Xxx

Darkness filled the screen as a bright yellow glow slowly appeared, followed by numerous gold and silver stars illuminated the center, taking the form of letters with every passing second.

And lo, in perfect cursive were the words...

Stellar Wishes

Yet as the words shimmered to life, a small ball of light flew towards the title and tapped the title, causing it to burst into bright gold stardust as everything went black.

Stellar Wishes: Chapter Ten, War of Spots and Scars.

Series/Film: The Lion King

Scenario: What if the Hyenas joined Simba's side?

Inspiration(s): The War of the Roses [Buckingham's Rebellion, the Dynamite comic series Disney Villains- Scar.

Xxxxx

-Pride Lands, Pride Rock-

"OUT!"

The sound of scatchmarks against the hard metamorphic rock echoed a little within the extremely barren landscape, rocks and dry soil taking the place of grass and shrubs as the sky was covered in gray clouds that tinged the land an unnatural light gray hue.

Yet for the three dark gray hyenas that ran out of the rock formation's main opening, each one sighing in relief that none of them were attacked by the remaining lionesses dotting the structure, they were miserable, unhappy and just plain hungry.

For these...somewhat goofy hyenas were King Scar's main lackeys, Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, and they just left after trying to plead to the king of Pride Rock to either find them food or move elsewhere.

And well...

"Man that just blows!"

"You're telling me." Banzai grumbled in frustration. "It's not that hard to go hunting for food!"

"Hahaha!"

"Shut it Ed!"

"This is even worse than Zuhour, at least she GAVE us a chance to get food, even if she did give said food to her followers." Shenzi said with a growl. "And really, staying here? There's no food, no water! Not even in the Backlands!"

"Yeah! I'm so hungry I could eat my own leg!"

CHOMP!

"YEOW! ED!" the hyena yelled as the scatterbrained member of the group looked at him and nibbled a little on the right thigh before getting kicked in the face, sending him flying into a rock.

"Knock it off you two!"

"He started it!"

"And I'm going to finish it if you two don't stop fighting!" The head hyena yelled before turning towards the now dry riverbed, the numerous skeletons of many kills the hyenas made over the last few years laid where they were slain, and growled in annoyance. "This is a problem, if we don't get food or water then we're going to die and I for one don't want to die."

"Hahahaha!" Ed cackled while nodding a little, seemingly understanding the mood of the conversation despite being as mad as a sunbaked hippo in a desert.

"Yeah, but we can't just leave. Not without Scar's orders."

"To hell with Scar's orders! He's the reason for this entire drought!" Banzai yelled in anger. "He told us to 'eat' and we did!"

"That's our nature stupid, and yes...now that I'm thinking about it. Scar is a poor ruler." Shenzi said with a frown. "The moment he took over, he just let us handle things while he acted like a snooty moron, always laying around and just doing nothing as every animal in the Pride Lands left."

"...true, but still, we do owe him. He DID give us food and respect-"

"Respect? Respect!? When has he or anyone else in his pride given US respect!? The moment we came into the picture they called us 'stupid', 'gluttonous', 'smelly', 'one noted', and oh here's a good one from the old king's mate, 'freaks of nature not worthy of the Circle of Life'."

"...oooh, that one kinda hurt."

"Uhha." Ed said with a nod.

"Yeah, and thinking back now, Scar didn't seem to care even BEFORE we got rid of Mufasa." Shenzi said as the other two started to recall memories that seemed to be ancient history at this moment. "Like 'wet as a warthog's backside', 'light's are not all on upstairs', 'fool' and 'idiots'. That's disrespectful."

"Yeah! And what did he say about us? Oh yes, he said 'I never thought hyenas essential. They're crude and unspeakably plain'."

"...you know what? Forget about Scar, he's not worth following."

"Um, but who is?" Banzai asked while looking a little confused. "We aren't the best judge of character and we can't exactly go up to any of the other lions and ask them to become our leader, they'd eat us."

"Ahhu! Haha!"

"Mmmm." Shenzi hummed to herself while pacing around the riverbank, trying to figure out who should replace Scar as king, not noticing a pair of cat-like eyes staring at them from above them.

[Funny how one conversation can lead to something like this? Well in this timeline, instead of just keeping the conversation quiet and just swallowing their pride, they chose to talk about their problems and look at this, they are starting a rebellion...well, almost that is. They just need a little nudge in the right direction.]

"Mmmmm."

"Well?"

"I'm thinking I'm thinking! Just keep your head on straight!"

"Ahaha!"

"Shut up Ed!"

"Simba." whispered a voice as Shenzi's ears perked up, turning her head from side to side as Chaos carefully whispered in her ears like an invisible specter.

"Huh? You said something, Banzai?"

"No, why?"

"Simba."

"There it is again!"

"There is what?"

"The voice! The voice I'm hearing!"

"Eh?" Ed said in confusion while Shenzi looked around her in confusion.

"And this voice is saying what exactly, that Ed is dumb?"

"Hahahah!"

"No! It's just saying that cub's name, what was it again...Simon? Salmon? Samba?"

"Wasn't it Simba? Because if that 'voice' is telling you that, then it must mean something...although that cub is LONG dead by now."

"Well, we only let him run into the desert...maybe he's alive-wait. Perhaps that voice was part of that 'ghosts of the kings' Scar was blabbering to us after Mufasa's death." Shenzi said with realization. "You know, the kings of the past 'living on in the sky' and all that jazz?"

