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!
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(())()(()())()()()()()()()()()()
Banzai's POV
Banzai took his first step into the desert. There was no going back now. If he succeeded, he would have kept his promise to Shenzi. To fail meant to renege on it. And he couldn't let himself fail.
As he took yet another step farther from the hated Pridelands, a familiar scent entered his nostrils. He breathed it in, then froze. He glanced back, and his eyes widened, his fur bristled.
"Oh shit! Shit shit shit shit shit!" Cried Banzai. A few hyenas took notice of his outburst, and turned back to look. They too froze in fear.
"No! Why now! Why now! We were so close! So close! And he shows up now!" Yelled Banzai in frustration.
For just behind them, a few hills back, was a squad of lions, running toward them, teeth bared.
And one of them was Simba.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Kovu's POV
Kovu was in front, leading the way. Shenzi was right behind him, doing her best to hop along on what legs she had available. She was leaning onto Kiara, who acted as a crutch.
It was now late afternoon. They had bid Rafiki farewell a few hours ago, and were now making slow progress across the savannah.
The first place they were going to check for the hyenas was the flood encampment. Shenzi said that it was the most likely place the hyenas would flee to, since it was closest to their former home. Currently, they were discussing what they would actually do when they got there.
Giving the fact that it was extremely unlikely that they could try appealing to Simba again, they were brainstorming ideas.
"What if you guys just lived in the outlands? Zira's lionesses managed it." Suggested Kiara.
"Ugh, don't remind me about Zira." Replied Shenzi, spitting out the name.
"Why not? Weren't both you and her allies with Scar?" Asked Kovu, curious.
"During the old tyrants reign, Zira was a pompous fool. And after we killed Scar, it was she that slew most of us that fled back to the Graveyard. She nearly got me too at one point. She had me pinned on my back, and she was blathering something about how I was responsible for Scar's death. Which I suppose I was. At least she gave us credit for the deed. Anyways, I escaped when Banzai and Ed clawed her in the rump. After that, we made it into the caves, safe and sound. Only to find, of course, that there were only sixty three of us left. Eventually, hunger drove that number down to fifty four. And then the flood. Whoop de doo. At least I had the satisfaction of revenge on Scar for his broken promises." Finished Shenzi sarcastically.
"I see. Wow, nobody likes Scar at all. I guess I was lucky to never have met him." Replied Kiara, thoughtfully.
"I only ever saw him a few times as a cub. So… I never really knew him either." Added Kovu.
"Well he was a maniac, through and through. Completely insane, focusing on nothing but himself, and what he wanted. In fact there was this one time where he…. Actually, nevermind. I told myself I would forget about it. But anyways, the point is that he was crazy."
"That's what Simba told me." Said Kovu, glancing back at the pair.
"Well, he told you right. He wasn't always nuts though. There was a time when he was Taka, and he was my friend. He was a lot different back then." Asserted Shenzi.
"Different in what way?" Asked Kiara.
"Well, when I first met him, he was just a cub, who had gotten stuck in a hole. I helped him out, and soon after, we became friends. He used to sneak away every day to come visit me, Banzai, and Ed. We used to have a lot of fun together." Said Shenzi reminiscing.
"Well, none of us start out evil." Replied Kiara.
"Yeah well, that's just it. As time went on, his father made it clear to him that he favored his older brother, Mufasa. Eventually, even Muffy gave him a bit of a cold shoulder, but only because he was egged on by Ahadi to do so. Taka became lonely, and he spent more and more time with us. He only ever told his mother about what he did when he was away from Pride Rock, and she kept it secret. A year or two went by, and we became adolescents. Taka was still a good lion, although he told us that he hated how he was being treated" said Shenzi, deep in thought.
Kovu had never actually been told about Scar's childhood. It was interesting to hear an objective account, not one made by a lioness who had lived grueling lives underneath the tyrant. Shenzi continued talking.
"Then, one day, he ran into the Graveyard, pursued by his father. You see, Ahadi had grown suspicious of his visits outside of the Pridelands, and asked Uru, Taka's mother, of his whereabouts. When she refused, he grew even more suspicious. So he told Mufasa to follow Taka, wherever he went. When Taka visited us, Mufasa saw him, and told his dad everything. So when Taka went back to Pride Rock, his dad confronted him about it, and he got really angry. He ended up slashing Taka across the eye, covering the whole left side of his face with blood. Incidentally, that's how Scar got his scar. But he didn't change his name until later."
