Zuka Zama Part II: The Scourge of Kopa | The Lion Guard

26. Thinking for Themselves

Cheezi and Chungu walked side by side through the forest, taking in the sights all around them. 

"I still can't believe we're doing this...", Cheezi mused out loud to the bigger hyena alongside them. 

"Ha! I know!", Chungu laughed. "Do you think they'll notice we're gone?"

"Janja will.....And he'll be mad", Cheezi warned, lowering his ears at the thought of what Janja would say to them. 

"He won't be mad. He'll be furious! He sent us the fight and now we're here...", Chungu stopped in his tracks at the realization of what they had just done. Cheezi stopped as well and looked up to Chungu with a worried expression. 

"Chungu? What's wrong?", the smaller hyena asked.

"Cheezi....I don't think we can go back home...like ever", Chungu said with seriousness that Cheezi never heard from him. 

"Chungu..."

"I mean....This is war, Cheezi! And we ran away from it! Janja sent us out there. He depended on us and....we're here. I'm pretty sure if we go back, especially if they lose....", Chungu rambled on. 

"They're gonna...kill us?", Cheezi gulped. It was at that moment what they had done had also caught up with Cheezi. Chungu looked over to his best friend panicking, trying to take deep breaths.

"Whoa, Cheezi. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you like that", Chungu apologized, placing a paw on his shoulder. 

"Uh....It's...It's alright", Cheezi took a deep breath and shook himself to clear his mind. "But what are we gonna do now?"

"Umm...Well...How about....We just not think about all that right now. Let's just get to that place like we planned", Chungu suggested. 

"Okay, okay. I guess we should keep going then", Cheezi agreed. Both hyenas calmed themselves and continued on their way to Pride Rock. 

Unknown by the duo was the fact that Pride Rock was completely abandoned as Chungu thought. Two lioness were laying on a rock, in a maddening cycle of fear for their friends and boredom from having nothing to do. They were tasked with guarding Pride Rock, but since most if not everyone were actually fighting on the battlefield they chalked up the job as being pretty useless. Even though they were glad that their claws would not be damaged in any way, they still had fear for their best friend and princess, Kiara.

"What are we supposed to do now?", Zuri asked as she lay on a flat rock, enjoying the warmth of the sun of her fur.

"Pfft. I don't know. Sorry", Tiifu shrugged as she lay on the soft grass, also enjoying the warm feeling all around her.

"Whoa, take a look at this!", Chungu gasped in awe, taking in the views of Pride Rock up close.

"Yeah! This place is prreeety", Cheezi took a good long look around. The grass was so full and green, the sky was so blue and Pride Rock towered above the both of them. It was the first time that the usually invading Outlanders had taken a moment to look around and appreciate the beauty of the Pride Lands. "You sure picked a good spot!"

"Yeah. This was like my best idea in...ever", Chungu praised himself. Cheezi agreed and the pair continued to explore their new location. Never before had they noticed the lush land and the warm, gentle sun that beamed on them. 

"It's really nice here", Cheezi sighed in a relaxed tone. 

"Yeah, we should definitely  stay here for a while", Chungu nodded. Cheezi and Chungu stood side by side in the soft grass and walked a circle to lay down in.