"...and that has to do with that cub, how exactly?"

"Don't you see, if Mufasa, the same lion that hated us and nearly ATE us back in the graveyard, is telling US something related to his son, then Simba must be alive!"

"Or you're going mad from hunger and I don't need another Ed in this pack. One is hard enough."

"Ahaha!" Ed cackled as Shenzi deadpanned at her companion with slight agitation in her eyes.

"Look, that voice saying 'Simba' to me and I'm not one to act crazy. So, perhaps there is some credence to this, like perhaps Simba is alive and fully grown." she said while smirking a little. "And if he's fully grown and stronger than Scar, that means he's fully prepared to get his birthright. You follow?"

"Um...yes? But what are you trying to say?"

"Simple, we all hate Scar and want food. If we FIND Simba and pledge our loyalty to him then we can get rid of Scar, the drought will go away and the food will return. If we do this, we can have a place in the Pride Lands and also save our kind from extinction."

"Wait? Us three...with Simba? Um Shenzi, I know we are tough but we can't fight our kind. That's suicide!"

"Not just us birdbrain! I mean our ENTIRE clan! Without our backing, Scar only has that power mad Zira and her clan to rely on and even the other lionesses hate them." Shenzi said with a cackle. "Just imagine it, Simba leading an army of hyenas against Scar. It's an easy victory!"

"Ah...wait, and what do WE get out of this exactly? Food I get but-"

"When Simba is king, he will grant us a territory for us to rule over, give us support when we need it, and if we play our cards right and do the whole 'Circle of Life' stick that he follows then WE can get the respect from future generations of animals. Think about it, no more empty bellies, no more being chased off like rats, and no more disrespect to our kind ever again."

Ed and Banzai blinked, turned towards each other, and nodded to Shenzi with a grin.

"Alright, I'm up for it. Right, Ed?"

"Ahhuh!"

"Then it's settled, we are on Team Simba now. But first, we need the rest of the clan's support, so Banzai...Ed...go get the others, I'll meet up with you two later." She said while the two hyenas ran off, leaving her alone before turning around and frowned. "I can smell you, cat. I can't see you but I can smell you and oof! You stink like a petrified stink bug!"

"Huh, didn't expect you to sniff me out. Although you are quite wrong about the smell, I smell like roses and jasmine soap." Chaos said while appearing in front of the hyena, much to her surprise. "Your nose must be off."

"No, it ain't. And what sort of animal are you?"

"Isn't it obvious, I'm a winged Sphinx Cat." he said with an amused tone. "But if you must know, I'm Chaos and I'm like a spirit but less made of clouds and more powerful than a volcano."

"Yeah yeah, why were you whispering in my ears?"

"To get your movement in motion."

"Wait. Why?"

"I don't like Scar myself and well...if you three didn't have this conversion then your entire species would...well, suffer for a while."

Shenzi raised an eyebrow as Chaos began to lick himself. "Suffer? We were suffering under Scar, and I don't see how bad it could get after an endless drought."

"Oh that's easy, after Scar dies by your paws, everyone will hate you, drive your kind to the Outlands and oh, your descendants will resurrect Scar as a flaming ghost that nearly turned everything into a volcanic wasteland."

"...point taken."

"So, you better get going and get the rebellion started." Chaos said as Shenzi began to walk away. "Oh and when you find Simba, you might want to come clean on the fact Scar tricked you. If you don't then he MIGHT eat you guys instead."

"Yeah yeah!"

"And he's in an oasis! Far beyond the desert!"

"Yeah yeah thanks for the info!"

"Oh and he's with a meerkat and a smelly Mr. Pig!"

"I GET IT! GET LOST!" 'Man that guy is ever more annoying than Ed and Zazu combined!'

Chaos chuckled to himself as he disappeared into nothingness, the screen flicking a little as everything went dark.

(Some time later)

-Hakuna Matata Jungle-

"Ahhhh, today is gonna be a good day, I can feel it." spoke a red maned lion as he was currently laying on his back near a massive lake, the sun's rays making his fur warm as he was currently with his caretakers, a crimson colored warthog named Pumba and a small meerkat named Timon, as they were sunbathing in the mud on this hot afternoon.

"You said it kid." Timon said with a sigh. "Today's the perfect day to do nothing."

"Um, is it?" Pumba asked with a confused look in his eyes.

"Of course, why wouldn't it be?"

"Well, if we are doing nothing, then that is doing something, right?"

"Pumba, you're thinking too hard again."

"And if we're doing something, then wouldn't that defeat the purpose of doing nothing?"

"Pumba, enough with the philosophy! You're giving me a migraine!"

"Oops, sorry."

The lion chuckled a little before smiling a little. "Say, perhaps we can swim after this?"

"Um, Simba." Timon said with a raised eyebrow. "I don't want to bust your bubble but you're a lion, lions can't swim."

"Aw says who? I could probably swim like a pro." Simba said with a hint of arrogance as none of them noticed the sound of breaking branches or the fact the ground was shaking due to a large waterfall being so close to their proximity. "Plus I swam before as a cub."

"Cubs are lighter, you're over a few tons of pure muscle."

"Oh yeah? I could swim with my eyes closed."

"Can you?" Pumba asked with surprise while no one noticed the MANY yellow eyes staring at them from the bushes behind them.

"He can't, Pumba." Timon deadpanned.

"Of course I can!"

"Then prove it kid, try swimming."

