threw Shenzi aside, limp as a rag doll, and returned to help Frasier against Banzai.
"You are going to regret going near her," growled Banzai, slashing with enhanced vigour at his attackers while Shenzi was struggling to her feet. Frasier saw his dazed niece and ran at her. But he was tackled by Banzai just before he reached the terrified female. Banzai saw his chance and bit into Frasier's left shoulder as hard as he could, sending Frasier wheeling away in pain. Banzai took a defensive stance in front of Shenzi as his opponents advanced on them once more. But this time they were intercepted by a furious Ed, who had come round and seen his best, and only, friends in mortal danger.
"Zazu, are we nearly there?"
"Yes, sire – they're over there." Zazu pelted off and Simba ran faster to keep up with his advisor. Soon he was at the sight where the fighting was taking place and saw five hyenas tangled together in a fight to the death. He leapt into the pile with a mighty roar and two male hyenas made a break for it towards the Elephant Graveyard. Simba hurriedly pinned the other three down, whose faces he knew so well from childhood.
"You three are coming with me. You are in the Pride Lands and you know the penalty – you will die in full view of my Pride."
"Please, your majesty, let us go," Banzai pleaded, weak from fighting. Simba gave a short, bark-like laugh.
"Why should I?" he questioned, "Give me three good reasons."
"Those two that got away have been trying to kill me and Ed and one of them wanted Shenzi as his mate and----"
"I said I wanted three reasons, not a full story."
"Sorry, sire – ok, one – now they're gone it's two less hyenas living off your Pride Lands. Two – look at us! Do you really think we would've come here if we didn't have to?"
"And three?"
"If you won't let me and Ed go then at least let Shenzi go. She would prefer to die with the dignity a matriarch of her standard deserves rather than be killed for being in the Pride Lands. And she wasn't even supposed to be here and fighting. She was the one we were fighting over," Banzai finished, silencing Shenzi with a swift and dangerous look.
"You will all come with me – I need time to think about your fates." Simba forced the three hyenas to their feet. He knew they'd been a part of the plot to kill his father and that they'd destroyed the Pride Lands but they had also been victims of Scar's trickery and betrayal as much as anyone else. Right now, they were helping each other and relying fully on each other's support as they staggered weakly towards Pride Rock – they couldn't have escaped if they'd tried…or wanted to. Simba slowed his pace as he realised that they were never going to make it to Pride Rock unless he showed some sensitivity towards their conditions.
"You three will stay over there," Simba pointed to a shadowy cave in the rock, "I will set some lionesses outside so you can't escape."
"You seriously think we'd get far?" cackled Shenzi, lurching forward as Simba snarled at her and pushed her.
"Keep your smart remarks to yourself."
"Sorry – geez, you need a sense of humour."
"I said keep your remarks to yourself!" Simba raised his paw to silence Shenzi by hitting her but thought better of it when he saw the hyena's bruised and fearful face. Lowering his paw, he pushed past them and set two lionesses outside the cave to guard them. Banzai nudged Ed and the two of them followed their tired and limping leader into the small cavern. Shenzi crawled into a corner and led down, shutting her eyes. Banzai and Ed went to lie down next to her but she snarled and turned away.
"Keep away from me! If it wasn't for you then we wouldn't be here."
"Shenzi, please…"
"Don't 'Shenzi, please' me. I told you not to fight but you still went ahead with it and you didn't even wake me so I could be there from the beginning."
"We knew you'd try and stop us. Oh, c'mon, Shenzi, we're sorry, ok?" Banzai offered.
"No, it's not ok – so find your own corner to sleep in!" Shenzi snapped, blocking her ears with her paws to signify the end of the conversation. Banzai growled in frustration and he and Ed slept in the opposite corner.
Halfway through the night the lionesses switched shifts. Nala was one of the guards who took over while her mother, Sarafina, was the other. Sarabi also joined them as she was not able to sleep. Nala wandered into the cave curiously and saw the female she remembered so vividly sleeping separate to the males. Except Shenzi wasn't asleep and she watched Nala with wary eyes.
"What do you want?" the hyena hissed as Nala approached her, sitting up and licking a deep cut on her right front leg.
"I just wondered if you were ok."
