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The Elephant Graveyard
Akida circled around the five cubs, waiting for any kind of reaction. The cubs just stared at him with no more fear than before he had introduced himself.
"Surely Ahadi has told you about the great Akida!" Akida gasped, "The supreme lord of the hyenas? The greatest creature ever to walk to earth? The one who all others live in fear of? "
All five cubs shook their heads slowly. Akida snorted and paced around the cubs.
"Why?" Mufasa asked the large hyena, "Should we have heard of you?"
"SHOULD YOU HAVE HEARD OF ME?" Akida howled loudly, "YES, YOU SHOULD HAVE HEARD OF ME!"
"Why?" Zira piped up.
Akida merely groaned and turned to the army of hyenas.
"I've had enough of this," Akida sighed, "Just kill them already."
Hundreds of drooling hyenas advanced to wards the five cubs, who closed their eyes tightly in fear.
"Wait!" one of the hyenas called, stepping in front of the cubs.
"What is the meaning of this, Issa?" Akida growled.
The cubs opened their eyes to see Issa standing over them. Issa walked up to Akida and smiled.
"Have you no vision, sir?" Issa asked Akida, "These cubs could be most useful to our cause!"
"How so?" Akida asked, intrigued by Issa's statement.
"Sir," Issa smiled, "What we've got here is the heir to the thrown! Imagine what Ahadi would give to get him back! Don't you remember how close we came last time? The kingdom would have been ours, if it hadn't been for that damn lioness escaping!"
The lion cubs' eyes widened. Akida smiled widely.
"You are a wise one, Issa," Akida smiled, "But I fail to see how the other cubs can benefit us."
"Simple," Issa smiled, "We feed them to the prisoners!"
"What?" Akida gasped in shock, "We don't even have a scrap of food for ourselves, and you want to feed those ingrates!
"The prisoners are starving," Issa explained, "They will make sure that the cubs suffer, just as all lions should!"
The army of hyenas cheered and laughed.
"Feed them to the prisoners!" the hyenas chanted as the cubs shook with fear.
Akida looked around and smiled.
"Very well!" Akida cackled, before calling upon certain hyenas, "Thimba! Ajia! Eruvu! Come!"
Thimba, Eruvu and Ajia immediately sprinted to Akida's side.
"Boss?" Thimba smiled.
"Thimba," Akida addressed the scar-covered hyena, "You, Ajia, and Issa are to take the cubs to the prisoners. Leave Mufasa to me."
Mufasa backed away timidly, backing into a hyena's leg. As Mufasa looked up, drool splashed him in the face. He tried to run away, but Akida stopped him in his tracks.
"Listen here, you little bastard!" Akida whispered in Mufasa's ear, pointing to the piles of elephant carcasses, "You even think of running, and you'll end up like all these elephants! Do I make myself clear?"
Mufasa nodded timidly.
"Good," Akida smiled, before looking to wards Issa, Thimba, Eruvu, and Ajia.
"Are you still here?" Akida asked coldly, "GO!"
The fours hyenas immediately picked up a screaming cub each and ran off.
"MUFASA!" Taka called as he was carried off.
"TAKA!" Mufasa called back, tears streaming down his face.
"Touching," Akida smiled down at the grieving cub, "Now come."
Mufasa followed Akida as the large hyena went to pick up his cub. The cub rolled out of Akida's reach.
"Dad?" the hyena cub said quietly, "Can I just go with Issa? I really like to see the lion cubs torn apart!"
Mufasa grimaced at the hyena cubs comment. Akida shook his head.
"No, Shenzi," Akida said to his daughter, "It's too dangerous to follow them without an escort."
"Please, Dad," Shenzi pleaded, "I'm so bored! There hasn't been a good scrape in weeks!"
Suddenly, a large vulture landed next to Akida with a small horn-bill in her claws.
"Hello, Nyoni," Akida smiled at the vulture, before looking down at the horn-bill, "What have we here?"
