Compared to the Pride Lands, the Outlands were rather desolate. Not to say life wasn't sustainable there. It's just the Pride Lands were lush with green life. But the creatures here managed themselves just fine. Least the living ones.
A rock slide had occurred earlier. No one was hurt, least anyone important. Midst the pile of rocks, something managed to crawl away. A trail of rotten blood followed as the poor creature attempted to crawl away. It's skin was rotten, eyes gray and milky, and currently it was missing both of it's legs. It continued to crawl along, giving moans of what sounded like confusion.
"So you think we should eat it?" Chungu asked his companion.
Cheezi thought about it for a moment, and without thinking, he grabbed hold of one of the creature's arms and pulled. It popped out easily due to the decay. He chewed upon the arm, dropping it just beside him.
"Hey! It's not bad!" The smaller hyena stated.
"Don't hog it all!" Chungu protested.
The two hyenas began to wrestle with the arm, tugging on it like a chew toy.
"What the heck are you fur brains doing?" An irritated voice asked.
Sure enough, a young male hyena walked up to them. Like Cheezi and Chungu, his fur was dark and his eyes were a shade of yellow.
"Janja! You're just in time!" Cheezi excitedly cheered.
"Yeah! We were just having a little snack!" Chungu announced.
Janja was about to question them when he noticed what was attempting to crawl away. "What the heck is that?"
Coming up behind him was a female hyena, her fur having a more violet hue to it, and her eyes a peaceful blue. The female stared at the rotting creature and her eyes widened in surprise.
"I've heard of these things." She said.
"Wait? You have Jasiri?" Janja asked.
"Yes. I've been hearing stories about these things showing up in the Pride Lands." Said Jasiri.
Janja looked at the strange creature with confusion. "What is it?"
"I don't know." Jasiri responded.
"Well, me and Chungu were thinking about eating the rest." Cheezi said.
"Yeah! So can we?" Chungu asked.
"Fur brains, were scavengers. This thing aint dead." Janja reminded.
"Yeah, but it's all rotten." Cheezi reminded.
"Yeah and it smells dead." Added Chungu.
Janja sniffed at the creature and winced. "Well you're right about that. But no! We aint eating it!"
"Oh come on Janja!" Cheezu whined.
"Please!" Chungu pleaded.
"What did I just say?" Janja growled.
Both Cheezi and Chungu shrank in disappointment. "Okay." They muttered. They knew better than to go against their leader.
Jasiri walked up beside Janja, eyes fixated on the creature before her. "We should put it out of it's misery." She said.
"It's dead Jasiri. We should just leave it." Janja gave his opinion.
"I know, but I feel bad for it." Jasiri said with sympathy.
Janja looked over the one armed creature as it feebly attempted to crawl away. "All right, I'll do it."
Walking over to it, it entered the monster's eyesight. As soon as it saw fresh living meat, the monster growled, flailing it's still attached arm as it tried to reach for the hyena. However, Janja was quicker, and with his jaws, he crunched down on the creature's skull. It gave away with a sickening crunch and fell dead. Thankfully hyenas had really strong jaws, so this was easy.
Janja tasted the blood in his mouth. "Hey it's not half bad. Aged well," Then he noticed Cheezi and Chungu were staring at him, "Uh yeah, but we still leave it, got it you two?"
"Got it." Cheezi and Chungu repeated.
Jasiri walked up to Janja with a smile. "Come on, I want to talk with you."
Janja looked at Jasiri curiously, but complied. The two hyenas walked further away from the other two.
"Do you think they are going to leave it be?" Jasiri asked.
"Eh those two may not be the sharpest pair, but they'll listen to me." Said Janja.
"Well you are their boss." Jasiri chuckled.
"You're the boss, I'm just the second boss." Janja confidently replied.
"Oh? So confident." Jasiri said amused.
"Hey you know me!" Janja said.
Jasiri smiled and shook her head. "You've changed. You've come a long way from that greedy gut I used to know."
"Eh I haven't changed that much." Janja said, though his tone implied it was a joke.
"Well the old Janja would have eaten that creature without a care." Jasiri reminded.
Janja considered her words for a moment, "Eh you've got a point. But still, like you said, you felt sorry for it."
Jasiri let out a sigh, "I do. You know? Maybe we should start taking precautions towards these things?"
"You think we have to?" Janja inquired.
"Yeah, I do. I mean the Pride Lands are doing it, and I'm responsible for everyone here."
Indeed Jasiri was. As the Prime Minister of the Outlands, she had a responsibility to all the creatures who lived her. So far her leadership hadn't been challenged. Though Reirei and her jackals still were not completely reformed. Then again, it was Reirei and her family.
"Hey you're a good leader. Outlands needed someone like you to take charge." Janja reassured.
Jasiri smiled, "Thanks Janja. I'm just thinking about the future that's all."
"The future? Don't that meerkat and warthog have a saying? What was it again?" Janja racked his brains for that particular phrase.
"Hakuna Matata." Jasiri chuckled.
"Yeah. I mean I think we should focus on the present and stuff...but focusing on the future is good too." Janja added on as he noticed his leader's uncertain look.
Jasiri grinned and shook her head. "You really have come a long way. I'm proud of you."
Janja felt a flush against his face, "Thanks. So have you."
"Well I guess we should focus on the future shouldn't we? Dad!" Jasiri then gave Janja a lick upon his cheek.
Janja's eyes widened when Jasiri uttered that word. "Wait, Dad?" Looking over to Jasiri, Janja asked, "Wait? Are you?"
But Jasiri didn't answer, she just laughed and ran off.
Just as he was about to run after, a smile crossed his face. "Huh...Dad. I could get used to that."
And so Janja bounded after. Even in a world with undead monsters, there was always hope for new life.