I felt bad for the short chapter yesterday, so here's another!
I got this idea from a story called 'A Light for everyone' by Alex Draco. The beginning of this story is similar to the beginning of his. However, my story goes in a bit of a different direction. But it was inspired by that story! You should go check it out, it's very well written in my opinion. One more thing. I am using some of Tearthgrrl OC's, just because they really add to the story. Tearthgrrl hasn't added anything to her profile for three years now, so I figured it would be okay to use some of her OC's. But credit where it's due!
Tearthgrrl OC's:
Maumbu- Ed's big brother, a healer, sort of like Rafiki.
Hasina- Maumbu's mate
By the way, whenever you see : ()()()()()()(()(())(), it means the point of view is changing. Also, I did some research and it turns out that even if a person is totally blind, they will still be able to see random lights and colors, those lights and colors just don't correspond to what is actually in front of them. But for the purpose of this story, total blindness will mean that all the person will be able to see is darkness. No lights or colors, just a black void. To clear things up, 'Macho' means 'vigilant' in swahili. And the name is pronounced 'maco' don't pronounce the ch sound.
Anyways, on with the fanfic!
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Shenzi's POV
Shenzi's eyes widened, and her fur bristled. What was Ahadi doing here? He wasn't supposed to show up until later! This wasn't how it happened in reality! Maybe Ed had screwed up in this alteration.
Beside her, Taka whimpered from fear. She knew he was deathly afraid of his father, since he was always getting angry at him. But now, it seemed his anger had gone too far. Ahadi walked nonchalantly toward them, minus the bared teeth.
The problem was, that while this was only a dream, and dreams ended, she could still feel pain in a dream. Significant pain or death were automatic wake-ups, but it was a rather uncomfortable way to get up in the morning. And getting her muzzle torn of by a lion was pretty low on ways to reawaken.
"Ahadi! Leave this place at once!" Came a commanding voice from above them. Gasping with joy, Shenzi looked up and saw her mother standing atop an outcropping, looking down at them. And she wasn't alone. The crevice was lined with hyenas, all looking down at the scene below, eyes glinting in the moonlight.
"What.. Oh. Hatari…" Growled Ahadi, as he stopped his advance on the four of them. He surveyed the assembled hyenas with a snarl. Clearly, he didn't relish having to fight an entire clan.
"Didn't you hear me?" Demanded Hatari, the clan Matriarch, as she jumped down next to Shenzi.
"Oh no my dear Hatari, I heard you quite well. However, I do fear that you are in fact protecting someone whom it is my right dispose of." Responded Ahadi menacingly, as the rest of the hyenas also jumped down, and formed a protective line in front of their group.
"You'd kill your own son? That is rather low, even for one such as you." Said Hatari mockingly.
"Dad, just leave, won't you?" Interrupted Taka, pleading.
"Don't call me that, you welp. You are nothing but a runt, too weak to deserve to be my successor. Growled Ahadi.
"Leave me and my friends alone!" Yelled Taka, this time angrily.
"Oh, I see how it is. Now that you have the vile friends support, you can act tough, as if you could actually fight me." Ahadi snorted, as if the concept was laughable. "I've been in a lot of battles you runt, and I know that that scratch on your face is going to scar. And you know what? The scar will probably be pretty ugly! Fitting, isn't it?"
"Go Dad! Just go!" Screamed Taka, despite the blood now flowing into his mouth.
"Listen to your son you old fool. Get out of here, before we tear you apart." Said Hatari, also snarling.
"Fine then. Fine. I'm leaving, I suppose. See you all in hell one day!" He yelled, now sneering. Shenzi forced herself to relax. The danger was over. He was leaving. And yet, somehow, the dream felt incomplete. Wasn't there supposed to be something else?
"One Last thing to you my disgraced son." Called back Ahadi, as he strutted back into the gorge. Shenzi and Taka turned to face the retreating lion, now suddenly filled with apprehension.
"Exile." Sneered Ahadi, as an evil grin stretched across his face. Then he faced forward, and walked out of view.
"Ex- exile?" Stuttered Taka. "What? No, he, he can't do that!"
"Unfortunately, I suppose he can." Said Hatari, as she came up to Taka and licked of some of the blood covering his face. "Don't worry, you can stay with us, the hyenas. We'll protect you, and we won't throw you out." She soothed. Shenzi noticed her mom's mother instincts were kicking in.
"But-but, how am I supposed to see my mother again? Or my brother? They-they were the only ones that ever cared. Now, I'm not supposed to see them ever again?" Whimpered Taka.
"We'll be your friends Taka. And maybe sometime soon, we can sneak back into the Pridelands to say hello to your mom." Suggested Shenzi, doing her best to seem optimistic.
"Thank you guys.. I-I-you guys always were there for me." Sobbed Taka, looking very dejected.
"Now come on, we need to get you patched up." Commanded Hatari. "You'll bleed out if you don't seal that cut." With that, Taka was lead off by Shenzi's mother, over to the clan's current healer. Maumbu didn't take that position until after Shenzi became Matriarch.