The horn-bill looked up at Mufasa and smiled weakly.
"Oh, Mufasa," Zuzu coughed, "Run! Get out of here!"
"Silence!" Akida growled, making sure that Mufasa was staying put, "Nyoni, take the horn-bill to the prisoners. I'm sure that they will have lots of fun with her!"
"So I can go?" Shenzi smiled at her father.
"What?" Akida asked in confusion.
"You said that I couldn't go because I wouldn't have an escort," Shenzi explained to her father, "Well, now I do. Nyoni can be my escort. So can I pleas go, now?"
"Alright," Akida sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "I suppose that would be alright. Just be careful."
"I will," Shenzi laughed, running off.
"Wait!" Akida called as Shenzi disappeared in the distance, "Nyoni, you make sure that she stays safe!"
Nyoni shrieked and flapped her wings before flying after Shenzi, carrying Zuzu in hr talons.
"Now," Akida groaned, looking down at Mufasa, "Come."
Mufasa followed Akida and his army, crying more and more with every step.
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Issa and his group arrived at a large chasm and dropped he cubs. On by one, they pushed the cubs and laughed as they watched them tumble to the bottom.
"Good idea, Issa!" Thimba laughed, "That fool, Akida, doesn't suspect a thing! I just hope our friends know what to do. I'm beginning to think that they might actually eat the cubs!"
"Well," Issa smiled, "Even if they don't, it's no loss to us!"
The group of hyenas laughed and started to walk away, before seeing a small hyena cub running to wards them.
"Hey, guys!" Shenzi called as she reached the adult hyenas.
"Oh, great," Ajia whispered to Issa with a groan, "It's Shenzi."
Issa rolled his eyes as Shenzi jumped on his back.
"Hi, Issa," Shenzi laughed, "I came to see the action."
"Well," Issa smiled before stepping close to the chasm and tossing Shenzi down into the abyss, "Here's a closer look!"
Shenzi screams stopped being audible within a matter of seconds. The three hyenas cackled.
"Finally," Ajia laughed, "We're rid of that pest!"
Nyoni landed next to the hyenas and dropped Zuzu into the chasm. The three hyenas stared at the vulture in shock. Nyoni smiled and flew away.
"Shit," Issa snarled, "If that bird tells Akida what we've done, we're as good as dead!"
The three hyenas ran after the vulture, hoping to stop it from reaching Akida before they did.
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Taka and his friends landed at the bottom of the chasm with a loud thud. They all stood up and shook off the dust from their bodies. The cubs jumped with shook as a geyser of flames ascended into the air, making a large group of hyenas visible. The hyenas looked down at the cubs and began stepping to wards them, drool dripping from their mouths.
"What have we here?" a hyena laughed stepping close to the cubs, "I didn't know that we could have our food delivered!"
The cubs sank back as the hyenas came closer and closer. Suddenly, a small hyena cub landed on the hyena who was in the front, causing it to fall forward. The hyena got up and stared at the hyena cub, smiling widely.
"Well," the hyena cackled, "If it isn't Akida's little girl, Shenzi! You have no idea how long I've been waiting to sink my teeth into you!"
Shenzi back away in fear, putting herself next to the cubs. The hyena prepared to strike, but was stopped by a cold, raspy voice.
"Wait, Kimondo!" the voice echoed.
Kimondo turned to see a large, black hyena standing behind him.
"No, Kivuli!" Kimondo snarled at the black hyena, "I saw them first! You can't have them!"
"Don't be an idiot," Kivuli growled at Kimondo, "I have no interest in eating them! Don't you see? If Shenzi is down here, that must mean that the cubs weren't thrown down by Akida. It must've been Issa! One of these must be the lion Issa saw in his vision! The one who will free us from Akida's tyranny!"
"Oh, that Issa!" Shenzi growled, "He'll pay for throwing me down here!"
"Shut it!" Kivuli snapped at Shenzi, who shivered in a corner with the lion cubs.
