I don't own any of the animals, apart from Mshauri (Swahili for 'counsellor'), Potewa (Swahili for 'suffer a loss') and Mageuzi (Swahili for revolution). I own all of the humans mentioned.

"What does the arrival of new creatures mean" Sarafina asked Rafiki.

"A shift in the political balance for sure" Rafiki replied patiently, "I must converse with the old kings to find out anything else."

"Then we will not delay you" Sarabi said. Rafiki left immediately.

"A political change" Sarafina muttered, "but for better or for worse?"

"I don't know" Sabari said, "but we must have hope."

"And, er, what do I do" Zazu asked tentatively.

"Go and follow the future king" Sarabi said, "the current one should be able to look after himself." With that, Zazu left.

"Would you look at that" Shenzi said, "they're going south."

"So" Banzai said snappishly, "what does that matter to us?"

"He's going to get himself killed, genius" Shenzi growled.

"So" Banzai said, "what's that to us?"

Shenzi cuffed Banzai around the head, "If he dies, it'll be chaos, and Mageuzi'll come for us."

"Oh" Banzai said, as though he'd come to a realisation, "so what do we do?"

"We follow him doofus" Shenzi growl. "Shut up Ed" she nearly yelled as the hyena began to giggle.

The hunting ground was strewn with bones when Kovu, Kiara, Timon and Pumbaa arrived. "At least they'll be easy to track" Kovu said, following a trail of blood with his eyes."

"Remind me again, why we're tracking these things" Timon said, "if they're this dangerous."

"Because they are dangerous" Kovu said over his shoulder, "better a little bit of trouble now than a lot later on."

"Ask a silly question..." Timon muttered as the group moved off again.

Reaching the southern border, Simba, Nala and Vitani, noticed a pack of hyenas hunting zebras. "Of all the damn trouble" Simba growled, "hunting zebra in the borderlands." Simba threw back his head and roared.

"Oh if it isn't king Simba" a female said, "what brings you into the borderlands?" there were four hyenas beside her.

"Your hunt" Simba growled, "and your border incursions."

"My border incursions" the female asked, "I think you've made a mistake, Shenzi ordered those."

"What" Simba growled, "she told me you were matriarch." In their anger, the lions didn't notice more hyena encircling them.

"Well she lied" the female said, "but I'll be happy to correct her." Suddenly she had a gleam in her eye, and barked, "now!"

Suddenly the three lions were set upon by hyenas, and even though they fought hard, they were slowly losing.

Not far away, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed heard the fight begin, and raced to the edge of the clearing, peering through the grass. The three lions were losing to the pack of hyenas, but, Shenzi noticed, the matriarch herself was just standing there laughing.

"Just like Scar" Shenzi murmured to herself, before turning to the others and saying, "Ed, you help the lions, Banzai, let's get her."

Ed leapt in to help Simba, Nala and Vitani, but didn't seem to be having any real effect.

The matriarch was laughing so hard that she didn't see Shenzi and Banzai until they were almost on her. She took one swipe at Shenzi before being bowled over by Banzai.

Shenzi took the opportunity to get the matriarch's neck in her mouth. "Call the attack off" she said, "or I snap your neck."

"Stop" the matriarch barked, and the battle stopped, slowly.

"Banzai, take over here" Shenzi said, and as Shenzi released her grip on the matriarch's neck, Banzai put his own on. "Get out of here now, or the matriarch dies" Shenzi called, "and don't think I won't kill her if you try attacking me."

The hyena's left, except for the matriarch. "Get out now" Shenzi growled at the matriarch, "and never challenge me again."

"I'll get you one day, Shenzi" the matriarch said, "just you watch."

"Come on" Shenzi said, walking over

After checking to make sure he and the two lionesses were okay, Simba turned to look at the three hyenas who had helped them. "I suppose I must thank you for that" he said, "but get back to the graveyard or it'll be the worse for you."

"Er, d'you mind if we eat first" Banzai asked, "we haven't eaten in a week."

"Shut up, shut up" Shenzi growled, cuffing Banzai around the head.

Simba surveyed the carcass that that the hyenas had managed to bring down. "Take as much as you can" Simba said, "and then get out quickly."

"Come on you two" Shenzi muttered, "let's grab what we can."

As soon as the hyenas had left, Simba Nala and Vitari headed back to Pride Rock.

Meanwhile, Zazu, searching desperately for Kiara and Kovu came upon the waterhole, where Mshauri was still comforting Potewa. Zazu cleared his throat to get attention, before asking "would you happen to know where the prince and princess can be found?"

