The Pride Lands (Amanda, Moka, kovu42)

[kovu42]

Bakari fought furiously to escape from the lionesses, but he was to weak to break their grasp. He felt himself being dragged outside and every inch sapped his strength and his willpower. Suddenly, he felt Uzuri try to help him free of the lionesses, but they were too strong, even for them both. "This doesn't have to end this way!" Bakari pleaded with the king. "If you let me go I'll leave and never return." The words made him feel even weaker then ever, but he didn't have a choice. The king either didn't hear him or didn't care because the lionesses began pulling him back outside. I guess no good deed goes unpunished... he thought miserabley as he fought for freedom.

[Moka]

The little majordomo was still staring at his paws, motionless. Suddenly, another gopher popped out of the earth next to him. He saluted his majordomo, and then heard Bakari yelp. One of the lionesses had bit him in the arm. "Sir!" he turned his attention back to the majordomo, "I saw a large pack of hyenas headed towards the den. From the looks of it, they didn't come to have a teaparty." He saluted his superior again and disappeared into the earth.

"My King, My King!!" the gopher alerted. "What is it now, gopher!?" the King responded. "Sir! There are hyenas headed this way! What are your orders?"

[kovu42]

Bakari felt the blood trickling out of the bite wound but he continued to try and fight off the lionesses. He somehow overheard the gophers talking and hope sparked in his heart. Maybe the hyenas would bring up Bakari in conversation and how he saved the princess. The breath was suddenly knocked out of him as a lioness slammed him against the wall and another lioness bit into his hind leg sending pain searing through his leg. He roared in pain and tried to shake the lioness off of his leg, but another lioness pinned him down again. I can't beat them all! he thought in desperation. "Ask the hyenas!" he blurted out. "Ask the hyenas about me, they know what happened!" He pleaded with the king, hoping his life would be spared for at least a few moments longer. Maybe it would give him a chance to escape!

[Panda-chan]

Bakari's screams chilled Uzuri's heart. How could her father be so ruthless? Again she tried to stop the lionesses, but Bakari was surrounded.
"Get off!" she shouted at them, "Leave him alone! I command you!"
When they didn' respond, she turned to her mother.
"Mother, don't you believe me?"
But her mother's deadpan stare at the fight was her only answer.
Uzuri struggled to fight off tears. Why wouldn't her parents listen to her? Crouching down as low as she could go, she jumped over the heads of all the lionesses and right in front of Bakari. They wouldn't dare to harm her.

[kovu42]

Bakari was amazed to see the princess standing between him and the lionesses. He caught the break he was looking for and he tried to rise to his paws, but hi strength was gone and he fell onto his side with a thud. He wanted to say something, anything like a thank you to the princess or a defense to the king, but he barely had the strength to breath and even that felt like too much. He could only lay there helplessly as the young lioness stood up for him.

[Panda-chan]

King Mbwana stood speechless, staring at the place where the gopher had disappeared. Now was definetly not the best time for hyenas to invade. They obviously thought the den was still empty. Suddenly, without realizing it, he was scared. If Bakari really was with the hyenas, he wouldn't be here. He would probably be traveling with them. He could dimly see his daughter jumping into the fight, and it took him a few seconds for him to realize it.
"Wait! Uzuri, get out of there!" he shouted. Either she hadn't heard him or she wasn't going to listen. The latter seemed more likely. "STOP!" he roared to the lionesses. At once, they were motionless, and the den was silent. The only sound was Bakari groaning quietly.
King Mbwana hesitated for a second, then said "The rogue shall be kept prisoner until after the hyenas have left. Then I'll decide what to do with him." He paused, then added to the lionesses "Keep him in the Old Tree Stump for now. Guard him well." He was referring to a colossal tree that had fallen years before, and all that was left of it was a gigantic stump. Now it was used for storing prey.
"But father," Uzuri said "Bakari's a really good fighter. He must join the battle. He fought off half a dozen hyenas with Khali when I got lost. Please let him fight." She didn't like the idea of leaving Bakari in the stinking, rotten Tree Stump.

[kovu42]

Bakari felt a flicker of hope burn in his chest. He was going to live, for a while at least, even if it would be in a prison. He finally managed to get to his paws and he returned the kings gaze. "Thank you for sparing me, excellency." he said as he dipped his head respectfully. "I will cooperate fully if you keep me as prisoner." He could only hope that the king wouldn't decide to kill him after the hyenas left. He wouldn't be able to survive another round with the lionesses who all were very strong indeed. Suddenly, the rank scent of hyena hit his nose and he knew they were coming. "I will go to the Old Tree Stump in the hopes that I'm not just sticking around for my own execution." he said as a few lionesses surrounded him. Fear began rolling off of him again at the thought of their claws ripping into his throat.

[Moka]

The King and the lionesses made their way out to where the gopher had explained. It was evening once again, and the sun was setting, making a blood-red sky. They found the Hyenas making their way to the Old Tree Stump, where various carcasses were lying around half eaten. It was an easy meal for the Hyenas. There were about 40 of them. Never had Mbwana seen so many at one time. They were outnumbered 4 to 1!

[kovu42]

Bakari couldn't help regretting his decision to come to this pride as the lionesses shoved him towards the Old Tree Stump. Suddenly, Bakari saw 40 hyenas heading that direction. His throat rumbled in the beginnings of a roar when one of the lionesses gave him a swat to the face with sheathed claws and told him to be quiet or they'd feed him to the hyenas. Bakari felt that same feeling of Frustration and Helplessness as when the lionesses first attacked him, but he tried to focus on the hyenas and forgot everything else for the moment.

[Panda-chan]

Uzuri gasped. She'd never seen so many hyenas before, not even when Bakari and Khali had saved her. Suddenly, she spotted the leader. Jino, among a group of the toughest looking hyenas, heading towards the Old Tree Stump. Her heart sank. Her pride was no match for them.
"Uzuri! Get back in the den!" her father told her sternly, "There are too many of them. You could get hurt."
"But father, they're going to attack us! We'll need all the lions that we can get!" Uzuri protested. "Please let me fight, father. PLEASE!"
The gopher answered before Mbwana could.
"She's right, Sire. If we're going to beat them, everyone will have to fight."
King Mbwana looked as if he would have liked to argue, but he held himself back. He needed to lead his pride. He could see them glancing at him for directions.
"Run as fast as you can to the Old Tree Stump." he ordered them. "We need to cut them off from getting to the prey. I have a feeling that's what they're after. If they get too close, they'll be able to scent them and track them faster."
Without a moment's hesitation, all the lionesses, including Uzuri and King Mbwana, sped off to block the hyenas from the food source.