Chapter Eight: The New Era

Janja assembled the hyenas and ordered Mzingo the vulture to preside over the meeting. Mzingo agreed, and the vultures and hyenas convened together near the entrance to Janja's den in the Outlands.

“Listen up, fellas,” Janja said. “Each and every single one of you hyenas swore your allegiance to this clan when you joined. What did each of you promise?”

“To fight together,” said Chungu.

“To respect and obey our leader,” said Cheezi.

“Because united we stand,” said Wajinga, “And divided we starve.”

“That’s right,” said Janja. “Well, there’s more to that pledge. The fact is, that pledge is universal for all the hyenas in the Outlands. We’ve been running this show all wrong. We weren’t meant to be rogues. All hyenas are to stick together. To defend each other, and never stay divided. Because like Wajinga said, united we stand and divided we starve.”

“What’re ya getting’ at Janja?” Cheezi groaned.

“What I’m saying is that the Heshima clan is not our enemy. We as hyenas are all in this together and we must work together. Jasiri has put forth a plan that will go into effect tomorrow. We as a group are to meet the Heshima Clan at Broken Rock to discuss a peace treaty with the Pridelanders. If everything goes according to plan, the Pridelanders will accept us for who we are. We’re hyenas. We don’t deserve to starve, but we must also treat others with respect. The Circle of Life applies to us just as much as it applies to Kion and the rest of those in the Pride Lands. That means we take what we can eat as a clan, and no more than that. We eat to live, not live to eat, simple as that.”

“Oh, I definitely live to eat!” shouted Wajinga. “I don’t know where you’re getting these crazy ideas Janja, but if you think that the Lion Guard is gonna make peace with us, you’re as crazy as Cheezi!”

“Hey!” Cheezi defended.

“Maybe I am a bit crazy. And maybe the plan won’t work at all. But we have nothing to lose,” Janja said, “We’re starving, and we need food. I won’t let my clan scavenge for the rest of their lives and neither will Jasiri.”

“I’m up for it!” Chungu said. “If the Lion Guard wants to be friends with us, then I’m all for that!”

“Everyone in favor, raise their paw!” Janja commanded.

Every hyena except Wajinga raised his paw.

“Wajinga,” Janja said. “For a hyena who has pledged allegiance to this clan, you are showing signs of weakness. Why do you object?”

“The Heshima clan has warped your mind Janja,” said Wajinga. “The Circle of Life is not about peace. It’s about war. I say that all of us hyenas-and the Heshima Clan too-if they want to eat, then we must conquer the Pride Lands together and overthrow the monarchy.”

Janja growled. “The lions would destroy us,” he said. “You’re a fool if you think that would ever work. Kion has beaten me so many times, and he’s just a cub. You think that we can go up against Simba, Nala, and the rest of the full-grown lions? We could put our strongest hyenas on the front lines and they’d get destroyed. You can’t change nature, Wajinga.”

“Fine,” Wajinga said. “I pledged allegiance to this clan, and if you want to make peace, we’ll make peace. As long as I can get a meal by the end of the day that’s really all I care.” He raised his paw.

“Mzingo,” Janja stated, “Relay a message to Pride Rock. Inform Prince Kion that the Outlander hyenas are to meet the royal lions and the Guard at Broken Rock tomorrow, just before sunrise.”

“As you command, Janja,” said Mzingo. He flew out of the den and out of sight.

“The meeting is over. Everyone is free to go,” Janja said. The hyenas each went their separate ways, leaving Janja alone. He gazed up at the first stars beginning to appear in the sky. His mind was too occupied to sleep that night. He merely stood on the edge of a cliff and stared into the distance.

The next morning, the two hyena clans assembled at Broken Rock. There was much whispering among the clans as Simba, Nala and the Guard approached them.

“Greetings, Outlanders,” Simba said. “I was informed last evening that you wish to discuss a peace treaty with us. Clan leaders, please state your positions.”

Jasiri’s mother Chuki stepped forward to face the king. “My name is Chuki, and I am the matriarch of the Heshima Clan. Before our formation, many of our members were exiled years ago from the Pride Lands simply because we were hyenas. We are here today to show you that just because we are hyenas it does not mean that we cannot respect the Circle of Life. We wish to make peace with the Pridelanders and live in unity, just as we do here in the Outlands. May the sins of our mothers and fathers be forgotten and may you accept us for who we are. A noble species with a higher calling.”

Simba and Nala looked astounded. “Next,” Simba said.

Janja stepped forward. “My name is Janja, but I feel like you all know me much too well. I am from the Mashenzi Clan, the matriarch of whom you knew as Shenzi. My entire clan was nearly destroyed in the war against Scar and I have been left as a rogue. Since then, I have formed a band of rogue hyenas that have continually caused chaos in the Pride Lands. We’ve fought to the bitter end, and for what? We’ve come to realize that if we continue to war against one another, we get nowhere. Our clan continues to starve and we continue to be bitter toward those we call our ‘enemies’. Why should you be our enemy? We’re all part of the Circle of Life. We have come to understand that in order to be respected and accepted, we must do the same. I humbly ask that you would forgive me for my past. And not only for my past actions, but also for the actions of the clan that filled my mind with hate and bitterness. That era is over. It’s time for a new era for lions and hyenas-Outlanders and Pridelanders.”

Kion looked at Jasiri, who was standing alongside Chuki. Jasiri smiled at Kion and winked. It was as if they both knew that this was what was meant to happen.

Simba and Nala looked at the clan leaders and then spoke. “You have presented your cases well,” said Simba. “Janja, Chuki, if your clans agree to respect those in the Pride Lands and take no more than necessary, you are welcome to join us.”

Janja stood to face his clan and Chuki did the same.

“Do we stand together?!” They shouted. The hyenas nodded.

“Then let there be no more differences between us,” said Nala. “Let us come together and unite as Pridelanders."