I TOLD you I'd get juice to write for TLK again! And I even got that Juniper Lee fic updated that's been collecting dust for 2 years (just imagine how mad those guys were at me).

…Well, thanks a lot for all your patience and (from some of you) support. I wuv you guys, I really do.


Safia observed a figure approaching the elephant graveyard; an unusually bulky silhouette to be making its way into her territory. Almost three times the size of…and then she saw who it was. The lion, the well-acclaimed, reputable lion—the type of sort every Pridelander would gape at if they could see him coming within eyeshot of their borders—was steadily making his way to her lands. He was alone. Others—her mate, Afua and her hunting party, the residents of that particular part of the graveyard—all ceased in their business to take in the extremely bizarre sight. This male advanced ever the closer. Afua's party had been appointed to that area by pure coincidence, and though Safia and she were elated to see each other, they were sorry to reunite on such unfortunate circumstance…

Ahadi was marching almost hunt-like, though in a demeanor still royal and dignified; shoulders back, head up, and an easy stride. Yet his eyes were predatory, and his manner foreboding. He held no particular facial expression as he marched onward, heedless to the numbers of hyenas mere feet ahead. Ones who had plenty of malice to go around, but were too awestruck by the situation to do anything but stand mouth-agape.

Then they all saw what reason he had for ever coming here in the first place.

Ahadi was holding something in his jaws. Afua's lip trembled; Bakari's lip curled; Safia's face remained awed but blank. A few snarls of anger were heard as he continued his advance before plopping what he brought with him on the border: pups. Dead pups.

From the corner of her eye Safia could make out many a graveyarder's maw wrenching in anger and disgust. It was the bluntness more than anything—hadn't even dangled them close to the ground before releasing, should the parents have been among those whom were watching. To see them lightly wobble from impact was sickening as well.

He said, "I have no tolerance for trespassers."

Safia's head throbbed as she woke, Bakari quietly slumbering next to her. Daylight was pouring its way into her skull…or rather fading, as she heard a mild rumbling in the distance. She could also hear birds chirping off somewhere into those Pridelands. An almost mocking noise. Cicadas buzzed peacefully in the distance, Shenzi had shown a little distaste for them as a pup; one of those odd but cute infantile fears without explanation.

She observed the vacancy of their skull, and assumed her daughter was probably out with Banzai and Ed; those three had become thick as flies on a corpse. Safia was glad; to give Shenzi a childhood; to let her offspring live out her years that were free of pressure and responsibility—one in that she could spend hours upon days living it up with friends (the irony was not lost on her)—having just enough responsibilities to know discipline and concurrently be allowed to be a child. And Shenzi balanced the two nicely, very nicely. Safia could not be more proud.

As she would until that day; the ultimate day of growing up in a future matriarch's life. Then she would be bursting with pride, perhaps joining Bakari in shedding a few tears (and she knew he would). However, if Safia had anything to do with it, the day Shenzi wouldn't be seeing that day for a long time. She was only 15.

She thought it was funny how regardless of your species or what rank you were in—king or subject, matriarch or lackey, queen or drone—no matter how old your offspring got you would always think of them as young. It seemed only yesterday Shenzi was just a…pup.

Safia shook her head and sighed, careful not to wake Bakari. She remembered telling Shenzi about that exact event quite long ago; rather than say her deadliest rival delivered them to her personally, she explained they were "found" on the borders of the two lands. From that day on she'd never been so tough-grit about raising her Shenzi for such a demanding job. A clan specifically like this needed a very proficient matriarch.

In light of Shenzi's progress though, she didn't think that impossible. If anything, she thought it was very, very possible. With these thoughts in mind she happily rested alongside her mate who was still in slumber; knowing uptight Bakari, morning would be waiting for them when he woke up.


A lioness moaned in mild irritation, resisting the urge to shake off this horribly tingling coat of water from her fur—rain certainly helped by putting a blur on sound, but one sudden movement and the herds were all but scattered. She remained stationary alongside her friend, who was also being soaked by the oncoming rainy season.

"Relax." Her companion assured, bearing through it for the hunt's sake. "Don't you remember that drought in the reign of Ahadi? This rain is a blessing."

"True." The other huntress nodded, her coat turned a color darker. "But I don't see how we'll succeed in this hunt if our fur's holding us down."

She was about to reply that the herd's fur was holding them down…until she looked up ahead. She nudged her partner on the shoulder, "Don't bother."

She saw the fellow huntress was gesturing to a large rock on the other side of the field. It was a large meadow, quite lush with green and yellow tips, soggy from the downpour. The normally docile wildebeest chewed the pasture with even more…fervor, now that the rain would make digestion a bit easier. But through the thick herd, over the dampened plain, she spotted exactly what her friend was talking about. And was not happy about it. Behind the boulder, two hyenas were poking their heads out cautiously into the open. One looked at the herd avariciously, the other keeping an eye out, probably for animals like them. He caught eyes with the lionesses just as they spotted their little doublet as well. His ears shot up.