"So what if one of these is that cub?" Kimondo asked, "Why should that stop us from eating Shenzi?"
Kivuli shrugged. Kimondo advanced to wards Shenzi. He was about to strike when a one-eared hyena landed in front of him and growled. Kimodo sat down with a confused expression.
"You shall not harm Shenzi!" the one-eared hyena growled.
"Why do you defend her, Jozi?" Kimondo asked, completely confused, "I would have thought that you'd do anything to make Akida suffer, after what he did to you're sister."
"It's true!" Jozi snapped back, "I'd like nothing more than to see Akida suffer! But...even I could never see Shenzi hurt. Even if she is Akida's, she is still my niece. And I will do anything I can to protect her!"
"You've gone soft, Jozi!" Kimondo laughed, advancing even further.
Jozi lunged at Kimondo, pinning him against a wall.
"Easy, Jozi," Kivuli said casually, "I'm sure Kimondo was just kidding. Weren't you, Kimondo?"
Kimondo nodded vigorously. Jozi sighed and walked over to Shenzi, releasing Kimondo.
"Are you hurt?" Jozi asked Shenzi in concern.
"No..." Shenzi replied slowly, "...Who are you?"
"I am..." Jozi stated, with a tear sliding down his cheek, "..I am nobody. Nobody."
"Anyway," Kivuli said, rolling his eyes, "One of these cubs must be our salvation. According to Issa, the lion will have a mane as black as night, with a blackened heart to match."
"Well," Kimondo said thoughtfully, "To my knowledge, only male lions have manes. And there is only one male cub here."
Kimondo yanked Taka over to Kivuli by the head.
"Ugh," Taka grunted in pain.
"Leave him alone!" Sarafina growled at Kimondo.
A group of hyenas surrounded the three lioness cubs and circled them, preparing to strike.
"No," Kivuli addressed the group of hyenas, "Leave them be. We'll need them alive, or else the cub might not obey us.
"What do you want with me?" Taka growled at Kivuli.
"Nothing much...at the moment," Kivuli smiled down at Taka, "Just to help us get out of here."
Taka paced back and forth, thinking of what to do.
"Fine," Taka growled, "I'll help you. Now release my friends!"
"No," Kivuli said plainly, "I'm all about leverage over others. You can have your friends back after you free us."
Taka sighed and nodded. Kivuli smiled widely.
"Good lion," Kivuli said, stroking Taka's head before turning to the hyenas, "Kimondo, Jozi. You come with me. In my old age I might not be able to handle the cub by myself."
Kimondo and Jozi nodded and stepped forward.
"Wait," Taka said quietly, "This isn't fair."
"Life's not fair," Kivuli laughed, "Especially not for hyenas. I mean, come on! We live in such a dark place, but it still manages to be hot as hell!"
"I understand," Taka stated calmly, "You have every right to feel upset with what you've been given. But I have every right to have leverage over you."
"And just why the hell would we give you leverage over us?" Kimondo snapped, "We could kill you right now!"
"And then you'd be stuck here forever," Taka said with a cocky smile , "Didn't you say something about me being your salvation?"
Kimodo roared and scratched at the ground in frustration. Kivuli laughed.
"The cub is right," Kivuli cackled, before turning to Taka, "But what more could you possibly need for leverage? You already have the knowledge that if we kill you we'll surely die down here."
"That's not enough," Taka replied casually, "You made this personal by taking my friends prisoner. I'm offering a compromise. Cubs for cubs. I'll allow you to keep my friends until I free you. You must do the same, and allow me to keep any hyena cubs in my possession until I free you."
"I like this cub!" Kivuli cackled, "He's got spunk!"
"So, do we have a deal then?" Taka asked calmly.
"Only if you allow the cub's parents to come with us," Kivuli replied, "I give you my word that you will not be harmed...as long as you don't harm the cubs."
"I accept you're terms," Taka replied with a nod.
"This deal is becoming quite complicated!" Kimondo whispered to Jozi.
