Nakala

Chapter 10

Janja trotted back to Nakala's den and found it empty this time around. He didn't take it as a good sign. But Janja kept a clear head, walking past the den with a sure feeling that he would eventually find the lion. Much to his luck he continued till he came to an opening that was proposed as entrance and exit directly to and from the main dens. The sky was a gradient of light yellows and dark oranges. Through it all he saw the unmistakable shape of the feline staring out in the distance.

Slowly, Janja walked up to Nakala and sat down next to him.

"So...What are you out here doing?" Janja asked, looking up at the lion.

Nakala kept a blank expression on his face and took a deep inhale followed by a drawn out exhale. "I'm just thinking...about a lot of things.

"I get it. A lot has happened today, pretty much all at once," Janja sympathized. He could see the conflicted expression the lion's muzzle and could only imagine what he was thinking about. As much as Janja didn't want to, he found himself considering how this could help Nakala. The death of a clanmate was a terrible thing but it was better for the lion to experience it now then later.

"Janja...I'm sorry," the lion said with a hint of woe in his voice, unable to face the hyena.

"Sorry for what?" Janja asked with visible confusion.

"Sorry for Kufo. What happened to him," Nakala answered simply. Janja said nothing in response, simply following the direction of wherever Nakala was staring out at. He saw that the lion was staring intently in the direction of the Pride Lands.

"I know it had nothing to do with me...But I can't help but still feel guilty about it," Nakala mumbled.

"Hey can I ask you something?" the hyena asked. Nakala nodded, not taking his eyes off the distant Pride Lands.

"Do...Do you ever miss it? Do you ever want to go back?" Janja dared to ask. Finally the lion's gaze broke from the distant stretch of land. He locked eyes with Janja for a moment or two and broke away.

"Yeah, I miss it but... After being here with you guys I never wanna go back. It's not home anymore," Nakala shook his head and breathed another deep sigh. "How could I go back? I'm not even close to the lion I was back then. Living these past few years here made me a completely different lion. It was a chance to start over again and I feel like I'm better now. I feel like I'm actually helping someone who needs my help."

"It's not a bad thing to be different now. I mean look at you know. You're an active member of the clan. You can fight, you're definitely a good hunter. If only we had something out here worth hunting down," the hyena mumbled, feeling like he wasn't able to bring Nakala to the place he should be.

Nakala snickered at his words and turned to the hyena. "Thank you, Janja. Really. I guess we both have work to do if we're gonna get out of here." Janja grinned and nodded in response.

"I'm gonna go," Nakala said aloud.

"Go? Go where?" Janja dared to ask, feeling a spike of fear in his stomach.

"I'm going to the vigil. I don't know Kufo personally but I have to pay my respects to him. I decided that I want to work to be just like him. Be the hero that this place needs," Nakala nodded firmly to himself.

Janja breathed a sigh of relief but agreed and left Nakala alone to go back while he made sure everything was ready for the vigil.

The rest of the day was carried out by everyone as best they could. The entire clan shared their grief with one another, each hyena shared the same sadness in their different ways. As the sun started to set, the entire clan was all one. All tasks, duties, and usual business were all set aside. Each and every member no matter their age or status joined the steady walk out the caverns.

The fallen hero's body was recovered by his fellow elites Tabia and Wisa. As the one's he stood tall alongside, the elites were already outside standing silently around his body, wishing their own blessing and hopes for peace. Slowly more and more hyenas walked out of the caverns and joined the silent mourning.

Nakala walked among the rest. No one said anything so neither did he. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, nothing like this had ever happened in all the time he had been here. Surrounding him on all sides were hyenas who wore the pain in their hearts for one another to see. Nakala himself, while he did not know Kufo, felt pain in his own heart seeing everyone's tears and hearing their soft sobs. He wanted so badly to make their pain go away, to see them as they usually were, but tonight it wasn't the case. This was a problem he could not solve. Carefully he joined among the ranks of the rest, but kept an eye out for any cues on what he should do. On either side of him were hyenas, some with bowed heads and others who looked to the hero's body at the center for a to see and honor. His ears flicked lightly at the sounds of soft cries and mumbles of prayers.

Though he had no idea what was the proper or customary thing to do, he thought it was best to bow his own head and give his own wish for Kufo's soul to find peace.

Great Kings...Or whoever is listening: May Kufo's soul rest in peace and may he continue to watch over us.

Nakala finished and lifted his head to see the elites getting up. They looked to one another and one by one walked back to the cave, leaving Kufo's body laying neatly on the ground as if he was peacefully asleep. Around him was a ring of flowers and plants that must have come from the Pride Lands along with his body. As they left some hyenas got up and began to walk back to the cage. And some others began to get up and move closer to the body, but keeping a respectful distance.

"Are you going to stay?" Nakala looked behind him to see Cheezi whispering to him.

"I don't know. Should I?" Nakala admitted quietly.

Cheezi motioned for the lion to follow him and the two respectfully moved among the hyenas.

"This is the first vigil you've ever been to, huh?" Cheezi asked when they were a good distance away. Nakala nodded and looked back to the rest of the hyenas who were moving carefully and efficiently.

"Well, you see. The vigil is pretty much over. But you see that some are still there. Those are either family or those who were very close to him. Kufo was loved by pretty much everyone..." Cheezi explained and yawned. "Me, I think I'm gonna go off to sleep."

"Yeah, it's been a long day for all of us," Nakala agreed. He and Cheezi went back to the cave side by side. Once they were inside Cheezi went off to retire for the night. Nakala was making his own way to his den and saw Amana talking with Chungu.

"...I'm telling you I'm fine," Amana said.

"I know but if it gets too much I'm here for you..." Chungu said with care that Nakala never heard from him before. But it was none of his business what was going on between them. He let out a long yawn as he curled up on the floor of his den.

He thought of what he said to Janja. His dream still remained the same, freeing all of them from this place. But it was going to be a while before that would happen. The words he said to Janja echoed in his mind. I want to be like Kufo. But could he do that? Can he be someone who puts others before himself? It certainly was not something easy, but he was willing to try it out.