Sun Rise Ch. 5

Kiara sat on the side of Priderock, watching the animals stroll by in the Pridelands. She was worried about the war, about the Zebra, and Dhahabu. She was worried about the Guard and Beshte. She was worried her father, and about her brother. She remembered back to the war with Scar and his army, and how frightening that was. She remembered Zira. No, she had flashbacks to Zira. Her voice, her claws, her viciousness. Zira still haunted Kiara's dreams. What if Zira had survived the fall? What if the stream had carried her away somewhere down South? What if...

She was suddenly snapped back to reality with Kovu sneaking up behind her and jumping at her. She screamed as she tumbled to the ground.

"Kovu! Don't scare me like that!"

"Heh heh, sorry. I couldn't resist." He half smiled.

"Anyways, Nala is out front giving the bad news to everyone, and I'm gonna go grab something to eat, want to come with me?"

"No... I think I'll pass..."

"What's bothering you? You love to hunt."

"I just... what if she's still out there?"

"Who?" He asked, hoping she wasn't talking about who he thought she was.

"Your mother, Zira."

Kovu was surprised. "That's impossible, we saw her fall into the water."

"I know but... I don't know. I feel like we should do something."

"Well what do you think we should do?" He asked.

"I don't know... Maybe we could help the Lion Guard! They're looking for some more help right now!"

"That sounds like a good idea, but what if something were to happen to us? Simba needs us to rule the Pridelands when he's gone."

Kiara stood up, "I'm tired of being told I can't do anything because I'm 'too important', to heck with that! I'm gonna help the Lion Guard and defend my home."

Kovu smiled, and said, "And I'm coming with you."

Kiara smiled.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jasiri ran over to Kion and they hugged each other tightly.

"Kion, I haven't seen you since forever!"

Jasiri was definitely older looking, yet was still recognizable as Jasiri. She was now a grown adult hyena. Her blue eyes sparkled more than ever, and her mane was soft and curled like it always was. She overall seemed like a beautiful hyena, you could tell she took care of her looks.

They stopped hugging, and Kion said, "It's been about a year! I'm sorry I stopped talking to you, things have just become really hectic lately, and-"

She cut him off, "I know. Things got pretty busy down here too." She looked around the side of Kion to see Nabii drying herself off by shaking like a dog.

"I see you met Nabii too."

Nabii looked up hearing her name being mentioned. Jasiri asked her, "You didn't make him go through the cave, did you?"

"Of course I had to." Nabii responded.

"The cave?" Kion asked.

"She does this to everyone?"

"Yes she does, she does it to anyone new. She tried to make me go through there, but I didn't. I didn't trust her enough." Jasiri said as Kion walked with her and Nabii.

"Well anyways, come say hi to Madoa and the rest! I'm sure that they'd love to see you again!"

As they walked over to the rest of Jasiri's clan, Kion noticed something he didn't before. Nabii was telling the truth! At the shoreline of the running water, there was some patches of grass and growing trees. They weren't too large since it had only been a year, some even looked freshly planted, but still trees nonetheless. Over all the scene looked very calming, with the many different shades of green coming to life against a backdrop of running blue water. He looked around more, and was completely shocked. There was patches of plants and grass here and there, even some flowers already starting to bloom! Plants were beginning to grow on ledges and moss on the walls. Kion barely even recognized it as the Outlands.

"Wow, you guys really did decorate the place didn't you?"

"I see you've noticed." Jasiri chuckled.

Kion looked around a bit more, and saw a couple insects flying around, making homes and pollinating the flowers. Kion did not even know it was possible for plant life to live here. It seemed though that Nabii and Jasiri was setting up some good conditions for them now.

"Is it like this everywhere?" Kion asked.

"Not everywhere. The Volcano, volcanically active areas, and the outside areas are still the same old Outlands." Nabii replied.

They made it too Jasiri's clan. There was mostly the same old faces that Kion vaguely remembered, and even some new faces, meaning her clan must have got some more members.

Madoa was busy with Tunu and Wema, who were growing older by this point. They weren't the small cubs that he remembered saving along with Jasiri all those years ago. Though they were still young, they were now young teenagers. Madoa looked up to see Kion, and she waved at them to come over. Nabii stayed behind, and went to go lay down on a nearby rock.