"Alright!" Kivuli called to the hyenas, "Anyone who has cubs would best present them now!"
Kimondo groaned and tossed a cub in front of Kivuli. Jozi picked Shenzi up gently and carried her over to Kivuli. Taka stared at the cubs for a moment, before turning to Kivuli.
"Is this it?" Taka asked in surprise, "Out of all the hyenas here, there are only two cubs?"
"Most of the cubs down here died of starvation," Kimondo explained, before stepping over his cub and snarling, "If only starvation had taken this clumsy failure!"
The hyena cub covered it's head with it's paws and whimpered. Shenzi stepped slowly over to Kimondo and growled at him.
"Leave him alone!" Shenzi snarled.
"Why should I?" Kimondo laughed.
"Because," Kivuli said on Shenzi's behalf, "He's no more of a clumsy failure than you are! Or have you forgotten why you're down here?"
Kimondo hissed at Kivuli. Kivuli stepped forward and growled. Kimondo decided to just sit down and shut up. Shenzi helped Kimondo's cub up.
"You okay?" Shenzi asked the hyena cub.
"Yeah...I'm fine," the cub replied, getting to his feet, "Thanks."
"No problem," Shenzi smiled, "I'm Shenzi, by the way."
"Banzai," the hyena cub replied weakly, finally turning to see Shenzi's face.
She's beautiful! Banzai thought to himself Why, though? Why would someone like her stick up for me?
"Banzai," Shenzi smiled, "That's a nice name."
Whoa! Banzai thought to himself, She likes my name! Awesome!
"So," Taka continued, "There are no more cubs, then?"
"Well," Kivuli replied carefully, "There is one more more. But..."
Kivuli lifted his leg to reveal a crazy-eyed hyena cub. The cub laughed madly and ran around Kivuli in circles.
"...What the hell is that?" Taka asked.
"He is my son!" Kivuli growled in an offended tone, "And I'm very proud of him!"
The crazy-eyed hyena cub bit into his fathers leg.
"Argh!" Kivuli growled in pain, before striking the cub off with the back of his paw, "Dammit, Ed! What have I told you about chewing on my leg!"
Ed got up, laughed wildly, and began to gnaw on his own leg. Kivuli rolled his eyes and turned to Taka.
"Shall we go, now?" Kivuli sighed.
Taka nodded, when suddenly a loud squawk echoed through the chasm.
"NO!" the squawking voice called.
Zuzu flew down and landed next to Taka.
"Taka," Zuzu said weakly, "How dare you even consider helping hyenas?"
"Stool pigeon," Kivuli growled, swatting Zuzu into a group of hyenas, "Here you go, my friends. Something to play with!"
The hyenas laughed as they carried a screeching Zuzu away. Taka showed no emotion, for he really didn't care all that much.
"Let's just get this over with," Taka groaned, before turning to the lioness cubs, "Stay safe, friends."
With that, Taka, the hyena cubs, and their hyena parents walked off to search for any way out.
"Taka," Sarafina whispered to herself, "Please be safe!"
"Taka," Sarabi said to herself, "Please don't do anything dangerous."
"Taka," Zira growled to herself, "If they harm even one hair on your head, I'll kill them!"
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Issa, Thimba, Eruvu, and Ajia arrived at the pile of bones that served as Akida's bed to see Akida sitting up and staring at Nyoni as she squawked and flapped her wings. They also noticed Mufasa trapped in a hyena's ribcage.
"Damn it!" Issa groaned, "We're too late!"
The four hyenas tried to back away before Akida noticed them, but Akida looked up at them and smiled.
"Why, hello!" Akida smiled at them, looking at the hyenas side to side, "Where's Shenzi?"
"Shenzi...is...um," Thimba mumbled.
Nyoni squawked and flapped her wings at Akida. Akida looked at the vulture and smiled.
"Oh, I see!" Akida smiled at the hyenas, "You found another hyena to watch her, and came back to offer your services!"
