A cloudy night sky covered the Outlands, an already creepy home to many wicked animals, now shrouded in a darkness which held all it's dangers a secret. For now
Yet this night would also hide more than just the sights on many hungry, sleeping predators
The clan of hyenas crept through the dark, toward a towering volcano off in the distance
"Mom!" the voice of a young annoyed pup cried "Why do we all need..?"
Shenzi quickly covered her pups mouth with her paw, then quickly look and listened for anyone around
"Shhh," she whispered to her pup "Janja this is a very special hunting trip remember?"
"Yeah!" a red nosed hyena pup boasted "We're going to eat some..."
The young Cheezi was soon silenced by his own mother as well. Her face of disappointment and equally red nose were enough to hush him up. His father, Ed also shook his head at his son
"If we're not all very quiet," Shenzi whispered more "Than the rare spotted zebra will hear us and flee,"
The pups nodded in understanding. Their mothers uncovered their mouths and they went on
"Say Janja?" Cheezi whispered "I never heard or seen a spotted zebra?"
"Yeah," a third pup named Chungu whispered to the others "The all usually got stripes,"
"That's cause they're rare fur brains," Janja said "Yet how lucky are we that are parents are letting us all go hunting to?"
The pups looked at the other the other grown up hyenas, and their pups. The whole clan was going on this "hunt"
"Hope it's a big zebra," Cheezi said
"Mom says it's the most giant, delicious, zebra their is. And she'd know. She's the queen after all," Janja said
A tear escaped Shenzi's eye just then.
Obviously there was no zebra, this journey had a darker truth behind it.
It all happened a few months ago, when the Outlands got a new resident. In the form of the recently banished Zira
Safe to say it put the rest of the animals on high alert, especially the jackals and hyenas.
Reirei and Goigoi had recently had another litter of pups. Plus Shenzi, and a few others in her clan were expecting as well. Even Ed had managed to find love, in the form of a red nosed hyena named Rooi.
Of course Shenzi knew her hyenas would have it the worse. Or they would have until Zira told them about her hatred toward Simba, and how he killed her beloved Scar.
That gave Shenzi's clan a small sigh of relief at least. Zira didn't know the truth about who really killed Scar. In the end no harm befell any of the hyenas, Zira had considered them friends during Scar's rule. Shenzi and her friends had even helped babysit young Nuka back then.
Zira was a bit peeved they weren't able to protect him, yet the bulk of her rage was still directed at Simba
Yet how long would that last? Had anyone else witnessed what she and her hyenas had done to Scar? Did Simba? What if he convinced Zira he wasn't the murderer?
None of the hyenas wanted to end up in the same position Scar had with Simba back then. No doubt Zira wouldn't be one to show mercy on the ones who killed someone she was so close with.
So as hard as this was for her and the other hyena parents, it had to be done.
Shenzi then flashed back to the heated debate they'd had just a few days ago
As the pups played in the Elephant Graveyard, Shenzi and other the adult hyenas had gone into a large cave to disscuss
"Zira will find out!" a hyena cried
"She'll come for us!" another said
"We need to strike now queen Shenzi!" another said
"No!" Shenzi said "I've heard news Zira has amassed her own followers, vicious lioness from other lands who fallen for her promises of paradise in the Pridelands. Like we had once before. If they're anything like us, they to will do anything to see that dream come true,"
"Then we must flee!" A hyena cried
"Yes, gather the pups and..."
"No," Shenzi said "The pups...The pups stay,"
"What!?" the hyena parents cried
"We don't know what's beyond the Outlands. Plus food is already so limited here what with us all,"
"So we're abandoning our children!? Leaving them to die!?" a few hyenas complained
"They're are offspring, they've learned from the best how to survive. Did we not also endure the hardships of these lands? The harshness of Scar's rule?" Shenzi said
"Zira will still come after them!" a hyena said
"Not if she think's we all left," Shenzi said
Thus the plan was hatched
The hyena clan now stood in front of the volcano
"Where's the zebra?" Janja asked
"Huh! I see it!" Banzai proclaimed as he looked off into the distance.
The young hyenas looked, yet nothing was there
"We must give chase!" Banzai said
"But my paws hurt," Cheezi whined
"And I'm tired," Chungu said
"Oh you fur...Yawn," Janja said tired as well
"Why don't you pups stay here?" Shenzi said "We'll go catch the zebra,"
With that Shenzi, Banzai, Ed, Rooi, and the other hyena parents led the pups into the volcano.
"Not exactly the best place to take a nap," Janja said
"Janja," Shenzi said "The spotted zebra may already have a head start, and it is a crafty horse to find. But..."
Shenzi whipped away another tear
"Mom? You okay?" Janja asked
"Listen Janja," Shenzi said "We may be gone for a long time. As the queens pup, you're in charge until we get back. Keep watch over the other pup. I royally decree it,"
"Wow," Janja said "So like, I'm a king now or something?"
Shenzi nuzzled her pup "Yes Janja, yes you are,"
"Shenzi," Banzai said "We gotta go!"
Shenzi and the other parent hyenas said their goodbyes and ran off
"We'll be back soon!" Shenzi said as the adults fled "We promise!"
The end