Kion walked up to Madoa and she said, "So where have you been all this time?" In a joking way.

"Kinda busy, I can see you have been too."

She looked down at the children and said, "Tunu, Wema. You remember Kion, don't you?"

They walked around him sniffing, trying to remember his scent.

"Kinda..." Tunu said.

"I do!" Wema yelled.

Kion chuckled a little.

"You two have certainly grown. Madoa must be proud!"

Madoa chuckled.

"So Madoa, what's been going on with you lately?" Kion asked her with a smile.

"Everything is going great. Decorating the Outlands was the best decision we ever made. The tribes here have all become a lot friendlier to one another thanks to Nabii, and I even found a mate because of it!" She responded.

"Oh really now, who is it?"

"He's another clan leader, he lives up in the jungle regions of the Backlands. His name is Tombie." She said with a sigh in her voice.

Tombie. Kion didn't recognize that name. Another hyena clan? How many more hyena clans were there?

They had spent a good portion of the day catching up, as Kion went around and met all the different clan members. Jasiri had taken to remembering each of their names by heart, which Kion found impressive. They caught up on different events, and Kion even got a tour of Jasiri's part of the Outlands.

"So Nabii, what about your clan, can I meet them?" Kion asked.

Nabii, who by this point was walking around and just observing the area, replied with, "Oh... um... not right now."

"How come?" Kion asked tilting his head.

"Just not right now Comrade. My clan is larger than hers, it'll take a while." She responded.

"Well, I guess that makes sense."

That's when a yellow bat flew out of a dark corner and up to Nabii. Kion was intrigued, he didn't even see the bat hiding there. Nabii's ear perked up as she raised her head up. She lifted her paw so that the yellow bat could grip on to it and hang in front of her ear. It started whispering something, though he could not make out what it was saying.

Kion lay on a rock next to Jasiri, and she looked at him and asked, "So why are you here? This whole time, it seems like you've needed something."

He turned to her and said, "I came here because we need your help again."

"Oh really now?" She tilted her head.

"Look, there's this really bad guy called Thimba, he's a blue rhino."

"A blue one?" Jasiri said confused.

"I don't know, he's just blue. Might be a new species. Anyways, he's threatening the Pridelands."

"And the Lion Guard can't get him to leave." She finished.

"Yeah, that. I was thinking, maybe the hyena resistance could come back, and help out?"

"I don't know Kion, we've got a problem of our own right now."

"A problem? Everything sounded like it was fine the way Nabii put things. What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nabii can make anything sound good, and well, it's Janja."

Kion suddenly had flashbacks to the rotten hyena. Janja was a pathetic criminal who summoned Scar as a ghost years ago.

"What's he doing this time?" Kion asked with a serious look on his face.

"I should be able to take him." Kion remarked.

"No, no" Jasiri replied. What she said next caught the lion of guard.

"He's not doing anything wrong. It's just... his clan has been getting smaller and smaller, more hyenas are leaving him. I don't know how many he has left."

Janja, Not doing anything wrong? How could those words even be said in the same sentence? Jasiri continued.

"He's backed himself up to the top of the volcano and is refusing to come down. Even though he hasn't done anything in a year, everyone else is still afraid that he might try and summon do something else bad up there."

Nabii walked between the two, pushing them aside, saying, "It's too dangerous for Janja to be up in the volcano, considering his previous record up there. I want him gone and I want him gone now."

"Where are you going?" Jasiri asked.

"I just got some news. Something is going on at the volcano and I'm going over there."

"Oh no" Jasiri said.

"Kion, come with us, you could probably meet some more people there." Nabii said turning her head halfway towards him, them turning back and walking off.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

When they arrived at the volcano, there were crowds of animals there. They were booing and cheering and yelling all sorts of things. Kion squeezed through the crowd, loosing Nabii somewhere in there, and Jasiri tried to follow close behind him. Eventually Kion made it to the front, and looked to a brown hyena to his side and asked, "What's going on?"

She didn't even turn to him, and said, "Janja and Sevaga are in an arguement, they might even fight!"

"Sevaga who now?" Kion asked confused.