Nyoni winked at Issa. Issa stared at the vulture in confusion.
"Um...why, yes," Issa finally replied, "That's exactly what happened."
"Excellent!" Akida cackled, "I need you to go to the Pride Lands and tell that tyrant, Ahadi, that we have his son!"
The four hyenas looked up at Akida in shock, not believing his request. They glanced at each other and nodded, running to wards the Pride Lands.
"Do you think he knows?" Ajia asked Issa.
"I...I don't know," Issa replied.
What the hell just happened? Issa thought to himself.
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Kivuli led Taka and the group down a narrow path. Geysers of flame arose from each corner.
"Best to be careful, here," Kivuli advised.
"Where are we going, anyway?" Taka asked Kivuli.
"There's a small opening in the back of this chasm." Kivuli explained, "You should be able to fit through it."
"If there's an opening," Taka stated, "Why haven't you just crawled through it?"
"Because," Kivuli groaned, rolling his eyes, "If other hyenas saw me, or any other hyena, escaping from here, we'd be killed on the spot. The worst that will happen to you is that you'll end up back here."
"Oh, I see," Taka said, nodding his head, "But there's still something that confuses me."
"You talk to much!" Kimondo growled at Taka.
Kivuli swatted Kimondo away and smiled down at Taka.
"It's alright," Kivuli laughed, "I'm happy to answer any questions that the savior has! Now, what would you like to know?"
"Well," Taka replied, "It seems that Akida is your leader. But everyone here seems to hate him. Why?"
"We've all got our reasons," Kivuli replied, "Mine is that he murders in the name of my baby sister. Kimondo's reason is because Akida has never once praised him for his successes, but never hesitates to ridicule him for his failures. Jozi's reason is because Akida mated with his twin sister, and as soon as she bore him a cub, he killed her."
Jozi hung his head and weeped. Shenzi ran over to Jozi and looked up at him.
"Dad killed my mom?" Shenzi asked Jozi in shock.
Jozi nodded sadly as his remaining ear drooped. Shenzi stepped closer to Jozi.
"I can't believe it!" Shenzi growled, "Why?"
"Because, Shenzi," Jozi frowned down at the hyena cub, "Your mother did not want to name you Shenzi. She thought that it was too vulgar a name for a cub. But instead of making a compromise, he ripped out her throat."
Shenzi looked at Jozi in complete shock and held her throat as she walked.
"You see, Shenzi," Jozi explained, "Because of that, I became enraged and challenged your father. Needless to say, he bit me within an inch of my life and threw me down here."
"That's horrible!" Shenzi gasped.
"So," Taka asked Kivuli, "May I ask why you are down here?"
"Basically the same reason," Kivuli snickered, "Only I challenged Akida simply because I wanted to become Ruler of the hyenas. I could have ripped him apart in my prime!"
"You challenged Akida for something as stupid as that?" Taka asked in surprise, "But he's over twice you're size! What did you want to be ruler for anyway?"
"Like I told you," Kivuli sighed, "He's been murdering in the name of my baby sister. That's basically blaming her for all that he's done! Sauda would never have wanted any of this! She despised even the smallest form of murder!"
"So where is Sauda now?" Taka asked Kivuli out of curiosity.
"Dead," Kivuli replied with a growl, "She was killed by Ahadi."
"What?" Taka gasped, stumbling a bit.
"Ahadi killed Sauda," Kivuli reiterated.
"Why?" Taka asked, "What did she do?"
"Nothing," Kivuli growled, "She did absolutely nothing! She was falsely accused of having something to do with the murder of some lioness! She couldn't have done it! She was with me and the others. Thanks to Sauda...we were so close...so close to finally putting an end to the feud between lions and hyenas."
Taka froze. Something about Kivuli's story seemed familiar to him. He realized that it was very similar to a story his mother told him. One about a hyena invasion.
"What's up?" Kivuli asked Taka, looking around.
