Sun Rise Ch. 9

[I do not own the character Sam. She is owned by Sam_Hyena

aminoapps.com/p/jpy15k ]

Mzingo and his Parliament moved in as quickly as they could, and immediately got to work. It was almost humorous to Mzingo, how absolutely clueless Thimba was. His destruction was slipping around, right underneath him, and he didn't even know it.

It was late at night, and Mzingo was perched on a tree root sticking out of the ground, paying attention to routines. One thing he noticed was that the rhinos were split into two teams. One half, about five or six, would patrol during the day, while the other half, about five or six, would patrol at night.

Thimba himself was not beyond sleep, so he went to a secluded area and clocked out every night, with two crocs as his guards.

He fell asleep at the same time the switching of the two teams took place, always. If he kept this up, it would give them about a ten minute open for attack. His Parliament was doing good, and they kept up a great act, but they needed more information.

He was deep in his train of thought when a voice had startled him.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite group of birds."

That scratchy voice. It was uncanny, he knew who it was without even turning to him.

"Kiburi."

"The one and only."

"What do you want croc?"

"No need for being rude, I only want to chat."

The crocodile crawled to Mzingo's side.

"It's gonna be just like old times, isn't it?"

Mzingo tried not to look at the lizard, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"I suppose so." He said in an unenthusiastic way.

"Oh come one Mzingo! Where's that spirit at! We don't have those idiot hyenas and jackals around to bug us!"

"What do you mean?" Mzingo asked, still not looking at the massive lizard.

"I'm saying that Janja and Reirei aren't around to slow us down. Admit it, we were always better than them weren't we?"

Mzingo raised an eyebrow.

"You and me were always the over achievers. Janja and Reirei just got in the way."

Mzingo thought about it. Janja was the idiot of the bunch, but he was the one who started the whole thing. It was all Janja's idea to wage war with the Guard, not Scar's. Scar just set the idea into motion. Not only that, but Janja was a friend of his, and right now he needed him. Reirei was actually trying to make an effort and take a look at her options, which was something he didn't expect, and her pack has now grown bigger because of it.

"Scar may be gone, but we're still here. We can get our revenge on the Lion Guard. Think of all the things we could do if they were out of the picture!"

Mzingo weighed his options. He could try to fight the Lion Guard, with less men on his side, and have a high chance of loosing again. Or he could help the guard, have his name cleared and get a fresh start, allowed back into the Pridelands.

Mzingo decided to help the Guard.

He looked Kiburi in the eyes, as to convince himself that he has risen above Kiburi.

"If I'm going to fit in Kiburi, I need to know a few more things about our new home. What exactly is you're routine here?"

"Well I've donated my crocs to becoming part of the growing army. We're a little short on men at the moment, so they are patrolling the area at the moment, switching out with each other to get some rest like the rhinos. The skinks we set in charge of patrolling the area too, making sure no one is spying on us."

Kiburi said that last part with a soul piercing gaze, almost as though he knew what Mzingo was planning.

"Well let's hope we won't have to deal with that." Mzingo said.

"Yes, let's hope." Kiburi said looking away.

Mzingo needed more though.

"Could you give me a brief run down of everyone's routines here? Maybe my Parliament could fill in some gaps."

"Well we're mostly still trying to build up at the moment. The Rhinos make sure that none of our Captives escape, the skinks make sure that no one is spying, and my float makes sure no one is trespassing. Once we build up our army big enough, we'll make our first strike. Everyone switches out so some of use can rest and get prepared for our attack."

"Ok, tell the float that he doesn't have to patrol the area anymore, I'll take charge of that. Your float can get prepared for the attack some more."

"Perfect!" Kiburi exclaimed.

"I'll bring the news immediately!"

He crawled off into the night. Mzingo flapped his wings and took off into the air. Being border patrol could give him the opportunity to scope out the land and find some weak areas. He flew back to his Parliament to tell them the plan. He kept the skinks in mind though, and told everyone to huddle in as closely as possible and whisper to each other, and keep an eye out for them.

"Remember, watch for those skinks, we can't have them ruining this!"

"Got it!"

"Now, we're in charge of border patrol. If anyone was to get in, we're supposed to warn the others. It would be a shame if... we let the Lion Guard in undetected." He said with a wicked smile, letting the others know what he was implying.

"We need to spread out, and search for an opening. Areas where we can get rid of these guys as fast as possible. Ready?"

They all said in unison, "Break!"

And the split up, the swarm of vultures blooming like a flower of death.

There was only one thing that Mzingo noticed though that still puzzled him.

He did not see Dhahabu anywhere.