"Sevaga, Nabii's second in command, how have you not heard of him?"

"I'm not from around here."

She turned to look at him. She had yellow eyes, and a strange mark on her forehead.

"W-Wait... you're? PRINCE KION? THE Prince Kion?"

"The one and only." Kion said, dawning a smile and flipping his hair.

She smiled and said, "Wow, you weren't LION, you sure are from far away!"

Was that a pun?

"Uh... heh heh, yeah, ok."

Sevaga? Nabii's second in command?

His attention was brought to what was going on. Up on a large rock peak, an aardwolf, who he assumed to be Sevaga, was standing on top, and yelling at Janja up on another stone perch. Sevaga was a fairly large aardwolf, and apparently part of Nabii's clan, better yet, her second in command? What was an aardwolf doing in a clan of spotted hyenas? His question was brought to life through Janja.

"What is an aardwolf even doing in a clan of spotted hyenas?"

"How incredibly close minded of you." He responded, with a slight British accent and a soft yet confident sounding voice.

"No wonder all of your 'friends' left you."

Janja surprisingly didn't look bad at all. His mane had grown out some more, making the shark-fin look really work for him now. His jawline, physical stature, and posture even looked good. He looked like a shockingly handsome hyena. The aura he had almost spoke, "Bet you didn't expect that, huh?" without him even having to say anything.

He spoke up again, his voice sounding similar to the way Kion remembered, but a bit deeper.

"I just want my clan, and my life back!"

"We want you to leave, isn't that right comrades!?"

Sevaga yelled, and the crowd began yelling for Janja to leave, all except for Jasiri and the brown hyena to his right.

"I ain't leaving buddy, I was born in this dump, and I'll die in this dump!" Janja responded, sounding very aggravated.

"Well, isn't that just pathetic? That is exactly what will destroy us! How do we know you aren't planning anything in that volcano? How do we know you aren't going to bring Scar back again?"

"I'm not!" Janja yelled. He didn't want anything to do with Scar ever again. To hell with Scar! He was glad Scar is gone! Scar took his life away from him, Scar was a dirty low down liar who held him back. If he had never trusted Scar, he would still have his clan. He would still have his friends. The Lion Guard wouldn't be kicking his butt whenever he set paw outside the Outlands. Most importantly, he would be friends with Jasiri...

Janja smiled a little bit.

Friends with Jasiri...

He snapped back.

Sevaga didn't listen. Instead, he replied with a serious and angry tone, "Once a criminal, always a criminal."

"No, I don't want to-" Janja was cut off.

Sevaga began yelling and chanting.

"CRIMINAL!

CRIMINAL!

CRI-MI-NAL!"

The rest of the crowd began chanting with him.

"CRI-MI-NAL!

CRI-MI-NAL!

CRI-MI-NAL!

CRI-MI-NAL!

CRI-MI-NAL!"

He looked around, not knowing what to do.

"I-I... I I I uhm..."

His eyes were searching along frantically, hoping to find something. He didn't know what, but just anything that could help him. What he found though did not help, not one bit. Him and Kion had locked eyes.

He felt like everything went by in slow motion. His heart had just snapped in half. His lungs just dropped to the ground from his chest. What was Kion doing here? Here? Now?! Why now?! Why had Kion come back into his life?! This was it. He didn't know why he thought this, but Janja convinced himself that this was it. This was how his life ended.

Janja dropped his ears down, and with a shameful expression, he slowly backed away. He turned and booked it.

"LEAVING SO SOON?! COME ON COMRADES, LET'S GO CATCH THE CRIMINAL!"

Jasiri jumped in the way she yelled, "No, don't hurt him!"

"Comrade not this again, why won't you just let us end this?"

"I can't, not like this!" She said back.

"What is it you see in him comrade? What is it, that you could possibly see in him?"

She stopped. Why did he have to say that? Jasiri gulped, trying her hardest not to say anything as her face slowly turned red.

Sevaga's face was that of disgust, almost as though he knew what her silence was saying.

"Good God comrade! Don't tell me!"

Nabii had then yelled at him, ending the chaos as soon as she opened her mouth.

"That's enough Sevaga!"

Sevaga immediately perked his ears up and turned around to salute her.