"Huh, a likely story," muttered Shenzi, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"It's true – look, you're shivering," Nala pointed out, truthfully enough, "Why don't you go and sleep over there with your friends?"
"It's their fault all this happened and now we're gonna die because of their stupidity and the fact that no-one is ready to believe the truth."
"Try me," challenged Nala. Shenzi sighed and related the whole story to the lioness, not missing a single detail.
"Nala? You ok in there?" Sarafina's voice broke the awkward silence when Shenzi had finished.
"I'm fine," Nala called back before turning to Shenzi and adding, "to me, it sounds like Banzai and Ed would give their lives for you. Maybe they're not as cowardly or stupid as you think – I know I've under-estimated you guys. Now go over there and set things straight." Nala left the cave and Shenzi started to think. But she didn't need to think long because Banzai and Ed were at her side before she could go to theirs. She heard and felt Ed lay down on her left side and Banzai on her right. Ed was snoring in seconds but Banzai was still awake. He took Shenzi's right paw into his own and inspected it carefully.
"I can't see too much damage,"
"That's 'cause it's dark, you nitwit!"
"Oops, sorry," Banzai put Shenzi's paw down gently and the three hyenas huddled even close to each other so that when Nala looked in again she saw three happy and peaceful hyenas curled up together. At least they've made up before Simba kills them, she thought miserably. The hyenas valued each other and their friendships and much as lions did, and that came as a big surprise to Nala. But nonetheless she was glad to see that Shenzi was between her two best friends again. After all, everyone deserved, and needed, friends…even hyenas.
"Ok, everyone up!" Sarabi roared at the hyenas but she felt a paw over her mouth from behind before she could say any more. Nala hushed Simba's mother with a warning glance.
"Let them rest a little while longer."
"Nala, they're hyenas! They don't deserve kindness and respect."
"I know they were with Scar and I know they have almost killed us a thousand times over. I know I should hate them, but I can't help thinking that they've been through more than we could ever imagine…" Nala trailed off, not really wanting to betray the trust Shenzi had placed in her by telling her the story of what had happened to them.
"What makes you think that?" Sarabi crooked an eyebrow at her daughter-in-law in curiosity. Nala hesitated to answer, seeing Shenzi's eyes gaze at her in a silent plea from behind Sarabi.
"I just know," Nala said feebly. Shenzi saw Sarabi scoff and she got up carefully so as not to wake her friends and stood behind the lioness.
"I spoke with Nala last night. She bothered to hear me out, unlike that big-headed son of yours who was ready to kill me on first glance," Shenzi growled.
"Nala? You spoke with a hyena?" Sarafina walked in, looking disgusted, "it's their fault we went to hell and back in those years under Scar's reign."
"But if you knew the whole story…"
"The whole story?" Simba was at the mouth of the cave, his eyes questioning what he'd just heard.
"Simba, there was a perfectly good reason why the hyenas were in the Pride Lands."
"Enough. We will argue about this as a Pride. Meet me outside as soon as you've woken the other two." Simba left and Sarabi and Sarafina followed, leaving Nala to wake the other hyenas.
"Can I trust you not to try and escape but to wake the others and meet the Pride outside in a minute?"
"Sure, I'm not gonna give you any more reasons to hate me after what you did last night and this morning – you're the only defence we've got right now." Shenzi sighed. Nala nodded and left to join her Pride.
The three hyenas were humbled by the Pride of lions standing regally around them, their superiority clear from the way they regarded the hyenas with loathing and disrespect. Simba stepped forward and struck each hyena in turn so they were sent sprawling in three different directions.
"You will stand separated from each other so you can not plot to escape." He declared, growling at them.
"Simba, I really don't----"
"Nala, you will not talk out of turn."
"But, Simba, look at them!" Nala exclaimed. But Simba wasn't interested in anything said in the hyenas defence – his mind was set purely on revenge and nothing more.
"We are all here to decide the fates of these three slobbering, mangy, stupid poachers who dared to come to the Pride lands even though they knew the penalty." Simba roared at them, "What do you have to say for yourselves?"
"You don't know the whole story." Shenzi protested.
"Then why don't you tell me?"
"I can't – not without Banzai and Ed consenting first."
