Chapter 41:
The sky began to change from dark blue to light, signaling that the night would come to an end soon. It had been a very long night, as a few certain meerkats and warthogs have yet to have a full night's sleep. Pumbaa and Morake were walking through the Outlands with Zuri and Sudi on Pumbaa's back.
"Oh, wow. I can't believe we've been fooled by sound effects! I thought the Nunda was a real predator!" Morake said as he bounced ahead of Pumbaa, stopping for a moment for him to catch up. "I mean, for as long as I can remember it's been making noises out here, and all this time it isn't even real! Oh, I wish I could tell someone, but almost everyone knows now!"
"I can't believe how he can be so awake just before dawn," Zuri, who was leaning against the back of Pumbaa's head, said as she rested her arms behind her own head.
"I can't believe how stubborn Timon can be," Pumbaa said with a furrowed brow. "He can't even wait until the sun comes up to look for his brother."
"I believe it," Sudi said with a big yawn. "I just hope we find him, Jina, and Sly soon so I can get some sleep myself."
"Sly and Jina? Hmm..." Pumbaa seemed to remember something about Jina and Sly, but he could not remember if he was dreaming it or not. He shook his head to clear it. "Anyway, are you sure it's safe to go in there?"
"For the fiftieth time, Pumbaa, yes! The hyenas ran off a long time ago," Zuri said as she leaned forward to look at him.
"Then where are they staying now?"
"Huh?"
"It was said that the hyenas ran off after Scar was defeated, but where did they go? They were seen in the Pride Lands nine months ago, remember? Are they staying somewhere nearby?"
"I've lived in the Pride Lands my whole life, and I've never seen a hyena... although that's not saying much since I'm just a cub," Morake said with an awkward grin.
"Maybe not, but Sly thinks he saw a hyena last night in the storm trying to eat Kito. Who knows? Maybe they've widened their hunting area," Sudi said with a shrug.
That's when they noticed the entrance to the hyena's cave. A green light emitted from inside. Pumbaa gulped and nervously smiled. "Maybe we should go somewhere else to look for Timon." He began to back away, until he felt he bumped into something.
Morake was suddenly behind him, and began to push against him. "And I thought Bango was a scaredy-hog. C'mon, Mr. Pumbaa, think of Mr. Timon. Fortune favors the brave after all."
Pumbaa looked back at Morake, took a deep breath, and then marched forward. "Fortune favors the brave, fortune favors the brave, fortune favors the brave..." he mumbled to himself as he watched Morake frolic forward. He gulped and then trotted to catch up with him.
"I'm getting a weird feeling..." Zuri said as she looked along the walls.
"A cave that glows green? I just hope we don't end up glowing in the dark," Sudi nervously chuckled to lighten the mood. He noticed his sister's dry look and cleared his throat. "Glow in the... it's a radiation joke."
"What's radiation?"
"I dunno. I just heard it from Timon."
Zuri snorted softly and folded her arms in front of her chest. "You're no Timon."
"And Timon's no comedian," Sudi retorted.
Pumbaa shook his head as the siblings continued to exchange words, and then he noticed Morake was sitting at the entrance to the larger part of the caves. He was taking the sights all in, examining it. Pumbaa padded up next to him and took a look. "Doesn't look like there's anyone here."
Morake lowered his head to the ground and took a few sniffs. He lifted it back up and swished his tail. "I can't tell anything." A moment passed, and then he yelled, "MR. TIMON!" Pumbaa, Zuri, and Sudi winced at the scream and the echo that reverted back to them. Morake was unaffected, so he merely blinked and continued to swish his tail. "Hmm. Maybe he didn't hear me." He took a deep breath to do it again when Zuri jumped onto his snout and pulled his mouth shut.
"Morake, I'm sure Egypt heard you. I don't think Timon's here," she said. She removed her arms from around his mouth.
Morake tilted his head. "You don't think so? Then where could he be?"
Zuri put a paw to her forehead and shook her head. "I really don't know... maybe he did make it back to the colony."
"If that's the case, then we'd better get back there before Sengbe gets a hold of him," Sudi said.
Pumbaa was not listening to the conversation. He was looking straight ahead. "Zuh-Zuh-Zuh-Zuh..." His eyes were wide and his tail was straight up in the air. Sudi blinked and kicked Pumbaa in the back of the head, as if to fix him like a broken record player. "Zuh-Zuh-Zuri!"
Zuri let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes slightly as she looked over to Pumbaa. "What is it, Pumbaa?"
Morake tried to look past Zuri, who was still on his snout and blocking his view. He lifted her off and placed her on the ground, and then gulped. He squeaked, "Mommy." Zuri and Sudi turned to see and stiffened.