She dug her claws into the ground.

"I hate poachers…"

"I hate trespassers." Her friend added.

"Let's remedy that, shall we?"

Meanwhile…

"Gituku…" Kamau said very lowly, careful not to take his eyes off the Pridelanders or make any sudden movement, "they see us."

Gituku glanced up, having to tear his gaze away from the herd at which he'd been licking his chops happily. His elation went south. "Aw great…"

The lionesses charged. Kamau and Gituku had already turned tail and fled fast as their 8 legs could sprint. The wildebeest were spooked of course, and Kamau was hoping that'd be enough to buy them some time. …Unfortunately the two dodged the panicking wildebeest easily, gaining hot on their trail. Gituku risked a glance behind him as he heard their roars of anger behind them. Kamau kept his gaze and movements forward.

"Those psycho chicks are gonna KILL us! Oh why did I let you talk me into this?" He cried. Kamau had no time to glare at his…friend. There would be plenty of time for glaring and other corrections—well deserved corrections—later…provided they made it for there to be a "later". Kamau spied some brush up ahead and, knowing they couldn't outrun them at this distance from the graveyard, yanked Gituku with him out of sight, pulling him behind a rock.

"I know this is hard for you," He murmured, so lowly Gituku could barely hear him, "but shut up."

Barely edging their heads past the rock, the two warily observed the two irritated huntresses as a couple of dots safe underneath the shadows of the ongoing rainstorm and a heavy, well-dampened tree. The pair of Pridelanders were scouring the area for them sharply; was standing as she scanned the place while her friend poked into nearby undergrowth. Kamau measured the distance between them and the graveyard as he spared a quick glance in that direction; moving his eyes, not his head. Still too far, they would have to sneak their way out of this. Thankfully the rain overpowered any sounds of movement.

One of the Pridelanders finally snarled. "Where are they!"

Gituku cackled haughtily, as he let his back rest against the tree.

"Guess those cats don't know a few things about camofl-" The rest was drowned out, literally, when the thin trunk gave way and about 5 branches' worth of water gushed on top of him—none too quietly. Gituku sputtered and sat up to realize the graves he had just dug.

"…Oops."

Kamau was in the mood to skin him alive—the lionesses were too, but unlike him their expressions greatly revealed it. They each roared, momentarily canceling out the rainfall itself, before bounding forward for them again. The pair fled just inches away from losing their necks. Kamau only hoped those roars of anger didn't attract any other hunting members that were out today; if more of them came, they were cooked.

"Remind me to kill you when this is over." He yelled merely to overpower the rain, composure retained.

"Take a number!" Gituku retorted.

This wasn't anything to sneer at; the two of them were already weak from hunger, combined with the rain weighing them down and the lions gaining at their heels—their rage enough to overlook their sodden pelts—unless somebody pulled a fast one death was certain for them. Kamau's reserved brain clicked and he mentally groaned when he realized he was running alongside the hyena—if not the creature—to go to regarding fast ones.

"Gituku!" The other male glanced at him through the screen of rain. Kamau knew if he asked this—if they lived—he would probably regret having asked it for the rest of his life. Picking the lesser of two evils—a life shortened by poaching or a life with someone continuously badgering him—he elaborated just what he needed him to do. When he had, Gituku smirked widely

One lioness could see their mouths flapping, probably exchanging last words; it would do them well to settle matters, between the both of them at least—whatever other scum was waiting back for either at that…eyesore, was no concern of hers—because their lives were about to end very, very soon. She didn't know about the huntress beside her, but she intended to make them regret even looking into the Pridelands. Her claws dug into the ground as she gained speed.

That was when both hyenas did an about-face so quickly it was almost as hard to conceive as it was that they'd stopped running. And the next thing they knew, there was a clutched forepaw in each of their maws—wrist deep. Their own momentum used against them in a way so painful it would be imprinted in their minds for all time. It had been an extremely risky move, and most definitely lethal had they failed, but Kamau really saw no other option. Gituku? He probably could've come up with another way but, he just wanted to punch a Pridelander. Haughty felines. Each gave a tremendous roar in pain as the hyenas pulled back and darted off, one of them giving a wild, gratified cackle.

Kamau rolled his eyes, "So glad your dirty tactics came in handy for once."

"Hey, we're alive ain't we?"

Gituku could revel in that all he wanted, but it would be the only thing he could up to date.

