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Post by Narifia on May 10, 2016 23:55:25 GMT -5
Continued From: "Shim'ra's Plan"
Shim'ra padded out under the cover of the moonless night sky, her nostrils flaring with the tide of her turbulent, ebbing thoughts. She didn't like Washu. The oddly-colored old hyena was as creepy as it could get, what with those sunburst-orange eyes that stared through everything yet saw everything. What could she possibly do to become Roh'mach with those eyes scanning her every move? Absently, she knocked a bone out of her path with a forepaw and sneered.
"'You must face the Tournament like everyone else,'" she muttered with a snort, mocking Washu. There were better ways to win power than by fighting. Shim'ra had come up with a brilliant plan on the spot, after having just discovered the injured Queen of the Pridelands. Her brains would get them out of this hole that Scar and those half-wit cohorts of his had dug the clan into, and even Washu had had to admit that bringing Nala here was a good idea. So what if the old bag saw through to her plans? If she succeeded, then why not make her Roh'mach? She would be a hero.
Shim'ra rounded a small mound of dirt and sat upon it, the day's events playing out before her again and again. She thought of Washu's prophecy, that hard times would come for all the clans, and that the Pridelanders would remember the Graveyard Clan's kindness when they needed it most. It didn't make any sense. Washu had said just moments before that bringing Nala here would not give the clan the reward that they sought, but then their kindness would be remembered in their greatest hour of need? Shim'ra growled, "The old bat's crazy, she's contradicting herself... I bet she's just gone senile." With a heavy, frustrated sigh, Shim'ra plopped down onto her side and rubbed her temples with a paw. "Old bat's not even a part of our clan, she just wandered in here one day an' everyone decided to worship her 'causa those damn eyes..."
"Sounds like you have quite the problem on your paws," came a mirthful, devious voice from above. Shim'ra's head shot up in surprise--she had been sure that no one had followed her here, and she didn't recognize the voice, either. "Who are you?" she demanded, rising slowly to her feet with a growl, her head low and tail tucked under as she backed away from the voice, keeping low to the ground. "I'm not lookin' for a fight... but I'll give you one!"
A shrill laugh pierced the air, and the stranger came into view on the looming elephant skull before her. It was a female hyena. She had the scent of the clan on her fur, but it was so faint and intermingled with other scents that Shim'ra couldn't be sure of her. "O'course you're not looking for a fight, ain't anyone that is, darlin'." The hyena jumped down from the giant skull and landed before Shim'ra, causing her to jump back a little with a snarl. "I just couldn't help but overhear your little problem there, that's all." She sidled up to Shim'ra and placed her head and neck on her back, a sign of trust and friendship. Shim'ra, although confused, eased up and did the same. The other hyena pulled back and gave a sly grin.
"So you want to be Roh'mach, do you? And that old sack of sunshine is gettin' in your way?"
"What's it to you? I don't even know you," Shim'ra growled uneasily.
"Let's just say I used to live around here. So Roh'mach Upenzi is dead, is she? That's the word on the savannah, I hear."
Shim'ra bowed her head. "Upenzi was killed by a demon-cat, betrayed by some of our own who helped the foul creature. She will always be remembered."
"Oh yeah, o'course, o'course she will. What a great old leader and all that. But listen, this Tournament deal? I'm with you a hundred percent. Such a brutal display for such a sophisticated species, am I right?"
Shim'ra brightened a little. "Exactly! We shouldn't have to fight to determine who our leader will be. Strength doesn't equal leadership, heart and determination and brains does!"
"I couldn't agree with you more. You know, I like you. What's your name, darlin'?"
"My name is Shim'ra. What is yours?" Shim'ra asked, standing up to her full height and finally relaxing around the stranger.
The other hyena grinned. "The name is Shenzi. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Legend:
"Speech" | 'Thoughts'
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Post by Narifia on Jun 1, 2016 21:25:29 GMT -5
"Shenzi?” Instant recognition flooded Shim’ra’s senses. “You mean, Scar’s Shenzi?”
“Pfft, don’t even get me started on that ol’ bag o’ bones. I mean don’t get me wrong, Scar had his perks and all, but he was a basket case just waiting for his bottom to fall out,” Shenzi replied emphatically as she plopped herself down into a seated position.
Shim’ra narrowed her eyes. “You were banished with Banzai and Ed,” the observation was posed more from curiosity than from suspicion. From what she’d learned of Shenzi from the stories, she had been instrumental in causing the downfall of the Clan and losing favor in Roh’kash’s eyes. She had been foolish, but she had not been ill of intent. Despite her attempts to atone for her actions, the newly-appointed Roh’mach--chosen by Simba--had banished her and her siblings for their part in Scar’s tyranny. “What are you doing here?”
