Love...

Banzai sat under Pride Rock, motionless. His eyes had a deep sad look. Ed sat beside him, staring at the ground. He giggled. "Yes, Ed. I know, I should tell her. But...I don't want to get hurt." Ed thought a while, than he whined. "I KNOW that she's our friend, but that doesn't mean ANYTHING! She's so... harsh with feelings, you know that, Ed." Ed nodded. "I just... I just don't want to be laughed at. It's weird." Banzai giggled nervously. "You know, Ed, I'm not very successful in love matters." Ed nodded again, giggling quietly. Banzai turned. "I know what you're thinking of, Ed, but that's over, a long time ago!" If Banzai had been human he would have blushed. He thought back to his affair with Andra. That was a messy story he wanted to forget as soon as possible. Ed became serious now and gave his friend a severe look. "You're right, Ed”, said Banzai. “I'll tell her, before somebody comes and mates her!" He smiled. "Hey, do you think I've got the faintest chance?" Ed nodded, and gave him a supportive look. Banzai took a deep breath and went stood up.

  He found Shenzi down the river. She was drinking. "Hi, er, Shenzi", muttered Banzai, suddenly feeling as though his throat was narrowing. "Hi, Banzai. What's the matter?" "Uhm, I..." ("Tell her, tell her!" screamed his mind.) "What do you think about, er, this guy you're often seen with?" Banzai mumbled. "You mean *? Oh, he's nice, I like him. Why do you ask?" "Do you want to...mate with him?" "What kind of question is that, Banzai? I don't know him well enough!" "Sorry, I was just thinking." "You were THINKING? You never THINK, Banzai. Otherwise you wouldn't say things like that!" Without another word she turned and went off. "Well done, Banzai, you idiot!" he muttered to himself. He sighed and followed Shenzi back to Pride Rock. "I'll try again tomorrow."

  Shenzi woke up suddenly. She pushed Ed's leg aside and stood up. She stretched, yawned and went out of the cave. For some reason she wanted to go back to the old dens where she and her friends grew up. Should she wake up Banzai and Ed? No, they needn’t know. Shenzi started, and after a short time she began to trot.

It was already hot when Shenzi reached her destination. She sat down and all the memories, the happy memories of her cubhood flooded back. Her mother had been alive then - Shenzi could almost feel her tender tongue on her fur. But those times had gone, long ago. Now she had to be adult and sensible. And responsible. "How does it work?" she wondered. "How can I be happy? Everything is so sad." "Shenzi?" She turned around and saw Banzai approaching. "I saw you leaving. Are you ok?" Shenzi nodded slightly. "I was just thinking of... Mommy. I miss her. And I feel guilty, 'cause I have dealings with a lion. She hated lions by death, it's like I’ve betrayed her." "No it isn't, Shenzi. You HAD to do this. It was our only chance to survive." "But I... we could have moved, a long time ago. We could be happy somewhere else." "Could you be happy anywhere else?" "No, I guess. Home is, where your heart is, right? I lost my heart in the Pride Lands." "And I... I lost my heart to you." Now it was said. Shenzi looked up abruptly and stared at him. "What did you say?" she asked, confused. "I said, I said... what I meant was 'I love you'. Wholeheartedly." "But, er, you, you, you..." Shenzi was flabbergasted. Banzai continued speaking quickly "Well, I think I loved you since I noticed I'm, you know... male. And I tried to show you, but you’re not very sensitive in noticing things like that. When I said you were the most beautiful hyena in the world, I didn't want to console you. I mean, yes, I wanted to console you, but I meant it, too. So if you don't return my feelings, please say it quickly and painlessly." Banzai had been avoiding her view, but now he looked directly in her eyes. They were filled with tears. Now he was confused - he hadn't seen Shenzi crying since her mother died. He didn't know what to say, so he remained silent. "Why didn't you tell me ages ago?" she asked quietly. "Why did you hide this so long?" "I tried to. But I thought you'd laugh at me." She nodded slightly. "Sorry." There was a long silence. "And?" ventured Banzai. "What do you mean, ‘and’?" "Look, do you return my love or not?" Shenzi lowered her head. "I... am... not sure." "You are! Yes or no, Shenzi?" "That's very difficult, Banzai!" she shouted suddenly. "I've seen you all this time as a kind of... of... well, I don't know what it’s like to have a brother..." "Terrible", Banzai threw in. "But I think it's comparable with what we are to each other. And now, now you destroy all this and I've got to sort it new!" He sighed deeply. "So you don't love me? I understand." He turned around and walked slowly back in the direction of Pride Rock. Shenzi watched him, motionless. Her feelings were in a whirl, like a stirred-up sea. She had known Banzai all this time. They had been so close, so intimate. When they became adults, things had changed, of course - but she had trusted on this friendship being there forever, and now it was all gone, within a few minutes.