Neither was ever so relieved in their lives to see those butt-ugly bones poking up from the horizon. The outskirts of their barren lands grew near. They gave it every last bit of energy they had just to reach the perimeter. There, they would be safe. The two might've hated it there, but right now it was the only chance they had of avoiding death…ironically. Gituku tripped at the last second and tumbled into Kamau. The pair rolled down a ledge and landed with a painful thud, grunting. Kamau shoved Gituku off him and both rose disoriented. Gituku rubbed his head as Kamau coughed up some dirt. They'd taken a spill, but at least they had made it. The bruises and scrapes gained would be reminders of their luck. The two slowly glanced at each other; Gituku began chuckling nervously to ease his agitation, Kamau now found it appropriate to glare.

Once they were inside the borders, they slowly looked back…but to their greater surprise they saw no borders had stopped the lionesses. They leapt down the same ledge the pair had tumbled down and skulked up menacingly, dripping as much hate for them as their muzzles did blood and their pelts did water. Gituku and Kamau exchanged glances; were they insane? Now that this was their territory…

Well, they would find out.

The lionesses immediately froze in their tracks when dozens to hundreds of hyenas clambered out of their chambers skulls, chasms, burrows, and—to their horror—some just seemed to grow out of the shadows themselves. Before long the landscape was more drenched with hyenas than it was rain, every one locking eyes on them; some growling viciously, a few smiling hungrily.

"Ladies, you know our clan." Gituku said cockily. Kamau sat neutrally at his side. "Y'know, the one that'll rip you apart if you take another step closer."

To assert this, a large number of them began to growl, bark, and snarl. Gituku had been correct, but this matter was not about protecting scum like him. Kamau was a reputably decent clan member, but he had not to do with the matter equally. The fact was: Pridelanders couldn't come in the graveyard, if Graveyarders could not pass into the Pridelands.

And all residents in that area were looking at them both like they'd be lunch in two minutes if they didn't get out of there. Each lioness exchanged uneasy glances with the other.

Gituku cackling victoriously as they fled the way they came. Kamau sighed and walked away.

"That's the last time I go on a hunt with you…"

Meanwhile…

Of all the luck Bujune had, this was probably one to mark up somewhere at the top: he'd gone into the Pridelands desperate for a drink—he hadn't been able to taste his own saliva in days—and a rainstorm occurs right as he's halfway to the water hole. He rarely poached from the Pridelands alone, and were he more experienced he would've known the watering hole was too public and many animals would be glad to report him to the king. Glad to rid themselves of another of his kind. It seemed nature indeed had a merciful side—or a piteous one.

Puddles were already growing with the grass he brushed against as he wearily trudged his way back home. The rain on his coat felt good, but it would encumber him should he encounter trouble. From his experience, he usually did. Still, it was pleasant to get a bath. Rumors of Pridelanders using precious water to clean themselves were infuriating to residents of the graveyard. He gave a sigh, and bent down to one of the deeper puddles. A pretty bad excuse, though there was no good excuse, if he got caught: water. Coming into the Pridelands while it was a widespread downpour for a drink of water. Those lionesses would be listening to reason, wouldn't they? Were they as civil as they claimed. …They wouldn't, but, he needed a drink.

He lapped up the liquid, giving careful glances around every half second; not because it was the Pridelands, it was how he did everything—glancing over his shoulder like it was as natural a reflex as breathing. A small sigh made him jump and half-spin in mid-air, landing clumsily on his side before he backed away in fear…to see a female hyena gazing back at him. Each stood still as his heart stopped racing and his blood pressure slowed to normal—so to speak. He took a deep, quivering breath and resumed getting a drink.

Well, at least he wasn't the only one who came here in futility. Though, should any Pridelanders show up he didn't expect her to do him any favors; everybody knew of the hyena who could barely stomach the sight of his own shadow. No real value to the clan and he was probably better off dead.

This time when he glanced over his shoulder he could see her observing him…for quite awhile…unmoving from where she stood. Beginning to get a little more uncomfortable than usual, Bujune politely glanced back at the female—somewhere near his age he was sure—and in his usual shaky voice asked, "U-u…u-um, can I help you m'am?"

Even though she was staring at him dead-on, she seemed shell-shocked to realize he'd discovered her. She looked away with a deeply embarrassed gaze in her eyes, glancing back timidly.

"I…" She began. Bujune kicked himself to note that she had a cute voice, he always chastised himself if he ever found himself attracted towards any females—he was a wuss. In a society like his, oh heck in any one, the girls always wanted the strongest mate: not him.

"I'm Eshe." She said finally, in a shy, sweet whisper. He nodded, but did not turn around fully.

"Bujune." He said flatly and quickly.

"I know." She replied, a bit too hastily than she'd meant to. "I...well...I see you a lot around the graveyard."

He rubbed the back of his neck, probably because she saw him running from darn near everything in there. Sure the graveyard had its characters, but he was one of the easiest to spot. He looked at his uneasy reflection in the puddle, and thought about getting up to leave, just before she spoke again.

"I…it's really brave the way you stand up to Gituku." Bujune almost laughed; standing up. The guy used him as a punching back 7 days a week. He bent down to get another drink.