“To rekindle old flames, and start some new ones,” Shenzi said, patting Shim’ra on the cheek. “Loner life don’t suit us three, darlin’. We just wanna come back home.”
Shim’ra instantly knew where this was headed. “So you picked a time when we have no Roh’mach and are disorganized and disorderly to try to come back. Not a bad strategy, but emotions are on edge right now what with the Queen of the Pridelands staying in our humble abode.”
“The Queen of the Pridelands!? You mean Nala?” Shenzi’s ears shot up in surprise. “In the Graveyard? Oh honey, you have GOT to fill me in.”
Shim’ra shrugged. “Some rogue lions kidnapped her and dropped her half-dead carcass off at our doorstep. Me and my good buddy Kal’chak brought her back to the Clan for ‘safekeeping,’ shall we say.”
“Huh. What’s your plan?”
“Heal her up and treat her nicely so’s we can butter up the Pridelanders and get access to their hunting grounds again.”
Shenzi laughed mirthfully. “Simba’ll see right through that!”
Shim’ra frowned. “You got any better ideas?”
Shenzi grinned. “You know, I just might.”
Legend:
"Speech" | 'Thoughts'
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Post by Narifia on Jun 4, 2016 20:35:01 GMT -5
"Then do tell,” Shim’ra prodded with an unenthusiastic sneer.
“Look honey, take it from me--flattery and niceness will get you somewhere with lions all right, after all who doesn’t just love the feeling of being worshipped? But that don’t mean they ever gonna really trust you. They expect hyenas to be nice to their faces and then plot behind their backs, even when you really are just trying to be their friend.” ‘And then when they’re cornered and desperate, they turn on you,’ Shenzi thought grimly to herself. “So there’s only one true thing that’ll ever earn the trust of a lion.”
“And what’s that?” Shim’ra’s interest piqued.
“Courage and sacrifice. When things get hairy, you gotta show that you’re willing to lay down your life for your lion-friend. That’s the only language of trust that gets through to ‘em.” When Shim’ra looked taken aback, like she didn’t quite get it, Shenzi continued to explain, “Think about it. Back when that lioness was scurrying about in the Graveyard--the one who killed Roh’mach Upenzi?--she spared a hyena’s life out of mercy. Then when he returned the favor, he was suddenly on her A-list. Boom. Buddies ‘til the end. You gettin’ it now?”
Shim’ra looked shocked, “How did you know about that?”
“Let’s just say I’ve been scouring around the borders for quite some time now.”
Looking skeptical, Shim’ra asked, “Then how come you didn’t know about Nala already?”
“What'chu think I got eyes everywhere? That one slipped under my radar, but I do thank you for keepin' me updated on Clan news,” Shenzi said with a fake bow and a cheeky grin.
Shim’ra’s frown deepened at Shenzi’s sarcasm, then she disregarded it and shook her head. “I don’t see how any of this helps me. I already saved her royal butt from bleeding to death and becoming vulture food, and she’s safe now that she’s in the Graveyard. What more can I do to win her over?”
“IS she safe in the Graveyard? Is she really? You know there are hyenas just chomping at the bit to sink their teeth into Her Majesty the Queen just ‘cause she’s a lion, an’ just ‘cause her kind put us here in this dump. She gonna need someone to protect her, right?”
Shim’ra thought about it, then shook her head. “Those fur-brains are so dumbfounded by that old hag Washu that not even the most disgruntled of ‘em will dare attack Nala. They say Washu ‘has the light of Roh’kash in her eyes’ and hang on her every word. They’re as complacent as sheep around her.”
“Ain’t no one who would stay complacent forever, especially when the steak is dangling right in front of their jaws.” Shenzi stood and stretched, then walked away towards the border. “Just give it some thought.”
“And what about the Tournament?” Shim’ra called after her, “The next Red Moon, when Roh’kash’s Eye opens to the night sky, is very soon. I don’t think ‘Her Majesty’ is gonna heal up enough by then, and then it’ll be too late for my influence to mean anything towards becoming Roh’mach.”
Shenzi looked back and grinned. “Then stall the Tournament. Then, when the time comes to take Nala home and you’ve won her over with your ‘courage and sacrifice,’ Simba might even appoint you Roh’mach himself. It’s happened before,” she added with a slightly distasteful tone, rolling her eyes as she remembered Roh’mach Uhuru who had banished her and her brothers. “But hey, don’t take my word for it. I’m just an ol’ rogue whose been around a lot of lions in her lifetime. Still, it may be worth your time to give it some thought, if you really wanna be Roh’mach all that bad. Just, uh, if you do take my advice, try to remember good ol’ Shenzi and her brothers when you take that throne, will'ya?”
And with that Shenzi slipped away into the darkness, leaving Shim’ra behind to linger over her words.
Legend:
"Speech" | 'Thoughts'
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