I don't own any of the animals, apart from Haini (Swahili for 'informer'). I own all of the humans mentioned.
Simba became recluse over the next few weeks, moving only when necessary, eating little and not even speaking, except when responding to a question, and just barely even then. Only Vitani seemed to be able to rouse him to any kind of animation, and even then, not very much.
One day, the lionesses woke up and found Simba gone. He'd been quite meticulous about covering his tracks, and they gave up trying to follow him after half an hour that finally led to a stream, and the end of his scent trail. Asking around, only a few other animals had spotted Simba, and even then, mostly only as a flash of movement in the grass.
The next morning, the lionesses awoke to find Simba had returned, but no-one could get him to reveal where he had spent the previous day. Vitani seemed even more reserved that day, as though she knew where Simba had been, but not even Kovu could get her to explain to him her reservations.
Rafiki had also been mysteriously absent for some time before Zazu arrived with a message that the Shaman had summoned them to his tree. This was a shock in itself, because although it was a law in the pridelands that a shaman's summons must be answered, even Sarabi, the oldest member of the pride could not remember the shaman ever having summoned anyone before. What was even more amazing was that he summoned only the current and future kings and queens, This meant Simba, Kovu and Kiara. Vitani was also included, because, although she hadn't been announced as queen, as Simba's prime mate, she was widely regarded as the future queen.
"I wonder what he wants" Kovu murmured so that only Kiara heard, "mind you, I probably wouldn't be able to figure it out even if he told me, most of what he says seems to be riddles anyway."
"I don't see why you have trouble" Kiara said, a little teasingly, "as future king, you should be able to at least understand your own shaman."
"Well, can you" Kovu asked,wondering if he was missing something.
"Not really" admitted Kiara. "but as future king..."
"I know, I know" sighed Kovu, "as future king it is my job to keep all my subjects happy, and that includes the shaman."
"precisely" Kiara said.
"I just wish he'd speak so the rest of us could understand" Kovu said.
"So do I" Kiara replied, but it's just his way."
"Mm" Kovu said before falling silent.
None of the four lions said anything till they were in sight range of the Rafiki's baobab tree. By the tree, they could see the sitting figure of Rafiki, hold his staff, and two other creatures they couldn't identify
Squinting, Kovu said, "tell me, does it look like there's a few extra figures by the tree?"
"It certainly does" Kiara replied, "but what are they?"
"I don't know" replied Kovu, "but they look as though they're sitting down."
As the lions approached, the figures rose. One was indeed Rafiki, but the other two rose further, and became recognisable. "Humans" growled Kovu, "is that damned monkey out of his mind?" Kovu then roared and charged. He never reached his intended targets though, because within moments, Rafiki had brought his stick down on Kovu's skull, very nearly knocking him unconscious.
Vitani tensed to follow Kovu, but Simba interceded, placing himself between Vitani and Rafiki, and giving a low, warning growl. Kiara, meanwhile, had rushed to comfort and calm Kovu.
"Explain yourself Rafiki" Simba growled, "have you deserted us for these, these, things."
"I have not, sire" Rafiki replied, "much the opposite infact."
"Then explain it" Simba said, "and quickly."
"Very well" Rafiki said, "These humans have much the same problem as the pride has when your uncle was king." Rafiki went onto explain that the 'king' of the humans was a supremacist, who valued humans as greater than all other animals. The attack that had lead to the death of Nana had been an attempt to force the lions off pride rock, but they had underestimated the lions.
The lions examined the humans as Rafiki explained. They had dark skins and curly black hair that was limited to the tops of their heads. Neither had any fur to speak of on the rest of their bodies. There a patch of what turned out to be hyena fur covering a piece of skin between the rear legs, or rather, the legs, as, what would otherwise have been the front legs were held off the ground.
One of the humans, an adolescent youth held a pair of straight branches, and the other, middle aged, held nothing but had some kind of object on his head which partly covered his face.
"So where do these humans come into it" Kovu asked impatiently.