"Shenzi, if it saves out butts then just tell the King dude what happened,"
"But what about when you…" Shenzi trailed off, hoping Banzai would pick up on what she was hinting at.
"Look, Simba, I'll tell the story," Nala stepped forward so she stood next to Simba, knowing that he wouldn't listen to the hyenas.
"You told her?!" Banzai glared at Shenzi from where he was standing.
"Oh, come on – you really think his high and mightiness would listen to us? And besides, she bothered to listen."
"SILENCE!" Simba bellowed at them. He turned to his wife, "very well, Nala, you can tell the story but I hope you know it won't change my mind about them."
"That's what I thought before I heard it." Nala insisted. With one last glance at the hyenas, she told the story almost word for word how Shenzi had told it. The Pride's general muttering dies down as the story went on and eventually everyone was silent. By the end of the story, they were all staring in amazement at the hyenas.
"And you say that's word for word what you were told?" Simba asked quietly when Nala had finished and taken her place in the semi-circle again.
"I don't know if I remembered all the important stuff…" Nala looked uncertainly at Shenzi.
"What?" the female hyena had barely been listening, "oh yeah, you were practically word perfect…except you changed the 'I's to 'she's and missed a few pauses here and----"
"Ok, ok, we get the point!" Simba rolled his eyes.
"Heh, sorry," Shenzi scuffed the floor with her paws. Her legs ached as they had been stood all the way through the story and the discussions, afraid to sit in case they were yelled at.
"What are you gonna do to us?" gulped Banzai, casting his gaze to the floor.
"I don't know," whispered the baffled King of the Pride Lands, turning away from both his subjects and the hyenas.
"How about we fins Shenzi's family and show you that they look for any reason to attack us?" Banzai suggested, ignoring the shocked glare that his female friend shot him.
"What good would that do?"
"It would prove the truth in our story."
"Very well. You three shall be guarded by two lionesses each and shall walk at different points in the group. Shenzi will be up front with me, Nala and Zazu while Ed will be in the centre with my mother and Karamina. Banzai will be at the rear with Sarafina and Lorrashi. We leave tonight when we have cover of darkness."
"Your majesty, I really don't think----" Shenzi protested tearfully. She didn't ever want to see her family again but she was cut off by a warning glance from Nala.
"Oh my, Shenzi Marie! We've been so worried!" Tiz simpered as she walked out to greet the unusual group of creatures that had turned up at the Elephant Graveyard that night.
"No, you haven't," snarled Shenzi.
"And you've brought friends – oh, do come in. Any friends of Shenzi Marie are friends of mine also."
"That's not what you say about Banzai and Ed," retorted Shenzi, angered that her aunt was holding up an act.
"Say something she doesn't like," Nala whispered to Shenzi.
"Like what?" Shenzi asked, but Nala had moved to stand with Simba in front of Tiz.
"So it seems I have gravely misjudged you before I'd even met you. Your niece said you were evil and were forcing her to mate with a hyena named Gehrun and were trying to kill her friends."
"What? No, I'm only just getting over the death of my husband, Frasier. He got into a fight the other day and died from blood loss before he made it back here. I'm happy with whoever Shenzi Marie chooses as a mate as long as he loves her and protects her."
"Then we can leave you all in peace and trust you to take care of Shenzi?" Nala said earnestly, having an idea.
"Of course."
"Because when the pup arrives she'll need her family's support," Nala spoke gravely. Shenzi's jaw dropped and she looked desperately back at Banzai, who was being escorted forward by Sarafina. It seemed Nala's mother had caught on to the plan and was explaining it to Banzai in a low whisper as they came forward.
"Pup? What pup?"
"Oh, she didn't tell you?" Nala looked worried and bit her lip. Shenzi had finally caught on but Banzai explained it briefly when he reached her. He nuzzled up against her, playing along with Nala's plan.
"Whose is it?" Tiz strained to keep calm and Simba had finally caught the drift of what Nala was trying to do.
"Shenzi's," Nala answered simply.
"Who's the father?" Tiz asked but Nala just cast a look back at Shenzi and Banzai, who were playing along with her. Tiz emitted a low growl, "No…you filth! Gehrun, get them!" she lunged at the two hyenas and Gehrun sprung from his hiding place. Banzai prepared to fight but, as the two enraged hyenas made to attack the two injured ones; several lionesses swiftly intercepted and blocked the path.