"Even his girlfriend scares me…" She finished meekly.

"Scares me too." He mumbled before his lips even brushed the water, seeing two yellow orbs grow twice their size.

She brought her head upward. "What?"

Bujune's spine grew chill bumps; he hated it when he let anything slip past his guard, especially himself. Matters with females were always so…tongue-tied. But, he'd already spoken, and if she could already bear his highly un-manly…self, he couldn't see any point to sink lower to. So he finished where he left off.

"She is…kinda…scary." He agreed, grabbing at his neck in agitation. "I wouldn't be around them, I try not to be as much as it looks, but they…" "Were the only ones who put up with me until today."

"You're very brave." She smiled. Bujune still hadn't glanced back at the female, but he risked a half-glance, enough to get her in his perception. She was looking at him with no signs of foul play; ill-intent; a ploy at a cruel, sadistic joke…just tenderness. Bujune felt something he'd never felt inside himself before, creeping up from the pit of his belly…was that…confidence? Possibly flattery? He looked at this girl full-on. Her warmth hadn't faltered.

He warily put a paw on his muzzle. "I'm not so great."

If he'd glanced lower, he could see she was digging her claws in the ground the whole time. "I think you're wrong but, if…we…uh…we could talk about it at my place." She offered. Bujune's heart stopped.

"Listen," He began, being direct for one of the rare moments in his life, "you don't wanna guy like me. I kinda…I kinda get scared of my own shadow." She merely kept smiling.

"I get scared of the dark." She blushed, earning her a strange glance. She ignored it and he acknowledged it with self-disdain. "My nocturnal vision isn't as good as everybody else's—it's been like that since I was born. I can't see well, but I can see shapes. So…yeah, you're really brave." She nodded. "…Still want to go to my skull? I poached a heron this morning. Should still be there if we hurry."

He looked at the ground and pondered this over a moment: Him. A girl. A pretty girl. A place. Privacy. …He could almost feel the perpetual explosion building up.

To stop it he said. "Ok." In a half-squeaky voice. Smiling, the two walked off, tails intertwining on the way.


Man that rain was coming down…

Not that Banzai could complain. Who could when the Elephant Graveyard was getting its first taste of water in weeks? Years of grime and muck were washed away from the residents and their homes. Banzai like many of them had no quarrels even as his fur was soaked in the continuous downpour. He held his mouth open, probably looking like an idiot—and if so, one of many he was sure—before he found a hollowed-out skull and drank what accumulated out of that. He sighed once he had his filling, heading back into his den and shaking his fur when inside. With nothing really much to do he decided to catch a few winks until the storm passed.

Yet life had other plans for him and Ed poked his nose through the mouth of his home not too long after his friend had finally settled in. Banzai's ears perked up at the familiar chuckle and without even opening his eyes completely, got to his feet.

"Whadda you want Ed?" He scratched the back of his disc with a hind leg. "You know I crash on days l…"

The pitter-patters overhead soon faded, and just like that the rain had let up. Banzai blinked. Ed happily panted, oblivious to it as he'd been when he'd first showed. A few flies began zipping around his ears; his friend thinking how annoyed that would make him, but Ed didn't seem to care. The younger male announced his dad was up for another hunt and specifically asked if Banzai wanted to join in.

The awestruck hyena's eyes widened—good thing the storm had ended and to heck with it if it hadn't. Quick as the final flash cutting the sky overhead, he darted past Ed at speed that nearly gave the other male whiplash. Banzai cackled at the expression on his friend's face, but both hyenas were soon laughing as they raced for the border of the graveyard.

Meanwhile…

Rashid glanced up at the trickling sky. Well, that had been rather abrupt. But at least nobody would be going thirsty for quite some time. He shook the rain from his fur and glanced off into the misty Pridelands. He normally didn't like to encourage poaching, that was just proving the Pridelanders right—in one sense, but he would concede that dire times called for drastic measures.

Besides, this wasn't technically trespassing; he and the boys were just scouting the area on the border of the Pridelands for food. What could the lions do if their rival predators snagged a stray animal off their lands? Exactly.

Rashid also had other things on his mind besides the hunt: Maumbu's ambitions, for a good example. His faith in his son was unquestionable, and he very well believed he could do great things if made a healer. But he had to make him see the realism about his choice: much as he hated to. It was a depressing fact, but hyenas in this kingdom…didn't have a shot at anything other than what was in the graveyard, and, sadly, that wasn't much. He wondered if Hasina had been told of her husband's objective. He had visited her not 2 hours ago this very morning, and as always, she had her hands full with the pups. Kapuki and Hasani were a spirited little twosome, and even if he'd originally stopped by to try and simmer things down with Maumbu, he ended up staying to give his daughter-in-law a little experienced help…

Hasina was busy pulling Kapuki off her brother, or Hasani back into the skull to keep from wondering off, and as a last resort, the two adults had separated both siblings entirely—Hasani in his mother's paws, Kapuki in her grandfather's. Surprisingly, they both fell asleep from exhaustion almost immediately. Youth has its price, he deduced. Hasina gave a sigh, and apologized to her father-in-law for their…difficulty.