Simba frowned before getting up, not noticing the hyenas all around the group. "Then I'll-"

Bam!

Until he stared right into the eyes of the crazed hyena, Ed, who just looked at him with the SAME dumb smile as years ago.

"Ha ha ha ha."

"Waaaaaaah!" Simba cried out in shock.

"Kid, what-AHHHHH!" Timon screamed as Pumba stood up and screamed as well. "HYENAS!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

[Welp, this got dark.]

"Why are there hyenas here?!" Pumba screamed in terror as he could see about a few hundred of them all around them, all seemingly ready to eat them.

"I don't know!" Timon cried out in horror.

The three found family panicked as the hyenas got closer and closer to them until...

One of the hyenas, one that Simba recognized as Shenzi, walked towards him and..bowed a little.

"It's been a long time, cub sandwich. And no, we aren't here to eat you or...wait." She said while looking at Timon. "Aren't you the meerkat that destroyed his own burrow? Wow, it's been a long time since I saw you, and look at you, you're still unappetizing."

"T-T-That wasn't me! It must have been some other devilishly handsome meerkat."

"Nah, you have the same smell." She said before looking at Simba. "Before you ask, no. Scar doesn't know you're here. We came on our own accord, right Ed?"

The mad hyena nodded with a grin.

"I...I don't believe you!" Simba said nervously.

"You might want to trust us." Shenzi said with a sigh. "Because we really aren't here to fight."

"Then why are you here?"

"Simple." She said while the other hyenas bowed all around the confused trio. "We are here to pledge our loyalty to the real king of the Pride Lands, and that just so happens to be you."

"...um, Pumba?"

"Yes Timon?"

"Did we hit our heads on rocks again?"

"Um, I don't think so, why?"

"Because I think these hyenas want to befriend Simba!"

"We do!" Shenzi said with a groan. "Look you might not like us but Scar is driving us to extinction."

"Yeah." Banzai said with a frown. "Even after helping him, he's still treating us like dirt. No food, no water, no kind words, no nothing! He's just lazing around while WE starve!"

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Ed's right. It's been getting real bad since Scar came to power." Shenzi said with a frown. "So, let's let bygones be bygones and help each other out. You need a throne and we need Scar dead, so why not help each other out?"

"Uh..." Simba looked at his friends with Timon clearing his throat.

"Group meeting, now."

And just like that, the trio hurtled together and started whispering with each other, making the hyenas very confused.

[Welp, figured this happened. I mean this situation IS crazy for them after all. I might be a trick, which it isn't.]

"Ok, who here thinks we can make a run for it before they know what hits them?" Timon asked while feeling a chill run down his spine.

"I don't know, they don't seem like they're going to eat us."

"Pumba!"

"What? It's true."

"They are hyenas! They eat people like us!"

"Maybe we should believe them? They do look a little skinnier than the last time we met them."

"It could be a trick." Timon said with a frown. "Plus I don't like the one with the stupid smile, it's like he's planning something."

Pumba looked up from the mass of fur and saw Ed..just staring at them with a deadpan lifeless smile that seemed..blissfully unaware of the works around him.

"Ha ha ha."

"Uh...I'm not so sure about that, Timon."

"Well they are trouble, they did try to EAT me, remember?!"

"Not really."

Simba groaned while feeling a little...agitated at the entire situation itself. "Look guys, right now we can NOT argue with each other!"

Both warthog and meerkat stared at the lion while not noticing Banzai was entering the group hurtle as well.

"I don't like this. They tried to kill me when...my past was off-"

"You mean when Mufasa died?" Banzai interrupted with a confused look on his face. "Yeah, the guy was a jerk but Scar is worse. He promised us food for life in exchange for just sending wildebeests down a canyon and look what happened, he treats us like dung."

"Woah there pal! Back up!" Timon tried to sound threatening while bringing his hands up. "Don't go thinking you can sneak up on us so easily."

"What? I just thought you know why this guy even made it here to begin with."

"Wait...you CAUSED the stampede?!" Simba yelled in shock.

"Well mostly Shenzi and Ed, Scar wanted both of you to get killed and look at what happened. I got thorns on my ass and us hyenas were treated like dirt, even more than before."

That made Simba turn and scowl at the two hyenas with a growl in his throat.

"Hey relax pal!" Shenzi frowned. "We are all victims of Scar's plans. He recruited us and killed our previously mad queen just for his own plans and even after that, he still saw us as dirt. We just wanted respect, and look at what happened, we are worse than dung beetles now and you? You lost a kingdom and father to your own uncle who tried to kill you for years."

"That doesn't make you free from murder!"

"Us? Murder?" Shenzi said flatly. "We are many things but we didn't have a hand in killing Mufasa. Scar did."

"Yeah." Banzai said with a nod. "I saw him in the gorge, HE threw the king off, right after he asked for help."

"Well, I don't trust any of you."

"I get that. But you have a golden opportunity to reclaim your birthright AND get rid of Scar for good. He just USED us as your army and everything will turn out well. With one small price."

"Which is?"

"We leave the Elephant Graveyard and live in the Pride Lands, maybe the Back Lands. Just give us land and we'll be good boys and girls and NOT overeat everything and the whole Circle of Life stuff will be a part of our culture."

"Sounds fair." remarked Pumba before Timon and Simba could speak.

"Are you nuts?! That's not a good idea!" Timon yelled in disbelief.

