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Hyena Love by Loa

Chapter 2 - What Happens When You Don’t Keep Your Word...

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Look, I’m not making any money out of this, OK? Practically all these characters belong to Disney. Oh, and this story is probably a PG13. Oh and this Chapter is basicly "The Trial of Scar" by someone called ‘Malli’, with a few twinges and additions of my own. Malli’s stories are really good, by the way.

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The Elephant Graveyard

Scar came to and found himself back in the Elephant Graveyard. Could this really be the next life? He’d heard stories about it being a place that you knew well, but surely this couldn’t be it. The sound of unpleasant laughter made him look round, and it suddenly dawned on him. It seemed that that he wasn’t dead after all. At the present time, he wasn’t sure whether this was a blessing or a curse. He tried to get up, but realised that vines strapped him firmly to a rock. The rain was still falling in sheets, and each drop that fell upon his battered body felt as hard as a brick. He looked bleary eyed around him, and realised that all the hyenas were sat on the sides of the rocks looking down on him. In front of him were three hyenas who he knew so very well - Shenzi, Banzai and Ed…

He gave a weak grin, and said, "My friends..."

Ed laughed, and Banzai shouted, "Now!"

Suddenly a huge light that seemed to bore straight through him shone into Scar’s face. He tried to close his eyes to block it out, but to no avail. The rain seemed to make the light even more intense as the light diffracted through the raindrops, causing the glare to Scar’s eyes to be even harsher.

Shenzi paced up and down in front of him, looking at him hard. Then suddenly stopping, she turned to the watching hyenas and said, "I would hereby like to start proceedings on the trial of Scar. He stands accused of treachery, lying, slander, neglect and actual bodily harm against us hyenas," Shenzi turned to Scar, "How do you plead?"

Scar, blinking against the light, replied, "But you don’t understand..." He trailed off, as the light grew even more intense…

"We’ll take that as a ‘Not Guilty’." said Shenzi.

And then it began, the endless questions. Would they never stop? There seemed to be no pauses, no gaps, no time for answers, or denials.

"Do you deny that you turned your back on us when Simba returned?"

"Do you deny referring to us as, and I quote `the real enemy’?"

"Do you deny neglecting us? You promised us food, and you gave us none."

"Do you deny lying to us to get us to help you defeat Mufasa?"

"Do you deny causing actual bodily harm to individual hyenas?"

And the laughing. The constant laughing of the hyenas was driving him mad.

Shenzi took a breath. Scar opened his mouth to speak, but before he could get a word out, she shouted, "First witness, Ed!" Ed stepped forward onto a rock that currently served as the witness rock. Shenzi turned to face the jury of hundreds, "The jury is asked to note that, because of a mental problem, Ed has extreme difficulty communicating verbally. To counteract this, we hereby supply a translator," Shenzi turned to the hyenas, who were laughing, "Will he please step forward?"

Banzai stepped forward, and Shenzi turned back to Ed, "Ed, is it true that, with no provocation, Scar kicked you off a high ledge and into a pile of bones in an attempt to, as he put it, make you prepared?"

"Hee-hee-hee..."

"He says, ‘yes, it’s true’," translated Banzai.

"Is it true that you saw him push another hyena into a deep crevice, again with no provocation?"

"Hang on a second-" managed Scar, before a hyena hit him round the head.

"Hee-hee-hee… Ha-ha-ha-ha!!"

"He says, ‘yes, it’s true, and it was real funny’."

Shenzi turned to the crowd of hyenas, "May I remind the jury that the hyena in question has not been seen since, and is presumed dead," She turned back to Ed, "And is it true that you directly witnessed Scar telling Simba that we were the enemy?"

"Hee-hee-hee… Haw-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!"

"He says, ‘yes, it’s true, and can he go toilet now?" Banzai translated again.

Shenzi sighed, "Oh, ok Ed," Ed jumped down from the witness box and hurried away, "Second witness, Banzai!"

Banzai stepped onto the witness rock. Shenzi smiled, but instead of her usual highly unpleasant smirk, it was a slightly softer smile, "Banzai, is it true that, while living in this hellhole, Scar knocked you into an active methane vent, which then erupted beneath you?"

"Yep, and that sure hurt. Landin’ in a pile of bones hurt too," Banzai grimaced, "The bruises lasted for a fortnight..." Ed, who had returned in his usual, silent way, burst into laughter, making Banzai jump, "Shut up, Ed!" he snapped.

Shenzi continued, "And is it true that Scar grabbed you by the throat, then threw you back onto the floor?"

"Yep."

"And, once more, is it true that you directly witnessed Scar telling Simba that we were the enemy?"

"That’s true too."

"You may step down."

Another, random hyena stepped forward, "Due to da judge bein’ da next witness, da stand-in judge is Banzai!"

