"Reirei!" Janja called out as he, Nne and Tano entered the jackal clan's territory. Reirei gave her evil grin and asked, with her typical false kind demeanour. "What do you want, Janja?"
But Janja, ever the impatient one, growled "Kiburi complained to Jasiri again. How many times have we told you to stay out of Kiburi's territory!?" With just a nudge of his head, he motioned for Nne and Tano to look for 'evidence'.
"Look, I have no idea what that lizard is talking about. I haven't been anywhere near his territory!" complained Reirei. "Isn't that right, honey?" she asked, looking at her dim-witted mate, Goigoi, who was fast asleep.
Janja looked ahead. Her two cubs, Dogo and Kijana, were returning from somewhere. "Mum!" they cried out. "Don't worry, kids. Janja and I are just having a little…",
"Janja!" Tano shouted. Janja turned his head to see Tano holding a dead animal which Janja recognized as a vulture. Not one of M'Zingo's, but Kiburi had made clear his love of birds and Kiburi did complain that one of his birds was missing.
Janja then said aloud. "You know Jasiri's rules. Three strikes and you're out. This is your third strike", Reirei dropped her false pleasantries and smiled evilly. "And who's going to kick us out? You? Don't make me laugh! You couldn't even beat the Lion Guard so you turned on us instead!"
Janja did not like to be reminded that he brought Scar back to life. Just seeing Scar's face in his mind's eye gave him the shivers. "No, I turned on you because Scar used us as pawns! But you know what? At least I saw that! You were too dumb to realize you're being used!'
Reirei roared at Janja, but Janja swung his head and threw her back. "Janja?" Nne asked. "Keep those cubs away from me!" he commanded. Nne and Tano did so, beginning to chase the cubs around the place. Goigoi just went along sleeping.
Reirei jumped at Janja again, but Janja leaped up and pinned her to the ground. "Us, hyenas, we got more smarts than you!' mocked Janja, laughing loudly. Though he was a good guy now, he oculdn't resist gloating. Gloating was something good guys could do, right?
"Janja! Watch out!" Nne shouted. Janja turned around to see Dogo flying at his face, pushing him off Reirei. "I told you to keep the cubs off me, Tano!" Janja complained as he chased after Reirei. Janja had had enough of this. He hated Reirei, always had. He was not going to let this… jackal humiliate him, not so soon after his consummation with Jasiri.
What Janja didn't know was that as he ran, his claws came out of his paw, so when he jumped, he shouted "Jasiri runs this dump and you will do as she…", his sentence interrupted by the ripping of what he saw was flesh. Reirei's flesh.
Janja backed away in sheer terror. "Oh, boy, what did I just do!?" he shouted aloud. "Mum!" shouted Dogo. Nne and Tano returned to janja's side. "Janja, what do we do!?' shouted Nne, noticing Reirei's mutilated body.
"We're going home!' shouted Janja. Janja and his lieutenants ran as fast as they could until they reached Jasiri's watering hole. As they entered, Janja whispered to Nne "Not one word of this to Jasiri. I don't…",
Jasiri heard her mate's voice and asked "So how did it go with…", Jasiri noticed blood on Janja's claws. "Janja…", she began. "What happened?"
Janja stuttered. "Janja, what in the Outlands did you do!?" Jasiri shouted, using a growl Janja recognized from when he and her were enemies.
"It was a accident, I swear!" shouted Janja, standing on his hind legs and raising his front legs in fear before explaining what happened.
Jasiri stopped growling. "Oh, Janja, you stupid fool…", she said, shaking her head in disappointment, before walking away. "So, what's going to happen now?" Janja asked. "Am I out of the clan?"
Jasiri would normally laugh at such a stupid question. This wasn't the time for laughter. "No, but it's clear you have no self-control. The next time you are sent out on a mission, Madoa will go with you",
Janja drooped his head. He drank from the watering hole alone. Jasiri watched him for the rest of the day. She remembered telling Kion one time that Janja was foolish. She thought he had wised up under her leadership. Obviously not.
#
Years had gone by. Jasiri was still the clan's matriarch and Janja, her primary enforcer, but there was a third addition to their inner circle. Nusu was a cute little thing. She had her father's big floppy ears, but her mother's spots along her leg. Jasiri loved her as much as she loved anyone in her clan, Janja was somewhat more distant, but he cared for his pup too.
When she was four years old, she was with Jasiri. It was the dry season and so it was time to remark their territory.