"Well, if they just wanted land and were willing to not eat everyone. Isn't that better than living in a wasteland? I mean we did go there once and it was...not pleasant."

"Don't remind me, I'm still having nightmares about the safari vehicle and the hyenas trying to eat us!"

[Nice reference to Timon and Pumba's Virtual Safari DVD bonus features. I always loved that, shame that didn't stick around past the Blue Ray and streaming ages.]

"And how do we know they won't just bite us when our back is turned?" Simba tossed in with a frown.

"Hey hey!" Banzai said while shaking his head. "After what Scar did, we aren't going to do anything like that."

"How can I trust you when you HELPED to kill my father!?"

"Look, if you're so worried about what we'll do, we'll...give you an offering. Something to show you we're serious."

Simba narrowed his eyes. "Offering? Explain."

"We'll give you Shenzi."

SMACK!

"Ow!"

"Banzai! I'm the leader of the hyenas, why would you even suggest that?!"

"Sorry." He said before pointing to Ed. "Want to have him?"

"Ha?"

"No!" Simba frowned in agitation. "No one's offering me anything like that!"

"Then what do you want exactly?"

"A first born cub?"

"..."

"Perhaps Banzai?"

"Yeah-wait what?!"

"None of them. You all had a hand in my father's murder and you expect me to just LET you help me reclaim a throne that I DON'T want?! The past is behind me, Hakuna Matata."

"Uh...hakuna what?"

"It means no worries." Timon said before seeing Ed staring at him in confusion. "Which isn't happening right now!"

"Ha ha!"

"But Simba, you are the king-"

"Not anymore and frankly, I don't want to associate with monsters like you." Simba said while quickly walking away, leaving his found family alone with the stunned hyenas.

"...that actually hurt." Banzai said with a stunned look on his face.

"Can you blame him, lost a dad as a cub and nearly getting eaten by us on the same day." Shenzi said with a sigh.

"Ha ha ha."

"Ed's right, that kid's not going to trust us until he's ready." Shenzi said before looking at Timon and Pumba. "So, got any grub in this joint?"

"We got plenty of grubs."

"Pumba!"

"No, I mean like prey animals, not bugs."

"Oh...then nope."

"Mmmmm." Shenzi hummed before looking into the trees and saw some baboons staring at the troop of hyenas. "Oh look! Dinner!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

The baboons screamed as they started to run away, the hyenas chasing after them like starved dogs.

"Hey! Knock that off!" Timon yelled to the hyenas. "They are our neighbors!"

"Um, Timon? Didn't you say that those baboons were annoying and stole the best grub for themselves?"

"Well...technically yeah." Timon said with a nervous chuckle. "But still, they should-"

CRUNCH!

"..."

"I think they got one of them, Timon."

"Oh..."

CRUNCH!

CRUNCH!

"...so Pumba, I heard that those newly hatched beetles on the northern waterfall are still in season."

"Way ahead of ya!"

And cue the duo running in the opposite direction, the sound of laughing hyenas and broken bones echoing across the forest.

(Some hours later)

-Cliffsides-

Simba sat on a cliff overlooking the vast jungle, staring out over the night sky fueled horizon as he tried to wrap his head around all of this.

For how could he team up with hyenas?!

They were the ones that killed his father and they want HIS help in defeating Scar?!

As soon as Scar was gone, he knew they'd turn around and rip him to shreds, he just knew it.

But then again...they did seem sincere. They looked rather haggard, starved and hungry, meaning they were true in their intentions.

Then again, they tried to EAT him twice!

But if they were genuine, maybe he could use it as a chance to fix things.

Maybe even repent for his actions that led to this moment?

Then AGAIN...the hyenas were banished for a reason..but he never asked his father WHY that was the case...was he doing the right thing or not?

"Ugh! This is so frustrating!" he groaned while he ran his paws through his mane, more confused than ever. "How can I trust an entire species of scavengers that only brought me misery?!"

[That, my dear Simba, is a question only you can figure out. But trust me, it's a lot harder than letting a grudge go.]

The lion grumbled while pacing around the edge of the cliff, still unwilling to see reason yet trying to contemplate this hard decision.

For years he was taught to run from his woes and now..he has to be the responsible one again. He wasn't his father, he didn't know what to do, yet he needed to solve this soon.

After all, he can't just have hyenas roaming the jungle, that would be a disaster waiting to happen!

And if they WERE telling the truth about Scar, the Pridelands were already ending up a disaster.

Either way, the situation can NOT get any worse!

"Father, what should I do? The hyenas said they would change but they were the ones that ruined my life." He said out loud while looking at the night sky. "I really REALLY need to know what kind of choice I should go with."

Silence.

Wooosh.

The wind blew in his mane as...nothing happened, not even a 'sign' from the kings of the past, just the shimmering moon, the growing mass of storm clouds in the distance and the sounds of crickets mating.

He let out a tired sigh and laid his head down on the ground, face first. "Of course it wouldn't happen, it never happens in my time of need."

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

Simba slowly looked upwards as the storm clouds started to move closer to his direction, getting bigger and bigger with every second.

His eyes widened, sitting up as he saw the clouds moving around before his vision.

And lo, within a shining burst of light and a gust of wind was...Mufasa himself, although made of clouds instead of flesh and bones.

[I just LOVE classic movie moments like this.]

"Simba...you have forgotten me and thus were led astray for far too long."

"Father! You heard me!"

