Chapter Nineteen: Its Only The Beginning
Shenzen stared at his opponent and got in to position to attack. At seven months old, he was already training to be the alpha likes his father and mother.
(But why do I have to fight Zacuru) he thought. All though Zacuru was his best friend, he envy him because he was older, stronger and a better fighter then he was. He begin to sweat, his mother, Nuacka and girlfriend were watching him, waiting for him to make the first move. Zacuru made an evil smirk.
"Come on Shenzen, I don't got all day" Zacuru said
(I hate it when he brags) Shenzen growl and charge towards his friend at full speed.
Zacuru felt like he was hit by an elephant, he learn in life that Shentana's family was built on rage which made them a good fighter. Zacuru manage to stop Shenzen before he could tackle him to the ground. He grabbed hold of Shenzen leg and in one move he cause him to trip over. Shenzen fell to the floor, his face literally rubbing in to the dirt. He heard Zacuru laughing which mad him angrier. Shenzen quickly stood up and head butted Zacuru right in the stomach.
"Come on Shenzen, take him down" his girlfriend cheered for him.
Shenzen turned to her to smiled but that was his mistake. Next thing he knew he felt Zacuru's teeth digging in to his neck and he was slammed to the floor again. Zacuru jammed his nails in to Shenzen's shoulders and yelled "pinned ya"
(Dammit) Shenzen said
Shentana, some of the other hyenas and especially Nuacka clapped their paws to congratulate on Zacuru victory. How many times you lost to him Shenzen thought (countless times).
"Well done my son" Shentana said
"Well done, I lost mom" Shenzen said
"Yeah, but you learned from your mistakes" Shentana gave him a gentle smiled. To Shenzen it was good to see her smile, a real one after a month had past and his sister was taking away.
"I'll get him next time, you'll see" he said
"Hey Shenzen, care for another round" Zacuru asked
"No, we been fighting all day, I need a drink" Shenzen said walking off
"Hey, wait up" Zacuru shouted and ran after him.
Shentana smiled and jumped on to her favorite rock and stared out, watching the clan, parents playing and taking care of their little pups. She felt that small emptiness growing inside her again
"Deep thought again Shentana" Nuacka asked
"Yes," she said "your son is getting a lot better when it comes to fighting"
"Thanks, I just want him to be the best" she said
"But don't put so much pressure on him" Shentana said
"I'm not" Nuacka said a little annoyed about Shentana giving her advice. "So what are you thinking about"
"The old days when Shenzi was here" Shentana said
"Like what"
"Just things she did, her curious mind, her hyper and all the times she wondered off." Shentana remembered "the last thing she told me was what the word Dammit means"
Nuacka begin to laugh "let me guess she heard that from ours boys right" and Shentana nodded.
"I wonder where she is" Shentana thought "I hope she ok"
"I'm sure she fine" Nuacka lied (she probably dead or in some awful place where humans are) "Shentana can't you just let her go, she not coming back"
"Don't say that Nuacka, she coming back"
"But she was only six weeks old, a pup her age can't survive the wild or human that took her away."
"I know Shenzi, she has the her father's survivor skills, she can fall off a waterfall and she still wouldn't give up" Shentana yelled
"Ok, I don't want to fight Shentana, let just keep thinking about the old days" Nuacka said knowing she didn't fell like fighting with her.
(I hear them, I hear them laughing) Shenzi wanted to cry but she hold it back. She struggled to get up and looked up at the small hill. She was very thirsty when she stood up, she looked back at Banzai and Ed. Banzai was still spitting out dirt and Ed was nearly falling asleep.
"Come on guys, we're almost there I can hear them. I hear my clan for the first time in a month"
"I would Shenzi but I'm so exhausted" Banzai said
"I don't care, I'm tired too but I want to go home, my clan is just over that hill" Shenzi said "now get up."
Banzai muttered a few bad words as he force himself to stand up. "You to Ed, wake up" Shenzi demanded.
Ed made a silent sigh and got up. His eyes were red from the dirt and it seem that he had no energy left in his little body.
"Please guys, just over the hill, and we'll be home, your new home" Shenzi said
The word new home echo in Banzai's ears, he grew very nervous, he was kicked out of his own home how would this be different. He shook his head and followed Shenzi to the top of the hill. The hill seem taller to Banzai when he climbed to the top. Half way there he had to dragged Ed the rest of the way, the poor little dummy was to weak and sore to walk anymore. Shenzi was ignoring the pain, hunger and soreness, she just want to get to the top.