When they reached a certain point, Jasiri looked down at her pup, who was getting as big as she did when she first met Kion. "Alright, Nusu. Here's how you do it. You dig it in nice and deep", she said, showing her pup how to mark the turf.
"You try", said Jasiri. Nusu did so, but her mark was shallow.
Jasiri shook her head. "No, you need to press it down really hard", she said. Nusu did so, carving hr claws half way.
"Not bad, but it could still use some improvement", said Jasiri, smiling at her pup. "Why do we need to mark out turf anyway? Who's going to mess with us?" asked Nusu. She had gained her father's tough and rugged demeanour.
"Nusu, the Outlands are a dangerous place. You never know who's going to come your way, so it's better to stake your claim now, rather than later", Jasiri said. "Yeah, but Dad will protect us, right?"
Jasiri didn't answer. Janja's little mistake was always on her mind, but he had forgiven him somewhat. Nusu rotated her head and noticed there were claw marks, deeper than Jasiri's.
"Hey, Mum. Take a look at this", she said. Jasiri raised her eyebrow as she examined the mark. The deepness of the claw set off something in her head, like a warning telling her to stay away. "Let's get back to the watering hole", she said. "But…",
"Now, Nusu!" Jasiri shouted. Nusu followed her mother.
#
Janja had brought back food for their clan. They dug in and after they were finished. Jasiri turned to Nusu. "Can you play with your friends? I need to talk with Janja for a minute", Nusu obliged. She knew who she was going to play with, anyway.
Nusu let out her hyena laugh, her inflections mirroring those of Janja. "Where are you, you miserable snake!?' she shouted in a joking manner as she listened out for her friend. Soon enough, she heard slithering on the ground. Nusu smiled and dove between two rocks, putting her paw down.
The snake named Kira raised his head and laughed. "You got me, Nusu!' Nusu let him go and he slido n his belly out from under the rock. "I can't get around you", Kira said. Nusu laughed. "Nope, you can't. Maybe I should just eat you now…", she said, growling.
But both friends just broke out into laughter. "But, seriously, you're getting better at hunting. Who's teaching you?" Kira asked. "Dad. He knows a thing or two about hunting",
"Considering that he used to be the terror of the Pride Lands, I'm sure he does", Kira smiled. "Weren't you in the Pride Lands recently?" Nusu asked. "Yeah. Scouting out a new place for the dry season. Any place better than this dump", Kira said, his voice betraying his loathing for the cold, hard surface of the Outlands.
"And did you find any grass to curl up in?" asked Nusu. Kira snorted. "Nope. Plus, I can't sleep with the Lion Guard running about there, especially with Vitani at the head", shivering in fear of Queen Kiara's right hand lioness.
"My mum runs this dump. Maybe you could sleep with us", Nusu offered. She didn't much like the Outlands either, but hey, kwetu ni kwetu, right?
Kira shook her head. "No, thank you. I need to find somewhere else…", At that moment, a large shadow loomed over the both of them. Nusu looked up and saw the outline of what looked like a canine. The shadow quickly disappeared. "What the hell was that?" she asked. "Looked like an animal",
"Yeah, no duh, furbrain. I mean, what kind of animal?" Nusu said. At that moment, a body was tossed over the cliff. Nusu jumped back. It was the mutilated body of a aardwolf.
"Oh, boy", Nusu said, reeling in disgust. "That's from the Pride Lands!" Kira exclaimed. There was then a horrific howl, which Nusu didn't recognize. "Let's get out of here!" shouted Nusu.
They ran back to the watering hole in a panic. Jasiri ran to Nusu. "What's wrong?" she asked, soothing her daughter by nuzzling her. "Someone tossed a dead aardwolf on us", Nusu said.
"What!?" Janja shouted, upon hearing this. "And then there was this horrific howl, like it was a ghost or something", continued Nusu.
Jasiri shook her head. "Sounds like a jackal",
"Oh, hell no. Not one of Reirei's cubs",
"Well, it sure wasn't Goigoi. He's not smart enough to understand fear", Janja said. "Reirei? Wasn't that the jackal Dad killed?" Nusa asked.
"Accidentally", Janja interjected. "Yeah. Accidentally",
Jasiri snorted. "Yeah. We thought Reirei's cubs had run off after his mother died. Apparently not",
"Yes, apaprently not", said a loud, booming voice. The hyenas in the Waterign Hole looked towards the entrance. There were about twelve jackals blocking the entrance.
