Scar: The Story You Never Knew

Chapter 7: Hyenas

Taka landed on the cold, hard ground. He looked around. The pit was littered with huge bones of long-dead elephants, rhinos, and other large animals. The place was covered in a blanket of mist. Taka was amazed. He'd never seen such a place. It would definitely take guts to venture down here.

Wonder if there's a brain still ins there. Wondered Taka, walking toward a giant elephant skull. He was about to enter a cavity in the skull when he heard loud, evil cackling.

Taka froze. He drew his claws, and all his hairs stood on end. His back arched and he flattened his ears, the usual lion attack position. "Who's there!?" He growled, ready to attack. That's when he heard voices. "Well, well, well. Look who ended upon the wrong side of the wall." The voice was followed by more cackling. The voices didn't sound like they were large animals. Another voice came from the skull. "What is it? Can we eat it?" Taka walked slowly backwards. Would these creatures eat him?

The cackling came again. Then, out of the skull's eye sockets came three young hyenas. Taka ran for the wall. Now he knew why his dad didn't want lions to come here. Hyenas were the pride's mortal enemies. They were always wrecking havoc in the Pridelands. Stealing food, chasing off the herds, and simply being a menace wherever they went.

As Taka ran, one hyena, a female stopped him. She appeared to be the oldest one. "Now don't be scared of us. We just wanna play." She snickered. The three began to circle them. Taka finally saw the third one. He looked psychotic and cross-eyed. He said nothing, but only let out hysterical laughter. Taka shivered. "I'm sorry, but I really should go."

"Why ?" said the younger one, a male. "You just got here. And we'd LOVE for you to stay for dinner." The third one laughed hysterically. Taka growled, and sank into attack position. "I'm warning you, keep your dirty paws off me!" He growled. The hyenas were taken back by the cub. They stepped back. "What's the matter?" Asked Taka in a cold voice. "Too chicken to fight?" The hyenas whined and ran for cover behind a rock.

Taka realized what he was doing. He panted rapidly. He retracted his claws and stood up. He came here to prove how brave he was. Not rip apart three innocent pups. He called to the hyenas. "Wait!" He called.

Taka stayed and talked with the three. He found their names were Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. Their parents had been kicked out of the Pridelands, so they had been hiding out here. Taka told them his story. Hyenas were tough, but that didn't mean they didn't have feelings. They felt sorry for Taka. "Ya know, you can come here and play with us." Offered Shenzi. "We'll be your friends."