I don't own any of the animals, apart from Mageuzi (Swahili for 'revolution'), Mwenzi (Swahili for 'colleague'), Haini (Swahili for 'informer').
"That lazy, stinking, no good lion" grumbled a hyena, "why the hells didn't we kill him now?"
"Shut up" Mageuzi said, "I know what I'm doing."
"Yeah" the hyena asked again, "you just about killed him before."
"I know" Mageuzi said, "now shut up." Simba had come alone to warn them about the humans, though they knew that anyway. The lion who'd once seemed so simple, was now playing complicated, and it was off-putting.
"So what we going to do" another hyena asked.
"Shut it" Mageuzi said, "I'm thinking." It didn't take her long to decide. "We're going to the graveyard" she said, "does anyone her know Shenzi well?"
"I do" replied Mwenzi, coming forward.
Mageuzi regarded Mwenzi for a moment, then asked, "aren't you the one we caught sneaking off into the Pridelands."
"Yes" Mwenzi replied.
"Good" Mageuzi said, "your lead."
"What" Mwenzi asked, "you want me to lead?"
"That's right" Mageuzi replied, "after all, the lions haven't caught you yet."
"Okay" Mwenzi said, "don't expect a warm welcome."
"I don't" Mageuzi replied, "I just hope Shenzi's intelligent enough to keep from trying to kill me."
"She is" Mwenzi replied, "and on that topic, I want an assurance from you."
There was a sneer from several of the hyenas, but both Mageuzi and Mwenzi ignored them. "You demand" she asked.
"I have no power to" Mwenzi replied, but didn't back down.
Mageuzi considered Mwenzi for a short time, then said, "if it's your precious friends for care about, I've already had to promise not to hurt them." He held the stare for a moment more, then looked away.
"Are we going then" another hyena asked.
"Yes" Mageuzi replied, "Mwenzi, up the front."
"Matriarch" Mwenzi said.
"The rest of you, no more than three wide" Mageuzi ordered, as they made their way off.
"You're still loyal to her" Mageuzi said to Mwenzi as they approached the elephant graveyard, "why?"
"I never found a reason not to be" Mwenzi replied, "I know I can trust her, she knows she can trust me, at least, she used to trust me."
"You've known her for a while then" Mageuzi asked.
"Almost her entire life" Mwenzi replied, "mine as well."
"And yet you were never really interested in her as a mate" Mageuzi said.
"She doesn't need a mate" Mwenzi replied, "those two males she looks after are enough."
"What's the story behind them" Mageuzi asked.
Mwenzi gave Mageuzi an odd look, but replied, "well, she met them when they were cubs, and their mother wasn't very nice, so she took pity on them. It helped that she wasn't too social herself, so she kind of began to mother them."
"And Ed" Mageuzi asked, "does anyone know why he only laughs?"
"Banzai might" Mwenzi replied, "and so might Shenzi, but beyond that, it's rumours."
High above, unnoticed, Haini circled, then headed towards the graveyard. "Matriarch, there's a lot of hyenas approaching."
"A lot" Shenzi asked, "about how many?"
"More than forty" Haini replied, "and they're all following a pair."
"She's coming here then" Shenzi said to the air "damn."
"Er, who" Haini asked.
"Hm" Shenzi said, "what was that?"
"You said, 'she's coming here'" Haini replied, "I was just wondering who you were talking about."
"Another matriarch" Shenzi replied, "one with a lot more hyenas than me."
"Oh" Haini said, "I'll just get airborne again."
"Good" Shenzi said, then called, "Banzai, Ed."
"Yeah" Banzai said, as he and Ed arrived a few moments later.
"Mageuzi's coming" Shenzi said.
"No way" Banzai exclaimed.
"Yes way" Shenzi said, "her and the rest of them."
"Why" Banzai asked.
"If I knew, I'd tell" Shenzi replied, "as it is, we're lucky to have a warning."
"So what do we do" Banzai asked.
"Hide" Shenzi replied, "because there's nowhere to go."
"There's the outlands" Banzai said.
"They're coming from there" Shenzi said, "we'd run right into them."
"Oh" Banzai said.
"Yeah" Shenzi replied, "come on, let's find somewhere to hide and watch."
They eventually managed to find a convenient location, and sat down to wait. After a while, they spotted Mageuzi and her escort.
