Chapter Ten: We Stand Together

Janja wandered through the Pride Lands that
afternoon and made his way to Flat Ridge Rock, which was located on the border between the Pride
Lands and the Outlands. When he reached the rock, he climbed atop it and stood
gazing into the Outlands. It had been months since he’d lived in the Outlands,
and strange as it seemed, there were things about the Outlands that he missed.
He missed his old den, the steamy geysers and the heat provided by the ages-old
volcano. He wouldn’t give up the life he had now to return to the Outlands, but
sometimes he just felt like taking a trip for nostalgic reasons. As he was
daydreaming, he was interrupted by a familiar scent. He perked up his hears and
heard footsteps approaching him from behind. 
“Jasiri,” he said aloud. He turned and saw Jasiri
behind him. She was smiling as her mane ruffled in the wind. 
“Janja,” said Jasiri, “Thought I might find you here. Still missing the Outlands, huh?” 
“No place like home,” said Janja. 
Jasiri walked up
to him and they both stood gazing into the canyons below. “I miss it too
sometimes,” said Jasiri. “Even though I will admit that the Pride Lands are
more beautiful.” 
Janja looked over at Jasiri and said, “I understand
that today is a very special day for you,” he said. “Congratulations on
becoming the new clan leader.” 
“Oh,” laughed Jasiri. “Thanks, I guess. It’s a big
responsibility. Especially with the ceremony and all.” 
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, love,” said
Janja. 
“Are you sure about this?” asked Jasiri. “I
don’t want you to tie yourself down just because of me.”
“Jasiri, you mean the world to me,” Janja said. “I
want nothing more than to be by your side, no matter where life’s paths may
take us. You’ve always been there for me.” He laughed. “Jasiri, you’ve changed
my life.”
“I may never have been so bold if it weren’t for you
Janja,” said Jasiri. “So…you’ve changed my life too.”
The two hyenas leaned closer for an embrace when suddenly,
they heard a loud laugh come from behind a nearby tree. A large, muscular hyena
emerged from behind the tree. It was Wajinga. 
“Soo,” he said, pacing in front of the couple. “How
long has this been going on, Janja?”  
Janja glared at Wajinga. “Really, Waji, this is none
of your business.”
Wajinga feigned pity. “But I’m part of your clan,
and this just isn’t somethin’ a fella keeps from another, especially since…” he
smiled playfully at Jasiri- “I’ve got plans myself with this one.” 
Jasiri’s eyes widened. That’s right, she thought. Wajinga
always did have a thing for me. 
Janja raised himself up and stood between Wajinga
and Jasiri.  “Wajinga, go home,” said Janja.
“Jasiri deserves your respect, not that kind of attitude."
“I’m in no rush,” said Wajinga. “It’s only
mid-afternoon. I think I’ll stick around for awhile.” 
Janja snarled. “Jasiri, let’s go,” he said. He
motioned for Jasiri to head in the opposite direction, but Wajinga sprinted
toward them and jumped in front of her. 
“Jasiri,” Wajinga said, “is this what you really want?
A guy like Janja, ordering you around?”
Jasiri glared seriously at Wajinga. “Janja’s not
ordering me, he’s only protecting me,” she told him, “from hyenas like you.” 
“Oh, come on Jasiri! Do you really want to live with a
hyena like Janja, who tells his pals to ‘shut up’ and calls them ‘fur brains’?
This hyena has no respect for his own
clan. What makes you think he’ll respect you?” 
“Ha!” Janja laughed, “That’s a good one Wajinga!
Respect for the clan? Says the hyena who catches some prey and doesn’t bother
to bring it back to share with the rest of us! That’s a real friend!” 
Then, as if things hadn’t gotten worse enough
already, Cheezi and Chungu came running toward them from a distance. They
skidded to a halt when they saw Janja, Jasiri and Wajinga. 
“Janja!” Cheezi shouted. 
“Ooooh, look!” Chungu said. “He’s with” he whispered
to Cheezi-“Jasiri”. 
The two hyenas laughed, rolling onto their backs and
giggling like they’d just heard the funniest joke in the world. 
“Cheezi, Chungu,” said Wajinga, “A clan is only as
good as its leader, they say. So if Janja wants to break up the clan by
deserting us, then how about we show him what will happen if he does such a
thing?” 
“Whaddaya wanna do, Wajinga?” Cheezi asked.
Wajinga lifted his paw up over his brow and stared
into the distance. “I see a herd grazing just beyond the watering hole,” he
said. “Looks like a mighty good dinner if you ask me.” 
“No,” Janja said sharply. “You guys can NOT do this
today.”         
“Why not?” asked Wajinga,
detecting signs of nervousness within the clan leader. “It seems like as good a day as
any.” 
“Wajinga, we’ve made it this far with the
Pridelanders, we can’t go back on our promise. We take down one animal at a
time-not whole herds. That’s part of the deal, remember?” Janja asked. 
Wajinga laughed. “Course!” he shouted. “But what you
fail to realize is that you’re the one making this decision. You pledged
loyalty to this clan years ago, and now you’re thinking about taking back your
word. It’s your choice, Janja. You stick with us, we keep the promise to
the Pridelanders. You desert us, we break the rules. So do you stand by us, or
the Heshima Clan?”
Janja’s eyes widened with fury. “You will not decide
my destiny, Wajinga!” 