Banzai stepped forward, "Third witness, Shenzi!" Shenzi walked to the witness rock, and Banzai turned to face her, "Is it true that Scar knocked you into an active methane vent, which erupted beneath you and forced you into the air?" Ed chuckled.

"Yeah. I landed on rock as well!" answered Shenzi, grumpily, "It hurt like hellfire!"

"Is it true that, while living in this, this place," here Banzai shuddered, " Scar punched you on the cheek, then threw you into a pile of bones?"

"Just a moment..." cried Scar. A hyena hit him.

Shenzi interrupted, "Yeah."

"And is it true that, during Scar’s reign, he repeatedly used you as a punch-bag?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to make a statement?" Banzai asked Scar, finally. Scar noted that Banzai looked at him as if he was a small, disgusting cockroach.

Scar raised his eyebrows, and smiled nervously, "I would like to explain… I had to say those things to Simba, if I was to have any hope of him letting me, and you hyenas, stay in the Pride lands. I just wanted him dead. If you would trust me, and give your help to me just once more..." Scar trailed off, and looked hopefully at the hordes of hyenas that surrounded him.

The hyenas looked at him for a moment, then burst into peals of laughter, "Do you really think we would ever trust you again Scar?" asked Shenzi, "After all the promises you made us last time, and may I remind the jury, failed to keep." She started laughing again, and only stopped when her shoulder gave her a shock of pain.

"And all the things you’ve done to us?" continued Banzai, also laughing.

Ed was nearly hyperventilating. Shenzi hit him on the back a couple of times until he calmed down a little.

"But, but that was the lionesses fault, not mine!" protested Scar, "This time will be different, I promise."

"Why, would you personally hunt for our food yourself? Or perhaps, you would stand by us this time, rather than at the first sign of trouble distancing yourself from us, and calling us the enemy, whilst trying to ingratiate yourself with someone you asked us to kill?" Shenzi suggested, starting to laugh again.

"If you three morons had killed Simba when I asked you to, none of this would have happened!" Scar snarled at Shenzi. As he snapped this comment out, the light was intensified, and he became aware of the ropes that bound him to the rock tightening still more.

"I suppose you can feel that?" asked Shenzi, "Remember, Scar, it’s you who is on trial, not us. If you’re going to be so," she paused and gave a sharp laugh, 'uncooperative', we’ll have to increase the tightness just a little more."

"It’ll probably cut off the circulation to your feet, legs, and your big head," Banzai smirked.

Scar grimaced. "What do you intend to do with me? You can’t keep me here for ever."

"You’re right Scar, we can’t keep you here forever. We might just let you go..." Shenzi began.

"Oh thank-you, my dear," said Scar, "You are truly noble. I will do anything you want..."

"Let me finish Scar," Shenzi continued, smoothly, "We might just let you go - as soon as you admit that you let us down, that you are guilty of all your crimes. If you don’t, well, we’ll leave you tied up here. Then we’ll eat you. After all, one more skeleton won’t make much difference to this place."

Ed laughed, and was joined by all the hyenas that sat on the rocks.

"You see Scar, we don’t need you, we just want rid of you. All you need to do is admit your guilt, and we’ll let you go." Banzai said, carrying on from where Shenzi had left off.

"So, if I plead guilty, you’ll let me go?" Scar checked, his mind racing through the possibilities.

"That’s what we said, Scar. Oh, and one more thing. If you don’t leave the Graveyard in half-an-hour after the ropes are released, or if you ever come back here, there won’t be another trial. We will simply rip you to shreds." She continued evenly, "Have you come to a decision?"

"I admit it." Scar said through clenched teeth.

"There you have it. Members of the jury and the public, Scar admits his guilt." Shenzi said, turning to face the

masses of hyenas.

"Then let me go, idiots!" snarled Scar.

"Certainly. Ed, press the rock that releases the bonds," Shenzi sighed, "That one." Shenzi waved at the third rock on the small table. As she turned away from Scar to face the hyenas a broad grin graced her face.

Scar tensed himself to leap onto Shenzi from where he was held as soon as the bonds were loosened. How dare they bind him like this? He was their leader, no, their master! He would prove to these hyenas who was boss!! He would take them apart one by one!!! He would make them wish they had never crossed him!!!! And he would start with that arrogant female… Ed pressed a large button, but the bonds were not released. Rather, they became tighter, starting to squeeze the life out of Scar.

"As you can see, ladies and gentlemen (here Banzai sniggered)," said Shenzi, "things are a little ‘tight’ for Scar at the moment." She started laughing.

Banzai laughed loudly, "Yeah, you could say that. Of course, when we all have dinner tonight, it’ll be a bit squashed!" All the other hyenas up on the rocks started joining in.

But just before the ropes could finish their work, there was a flash of lightning, and a loud rumble of thunder. All the hyenas (except Ed) stopped laughing and looked up. "What the..." said Shenzi.

And then the world went mad.

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Go to Chapter 3 - What Happens When You Change Your Coat…