"Yes, but it seems you only just now asked for my help." Mufasa said with a hint of disappointment. "And now you delay your return to the home of our ancestors, why?"

"It's the hyenas..they want to switch sides." he said while trying to explain to his deceased father. "They say Scar is ruining the land and want to help me stop him."

"And you believe them?"

"I don't know! They were the ones that killed you! How can I trust them?!"

Mufasa sighed. "My son, listen to the hyenas. They speak the truth."

"But father, you hated the hyenas in life. I thought-"

"I never hated them, I only hated how far they fell during my reign." the cloud lion said with a sigh. "Before you were born, the hyenas were a respectable group within our lands, never overeating and protecting the lands from invaders...however, their queen Zuhour turned them into a pack of vagabonds that nearly killed me and the Lion Guard of that time before I banished them. It was thought they would never change...but with Scar's reign and his treatment of the Circle of Life, those thoughts were proven wrong."

"But...But they helped Scar! They helped in killing you!"

"Out of desperation for food. You saw what the Elephant Graveyard has to offer, toxic vents, no food and endless drought. Scar's false promises of food and respect motivated them to act, just as any animal would if placed in that situation." Mufasa said calmly. "If you were in their paws, would you resist the offer of fresh food and water if you served a creature like Scar?"

"I would never serve him! Never!"

"If you were in such a situation, would you?"

Simba tried to speak out in protest...but couldn't find the words.

For he...knew that once he trusted his uncle and if he didn't learn of Scar's involvement in his father's murder...it's possible he would STILL trust him, have blind faith in him.

"I...well..."

"Son, to bear a grudge is folly. If the hyenas are willing to change, then you must give your trust to them. If not, then I fear Scar will win in the end."

"But...will they truly listen?"

"Only if you allow them to trust you. To be a true leader, you must be willing to let go of the biases made by others and cooperate with those you trust, even past enemies can become one's best friends if allowed to bloom."

"But...what do I do if they do betray me?"

"If they do betray you, then you must face it as a leader." Mufasa said as the clouds started to dissipate.

"Father, wait!" Simba called out as the outline of his father started to fade away.

"Remember, forgiveness is two sided but only after trust is imbued upon it."

"Father!"

RUMBLE!

Rumble!

Rum..ble..

And just like that, Simba was left all alone on the cliffside, the sky returning to its normal starry night 'setting'.

He looked down, closed his eyes, and tried to keep from letting any tears come out.

Yet as he allowed his sadness to overtake him, his father's words began to make sense in his mind.

He had to trust the hyenas to set things right, the consequences his burden to bear.

He may not have to like it now, but if it really is the answer to fix things? He'd do it...for his home.

Plus...he had to stop Scar, no matter the cost.

Letting out a sigh, he turned and made his way back away from the cliff. Only to notice that Shenzi was right in front of him, a little confused and seemingly flustered.

"Um...you saw the giant lion in the clouds too, right?"

"You too?!"

"Oh, so you saw it...and here I thought I was going crazy seeing Mufasa in the clouds."

"Why are you watching that?!"

"I came here to check up on you then THAT happened in the sky."

"Wait...how much did you hear?"

"Mmm, all of it." Shenzi deadpanned.

"...shoot."

"So, are you finally going to recruit us? Because my clan is getting antsy and I think we just finished off the baboons in this jungle."

"I...believe so." Simba said with a heavy sigh. "But if you betray-"

"We aren't going to. After what Scar put us through, I'd rather NOT be on the short end of the stick. Plus, having a home that isn't going to starve us is worth the extra 'attachments' to our way of life." Shenzi said calmly. "Now, got any strategies for the invasion?"

"Honestly? No."

"What?!"

"I really never wanted to return home until now."

"...we REALLY need a plan here, kid. Because besides the fact we have numbers, my clan isn't the greatest and strategy."

"Well, I've never led a clan before!"

"It's the same as leading a pride, just lead."

Simba muttered in annoyance before recalling something that he almost forgot.

His childhood friend Nala.

"Is Nala still in the pride?"

"The spunky one? She's still in the pride but we didn't see her when we left to find you."

"So she's still safe, thank goodness."

"Yes, but we didn't SEE her when we left." Shenzi said bluntly.

"But there's still a chance, and that's good enough for me." Simba said while walking away. "And if she's safe, then-"

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Simba blinked in confusion while hearing Timon's screams of fear in the distance.

"Don't look at us." the hyena deadpanned. "We just had a baboon smorgasbord earlier."

"Then who...let's go!"

"Woah! Wait for me!" Shenzi said while running after the now sprinting lion, not noticing that Chaos appeared on the cliffside.

"Looks like Nala showed up. Mmmm, better let them meet up."

(Elsewhere)

-Somewhere in the jungle-

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!" Timon screamed as he tried to push Pumba's backside out of a thick curved tree root, the sounds of fast pacing footsteps getting louder and louder with every second of hesitation. "Come on Pumba! Suck it in!"

"I can't move!"

"Well, you're gonna have to learn quickly!" Timon yelled before turning around and saw a cream furred lioness running right at them.

She narrowed her eyes and was baring her teeth, letting out a loud roar which made the meerkat scream in terror.

Only for Simba to jump from behind the tree root and tackle the lioness to the ground.

But before either of them could attack the other, that was when a large pack of hyenas surrounded them.

"Oh lookie here." Banzai said with a grin. "It's the scaredy cub from the Elephant Graveyard."

