Chapter Two: The First Hunt
It was another beautiful day in Pride Rock and Shenzi was sitting next to the large water hole waiting for her mother to come.
"Aren't you exciting Shenzi" Banzai said as he paced back and forth "today we go on our first hunt ever"
"You should've done this along time ago you are a month older then me" Shenzi said
"Yeah but I was waiting for you and Ed to reach five months so we can tackle down an animal together" he said smiling at her.
Shenzi smiled back, she was glad that Banzai finally recovered from his terrible past, she guess as long as she there for him, he'll be all right. She watched as he walked back and forth, clearing his throat and getting a drink of water every five minutes.
"Are you nervous" she asked
"That and my voice still feels a bit funny" he said clearing his throat again
"You shouldn't be nervous for once my mom going to be there and help us through this hunting"
"You mean our brother and what's his face is not going to help us"
Shenzi shook his head "their just going to watch and I find this a blessing I hardly see my mom, she and Nuacka are always busy"
"Well, why are they so busy all the time"
"When you're the leaders of a huge clan like mine, the clan always comes to you with their problems and you always have to keep them under control" she said "at least that's what my mom told me"
"Yeah I noticed, your clan is twice as beg as mine but yet I noticed your mom is not very strict on the clan"
"What do you mean" Shenzi asked
"I mean, she treats everyone equally, showing respect towards low-class as well as high-class, no lackeys or alphas just a hyena" Banzai tried to explain
"My mom always told me my grandmother was very strict on the clan and her, and my mom didn't want to be like her" Shenzi said
"But don't you have to strict to be the leader doesn't that give strength and power because what my I learned from my clan if your too nice your weak" he said
"My mom strong, she only mean when she has to be" Shenzi said "but like me she has a lot of patients and like me when we are pushed to far we get aggressive" she said with an evil smirk
"Oh yeah, I learned that the hard way" Banzai said remembering that time in the desert, him yelling, and Ed crying over a little nose bleed.
"Look I see her" Shenzi pointed
Shentana spotted Shenzi and Banzai at the water hole and walked over to them. Behind her Ed was listening to Shentana instructions about hunting.
"And whatever you do Ed, I need you to stay quite understand" she said smiling.
Ed nodded even though he understand only half of her instructions.
"Don't worry Ed dear, even animal raise by humans still can learn how to catch food" she said
Ed smiled, he was surprised that Shentana accepted him even though he was raised by humans. It only took her a day to figure it out since she knew that animals who were raised by humans have human names. She treated him like if he was her own son and cared for him dearly like Shenzi and her brother. He spotted Banzai talking to Shenzi with his back turn and he ran past Shentana and tackle him to the ground laughing like crazy.
"Morning Ed" Shenzi said calmly
"Ed, you dumbass get off of me" Banzai holler but that only made Ed laughed even harder as he gave him a noogie.
Shentana and Shenzi watched as the two rolled around in the dirt for a minute "you see what I have to put up with everyday mom" Shenzi said
Shentana chuckled "Their your friends"
"Don't just stand there get him off of me" Banzai shouted his head begin to hurt from the noogie.
"Ed stop playing around we're going" Shenzi said
Ed quickly got off of Banzai, who just laid there for a minute, and sat up in a proper position.
"Ok, you guy ready for your first hunt" Shentana asked
"Yes, we are what are we hunting, buffalo, wildebeest, gazelles" Shenzi asked excitedly
"No, we're starting out small then worked our way to stronger kills, I saw a zebra herd near by that's where your brother, Zacuru and Nuacka are waiting at" Shentana said
(Oh no not her) Banzai thought and grew very nervous from hearing the name Nuacka. Even Ed looked very nervous.
Over the months Nuacka was everything but nice to them, they couldn't even walk by her without her growling or pushing them away. Of course she doesn't do that when Shentana was around and if they told they would be an even deeper trouble with her.
(Oh don't mine her, Nuacka was raise in a family who doesn't like outsiders, and since she is a high class hyena she thinks lackeys are lower then dirt. She the opposite of my momma, unlike my mom she very strict and like it when everybody follows the rules of the clan) He remember Shenzi telling them that after all three of them had a three day sleep from their exhausting adventure. (The best thing to do is to stay away from her till she gets use to you)
He figured being a outside lackey, Nuacka basically hates him and Ed's guts, yet for some reason he noticed she seems to be more aggressive towards him then Ed, why? How the hell would he know. Banzai sigh and followed his friends and Shentana as they went deeper in to the pride lands.
It didn't take that long to reach their hunting sight and found Shenzen, pissed off as usual, the clam Zacuru and Nuacka who had a serious look on her face.
"Morning everyone" Shentana greeted
"Morning" Nuacka and Zacuru said
"Mom, do I have to be here" Shenzen said right off the back
"Of course you have to be here, it important for you to watch the future Matriarch's first hunt" Nuacka snapped at him.
