The Lion King: Dawn Of The Nations

Episode 18: Clemency

Jazanu's hyenas were battling with the last of Jasiri's, the laughs, growls and bites lasted for several minutes, the ground was covered with corpses of warriors from both sides, predominantly with the ones who were still loyal to Jasiri. Gradually, the noise of the battle became more intermittent, until one final laugh was heard from the last loyal hyena, who got killed rapidly by a rival horde. A new silence was now present, one of victory for Jazanu's followers, but it also felt like one of division, of loss and hidden guilt. "Jazanu!" Juzare exclaimed, standing before the dead hyena, among his comrades. "Jazanu!" He spoke louder, getting no response.

"He is dead!" Another hyena approached them, sitting down and gesturing at the crack that led to the gorge, where Jasiri had killed Jazanu. "Jazanu is dead."

"Dead…" Juzare began to walk towards the crack followed by the other five hyenas. They entered the crack and reached the dead end. Juzare gasped when seeing Jazanu's corpse laying over the ground. "Indeed." He said, subtly smirking. "Our leader is gone." He made up a voice of lament.

"And now that Jasiri has left…" One of the hyenas said. "His son, Jakir, shall take his place."

Juzare's smirk faded, as he started to frown. "One would think that." He turned and approached the hyena. "It's the tradition, isn't it? The heir to the throne shall ascend at the predecessor's dead."

The hyena started to feel rather unsettled by the tone in Juzare's voice. "Yes…that's…the rule." He talked nervously.

Juzare kept looking at him, silent, maintaining his frown, then he let out a chuckle. "What has that cub done for this land? I ask." He looked over his back at Jazanu's corpse. "Isn't it more fair to let the captain's second in command to take his place?"

"Uhm…" The hyena knew he had no other choice but to concur. "Yes." He replied hesitantly.

Juzare's eyes were locked on Jazanu's dead body. "I'm glad you understand, Jinobe." He got thoughtful for a long moment. "Kill him."

Jinobe raised an eyebrow, as well as the others. "Who?...My king." He would be the first to ever give that title to Juzare.

"Jakir." Juzare finally turned his glare back at them. "Jazanu's heir, he cannot live, as my reign would be in danger."

"What about his brother? Jenuk." One of the hyenas asked.

"I want him dead too, as well as their mother." Juzare responded, walking in between them, heading back to the outside through the crack's narrow, dark path, followed by them. The six hyenas exited the crack. "Jinobe, this is your first task as my second in command."

Jinobe's eyes widened, feeling more worried than flattered. "Me?"

Juzare nodded, sitting down among some dead hyenas, the vultures were already watching over the place from the near sky. "Yes, Jinobe." He looked at him with eyes of confirmation. "Now, show your loyalty to me, get rid of Jazanu's family, and then I'll know I made the right choice." Jinobe got deeply thoughtful, almost lost, not saying a word. "Jinobe!" Juzare exclaimed angrily.

Jinobe gasped after visualizing the scene of his task's completion in his thoughts. "Yes…" He responded with agitation. "I…I'll do it..." He bowed his head hesitantly. "…my king."

Juzare looked at him for a moment, with a straight face and finding doubt in his words. "Right." He said. "Do it, now." He gestured away. "Find them, kill them and bring me their corpses." He started to walk away towards the legions of hyenas that were waiting for the words of Jazanu's second in command.

"Is it true, Juzare?" One of the many hyenas that were sitting there asked. "Is our leader dead?"

"I hate to be the one who confirms your fears." Juzare replied, walking by them casually. "Our captain, our leader…our king! He has perished! Under the jaws of the so called queen!" Murmurs and gasps of astonishment were heard.

"Then…the throne goes to Jakir!" One of them stated.

Juzare nodded. "The tradition establishes it clearly…and tradition must be obeyed." He stopped walking for a moment, with his back against them. "But today is a day of mourning, for our fallen brothers and sisters!" He exclaimed. "Let the rightful king ascend after our tears are dry and our hearts healed! We lost our captain! We lost warriors! Let this day be one of mourn and remembrance for those who aren't with us anymore!" He turned to looked at them again. He let out a loud laugh that simulated sorrow. The crowd imitated him, this time with true feelings.

Jaira, Jazanu's mate, was inside her cave along with her two cubs, looking through the compact entrance at the cave's left, seeing several dead hyenas laying over the ground at the distance, unable to see Juzare and the rest of the hyenas as her cave was quite far from there, so she and her children were completely unaware of what had happened. "Mother…can w…" One of the cubs asked but got rapidly interrupted.

