Nakala was much further than the rest, climbing higher and higher up the rocky slope leading the volcano's summit. Bunga clung to his scruff, holding on against the lion's movement. Both of them could feel a creeping heat growing stronger the higher they climbed. But Nakala was undeterred, placing his paws one in the front of the other. He had to keep going, he had to get to Cheezi. He had to save Kiara. The summit was in sight and the lion could hear his sister's voice.
Cheezi could hear the lion's grunts of effort, growing closer and closer to him. He would wait for Nakala to arrive, there was nothing else he wanted to do. The hyena prepared himself for whatever was going to happen to him. All that mattered to him was that someone was going to be put to an end.
With one final heave Nakala rose over the edge, stepping onto the volcano's peak. The honey badger climbed off the lion's back, standing beside him. His eyes widened upon seeing Kiara tied up near the edge. "There she is, Nakala!" Nakala followed the badger's pointed claw, his eyes also landing on the tied up lioness. She was only a few feet from the edge, the lion knowing fully well that anything that went over would fall into the lake of lava below.
"Cheezi! What are you doing?!" Nakala yelled at the hyena sitting ahead of him. Cheezi rose to his paws, but kept still in place. The hyena avoided his clanmates' gaze, keeping his eyes on the stone floor below. This was it then... Nakala was here and it sounded like the others weren't far behind....
The lion took a step forward, once he did Cheezi quickly took a step back towards Kiara. "Stay back! You need to listen to me first!" Nakala grit his fangs, and even though the other hyenas caught up to him the lion never took his eyes off the smallest hyena.
"Why are you doing this? Why do anything she says?!" Janja barked at Cheezi.
The small hyena sighed. "I've been Zira's eyes and ears for a long time. Anything that happened to the clan I would tell her. But all she really cared about was you, Nakala. She's known about you for a long time. She's stronger than she looks and she knows how the Roar works. You can't just fight her..."
Nakala said nothing in response. As much as he hated to admit it, he had a feeling that Cheezi knew what he was talking about.
"I've done everything Zira's told me. I had to. Me made an agreement that if I did then she wouldn't come after us. She wants to get to you, Nakala. Her whole pride could wipe all of us out... But did whatever she told me to keep that from happening. I'm sorry...." the small hyena's gaze met with Nakala's. The lion's fury faltered, seeing the sorrowful look in Cheezi's eyes. It was clear to see that he didn't want any of this to have happened.
"Cheezi? Why didn't you tell any of us? We could have helped you?" Janja stepped alongside the lion.
Cheezi just shook his head. "She would have found out, trust me. And when she did it would be all over for us.... I never wanted any of this to happen. I did my best to keep her back for as long as I could. But then they found the princess... And now they want me to kill her. She's already made the plan. She has agents that'll spread the word in the Pridelands...."
The lion's blood ran cold. That plan was cruel but it was brilliant. With the news of the princess of the Pridelands killed in the Outlands spread around... The entire Pridelands would be coming for each and every one of the hyenas, including himself. Even with his Roar there would be no way that he would be able to stop them. Zira really was more powerful than she seemed....
Cheezi gave out a yelp as he was tackled from behind, Bunga clinging to his fur. The hyena began to buck and twist wildly to get the badger off of him. Nakala saw his chance, rushing towards the hyena as well. Bunga could see the lion charging towards him and jumped off Cheezi's back. In an instant Nakala tackled the small hyena to the stone floor.
"Cheezi. You don't have to do this. Let Kiara go and we'll help you out," Nakala offered. Under the lion's weight the hyena just gave a sad chuckle.
"You can't help me. She'll find out and one way or another she'll send something to wipe us all out," his voice strained under the lion's weight. But there is something you can to help me and save the others. Nakala, you gotta kill me.."
Nakala's hold on Cheezi faltered, his paw slipping making the lion trip and fall on the ground. Janja, Chungu and Amana surrounded Cheezi while Bunga worked on freeing Kiara.
"Cheezi, I can't—I'm not going to kill you," Nakala rose to his paws and gave the hyena a soft look.
"Please, Nakala. You have to. If Zira finds out that I died then she will think that you were fast and strong enough to stop her plan. She won't go after the rest of the clan. The rest of you guys will be safe..." Cheezi explained with a maturity in his voice his clanmates didn't know he had.
"There must be another way, something else we can do," Amana pleaded, her voice raw with the helplessness she felt for Cheezi. They were in an impossible situation.
"Come on, Cheezi. We can think this out. Maybe you can fake your death or something like that," Janja suggested, a spike of worry digging into his chest.
