The Final Tale Ch. 15

Jasiri stayed on her ledge as she kept her head down, lowering her ears in sadness. It had been three days since Scar Snout's funeral, and she had not yet gotten over his passing. The water that filled the watering hole rippled as Zebras and Leopards alike lapped their tongues in it, refreshing their parched mouths.

"Jasiri?"

She turned her head to see her former nemesis approaching her with a worried expression. For as long as she could remember, Janja had not shown any emotions other than irritation and selfishness. As time had passed, however, the Male Hyena had gone through a drastic change. He finally put his strength and agility to good use, helping the circle of life.

He sat next to her. "Are you Ok?"

Jasiri slowly formed a smile. "Yeah.... just thinking."

Janja sighed as he began to level with her, something he barely ever did with anyone, not even his brother. "Jasiri, I know you miss him, we all do. Scar Snout brought us all together, don't forget that. We're worried about you. Katali, Nabii, Barbatus, everyone. Madoa may be a ways off from having her pups, but that doesn't stop her from worrying."

It was not in Jasiri's current nature to show that she had been gotten to, but this code was slowly broken as she showed it plainly. "There's nothing wrong, Janja. I'm perfectly fine."

"Jasiri, listen. I know that face." Janja stood up and spoke more seriously. "I know it because it's mine."

The two Hyenas had not known each other to fully know each other's emotions, but there is a first time for everything.

Jasiri lifted her head as she turned to face him again. "What?"

Janja gave in inhale as he went on. "I've made that face more than once. Recently after Scar gave me the boot. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but..... well, yeah I'm complaining. That's just because it cost me my Volcano. I felt like I didn't have anywhere to go. But then, Tombie came back, helped me through a tough time, even taught me a few things. I've never told him this, so don't you dare tell him, I do love him. So yeah, Jasiri, I know how you feel."

Jasiri felt speechless once Janja was done talking. No one, not even his own clan, had ever seen this side of Janja before. Being Ousted from his own Volcano must've really changed mostly everything of him.

"You know, Janja, I knew you had some good in you. I just had to catch up with myself." Jasiri said after taking a big swig of water. She then looked back down to the ground. "I just wish you knew what to tell me..... about Kion."

Janja have a small shrug. "Well, I dunno what to tell ya about that, but I can tell ya that ya never can tell with Kion."

Jasiri have a small chuckle. "I never could. myself. Him and his Roar have always come through, except that one time you know."

Janja nodded. "I think everyone knows. Jasiri, it doesn't matter if Kion's your friend or not. I mean, who cares? I do, of course. I mean, what is a friend, anyway? Even when they do some of the most unforgivable things to you, you always find a way to forgive 'em. What's the deal with that?"

As Janja continued on with his little rant on friendship, Jasiri began to have a her own little revalation.

"Just because you're upset with em, does that really mean their family should suffer? Yes, I totally believe that."

Jasiri turned to Janja. "Janja, you're right." She then got up and ran to her clan.

Janja tilted his head. "Jasiri? Where're you going?"

"I'm getting my clan." Jasiri called back.

"We're going to go stop Scar!"

--

Eventually, the Lion guard, with the help of Simba, found a place for the homeless animals to live until the problem with the Outlanders was taken care of.

Even so, this did not stop them from worrying.

"It seems to me that the Lion Guard's been losing more battles since they dumped Kion." Bupu whispered to some members of his herd and his fellow leaders.

"I agree." Makuu piped in. "Without Kion and his roar, the Guard seems to have been up the river with no legs."

"Now calm down, everyone." Basi tried to calm the group of homeless animals down. "My son and his friends have been trying their best, and theres nothing wrong with that, right?"

"Don't try to protect your son's mistakes, Basi." Bupu spat. "Try as he might, his strength still could not match those Outlanders, now that they've got Lions on their side."

Unbeknownst to the three leaders, Fuli and her companions were listening to them.

"Poa, are we really that bad without Kion?" Beshte asked his friends.

"It's starting to look that way." Ono really hated to admit it.

"No way, guys!" Fuli swiftly turned to her team. "Without Kion, We've just been distracted. If he doesn't need us, we don't need him. Everyone's just on edge from all the Outlander attacks."

"So, how do we calm them down, Fuli?" Beshte asked.

Suddenly, without warning, the group herd a loud yelling sound coming fron two voices. They looked past some bushes to see Bunga's adoptive Uncles chasing down what looked like a Rhinoceros Beetle. The bug seemed to be a rather fast one, and its pursuers seemed to think the same. It crawled up a tree trunk, with the Warthog and Meerkat close behind, only to narrowly miss it and run straight into the trunk.

Fuli chuckled. "I think I know how."