"Hush…" Jaira said, with her cautious gaze still locked on the battlefield. "…not yet, Jakir."

Jakir let out a sigh of complaint. "But I want to go play, the mess must be over already." Jakir and his brother didn't get too impacted with the battles that occurred in their homeland, they were quite accustomed to the matter as their father was already teaching them how to fight, and even giving them some strategy lectures.

"I said no, Jakir." Jaira looked at her son with a frown of warning, snarling subtly.

"This is unfair! Everything must be over." Jenuk, the younger brother, took a few steps to approach his mother, but she growled at him while looking into his eyes with the same frown.

"Jenuk…" Jaira gestured at Jakir. "Go back there…"

Jenuk wanted to refuse at first, but there was nothing he could do against his mother's imperative eyes, so he growled in silence and turned, walking back to his previous spot, briefly looking at Jaira over his back. Jaira looked back at the static scene, fearing her mate's possible fate. Her ear twitched when hearing rushed steps coming from the path that led to the cave, she instinctively backed down a bit, giving a quick glare at her children.

"Jaira!" Jinobe arrived, running by her, entering the cave and looking at the two cubs.

"Jinobe?" Jenuk took a few steps towards him.

"Can you tell my mother it's safe outside?" Jakir asked.

Jinobe sighed. "I'm sorry, but…that would be a lie."

"Hey, Jinobe." Jaira approached him. "What's going on, where's Jazanu?" She asked with worry on her voice. Jinobe lowered his head, shaking it and giving her a glare of pity.

Jaira gasped. "What?...is he..?"

"The captain is dead." Jinobe replied. "I'm so sorry."

Jaira looked away then lowered her head, closing her eyes and sighing brokenly. "My Jazanu…" She slowly started to sob while looking at Jinobe. "What happened?" Her voice was broken.

"He…" Jinobe sighed. "He took over, Jaira, but the quee…Jasiri…she killed him."

Jaira raised an eyebrow. "Took o..?" There was confusion in her words. "Why would he do that?"

"Well he did, but his reign didn't last long." Jinobe added. Jakir and Jenuk where speechless, the knot in their throats was unbearable but they were fighting it with effort. Jenuk looked at his brother, with a tear on the corner of his eye, Jakir approached him and sat down next to him, resting his head against his reassuringly.

Jaira had her gaze lost on the dark, rocky ground. "He betrayed our queen?" She still found Jinobe's words hard to believe, but thought them plausible at the same time.

Jinobe sighed rather frustrated. "Jaira, you have to leave."

Jaira glanced back at him, with eyes of confusion. "Why?"

"Juzare…he wants your cubs dead…as well as you." Jinobe explained. "He sees them as a threat."

Jaira gasped with anger and disbelief. "Juzare?! He is almost family, why would he?!"

"He is king now." Jinobe said.

"No, he is not. Our leader is Jasiri, where is she?" Jaira responded.

"She left, Jaira! She is no queen anymore!" Jinobe growled. "But that's not why I'm here, I need you to leave!"

"Well we won't! Jinobe!" Despite of her anger, Jaira still had tears traveling over the fur of her face.

"Jaira, please!" Jinobe insisted with desperation. "I don't want to kill you!"

Jaira backed away from him, same as her sons. She looked at him with caution. "Jinobe…what are you talking about?"

"Juzare sent me here to kill you and your cubs!" Jinobe's voice began to get broken. "Forgive me…" He sobbed. "Y…you have to leave…please!"

Jaira looked at her cubs, who were trembling. She glared back at him, seeing the guilt on his eyes, along with the tears that were about to go down his face. "Jinobe…I…" She sighed. "I'm so confused." She sobbed.

"Just leave." Jinobe's voice had broke. "Please, he'll send more if I don't do the job."

Jaira got thoughtful, already picturing some scenarios far from the Outlands. "Jinobe…" She looked at him for a long moment. "I'll do as you say…for the safety of my children." She walked towards her cubs and sat down before them. "We have to leave, my sons." She licked their foreheads. None said a word, they just got into their paws, ready to follow their mother. Jaira walked towards the entrance, letting her children exit first. She gave a final glare at Jinobe. "Remember this." Jaira frowned a bit at him, letting a couple more tears to escape from her eyes. "One day… my children and I will return."