"You are hereby sentenced to exile from the Pride Lands and the Outlands. If you are caught here again then the penalty is instant death." Bellowed a furious Simba as Tiz made a swipe at the smug looking Nala. Nala groaned as Tiz' paw came into contact with her stomach, hoping no harm would come to the cub she was carrying.
"As you wish, sire, but I warn you…my filthy niece and her friends are not to be trusted at all costs," Tiz stormed out of the skull, Gehrun following in her wake.
"I told you I'd be competition!" Banzai yelled after him. Shenzi pulled away and raised an eyebrow, "what?" Banzai shrugged.
"You're sure she won't come back?" Banzai asked Shenzi as they sat on the edge of the Elephant Graveyard that night.
"Positive – she wouldn't dare." Laughed Shenzi in reply.
"I guess all we have to do now is wait for our punishments to be revealed."
"It won't be too bad."
"What makes you so sure?"
"The lions helped us – Nala proved what my aunt was really like and saved our hides. They understand us now." Shrugged the female hyena.
"Nala's plan was clever – how did she know it would work?"
"Uh, I told her everything, remember? She knew that my aunt hated you and Ed with her entire being and that if I had one of you as a mate then she would hit the roof."
"Cool – why'd your aunt hate me so much, Shenzi?"
"I dunno – she always wanted me to live a perfect life, you know, have a mate and have cubs, live somewhere with endless food and be the leader of a giant colony where hyenas would thrive. All the stuff female hyenas are supposed to dream of having. But I always valued my friends much more than having a mate but she never grasped that."
"Did you like Gehrun?"
"No – he had the personality of a peanut and all the charm of a flea and he was as shallow as a…a…a…"
"A shallow puddle?"
"Oh yeah, that really describes him," grinned Shenzi as Ed came up behind them and banged their heads together.
"Ow!"
"Hey, what was that for?" Banzai rubbed his head.
"Maybe he was trying to tell you something," a light female voice said.
"Nala?"
"Yeah, Simba told me to come and give you your punishments. He decided on the ones for you as a group but said I could add in any individual ones that I wanted to. He wants to re-instate the law that you stay out of the Pride Lands and not eat anything unless it has wandered of its own accord into the Elephant Graveyard."
"That's not much more of a punishment – it's the same as we've always been told to do," scoffed Shenzi.
"I know. But he also wants you to keep a record of any major goings on in the Pride Lands and inform me when I make my regular visits here. Individually: Ed must try and learn some sort of self-control and he must also make sure that your trio stays strong. Shenzi – you must agree to take on the role of reporting to me what's been going on in the Outlands when I visit. And you must also promise to keep Ed out of the Pride Lands – we all know he can't help himself." Nala stopped to wait for Shenzi's agreement.
"No problem," the hyena agreed.
"And as for Banzai," she turned to the final hyena and whispered in his ear, "don't think no-one's noticed! Follow in a meerkat's footsteps and do what you've been meaning to do for so long."
"Oh sure, give me the cryptic one," joked Banzai, knowing what Nala meant but joking all the same, "and was it really that obvious?"
"Ever since we first ran into you guys at the Elephant Graveyard. Now, do it,"
"You're right." Banzai took a deep breath and turned to Shenzi.
"Do what? What's going on?"
"Shenzi Marie Predatora Veldetta Jacquelina Hyena,"
"Uh…" Shenzi had only ever been addressed by a male in that way once before.
"Will you…uh, will you do me the honour of… um, becoming…um…"
"Yeah, I will," Shenzi grinned, grasping the concept of what Banzai was trying to say. Banzai's face split into a huge grin and he nuzzled Shenzi affectionately, giving the side of her face a small lick which she returned happily. Nala smiled, satisfied with the result she had achieved, and left silently to let the hyenas have some peace – her work, for the moment, was done.
END
A/N: - I don't usually have romance between characters in Fanfiction but I thought that I would give it a go – after all, since when do lions get all the major story-lines. If you liked that then please review and I will endeavor to write a sequel, maybe so that Shenzi's family return or the lions need the hyenas' help or something. Just let me know what you thought of this story – but be warned, I am flame resistant although I will gladly accept constructive criticism!