"I am not a scaredy-"

"Nala!?"

"Huh? Simba? What are you-"

"Hey boss." Banzai interrupted with a chuckle. "Is she with us or against us? Because I'm still starving and those baboons were too tangy for my tastes, right Ed?"

"Hold on."

"Boss?" Nala said in confusion.

"Simba? What's going on?"

"I should be asking you that. What are you doing out here?"

"I came looking for you and why are there hyenas here?!"

"Well...they just allied themselves with me."

"WHAT?!"

"Ow! No need to yell!" Shenzi yelled in pain. "And yes, we are joining Simba's side against Scar."

"Liar!" Nala got up from under Simba and growled at the hyena who snarled back. "Simba, whatever she's told you, it's-"

"I already went over this with the kid! Yap and I'll rip that tail off!" Simba grumbled. "Nala, they speak the truth. They already came to me about this."

"And we were gonna work out a plan until you started chasing the snacks around."

"We aren't snacks!" Timon yelled in annoyance.

"Well, you do look tasty at the moment."

"Shenzi." Simba warned the hyena with annoyance.

"What? The pig looks like a great snack."

"Shenzi."

"I'm just saying."

"It's Mr Pig to you!" Pumba said in annoyance.

"Pumba, not the time." Timon whispered to the warthog.

"Sorry."

Ed looked at Nala before turning towards Simba, seemingly waiting for confirmation.

"No, don't eat her. She's an ally." He said with a sigh. "Nala, I understand you hate the hyenas for overeating everything but things have changed. They are also affected by Scar's tyranny and only wanted respect and food when they sided with him. They asked me to lead them against Scar in exchange for land, nothing more, nothing less."

"And you believe them?"

"Not really, but I am willing to work with them to stop Scar." Simba nodded. "That's why we need to work out a strategy and return the pridelands back to normal."

"And he thinks you might be able to do that." Shenzi butted in with a sigh.

"Me?" Nala looked at Simba in confusion and surprise.

"What is she talking about?"

"You know more about the lionesses than the hyenas, and can come up with plans better than them."

"...again, why me?"

"Did she hit her head on a rock?" Banzai asked with a frown. "Because we are saying we need help planning the coup and YOU know all the stuff about the pride and Scar's locations. It's not that hard to realize."

"Ha ha!"

"Even Ed gets the picture, and he's mad. Now, what's the big scoop back in the Pride Lands? What is Zira's clan doing right now? What are Scar's plans now?"

"I don't know! I didn't plan on any of that, I just went looking for Simba, NOT starting a coup!"

[That makes sense. She kinda left hoping Simba had all the answers, which is kinda short-sighted once you think about it.]

"Well guess what? We're starting one now and you're part of it." Shenzi said with a frown. "So how about helping us start a plan that won't get us killed."

"...fine, but I'm keeping my eyes on you." Nala said with a glare before looking at Simba. "And yes, I know what's going on back on Pride Rock, but I left before any rotation of the guard happened."

"Then let's get to work on working out a plan."

"And the hyenas?"

"They are allowed to know, it's only fair."

Nala shook her head as she let out a sigh and nodded. "Fine, but I don't have to like it."

"Ha ha ha!" Ed laughed while looking at Nala with his usual expression of...total bliss.

"And keep him away from me." Nala said while feeling a little disturbed by the hyena's unnerving smile.

"Ha ha!"

'This is going to be a weird moment in my life.'

(Some months later)

-Pride Lands, Pride Rock-

"Where. Are. Those. FOOLS!?" Scar roared with agitation as he walked out of the cave and paced around the long vertical platform overlooking the rock structure, all the while several lions led by a lioness with a mangled ear was waiting at attention nearby. "How can an ENTIRE clan of hyenas just DISAPPEAR?! Zira, you are certain that your lionesses DIDN'T see them?!"

"I've told you that over and over!" Zira growled in annoyance. "No one SAW them leave."

"You didn't look hard enough!"

"I did so!"

"Then look again!" Scar growled before looking out towards the desolate landscape away from his seat of power. "I need my army!"

"Yes, my king." she growled through her teeth.

"And don't return until you find them."

Zira growled before walking away, frustrated by this entire situation as Scar stared into the horizon with a frown.

"Where are those incompetent fools?" Scar growled to himself before noticing something in the distance.

A gray mass of...something moving towards Pride Rock.

"What in the...?" he muttered before feeling a low rumble from the ground, feeling his fur stand up as a dreadful feeling came over him.

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

"EARTHQUAKE!" yelled one of the lionesses while panic started to enter the pride's ranks, the gray mass growing bigger and bigger as it moved towards Pride Rock like a tidal wave.

"All of you stick together! Your king commands it!" Scar roared with annoyance before hearing something VERY familiar in the air that made him pause misstep.

The sound of a 'hahahaha'.

"...no."

RUMBLE!

RUMBLE!

"It can't be!"

"Hahahaha!" cried out thousands of hyenas all at once as the mass of fur raced towards Pride Rock like a wave of destruction.

And all the while, Scar failed to notice a certain red maned lion was sneaking his way behind the rock with a squadron of hyenas behind him.

The lioness themselves stood at attention, all growing worried and concerned as the crowd got closer and closer.

"Hahahaha! It's dinner time!" Banzai yelled while leading the mob of hyenas towards Pride Rock. "Let's eat a false king!"

Hearing that made Scar back up and turn towards the lioness.