"Wait, his own dad gave him his scar? That's horrendous!" Exclaimed Kiara.
"Indeed it was. Ahadi wasn't exactly a caring sort of father towards Taka." Replied Shenzi.
"Yeah… I would have hated to have a dad like Ahadi." Added Kovu.
"Parental advice aside, the point is that after Ahadi slashed him like that, Ahadi grew even angrier for some reason. And so Taka ran to the one place he had ever felt safe, to us, his friends. Ahadi chased him, and eventually, he cornered him in the Elephant Graveyard. Me, Banzai, and Ed came along at just that moment, and we distracted Ahadi so Taka could escape. We ran to my mom, and she and the rest of the clan protected us from the vengeful king. Furious that he couldn't get to Taka, he exiled him from the Pridelands. Of course, Mufasa let him back in years later, but the time made Taka bitter. He grew to hate Mufasa for snitching on him, and I suppose that's partially why he felt justified in his actions later on. Anyhow, Taka really started off as a good cub. But by the time he became Scar, he was driven insane from thoughts of jealousy, anger, and vengeance." With that, Shenzi finished her account.
"That's quite the story." Commented Kovu. "I've never heard it that way before."
"That's because I'm one of the few who know it that way. Everyone else seems to have….. forgotten the good side of Scar."
"It's sort of a shame, that no one will acknowledge that part of him that wasn't evil." Thought Kiara.
"At this point, it's just that no one remembers that part of him. After all, it has been awhile." Replied Shenzi.
"Indeed it has." Said Kovu, as they continued across the grass. The sun was still out, beating down onto the plains. There was a not a lot of commotion during midday. Most animals tended to be near the water hole around this time.
Unfortunately, they themselves couldn't. It was imperative that they found Shenzi's clan as fast as they could. Without a Matriarch, Shenzi had warned that chaos would soon ensue. Apparently, strong leaders were vital in hyena society. And Shenzi didn't think that anyone would step up to fill that role.
So, as it went, they arrived at the river, next to the encampment. But there were no hyenas anywhere.
"Well, we're here…. But no one else is." Proclaimed Kovu.
"You're sure this is the spot where we camped after the flood?" Asked Shenzi, as she herself couldn't check.
"It look like the spot to me." Affirmed Kiara, as she too looked around the area.
"But…. No one's here." Summarized Kovu.
"Blast it! Where else could they have gone?" Wondered Shenzi, deep in thought.
"Is there any other spot the hyenas might have gone off to?" Asked Kiara, whilst looking back at Shenzi.
"No…. There really isn't. We hyenas haven't been out of the Graveyard for years so... I can't think of another spot they could have considered safe enough to flee too." Responded Shenzi, frustrated.
"What about before your banishment? Other than Pride Rock, did you guys hang out anywhere else?" Asked Kiara again.
"No, we stayed around Pride Rock. That's where the food was at." Responded Shenzi, as she pawed at the ground impatiently.
"You two keep thinking about where they might have gone. I'm going to search this area for any sign that the hyenas might have initially been here." Suggested Kovu. Maybe the hyenas had been here at one point, but had left in favor of another location. If that was true, there had to be pawprints.
"Good idea. You go do that Kovu." Affirmed Kiara, as she nodded in his direction. Kovu turned around and marched over to old encampment, while Shenzi and Kiara kept talking in the background.
He stared down at the ground, and saw paw impressions in the ground. These one looked at least a day old however. For his theory to be correct, the pawprints had to be only a few hours old. He searched the area, keeping his eyes peeled for newer signs.
Here! Here was a newer impression! This hyena print seemed very, very recent! And there were a lot more of them! Here, was an entire pack's worth of pawprints, all leading in a different direction than towards the heart of the Pridelands. This had to be it!
He ran back to his comrades, excited with the news.
"Hey guys! I found recent pawprints! I think everyone went down that way!" Exclaimed Kovu, as he gestured in the respective direction.
"They went that way? Why did they snake around the Graveyard? There's nothing that way but desert!" Replied Kiara.
"Desert? Why would they go towards the desert? That's the last place I would go! I knew they needed my leadership!" Exclaimed Shenzi, disgruntled.
"Hey, don't claw the messenger. How about we just follow the pawprints? They're sure to lead us straight to them!" Responded Kovu, now excited.