Rashid merely laughed and spoke good-naturedly, "It's ok, I got a couple of my own—one's 15, one's 26." He grinned.

So here he found himself waiting for those two right where the land started to become dotted with grass. He heard vague calls on the more depressing of the two horizons and a slight smile grew on his face.

"Ok boys!" He laughed, "Save it for the hunt!" They were racing, it appeared, to see who'd get to him first. His son was laughing between pants and Banzai was neither laughing nor panting—he was grinning. Rashid grinned at both of them when they'd caught up.

"Well, good to see you get some fresh air for a change." He chortled. "Nice to see you're settled in at least!"

"Yeah," Banzai panted, trying to laugh between the gasps. Rashid did no more than grin a second time at each of them and lead their little party southward. Nothing Banzai would say to Ed, but there were times he pondered if Rashid only remained in the borders around them just to set a good example…

Rashid soon found himself scowling, the glare matching Banzai's and Ed's. Wildebeest had sentries at every edge, ones with the biggest of horns amongst them. That was atypical. Lions must've spooked them before they got here. The rain had stopped, but the mud was a factor working out of either party's favor. Rashid tried to hide his frown from the boys while Banzai exchanged his with Ed. The three of them were hidden behind a thin sheath of grass and a few dead trees between them and the herd. Unfortunately, the herd was still a ways off from where they stood, and it would be trespassing even if there was more coverage from this point forth.

Suddenly Ed right forepaw jutted out, startling the other two, before all three hyenas held their breath.

By luck, one of them actually strayed off in their direction. Careful to remain unseen the males followed its movements to see it walk up to a rain-made stream that would dry up along with everything else. It lowered its head and drank, one of its own bellowing out to it, to be ignored. Ed was being muffled by Rashid, cringing as his son—unable to help himself—let out a weak but jittery giggle. Banzai himself was antsy: it was just feet away from them…

Before he realized what he was doing he was skulking up to it, Rashid almost hissing his name in protest—but he had Ed to worry about, so his bit his lip and his tongue, as he fearfully watched Banzai advance. It was torturous the way he had to restrain himself; hunger ironically fueling him instead of hindering him. He had to keep his head low to avoid being seen by the herd and its straggler…just before his stomach growled.

The lone wildebeest's head launched up and Banzai pounced, digging his chops into the back of the back left leg. The alarmed creature whined in distress as Ed ran up to join him, latching onto the right front. The canines seeped deep into the flesh. Both grew bloody grins as their meal grunted and cried in distress. Its herd would not be of help; it had already fled. Rashid glanced at them worriedly, as both risked a kick to the face. Ed's teeth had lost slight hold of its ankle, and his father raced up to dig his claws into the creature's ribs. This was it, their only chance, Rashid knew. If this one escaped, that was the end of it. Well none of the hyenas felt like going home hungry again.

Ed suddenly yipped. Rashid and Banzai kept a firm grip on their holds just in time to see Ed being pinned under the wildebeest's other hoof. Each male became horrified when they saw the creature lower its head and its horns. Rashid abandoned his mark and snarled, getting over Ed protectively. Banzai was quick to get off and join him; the wildebeest quickly fled once it was freed of its captors. Still bleeding, it limped back into the Pridelands.

All three hyenas watched it galloped away, speechless. …Ed ashamedly crawled out from under his father, only to get a paw on the back belonging to Banzai.

"Don't sweat it man, it was my fault."

"No," Rashid shook his head, "No these things just happen. You both did great." He grinned. "Not bad at all, son."

Banzai glanced left…then right…then behind him…then stared at Rashid.

"…Son?"

Rashid gave him a funny look, until a look of realization swept over his face. He too glanced off—Ed was getting a drink from the stream. He looked back at Banzai…prior to chuckling. "Well, seems you've come to grow on me."

Any breathing creature could tell by the look on Banzai's face he didn't know what to think at first…but the hesitant smile that grew onto his features quickly revealed his true colors. Before he could say anything though, Ed had rushed between them, darting right after the wildebeest. Banzai was quick to trail after.

"We're not done yet!" The older of the two called back.

Rashid laughed in his throat, forgetting about the poaching—just this once—and shook his head once his two boys skimmed the horizon.


She was musing about the Pridelands—again. She turned away as her maw grew a deep, contemptuous scowl. She sighed. Well, how could she—or anyone—go one day without sinking eyes or thoughts into the place? They lived in a barren, frightening boneyard. The Pridelands was a flourishing, beautiful paradise. And it was made even more beautiful with the sun cascading on the dewdrops, as if the land was a jewel that had its own gleam. While the Graveyard was…just a barren, frightening wasteland—that was now wet.

