Chapter 8: Unlikely Aid

Enjoy the chapter!

As soon as his pads hit earth, he was sprinting across the savanna in a mad dash towards the border. The cloud cover overhead was still in place, casting a grey light over the savanna. The mist from earlier had mostly dissipated, but lingered in the least helpful place. The jagged rocks and formations stuck out of the fog like black talons poking out from ash.

Suddenly, as he made his approach, his hackles rose and he forced himself to halt. A sudden feeling of uneasiness came over him. A cold shiver ran down his spine and he suddenly felt an urge to not get any closer. His paw was right over the line where grass faded off into coarse dirt which lead onto the slopes and the fog.

He suddenly felt as if he was submerged in the most suffocating, trapping mudhole. His limbs felt so heavy and he felt no desire to enter into the gorge.

A thought then occurred. His head swung from side to side, eyes scanning the area. In all his experience with the hyenas, they usually had a scout nearby to watch out for them. Usually after their hunt or during their bought of mischief he could intercept them, chase them all the way back here, and roar to intimidate them.

His eyes then came across a mess of paw prints, made form the morning dew's soak into the earth. Walking closer, he examined the prints. To anyone, it was clear they were hyenas, that was obvious enough, but he took note of how strange the direction was. It appeared like they went one direction, but then quickly turned around and headed home. A loop that didn't even come near to the grassland.

As he breathed, his nostrils picked out a foreign scent and he froze. He sucked in a deeper breath and a bizarre concoction came up. The scent of wet earth, hyenas, and a third source.

His claws unconsciously poked out and scratched into the dirt. A shudder passed through his pelt and he felt a involuntary hiss brush past his lips.

The sound of rocks tumbling down caught his attention and he stilled as a dark grey, lanky body hopped over the edge, a smaller, darker body dangling from their maw. The little pup squealed as it was unceremoniously dumped down as the female panted heavily. He winced as her entire body heaved with each breath and at the massive scar that man down her leg.

Sensing another presence, the hyena quickly swiveled her head over and her body grew frigid. Before he could speak, she position her body over the pup's, hunkered down and called out in a breathless voice, "Mercy! Mercy! If not for me, for them!"

Before he could respond, more tumbling rocks and two more hyenas, both male, came over the edge, one limping with a bloody gash while the other supported them. They immediately spotted both him and the other two and scurried on over to the latter.

Sensing that this was not the time for conflict, he lowered him hindquarters so that he was sitting. "At ease. I came because I heard that there was a disturbance here, though by the lack of any scouts or-"

"Why did you send your pride to attack us?"

He froze at the interruption, staring at her face to find any sort of deceit. Cold, angry fury just burned right back at him.

"I did not-"

A blood-curdling scream broke out of the tension and out of the fog rushed a hyena. They flung out their legs, tearing at the earth, then scrabbling to find hold as a howl broke free as an unseen force yanked them back into the mist. A roar not unlike his species broke out, but almost unrecognizable in how savage and viciously it split the air.

His limbs became unlocked and he found himself surging over the border, all fear and hesitation evaporating. His claws extended as he leaped over and skid down the border. The fog was thicker downwards, as anticipated, though hardly had he made a few steps when he spotted the hyena who had so desperately tried to escape. Their eyes were open, their gaze glossy and emptily fixed on the slope. Their neck had been broken, a bloody bump where it had been twisted.

The long claw marks that marred it's back legs, plus the red paw prints disappearing, both indicated the unknown horror's whereabouts. The mist swirled around him, almost invitingly.

He declined with a burst of speed and common sense hitting him like a rhino body slam. He flat out turned a surged up the hill, sunlight reappearing and stinging his eyes. The gasps of the hyenas hit his ears, though were quickly blown back by the wind blowing through his ears as he went into a sprint.

"Where are you going, coward?" The scream of frustration and distress gave him a second's pause and he slowed just enough to turn and call over his shoulder, "To get backup! Follow me!"

Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw them following after him. A part of him bristled at the notion of them being here, seeking aid and protection, after rejecting it for so long. Another part winced at how the pride and other animals would react to their presence.

Though he felt uncertainty rising, he nonetheless slowed down his stride and let them follow him.

As the king approached, all the lionesses perked up. The sense of fear radiated off of him like the sun, and their own feelings of concern and confusion intensified as they saw the figures trailing behind. Immediately a pair of them hopped down in front of him as he slumped down on the stone steps, standing sternly directed at the newcomers. Their confusion intensified as the two came close enough, stopped, then sunk down on their front legs, adverting eyes. The two's stances eased as they saw their injuries and the pup squirming in the male's maw.

"Sire!" Zazu alighted a foot above him and called down in concern.

"Don't worry about me. The reports about hyenas appear to be misinformed." He turned towards them. "They requested mercy, and I give it in hopes of finding the truth."