"If it's really their pawprints, we can't ignore them. Let's go then, we better hurry if we are to catch up to the pack." Demanded Shenzi. Kovu noticed how easily Shenzi was talking, even when surrounded by lions she couldn't even see. Who would have thought that could have happened?
"Right. Follow me then." Said Kovu, as he turned back around, and set of on the pawprints trail.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Banzai's POV
Banzai whipped around to face the horror struck hyenas. He had to shake them out of it!
"Well? What are you all waiting for?! Run!" Yelled Banzai. At his words, the hyenas seemed to finally absorb exactly who they had on their tail. Each and every one of them swing back about, and kicked up sand in their haste to pick up speed.
Banzai joined them, and began to sprint further into the desert. It was now a race. If they got far enough away into the barren sand, Simba would probably give up, thinking he had won. But if Simba caught up with them, it would be a massacre. The lions wouldn't give any quarter, and everything he and Shenzi had ever fought for would be lost.
Damned lions! Of course they had to find them now! Now, right when they were leaving the blasted Pridelands for good! The worst part was, if this was to be a footrace, the lions had the advantage in every way. The hyenas were naturally slower, being smaller than the lions. And these lions were well fed, unlike the hyenas, who hadn't eaten for the past day.
Sprinting like this would only tire them out faster. Then, if it did come down to a fight, the hyenas would be even further down the advantage line. Either way, Banzai didn't see an easy way out of this situation.
He ran up next to Macho, as they continued their all or nothing sprint. Then, he glanced back, and saw that the lions were noticeably closer by now. At this rate, they would be on them in less than a minute!
"Macho! They're gaining!" He yelled through gritted teeth.
"I realize that Banzai! Give me minute, I'm trying to think of something!" He replied quickly.
Banzai looked back again, and Simba was even closer! Time was running out!
"Okay! When we cross that dune, those of us who can fight will turn around and slow them down! Tell the others!" Replied Macho, as he flitted his ears to the mound of sand ahead of them."
"Got it!" Replied Banzai. Well, it was a suicidal plan, but hopefully it would give those of them with pups the ability to escape. Banzai maneuvered himself around the pack, relaying Macho's plan.
When they reached the crest of the sand dune, Banzai, Macho, Fahama, Ed, and eleven others whipped back around, and dug their hind legs into the sand. Banzai glanced to his sides. The line, including the ones he had already mentioned, totalled only of five females and twelve males. Drat. Females we physically tougher than males, therefore they were the dominant gender in hyenas society. It would have been better if they had more in their defensive stand.
Simba and his lionesses barely even slowed as they approached. Banzai unsheathed his claws and bared his teeth. Even if he was slain, this was his best chance at revenge. If he killed Simba, he would finally have satisfaction of Shenzi's death.
He raised his right forepaw, and braced himself for the battle. He would come out of this alive, no matter what.
"Okay everyone! Just slow them down! That's what this is for…. Brace yourselves!" Yelled Fahama. Then the lions reached them, and pounced.
Given to the fact that the hyenas were standing on top of a sand dune, they had the height advantage. So Banzai leaped forward, as high as he could. He managed to jump over a lionesses outstretched claws, and landed on it's back. Seizing his opportunity, he hacked and scratched as hard as he could before he was thrown off. He rolled down the dune, propelled by the force of the throw.
He quickly got back up to his feet, and just in time, because another lioness ran at him. Rather than meet the charge head on, Banzai turned tail and ran back up the dune toward Macho and the rest of the hyenas. Up here, he would be able to lose the lioness chasing him.
He slashed a lioness growling at Fahama as he ran by. The lioness howled, and turned to face Banzai. Fahama then ran up to her opponent, and scored a hit right across the muzzle. Banzai allowed himself a grin as he made his way around more tussles.
Just then, he felt a large weight slam into him. He and another hyena were tossed to their sides, as the hyena who was thrown into him struggled to get back up quickly. A brownish, cream colored lioness stood next to them, and took an offensive stance.
"Damned lion!" Cursed Banzai, snarling at his enemy. The hyena with him lined up next to Banzai and snarled as well. The lioness didn't seem fazed however, and simply returned the growl.
They slowly advanced toward the lioness, carefully keeping a watch on the enemy. From the corner of his eye, Banzai saw Macho slash at another lion, and he saw another hyena lying bloodied on the ground.
