#v: it sparks up the fire ; a flame that still burns (fire seperation)

[spottedmischief]

hah daddy did not want him to interact with lions but look who is COMING HOME with one daddy's probably going to look silly but its ok they will be together again

[spottedmischief]

He does not belong here !!! It’s not his place !!!

[spottedmischief]

Wrote a lil‘ Drabble as a status update because why not-

They fought on their way home. Cheezi was about to turn around, stubbornly wanting to return to the lion once they were away from him because this has to be a misunderstanding. The red nosed hyena feels frustrated - it’s all because he can’t talk much yet, right? If he could then maybe he could have told that lion! Everyone always does what they want and he can’t get a proper say in - if he tries to, nobody understands. Janja and Chungu never really understand either.

Dad would understand. Uncle would understand. Shenzi would also understand! So he wanted to go back.

Although he did not even got a chance to do so. Nne pounced on him. Cheezi was beyond weary, his own frustration bubbling to the surface as the two of them were wrestling with each other, Nne ripping at his ear in the heat of the moment. Between the frustrated growling on Cheezi’s end, the red nosed hyena still managed to whoop for his uncle once again. Janja eventually found their way towards them and had to interfere.

Now it was Janja and Nne who were snarling and shouting at each other while he quickly scrambled away to the volcano for some space now. He is injured too now thanks to that fight! A steam vent surprised him and the cub quickly ran to safety, searching a safe corner to rest his head on the wall.

That was not his first time to search for daddy. He wandered off more than once only to get chased away by some other animal that were mad at him - calling stuff after him. Dirty and rotten or something.

Why is everyone so mad?

That lion … when he first encountered him, the lion growled. Maybe that should have been his first hint that today was not going well.

That other expression … at first he thought he was grumpy, like his uncle. But … Uncle Banzai never looked at him that way. Remembering the disdain on his face feels suddenly so frightful - why has he not caught that earlier? Maybe because he did not think much of it. He just thought he was grumpy but that was not anything like his uncle.

Then he said he would take him back home to his clan. That would be his den, uncle, dad and Shenzi.

It excited him. After weeks he finally could go home! Maybe the impatience and the loud voice should have been another hint, but he didn’t care. He just wanted back to daddy. And in that moment the faster they’re back, the better! That lion had been strange anyway. An uncomfortable air but he did not care - that lion was, or so he thought, his only way home.

But he brought him back to the spooky place. The Outlands is not a place for cubs, let alone little ones like them. Everything has been so frightful since they lost everything and were chased here. This place is terrifying. The lava, the smoke of the volcano, the steam vents - why are they here?

There is even less water and food than before. What are they supposed to do? None of them can’t even hunt. He is scared. He wants to go home.

The safety of his den and family.

That lion … lied to him. At first, he was nicer than everyone else, remembering all of it now, maybe not. Just like the others, that lion wanted him out. It was never about returning home - he just wanted him out and pretended to be kind about it. All of that means nothing when daddy is not here.

But why? Why was suddenly everything taken from them? Why is everyone so mean?

Cheezi let out a soft whine. Maybe dad is looking for him just as hard as he is. Does daddy and uncle miss him just as much? Do they try to find him too? Maybe they also get chased around trying to find him. Maybe daddy has a lion lie to him too. Maybe daddy left and gave up like his mo-

NO!!!! Stop thinking like that!!! Daddy is nothing like mama!!!!

This has everything to do with the ones who forbid him from going back to his den. Cheezi huffs, shaking with frustration.

Why? All this why’s. All these what ifs. All these maybes just swirling around in his head. It hurts his head. He lowers himself to the ground, rubbing with his paws over it while whining. Make the headache stop, daddy should lick it all better!

He stands up again, gently bonking his head against the wall to let it lean against it.

He thinks back to that day when he saw lions for the first time. They were sleeping. He wanted to play with them. Daddy … pulled him back by the tail real quick and nudged him into a different direction. Daddy never pulled him like that by the tail before. Daddy did not want him to interact with lions.

He understands why. After what happened near the den and now with this one … lions are mean creatures that cannot be trusted. He’s never going to believe a word from them.

He said he will bring him home. Back to his clan. That was a lie. Lions are bad news - daddy did try to tell him that and he just put all his trust and energy into one just because he believed his words when other signs were there. Why did the lion leave? He said … Cheezi sniffs.

The lion said he brought him home. He is nowhere near home. The other cubs get so mean too sometimes. Maybe they want their families too.

He softly whines again - and keeps whining while leaning his head against the wall. He wishes daddy was here to lick it all better. His ear hurts. His head too. And the ache in his chest. His throat feels dry and his stomache is hungry. He is exhausted.

He wasted so much energy and hope today for nothing.

[spottedmischief]

Whines because rain, thunder and lightning is scary. It’s nice to have water falling from the sky because he is thirsty but he doesn’t like the loud noises…

[spottedmischief]

Cub verses

V 1: welp we have a whelp now

Plays when Ed has first taken him in, still the early stages of Constantly sick, apathy, still missing his mother and does not view Ed has his father yet or even Banzai as his uncle. Still no name.

V 2: Ups and downs

He has a lot more energy and is not apathetic towards everything anymore, has pretty much accepted his new family. Ed managed to raise him into a better shape, but he has still certain ups and downs and generally manages to tire himself out real quick. Still, he is definitely ready to bother his uncle whenever he can and just wants to play with his dad. Learns a few new words, but unable to speak full sentences.

V3: It sparks up the fire ; a flame that still burns (Fire Seperation)

After the fire seperated them, still unable to talk fully. Although he has found friends, he is still trying to search for those he lost and is to stubborn to give up on it.

V4: It's us now - the only family we know

Fully able to talk and has given up on searching for his family, the memories of them slowly fading. Now it's up to doing mischief with his new pals!

V5: I know the road is long but where you are is home (Backlands)

Cub verse where they found each other again after the fire and he, along with Janja and the others is living with his family in the Backlands now.