Shenzi smile as so reach the top and looked down at what she saw. Her clan was spread around, doing their daily things but her eyes darted at the one hyena she misses the most...her mother. Her mom was sitting on a rock talking to what's her name friend, she was laughing about something. Shenzi begin to shake in excitement and looked at her friends who fell to the fell from exhaustion.
"Guys" she pouted
"Shenzi, why don't you go and we'll stay here for a while, I don't want to ruin this mother/daughter moment" Banzai said
Shenzi wanted to laughed when she remember that other night when he ruin the friendship moment. "Fine, there a little puddle of water a few feet away from you, get a drink and I'll get my mom to meet you" Shenzi said
The boys nodded and watch her running down the hill.
Shentana laughed as she brought back those wonderful memories about Shenzi. "And there was this time when she was only four weeks old and she wonder off somewhere I guess to follow Shenzen. And I remember waking up from a loud scream that came from miles away"
"Oh yeah, Shenzen was picking on her and she was calling you, she had a good pair of lungs because I could hear from miles." Nuacka said
"yeah, no matter where I go or how far I was I can always hear her shouting-"
"MOMMA!"
"Wow, good imitation of Shenzi, Shentana" Nuacka said
Shentana's eyes grew wide "that wasn't me"
"MOMMA, MOMMA!"
"What the hell" Nuacka and Shentana stood up and looked around to see where that voice was coming from.
"I think it just a pup looking for it's mother" Shentana said
Nuacka noticed that some of the hyenas were looking to their left, some with wide eyes while others had their jaw dropped. She turned to see what they were staring at and her jaw dropped as well. A small little messy pup was running down the small hill.
"MOMMA!"
"It can't be, it just can't be" Nuacka started to studded
"What in the world are you talking about Nuacka" Shentana asked and Nuacka pointed to the left without saying a word or blinking. Shentana looked ahead and her whole body went still.
"Mommy, it me" Shenzi shouted
Shentana stepped off her rock, not even caring that she almost stepped all over Nuacka, who still wasn't moving. She took a few steps "S-S-Shenzi" she said with her mouth trembling.
Shentana took another step and made a disbelief smile "Shenzi?"
"Mommy!" Shenzi continue shouting even though she was almost out of breath.
"SHENZI" Shentana started to run towards her as fast as she can.
The clan watch as Shenzi jumped in to her mother arms, causing Shentana to fall backwards. Shentana hugged Shenzi as tight as she can.
"Shenzi it you, it really, really you" Shentana shouted nearly crying from the whole thing.
"I'm sorry mom, I'm sorry I wondered off" Shenzi cried as she buried her face in to her mom's chest. Shentana sat up still holding on to her daughter as tight as she can, not wanting to let her go again. Nuacka ran over to them, still speechless about what was going on. Shentana placed Shenzi on the ground
"Shenzi, what happen to you" Shentana had so many question asked her one well-groomed pup who was now covered in dirt, blood and dry mud with a stench of sweat, fish and fruit.
"Oh mom where do I begin" Shenzi told her story "remember that night I told you I had something around our clan and you told me it was just my imagination but no it wasn't. I went out to find out It was a pup that was a little older then me. So we talked and watch the fire flies then he had to leave, I realize It was almost dawn so I was about to go to sleep when I decided to follow Shenzen. Then I heard a weird noise and I saw my new friend being captured by humans. I had to rescue him but I found my self being knock out by human's boxes of junk. I woke up to meet this other pup in a cage in a strange building. I would have left earlier but I broke my wrist, for three weeks, I was force to drink chalky milk, letting humans bathe me and take care of me. And that's not only half of it, I get stuck with the two dumbest, immature idiots in the world. When we escape they never stop fighting, arguing and always put so much stress on me. The last two weeks, I had to deal with a moron, a quick temper envy male, I got attack be birds, I nearly starved to death dozen of times, I almost die in a desert, I even fell off a waterfall and fell inside a meerkat's tunnel, I almost lost my insanity and...and..." Shenzi took a deep breath "have you ever tried coffee?"
Shentana and Nuacka gave Shenzi a confused look then stared at each other. "Explain that again please" Nuacka asked. Shenzi sigh angrily
Banzai took a deep breath to relax, he looked around, the land was beautiful and very big with perfect weather. He watch Ed drinking up all the water he can then rubbed so on his face to wash the dirt off. Banzai couldn't understand this pup, Ed was happy even though he lost his voice for good. He guess since Ed was a very positive hyena, not even losing his voice would put a frown on his face for long. But the only thing on his mine right now was would the clan accepted a outsider lackey with a very disturbed past.