The lioness pounced suddenly, taking him and his comrade by surprise. They both reared up quickly, claws outstretched. The lioness slammed into them, and Banzai felt sharp claws penetrate the fur around his flanks. He was pinned onto his back, his vulnerable stomach exposed.
The other hyena had backed up quickly, and avoided the attack. Coming to Banzai's aid, he jumped onto the lioness, and tried to bite her neck. The lioness, being distracted, didn't notice until too late the Banzai had slipped free. He then proceeded to cut the chest area of his opponent, and the lioness howled from pain and retreated.
Now bleeding profusely down his sides, Banzai quick gave the two wounds a lick and turned his attention back to the fight. He slipped by two more duels, with sand being kicked up all around. Hyenas all over were growling and being slashed by the sharper claws of the lions.
But Banzai was looking for one lion in particular. And he had to find him quickly, or they were all doomed. If he could kill Simba, the rest of the lionesses would undoubtedly rout. If he couldn't, all of his comrades would be massacred. The hyenas were fighting a losing battle, and in a few minutes, that battle would turn into crushing defeat.
He heard a loud roar come from off to his right, a roar that could only come from a male lion as large as Simba. He ran toward the sound, dodging another lion's claws. Then, he saw him! There was Simba! Currently, he was sparring with Macho and a female hyena called Uchovo. Two against one. Banzai could make it three.
Simba took a swipe at Macho, which Macho sidestepped. Uchovu lashed out at Simba's outstretched paw, and scored a gash on the limb. Simba growled, and quickly retracted his attack. Banzai ran around them, hoping to get Simba from behind.
Macho returned Simba's attack, and stepped forward quickly to achieve a hit. Simba stepped even further back, and avoided Macho's paws. Banzai ran up to Simba while he growled at Macho, and jumped onto his back.
He opened his jaws and did his best to try to bite Simba's neck. That was the easiest killing blow there was. One quick snap, and an animal was dead. Simba's mane was too thick though, and try as he might, he couldn't get to the vulnerable part before Simba threw him off.
He landed next to Macho, and thanked the sand for the soft landing. He got back up, and turned to face the king with his companions.
"Come on guys, spread out around him." Suggested Uchovu, trying to sound forceful. But her panting made it clear she was exhausted.
"No! Come on guys, this is our chance! Kill him!" Shouted Banzai, as he took another step toward the lion. But Simba wasn't waiting for his foes to come to him. With a growl, he jumped at the three hyenas, with murderous intent.
Caught of gaurd, all three of the hyenas we thrown to their backs, skidding across the sand. Before Banzai could recover, he felt long, sharp claws dig into his shoulders again, opening his previous wounds even further. Simba stood above him, snarling with fury. Banzai tried to push him off, but he was too weak!
The sprint, and the fight up till now, short as it was, had worn Banzai down. He tried to push with all his might, but he had no energy left!
"You... Fucking….. lions!" Yelled Banzai, during his last attempt to escape his adversary.
Simba simply raised his other paw, with a hardened expression on his face.
That was that. He had failed. And now, he was going to die, killed by the same lion that had thrown Shenzi to her death. Behind him, he could see Macho and Uchovu lying in the sand, unconscious. He saw Ed being clawed across the muzzle by a lioness. And all around him, there were other hyenas bodies, lying very, very still and bloodied. There were still some scraps continuing, but by now, all the hyenas were either defeated or had fled. Simba was just mopping up.
Banzai closed his eyes as Simba's paw came down, intent on dealing the killing blow.
()()()()()()()()()()()(()(()(()(()()()()()()()(()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(()()()()(()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Kiara's POV
"Hey guys…. The tracks definitely lead into the desert!" Called Kovu, as he followed the trail of hyena pawprints. Shenzi was leaning on Kiara, with Shenzi's only two mobile legs forcing Kiara to go slowly.
"The desert? It just makes no sense! There's no point in entering the desert!" Fumed Shenzi, as she tried to make sense of the information.
"Well…. If lions are searching for them, the desert is a good spot to hide." Mused Kiara.
"Yeah…. A good spot to hide, nevermind the complete lack of food and water." Replied Shenzi.
"No matter. Their tracks lead this way, so we go this way." Affirmed Kovu.
"I suppose that's logic for ya." Muttered Shenzi under her breath. Kiara and Shenzi continued to follow Kovu, now across the sand. It was much easier to follow the tracks now, since it was easy to follow impressions in the sand.