In a rage, Janja leapt onto the older male, who was
now a full-grown adult, and threw him to the ground. 
“AHAHAHHHAAA!” Wajinga laughed loudly, “Playin’
rough now, leader?” he taunted. “Well, it’s not gonna be like it was that time
in the Oultands!" 
Wajinga lifted his head, opened his mouth and slammed a ferocious bite into Janja’s front right leg. There was a loud crunching noise right before Janja
groaned in agony. 
“NO!” Jasiri shouted. 
Janja fell backward, leaving himself vulnerable to
Wajinga’s second attack. Wajinga jumped onto Janja and extended his claws,
raking them across Janja’s face as the younger hyena clenched his teeth in
pain.
Janja strained with all his might to lift upward and
land a bite to Wajinga, but he had underestimated him. Wajinga laughed. “Janja,
spare yourself the humiliation and accept it! I’ll even let you still lead this
clan if you’ll keep your word and forget Jasiri!” 
Janja shouted, “Wajinga, it doesn’t have to be this
way! You have to understand-“
“Understand what?!” Wajinga shouted. “That you’re
about to ruin my life-and your clan’s life-for her?” 
He kicked Janja hard in the stomach and stepped off
of him. “Pathetic!” he shouted. “Leader of the clan.” 
Jasiri was frozen. What is wrong with me? She thought. Why didn’t I do something to stop Wajinga! 
She felt tears form at the edge of her eyelids and
begin to pour out, streaming down her face. Oh,
I hate myself! How can I lead the clan if I cannot protect my love, my only
love! She choked, and Wajinga looked at her, smiling.
“Wajinga,
don’t..” Janja spoke, lifting up slightly, “don’t you touch…Jasiri..” 
But it
was no use. The hyena slumped back down onto the ground; barely able to keep
his eyes open as the blood from the open wounds rolled down his face. 
Wajinga walked over to Jasiri. “What’s wrong Jasiri?”
he asked, glancing over his shoulder at the bruised Janja. “Haha! Some leader,
right?” 
Jasiri sniffed. “Wajinga, you are-“ she started.
“I’m what, Jasiri?” Wajinga asked. “According to the
Heshima Clan, the matriarch’s mate must swear to protect her with his life. He
must be willing to die to save her. If Janja is truly your mate-your protector-well,
then..”
He looked at Janja again. “He must be willing to die
for you. You are okay with that… right?” 
Jasiri’s eyes widened. “He does not need to die for
me,” said Jasiri, lowering herself as she prepared to pounce on Wajinga. “Any
battle that Janja fights is MY BATTLE AS WELL!” 
She leapt onto Wajinga, pinning him to the ground
and locking him into a fixed position. She bit down into his fur with her sharp
teeth. Wajinga yelped loudly, “AAH! Jasiri, what are you-“ 
Jasiri continued to bite and kick at the older male,
who was clearly thrown back by her strength. 
She landed a kick into Wajinga’s side, and the hyena
landed with his face buried into the ground. “Uuugggh…” he groaned. “Why…” 
Jasiri loomed over him, her eyes wild with anger. “Wajinga,”
she spoke in between clenched teeth-“Go home. And don’t you dare mess with any
of the herds in the Pride Lands.” 
Wajinga got up slowly. “Very well, Jasiri,” he
muttered. “I’ll do whatever you say.”   
Wajinga limped away slowly, leaving
Cheezi and Chungu watching in amazement. Jasiri stood triumphant over Wajinga
and the battle was over. 
“Whoa,” said Cheezi. “That was awesome!” Then both he and Chungu broke
into a run, chasing after Wajinga, who was already far off into the distance. 
Jasiri raced over to Janja, who was limp on the
ground. He opened his eyes slightly and looked up at Jasiri. “Jasiri..” he
whispered. “Are you all right?”
Jasiri smiled. “Janja, I’m sorry,” she said. She
began to cry. “Janja, please, forgive me, I don’t know what was wrong…I…”
Janja was finally able to muster enough strength to
lift himself up. “Jasiri, nothing’s your fault,” he said.
“I should have interfered sooner,” Jasiri cried,
“this never would have happened to you if I hadn’t been such a fool! You
could’ve gotten killed!” She slammed her paw into the ground angrily. 
“Jasiri, it’s going to be okay,” said Janja. “We
made it. We won. Together.” 
Jasiri sobbed and buried her face into Janja’s
chest. “Aww, now, stop that would you!” said Janja. 
He lifted his paws up and brought Jasiri’s face to
his. He pressed his lips against hers, which surprised her for a second, but
she accepted it. After a few seconds, Jasiri pulled away from him and said,
“It’s getting late. I have to meet my clan for the preparations. In fact, I’m
probably already late, but given the circumstances, I’m sure they will forgive
me.” 
Janja smiled. “Can’t we just have a few more minutes?” he asked.
“No Janja,” she said. “I really do have to go.”
“Okay,” said Janja, “Go on, I’ll see you soon.” 
“Looking forward to it,” Jasiri said. Then, she
paused. “You can't just stay here alone! Who will treat your wounds? Janja, you have to come with
me. My clan will know what to do.” 
“But I haven’t officially been accepted into-“ Janja
started. 
“That doesn’t matter,” said Jasiri. “All that
matters is that you’re hurt.”
Jasiri then led Janja back to her clan’s den.
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