"Yes Ma'am!"

"As you were"

He relaxed a bit, putting his paw down. Nabii came up to him and whispered something into his ear. Another hyena from Nabii's clan was trying to calm the crowd down. He was a striped hyena. He had a large spikey white mane that went from his head all the way down to his tail. He had a scar on his right eye, blinding it completely it was so large. He was a lot furrier than other hyenas as well.

"Ok ok, nothing to see he everybody!" He yelled as the crowds of disappointed animals slowly dissolved away like grains of sand through a sieve.

"And be sure to catch my next stunt on the other side of the volcano this time tomorrow! I'll be sure to make it extra entertaining to make up for your wasted time!" He also yelled.

"Who's that guy?" Kion asked the brown hyena.

"Oh him, that's Mshale. Nabii's other boy in charge. He's nuts. You should see one of his stunts. I swear Mshale will do literally anything."

Sevaga had run over to Mshale and they walked off somewhere. Kion saw Jasiri turn back to look in the direction where Janja went, then turn and start walking away. Kion looked at the brown hyena and asked, "Hey I've gotta go. You know, I never got you're name, what is it?"

"Oh, I'm Rookus. You should stop by my clan sometime!"

"I might take you up on that. See ya!"

"Bye!" She waved as Kion ran over to Jasiri. She had sat down by a dead tree to look over the magma pits and volcanic landscapes. The sun was now starting to dip under the horizon after a long day once again. Kion came over and sat down beside her.

"Now you know the problem." She said.

Kion thought for a moment. Sevaga had a point, what did she see in him? Why is she keeping Janja around? He's only putting them in danger.

"You're gonna have to kick him out eventually." He told her.

"Why?" She asked.

"He isn't doing anything wrong!"

"How do you know?" Kion asked.

"I don't know..." she said.

Kion thought for another moment.

"Well, everyone else doesn't seem to like him. His own clan ditched him, Reirei's given up on him, and Mzingo left him. He's gonna have to go is all I can say."

Jasiri looked down at the ground with a sad expression.

"So, you still up for helping out the Pridelands. It'll be just like old times!"

Jasiri looked up and said, "But what about the Outlands? This is my home Kion, and I want to help it. I need to see this all the way through."

Nabii had approached for behind, and jumped in with, "Don't worry about it comrade, I can take care of things just fine!"

"Nabii, after what just happened, I don't think I can trust you. Not until you learn how to get your clans act together." Jasiri responded.

"Jasiri, believe me, my clan knows who's in charge. They won't lay a paw on Janja."

Jasiri sat and thought for a moment.

"I don't know..."

"I'll give you more time to think about it. Until then I'll be heading back to the Pridelands. When would be a good time for me to stop by again?"

"I would like for you to come back in about week, so I could show you around a bit more." Nabii said.

Jasiri smiled at Kion and said, "A week sounds fine."

Kion agreed.

"I have to go right now." Jasiri said, "you came at a pretty bad time for me right now."

"Ok. Well, bye Jasiri."

"Bye" and she walked away.

Kion then went to Nabii to give him some directions back home.

"Unfortunately I can't help you at the moment, I have other things to attend too. You could ask Mkuba for directions though, he's from my clan, he'll help you."

"Where is he at?"

She walked over to the edge and said, "um... right over there." And pointed to a lone hyena walking through the lava vents, staring at them cautiously as he walked by. He had a mohawk for a mane, and a large scar that came down under his eye on his right cheek. His jawline was very handsome looking, and his tail was a lot bushier than most other hyenas.

"So many hyenas." Kion thought. "They most have been here for a really long time to breed these numbers."

When Kion had turned, Nabii was already gone. He turned back around completely to look around anywhere, to see where she ran off too, but she had seemingly completely disappeared.

He shrugged it off, and slid down the rock face and to the lava vent area down below. He made his way around on vent and over to the hyena, calling out to him, "Hey, Mkuba!"

Mkuba's ears perked up at his name getting called. He saw the unfamiliar lion heading towards him, and took a step back to get in a defensive stance.

"I don't wanna hurt you, I just need some directions." Kion told him.

"Oh, ok. Sorry about that."

