The Funeral

This is a start of an all-new series about the hyenas. I hope you enjoy it :)

The Funeral

Muuaji whimpered gently. She had invited her parents, Madoa and Janja, to come to the funeral of her sister Kuacha, who had been killed by Simba only a week ago. The pain was still fresh, though. If she wouldn’t have gone along with Kopa’s stupid plan, Kuacha would still be here. Too bad she hadn’t realized that sooner, before her sister had died.

Inviting her parents was a big deal. They lived over a thousand miles away, in the Wetlands. It was a 5 day journey to reach the Outlands. Muuaji didn’t think her parents would come. Madoa, yes, but Janja attending was never guaranteed. He wasn’t even present at her and Kuacha’s birth.

Muuaji shook her head. She didn’t have time for such thoughts.

She ran up to Mpango.

‘’How’s it going? Did you get the oil?’’

Mpango held up a medium-sized vile.

‘’Got it!’’

Muuaji breathed with relief. The funeral could not proceed if the Takatifu oil was not present. It was the oil that had anointed every dead hyena since before her grandmother, Shenzi, was born. It was an ancient tradition.

Muuaji approached Kuacha’s body, causing the 3 young cubs, Vijana, Wajinga, and Ujuzi, to scatter, tails tucked between their legs out of respect.

Muuaji whimpered in between tears.

‘’I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. You trusted me as your leader, and I let you down. You would have known about Kopa’s evil plan. I’m so sorry.’’

She gently nuzzled Kuacha, but she got the same response: dead silence.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sema.

‘’Muuaji, your parents have arrived.’’

Muuaji ran to greet them.

‘’Hi mom, hi dad.’’

Madoa gently licked her daughters head.

‘’It’s nice to see you, it’s been too long.’’ Madoa cooed.

‘’Muuaji! How could you have let this happen!?’’ Janja thundered.

Muuaji looked shocked.

‘’It was Kopa. He promised us the Pride Lands if we killed Kion. It didn’t work.’’ She averted his gaze and whimpered.

Janja knew he had said the wrong thing.

‘’I’m so sorry, Muuaji.’’

Waziri interrupted them.

‘’Excuse me, Muuaji, but we are ready to begin the ceremony.’’

‘’Yes. Thank you, Waziri.’’

The three hyenas approached the rock alter, tails tucked between their legs.

Waziri took the stage.

‘’Friends and Family, it is with great sadness that I begin the funeral of Kuacha. She was a hyena unlike any other, who died a noble passing; the most noble passing a hyena can have.’’

Muuaji silently cried, remembering all the times she and Kuacha had spent together. When they were cubs, chasing beetles in the watchful gaze of Madoa, when they were teens, flirting with Moja and Mbili, and finally when they were adults, lounging in the sun all day between hunts.

Those days would never happen again.

Vijana brought the oil forward, and it was gently poured on Kuacha’s head. All of the other hyenas were invited to bring up flowers or other gifts for the deceased, and Janja left a giant baobab fruit right next to Kuacha’s body.

All was silent for a while.

Waziri tilted his head, as if listening for something. He then announced:

‘’Kuacha’s spirit has left her body. She is now up in the sky, with all the great hyenas of the past.’’

All the hyenas began to sob, remembering their fallen clan member. Muuaji, Janja, and Madoa cried the most.

They then heard a mysterious voice:

‘’Muuaji, I am so sorry.’’

All the hyenas turned to see: Simba.

Muuaji growled, pinning her ears back and getting ready to lunge.

Simba smiled sympathetically.

‘’Muuaji, I am SO sorry about Kuacha’s death. It shouldn’t have happened. It was Kopa. I’m so sorry.’’

Muuaji looked shocked. She brought her ears back up, and looked right at him.

‘’Would you like to stay for the remainder of the funeral?’’

Simba smiled.

“I’d love to.”

After the funeral, Simba bid them adieu, and Janja and Madoa left, too. Muuaji looked up into the sky and said: ‘’Hello sister, I wish you fun and happiness up there.’’

She then broke down and cried.