Thankfully, a Good Samarian was kind enough to divide her attention elsewhere.

"Well, well, fancy seeing you here." A nauseating, feminine voice greeted.

Shenzi's scowl expanded. "If it's a fight ya wantin' take a rain check. I ain't got time for this." She never had time for Monifa's garbage.

The female sauntered up, as though her paws weren't muddy as everyone else's, an unsettling grin decorated her face. Her future matriarch was unfazed. "Oh I'm not here to fight. That's a pretty hefty job—too much to pull off while your mommy is still around."

Shenzi growled out of warning.

"I just came to chat." Monifa insisted casually."Who wouldn't want to get a good seat with the clan's future matriarch?"

"Little late." Shenzi remarked.

"Oh I know, so I thought I'd go for the next best thing." Her grin doubled in size.

She earned a skeptical look.

"You seem to be coming along quite nicely in training." She went on. "The whole clan's noticed your progress. Especially Banzai."

Shenzi blinked with nonexistent interest.

"He's progressed too, from what I can see." Her expression was taunting and lewd. "Hunger doesn't keep that male down."

"I thought you were busy droolin' over Gituku."

"Which male is closest to Banzai in this dump?"

Shenzi rolled her eyes. Monifa sniggered.

"Banzai—funny as that sounds—has much better qualities than that rung. I could go on about his muscles, claws, and teeth…"

Shenzi wasn't about to put up with a nauseatingly-detailed speech about her lifelong friend.

"If that's the case why don't you just marry the guy?" She snorted, brushing past her, but just within earshot to hear Monifa utter,

"It's not me he wants…"


Unfortunately their attempts to track the wildebeest were brought to an end as Banzai and Ed spotted some very drenched and not exactly happy-looking Pridelanders in the midst of the plain. Each hyena turned-tail and ran the heck out of there, narrowly avoiding being bitten in half. What the heck were Pridelanders doing so close to the border of the graveyard? For the second time that day a pair of hyenas had used this supposed death trap as a means to escape it. Each male cringed as both let out a stream of colorful words.

"And I thought those chicks were supposed to be proper and junk."

They watched them drag themselves back to the Pridelands, unusually beat for a chase of that distance.

Now starved and doubly tired, each male exchanged a glance and sighed. This day just kept getting harder and harder. It seemed all good things had to be taken with more than a pinch of sand…

"Sorry Ed." Banzai repeated.

Ed shrugged and shook his fur, scratching a spot by his ear. His friend rose. "I'm gonna go find Rashid, you comin'?"

Ed shook his head and said he had some place to be today. Banzai crooked a brow as his friend walked off.

Minutes later…

"Whatever you three decide is fine, but I prefer this little discussion stay between us…"

Ed held back a shudder, and just shook his head at the thought of the young cub; poor kid, he didn't even know how much the world had it out for him yet. It seemed now along with his own flesh and blood, he had rogues, rebelling herds, possible traitorous Pridelanders, to worry about. Not to mention some big paws to fill. Ed's feet gathered mud as he inched closer to his destination. A voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"You seem happy."

Ed turned his head to see just the hyena he needed to talk to. He marched up and greeted his brother amicably. Maumbu arched a brow. His brother chortled genially.

"They're inside, sleeping."

Ed sighed; good. He pulled his brother closer and muttered something in his ear. Raising a brow yet again, the adult male followed his kid brother a few skulls away from his home. Ed plopped down when he believed they'd gone far enough, and let out another sigh.

"So, what's the problem? Somethin' you can't tell dad?"

Ed shook his head. Regrettably, as even if he felt there was some justification to feeling this way, he also felt quite…low, to put it mildly. He explained to his brother what the problem was.

Maumbu stared…before laughing insanely. "Are you serious?"

Ed was torn between yelling at him to calm down, and pummeling him into the dirt. He clawed at the ground as Maumbu was nearly bent at the waist in hilarity.

"Marriage?" He snorted, laughing harder. "Marriage?"

Fed up with his mocking behavior, Ed made a crude, none-too-gracious statement involving his brother.

"Whoa, whoa!" He snapped. "Let's not use that kind of language, I was just…surprised." He cleared his throat, the moment soon becoming very stiff between the intergenerational siblings.

"Well, do you wanna get married?"

Ed shrugged. Maumbu sighed and shook his head.

"If that's what you have to say, I think you know the answer."

Ed pointed out that Maumbu was not much older than he was when HE got married.

"Ed, you just shrugged when I asked you if you wanted to marry the female you supposedly love."

His younger sibling said nothing.

"Ed, you're my baby brother, and even though you annoy the living heck outta me it's my duty to watch out for you. So I'll be straight with you on this one—it's just a fling."

