Chapter Fifteen: Banzai's Past
Day Eleven:
Banzai woke up after his nap and noticed it was already night fall. After spending a day in the thick jungle the pups found themselves traveling through miles and miles of grassland. The night was cold and the sky was full of stars. He looked around to see both Shenzi and Ed gone.
"Shenzi?" Banzai called as he stood up "Ed?"
But there was no answer and Banzai got the feeling they abandoned him. He started walking through the grassy field and begin to hear the sounds of a high pitch laugher. That moment he realizes it was Ed and no doubt Shenzi was with him.
"Wow" Ed said "what are those thing in the sky"
"What things" Shenzi asked who was lying down staring at the sky.
"Those white dots that are twinkling" he asked pointing up at the sky
"Damn Ed, you really were raise by human if you don't know what stars are" she said
"Stars, is that what they are" Ed said
"Yeah, they come out ever night, I'm surprise you haven't noticed them when we were in the desert"
"I was too busy singing and annoying the crap out of Banzai" he laughed
Shenzi smiled and continue looking up at the sky, she loved just to stare out at the stars, it was the only way for her to think. She took a deep breath to relax when her view at the stars was blocked by Banzai when he was looking down at her.
"Hi Banzai, had a nice nap" She smiled
"Why didn't you wake me up if you guys were going to leave" he asked
"We weren't leaving, we just walked up this small hill to see the stars better and you looked too tire to be waken up" Shenzi explained
"Oh" Banzai said making an embarrassing face expression
"Don't get all depressed on me Banzai, just lie down and look at the stars with me" she said
Banzai smiled lied down next to her and looked up at the stars as well. Ed joined them by lying down on Shenzi other side. They all took a another deep breath and sigh.
"This is very peaceful" Banzai had to say
"Yeah, it remind me what my mom told me about the stars" Shenzi said
"What was that" Ed asked
"She told when I was very young that each star represents every hyena that past away"
"Really that hard to believe" Banzai said
"But its true, see that star, the brightest one that closest to the moon"
"Yeah, what about it"
"That my daddy's star and he always watching over me" Shenzi said "even through I never knew him I still feel his spirit inside me making me feel like I can do anything. You guys thing I'm crazy right?"
"No, not at all" Banzai said
"I think so but that's when your angry" Ed said till Shenzi kicked him to shut up.
"Your not crazy Shenzi you just miss him" Banzai said
"Your right, I think I just miss my whole family, my mom, my brother and their friends" Shenzi said
"My momma, when she went away" Ed said
"I'm sure she in a better place" Shenzi lied "And I'm sure she thinking about you everyday"
As Banzai listen to their conversation about their family he felt like he needed to leave before something he'll regret later will happen. Shenzi noticed Banzai started to get nervous and begin to shake a bit.
"You ok Banzai, you look pale" Shenzi said
"I'm fine, I just miss my family too" Banzai said
Shenzi sat up and looked at him "Odd, hyenas who runaway normally don't miss their family"
"I didn't say I ran away, I got lost and couldn't fine my way back and that's how I met you"
"Why are lying to me Banzai" Shenzi said
"I'm not lying to you" he said sitting up as well
"Yes you are, first you told me that you that you were taking a walk away from your clan when we first met"
"Then you said that you ran away in the desert" Ed said
"And now you telling us that you got lost, what's with all the secrecy" Shenzi asked
"Nothing, it's none of your business so just dropped it" Banzai said and begin to walk away
"Why are you walking away from me, why won't tell us about your clan, your family Banzai, why do you keep telling us lies" Shenzi asked getting Banzai more annoyed, he couldn't take it anymore.
"Banzai, answer me" Shenzi demanded
"I WAS BANNED" he shouted at Shenzi and Ed. There was a silence between the three as Banzai's voice echo throughout the grassland.
"THERE I SAID IT ARE YOU HAPPY NOW" He holler causing more echos to filled the land.
When in echo faded away Shenzi finally spoken up "Banzai, what really happen at your clan." she asked calmly
Banzai took a deep breath and sigh "there was accident, it started just out another normal day"
Flashback: Banzai's POV
I was only eight weeks old and I came from a large clan with very strict matriarch. The day was warm and windy and I was watching the teens pups beating the crap out of each other in front of the females, I found it very enjoyable to watch. Anyway I was sitting there on a large rock when my mom showed up to see what I was doing.
"Banzi, what are way out here, you were supposed to stay with you sistesr" She asked
My mom was a very happy hyena, nothing seem to bother her and no matter how bad I got she never gets angry at me. I figure since I was the youngest and only son of the family I got treatment.
"I just watching the teens beat the crap out of each other" I said "care to watch with me"
"No, I came here to take you back to our cave, your father and I are going hunting soon and we need you to stay with your sisters"
"Can I stay just a little longer, I'll be there in ten minutes"
She sigh "all right, just be back before the sun goes down" she said leaving
"I will mom" I said and continue to watch.
I never knew how teen pups would stoop this low to impress the females. I was still confuse about that conversation me and my dad had a week age about that. He would had continue with the topic about the birds and the bees but my mom said I was still too young about that "talk" she said. Still confuse about what that meant I decided to dropped it, after seeing a spine bent in a weird way I decided to go back home. As I was walking home I was stopped by two teen males and I knew what was coming.
