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Chapter 21 – The Battle For The Pridelands

Both lions and hyenas flew everywhere as the pride went mad. Claws and teeth whirled past Shargra's face and he ducked, briefly spotting Nasiha in the fray. They made eye contact for a second and she opened her mouth to speak, but a lioness cut in front of her and when Shargra could see again, Nasiha had vanished.

"Shanika!" yelled Shargra, panicking slightly, and he dashed around, screaming for his friend. "SHANIKA!" His voice, usually a load roar, was now not even audible over the racket the pride was making, and no replies, no annoying cheerfulness came in answer.

Heavy paws knocked him left and right and he slipped through the crowd, dodging all the attacks. A hyena flew straight for him, claws outstretched, and he ducked, as it went flying over his head and collided with a wall, crashing unconscious to the ground. Shargra winced and darted into the entrance of the cave, breathing heavily, panting, and rubbing his shoulder. The hyena's claws had just scraped it, and it was bleeding slightly.

"Shargra!" came a squeak, and then a heavy thud. Shargra spun round and saw Shanika, surrounded by three angry looking hyenas, all of whom were staring at her. One knocked her with a paw, and the other - a female – knocked him with a paw, growling.

"Shanika!" he yelled, and ran forward, but the female hyena leapt forward, jaws stretched. The male she'd smacked came forward to join in, whilst the third drooling creature kept Shanika – who was struggling ferociously and nipping at his paws with sharp teeth – pinned down.

But Shargra saw none of this. He fought the hyena, claws whirling, pulling it eventually to the ground, and was preparing to rip its throat out when -

Everything went black.

The Author stared at the blank screen for several moments before kicking the computer and swearing. "The bloody power's gone off again!"

Slowly, the light flickered back on, the PC came back to life, and the Author instantly went back to work, hoping that Shargra wouldn't be too angry with him.

Shargra prepared to rip out the struggling creature's throat, and was viciously knocked to the side by the other hyena. He forced himself up onto his weak paws, feeling heavy, and his shoulder causing shooting spasms of pain through his body, throbbing and tired. He looked over at Shanika and saw her desperately attempting to bite the third hyena's paws off, and almost smiled. But then her face went pale.

"Shargra, behind you!" she screeched, and he spun round to be instantly tackled to the ground. The female leapt onto his chest as Shanika struggled free of her captor and bound forward. She screamed "No! Shargra!", tears in her eyes as the female raised her paw –

"Shargra?" whispered the female.

"Go on, kill him then!" the stronger male shouted, as the female shook her head. "I… I can't do it," she said, climbing off Shargra, "if it weren't for him, I'd be dead."

Shargra struggled to his feet. "What are you talking about, hyena?" he asked, confused.

"Years ago, a small golden lion cub and his annoying friend saved me from drowning in a river, far away from home. There's the friend," she said, indicating Shanika, "and you're the cub that saved me." She looked at Shargra, smiling, and the other two hyenas looked on nonplussed.

Meanwhile, Shargra had a look of dawning comprehension on his face. "Shenzi, is that you?" he asked, and the hyena nodded.

"What are you doing here?" Shargra asked.

"This is my pack." Shenzi said, and then, more firmly: "I'm the leader".

"Why are you fighting against us? Why are you on Scar's side?" Shanika snarled, tugging on Shargra's fur. "Shargra, she'll kill you!" Her lip was quivering, and he could see she had blood trickling down her face. "Let's go, please!"

"We're not on his side," growled Shenzi, defiantly. "We hate him as much as you do, but if we don't fight for him he'll kill us!"

"But he's only one lion, what can he do to you?" Shargra murmured.

"He'll set the lionesses on us," she said, with the air of one explaining to a small child why you shouldn't get into the car with that strange man, "and they'll… they'll…"

"They'll what, exactly!" said Shanika, marching forward. "I'm sick of this!" she shouted at Shargra. "I am sick of every bloody hyena I see making assumptions, kidnapping, biting, clawing – get a grip! You don't have to do anything! If he has to get the lionesses to work by force, do you really think we're likely to be on his side! And YOU, Fluffy Two!" Shanika turned round quickly, and whacked the one who'd been holding her down in the face hard, with a paw.

Shenzi quickly moved in front of him.

"He'll…" she tried.

"You're all BLOODY IDIOTS and I'm sick of all of you! And Shargra, thank you for noticing I was missing!"

"I-" started Shargra.

"Oh, hello Shanika, nice to see you, Shanika, I was so worried about you, Shanika, gee, are you bleeding from the head? Are you possibly HUNGRY? Are you absolutely STARVING? Have you had nothing to eat or drink for A WHOLE DAY!"

"You're not on Scar's side?" asked Shenzi, quickly.

"OF COURSE WE'RE NOT!"

"No, we aren't," added Shargra.

"If the lionesses are fighting against him and us, he can't make them do anything!" she said, more to herself than to anyone else, and then, to the other two hyenas: "Right, come on you two!" And with that she darted out of the cave.

"I'm sorry, Shanika… are you alright?" asked Shargra.

She looked annoyed, and stared at the wall. Shargra moved across and nudged her in the back of the neck apologetically, and then they both burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry," he said again, and she bopped him on the nose with a paw.

"Come on, let's put those paws of yours to use," he grinned, and then she leapt into the air.

"Ooh, you wanna know the best bit?" she laughed. "This paw… it's a FIGHTIN' PAW!"

As they said this they heard a loud cry from outside, and as one they ran for the cave entrance, worried about their new friends.

"STOP FIGHTING!" yelled Shenzi.

Please review, Shenzi might have to eat you if you don't.

Hyenas aren't evil, just hungry.