"We were invaded!" The female got up, hissing as pressure was placed on her wound. "Out of nowhere these lions came out and started attacking us. They snuck right into the midst of our territory and began picking us off."

"Could it be rogues," a lioness offered. "They usually try to come in by the border."

"It was a pride of lionesses! Viscous, merciless, killing machines. The way they slithered in undetected and instantly started taking us out clearly shows that it wasn't just a random incident. This was a pre-planned attack." She gave a shudder, averting her eyes and clawing the dirt to relieve her rising despair.

"And why should we believe you?"

Mufasa flinched at the callous tone and swiveled over to look at her. One of the more older members of the pride, one who had definitely been around long enough to see the havoc and grief the Pridelands 'wild card species had given them. He turned his head back to the hyena. In careful, slow movements, her head rose, eyes cold as ice. She stood up, slowly moved closer to her companions, and stood unwavering before them.

"You'd really think I'd bring my young to you lions? In this bloody state no less?" Her voice was cold as stone and grave like death. "Because sure, I could've just maimed myself just to appear convincing before you kitty cats, but answer me this." Her muzzle wrinkled up in a snarl and her voice came out like a hiss. "Why else would I risk coming here if there wasn't a safer option?"

"I believe you."

"Simba?"

Against the quick movements made out to block him, he leaped past them, making his way to his father and stood underneath him, mirroring the pup under her body. Unafraid, he addressed their surprised faces.

"I believe you," he repeated.

"Son?"

"I don't believe that they would lie, especially since they helped me and my friends out. Also." He popped out and stared right up at his father. "I feel that they're telling the truth."

"Feel son?" His eyes stared quizzically down at him.

"I just know it," he reaffirmed.

The king's brows were knotted up. He made brief glances at his son, the hyenas, his pride, then looking at the ground between them and the hyenas. His chest swelled, then fell with a loud exhale.

"I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt." The tension in the hyenas lessened somewhat. "However my judgement has not yet been set. I decide to give you three, and to those who may have gotten out of this event, clemency for the time being. If you can further prove evidence for the issue and can help identify the suspects, then I give you my word as king that I may help you."

The female nodded. "That is all we asked for, your highness. Thank you."

"Do not thank me just yet. Time will reveal what lies underneath and clemency does not give the full benefits of citizenship here." His voice rumbled like an echoing thunderstorm. "I allow your presence here in exchange for information of what this threat may mean for the Pridelands and its inhabitants, not just the survival of your clan." He gave pause and his face grew stern. "However, if I find your words or intentions to be false, then that will be as far as my kindness extends. Is that understood?"

His words echoed the weight of intentions. Knowing his previous encounters with the pride, there was no doubt that he would make good on his words.

The female stood fully erect, making complete eye contact, her stance nor stare never wavering. "Crystal, your majesty."

There was a derisive snort from behind from the lionesses, though they made no effort to protest any further. As they were motioned to follow after the king, Simba found himself being nudged by another to stay. The look on his father indicating that this was a nonnegotiable matter. Begrudgingly, he trudged up the steps after his sitter, but not before sparing the temporary guests a friendly smile. The pup took notice of that and his tail wagged slightly, before he took notice of the bigger one standing much closer and looking less playfully towards them.

"Right." The voice caused him to shrink back again as the king approached. "I will show you where you can stay for the time being. Accommodations such as water and food will be provided, though it is advised to stay out of sight as to not disrupt the peace."

As the king lead them away, the prince walked up the stairs and towards where his friends were waiting. Nadra offered a warm look of thankfulness, Mheoto just kept a blank stare on the leaving party, and Nala offered the same look towards her friend. Her face grew suspicious as she spared a glance at the six fading into the grass, before following after her playmates.

In the Pridelands, the lush, fertile landscape holds some of the most diverse types of ecosystems of any section of the world. Mountains make up one of the borders, but if it weren't for the large, expansive river spreading into deltas, streams, ponds, lakes, watering holes, and other natural places, the Pridelands would look more like it's more sandy, harsh desert border or the area between the two, a series of canyons, gorges, and unforgivably placed cliffs that was dubbed the Outlands.

With it's widespread grasslands, generous forest areas, extensive water pathways, and the ideal placement, the Pridelands were truly an oasis surrounded by desolated land.

Choosing an area with less herd traffic around and isolated enough to prevent unfortunate encounters, Mufasa lead the trio to a small cluster of boulders and stones rising up from the earth, overlapping each other to form a small den area which extended further underground. A stream was placed close by, allowing the refugees to quench their thirst as generously as they preferred, and the nearby tall grasses and bushes surrounding the area made for ideal cover.