"Enjoyed the show Banzai" one of the males said who was named Rawlo, one of the top alphas in the clan. His friend was Curon also known to me as my bullies.
"Oh, hi guys, and no I wasn't watching I was just thinking and now that I'm done thinking I better go home" I said nervously. I took only a few steps when Rawlo stepped on my tail to make me stop.
"Where do you think your going, did you forget what time it was" he teased
"Go home time" I smiled nervously knowing I was wrong
"Wrong, its "beat up Banzai" time" Curon said and they begin to laugh.
"Oh come on, it only been yesterday since my last beating give me a break" I begged
"Begging, will just make it worst Banzai" Curon said
"You should be lucky though, since we're too tire from our challenges we're going easy on you" Rawlo said
I swallow a huge lump in my throat and closed my eyes and got my daily beating from them. After ten minutes I finally made it home to my cave to see my parents gone and my three sisters lying around, talking about whatever girls talk about. My oldest sister, Banya, was already a young adult hyena about a year older then me, she always watch over me and always takes my side. My other sisters were twins, Milala and Tilala or Mil and Til for short, they're mostly the ones who pick on me and always have a negative attitude.
"Hi sisters" I said with a exhausted voice
Banya looked up and gasped "what happen to you"
I guess she was talking about my bruises and the scratches on my body. "I tripped"
"More like getting in the alpha's way again" Mil said
"How many times do we have to tell you to stay away from them" Til added
"He just to thick headed to listen to us" Mil said
"I agree Mil, too thick headed"
"Hush, both of you" Banya shouted and walked over to me. She picked my up and took me over to her stop where she begin to clean me up.
"Who did this to you" she asked
"The alphas, Rawlo and Curon, I was just watching them tearing each other apart"
"Why" Banya had to asked "Is this about that talk that dad had with you about females"
"Yes, he couldn't finish though because mom told him I was too young to hear the rest of it"
My sisters sigh for some reason and Banya looked down at me.
"Banzai, you got to stop going to where the alphas are, you know how they don't like to be disturbed especially from low class hyenas like us" Banya said "who knows what will happen to you next time"
"Yes sis, I know"
"If you know why won't you listen to us" Mil asked
"Don't start Mil, he had a bad day" Banya said
"Lighten up Banya, we care about our little baby brother as much as you do" Til added
After sister cleaned me up, I sat there looking at the sky as the sun begin to set, waiting for my parents to return with food. Life as a low class hyena or what the alphas called us "lackeys" wasn't easy. When you're a lackey it means, less food, water, one of the bitter caves you had to share with other hyenas, a weaker fighter and of course less respect. There were days where we go without food but somehow my family manage to survive. It just got a little harder when I was born.
"Still in deep thought Banzai" Banya asked me
"Why did we have to be lackeys, if I was a alpha I wouldn't get beat up all time" I said rubbing my bruises, I felt them pulsing in pain.
"Well, I don't know, that how life is I guess, some are born lucky and some are not" Banya said didn't know what else to say.
"Hey, we're there nothing wrong with our status" Mil said overhearing their conversation
"And you shouldn't either, being a alpha means being cold hearted to the low ranks hyenas like us" Til said
"But we get more respect form everyone else" I said
"More like less" Mil said
"Can't you guys think of positive things for once it your life" I asked
"Well, looked at this Til, Banzai is talking back at us" Mil said
"For shame huh Mil, our own little brother talking back at us, his older and smarter sister" Til said
"All of ya'll, just shut up" Banya said "I hated when mom puts me in charge"
I chuckled a bit and continue to watch the sun set ignoring the pain of my bruises.
"Hey, little Banzai, isn't that your friend waving at you" Mil asked
I looked to my left and saw one of my friends waving at me to come over.
"Banya, can I go see what he wants" I asked
Banya nodded "just don't go off to far"
"Ok" I said and ran off to see my friend. "Hey Pikco, how was your day"
"Look at my eye, it will tell you" he said coldly
"Ouch, Rawlo and Curon got you too" I said
"Yup, and they got Mojay, he was lucky to make it out alive"
I sigh "this has to stop, I'm running out of excuses to tell my parents"
"I surprised your twin sister hasn't told them"
"I had to bribe them to stay quiet" I said
"Oh, anyway me and the others are getting tire of those two alpha beating the shit out of us aren't you"
"Of course I am, it went from once a week to nearly everyday now" I said
"Well, tomorrow we're planning on playing some tricks on them when their trying to impress the females" Pikco whispered
"What did you have in mind"
"With the dark clouds coming, it going to rain tonight, which makes it excellent for mud" he smirk
"Oh, I get it"
"So are you in"
"I'm in, when are we going to do it" I asked
"In the afternoon, just meet us on the small cliff where that huge rock is" he said
"And what happen if we get caught because you know what will happen if we do, they might kill us" I said
"Let me worry about that, just be there tomorrow"
Still unsure I nodded. We said our good-byes and I went back to my cave to go to sleep, unaware what harm would come from a simple joke...