"Next time your going to fight me don't bite me on the neck" Shenzen shouted as he spotted a trail of blood running down the side of his neck.
"Oh stop whining, we alpha take pain" Zacuru said
"But still, it was just a practice fight" Shenzen argue
"Yet I want to be the best, to be the top alpha male like my mom wants me to be"
Shenzen rolled his eyes "why, it not like my sister here, so you have nothing to prove"
"Don't tell me your still upset about that betrothed thing are you"
"Yes at first but she gone so I have nothing to worry about"
Shenzen bumped in to Zacuru who stopped "why you stop"
"Look, outsiders" Zacuru pointed to the top of the hill "no wonder this area smelled so funny, they have different scents then we do"
"That means they are outsiders, you thinking what I'm thinking" Shenzen said gladly to change the subject and to get forget the pain on his neck. "How many?"
"Two, they looked beaten up, probably a couple of orphans rejected from their clans" Zacuru said
"Well, that's gives us a good reason to end their lives, you know what happens to trespassers" Shenzen said
The two smirk and quietly snuck over to the two tired pups.
"Ed, that's enough water, your going to get sick again" Banzai said
Ed looked up and spitted water in to his face, that's was the only way he could tell him he wasn't the boss of him. Banzai wiped the water off his face and was ready to hit him when he saw two male teenagers running towards them with that strange looked in their eyes he was so familiar seeing at his clan.
"Ed, watch out" Banzai pulled Ed away before Zacuru could attack him. The weight of Ed cause Banzai to fall back and the next thing they knew they trembled down the hill, heading straight towards Shenzi and her mom. Shenzen and Zacuru stopped and watch them rolled down the hill, they begin to snicker and cause after them.
"I'm not making this up, I know it hard to believe but that what really happen" Shenzi said pulling on Shentana's arm to make her move. "Come on I want you to meet my friends"
"Shenzi, I'll meet them but you have to explain your story again it sounds to awkward to believe" Shentana said
"Your mother right it hard to believe a pup your size survived a waterfall" Nuacka said
"I'm telling the truth" Shenzi said before Banzai and Ed crashed in to her.
Banzai quickly stood up, ignoring the fact that Shenzi' mom was hear "Shenzi, the alphas are trying to kill me!" he shouted. Ed made a quite gasped and cling on to her for safety.
"Who's trying to kill you" Shenzi said knowing it wasn't the right time. Banzai pointed to the hill to see Shenzen and Zacuru coming toward them. Banzai ran behind Shenzi and Ed held her tighter.
"I see them, their hiding behind...Shenzi!" Zacuru stopped in his tracks but Shenzen ran past him not paying attention to what he said.
"I see them" Shenzen said but suddenly he lost all his breath and his heart stop when he saw his sister with that evil grin that said I'm back. Shenzen stopped just a few feet away from her and scream till he fainted. They stared down at the knock out male and Zacuru shook his head.
(Well he happy to see me) Shenzi thought as she made Ed let go of her. "Mom, these are my friends, Banzai and Ed" she said "and boys this is my mom, that's Nuacka, Zacuru and the idiot that fainted is my brother Shenzen"
"Hi" Shentana said with a little smiled
Banzai swallow a huge lump in his throat "hello"
"Don't be foolish boy, we bow down to the Matriarch" Nuacka said
(Matriarch?) Banzai thought as he bow down. Ed stood there in fear.
"Nuacka stop it, they don't have to do that" Shentana said
"So momma, can they stay here with me" Shenzi said
Both Shentana and Nuacka looked shock, but before Shentana could say anything Nuacka pulled her aside to talk to her. Shenzi looked back at her friends who seems to have lost all their colors.
"You guys ok" she asked
"Since when are you going to tell us that you were one of them" Banzai asked
Shenzi quickly turned to see Zacuru trying to wake up Shenzen from shocking situation. Zacuru was distracted which made it safe for her to talk to Banzai before he says something he'll regret later. "What do you mean one of them"
"You know what I mean, why didn't you tell us you're the Matriarch pup, the top class with all those damn Alphas, its your kinds fault that I was banned from my own clan" Banzai shouted till Shenzi covered his mouth.
"Hush, don't say that or your going to fine yourself kick out of another clan" she said
Banzai muffle a low growl waiting for her to remove her paw but she didn't " And since you guys are going to stay here there are two thing you need to know."