They climbed up and over a small dune, with sand now rubbing in between their toes. Kiara figured it would take ages to get it all out of her fur. But she knew it was a necessary, so she suffered it silently. And anyhow, sand in one's fur was hardly a suffering when she compared it to Shenzi, who had endured so much already.
Then, as they approached another dune, Kiara saw a scene that made her heart stop.
Scattered all across the sand, not moving, were hyenas. Many of them were bleeding, and lying in estranged positions, spread out on their backs and sides.
"What happened here?" Gasped Kovu, as he surveyed the bodies.
"What? What are you talking about?" Asked Shenzi, still completely oblivious to the scene around her.
"Are they all dead?" Whispered Kiara, completely appalled by the site of the bodies.
"Who? Come on guys, you know I can't see! Tell me what's going on!" Demanded Shenzi, getting frustrated again.
"Hyenas. There are motionless hyenas lying around us." Replied Kiara, albeit hesitantly.
"What? Who! Which ones? And…Are they hurt?" Exclaimed Shenzi, taken by surprise. Kovu nudged one of the fallen animals, inspecting it closely.
"This one's dead." He declared, as he moved on to the next one. Then, Kovu let out another gasp as he reached to nudge the body. "I recognize this one! I think.. Is this one called Banzai?" He asked.
"What! Banzai! Where? Where's Banzai? Is he… Is he dead?" Cried out Shenzi, now very distressed.
"I… I can't tell." Announced Kovu, as he looked down at the gray body, covered in red blood. "He looks pretty bad though. And he's not moving either."
"But… Banzai can't be dead! He…. He just can't! He can't!" Exclaimed Shenzi, visibly very worried.
"I'm sorry Shenzi… I, well it doesn't look good."
"No! No! He wasn't supposed to die! Anyone else, anyone else at all! Just not him!" Cried Shenzi. She slumped down onto the ground, and lay on her side, sobbing. Kiara didn't know what to do. Clearly, this had pushed Shenzi past her breaking point. There was only so much misery an animal could endure before losing it.
Kiara thought Shenzi had lost it when she had found out her back had been broken. But now, this was just letting out her emotions, of all the misfortune she had experienced, and doing it naturally, through crying. Kiara knew Shenzi prided herself on being tough, but it must have all just been too much for her.
She looked over at Kovu, who met her gaze with a somber expression. They both knew they should leave Shenzi alone, but they were unwilling to leave her side. If Shenzi needed support, they would offer it.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()())()()()()()()()()()()()())()())()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(
Banzai's POV
Banzai slowly opened his eyes, feeling like fireworks were happening inside his head.
"Ugh… Man, he really did a number on me." He muttered to himself, as he tried to get back up to his feet.
Man… His shoulders really stung. Not surprisingly, since he had been clawed there twice, once by Simba himself. At least he was alive, he figured that was always good news. Once back up, he shook his head a bit to clear it, then looked around.
Immediately, he almost cried out, all around him where the bodies of his comrades, lying motionless in the sand. He couldn't tell if any of them were dead, but they were all hurt, and none of them were conscious.
Then, he heard the sound of sobbing reach his ears. He turned around, and saw, down at the bottom of the dune, a female hyena lying on the ground and crying. Around her were two lions he instantly recognized, Kovu and Kiara! What were they doing here?
Then, he recognized the hyena the lions were sitting next to.
His eyes widened, and he had to rub them, to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He also took the liberty to pinch himself, just to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
No, this wasn't a dream. Which could only mean one thing.
That really was Shenzi! Banzai's jaw dropped, as he stared down at his lifelong friend, who was sitting there, not five yards away from him. But how had she survived? He had found her dead, lifeless body! He had sat there and cried over it, and now, somehow, here she was, perfectly alive and well!
It was a miracle! Then, another fact registered in Banzai's happiness ridden brain. Shenzi was crying. Which meant she was sad about something. If he started whooping with joy, it might make her angry. And that was something he didn't want.
He slowly trotted up to her, limping slightly as he winced from his wounds. When he reached her, still not having made a sound, he walked in between the two lions, who didn't notice him, and quietly asked. "What's wrong Shenzi?"
The effect was immediate. Shenzi suddenly stopped crying and and turned around to face Banzai.
"Banzai? Is that you?" She asked, incredulously.