"Someone take care of Nusu", Madoa said "I've got her", as she motioned for Nusu to join her at the back.
"What do you want?" Jasiri asked. The head jackal growled. "I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Kisasi. I'm going to make this simple. Give us Janja. He must pay for what he did to my mother",
Janja backed away in fear. "If you want Janja, then you're going to have to go through all of us",
"My beef isn't with you or your clan, Jasiri. I just want your mate", Kisasi growled. He changed his stance, preparing to charge. Jasiri and the first line of hyenas changed their stance to match.
"You're not getting him", Jasiri said. Kisasi and the jackals began their charge. Janja turned around and kicked Kisasi in the face. Janja charged forward and headbutted another jackal.
"Nusa, watch my back and I'll watch yours", Madoa said. "Sure thing Auntie", said Nusa before kicking a jackal in the face. Madoa charged at another jackal, sending him flying into the air.
"Hyenas! Keep those jackals away from Janja!" commanded Jasiri. At that moment, a large form rushed in front of Nusa and shoved Madoa into the wall, followed by a loud crack. It was Kisasi. "Auntie!"
Kisasi climbed on top of Madoa and opened his mouth, preparing to bite. Jasiri tackled him to the ground. "Get away from my sister!" she scowled. Nusa quietly walked towards Madoa. "I think my leg's broken", she said, bending her right forward leg. "Damn it…", Nusa mouthed. "Can someone help me here?!" she shouted.
Indeed, another hyena came to help, dragging Madoa into a cave nearby. "Stay here and watch her", the hyena said as he returned to the battle. Nusa's heart sank when she saw Madoa, wincing as she tried to move her leg.
"Sorry, Auntie…", Nua said, nuzzling her. "This isn't your fault, Nusa", she said. Then another shadow loomed over him. another jackal. "Oh, would you look at this? A hyena and her cub…", he snarled.
Nusu showed her teeth. "And what are you going to do, little cub?" At that moment, the jackal dropped dead and a snake circled out from under the jackal's body. "Shouldn't be the cub you're so worried about", Kira snarled.
"Kira! Thank goodness", shouted Nusu. "I could sense your fight through the ground. I'll try and thin them out as best I can", he said.
And that he did. One by one, the jackals dropped, though with less venom rushing through their veins. Their legs suddenly went numb, but they could still move.
"Damn it, you weaklings!" Kisasi shouted. The hyenas soon ganged up on Kisasi and what remained of his jackals. "Now! GET OUT!" shouted Jasiri in the loudest voice Nusu had ever heard her use. "Fine! Keep your murderous mate, but I will be back for him!" Kasisi scowled, before he and his jackals made their retreat.
Now, it was time for the hyenas to take care of their wounded. Jaisri paid special attention to Madoa. Nusu cowered in the corner. "Can you walk?" Jasiri asked her sister. "No. My leg's killing me", Madoa groaned. "And we don't have a mandrill among us", Jasiri groaned.
"So what do we do now?" Nusu asked, finally speaking up. As she was asking that, there was a commotion outside. "Damn you, Janja! This is your fault!" a hyena was shouting as three hyenas were surrounding Janja. "Hey, hey. Wait a minute. This was definitely not my fault!"
"Then who killed Reirei!?" the hyena shouted. Jasiri stepped in. "That's enough! Blaming Janja won't solve anything. Those jackals could've skulked away and we wouldn't have missed them, but they chose to come after us. Janja can't be blamed for that", she said.
"Whatever…", the hyena said before tending to their wounded friends. Jasiri took in a long deep breath. "We can't handle this alone. We need the Lion Guard's help",
"Wait a minute. Jasiri, Let's be sane here. Kion's not in charge of the Lion Guard anymore. Vitani won't lift a claw to help us", Janja reminded her. "That's why I'm not going to ask Vitani. I'm going to ask Queen Kiara. She's just as reasonable as her late father, I'm sure",
As she was saying that, Nusu was talking with Kira. Jasiri walked over to both of them. "Kira, asante from the bottom of my heart", she said. "Anytime, Prime Minister", Kira said, before sliding away to elsewhere.
"Nusa, I'm going to need you to come with me",
"Why?" Nusa asked, somewhat sheepishly.
"I'm going to the Pride Lands and since Janja is still not welcome in the Pride Lands, I want you to accompany me",
Nusu rarely bowed before her mother, but this was a rare occasion. "Thank you, Mom", she said before Jasiri began walking, with Nusu following behind.
(TO BE CONTINUED)