"It's just..." Taka replied slowly, "This seems similar to a story my mother told me. She said that when I was born, a group of hyenas came and took over the Pride Lands. She said that they wanted to live with us, and escape injustice. She also told me of a kind hyena, who did the impossible by bringing lions and hyenas together...if only for a few moments."
"That is no story, child," Kivuli replied staring at Taka, "Now that I look at you more closely, you look very familiar. What's your name, anyway?"
"My name?" Taka replied, surprised that Kivuli had bothered to ask, "My name is Taka."
"Taka.." Kivuli mused, thinking of where he had heard th name before, "Oh, now I remember! It seems like only yesterday that I had you under my claws!"
Taka looked up at Kivuli in confusion. Kivuli smiled.
"You see," Kivuli explained, "I was part of the group of hyenas who invaded the Pride Lands! As I remember, there was some lioness who was watching over you. When Jozi and his sister walked in, she attacked them. So, I took you prisoner and threatened to kill you if she did not release Jozi and his sister. You were just a baby at the time."
"What?" Taka asked in shock, "How could you?"
"Did you just expect me to stand around while she killed my friends?" Kivuli replied, "I had to do something!"
Taka sighed. He knew he could not hold what Kivuli did against him.
"So.." Taka sighed, "What was this lioness who was watching over me like?"
"Well," Kivuli began, "She had dark fur, though not as dark as yours. She actually looked a lot like one of your friends. Come to think of it, she was the lioness who Ahadi accused us of killing!"
Taka eyes widened. He suddenly realized who Kivuli was talking about.
"Sir?" Taka asked Kivuli, "Was this lioness by any chance name Zhenga?"
"Zhenga," Kivuli said thoughtfully, "Sounds about right."
Taka stopped in his tracks and sat down.
"What's wrong?" Kivuli asked Taka.
"I'm not going any further until you answer one question," Taka stated coldly.
"We'v already met all of your demands," Kivuli replied, pointing to the three hyena cubs, "What more do you want?"
"I want the truth," Taka growled, "Did you, or any other hyena, have anything to do with Zhenga's death?"
Kivuli stared at Taka and smiled widely.
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Issa and his group ran into the Pride Lands and crouched low to the ground, looking for a safe route.
"Damn," Thimba growled, "This isn't going to be easy!"
"What the hell are you doing here?" a voice from behind the hyenas growled.
The hyenas jumped in shock and turned around to see a lion and a lioness sitting in the grass.
"Oh," Issa cackled, "It's only you, Guedado!"
Guedado stared at Issa and nodded.
"Friends of yours?" Shakarri asked Guedado.
"Unfortunately," Guedado smiled at his mate, before turning back to the hyenas, "Now, why are you here? You know what my nephew will do if he finds you in his kingdom."
"Oh...well," Issa stated, "Akida sent us to tell Ahadi that we have his son, and if he wants him back in one piece, he better meet our demands!"
"WHAT?" Guedado roared at Issa, "How dare you bring a cub into this? Are you insane? Take me to Akida, NOW!"
The four hyenas nodded quickly and ran off.
"Come on, Shakarri," Guedado called to his mate, "We have to rescue my grand-nephew."
"Why would I help him?" Shakarri snorted.
"Don't think of it as helping him," Guedado smiled at his mate, giving her a lick on the cheek, "Think of it as helping me."
Sharkarri smiled and nodded before running after the hyenas with Guedado.
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"Rest assured,"Kivuli smiled at Taka, "I had nothing to do with it. In the case of another hyena...I really hope not. Is that good enough for you?"
Taka nodded and continued walking after Kivuli. As Taka passed the hyena cubs, Ed sank his fangs into Taka's backside.
"Arghoo!" Taka howled in pain.
"Aw," Kivuli smiled, turning to see Taka rubbing his rear end, "Ed like's you!"
"What's his problem, anyway?" Taka asked Kivuli.
"What do you mean?" Kivuli asked Taka in confusion.
