cunning-matriarch

[cunning-matriarch]

"Yeah the pokeypine" An amused squint and playful lilt to her voice as she used Cheezi's old word for the animal.

"I thought he wanted YOU to chase the rhino?" A snort of laughter.

"You know itll happen again if Ed finds another cub, probably, right?"

She was also /there/ to witness the shenanigans of keeping the fuzzball alive. "At least as a baby he wasn't chasing elephants!"

Shes still not over that bit of info.

[cunning-matriarch]

She was also /there/ to witness the shenanigans of keeping the fuzzball alive. "At least as a baby he wasn't chasing elephants!"

Shes still not over that bit of info.

@cunning-matriarch - Tell her about it.

You know he does! He's a complainer!

[cunning-matriarch]

My muse has to tell nothing but the truth for 10 asks.

Ask them funny questions, get personal, query about the people around them or pester them for their deepest darkest secrets - go wild! Include ✘ with the asks!

[cunning-matriarch]

THE LION KING (1994)

[cunning-matriarch]

I have lost in more ways than you know

The fire I birthed turned to snow

And the people I trusted have let go

I'm afraid of the debts I owe

Can you hear me? I am calling

Bring me triumph stop my falling

Take my rage and lift me higher

And when it ends

I will finally breathe

Until then, there will be no peace

I have come too far and seen too much

I have gained so little and lost enough

So I rise and tilt my head to the sun

There's one last battle to be won

[cunning-matriarch]

Was.

Was.

Lions got her during the fire.

So that was why Sipho never came home......

Shenzis intact ear pinned to her head, a movement not possible from her mangled one. Expression flashed through a flurry of emotion in a matter of seconds...before settling on an anxious grin. A giggle bubbling up through her teeth.

Uneasy feelings always had her grimacing into uneasy giggles.

A laughing hyena after all.

"We lost a lot of good hyenas in that fire." There was a touch of a mournful keen behind her words, amongst the giggles, but it was well hidden.

She wanted to rage.

She wanted to cry.

She wasnt close to the female like she was her boys. Ed and Banzai were her best friends, she couldnt live without them......but Sipho was still her friend.

Shenzi lost another friend.

She had held onto hope all these years she was still alive, somewhere...that was probably naïve. It had just caused her more pain.

Those nervous giggles quieted, the grimace melting to a grin, ear perking back up. Easy as slipping on a mask. "Someones got a good memory! Remembering your ol' babysitter! Yeaaaahhhhh you lil ones were a good break from matriarch duties."

"Pffft. You got that right.“

Nne certainly appreciates the attitude. Simba almost becoming hyena foods in the Outlands sounds hilarious. Unfortunately, that’s probably not possible anymore.

"Was, technically. The lions got her during the fire.“

Not an incident the teen would want to remember, so he quickly focuses on the present. Sniffs as well. The name sounds familiar.

"Wait - weren’t you one of my old babysitters?“

[cunning-matriarch]

"Y-yeah! Yeah, we will. Thanks Scar!" Shenzi smiled for the first time since he approached her.

She heaved herself to her feet, planning to find her boys for a huddle for the night. She was sore, and so tired. She needed a good nights sleep...but he...actually cared about them! He cared they were hurt, and didnt want them further injuring themselves.

It gave her confidence he really was here to help her, but more importantly help her clan.

Her ears remained pinned to her head as she eased herself down, her weight leaning heavily to her uninjured side.

Where had Ed and Banzai gone? Probably piled up already waiting on her. Dang it. That meant getting up again if she wanted to pile up....which she did. She always did.

"He must'a been well on his way here to get to us as fast as he did." She grumbled, though it clearly wasnt directed at Scar considering she was glaring at her shoulder as she licked at it.

The question on her mobility, though, gave her pause. Why did he care? Did he actually care? "No....movings fine other than the pain. Its gonna slow me 'n Banzai down though till it doesnt hurt to fully move." She admitted.

[cunning-matriarch]

"You dont know what I see." The matriarch huffed.

She knew she'd made a mistake....but she wouldnt say that out loud. She didnt need Sarabi rubbing her muzzle in it! It stung enough as it was. In a clan of 300 heads, what Scar allowed them to have was short supply already.

This wasn't what they were promised, she was having to deal with grief from the clan she didnt need it from Sarabi too.

"Relying on your lions for food wasnt my idea." She frankly wasn't given any choice. Scar all but forbid hyenas to hunt for themselves and the clan hadn't broken that decree. "Do you wanna try telling him? "

He didnt listen to her! So what could she do than ride this nightmare out?

