New Hope for the Outlanders
Dash is tugging on a root. Bomb Voyage approaches from behind.
Voyage is muttering to himself, "Buddy, Buddy, Buddy. Scar wasn't even his father. He just took him in." He turns his attention to Dash. "Oh hey, Dash. Where's the little termite, Buddy? The "chosen one"."
Voyage touches the root with a nail, causing it to snap, and Dash tumbles backward. Voyage guffaws.
"Voyage! Where's Buddy?" Dash demands. "Did you leave him out there on his own again?"
"Hey-- it's every man for himself out here. That little termite's gotta learn to be on his own." Voyage is ridden with vermin and termites. He is continually scratching himself.
"Mother's gonna be mad. She told you to watch him!" Dash reminds him.
Voyage rolls his eyes. "Oh, who cares? I should've been the chosen one." He begins scratching his back against the tree trunk. "I'm the oldest, I'm the strongest, I'm the smartest-- Ooogh! These termites!" He starts rolling around, scratching every place he can find on his body. Dash looks self-satisfied at Voyage's condition. "I could be a leader, if she'd just give me a chance!" Voyage continues.
Sash shakes his head. "Yeah right. Why don't you tell that to her?"
"Yeah? Don't think I won't!"
"Oh yeah?" Dash chuckles. "Here's your chance."
Jenny walks slowly by Voyage, dragging Buddy by his arm behind her. She ignores Voyage entirely.
"What? Oh... Mother! Mother, hi!" Voyage laughs nervously. "Mother, I caught some field mice for your dinner, I left 'em by the, um... by the... okay."
Jenny lets go of Buddy. Dash pounces next to him. "Hey, Buddy," Dash greets him. "You wanna... fight?"
Jenny turns to Voyage, who becomes visibly frightened, and exclaims, "You were supposed to be watching him!"
"It's not his fault! I went off on my own!" Buddy defends.
Jenny turns on Buddy, backing him along the ground with her words. " What were you doing?" she questions.
"N-nothing!" Buddy stammers.
"Who has made us Outsiders?"
"Bob!"
"Who killed Scar?"
"Bob!"
"And what have I told you about them?"
" Sorry, mother! ...Sh-she didn't seem so bad. I thought we could be—"
Jenny finishes his sentence for him. "Friends? You thought you'd get to the daughter. And Bob would welcome you with open arms? What an idea! ... What an idea! You brilliant child-- I'm so proud of you!" She kneads the frightened Buddy with unsheathed fingers. "You have the same conniving mind that made Scar so... powerful."
Voyage rolls his eyes, "Yecch."
Jenny glares at Voyage, then picks up Buddy. She carries him into a cave, as Voyage glowers. "Ugh. The "chosen one"," he says disgustedly.
Jenny carries Buddy into their "den", and deposits him in a hollow tree trunk. He lands with a grunt.
Jenny speaks, "I now see the path to our glorious return to power!"
"But I don't want—" Buddy starts to say, but gets interrupted by Jenny.
"Hush! Hush, my little one. You must be exhausted." She starts to sing.
"Sleep, my little Buddy
Let your dreams take wing
One day when you're big and strong
You will be a king"
Jenny tucks Buddy in.
"Good night..." Buddy yawns sleepily.
"Good night, my little prince. Tomorrow, your training intensifies," Jenny says as she walks away. She starts to sing again.
"I've been exiled, persecuted
Left alone with no defense
When I think of what that brute did
I get a little tense
"But I dream a dream so pretty
That I don't feel so depressed
'Cause it soothes my inner kitty
And it helps me get some rest
"The sound of Bob's dying gasp
His daughter squealing in my grasp
His lionesses' mournful cry
That's my lullaby
"Now the past I've tried forgetting
And my foes I could forgive
Trouble is, I knows it's petty
But I hate to let them live"
Voyage sings, "So you found yourself somebody who'd chase Bob up a tree"
Jenny sings, "Oh, the battle may be bloody, but that kind of works for me
"The melody of angry growls
A counterpoint of painful howls
A symphony of death, oh my!
That's my lullaby
"Scar is gone... but Jenny's still around
To love this little lad
Till he learns to be a killer
With a lust for being bad!"
Voyage sings, "Sleep, ya little termite!
Uh-- I mean, precious little thing!"
Dash sings, "One day when you're big and strong"
Jenny sings, "You will be a king!
"The pounding of the drums of war
The thrill of Buddy's mighty roar"
Voyage sings, "The joy of vengeance"
Dash sings, "Testify!"
Jenny sings, "I can hear the cheering"
Dash and Voyage sings, "Buddy! What a guy!"
Jenny sings, "Payback time is nearing
And then our flag will fly
Against a blood-red sky
That's my lullaby!"