"No it's fine, I'd back up a little bit too if I saw a large lion walking towards me."

They both chuckled.

"So where are you heading?"

"I'm headung back to the Pridelands, and I don't know how to get back from here. Nabii told me you could help."

"Nabii sent you?"

Mkuba stopped for a moment.

If Nabii sent him, then he must be important. If he didn't do this, he would most likely get in a lot of trouble. He looked around to see if there where any yellow bats. The cost looked mostly clear, but just to be safe.

"Sure I can help." Mkuba said with a big smile.

"Just follow me!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Janja walked back around the crater of the volcano. Looking down into the lava pit, he remembered Scar. He remembered when the lava would bubble, and the volcano would rumble when the fire demon would spring from the fire in a horrible and terrifying way. An orchestra of flames dancing and singing cursed songs around the face of a smiling made man conducting the play. He remembered the yelling, the failures, the singing of evil and wicked songs and dark lullabies for the death of the Pridelands, a prophacy of destruction which thankfully never came to be. Janja was part of a cult, brainwashed into a dark and hideous cult by himself of all people. And most of all, he remembered in the cold nights when Scar was dormant, he remembered when no one was around, not even his own clan. He remembered being in the darkest, most isolated place in his den, and he remembered the crying.

He felt hot tears begin to boil in his eyes, and he tried his best to hold them back, but he was fighting a loosing battle, just like with the Lion Guard years ago. He stared into the volcano, staring into the lava, and the swirling patterns of bubbling anger, hoping that down there, there was something. Anything at all that could hear him. He hoped Scar was down there, stuck in the fire, never being able to escape. He hoped Scar was suffering the worst torture for his crimes, and he hoped Scar could hear him.

Janja mustered for his voice, and after a couple failed attempts at opening his mouth and trying to say words, he finally spoke something.

"There are... no words... that could describe, what it is... that you stole from me."

The magma did not respond. Of course it didn't. Scar is gone. It kept boiling, boiling itself in it's own anger and frustration, trying to find a way out of the volcano. All of these hot, painful emotions trying to escape. Janja felt himself connecting with the volcano, and sympathizing with it's plight. He rubbed the the ground with his paw, sitting down to watch the lave more.

"It's ok." He said to the mountain.

"I feel the same way."

Suddenly he heard a voice behind him, a high pitched and curious voice.

"Who you talking to Janja?"

It was Cheezi, followed by Chungu.

"You ok boss?" The chubby hyena asked.

"No I'm not ok." Janja replied.

"I messed up big time."

"But Janja, you always mess up." Cheezi said.

Tano yelled from a distance, "Cheezi!" With Nne raising his ears.

"No. He's fine."

Janja crossed his paws and laid his head down on them.

"He's right, and that's the problem."

Once again, he heard another voice behind him. In a British accent, someone said, "Well if I had known you would become this pathetic without me, I wouldn't have left."

Janja turned around to see Mzingo perched up on a rock looking down at him. Janja perked up saying, "Mzingo!"

He then tilted his head and asked, "I thought you left?"

"I did" he responded.

"But I couldn't keep away from my favorite hyena forever. So I stopped by to see you."

"Where's your Parliament?" Janja asked as he got up.

"Oh their back at our new home in the western area of the Backlands. We had a vote on who would take my place while I was gone."

"The Backlands?"

"Yeah, the Guard doesn't  come back there much, and they probably won't be any time soon. Some rhino has come along and took over the place."

Mzingo jumped down and hopped up to Janja, "You won't believe this Janja, he's blue!"

"Wow"

Janja was excited to see his friend back again, maybe he didn't loose everyone after all! However, there was still one question in the back of his mind. A burning question that he needed answered.

"Mzingo?"

"Yes Janja?" The vulture said.

"Why did you leave me?"

Mzingo paused. His eyes jumped around as he brought his head back.

"Well... Janja..."

"Well what?"

"Don't take this the wrong way. It's been fun over the years, but I have to move on. Scar... was a mistake. Mistakes were made, you can agree."

"Yeah..."

Janja knew that more than anyone.

"I need to get out there, take control of my life again. That involved leaving."

"Why can't you stay here, in the Outlands?" Janja pleaded.