───── ⋆⋅☽⋅⋆ ─────

"If you choose to believe that, it is your own undoing," Sarabi disagreed tamely. "Your allyship with Scar is a misfortune not just to my pride, but to your subjects as well. I do not understand how you fail to see this."

It was not only Shenzi keeping a watchful gaze. Sarabi, though holding high disdain for the current tyrant, knew better than to run her mouth in the presence of Scar. It was clear that the scruffy lion intended to run the pride with a ruling of fear rather than respect. "We will run out of food. You will be no better off than you were in the Outlands."

───── ⋆⋅☽⋅⋆ ─────

[cunning-matriarch]

If looks could kill, Shenzis glare at that moment would have struck the major domo down with no need for help from her teeth or jaws.

"Ooohhhhh yeaaaahhh." The queen drawled with a roll of her eyes, head tossing to the side. "Lionesses werent so comfy anymore. Scar wasnt as /nice/ as Mufasa. Being uncomfortable but with full bellies was /hard/ I'm sure." A sneer wrinkled her nose---but it was more sardonic than angry.

"Not having a single loss all those seasons. Sure.... living with the mood swings and the temper? That's rough but full bellies till close to the very end." She scoffed.

"What?" Her expression had fallen into an almost eerie calm.

"Wanna hear me wail?" She advanced toward the bird without so much as a curling lip; but there was a heavy, piercing coldness to her gaze.

She was not going to be truly vulnerable with Zazu. Expose the still scabbed and bleeding emotional wounds that Scar's reign inflicted on her. The murder of her father, in exchange for her own life. The death of her sister. Plus so many others, many who she didn't even know their fate.

No.

He didnt get to know her true pain.

"Wanna see me fall t' pieces and see my tears over the murders by the lionesses who still live with their noses turned up, up on pride rock? Their paws stained with blood and that territory scarred with the bones of my kin? Huh? Is all that what you're 'meant to know'?" Her head lowered to the ground so they were at eye level.

"The pridelanders simple hurt was not my suffering." A heavy, huffing breath went out her nose to ruffle his feathers before she walked with lumbering steps past him. Clearly not interesting in conversing any further.

[cunning-matriarch]

Ugh. Perfect. She hadnt noticed Sarabi until the lioness spoke....but she wasn't moving from her shady spot either. So no choice but to tolerate the lion's presence. "Sarabi."

"Herds always move north this time'a year. Migration is just the season's turn away." She replied. Not impolite...but a little grouchy. It wasnt exactly an answer but she was playing on Hyenas not being known for giving straight answers to the pride.

Despite how much she wanted to simply flop onto her side and rest....that was weakness she wouldnt show in front of a lion. Instead, sitting up with her forelegs resting out in front of her. Head resting on them. Ever watchful out of the corner of her eye on the main den where Scar lurked.

@cunning-matriarch asked:

Shenzi padded slowly down from Pride Rock's main den. The latest metaphorical skinning from Scar left her tired and slightly irritable...but she didn't want the clan to see her looking weak or weary. They didn't hang out so close to where the lions did.....so it seemed a safe place to have a lie down. Scar avoided the area...so did the clan...and she didn't think the lionesses would bother her.

───── ⋆⋅☽⋅⋆ ─────

Sarabi watched, quietly, as the hyena approached ─ She kept her demeanor civil, yet not precisely that of companion. After all, it was Scar's reign and his army that got them into their current issues.

"Shenzi," She regarded, acknowledging the other politely. A few beats of silence passed as the lioness rasped her tongue over her paw. "The antelope herds are moving northward. If we continue to hunt them as we are now, they will be driven out. Other herds will follow. I expect you know this, yes?"

───── ⋆⋅☽⋅⋆ ─────

[cunning-matriarch]

My muse is dead. Tell me how yours is dealing with it.

[cunning-matriarch]

"Aw boys in a clan of three hundred theres plenty'a teeth for all bones! Momma taught not to be picky, in any case"

[cunning-matriarch]

Thats what she thought.

"………………”

Oh that is … the first time someone threatened to eat him.

[cunning-matriarch]

"No idea, pup." Shenzi streeeetccchhheddd and flopped down next to the boy. No one is gonna mess with the pup.

Why is everyone hitting each other

[cunning-matriarch]

"Ya know if I win, I eat you" A toothy smile, showing her bone-crushing teeth. "So i'd rethink that, stripes."

Why did she wake up to brawling?

[cunning-matriarch]

Why did she wake up to brawling?