"Do ya think he'll be alright?" Asked Banzai, as he stared off at Taka.
"He'll be fine, I'm sure." Replied Shenzi. He really would be. When this happened in reality, the healer had managed to stop the bleeding. He had a scar running down the length of his face, and over his eye. Over time, fur grew over most of it, but the area near his eye never fully healed.
"You two go ahead and watch Taka. I'll catch up in a moment." Ordered Shenzi to her two comrades. Banzai and Ed nodded, and they went to follow their friend.
Shenzi sat herself down as the last of the hyenas left the area. The encounter had gone more or less as it had gone in her life. Same result, nonetheless. She felt sorry for Taka. He had gone through a lot during his childhood. She didn't feel sorry for Scar though. Scar was an insane maniac, whom the hyenas should never have followed. In the end, it only served to deepen their bad rap as evil scavengers.
But it didn't matter much. Scar was dead now. Shenzi was rather sure of that. They hadn't been able to get to his throat or neck, but they had torn his skin off in multiple areas. He would die of blood loss, if nothing else. And the fire didn't much help his chances. All in all, Scar was almost certainly dead.
Shenzi sat there, and stared up at the stars. The clouds had gone away at this point, so there were shining up above. It was rather peaceful, all in all. Even if it was just supposed to be lions up there. Shenzi didn't buy that. She figured if there was room enough for the two of them down here, there was room enough up there.
The other sure fire way of waking up was falling asleep in a dream. So Shenzi laid down and closed her eyes, waiting for rest to come upon her.
Eventually, it did.
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Banzai's POV
Banzai was not feeling restful. At all. In fact, at this moment, he was sitting inside a washed up Elephant skull, crying his guts out. Earlier, his best friend, Shenzi, had been brutally thrown off a cliff by the king Simba. And now she was dead. As far as he knew, no hyenas had ever survived being mangled so horribly. He had spent a few minutes with her body, crying over it. Then, he had made her a promise, one he hoped she had heard, wherever she was. He had promised to save the clan, and keep them from starving.
But first he had to sit here and bawl until he ran out of tears.
Ed was sitting outside, for once no longer laughing or giggling. Banzai didn't think Ed was physically capable of doing something as sad as crying, but he still whimpered a lot instead. He hadn't yet told Macho or Fahama about Shenzi yet, but he would return to them soon after this. He hoped they wouldn't take it as badly as he was.
After another hour of painful sobbing, Banzai stumbled out of the skull to go get Ed. He had to get back to his clan if he was going to keep his promise the Shenzi.
"Hey…. Hey Ed." Said Banzai solemnly. Ed looked at him sadly and whimpered. "Well then…. Come on"
Ed fell in line behind Banzai as he slowly walked alongside the riverbank. Doing his best to put any thoughts of Shenzi out of his mind, he stared down at the little rocks and pebbles below his paws. He sighed, and pushed the tears back. It was now morning, with the sun peaking out from the horizon. But the sun's warmth didn't seem to warm Banzai.
The world was so much colder now.
Choking back yet another sob, Banzai continued down the river. Ed stayed quiet for the most part, only letting out a few soft giggles. Banzai went straight for the former hyenas encampment. It would have been the first place the hyenas would go to to retreat from the lionesses that almost certainly chased Maumbu.
Another half hour of walking brought him into view of the hyenas. As predicted, they were next to the river, by their former home. They were milling around, and sentries stood at the edges. One of them spotted Banzai and Ed, and Banzai saw the sentry run back into the group, probably to go get Macho or Fahama.
He saw a few of them call out to him, sounding happy at his arrival. He supposed it was good news for them. They would think differently in a few minutes.
Macho, Fahama, Maumbu, and a few other hyenas ran out to greet him. They were grinning, that much Banzai could tell, even from a distance. They were grinning! As if life was a happy place! Banzai would correct them on that.
He didn't increase his pace at all, and kept his gaze on the rocks below him. Eventually, the group made it to him and Ed.
"Banzai! You're here! You made it!" Said Maumbu, as he came to a stop. Banzai didn't answer.
"Hey Banzai, It's good to see you! You got away from the lions!" Added Fahama, still optimistic. Still, Banzai stayed silent, staring at the ground. Macho noticed his dejected attitude.
"What's wrong Banzai?" Asked Macho, eyebrow cocked. Just then, Maumbu put two and two together.
"Uhhhh… Banzai? Where's Shenzi?" He asked, sounding fearful suddenly. Banzai just looked up at Maumbu, and sighed. Maumbu's eye's widend.
"Banzai…. Where's Shenzi!" He asked again, his voice urgent. At that moment, something inside Banzai snapped, and another part of grief showed itself.
"She's dead Maumbu! She's dead!" He snarled. Maumbu seemed taken aback, and stopped talking, processing what was just heard.
"What? What did you say?" Gasped Macho and Fahama simultaneously.
