Although she was not blood related to Banzai, Kwajuka had always meant so much to him. She had died years and years ago; with help from Scar's father Ahadi. When he, Shenzi, and Scar had been helplessly young, Ahadi had killed Kwajuka. Kwajuka was the former matriarch of the hyena's clan, and as it happened, Shenzi's mother.
"Kwajuka!" Banzai screamed at the sky. "What am I to do? The ones who matter to me are dying!"
He had known precisely how to communicate for he had seen it done by his friends Shenzi and Scar a number of times. Especially in the case of Scar. Kwajuka had meant the world to Scar and when she died it had torn him apart. Banzai knew that Scar's past was horrible and that the only thing that helped him was communicating with the first being to give him real care; the first one to love him; like his mother; Kwajuka. If it helped Scar so, might it help Banzai as well? One thing was for sure to Banzai, it was worth a try.
"Kwajuka!" He repeated.
A form appeared in the clouds. The hyena's flowing mane draped over her face and neck as it always had. Her warm smile shone brightly, and even in the clouds Banzai could distinguish her beautiful inviting turquoise eyes.
"Kwajuka... what do I do?"
"Banzai," Kwajuka mouthed. "Take care of your friends. If not the help of one, many lives will not be spared. Take care of yourself, my friend."
"Kwajuka!" Banzai was in tears.
Kwajuka's form left the sky. Banzai sighed as he sulked back to the den.
Because it surrounded their bodies, because it was red, because it flowed so freely, Banzai knew it must be blood. Shenzi and Ed's blood.
Much as he tried, Banzai could think of nothing pleasing. The ones who mattered so much to him were in store for a terrible fate. Death. Or worse. There was never a person nor hyena that didn't believe that there were consequences worse than death. Vaguely so, but everyone did. And it was this that Banzai's mind was brought to. After all, what could be a consequence worse than death? For in death, everything leaves you, (unless you happen to have been royal and thus gone to the stars) right, Banzai thought? Banzai hadn't the faintest idea. He knew his friend Scar believed there were consequences worse than death, but Scar was about the least reliable lion he could have thought of talking to. He was wildly superstitious and believed too much in fate for a realist like Banzai.
But, Banzai thought. Might it be better to believe in these things?