Chapter 3
The hyenas stood by the Pride Rock as the sun rose from the horizon. Brina emerged from the cave, yawning.
"Okay, we're all awake," Shenzi said. "What's the next step?"
"The next step is to respect the animals," Brina said. "Honesty is another thing when it comes to respect. And this is the most important part about living in the Pride Lands. I should know, because I earned their trust."
"Hey, we'd love to hear that mushy stuff, but the next thing you know, we'd be going for food!" Banzai said.
"I know that. That's why we got bugs for you."
"Oh, please no!" Banzai and Shenzi whined. Ed rubbed his tummy while licking his lips. "You're gross, Ed!"
"Then if I were you, I'd stick to the exam if you wanna pass it." She then left, and the hyenas left for part two of the exam.
The hyenas went for a drink at the lake, and after a few licks, they get to see some animals.
"I don't get why the hybrid wants us to be honest with the animals," Banzai said. "It's not been in our heads."
"I think she's just getting us to change our ways, and nothing more," Shenzi said.
Ed danced on the rock and laughed.
"What are you laughing about, goofball?" Banzai said. "Come down here before you hurt yourself."
Ed looked a bit confused but then nodded and hopped off, only to land in the mud. Shenzi and Banzai laugh at that. Ed noticed this but then joined the laughter.
"Classic!" Banzai laughed.
"Alright, alright, guys," Shenzi said. "Let's think about showing respect to animals."
"Like what, ask them how delicious they are?" Banzai asked.
Shenzi slapped Banzai's face. "No, meat breath! That hybrid said we have to be respectful to the animals. Like..." She saw an ostrich in her nest. "...that ostrich over there. Watch and learn." She approached the ostrich. "Uh, hello. How are you today?" The ostrich looked at her. "Nice day, isn't it?" The ostrich got off the nest and ran away. "Hey, wait! I was only trying to be nice here!"
Banzai and Ed laughed at Shenzi's misfortune, but that angered Shenzi into storming them and slapping them across the faces.
"Shut it, you two! That was just bad luck!" Shenzi yelled. "Now come on, let's try the next one!"
"You didn't have to slap that hard," said Banzai, rubbing his cheek.
At the Pride Rock, Brina sat with the lions, as she had been told by Simba about having a group of hyenas follow her every command.
"Wait. You're saying that I will be their leader?" Brina asked. "But Micah was their leader after Scar's demise! I wouldn't wanna be their leader!"
"Brina, we all knew what the hyenas were back when Mufasa was our king," Zazu said. "But, considering how those three are to redeem themselves, King Simba assumed that the Pride Exam will decide their redemption. Besides, the hyenas were considering you to be their leader."
Brina looked a little incredulous. "They never told me that."
"You can be a much better leader to them, Brina," said Kovu, "like how I became leader of the Outsiders before Kiara stepped in."
"But they're nothing like the Pridelanders. Tell those hyenas I said these three words: count me out."
"But Brina," said Kiara. "Your teaching will make you their leader."
"But why can't I be leader of the Pridelanders?"
"They follow my every lead," Simba said. "We know you're a hybrid, but..." He then sighed. "Look, if you give them a chance to follow your every order, you could be their leader. I even heard the hyenas received the news about the Pride Exam."
"You mean the exiled ones? But how?"
"I wish I knew. But it's all up to you, Brina."
Brina pondered at the thought, considering everything she had been through last month, with Micah being leader of the hyenas, but after remembering having Shenzi, Banzai and Ed redeem themselves, she now thinks that she can be their leader. "I'll talk to them about it."
"That will help you understand," Manzi said. "I wanna be part of the team as well."
"Team? Manzi, what are you talking about?"
"Just the five of us protecting the Pride Lands."
"Make it six," Enzo said, "since I am welcome here. Think about it, Brina. Just a group of hyenas promising peace to the Pride Lands."
Brina looked at her mate, her father, and then at everyone else. Then she made a grin. "Alright," she said. "I'll consider it."
"There you go. I think you'll make a fine leader of the hyenas." He then licked his daughter's cheek.
Brina giggled, but then she frowned. "But the other hyenas in the Elephant Graveyard... what if that ends up me being their leader as well?"
The group looked at Brina.
"That's a very good question, Brina," said Kovu. "But that's up to you."
Brina looked at her own paws, and she made them into fists. "You're right. I'll do what I can to lead."
"Excellent," Zazu said. "I think you better check on the three."
Back with the trio, respecting the animals was tough, usually with animals running away from them to trying to attack them. But thankfully, they were able to make friends with the animals' little ones.
Banzai rubbed his head and said, "Oh, man. That hippo sure knew how to hit."
"No, that was a rhino," Shenzi said. "Ed was all cuckoo from the birds pecking his head."
Ed sat there with a goofy face, dizzy with a concussion. But then he babbled gibberish while pointing at Brina coming.
"Hey, it's the hybrid!" Banzai said.
Brina approached the trio. "How's your progress?" she asked. But then she noticed the trio looking discouraged. "Still trying to respect the animals?"
"Just the cubs. The other animals wouldn't appreciate our respect," Shenzi said.
Brina sighed. "Well, that can be tough. But I was thinking. Do you guys want me to be your leader?"
The trio look at each other, and then Shenzi stepped in. "We had been thinking about it. I knew we used to serve Scar and Micah, but the other hyenas had heard about the Pride Exam, and they wanna follow you as their leader."
"But how did they know about the exam?"
"I gave them the message last night," Shenzi admitted. "I told them that if we pass the Pride Exam, we'll have residence in the Pride Lands."
Brina frowned. "Why do I have to be their leader?"
"They were talking about that after Micah's demise. Apparently they were getting tired of being the exiled and wanted to redeem themselves as well to be accepted into the Pride Lands."
This made Brina's ears flick. "Redeem themselves? I thought it's just you three."
"Yeah, well, the hyenas are making consideration to be part of the Pride Lands and show that they will be loyal to that lion king," Banzai said. "I know we all hate lions, but now we just wanted to prove that we hyenas are not as bad as they thought we were, back when Scar was our leader. So what do you say, hybrid?"
Brina looked at the three. She was skeptic about bringing the hyenas back into the Pride Lands, but after hearing the story, she then crossed her arms. "That will be up to me. Anything else?"
"No. We just wanna make things clear as well," Shenzi said.
"Alright. And since you guys are having trouble, I'll help how to respect the animals, even if it takes lectures."
Shenzi made a grin. "That's good, hybrid. We'd do anything to pass the exam."
Brina spent the remaining day teaching the trio how to respect the animals in all the Pride Lands, and things all went smooth, with the animals having to apologize to the trio for their early actions and behavior.
That night, Brina went to her cave and laid her back against the wall, thinking about what Shenzi and Banzai had told her about the other hyenas receiving news about the Pride Exam. It didn't make any sense to her, since she's still skeptic about it. But then again, it's all up to her.
"Hyenas in the Pride Lands..." Brina said to herself. "I'll have to think about it." She then laid down on the ground to go to sleep.