"Sorry, I didn't know it was this important" he said then sigh in a "why me" expression.
"Stop complaining son, its not going to take that long" Shentana said calmly then turned to her daughter and her friends "lets go"
"Good luck Shenzi" Zacuru said
"Yeah break a leg" Shenzen said then whisper "literally"
Zacuru and Nuacka heard him "don't mess with your sister mine Shenzen, you should've have said that to the lackeys" Nuacka said
Shenzen gave her a odd look "what's with your mom" he whispered to Zacuru
"What do you mean" he whispered back
"No offense but she been real mean" Shenzen said in the nicest way as possible
"It not my fault it those damn males friends of Shenzi"
"Why would she blame them"
"The moron its too dumb and she thinks the quick temper one is going to be competition over Shenzi when he grows up"
Shenzen went pale "please don't bring subject anymore and beside isn't she getting a little a head of herself with this"
"Well you know how things are with a male and female friendship they developed in to something more in time"
"She and you shouldn't be worry, your already betrothed" Shenzen had to cough out the last word just thinking about it was making his sick.
"Hush you two, their about to start" Nuacka hissed, they shut up
Shenzi looked through the tall grass, the area around them was full of big juicy zebras, she tried wildebeests and gazelles before when her mom feed her, she didn't like them they were too salty for her taste, she wondered what the zebras would taste like.
"Step one on hunting" Shentana whispered "always stay very quiet"
Shenzi nodded and Ed was about to laugh till she covered his mouth with her paws. Banzai tried very hard not to jump around, he was so excited about the whole thing.
"Second, look around your surroundings, make sure no one else is here"
"Like who" Shenzi asked
"The big cats like lions, cheetahs, leopards, for some reason they get lazy and like to steal food from us but don't worry about the lions its more the cheetahs we should be worry about"
Shenzi nodded, her mom told her about the deal she made with the king, he allowed us to stay in his land as long as we stay away from them and they'll do the same. She seen them once in awhile but didn't want to take the risk and leaves them alone.
Shentana looked around, scanning through the herd to find a easy target to kill. She spotted a old zebra that was eating grass away from the herd. She shook her head even if it was old it was still too big to tackle down. Then she spotted a young one who was limping. Bingo.
"Ok, you guys see the little zebra there limping"
They looked and nodded at the same time "good, this is the third step always pick out the sick, injured and weak ones"
"Mom can we hurry up, Ed drooling through my fingers" Shenzi said disgustedly
"Ok, I'll make it quick, I'll distract the mother of the zebra while you take down the small one" She said
"This is going to cool" Banzai said with a big smile
"Do you know what to do" Shentana asked
"Yes mom, we been practicing" Shenzi said removing her paw away from Ed's mouth. Her paw was covered with sticky drool.
"Stay here and wait for my signal" Shentana said
They nodded again and Shentana snuck off towards the herd, keeping her eye on the limping little zebra.
"Hey Zacuru I bet you two bones the moron gets kick in to face by the zebra" Shenzen said
"I'll take that bet and I'll double it because I think the quick temper one will get hit first"
"Your on" Shenzen said and they both snicker.
The trio watch as Shentana popped out of the tall grass and charge toward the herd. Shenzi felt the ground shaking under her and saw all the zebras trying to escape from her mom. Ignoring the herd she blocked the mother zebra and the limping one. The young one was ran in another direction while the mother was trying to scare off Shentana.
Shentana looked back and gave her daughter a look "that's her signal we attack now boys"
Banzai was the first to run out of the tall grass growling in excitement with Shenzi and Ed following.
"I want the neck, I want the neck" Banzai shouted
"Banzai stop shouting"Shenzi said
Ignoring her Banzai blocked the little zebra from running any further and charge towards the first thing he can bite which was one of the legs. The zebra backed off causing him to hit the floor. Ed laughed and bit it in the back of it's hind legs.
"Hold him Ed, I'm going for the neck" Shenzi said
"I wanted the neck" Banzai holler
"Fine, just do it before it get loose from Ed's grip" Shenzi said
The limping Zebra ignored the pain in its leg and tried to kick Ed in the face but had no luck.
"Come on you stupid zebra, can you kick the moron he that easy!" Shenzen shouted
after a few tries, Banzai couldn't reach for the neck "dammit, he too tall for me to reach"
"Well lets tip him over then you can bite it" Shenzi said
The zebra made one hard yank and get free from Ed grip, now it could even walk without the pain of his wound.
"You ok Ed" Shenzi said
Ed lick his bloody lips and grinned "good, this time we're going to tip it over and Banzai will bite it on the neck"
Ed nodded and he and Shenzi charge towards the injured zebra again.