"Didn't you hear me the first time?! I said she's dead! As dead as they come! Deader than a week old wildebeest carcass! That's what I said!" He yelled, his face contorting into rage.
"Dead?..."
"Dead! Simba knocked her right of Pride Rock! I found her broken, mangled body at the foot of that blasted mountain! And believe me, I did my best in order to prevent it! I just…. I wasn't fast enough,,,,," and with that, Banzai broke back down into sobs. He couldn't take it! It was all too much!
"Oh no….. That's…. This is horrible! Gasped Fahama.
"Yeah… Yeah… Well… No shit." Choked out Banzai.
"What do we do now?" Said Maumbu, sounding very far away.
"We're screwed." Replied Macho, eyes wide.
"Completely, totally screwed." He finished.
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Kovu's POV
"Come quick Kovu, She's waking up!" Called Kiara. Kovu got up from his branch as the sun shone through the leaves. It was morning, and he had just gotten a good night's sleep. However, before he did his normal stretches, he figured he better get to Kiara first.
Trotting through the tree, Kovu arrived at the patient. Rafiki and Kiara were crowding around Shenzi, leaving ample room for him to squeeze into. He managed it however, and got to see Shenzi.
In front of him, he saw Shenzi grunt, and open her eyes. She yawned,and suddenly seemed to become alert.
"Where am I?" She asked.
"You're in Rafiki's tree. After your tumble, we brought you here, so Rafiki could heal you." Responded Kiara.
"And a good ting too, yoo weh gravely ijnjured!" Added Rafiki.
"Gravely injured? What do you mean? Where's Banzai?" Asked Shenzi urgently. Then, she tried to stand up, and fell back down. "What the…" Said Shenzi.
"Well, two of your legs are broken, Shenzi. And there's something else…" Kiara gulped, seemingly unsure how to continue. Shenzi raised her left foreleg, which was now in a sort of brace. Two sticks held together by some small vines. She examined it by pawing at it with her other foreleg. Then she put it back down.
"What else?" Asked Shenzi, eyebrow cocked.
"You broke your back partially. Rafiki did what he could, but tell me, do you feel anything in your hind legs?" Asked Kovu.
"My hind legs?" Said Shenzi, who then turned back to her rump. She tried to move them, and, amazingly, her unbroken leg moved! However, the broken one remained resolutely still.
"I can't move the the right one! Its….. Stuck or something!" Exclaimed Shenzi.
"I don't think it's because of the cast,,," said Rafiki.
"No, really! I can't get it to move! Why won't it move!" Panicked Shenzi.
"Well meh dear, I am afraid dat leg weel neva move again. Yoo see, yor back ees, partialee broken. I was able to save da nerves on da left side, but not da right it seems…" Said Rafiki.
"Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. Stop right there, don't move." Said Shenzi, suddenly in a falsely cheerful mood.
"So what you guys are telling me, is that my right hind leg, albeit broken somewhat, is never going to work again! That's what this is about?" Said Shenzi, grinning. That smile made Kovu uncomfortable.
"I take your silence as a yes! Wonderful! Isn't that just great! I mean, one more thing I can add to my list of misery! Yeah, I got a list all right!" With that, Shenzi let out a trademark hyena laugh, chilling Kovu. He didn't like where this was going.
"Here's the first bit ya'll, this one cracks me up! Yeah, first one the list is that, for the past three years, us hyenas have been starving! Ain't that just great! Another good one is that my childhood friend turned into an insane psycho! You all remember Scar, right? Yeah, well he started out well enough, but I guess true colors show themselves eventually! Life lessons for you all!" She grinned incessantly again, and started to cackle.
"Added to that list is just recently, I got blinded! And now, I broke my back! It's just so effing hilarious! Come on guys! Can't you all laugh at a good joke? I knew we hyenas can! Heck, it's all we ever do! According to you mangy lions anyhow!" Shenzi laughed again, and hit the ground with her paw, now starting to really act amused. "Oh, it hurts to laugh so hard… But… It's… Just…. Too funny!" She chortled, and started to cry from her mirth.
"Calm down Shenzi, calm down, listen, I know it sucks,,,, but calm down." Said Kiara, looking worried.
"Calm down, calm down… That's great! Really, really,,,," but Shenzi went no further, as she broke back down into another lapse of giggles.
"How about we just give her some space guys?" Suggested Kovu. He figured Shenzi needed it.
"Right…. Right. Come on then." Said Kiara, as she trotted back out of the tree's central hollow. Kovu and Rafiki followed, Shenzi's stress induced merriment still sounding behind them.
Well, at least it would pass soon.
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Another chapter up! The conclusion the Shenzi's dream, Banzai's breakdown, and Shenzi's breakdown, all in one. Don't worry, neither of them are going insane. Ill keep them in character. They are just coping with stress and sadness. By next chapter, they'll be fine. No worries. Well, it's a fanfiction crime to be following a story but not review! Constructive criticism accepted. No Flaming!