"Janja... it's time to let go of the past. I can't be here anymore. As I said, please don't take this the wrong way, I'm still your friend and all, I just..."

Janja's ears lowered.

"I don't want to let go. I don't have anyone."

His eyes were watering. Mzingo saw the most desperate look in Janja's eyes. He was begging, pleading for someone to help him.

Mzingo looked around.

"You still have... whatever their names are."

Janja looked at them.

Cheezi, Chungu, Nne, and Tano were all grouped together looking at Janja and Mzingo.

"I... I guess I do."

"Feel free to come and visit if you'd like. I'll come back here sometimes."

"Thanks for coming, this meant a lot to me."

"I've got to go right now." He began flapping his wings, and he hovered up into the air.

"Remember Janja, take control of your life. It's not too late to do that."

The buzzard flew off into the now darkening sky. Once he was out of sight, Janja turned to what he had left of his clan.

"Alright guys, group hug."

They all ran over and they had gave each other a massive hug.

"We're gonna start fresh tomorrow. What do you guys want to do first?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kion and Mkuba had walked until nightfall. They talked a lot on their way to the Pridelands.

"I want to hear more about your clan. How did Nabii get her idea?" Kion asked.

Mkuba's eyes jumped around again. It was obvious to Kion that he was looking for something, and Kion rightfully grew a bit suspicious.

"Well, we live farther back in the other side of the Outlands, kinda on the edge of it. We first lived in this place called 'The Horns'"

Kion had never heard of those before.

"It's ok if you've never heard of it, nobody has."

Kion smiled at the coincidence.

"Well anyways, when I was younger, our leader was a hyena named Asha."

"I know a couple Asha's" Kion added.

"Yeah it's a common name. Anyways, she was horrible. She didn't know what she was doing. Nabii came along with her younger sister though, and took Asha's place. Asha ran off, and Nabii has been making the clan better ever since."

"Younger sister? She never told me about that."

"I already guessed. Nabii doesn't talk about her family much anymore, sadly. Buibui is her name, she's one of my friends."

"What's she like?" Kion had no clue how he was going to remember everyone's names.

"She's actually quite the opposite of Nabii. She's shy, but really fun when you get to know her. She's a great friend, and actually listens to what you have to say. I don't know how I would have made it this far with her to be honest."

"Well she sounds very special to you." Kion added.

"Oh yes, she is very special to me. I'll protect her until my last breathe, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Mkuba turned his head again, and right there, looking back at him with its dead beating eyes. A yellow bat was hanging upside down, head perked up staring at him. It's eyes were like the moon, glowing and triumphant. It's vision could cut like a dagger, deep into you're flesh, and into your mind. It seemed like at any moment it was going to fly out from its spot, open up your skull, and start dissecting your brain to see what you're hiding deep inside the darkest recesses of your mind.

Mkuba's ears perked up, and he put on a big smile on his face. Kion also noticed that his eyes got more sparkly and cheerful, and also noticed the bat...

"Nabii noticed how terrible the Outlands was, and how Scar's war with the Pridelands most definitely left a bad image of us to you guys. So now she wants to help unite the place! Bring all of its tribes together and form a new group of leadership in the Outlands to make the place stronger and friendlier!"

Why was Mkuba suddenly so cheerful? Kion stopped, and turned around. The bat had followed them.

"Why are you so happy all of a suddenly?"

Kion asked while still looking at the bat. Mkuba suddenly put up his paw and turned Kion's head away from it.

"I'm just happy!"

"Ok... what is Jasiri's part in all this? If Nabii is trying to handle the leadership, what is Jasiri doing?"

"Jasiri is in charge of agriculture! And she's good with it too!"

Jasiri always was good with handling other creatures and life. It made sense to Kion that she would be good with plants too.

Mkuba's behavior was still strange though, and was that blasted bat still following them? The bat had to be the reason why.

"Hey Mkuba, is that bat back there bothering you?"

"What bat?" He said.

Kion grabbed Mkuba's face with his paw and turned him around.

"That bat." And pointed to it, it was still following them.

He squinted his eyes, "I don't see any bat."

What kinda game was he playing? What was going on? Whatever... he would figure it out later. Right now he had more important matters to attend to.