"Mwenzi" Banzai growled, "that nasty, traitorous..."
"Quiet" Shenzi growled. She'd known Mwenzi for a long time now, and he'd always been a good friend, and solid as a rock. Ah well, she thought, time to test it. "I assume there's a good explanation" she said, emerging.
"There is..." Mwenzi stared to reply, but was cut off by the fuming Banzai, who'd emerged from their hiding place just behind Shenzi.
"You traitor" Banzai growled, "all these years and you go and betray us..."
"You misjudge me" Mwenzi replied, coldly, "I'm certainly not the type to back down on years of friendship."
"It looks like it though" Shenzi replied levelly.
"No doubt it does" Mwenzi said then smiled, "happily, the problem was solved by a lion you've no doubt met."
"And" Banzai asked, still glaring at Mwenzi.
"I'm not allowed to touch you" Mageuzi said angrily, glaring at Shenzi, "that lion seems to like you."
"Does he" Shenzi asked, "I'm surprised, because I nearly killed him twice."
"Then you saved him" Mageuzi said, "why?"
"He's more use alive" Shenzi replied, then her expression softened a little, "and we're not the only ones Scar betrayed."
"You feel sorry for him" Mageuzi asked, a little shocked.
"It comes with age" Shenzi replied, her normal expression returning, then she grimaced, "and having been close to Scar."
"You don't sound like you like him much" Mageuzi said, "apart from his betraying us that is."
"Like I said" Shenzi replied, "I saw more of Scars work than most, and now I wish I hadn't."
"Bad" Mageuzi asked.
"You don't want to know" Shenzi replied. She continued to stare at Mageuzi, who returned the gesture
"Hey" Banzai said, having taken the time out from listening to the conversation to have a look around, "we've got company."
"Indeed we have" Shenzi replied, glancing around, and noticing, not only the arrival of the hyenas, but also, Mwenzi glancing between her and Mageuzi.
"Matriarch" one of the newly arrived hyenas asked, "what do we do?"
"Find somewhere to sleep" Mageuzi replied, then said to Shenzi, "I think I'll need a longer talk to you."
"I'm not going anywhere much" Shenzi replied.
"Hey, what do we do" Banzai asked, once Mageuzi had wandered off.
"Make yourselves comfortable" Shenzi replied, "and try not to antagonise anyone, they're going to be here for a while."
"I do have one question" Mwenzi said.
"Yes" Shenzi asked.
"You knew we were coming" Mwenzi said, "didn't you?"
"yeah" Shenzi replied
"How" Mwenzi asked.
"How many hyena left out there" Shenzi asked.
Mwenzi glanced around, then replied, "that's about it."
"Soon enough then" Shenzi said thoughtfully.
"Soon enough what" Mwenzi asked, giving her a sideways glance.
"Soon enough, you'll find out how we spotted you" Shenzi replied.
Moments later, in the clear area behind Shenzi, a vulture landed, and said, "matriarch."
"Yes Haini" Shenzi said, looking back.
"The, er, the other hyenas have all arrived" Haini replied, watching Mwenzi warily.
"Good" Shenzi said, "now come here."
Haini swallowed uncomfortably, but hopped closer, and squeaked, "Yes?"
"So you've got a majordomo yourself" Mwenzi said, "you know, I never would have expected that."
"Hardly a majordomo" Shenzi said, "but I did notice how useful that beaky hornbill was to the lions."
"You're observant at least" Mwenzi said.
"So, how'd you get in with Mageuzi" Shenzi asked.
"She knew I'd sneaked into the Pridelands" Mwenzi replied, "not that I was passing information to you, but that I'd been in the Pridelands without being spotted."
"So she forced you to lead her" Shenzi asked.
"She had to promise me not to hurt you" Mwenzi replied. He thought for a moment, then asked, "how'd you get in with the lion?"
"You mean, why he made Mageuzi promise not to hurt me" Shenzi asked.
"Yeah" Mwenzi replied, "that seems skewed."
"I know" Shenzi said, "and I don't know why either."
"None at all" Mwenzi asked.
"No" Shenzi replied, "I think I've got a few ideas, but no proof."
"Ah well" Mwenzi said, "could be useful."
"Possibly" Shenzi said in reply.