"What are you doing standing there? Defend me at once!"

Zira growled before turning to her pride. "Protect the king, NOW!"

The lioness moved over to form a protective line around him as the hyenas got closer and closer.

Yet as they did that, they failed to see the red maned lion and his hyena squad moving towards the group from the opposite direction, leaving them trapped on both sides.

'Easy, easy, be careful...' Simba thought while moving closer to the trapped lionesses, the rest of the hyenas moving closer every few seconds. 'Don't let them smell you or hear you. We need the element of surprise.'

Each step got him closer and closer to Scar, who was too focused on the impending stampede.

"What are you waiting for Zira?! Attack them!"

"And get overwhelmed?! No, you are our priority, my king."

"Your priority is also to crush those who would defy me!" Scar yelled in frustration before seeing the hyenas surrounding them.

"Ha haha!" Ed laughed while licking his lips.

"Well well well, we found the 'king'." Banzai said with a grin while the hyenas circled around the lions. "And look, he's wondering why we just suddenly turned on him. That's simple, you BETRAYED us!"

The others all chorused in a mangled cry agreeing with her.

"No, I gave you food-"

"That ran out. And you and your lionesses kept on treating us like dirt even AFTER we helped you murder Mufasa. And now? We are going to eat you and put someone ELSE on the throne."

"Traitors!" Zira snarled while trying to be more intimidating.

"Says the one following a murderer, delusional lioness."

"I am the true king!" Scar growled while the red maned lion walked behind him and scowled.

"You are no king, uncle."

Scar quickly turned around, eyes wide in disbelief as Simba narrowed his eyes.

"You KILLED my father, and tried to do the same to me." Simba growled with rage. "But I survived and today, I take back the Pride Lands, WITH your army's help."

"WHAT?!"

"Trust us." Shenzi said while walking next to Simba's left side. "It's been a long time coming, Scar. And this time, you aren't going to get out of this one."

"You...insufferable, ingrates! It was I who gave you a purpose! Who got you out of that rotten place you called a home!"

"You gave us another rotten home. And treating us like dirt doesn't help your case." Shenzi frowned. "Now, enough talk, it's DINNER TIME!"

"HAHAHAHA!" Ed laughed while licking his lips as the hyenas charged towards the lions like a swarm of hornets.

"Slaughter them all!" Scar roared before seeing all the hyenas jumping at the lionesses, pinning them all to the ground and biting them everywhere soft.

Quickly, he turned around and lunged at Simba, who dodged his claws with quickly cat-like reflexes.

SSSSCRIT!

Only for his claws to hit the rock face as numerous hyenas started to bite at his legs in an attempt to inhibit his movements.

"AHHHH!"

CRUNCH!

CRUNCH!

CRUNCH!

SNAP!

"AHHHHHHHH!" screamed the many lionesses of Zira's pride as they were eaten alive where they stood.

All the while Scar felt his legs getting ripped and devoured all at once, Simba overlooking him with...a heartless glaze that showed no mercy to his own uncle.

"My father died, but you will suffer before you meet your end." Simba said coldly before turning around and started to walk away.

"S-Simba! Come back! Come-AHHHHHHHH!" Scar screamed as he felt the hyenas start biting into his chest and rip flesh from his ribcage.

[Ooooooh. That's definitely NOT suitable for all ages. Better pan the camera or this might get too bloody for the readers.]

(A few minutes later)

"So is the battle-" Timon said while poking his head out from behind a rock, only to see the massive pool of gore and blood in front of him and gagged, covering his mouth and popped back behind the rock, forcing himself not to puke.

"Um, are you ok, Timon?"

"Do I LOOK like I'm alright?!"

"Well...no not really." Pumba said while Ed walked by, mouth covered in blood, and looked at them with satisfaction in his expression.

"Ha ha ha."

Both turned green before puking behind the rock.

Yet as this happened, Simba was currently within Pride Rock's cave, discussing with the more loyal members of his pride about something...drastic.

Allowing the hyenas to have lands in the Backlands once the rest of the animals return home.

And well...they were kinda...stubborn about it.

"It's too risky."

"But mother-"

"Simba, the hyenas ate everything." Sarabi said with a frown.

"And Scar used that to rally to his side. If we can give them land to call their own, they might be persuaded to not try this again in the future." Simba said with a sigh. "And they might've done horrible things in the short term, but they wanted food and respect. Giving them land will make them less likely to destroy the Circle of Life."

"Simba, they-"

"Are a part of the Circle of Life, like everyone else in the Pride Lands." he spoke firmly. "If we don't want a repeat of what Scar did, but worse? We need to give them a chance."

Sarabi sighed in frustration. "Simba, this will never last."

"It will last, if we try to respect them. It was our total disregard of them in the past that led them to join Scar, and frankly, if we keep this attitude, we will be only repeating the cycle. We need to have tolerance, not apathy."

"Can you say they will do the same?"

"It was them who came to me in going against Scar." the new king of Pride Rock said sternly. "Have any of you attempted to find me since my father's death?"

That line of painful logic quickly got the lioness to look away and go quiet.

"I see." Simba said with a frown. "I still trust you all, but perhaps it shouldn't be complete trust. Especially when the hyenas found me first and Nala went looking for me afterwards, while all of you stayed under Scar's paw."

"It was out of our paws." one of the lionesses defended with a glare.

"And yet how many of you are there? How many of you could have removed him if you had the chance?"

None of the lionesses answered as Simba frowned.