Ed gave her that "what" look expression. "Banzai, you never killed the matriarch of your clan and Ed you were never raise by humans, tell them that then you'll die, got it"
The boys nodded and Shenzi removed her paw away from Banzai's mouth and he sigh "but didn't you tell us"
"Does it really matter what ranking I was born it" She said
"Yes" Banzai said
"I'm still the same pup who saved your ass so many times, are you going to hate me now because I'm the matriarch's pup"
"No, I just that...I don't want you to..become one of them" Banzai said
"You don't have to worry Banzai, I'm not going to change" Shenzi said making Banzai smile in hope.
"But is it ok for us to stay" he asked
Shenzi looked back at her mom and Nuacka who seem to be arguing about something. "I'll check, wait here" she said and walked off. She stopped by Zacuru who was fanning some air in to Shenzen' s face to wake him up. Zacuru looked down at Shenzi "it's weird to see you back, from the way you look, you been through a lot"
Shenzi nodded "is he going to be all right"
Shenzen begin to wake up and saw Zacuru staring down at him. "Zacuru, I just had a weird dream that my dead sister was alive and actually was here with these other two monsters" he said getting up while rubbing his head.
Zacuru cleared his throat "That's wasn't a dream" he said pointing down at Shenzen.
"Hi big brother of mine, I'm back" Shenzi said with a huge grinned
Shenzen just stared down at Shenzi with a "oh god why me" face expression.
"And She did brought back two other little monster and she asked your mother if they can stay" Zacuru said calmly, shamefully enjoying the look on his friend's face.
"What, oh no, not in my lifetime" Shenzen said as he got up and ran over to his mother. Zacuru sigh and calmly followed him just to see what was going on. Shenzi soon followed after them, she been through hell and back and she was not going to let her friends die in the wild, they are staying here and she'll make sure of that.
"Their just pups Nuacka and I don't see what the big deal is" Shentana said
"But Shentana you know the rules, we don't allow outsiders in to the clan" Nuacka said "they could cause trouble"
"And their just pups and they don't seem like trouble makers" Shentana said
"I guess your right but from the way they look, they look pretty useless, slackers,...lackeys" Nuacka said
Before Shentana could argued Shenzen raced up to her in a flash "Mom please don't tell me their going to stay, we don't' know who they are"
"Not now Shenzen" Shentana said
"But their lackeys" he said
"Shenzen you don't know that" Zacuru said calmly
"Shut up" Shenzen whisper to him.
Shentana sigh and her head was beginning to pound as the three hyena were arguing at her at the same time. She felt someone tapping her on her leg and looked down to see Shenzi. Nuacka was shouting at boys for interrupting her so they didn't noticed.
"What is it Shenzi" She asked
Shenzi just looked at her mom with sad eyes and said only one thing "they have no other place to go, they need me"
Shentana just smiled "alright, they can stay"
"WHAT!" The other three shouted .
Shenzi smiled "oh thank momma, thank you thank you, I'm going to tell them, I love you" Shenzi said before she ran off.
"Um mom, who going to watch them since we don't know them" Shenzen asked
"Well they're Shenzi's friends and you watch over Shenzi"
Shenzen knew what she was going with this "No mom no, don't do this to me!" he begged
"Oh stop Shenzen, just think of them as your new...brothers" she said with a big smile "come on lets get to know them a little better"
"Mom, what did I do to deserve this, was it the fight that I lost earlier" Shenzen shouted as he followed her.
Nuacka stood there silently not knowing what to say or do. Zacuru stared at her "you ok mom, we should be happy that Shenzi return" Zacuru said reminding her about that betrothed thing.
"Of course I am, but I'm not about those two especially the oldest one" She said coldly that actually gave Zacuru the shivers. Now he had a bad feeling about this.
"We can stay" Banzai asked in complete shocked
"Yeah both of you, just like I said" Shenzi said "but it might some time to get use to the new clan but as long as your with me everything think would be fine" Shenzi said
Ed smiled and a tiny, very quite giggle escape form his mouth. The three were stunned from the small little giggle. "I think Ed's voice is trying to return" Shenzi said
"What a odd way to end this journey" Banzai said
"Don't be a fool Banzai, we're just pups, this is only the beginning" Shenzi said
Only the beginning...
That's it for the first part. I'm glad you guys like my story so much. I'm touched. Stay tune for the second part, I'll be back in a week...or as soon as I get this history paper done that is due in a week.
See ya.