"Wow, they are actually doing better then you Shenzen, in your first hunt you nearly got beat up by that baby wildebeest" Zacuru laughed
"How many times do I have to tell you to shut up"
"This is like your five thousandths time I think" he smiled
They suddenly heard a loud thumping noise then Banzai cursing up a storm "ah shit, my stomach!"
They turned to see Banzai holding on to his stomach with his eyes squeezing in pain.
"Banzai you dummy, that what you get for dropping your guard" Shenzi said when she realize the zebra kicked him in the stomach. "Are you all right"
"Yes I'm fine" Banzai said tearing up from the pain
Banzai growled and ran towards the zebra and help Ed to take it down. The zebra slammed to the ground and Shenzi ran over and bit it hard in the neck. The zebra struggle to get free but stopped when Banzai came by and bit it in the neck as well. After a few minutes the animal was dead and Banzai sat down and grabbed hold of his stomach again.
"Ouch, that's going to be a nasty bruise" Shenzi said walking over to Banzai and looked at his stomach. Already it started to turn a blueish color.
"It only hurts when I breathe" Banzai smiled
"Well done my pups, I actually brought it down without my help" Shentana said who was a bit tire from scaring off the larger zebra.
"Well it was a little hard" Shenzi said
"But it was easier because you guys use team work, unlike your brother and Zacuru" she said
The pups smiled expect for Banzai the pain was unbearable but he didn't want to show it.
"Well don't just stand there dig in you guys earn it" Shentana said as she laid down to rest a bit. The teen pups begin to eat and for once the meat wasn't that bad to Shenzi, it was perfect, not too salty yet not to plain and very tender much better then the others she ate.
Ed was enjoying his food, eating with his mouth wide open, letting bits of food fall out to the floor. He made disgusting chewing noises that Shenzi grew to use to it but Banzai was always disgusted by it.
"Ed chew with you mouth close please"
Ed just stuck his tongue at him and continue eating.
"Mom, do you want some there plenty" Shenzi asked
"No, I'm not hungry why don't you asked you brother and Zacuru" she suggested
Shenzi sigh and swallow the food in her mouth. "Hey Shenzen and what's your face are you hungry" she shouted
"Yes but I'm getting my own food" Shenzen shouted back
"Ok, just remember I asked" Shenzi holler and continue eating.
"I'm getting a little of her calling you that Zacuru" Nuacka said
"The whole "what's your face" I got use to that month ago"
"But still she doesn't even call you by your real name and that just sad" Shenzen said "Am I right Mrs. Nuacka"
Nuacka begin to growl and she stood up and jumped off the rock she was lying on.
"What is it mom" Zacuru asked
Then Nuacka saw it running out of a tree and racing towards the hyenas "Shentana, there a cheetah!"
Shentana lifted her head and the cheetah ran past her and towards the pups and the dead animal. Shenzi heard footsteps behind her and turned to see the cheetah ready to pounce on her. She and the boys froze in fear and couldn't move.
The cheetah smirked and lifted his paw ready to strike her because she was in the way from the easy meal. Before he could strike her was pull back by her friends and that when Shentana jumped on to his back and bit him hard in his shoulder.
"Get away from my pups!" She holler then biting him again leaving a huge gasp in his shoulder.
Shenzi shook her head and collected her thought, she stood up and watch as her mom, her brother and the other two attacking the cheetah.
"What just happened" She asked
"You were right Shenzi, your mom can be aggressive" Banzai said
"No time to joke Banzai my mom endanger" Shenzi said
Shentana was pinned down by the cheetah who then raise his paw to strike her. Shentana smirked and rammed her head in to the cheetah's to distract him then kicked him in the jaw. Everyone heard a loud cracking noise and the cheetah whimpered in pain and ran off.
Stunned Shenzi ran over to her mom was getting up from the ground. "Wow mom that was amazing, what did you do"
"I just broke his jaw nothing much" she said calmly
"Just by kicking him" Banzai asked as he sat next to Shenzi with Ed sitting on her other side
"Yes, big cats have weak jaws so breaking it was simple once you three get a little bit older I'll teach you the trick as well"
"Cool" they said
"Shentana we better go I see the lions coming up ahead" Nuacka said
"Are you guys full" she asked the teen pups
"I'm full" Banzai said and Ed laughed as an agreement
"And besides Shenzen and What's his face are eating the rest of the food"
Shentana looked behind them to see the young males feasting on the food. "Shenzen, Zacuru if you can drag the food back we got to go"
"Yes mom" Shenzen said in a annoying tone
As they walked back to their home Banzai was still in pain form the hit in his stomach.
"Not bad for the first time hunting huh Banzai" Shenzi smiled
"I guess, right now, I'm in such terrible pain" he said in a pitiful voice
That only made Shenzi and Ed snicker...