The Lion King: Legend of Kopa

Chapter Four

Taking a deep breath, Kopa set one paw outside the border of the Pridelands, with Nuka, Cody, and Chel on his heels. They were no longer in the safety of their kingdom, but now they were in forbidden territory likely owned by someone who may not like four young Pridelander lions in their land.
   "This is creepy," Chel whispered behind Kopa.
   "Oh, don't be a baby, Chel," Nuka hissed, sitting to quickly scratch the fleas out of his messy black mane, but Kopa and the others could sense faint fear on him as well.
   This place—The Elephant Graveyard—was quite spooky. It was all dark and shadowy with piles of old bones. There was no sign of living trees or plants anywhere here, nor where there any signs of living animals.
   Kopa lifted his head and briefly sniffed the dull air. He smelled the very stale smell of hyenas, too old to make a big deal about it.
   Kopa, Nuka, Chel and Cody warily continued their way through the Elephant Graveyard, ears perked for potential danger.
   "We should get out of here," Cody whimpered quietly.
   "Shut up," Nuka growled softly.
   "Shh!" Kopa hissed. "I think I smell something." He lowered his head and sniffed the grey, grass-less ground. All of a sudden, they heard it: the eerie crackle of a hyena.
   A collective gasp broke out from the four lion cubs as they all huddled closer together, fur bristling in fear and alarm. Then they saw her. A hyena cub about their age, quickly trotting toward them. She was not accompanied by any other hyenas.
   "Who are you?" She demanded, particularly to Kopa.
   Striving not to show any fear, Kopa bared his teeth. "Leave us alone!" He snapped.
   The hyena cub laughed, sending shivers down the spines of Kopa, Nuka, Cody, and Chel. "Leave you alone?" She repeated, amuses. "You are in my territory, puny Pridelanders!"
   Nuka snarled. "We'll get out!" He shot back.
   "Please, just don't summon your giant army of bloodthirsty hyenas on us!" Chel begged the hyena cub, shaking.
   The hyena cub rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna summon my hyena clan on you four nuisances," she said. "We hyenas aren't as evil as you over-exaggerative lions think we are. But we do not like trespassers."
   "We said we'll leave!" Kopa repeated angrily.
   "I know," the hyena cub replied. Then her eyes narrowed, as if she were studying Kopa closely. "Wait a minute," she murmured. "You-are you prince Kopa of the Pridelands?" She asked.
   Kopa hesitated. His heart was racing. "Yes, I am," he answered, trying to sound bold. "Please don't hurt me."
   "Why have you come here?" The hyena cub demanded.
   "It's none of your business!" Nuka and Cody shouted in unison.
   "You're in my territory, so it pretty much is my business," the hyena cub said. "Now, tell me your purpose here, Prince Kopa, or I'll sic my parents on you."
   Chel gasped, terrified, and huddled closer to her brother, Cody.
   Kopa's stomach tightened. Sic her parents on us? He thought. He knew how vicious and bloodthirsty hyenas can be (well, according to Simba and Nala's tales of them).
   "I'm Asante," the hyena cub said before Kopa could explain why he and his friends were in the Elephant Graveyard.
   "I'm Nuka," Nuka responded.
   After Cody and Chel introduced themselves to Asante, she said: "I'll let you four go without telling my parents. But please—"
   Before Asante could finish her sentence, a flash of bright sand-coloured fur suddenly flashed past Kopa, Nuka, Cody, and Chel, tackling Asante to the ground and pinning her there.