"There must be something wrong with him," Taka replied, "That stupid laugh, his vacant expression, his obsession with biting things. Is he slow?"
"Absolutely not!" Kivuli growled in an offended tone.
"So, what's wrong with him?" Taka asked.
Ed jumped on Banzai and bit into the hyena cubs ear. Shenzi laughed as Banzai howled in pain.
"You see," Kivuli sighed, "I am a murderer. I always have been, I always will be. I've killed hundreds of my own kind just so that I could get a meal. I don't expect you to understand. It's not like you've ever killed anyone."
Taka nodded sadly. Although he knew that murder was wrong, Taka also knew that he couldn't judge Kivuli. Not after the whole stampede incident.
"Actually," Taka replied, "I do know a bit about murder."
Taka explained the stampede he caused to Kivuli. Kivuli hung on every word, as if enjoying the tale. When Taka was finished, Kivuli smiled down at him.
"That is an interesting story," Kivuli smiled, "But it is not exactly what I am talking about. You killed by accident. I killed out of need. A need for food and a need to live."
"I see," Taka replied, "But what does you being a murderer have to do with Ed's lack of...refinement."
"Simple," Kivuli replied, "I had to take Ed with me everywhere. To see his own father slaughter so many other hyenas...it must've been too much for him."
"Hmm," Taka stated, knowing that it made perfect sense, "But why did you need to take him with you? Couldn't his mother have watched him.
"No," Kivuli responded sadly, a tear slipping down his snout, "His mother died only moments after he was born."
"I'm so sorry," Taka said, regretting that he had asked the question, "Did she die of cub-birth?"
"Most likely," Kivuli said sadly, before cackling sadistically, "But I suppose me snapping her neck might have had more to do with it!"
Kivuli and Ed laughed wildly as Taka immediately vomited.
"You killed you're mate?" Taka asked in disgust, "You're despicable!"
"Oh, come now," Kivuli smiled, "Haven't you ever heard of the Circle of Life?"
"Of course I have!" Taka growled, "But I don't see what that has to do with you killing your mate!"
"It has everything to do with it!" Kivuli explained, "Do you have any idea how unfair it is to bring a baby hyena into the world? Most of them die of starvation! Well, I didn't want to see Ed suffer, but he was still just another mouth to feed. I killed my mate so that Ed may survive. A life for a life. It's an even exchange."
"But she was your mate!" Taka growled, before pointing to Ed, "And what kind of life is this for your son? One can only imagine how tortured he is on the inside. Just look at him!"
Ed merely smiled with his tongue drooping out. Shenzi and Banzai laughed.
"Anyway," Taka continued, rolling his eyes, "Why would you choose to kill your mate over a newborn cub?"
"Simple," Kivuli replied, "She was bigger than Ed. She had more meat on her bones."
"W...what?" Taka asked, not believing what he had just heard.
"Let me explain something," Kivuli smiled at Taka, "When I said I killed others for a meal, I meant that I kill others for a meal!"
Taka fainted. The hyenas looked at him strangely. Kivuli shrugged and picked Taka up, carrying him in his jaws. Ed laughed manically.
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Issa and his group led Guedado and Shakarri to Akida. Akida walked over to Guedado and smiled.
"Well, well, well," Akida laughed, "If it isn't Gue..."
Akida was cut off by a slash to the face from Guedado, knocking him out cold.
"Let's go!" Guedado roared, pulling the ribcage off of Mufasa and carrying the small cub off.
"Grand-uncle...Shakarri," Mufasa gasped in shock, "What are you.."
"No time!" Shakarri growled at Mufasa, "We need to find your brother and get out of here!"
"..Taka..." Mufasa said sadly, "He's probably dead by now."
"No," Issa replied, "The prisoners wouldn't kill him. I'll explain on the way."
With that, the group ran to wards the chasm as fast as they could.
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Taka woke up to find that he was being carried in Kivuli's fangs. Taka wriggled free and growled at Kivuli.
