Uhuru cocked an ear toward him, but kept his gaze locked on Shenzi, wary of a trick. “Speak up, Skulk, and be quick. What do you want?”

Skulk strode forward and spat a mouthful of golden fur into the circle before the two combatants. "There is all that remains of the lion cub. One of Shenzi's traitorous guards decided to have him for a snack."

Complete silence fell, broken only by the sound of Isha's sobbing. Uhuru looked at the fur disbelievingly. "You mean..."

Skulk nodded sadly. "I'm afraid so." He staightened and cleared his throat. "I'm afraid that once the combat is complete, you will have to be executed, milord. You did swear your life with that of the cub's, and I will not wrong our mighty king with lies such as Shenzi has spoken."

Shenzi glared at him in shock, a smile spreading slowly across her lips. You sneaky little cur, she thought. I didn't know you had it in you. She shook her head. If only I'd known earlier....

Sudden movement caught her eye as a tawny shape padded past a gap in the circle. "Hey, Shenzi! "

"Shut up, Habu, " she snarled. Freezing, she did a double take. "Habu?!! "

Skulk gaped at the little form. "What? But he-, I mean, you..?" His eyes flared with rage as he stepped forward, growling. “No matter. I’ll deal with you myself! ”

"STOP! "

All movement ceased as Isha bludgeoned her way through the circle to stand next to them. Interposing herself between Uhuru and Shenzi, Isha gently but firmly separated them.

"My son has been rescued, Uhuru. There is no need to finish her." She turned to Losara and Kh’tel, who stood protectively over the cub. Uhuru stared for a moment, disbelieving.

"Outrage! " one of the crowd yelled. They turned to look as one of the hyena priests stepped forward. “You cannot interfere with the Shih'kal! "

The hyenas moved to close in, but they had barely gotten one paw forward before a familiar shape dropped into the circle.

"Wait just a minute, friends." Rafiki brandished his staff, warning the hyenas away. "The Shih'kal is indeed inviolable; no one may interfere. One way or another Shenzi must die."

Isha felt the blood drain from her face.

"But, " he continued musingly, chin cupped in hand, "If Shenzi concedes defeat, Uhuru gets to pick the method of Shenzi’s death, does he not?”

“He does, ” the hyena priest said.

“And if it were something slow, like being sealed alive in a cave, would that do?”

“Indeed it would, ” the priest said with barely concealed enthusiasm.

“In that case, may I suggest a method that would be very slow and utterly inescapable?”

“By all means.”

Rafiki went through the crowd and stood next to Uhuru. The male still had Shenzi pinned trembling on the ground. “I have a suggestion. Are you open to it?”

Uhuru looked up at Rafiki, ready to object till he caught the slight wink. “As you say, shaman, it shall be done.”

Fabana came and fell at Rafiki’s feet. “Mercy! Mercy! Do not torment my daughter. Let me die in her stead.”

“I thought you renounced me, ” Shenzi hoarsely whispered. “I’m sorry I renounced you. Let me die your daughter.”

“You will live. I will die your mother.”

“As you wish it, Fabana, ” Rafiki said. “In Shenzi’s stead, Fabana is to die slowly—of old age.” The mandrill chuckled heartily. “I have chosen the instrument of death. Do you concur, Roh’mach?”

“Indeed, ” Uhuru said, beaming. “You are wise beyond measure.” Uhuru looked down at the quaking hyena. "I will send you away with the same blessing you gave Simba. Get out of here, far away. If you ever come back, I'll kill you. And this time, it won’t be of old age. And take Skulk with you. You are both corban."

Shenzi staggered to her feet, swaying unsteadily. She looked at Uhuru for a long moment, then turned and headed away. Banzai and Ed came foward, supporting her gently on either side.

"Don't worry, sis, " Banzai whispered as gently as his gruff voice would allow. "We'll come with you. We ain't turnin' our back on family."

Fabana looked after them, then turned and smiled at Simba sadly. "God go with you. I touch your mane."

"I feel it."

She trotted off slowly to join them. Abruptly, one of the remaining hyenas broke away and ran to join them. Two more followed, and then another two.

They hurried over to Shenzi’s group, spreading out to form a protective phalanx.

A weak smile slowly crept acorss Shenzi’s features as she surveyed the growing party. Turning to Skulk, she chuckled. “On the other hand we may be able to salvage something from this after all.” She lowered her voice. “Listen up. I want you to....”

His cold eyes locked with hers. “Shut up.”

The group froze, their startled gaze turning to him as he shook his head. “Just shut up and keep walking. I’ve had it with your schemes. From now on, I’m going to handle our dealings with outsiders.” He glanced furtively over his shoulder. “In case you didn’t notice, most of our bretheren have sided with the King. The Roh’mach has graciously allowed us to leave.” His voice curdled with contempt at the mention of Uhuru. “We still have our lives. Or would you rather go back and have the little weasel finish the job?” He looked at her intently. “I can arrange that if you’d like.”

Banzai strode forward angrily. “Hey, you can’t do this! ”

Skulk stared at him. “I just did, ” he said softly. “Now be silent.” He returned his gaze to Shenzi who looked back at him with an incongruous smile on her face. “Well, I’m waiting.”

Limping forward, she rubbed his cheek against his softly. “Ah, Skulk, I love it when you talk dirty to me.”

Leaning on his shoulder, she moved off with him, her companions following behind as they paced slowly away from the baobab, calling softly to each other in their own tongue until they were swallowed up by the darkness.

Uhuru watched them go quietly, uttering a small prayer of thanks. For a moment he had feared there might be civil war. He fought away his fatigue and turned to the jackals who still sat near, hoping to take advantage of the situation.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

The jackals looked at him sourly, realizing that there would be no chow tonight. Reluctantly, they turned and left.

Isha groomed her son gently, tears of happiness streaming down her face as he babbled on about his adventures. "Mom! You should'a been there. Bashak and I played in the biggest skull in the world, and we made Skulk look stupid in front of everybody, and..." Raising her head, Isha looked over at Losara.

The hyena was nuzzling her cub playfully, talking softly to him and laughing at his little antics. She glanced up and caught Isha's gaze. Lioness and hyena looked at each other for a long moment. Slowly, a small smile crept to Isha's face. She bent to Habusu's ear: "Habu, if I ever catch you running off to play with that hyena again..."

He looked at her, ears laid back in contriteness. "Yes, ma'am?"

She looked at him and grinned. "...you'd better tell me where you're going, okay?"

Habusu's smile filled her with such a warmth that she felt like weeping. "Yeah! No problem."

Simba came forward and Uhuru fell before him. "I touch your mane."

"I feel it." He purred deeply. “There can only be true peace where there is justice. I say this before the gods and the great kings of the past: the ban which great Ahadi placed on scavenging in the Pride Lands is over and done. There is no reason why you cannot live as Aiheu intended.”

Many hyenas flocked to Simba, falling to the ground and humbling themselves. “Ebu Simba, Roh’mach aka Roh’mach! ”