The trio quickly rushed over to the water and submerged their dusty maws, nearly inhaling the sweet, fresh and cold liquid up onto their tongues and into their parched throats. The pup almost pushed his entire face in his excitement, though his unintentional drowning attempt was thwarted by a paw slipping under his chin and keeping his nostrils positioned above the water.

"You are absolutely sure about this, sir," one of the lionesses asked, watching as Mufasa watched them. "It's not too late to find them a place further away from our territory that would be just as serviceable."

"Perhaps." He broke his gaze away to turn towards her. "Though perhaps that would not be as beneficial as here."

"But it's so close to the herds..."

"As intended. They'll be able to easily scavenge for the leftovers after the hunts, just as they had been doing before."

She pressed further. "And you're absolutely certain they'll behave in their time here?"

His mouth opened, but no words came out for a moment. That was enough to convey the uncertainty of his own decision and display the concern the two had.

"Thank you again, your majesty." Heads swiveled and the female hyena from before came into view. Though her stature and form gave away her fearsome, strong nature, her head was slightly lowered and her tail sagged into an obvious submissive gesture. "I cannot tell how relieving it is to know that we are safe for awhile."

The lionesses behind him spared looks of guilt at one another, feeling the urge to care and protect pick away at the hard shell of their reserved nature. Mufasa shared a small smile and nodded.

"You are most welcome. Now, back to the important issue at hand. Where did you say that you were first ambushed?"

She winced, her face scrunching up as she fought to recall the specific memory among all the terribly fresh agonizing ones. "They..." she shuddered, her voice nearly breaking with emotion. "...came... back. They came from t-the back. The opposite directly of the Pridelands. Away from the.. the steppes, coming from the blasted, dry barren canyons...the badlands?"

"The Outlands?"

"Mm, that's it."

"Sire." Her head swiveled with a look of grave seriousness. "Isn't there a pride living within the heart of the gorge?"

"Queen Bianca. I have not heard from her for quite some time, not since the incident..." he mused out loud. "I don't see any reason why she would want to invade any neighboring packs unless they were intruding on her territory."

"I think it might be time to pay her and her pride visit."

"Out of the question. She made it explicitly clear that any Pridelanders are unwelcome in her home. I recommend heading towards the scene of the incident before drawing any conclusions and whether or not their closeness had anything to do with the ambush."

"I volunteer myself as a guide and navigator sir," the male hyena piped up. His partner glared and shook his head.

"Out of the question, I'm not letting you get yourself torn to shreds like the rest of them," she protested before anyone could speak.

His face remained neutral. "And what? You think you can go anywhere what with your injury?" His paw gestured towards her newly scabbed over leg. "I know the Graveyard as well as you do, plus if they're so willing to help us, why not make sure they don't kill themselves while doing it."

"He's got a good point there," one of the lionesses muttered. Her ears flattened and she spared a glare over her shoulder, before her concerned eyes came back to face his.

"I can't risk losing you. Who knows just how many survivors there are, and-"

She swallowed, gazing deeply into the concerned, but deeply set determination in his eyes. She knew she could not convince him and dipped her head in defeat. "Promise you'll come back. Please, promise me."

Gently, he nodded and touched his forehead to hers. She hardly felt her fear ease and instead froze, letting the moment against her mate sink in while the world faded around them. Let her believe that they were alone, that there was nothing out on the horizon that threatened to tear them apart. Let them believe that everything would turn out alright and he would return.

"Let's plan to do this tomorrow. Tonight, I'll let you rest and prepare."

"Understood. See you then."

With that the small group turned, picked up the small pup, and disappeared into the den. Now alone, Mufasa's group turned to head back, but not without continued discussion.

"Sire, do you think that Bianca's pride could be behind this attack?" Her partner spared her a queasy look.

"They are known for their more war-like methods, but even I don't think they would just go out and massacre packs like that... not unless they were provoked or..."

"That's enough speculation for the meantime. We should focus more on how to approach the Graveyard tomorrow and what to do if things go South again. Given how on edge the pride has been lately due to recent events, I don't want you further stressing them out. Is that understood?"

His stern tone gave the two pause and they quickly responded. "Yes sir." The one who had started the conversation, however, gave pause and second afterwards, then boldly added, "Sir, I must ask, were you able too..."

She immediately stopped, nearly smacking into his frozen form. Her partner immediately glared at her, but spared a concerned look at the king. Though his face was turned, the way his muscles tensed and his head hung low revealed more to them then what words could.

"...Let's head on home."

There were no more words spoken afterwards.

My apologies for not updating sooner. I've been rather busy with my new job over the summer, the encroachment of school, and most of my creative energy has focused on my deviantart TLK2 AU. I recommend checking it out if you're interested, I'm under the username Vtoony. As for this story, I'll try to be more focused on it. I do have the story planned out, I just need to motivate myself to put it into visible words.

Sincerely, v.t.7