  Eventually, Shenzi stood up and began walking back to Pride Rock. "Where’s the sin in love?" she wondered. "Why do creatures fall in love?" She searched for a little shade; the midday sun was so hot that the green grass was burned in places. She found an acacia tree that threw a pleasant shadow. "Stupid, why did I go this early in the morning?” she scolded herself. She should have gone in the evening. Noon was for sleep! Shenzi lay down and started thinking again. The problem was that she didn't even know how it was to have a mate. "Man, I've said a thousand times that I'm too young for that!" she thought angrily. But there was this feeling. This little warm feeling, when she thought of Banzai. It had always been there, but she had never really noticed. What was the difference between friendship and love anyway? Sex was. Shenzi had always cuddled with Banzai, as she did with Ed. They slept together; they did nearly everything together. "Is it possible I got these feelings wrong?” she thought aloud. “Maybe I misunderstood them. Maybe this... this warm feeling, this tingling is... love?" Shenzi thought of Ed. No, there was another feeling, a deep affection – but not love. “What IS love?” she asked the air. “How does it feel?” Suddenly she stood, frustrated. "Why did nature have to create these, these FEELINGS?!" she shouted. "Hey, hey, what's the matter?” an angry voice scolded. “Do you have any reason to make such a noise?" Shenzi looked around - she didn't see anything. "Down here!” called the voice. “Shut up now, or do you want to turn every animal 3 yards around against you?" Shenzi lowered her head; then she saw it. A tiny meerkat had spoken to her. "Who do you think you are?!” she snapped in annoyance. “I could break every bone in your body with the greatest of ease!" "But you won’t," replied the meerkat cheekily, "because you've got other problems." "What do YOU know about my problems? You wouldn't understand anyway, you're a MEERKAT! What does a meerkat know about hyenas’ problems?" "More than you might think." "Shut up and scram, little meerkat, before I find the huntress in me!" Shenzi warned. "I don't feel in the least like talking with prey, so come on and let me alone!" "You have trouble with your heart, haven't you?" continued the meerkat, ignoring her totally. "That's none of your business! Why do you care anyway?" "Well," the meerkat replied, "you are making such a disturbing noise, and I think that when I help you you will be silent and return to your pack." "How could YOU help ME? I'm a hundred times bigger and stronger than you, at least!" "Tststs. What does the heart have to do with strength? No, no, hyena, we've all got a heart, from the smallest..." "Oh shut up, I don't want to discuss the equality of the races with you. And I don't have heart problems. I've got trouble with a friend, that's all. Why am I telling YOU anyway?" "Ah, now we have got a little further. You are in love with your friend, am I right?" "I’m not in love with anybody, you stupid meerkat!" Shenzi shouted at the little animal so loud that its fur blew in her breath. "I’m going!" She stood abruptly and stalked off, ignoring the meerkat’s gleeful whoop. “Stupid meerkat, doesn’t know anything about my problems." Shenzi sighed. “I've always thought of the future of my pack, never about mating. Why am I doing it now?" "Because you never know what will happen tomorrow,” said a quiet voice inside her. “You’re better off prepared.” Stupid Andra! But isn't she right? You really never know what tomorrow will bring. “Think of yourself, Shenzi. Before it's too late. Let your feelings guide you, for once in your life! Problems like this can't be solved with the head!” Shenzi took a deep breath. She tried to summon a picture of Banzai's face in her mind. She thought of his beautiful dark eyes, his bushy brows and tail. He was handsome. He had charm. "Oh, we will never suit!” she told herself. “We are only arguing all the time!" But wasn't that the beautiful thing? They always argued, but they always remained friends. "I have to see him! Then I'll know”, she thought. But deep in her heart she already knew; she had always known.

  Banzai was walking through the burned grass of the Pride Lands under the sun’s full heat. "It doesn't matter when I die”, he mumbled. “Life isn't worth living any more. Oh, why is it only I who have this problem? Why can't I find my love? That's all I want!" Hot tears ran down his face. Everybody had his or her lover, everybody except Banzai and the ones who weren't searching for it. Was that fair? Even Ed had lovers, and a lot at that! Banzai stopped walking and sat down, too exhausted to go on in the heat. The river was nearby, only a few paces away. He stood up again and finally reached it. He took several deep gulps, then flopped down on the bank. "I can only hope."