Ed's eyes tripled in capacity, almost scaring Maumbu, but before he could tear his brother's ear off as he lunged to his feet Maumbu head-butted him backward. Ed rolled into a nearby pile of elephant bones, and lay there, stunned. Maumbu was not remorseful.

"Ed, you got a lot of things to learn before you even think about marriage. I know you care about Abeni, and it stretches more than just physical affection-"

Ed immediately huffed.

Maumbu started, "Well don't look at me; you're the one necking in broad da…!" He composed himself and continued. "Ed, pardon the sappiness, but there's a difference between what I have and what you have. Sorry but the truth hurts sometimes." He remorsefully stated.

Ed glowered at him.

"I'm not saying it won't-"

Ed had already heard enough and left irritably, thanking his brother for all the help.

Maumbu sighed again, seems things were all rough-edged around their family as of late, and looked to the back of the skull.

"I guess this would be a bad time to ask about babysitting tomorrow…"

Flashback…

"Dad," Maumbu griped, a much younger version of himself and his father walking through a twisted, gray pathway. Rashid's ribs glided beneath his fur while his son's body, still lucky enough to spare baby fat, struggled to keep up. "What's the point when we never get anything?"

"The point is food, I thought you'd know that." He chortled as his son rolled his eyes. "Does never count that day your mother found that rat's nest?"

His pup fell silent. Rashid smiled and the two meandered off through the skeletal maze, keeping their eyes peeled. Rashid's eyes were narrowed out of vigilance, Maumbu's out of petulance…

Something did come across their path that day, and as an adult Maumbu recalled it was the strongest time he wished for food in his life. Nearly getting buried in a skeletal avalanche, Maumbu darted under his father as something came tumbling down an enormous heap of elephant bones. Rashid lurched back in surprise as something crawled out from underneath them. The female pup swatted a half-intact jaw off her back and rubbed her head.

"You alright there?"

The small hyena leapt to her feet, then recoiled bashfully when she saw the adult in front of her.

"Uh-huh…"

Rashid chuckled, from the voice she sounded no older than his son.

"Where's your parents, kiddo?"

"Hunting." She answered, finally noticing something peeking behind his back leg—and ducking behind it. Maumbu sent her a wrinkled look of repulsion as she looked on curiously.

"What's your name?" His father asked, trying to get Maumbu to come forth.

"Hasina." She answered, the two pups now sprinting around him; Maumbu using Rashid as a barricade between him and her.

"Ha—sina," Began Rashid, Maumbu having sprinted underneath him when she almost caught his son by the tail. Maumbu snarled—at his age it sounded like a whiny mewl—and continued to glare at her warningly as she approached from the front.

"Shouldn't they have brought you?"

"They would," She replied, trying to block off Maumbu's escape, all she wanted was a good look at him, "but my mom's too sick to go look for food. So my dad can't spare the time to teach me."

"I see." Noted the father, putting a forepaw on his son's tail to end this nonsense. He gave Maumbu a glance, then turned left to smile down at the small female. Maumbu didn't like that look in his eye…

He groaned at what came out of his father's mouth next. No, scratch that: he opposed it.

"No way!" He fumed. "There's no way I'm goin' hunting with some…girl!"

Rashid released his son and gave him a good-natured nudge on the shoulder. "C'mon Maumbu, we can't just leave 'er."

Maumbu snorted, turning away from his dad—only to lock eyes with the hyena pup again. She smiled and tilted her head. His growled as he turned away.

Once the days of teaching her to hunt had passed she'd eagerly gone back to her family to show what she'd learned, and Maumbu was happy to be rid of her.

She reappeared years later, but not under fortunate circumstance—Maumbu, at age 12, had ignorantly wondered into a danger zone and had sat down to rest right in the middle of an active underground field of geysers; the steam mixing with the mist normally given off by the Graveyard, he didn't give it much thought. Until suddenly from out of nowhere this furious female was bounding toward him. Scared stiff at first, he didn't know what to think until seconds later, when she had knocked him clear off his paws, and mere feet away from the now erupting geysers.

Stunned, he looked up to the female, who no longer looked so savage. In fact, she was smiling as she got off him. Maumbu guessed her to be about his age, and before he could say anything she happily exclaimed, "MAUMBU!"

Speechless once again he wasn't sure how to respond. After he paused for a few moments she tilted her head at him, giving him a puzzled look, and asked him if he remembered her—he replied he had no idea.

"It's me, Hasina!" She grinned.

Shellshock immediately flooded his veins. This couldn't have been the same pipsqueak who used to tag along whenever he and his dad went out for a hunt: for one, she didn't seem nearly as irritating as before. Different? Very. Bigger? Very. Prettier? …Big time.