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

Buibui quietly watched the hyena paint. Sam did not notice the other shy hyena behind her, so she continued on like no one was there. She stood up on a rock perch so she could reach higher. She tried her best to paint a beautiful sunset, with the oranges and reds slowly fading into dark navy blues and pitch blacks, all dancing around and layering over a shiny yellow orb.

Buibui was a shy hyena, with her soft mane grown out long and completely combed over to one side, covering her left eye, and also hanging all the way down to the middle of her legs. She had the same purple-grey coloration as her older sister Nabii. She didn't like to talk much, almost not at all. Buibui sat there in silence, intrigued by the artist and her work. She had been following a white moth that she had found pretty, when it lead her to this spot, where Sam had been working on a giant picture on a smooth rock obelisk.

Sam was a bit of a different hyena. She had a the front portion of her mane dyed green, and she didn't stick to any clan. She had joined the Outlands Reformal Project so she could spend her days working on massive art pieces like the one she was making now.

It wasn't until she had stepped down from the rock to get a better look at it did she notice the hyena behind her.

"Oh, hey there. I didn't know someone was watching me..."

Buibui didn't say anything, she just raised her paw a little to say hello, and held her head down as to not look Sam in the eyes. She hoped that she wouldn't be noticed, huddled in her little corner, and she could sneak away as quietly as she got there.

Sam tilted her head.

"What's wrong? I don't bite, sometimes." She chuckled.

Buibui smiled a little bit, but that quickly went away. She only wanted to leave now. How could she have been so stupid, she just should have kept walking.

"Um, are ya gonna say hi?"

Buibui looked down, never having made eye contact. She tried to say something, but not even a tiny noise came out of her mouth, because she couldn't even open her mouth.

"Well, feel free to stay if you'd like." Sam said, turning to get a look at the picture. That's when she saw another figure walking up to them. Another hyena, with a mohawk as a mane, and a scar under his right eye.

"Hey guy, what's going on?" He asked.

"I'm just making this, and she's over here watching me." Sam nodded her head towards Buibui.

Mkuba looked over to her and said, "Oh hey there!"

Her eyes lit up as she smiled a little.

Mkuba walked over and sat down beside her. Sam looked over and asked, "You two know each other?"

"Yeah. She's Nabii's younger sister, and one of my friends."

They looked at each other,

"We go way back." He said as they both smiled.

"I didn't know Nabii had a younger sister, she always seemed like an only child."

"Yeah, Nabii doesn't like to talk about her family. I don't know anything about her parents. I only know her sister here because we kind of grew up together."

"How so?"

"Well, it's kind of a weird story. I've never been the most extraordinary guy in the world, and Buibui here has never been the most extroverted girl in the world."

He nudged her, she was still trying to avoid eye contact.

"Mhmm" was all she said.

Mkuba spoke up again.

"So anyways. We just kind of met one day, and we connected. She doesn't talk much, but she's a really great listener. To be honest, that's kind of gotten me through some rough times."

He wrapped his paw around her.

Sam asked, "Have you two ever considered dating?"

Buibui blushed. Mkuba said, "Uhm... well, a little..."

Sam chuckled, "I'm just messing with you two. Anyways, so what do you guys think so far?"

She looked back at the picture, and so did her two guests.

"It looks good to me." Mkuba said.

"Mhmm." Buibui agreed.

"Ooohhh Mkubaaa!" They heard someone yell from a distance.

He recognized the slight British accent, it was Sevaga. The aardwolf trotted his was over.

"Ah Mkuba, there you are! And Buibui, how splendid!"

Mkuba sighed as he rolled his eyes.

"How did you know where I was at Sevaga?"

"A little friend told me!" He said with a smile. Mkuba could see a bat hanging in the distance behind him. Of course. Those stupid yellow bats always ruin everything!

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Oh come on Mkuba, put on that big smile of yours!" Sevaga told him in an overly cheerful tone.

Mkuba put on a smile and said, "What do you want!" In a way that was so happy it sounded sarcastic.

"It's not what I need comrade, it's what our leader Nabii needs! She requires your presence immediately. Same with you Buibui."

"How come?" He asked.

"Kion has returned to the Outlands with the Lion Guard, they are recruiting for the assault on Thimba."

"Oh really now?

"And Our Leader Nabii jas requested the presence of her entire clan."

Mkuba turned to Buibui. The look in his eyes spoke to her that they weren't getting out of this, but he would be there with her. They both nodded, and they stood up to follow Sevaga.

"It was nice to have met you Sam!" He called out to her.

"You too!" She said back, watching the three hyenas walk off into the night. She was not going to go with them, she didn't quite have a good feeling about Sevaga.