"Well yes. It's me. But, what was wrong?" He asked, staying timid.
"What was wrong? You were wrong Banzai! I thought you were dead!" Exclaimed Shenzi, now grinning from joy.
"Nope. Simba clawed me real well, but it's going to take more than that to send me from this lifetime." He replied, catching on the Shenzi's happiness.
"Come here Banzai! Come up to me!" She ordered suddenly. Banzai complied. Shenzi raised one of her paws and touched him on the head, as if to affirm he was there. Then, she raised her own head up, and licked him on the side of his muzzle.
He drew his head back in surprise. Shenzi grinned in response. Feeling it necessary, he leaned down and licked her back. She continued to grin, clearly happy.
"So… Reunions, huh?" Interrupted the lion called Kovu.
"Shush Kovu! They're having a moment together alright!" Snapped the lioness called Kiara.
"No, no, it's fine." Said Shenzi, as she nodded her head. "What's a bit more important right now is that we go and check for any more survivors."
"Oh yeah…. I suppose we should." Replied Banzai, somewhat hesitantly. Shenzi was back with him! All was right in the world, the last thing he needed was to go and find that the rest of his friends were dead.
Kovu and Banzai marched up the hill, nudged hyenas and checking for breathing. All in all, one female had died, and two males. The rest were simply unconscious, and would wake up soon. Ed, Macho, and Fahama had all made it through.
Eventually, the hyenas began to regain consciousness. Many of them expressed great happiness at the return of their Matriarch, and Fahama had relinquished her leadership back to Shenzi, who was the official leader anyways. The ones who were dead were buried with the help of Kovu, and Shenzi had bade farewell to her two lions friends.
"Goodbye then Kiara. Cya Kovu. Thanks for the help." She said.
"We were happy to help. I hope you find a good home, wherever it is you're going." Expressed Kiara.
"Yeah, good luck to you." Added Kovu. With their farewells in order, the two lions turned back around and began to walk over the sand back to the Pridelands. Shenzi and Banzai had also turned around, and were now on their way across the desert, following the pawprints of the hyenas who had continued running.
"So Shenzi, you ever going to tell me how you survived that fall?" Asked Banzai, as they strode through the landscape. Shenzi was leaning onto him for support, and Macho, Fahama, and Ed were lined up next to them, with the rest of the fight survivors behind them. None had escaped unscathed, but everyone of them could walk. And so that's what they did.
"Eventually, I probably will. But I don't feel like it right now." She replied.
"Oh well. At least things seemed to work out. I mean, in total we lost about half of our previous number over the last few days, but at least we're finally leaving that stinking Graveyard and those Lions behind once and for all." Said Banzai, as he gazed out at the dunes.
"Yeah. We probably should have tried this sooner. We may all still starve on the journey across though, you know that." Said Fahama, returning Banzai's statement.
"Eh, if Simba managed it as a cub, we might be able to too." Replied Banzai.
"Well, I guess all we can do is hope, aye?" Added Macho, finally getting back into his old personality.
"Indeed. Here's to a better future." Added Shenzi. Ed let out a laugh in agreement.
The sun started to set as the overly optimistic group of hyenas continued on their way across the sea of sand.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Kovu's POV
Well, I suppose that worked out." Said Kovu, as he and Kiara re-enters the Pridelands.
"I guess it kinda did. Now, the only bump in the road will be if daddy's still angry." Replied Kiara.
"He probably won't be. Plus, I don't think he could ever stay mad at his little angel." Said Kovu, as he pranced in front of Kiara.
"Hey Kovu, how about we race back to Pride Rock?" She asked, grinning at her mate.
"Oh you're on!" He replied, returning that grin. As the sun began to set, the two sprinted over the lush savannah, making their way back home.
The End
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()(
And….. That is the end of this tale. Since this was the last chapter, be sure to leave a review! Preferably, one that answers these questions:
1. Do you think I did a good job of showing the better side of the hyenas?
2. Do you think I might have demonized Simba a little bit? (I hope not.)
3. Did I tell this story with good grammar, and good writing?
4. Should I make a sequel?
5. Who here ships Shenzi and Banzai?
Well, that's that. And by the way, please do leave a review. Especially since this is the last chapter. Even if you stumbled across this sometime in 2020 or 2025, I'll probably still be active. I plan to stick around for a long time. Anyhow, thanks for reading, And I'll see you all later!