"Get away from me, you damn cannibal!" Taka growled at Kivuli.
"Oh, you're up," Kivuli said calmly, "Keep in mind that if you run, we'll kill you're friends."
Taka hung his head and groaned in frustration.
"How can you live with yourself?" Taka asked Kivuli.
"I just do," Kivuli shrugged.
"But don't you ever feel guilty?" Taka questioned Kivuli, "I mean, to have something like murder on your conscience."
"I'll admit that I do sometimes feel guilty," Kivuli responded, "But then I just think of a happy song and I feel better!"
"Huh?" Taka asked in surprise.
"Y'know!" Kivuli laughed, "A happy little ditty! Like the one about the coconuts! Then I know longer feel guilty!"
Taka just shook his head.
This hyena is insane! Taka thought to himself, I'm going to just change th subject.
"What do I do when we get to the hole, anyway?" Taka asked Kivuli.
"Run home," Kivuli replied plainly.
"That's it?" Taka asked.
"Yep," Kivuli responded, "Just run home and come back when you're old enough to kill an over-sized hyena."
"How do you know that I'll come back?" Taka asked, "And if I run home, how can I get my friends back?"
"Oh, you won't be running alone," Kivuli responded, "We're expecting reinforcements any minute. They'll be able to retrieve you're friends and get them home safely. They'll also make sure that you come back when it's time."
Taka looked at the ground. This was a lot of responsibility for a cub his age.
"I have another question about Akida," Taka stated after a pause.
"Go on," Kivuli smiled.
"The reason that I would be able to get out safely is because all the hyenas, even those who are not imprisoned, hate Akida, right? And wouldn't do anything to help him unless he was watching?" Taka asked.
"Correct," Kivuli stated.
"So," Taka continued, "Why can't you just kill Akida?"
"I already told you," Kivuli groaned, "We've already tried and.."
"No," Taka interrupted, "That's not what I meant. You all took him on alone. Alone you're no match for Akida. But together...you could end his rule."
"What are you talking about?" Kivuli asked Taka in confusion.
"Well, you all hate him," Taka replied, "You could all take him down together. With enough of you working together, any tyrant can be overthrown!"
Kivuli thought this over. The idea of working together had never occurred to him. He looked forward after feeling sunlight hit his face. They had arrived at the hole.
"Now, Kivuli sighed, "We wait."
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Kivuli and the group did not have to wait long, for the reinforcements arrived quickly. Taka looked up and saw his grand-uncle with Mufasa in his mouth.
"Mufasa!" Taka shouted with joy, running out through the hole.
Mufasa jumped out of Guedado's mouth and embraced his brother.
"Good," Issa said, "We've got the cub. Now let's just get the others and.."
Issa was cut off by Shakarri, who knocked him out with her claws.
"What is the meaning of this?" Thimba asked in shock.
Shakarri knocked Thimba out with a paw-strike to his back, and repeated the process on Ajia and Eruvu.
"What's going on?" Kivuli asked nervously.
"Change of plans," Guedado smiled.
Taka stared in shock as his grand-uncle pounced at the hyenas and knocked them against the wall. Fortunately, the hyena cubs managed to find shelter behind a rock, out of Guedado's sight.
"Guedado," Taka gasped, "They were helping you!"
"I know," Guedado replied, "But I've found you and your brother, I don't need them anymore! Now let's go!"
Guedado picked up Taka as Shakarri picked up Mufasa. They ran off to wards the Pride Lands.
"Please, Grand-uncle!" Taka begged, "If we don't turn back, they'll kill my friends!"
Guedado and Shakarri ignored them and kept running.
Those bastards! Taka thought to himself, Thanks to them, all my friends will die! Sarafina, Sarabi...Zira. I'll never see any of them again!
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Nyoni landed next to Akida and squawked. Akida opened one eye and got up slowly. The large hyena limped forward, staring to wards the sky.
"Sauda," Akida growled to himself, "They shall pay severely!"
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