  Shenzi had found another shadowy place, where she had spent the hottest part of the day. In the early evening she shook herself and started walking back to Pride Rock, hoping to catch Banzai. After a few minutes she began to run, faster and faster. She hadn’t run like this since she was a cub. Never just for fun - she hadn't had the energy for it. Suddenly she realised running was fun! Feeling the muscles working, feeling the wind blowing in her mane, feeling the ground under the toes. Wonderful! She even let out a happy cry. It was already twilight when she arrived. Soon the lionesses would be going hunting, and she wanted to have a drink first. Slowly she went down to the river, and nearly tripped over Banzai. "Oh. You're back", he remarked dryly. She nodded and began to drink. "Did you think about it?" Banzai asked in a small voice. Shenzi closed her eyes. She turned her head, then opened her eyes again and looked directly in Banzai's face. She took a deep breath, then said, "I've always loved you, Banzai, you know that. But I never imagined having sexual affairs with you." She grinned. "Did you?" Banzai didn't answer; he only avoided her view. Shenzi smiled. "Well, Banzai, let's go somewhere more... secluded." She grinned, then took a last gulp and went off. Banzai stared at her a moment, then he followed.

  After a short time, Shenzi began to run again, laughing happily. Banzai started running, too. Remembering their cubhood days, he tried to catch her. He reached her on a meadow with high green grass. It was soft and smelled lightly; in the sky the first stars became visible. He jumped on her, yelling, "Gotcha!"
Shenzi shook Banzai off, smiling, then turned to him. She didn't speak. She rubbed her head tenderly on his. She kissed him on the cheek, then knocked him down, still caressing him. Banzai understood. He returned Shenzi's loving tenderness with great passion. Shenzi rolled aside, laid on her belly. Banzai ascended her and slowly entered her. Drowned in ecstasy they fused to one.

*******************************

Love Part II

Scar sat in his cave, alone. The stupid hyenas were right. Instead of killing his rivals' cubs, he should rather father his own. But who should be their mother? As king he had the right to mate with every lioness of the pride, but he'd need a queen to have a successor. Maybe the new lioness would be a good choice? She had been injured and weak, but now she was cured she’d proved herself a very strong and skilful huntress and an asset to the inhabitants of Pride Rock. Scar liked her - she wasn't as prejudiced as the other lionesses, and she was very kind and thankful to him. Scar left his cave and looked over his subjects. It was high noon and there wasn't a lot of action - only a few eternally energetic cubs playing together in the burning sun. Both the hyenas and the lionesses were resting, mostly separated and lying in the shadow of the rocks. His look turned briefly to the hyena trio, dozing under one of Pride Rock’s few trees, then he searched for Zira. She was sitting alone near the other lionesses. Yes, she would be the right one; she wouldn't raise his cubs with the legend of the 'wonderful King Mufasa'. After a while, Zira noticed his look and lifted her head. "King Scar?" "Zira, please come into my cave. I need to talk to you." A smile appeared on her face and she followed Scar to his cave. "What is it, my King?" "Zira, I thought about marriage and I have to admit that my thoughts ran several times to you." "Oh, Scar, does that mean..." "I want you to be my Queen, Zira. And I want you to give birth to my cubs - my successors." "Oh, Scar, my King, there's nothing I'd like more to do!" Zira said happily. With an admiring look on her face, she lay down in front of him. "I'm in heat, my King. Do your duty." Scar was surprised by Zira's reaction. He hadn't expected her to be quite so direct. "Well, why not?" he thought with a shrug and came closer to her. Now he smelled it too, she was in heat. He was stunned by it with something like ecstasy. He had never practised love before, but suddenly he knew exactly what to do. He placed his paws on her back, and bit his teeth softly into her neck. Then he penetrated her, overwhelmed by the feelings it provoked. Scar had expected love and sex to be one of the highlights of his life, but he could never have guessed that it was this powerful. Soon he began to move his loins rhythmically, and heard Zira let out a quiet roar.
"Scar? Are you here?" A hyena entered the cave. Filled with a fright that was quickly replaced by a deep anger, Scar jumped up and reached the hyena in a few seconds. "What do you want?!" he roared. "Er... hehe, am I intruding?" the hyena grinned, embarrassed. Scar recognised him as Banzai, from Shenzi’s trio. He groaned. "What do you want?" "Er...oh, nothing, I'll go..." "YOU WILL SAY WHAT YOU WANT! YOU WILL NOT HAVE DISTURBED ME FOR NOTHING!!!" Scar was so loud that Banzai's fur shifted in his breath. "I... I just wanted to know what time the next lioness hunt is, I didn't expect you doing" - he glanced at Zira - "such important things." Scar glared angrily at the hyena. "Why didn't you ask one of the lionesses? Why do you always come to me with your unimportant, stupid questions? I'm the King, don't you think I've got better things to do than answer your daft questions and listen to your ridiculous problems?" "The lionesses don't talk much with us. And" - Banzai grinned again - "I can see very well what you’re busy with. So, when do the lionesses go for the next hunt?" "This evening. Like yesterday. And the day before yesterday." Zira answered for her mate. Banzai turned his head, smiled and thanked her. Then he sauntered back to the cave entrance. "Oh, and have fun", he added, then giggled and disappeared. Without speaking, Scar returned to Zira and continued where he had left off. But his ambience had gone.

Back