Five hyenas appeared on an upper ridge above them and had noticed the four of them. The largest of the five stood in the middle. "Well, well. It's not often we get breakfast delivered. Someone must love us," the largest hyena growled as he stared down at the warthog, cheetah, and meerkats.
"I thought you said the hyenas ran off," Pumbaa said, still in his previous shocked position.
"So did I," Morake said as he began to inch towards the exit. "I must've drawn their attention when I called for Mr. Timon."
"I want the warthog, Bintaka," one of the other hyenas said.
"Then I get the cub!" a second growled.
"Then what do we get, the meerkat appetizers?" a third growled.
"You'll get the scraps if you don't shut up!" the hyena named Bintaka snapped.
"Why do you always get to decide who gets what?"
"Because I'm the biggest, that's why! And who said you can have the pork?"
"Because I called it first!"
As the hyenas began to argue amongst themselves Pumbaa and Morake, with the meerkats on Pumbaa's back, began to run out of the cave. Bintaka quickly took notice. "Hey, our breakfast just became fast food! I'm not going to lose two meals in under two days!" With that three of the five jumped down from the ledge and ran after them.
Morake took a quick glance back, gasped and then picked up the speed, leaving a dust trail as he ran ahead of Pumbaa. Sudi looked back and gulped as he pulled on Pumbaa's ears. "Make like Morake and speed up, Pumbaa!"
Pumbaa suddenly skid to a halt just before they reached the outside. "Uh-oh."
"Pumbaa, this is the exact opposite of speeding up! What's the matter now?" Zuri asked as she looked in the direction Pumbaa was facing. She gasped.
An older hynea blocked the exit. "Leaving so soon?" he asked.
Sudi took a look, and then looked back at the three hyenas who slowed to a trot at the sight of the older hyena. "Caught between a rock and a hard place. I can't believe how lucky we are."
The older hyena took a few steps closer to Pumbaa, looking him over a bit. "You should consider yourself lucky." He then turned to the three other hyenas. "Bintaka, stay here. You two, get that cub." The two hyenas nodded and then ran past the older hyena.
"Ahh, good thinking, Jumbe. Send them away and there's more ham for us," Bintaka said as he licked his chops.
"No, you idiot, we're not eating them yet!" Jumbe barked.
"We're not?"
"You're not?" Pumbaa asked nervously.
"Not when revenge is best served cold. I heard them call out the name Timon from outside."
"So?" Bintaka scoffed. A look of realization quickly spread across his face, and then he quickly shook his head. "It can't be the same one."
"But this is the same warthog that was with him. I never forget a face or smell."
"Uh, no, actually, I just have one of those faces!" Pumbaa shouted. "And it's this new cologne you smell. Odeur de Warthog. We all wear it now."
"Don't insult us. We know you are friends with the son of Fearless Buzz."
Bintaka walked around to the front of the warthog and stood next to Jumbe. "Oh, I see what you're saying. We wait until we find the son of Fearless Buzz before we eat. The look of despair on his face will be priceless."
"You... you... slobbering, mangy poachers!" Zuri growled as she began to stand on Pumbaa's back, and was held back by Sudi. "What have you got against Timon?"
Bintaka looked right at her and snarled, "His tricks lead my father to his death."
Pumbaa gasped and backed away from him. "You don't mean...?"
Zuri's eyes widened. "No... you couldn't be. You're the son of...?" She was interrupted by the Nunda's bellowing roar accompanied by the sound of hyenas yelping.
Jumbe turned his attention outside. "It's up early," he grunted.
Bintaka sneered as he turned to look outside. "The one called 'Great' Timon is out there. I won't be afraid of this monster." He walked towards the exit, stopping just before stepping outside. "Keep an eye on those three and make sure no harm comes to them. I plan to save their pain for when I find the son of Fearless Buzz and bring him back here to watch his loved ones die." He looked back out towards the rising sun. "And I will finally avenge my father Mataka." With that he ran outside.
"He's going to find out about the Nunda," Sudi whispered in Pumbaa's ear, but loud enough for Zuri to also hear.
Pumbaa's eyes widened. "No! What'll happen to the colony?" he whispered back.
Zuri gasped and put her paws to her mouth. "The colony! What if Timon is back there?" Her eyes weakened. "Or Jina or Sly? And what happened to Morake?" She suddenly threw her arms around Sudi and hugged him tightly.
Sudi blinked, a little confused, but then put his arms around his sister. "Zuri...?"
"Oh, Sudi, I should've been honest with Timon and Sly to begin with! This is all my fault! If they die... If they die... I'll never forgive myself."
Sudi took a glance at Jumbe as he forced Pumbaa to head back into the cave. "I just hope somehow we make it out of this alive."
To be continued...
Action! Suspense! I'll try not to delay the chapters too much! See ya soon!