DarkEcoOttsel: I DID put this chapter up, but it was deleted for some stupid reason. Sorry for any confusion!!

Untainted Souls

By: DarkEcoOttsel

Chapter Seven

For the next year and a half, life was hell for the hyenas. They had practically no food and no water. The damned caves were so hot in the daytime, with the geysers blasting off all the time, yet it grew to be very cold at night due to the cold winds that blew through the caves. Most of the hyenas didn't mind, though. They were so hell bent on revenge that they didn't care about their living conditions.

Shenzi, Banzai and Ed grew up in each other's company, now in command of the pack when Scar wasn't around. Sure they thought about telling the pack the truth, but the knew Scar would kill them.

Shenzi had become the trio's leader, proving to be the smartest and at some times the bravest.

Banzai was the wisecracker. He'd act all tough but he still watched out for his friends and was pretty responsible.

Ed could always make them laugh even when they were in the worst of moods. He could be annoying, but he often reminded Banzai and Shenzi of their promise.

The three of them were dubbed the Troublesome Trio because of all the trouble they cause when Scar sends them out on suicide missions.

Scar kept to his word. Since the trio was quickly turning out to be capable of doing his dirty work, he took a liking to them. He told them most of his plans before he told the rest of the pack mainly because it would involve them doing something dangerous. Like chasing and killing two lion cubs in the middle of the Elephant Graveyard for example.

"I thought you said we'd be getting revenge on Mufasa," Shenzi told Scar. For something he didn't do.

"Yeah, why are we going after stupid lion cubs?" Banzai grumbled.

"Because, numbskulls, one of the lion cubs is his son," Scar growled. "Get to the graveyard. Go!"

The trio yelped and ran out of the caves, heading towards the familiar elephant skull.

"Are we really gonna kill 'em?" Banzai asked Shenzi.

"Well, if we don't, Scar will kill us and if we do, Mufasa will kill us," Shenzi said quickly.

"So either way we're dead," Banzai sighed. "Shenzi, we can't keep living like this."

"I know," Shenzi muttered. "But Scar promised us food—"

"There's food in the Outlands!" Banzai practically screamed.

Ed nodded rapidly and grunted several times, indicating that he agreed with him.

Shenzi's face darkened and she looked hard at the two hyenas.

"Since you two bozos didn't bother to look, you better come with me."

Banzai and Ed, very confused, followed their leader and friend towards the huge hill within the Outlands that was just visible in the distance.

Banzai's thoughts were running wild. Not about the Outlands, but about Shenzi. To him, she had changed dramatically over the past year. She had taken on a punk-ish attitude. He and Ed for the most part had too, but she was worse. The lovable, caring Shenzi he knew just a year ago was gone; locked away deep within her. He wasn't sure if that Shenzi would ever be resurrected again.

Banzai's thoughts were shattered as they reached the top of the hill. They could see all of the Outlands...or what was left of them.

Everything was dead. The grass, trees, streams, animals...everything. The sky was clouded over. Lions roamed about, gnawing at bones and such. They had destroyed the Outlands.

"I...guess we have no choice but to take over the Pride Lands," Banzai muttered.

"Like we had a choice to begin with," Shenzi said with a sigh. "C'mon. Lets go kill some lion cubs. Maybe if we're lucky Scar will bring us something to eat."

The trio turned reluctantly and headed back towards the graveyard.