Lyndsay and Lainey Lion H is for Hyena

H is for Hyena

Lyndsay and Lainey Lion were resting in the sun in the back of the Sunnyville City Zoo and Rehabilitation Center's Animal Hospital telling jokes.

"What is black and white and red all over?" asked Lyndsay.

Her sister shrugged. "What?"

"A zebra with a sunburn!" said Lyndsay, laughing.

"I've got one," said Lainey. "Why did the giraffe throw the butter out the window?"

"He wanted to see a Butter-Fly!" roared Lyndsay.

Lainey laughed. "Isn't that a good one," she said.

"Knock knock," said Lyndsay.

"Who's there?" asked Lainey.

"Who's there?" asked Lyndsay.

Lainey cocked her head. "That's what I'm supposed to say," she said. "Who's there?"

Lyndsay pushed her aside and pointed to the back door. "No, silly," she said. "Who's there?"

The lions watched as Dr. Jasmine brought a stocky, brown and tan speckled dog through the door and walked him toward the outdoor boarding kennels. The dog limped, its back leg wrapped in a bandage. Dr. Jasmine led the dog into one of the kennels and closed the gate. "You get some rest Henry, and I'll be back to check on you later," she said.

"Now that's someone who can tell us some good jokes," Lyndsay said to her sister.

"What makes you say that?" asked Lainey.

"It's a laughing hyena," she said. "Of course he'll know a lot of jokes. Come on."

"He doesn't look so funny to me," said Lainey, following behind.

At the kennel, the hyena lay licking his bandaged leg.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," called Lainey. "They'll put a cone on your head."

"Then you'd be really funny," Lyndsay said and rolled on her back, laughing.

The hyena looked up slowly. "It just hurts," he said. "My brother and I were roughhousing and he got me pretty good."

"Was he just pulling your leg?" Lyndsay asked, holding her belly and laughing.

"No, he bit me pretty hard," said Henry. "What's with her?" he asked Lainey.

Lainey shrugged. "She thinks you're funny. By the way, that's Lyndsay and I'm Lainey. You're Henry, right?"

Henry nodded.

"Of course you're funny Henry," said Lyndsay. "You're a laughing hyena, right? That's the funniest dog around."

Henry stretched his back, his tail sticking up the in the air, his bristly mane standing on end. "First of all," he said. "We're called spotted hyenas, not laughing. And we're not dogs."

Lainey paced in front of the kennel, looking the hyena up and down. "You look like a dog," she said. "What are you?"

"I'm in a class all my own. I'm not a dog, or anything else really. Hyenas are just hyenas. I'm actually more closely related to a mongoose than a dog, and even a cat, like you. Plus, I come from Africa, just like you. I'm a carnivore, too, and I live in a pack – we actually have quite a bit in common."

"Cool," said Lainey.

"Tell us some jokes," said Lyndsay. "You've got to know a bunch. Like have you heard about the grape that got stepped on? It let out a little whine. Isn't that great?"

Henry laughed. "That is a good one. But really, I'm not that funny. They sometimes call us spotted hyenas laughing hyenas because when we're excited, we make this crazy sound that sounds like humans laughing."

Lainey's eyes widened. "Whoa," she said. "Can you do it now? Can we hear it?"

Henry sat up on his haunches and cleared his throat. "This is a little hard to fake, but let me try." He opened his mouth and let out a high-pitched cackling that was both funny and scary at the same time.

"Wow!" Lainey and Lyndsay said.

Just then, Dr. Jasmine came running back. "Henry, are you okay?" she called as she approached the kennel. The lions stepped out of the way as Dr. Jasmine opened the kennel door and entered. She knelt down and checked Henry over, paying special attention to his injured leg. "You look okay to me, Henry. Just a couple days in here and you'll be ready to go back to the clan. Why don't you have a little dinner now to get some strength back?"

Dr. Jasmine placed a bowl on the ground in front of Henry filled with meat and bones. Henry sniffed at the meat, then looked up at Dr. Jasmine.

"I'll leave you to it," said Dr. Jasmine and left the kennel.

Lyndsay and Lainey walked back up to the gate. "That looks good," said Lyndsay.

Henry scooted around, guarding his meal with his back. "Don't even think about it," he said. "It's bad enough in the wild my family has to protect their food from lions. I don't want to have to worry about it here."

He sniffed at the meat again, then gnawed at the meat, crunching up the bones with his powerful jaws.

Lyndsay turned to her sister. "Did you see that?" she asked. "He's eating bones!"

"Gross!" said Lainey.

"They're actually quite good, and nutritious," said Henry. "You're just jealous because your teeth aren't strong enough to do it, too."

"The meat's the best part anyway," said Lyndsay.

Henry shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said.

"Speaking of meat," said Lainey. "I'm getting hungry, Lyndsay. Want to see if our dinner is ready?"

"Sounds good," said Lyndsay.

"Nice to meet you Henry," said Lainey. "Hope you get better soon."

"Better at telling jokes," Lyndsay whispered to her sister.

"Hey Lyndsay," called Henry. "When does it rain money?"

"I don't know," said Lyndsay. "When?"

"When there's a change in the weather."

Lynsday rolled on the ground with laughter.

"What do you call a pumpkin that's been run over?" called Henry.

"What?" laughed Lyndsay.

"Squash," said Henry.

Lyndsay laughed even harder.

Henry turned to Lainey. "Your sister's a crack up," he said.

"I know," said Lainey. "You're not lyin'."

The End