In the days that passed after that, Maumbu couldn't stop thinking about what had happened, or her either. How much she'd changed, how he mysteriously found himself wanting to see her again, just weird things…


Shenzi was mildly pleased to finally spot Banzai for the first time all day. Ed ran into her, coming home, which was the direction she was headed. He laughed in greeting and relayed all that happened that day since he'd seen her—Shenzi barely able to comprehend an ounce of it—as the pair walked in the direction of their 3rd half. He was on his way back from Ed's skull, when he suddenly tripped forward to fall neck-deep into a mud hole. Shenzi and Ed stopped, then exploded with laughter as he pulled his skull up with a cough and a loud sucking sound.

"New look?" It would be a sin to stop or hide the mirth that kept coming. "I kinda like it!"

Banzai was laughing himself, even if he got a mouthful in the process. He coughed a few more times, trying to speak. Smiling, Shenzi wiped a pawful from his eyes as Ed started to calm down. Banzai scraped out his ear.

"Well Shenz'," He coughed, "I fell face-first into a mud pile, nearly got mauled by a Pridelander, haven't eaten or cleaned myself in weeks…I'd say I look pretty good!"

The trio cackled again, although Ed was for no reason in particular—his timing was very uncanny to Banzai's statement. Shenzi grinned.

"I'm guessin' the hunt went well?"

Ed and Banzai's good mood soon dissolved. The oldest of the trio looked away and almost rubbed his neck, pulling away when he realized he had a muddy paw.

"Um…"

Shenzi didn't need to hear more. She glanced skywards. "'Least we got a drink."

Ed nodded, Banzai too busy slinging mud off his paws. He must've gotten a bit too careless…because the next thing he knew, Shenzi was yelling and he found himself blinded by a face-full of muck. He reeled back, falling and getting caked on the back half; tail to ear. Banzai sputtered as he got up, shaking it off, barely able to stand before Shenzi rammed into him again. Impishly, she attempted to smush another pawful of mud into his ear.

Banzai hacked, "Knock it off!"

"Soon as I'm done." She promised, getting knocked off her feet with surprise as Banzai shoved her away. He pounded the ground as Shenzi was sent gliding through the mud, coming up with a clumpy underside and a caked fringe. Now she was really mad.

"Ooh, you shouldn't a' done that!"

Alarmed when she bared her teeth, Banzai span around and tried to take off until she leapt on him from behind. They were both sent rolling. Now both hyenas were equally filthy and probably looked a sight—Ed could vouch as he roared in laughter, feeling each breath becoming hoarse. Banzai knew there was only one way to stop this onslaught:

"Uncle!" He shouted.

"That won't save ya now!" With a grin of victory Shenzi yanked him up by the shoulder disc, knocked him on his back and pinned him down. Her grin only widened.

Banzai wasn't grinning; he wasn't really doing anything out of fear and…something else. Shenzi suddenly realized the position they found themselves in and climbed off, glad for mud and fur to disguise their ripening cheeks. Banzai dizzily shook his head as both of them starting to scrape out the mud.

"Geez, what were we thinking…" The soon-to-be matriarch narrowed her eyes at the muck in her coat.

"You started it." Banzai cackled; amused she had actually loosened up for a change. Ed's brow immediately scrunched. He guffawed a proposition.

Banzai's head whipped in his direction. "Are you crazy?"

Shenzi gave him a look; Banzai glanced away. "Shut up."

She too however gave him a funny look. "Go into the Pridelands? Ed how much 'a the brown water you had to drink?"

Ed grunted and did his best to explain why they should go back into the Pridelands. …Well what Ed said had made a lot of sense, so Shenzi and Banzai complied.

Minutes later…

"You two!"

Two already ragged lionesses almost moaned as they forced their heads up, only to stand erect to realize they were in the presence of royalty. Stepped down, but still a royal nonetheless. He motioned them to approach, and once they had dragged themselves over to his perch—a rock he was lying flat on—he asked,

"What is your excuse for those haggard appearances?"

One lioness cringed while the other explained, abashedly,

"We saw some trespassers in the Pridelands your highness." Her friend was wondering if it was somebody Scar knew.

"And you pursued?"

The two looked away dejectedly, "We did my king but…they escaped."

The former king's nostrils flared. Reflexively, each lioness stepped back, but as the lion stepped down from the rock he was on they finally saw it was not them he was glaring at.

"You're dismissed." He said suddenly, springing on the decline of Priderock.


I can identify with your guys' anger, but try to understand—the hyenas were being forced on me for a long time, so the ideas that came to me were stale. Lenore is something that broke the cycle and I love the series very much. I'll still keep writing for both, but I just ask your tolerance if not acceptance. …Now let's muse on TLK!

You know how Nala never shows up in the T&P series? I was talking with a friend about that, and maybe that's a good thing. I can understand a lot of fans could be mad, but recall how heavy they went on the anthro. Way too heavy. Even Disney thinks so now. So you could look at it this way: think of all the anthropomorphic things they might've made her did if she appeared…even I shudder.