"I told you guys. She has other animals that work for her. Snakes, leopards, crocodiles... Even if I fake my death and leave the clan. One of them will find me and tell her I'm still alive. We can't beat her.... Just please... Please," Cheezi pleaded, his eyes filling with tears. All he wanted to do was keep his friends safe. Everything he did was to keep his clan members safe, even if that meant going behind their backs and telling their secrets.
Nakala was at a loss of what he should do. He couldn't bring himself to harm his friend, let alone take his life... He looked around the circle surrounding the pleading hyena. Janja's expression was unreadable, looking as if he was blaming himself for what was happening. Amana looked on the verge of her own breakdown, he could tell she was thinking of something, anything they could do to save Cheezi. But Chungu was trembling, his eyes shut tight.
"We...we gotta do it...." Chungu's voice quavered. "There's no other way. But why? Why does my best friend have to die for us?"
Tears freely fell from Amana's eyes, unable to restrain herself. It was just too cruel for her. Is this what Zira wanted? To take one of their good friends from them?
"Cheezi...I just can't..." the lion trembled as well. What could they do?
Bunga freed the lioness from the thick vines tying her up. Rising to her paws she kept a distance from the rest. Bunga led her away from the edge, away from the scorching lava below.
Cheezi looked around him. The plan failed. The princess was saved. Zira would find out and kill them all. All his friends and family would be wiped out because of him... Zira would stop at nothing unless he was gone. He looked at all the sorrowful and distraught expressions on his clanmate's muzzles, hating that he was the cause of it. Still looking around him his eyes fell on what he could use to solve the problem. It was right there the whole time. Seeing his opening he made a run for it.
The others cried out, seeing where the smallest hyena was headed. Nakala chased after him, determined to stop Cheezi. The hyena charged towards the volcano's edge. It was the only option left for him.
Bunga darted from Kiara running at Cheezi as well. Lunging at him Bunga missed the mark, crashing into the hyena's flank. Cheezi lost his balance and skid across the stone ground. Nakala and Chungu both let out a cry of fear, seeing Cheezi's backside slip over the edge. Nakala made it to the edge first, clasping his paw around the dangling hyena's. Chungu stood beside the lion, reaching down to help pull Cheezi up. Below the suspended hyena a lake of lava bubbled and churned below. Plumes of smoke and heat rose, as if waiting for him.
"Cheezi, you don't have to do this..." Chungu pleaded.
"We can figure something out. I'll fight Zira's pride and the entire Pride Lands by myself if I have to," Nakala growled.
Cheezi just shook his head solemnly. "I'm sorry you guys. This is all my fault. I just wanted to keep everyone safe. I never meant to betray any of you."
"It's okay. Just let us help you and we can find a way to fix this," Nakala pleaded. Cheezi considered it for a moment but quickly pushed the thought out of his head. This was his fate, and he would do it to protect the ones he loved. It was what he always wanted. It was why he worked so hard to be recognized by Janja. He did it all because he loved his clan and when Nakala showed up he was someone who he felt the need to protect. It was a strange thought, a small hyena like him watching over a big lion. He wasn't always aware of what was going on but he just knew there was something special about Nakala. Somehow, someway he was sure that Nakala would bring them freedom. But he would need help to do that. He would need time, something Cheezi felt satisfied knowing he gave the lion that. Cheezi believed in Nakala and his powers, knowing that he could achieve what he needed to do.
With a deep breath Cheezi closed his eyes and dug his claws in both Nakala and Chungu's paws. The two of them let out a cry of pain, drawing their paws back. Being let go, Cheezi tumbled downwards.
"Cheezi!!" Chungu cried out for his best friend.
The sound of Cheezi's body landing in the molten liquid echoed through the open cavern. Amana looked away from the others, not wanting them to see her sobbing. Chungu didn't hide it, tears spilling down his muzzle, continuing to cry out for the small hyena. But none of his shouts were given a response. Janja was stunned, unable to move or even think. He was stunned, frozen. How could something like this happen? Nakala stood in place, looking down at the lava flowing down below. Even though Cheezi did Zira's bidding there was no way he could see him as evil or a traitor.
But Cheezi's words replayed in his mind. Zira would stop at nothing... Even though his paws felt like heavy stone he forced himself to turn away. There were things that needed to be done. He understood now. Cheezi risked everything just to give him a chance. Zira wanted to get to him from the start and Cheezi did whatever she demanded just to protect him from her wrath. Now it was time for him to make sure that it wouldn't be for nothing.