"Patience, patience" Rafiki said in reply. He went on to explain that one of the humans Simba had killed was the first-born son of the human 'king', and thus, a prince. but since he was now dead, the princehood passed to the next oldest child. "And that is where they come in" Rafiki said, pointing out the two humans, "the younger one is the new prince."
The shaman explained how the shaman of the humans had sought him out, along with the young prince. He also explained, that the new prince had spent more time around the shaman than he had his own father, because the 'king' had been too busy training the now dead prince.
"So you see" Rafiki said finally, "if you can defeat the human 'king', his son will succeed him, and peace will once again befall the pridelands. The lions agreed that if they could kill the human 'king' without also killing young prince, they would have the peace they wanted.
The vulture knew it was in trouble. It had managed escape that hawk, but its chances of survival were slim at best. It tried to make its way to a pile of rocks nearby to rest, but stopped when a paw came down in front of it.
"Would you look at that" Banzai said, causing the vulture to glance up in fear, "looks like lunch just hobbled in." There was a nasty laugh from a nearby skull as another hyena emerged.
While concentrating on the two hyenas in front of it, the vulture didn't notice the third hyena come in behind it, till it said, "no, I have a better idea."
The vulture turned to glance at the hyena who stood just behind it. Unlike the other two, this one seemed intelligent, even calculating. "You're not going to eat me" it quavered.
"Not yet" the hyena replied, "you see, I need a bird, one who isn't banished form the pridelands." The vulture didn't move or say anything, so Shenzi explained, "the pridelands are going to be in trouble soon, and I want a bird to inform me of what's going on."
"Er, me" the vulture asked.
"We'll see" the hyena replied, "I'm Shenzi, that's Banzai, and that's Ed" she said, pointing out, first the hyena that had been menacing it, and then the one who only seemed to laugh.
"I'm, I'm Haini" the vulture said.
"Welcome Haini" Shenzi said, "to the graveyard."
"It's, er, very, very..." Haini began, before stopping.
"It's a pile of junk really" Shenzi said, ignoring the pained stares she got from Banzai and Ed, "but it's the safest place we could find."
Haini didn't say anything to this, but glanced around fearfully. "More hyenas" she asked in a squeak.
"No, not here" Shenzi replied, "if there is, find me and tell me."
"Well, Mwenzi comes in occasionally" Banzai interjected.
Shenzi turned to glance at Banzai. "Ah, right, thanks for the reminder" Shenzi said, before turning back to Haini, "if there is another hyena here, ask it its name, then find me and tell me." The vulture just nodded.
Haini's stomach gave a rumble, and it suddenly looked downright terrified. Shenzi looked at the vulture, before asking, "hungry?" Again, the vulture just nodded.
"Come on then" Shenzi said, walking off. Haini followed the hyena a short distance until they came to a large bone pile. Shenzi climbed the pile and dislodged a bone from the top. the bone tumbled down and just missed crushing the waiting vulture. There wasn't much meat left on the bone, but there was a bit.
Haini looked fearfully at Shenzi who said, "eat up." the vulture immediately began to eat what meat was left on the bone.
"But, boss" Banzai began when he saw Haini eating, "that wa..."
"Shut up Banzai" Shenzi said, "I know what I'm doing."
"But why do you want a bird anyway" Banzai asked.
"Think about it" Shenzi said, "how do the lions always know so much about the pridelands."
"Er, the other animals tell them" Banzai hazarded.
"no, you idiot" Shenzi growled, "they tell that stupid blue bird of theirs."
"So" Banzai said, perplexed, "why do we need a bird?"
Shenzi sighed and rolled her eyes before replying, "We'd be a lot better off if we knew what was going on in the pridelands."
"Oh" Banzai said.
"Right" Shenzi said, "how long until you can fly again?"
"I've never been able to fly" Banzai protested.
"I wasn't asking you" Shenzi growled, "so Haini, how long?"
"A few days" Haini hazarded, "just long enough for the cuts to start really healing, and to build up my strength."
"Good" Shenzi said, "is five days enough?"
"It should be" Haini said, hoping it would be.