"Yes" Mshauri replied, "they took off east some time ago, tracking the new creatures."

"Thank you" Zazu said, before departing.

It didn't take more than half an hour to find the four. "Anything new" Zazu asked when he was close enough, startling all four of them.

"Not yet" Kovu said.

"I can't believe dad still doesn't trust me" Kiara said,

"But it was not the king who sent me" Zazu said, "It was the former queen Sabari."

"Oh" Kiara said, "where is my father anyway?"

"In the south" Zazu replied, "dealing with the hyenas."

"No we haven't got any news yet" Kovu said, "we're still tracking one of their hunting groups."

"And we can do it on our own" Kiara interjected.

"Nevertheless" Zazu said, a note of reprimand in his voice, "I have my orders."

"Coming then" Kovu asked, eager to break up a disagreement before it came to head.

"Most certainly" Zazu said, following the others.

Simba, Nala and Vitari finally arrived back at Pride Rock, Simba limping where a hyena had bitten into his shoulder.

"Oh my goodness" Sabari said when she saw them, "are you alright?"

"I'll heal" Simba said with a smile, "but hyenas tend to play rough."

"If I ever come across that Shenzi again..." Sarafina said, letting the threat hang when she surveyed the battered trio.

"Not Shenzi this time" Simba said, "there's a new matriarch."

"A new matriarch" Sarabi asked, "what happened to Shenzi?" "Not that I much care" she muttered under her breath.

"She was beaten a few weeks ago" Simba replied, "beaten and exiled."

"Those hyenas did a lot of damage" Sarafina said, surveying the three of them

"We'd have been dead if it wasn't for Shenzi and the other two" Vitani muttered.

"That's true" Simba said, "even I have to admit it was brave of them."

"Saved by Shenzi" Sarafina said in disgust, "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Then believe it mother" Nala said, "they saved us this time."

"I'd never have though they had it in them" Sabari said.

"Neither would I" Simba replied, "but I'd better get Rafiki to have a look at this shoulder."

"You called sire" Rafiki said, from just a little further down pride rock.

"Yes" Simba replied, "do you mind taking a look at the hyena bite on my shoulder?"

"It'll heal well" Rafiki said, after examining the damage, "just don't work it too hard for a while."

"Thanks" Simba murmured.

"Not far now" Zazu called back, "I can see them up ahead."

"Finally" grumbled Pumbaa, "my hooves are killing me."

"You could try losing weight" Timon said, from Pumbaa's shoulders.

"So says you" Pumbaa replied, "who hasn't walked a yard together the entire journey." He was about to say more when Kiara turned round and shushed him.

Pumbaa went quiet and followed Kiara and Kovu, both of whom were crouched.

Not far ahead, they looked through the last stands of grass and saw the humans for the first time. The humans were busy with task incomprehensible to the five watchers. The humans were occasionally moving in and out of what appeared to caves made out of skin.

"Let's go" Kovu whispered, after they had watched for a few minutes.

"Scared" Kiara asked quietly.

"Just a little" Kovu whispered in reply.

Suddenly a low, rhythmic rumble started, startling the five. As the five looked around in confusion

Suddenly there was a shout from one of the humans, who pointed straight at the hiding place of the five. "Brilliant Timon, just brilliant" Kovu growled as they rose to retreat, "let's go."

They hadn't gotten far though, when several of the long straight branches described by Potewa came out of the sky, and one landed in Kovu's shoulder, though he kept going.

One they were a safe distance from the humans and the adrenalin had worn off, Kovu collapsed. Running over, Kiara tried to pull the branch out, but stopped when Kovu winced.

"Hey everybody" Timon said, coming out of the grass, "it looks like we all got out o..."

"Shut up Timon" Kovu growled. Timon stopped anyway when he saw the straight branch in Kovu's shoulder.

"And I thought I was in a bad way" Pumbaa said, as he walked up, "need help there buddy?"

Kovu tried to get up, but almost fell back. "Yeah" he replied, "I could use a little help." There was a dark stain around the spot the branch had penetrated, and the trail of blood was slowly dribbling down his leg

"Oh dear, oh dear" Zazu said, flying up, "I shall report this to the king."

"Good idea" Kiara said, "and go now."

"I'll need to get back to deliver the morning report tomorrow anyway" Zazu said heading for Pride Rock.

"Let's go" Kovu said, after resting a while. He tried to walk without using is front left leg, but was awkward and slow.

"Here, let me" Kiara said when she noticed Kovu's predicament, and slid her body in under his injured leg.

"Thanks" Kovu murmured.

"Anytime" Kiara said in reply. Without another word the four set off.