"You could've banished him, killed him or at least looked into his claims."

"He was once the Fiercest of the Lion Guard-"

"Which he killed years ago. That alone would have warranted a search party, especially from my own mother." He said before walking away. "The hyenas will have their lands, even if that makes me lesser than my father. But ask yourselves, is it lesser to allow a tyrant rule and do nothing to change it or follow someone that has better traits than yourselves? The ones that, without the aid of others, would've let me die as a cub in my own darkest hour?"

None of them spoke up and chose to keep quiet while Nala followed him.

[Welp, that got them to think. Then again, it was kinda their own fault for NOT checking in on the story but to be fair, they thought he died. Grief has a funny way of twisting the mind at their lowest points.]

"Nala." Simba said calmly. "Get the other hyenas, have them search for survivors."

"Why?"

"To tell them that Scar is gone. It is time to heal."

"Alright, right away."

"And also tell the lionesses that they have to be nice to them."

"I'll see what I can do." Nala said with a nod. "But they won't be happy about this."

"It'll take time, but I know they'll adjust."

"I hope you're right, because if this keeps going then it might start ANOTHER civil war and we might lose this time."

"All we can do is try to change how things are and hope." Simba said as Nala sighed.

"We can only hope."

(Several years later)

The screen slowly glowed with early morning light as the camera zoomed towards a small cave near the left side of Pride Rock.

The plant life and animal life has returned and with that..something else.

The rediscovery of the Roar of the Elders..and right now, a small red maned cub was exiting said cave with a taller lion and...

A hyena with slick back fur on top of his head..wait what?!

"So ya mean that when Kion stopped that vulture from pecking my eyes out." The hyena said with a confused look on his face. "He became the new Lion Guard leader, is that what I'm hearing, King Simba?"

"That's right, Janja. And now he must find other lions to form the guard."

"I'm still saying that other animals might work better." Kion said with a serious tone.

"Yeah, what Kion said." Janja said in agreement, which surprised Simba a little.

"And what gives you that idea?"

"Well, the Lion Guard was made of lions in the past but maybe non lions could join instead?"

"...I don't follow."

"You know." Janja said with a smirk. "Lions might be tough but they aren't that good. I mean you needed the hyenas of Ed Rock to stop Scar."

"True."

"So why not have the other members be non lions? Would help with vulture attacks." the hyena grumbled. "And jackal attacks led by that evil honey badger Bunga."

[Yep! Due to that honey badger never getting adopted by Timon and Pumba, he got adopted by jackals instead and WAS the reason why Kion got the Roar in this timeline. Funny right?]

"Mmmmm, I don't know about this Kion. It's been tradition to have lions in the Lion Guard." Simba said while looking at his second son. "And the last time we had them, Scar killed them for not trying to assassinate my father."

"I'm not going to be like Scar!"

"Well...if you can show some examples, then I see no reason not to go through with it, but that means you have to choose wisely." Simba said calmly as Kion nodded before looking at Janja. "Janja, make sure he finds some animals that fit in the Lion Guard's notions of bravest, strongest, fastest and keenest of sight."

"O-Oh sure thing, that is easy-"

"Well dad." Kion said while placing a paw on the hyena's left shoulder, a strange lion-like mark forming on it with a brief glow of light. "Janja is the bravest."

"What? But I'm not that brave, I'm not even that bright."

"Yet you were there to stop the vultures from attacking those zebra calves. That's brave, right dad?"

"That's not something a coward would do, it takes true courage."

"Oh...um...thanks?" Janja said while looking a little embarrassed by this entire situation.

"Now Kion, I expect both of you to find the other three members eventually."

"But I will, I know the perfect ones. Oh, I need to tell them." He said while running off. "Later dad! Hurry up Janja!"

"Wait for me!" Janja called out before he took off after him.

Simba sighed while smelling something...unfamiliar right next to him and turned towards his left.

"Hi." Chaos, the winged embodiment of chaotic unpredictability, said while looking at the lion with a smirk. "You know, you're the second being that smelled me and located me in this timeline, the other being Shenzi a few years back."

"Who-"

"No one of importance, but I am here to say goodbye to the audience and to say some things about your son's future."

"His future?"

"Yeah and trust me it's weird." Chaos said while looking at the screen. "I mean with a flaming ghost version of Scar showing to declare war on the Pride Lands and Kion and his gang of heroes heading out to the Tree of Life afterwards is weird in anyone's books."

"Wait what?!"

"Ooooh right, forgot that wasn't supposed to be common knowledge right now. Oops."

"What do you mean Scar's ghost?!"

"Oh, you'll find out in a year. Like around the dry season."

"Oh no! You're going to tell me right now!"

"Are you going to order me to answer that? Because I hate to be ordered."

"What do you know about Scar? Tell me!"

POOF!

And cue Simba losing all of his hair in a cloud of blue smoke.

"Let that be a lesson to you." Chaos said while Simba cried out in horror.

"I'M NAKED!"

"Don't worry, it'll grow back...eventually." Chaos said with a smirk. "Or you'll be the Hairless King forever."

"Why you little-!"

"Tata!" Chaos said while disappearing in a puff of smoke, leaving Simba alone, naked and annoyed.

Especially when Nala saw him and started laughing at him.

He let out an aggravated growl, but lowered his head and quickly moved off to hide in the cave for a bit as the screen faded to black. 'This is humiliating.'

Xxxxx