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

The Lion Guard had chosen to meet up in the Outlands. Everyone else back at the Pridelands had chosen to stay and protect king in case anything else were to go wrong, so the Guard is recruiting in the Outlands. Nabii took the opportunity to test how her project is working. Could the Outlands work together to stop Thimba? Nabii and everyone was anxious to find out.

She stood on a perch beside Jasiri, Rookus, Reirei, Janja, and even a red striped hyena named Tombie. All of their respective packs and groups joined together in a large crowd.

"Alright everyone, I hope you know why I have gathered you guys here today." Nabii announced.

"I do, the Lion Guard is recruiting and you want some of us to help!" Tombie, the red hyena with a white mane, said outloud.

"Thata boy! Mzingo's Parliament has sent over one of their vultures with some great news! Kion, do you mind being a dear and telling everyone what they found?"

The lion stepped forward, tall and proud, puffing out his chest.

"Mzingo and his Parliament have become Thimba's border patrol, meaning that they will let us squeeze in to Thimba's hideout whenever we want. He also told us that there is a gorge that runs pretty close to the watering hole. All we need to do to get the Zebras out of there, is to wait for nightfall when henchmen are switching out places. We'll have a fifteen minute time period to get the escort the Zebra herd over a bridge and to the other side of the gorge, safe and sound. Once the Zebras are out, we light the place on fire and run everyone out."

Nabii stepped forward again.

"The roar might not be able to blow away Thimba and his Crash, but it can blow fire can't it?"

Kion remembered when he had blew the fire wall open when trying to help his friend Beshte escape.

"Yes it can."

"We could use the winds the roar creates to guide the flames in the direction of Thimba and his army, pushing them further away from the Pridelands."

"That's a good idea." Jasiri said.

"But what about after? How are we gonna stop the fire from spreading?"

"That's where we come in. The Lion Guard needs us to help control the fire. Any suggestions?"

The ground was hustling and bustling about with ideas and plans.

"We could start a flood!" A member from Rookus's clan named Bite yelled.

Mshale from Nabii's clan turned and yelled, "I like this guy!"

Nabii responded, "Good idea, but there isn't a water source big enough."

Tombie looked over and said, "Actually there is."

Everyone turned towards him.

"There's a reservoir that's pretty close by up on a hill. It should be enough to put out a big fire. If the fire gets out of control we could dig a hole in the side of it and douse out the flames."

"Good thinking Tombie!" Nabii told him.

Nabii turned back to the crowd.

"Who volunteers as fire patrol?"

Tombie raised his paw.

"I could bring a couple guys."

Jasiri raised her paw, "I can bring a couple!"

That's when Janja from the back of the group leaders raised his paw slightly, but just enough for him to see.

"I'll go... by myself."

Silence.

An unkown individual from the crowd yelled, "I hope you get crushed and die out there Janja!"

Jasiri shot up and yelled, "Hey! Who said that?!"

No one answered. Once again, complete silence.

Kion busted out laughing.

"Be quiet Kion, that's not funny!" Jasiri yelled.

"That's enough comrades." Sevaga demanded.

Jasiri sat back down.

"Anymore?" Nabii looked around.

"Going once, going twice. Ok!"

"I get why Rookus isn't going, she's brand new, but why isn't any of your clan going Nabii?" Tombie asked.

"Well comrade, someone has to stay behind and look over the place, don't they?"

"Rookus's clan is doing that though-"

He was cut off by Sevaga walking up, "Hey comrade, I believe one of your clan memebers needed you right away."

"Ok, um I'll be back later if you guys need me."

He then leaped down in the crowd.

Jasiri stepped forward. "Um, can I please have everyone's attention?"

The crowd quieted down once again.

"In other news, I would like to say something. We all came to an agreement... most of us." She glanced over at Reirei.

"Nabii has brought a very important thing to light that we didn't quite consider. After this, Thimba will be setting his eyes on the Outlands as well, and we won't be safe anymore."

"Well what do you suppose we do?" Someone asked.

"Well, we've all decided that the first thing we need to do is prepare ourselves. If we want to fight back, we can't stay divided like this any longer. We're gonna have to have some form of unity. Same thing goes for us group leaders."

Nabii came back in with, "We've been doing fine working together most of this time, but that isn't going to work forever. In times of war, you need to make smart decisions fast."

Rookus continued it as best she could.

"We're going to be electing a top leader for the Outlands. One who can make good decisions and make them fast. While the Guard and the rest are off in the Battle of the Backlands, Nabii and I are going to stay behind and you're all gonna vote on who it should be."

Kion stepped up again and instructed, "Alright everyone, let's get moving. We can't keep Dhahabu waiting any longer."