Kion exhaled calmly, his gaze fixed on the herd ahead. Without hesitation, he gave a short nod.
“Janja, let’s go.”
Janja stretched one last time, shaking out his fur. “Alright, whatever,” he muttered, rolling his eyes but moving forward without complaint.
Jasiri, watching from the side, raised a brow. “Well, looks like you don’t need me, huh?” she teased, tilting her head.
Janja glanced at her and smirked. “Sit down, woman.”
Jasiri huffed, flopping onto her haunches with a dramatic sigh. “Okay, jeez,” she muttered, but the amusement in her voice was clear.
As Kion and Janja stalked forward, the lionesses silently took note. The prince was taking charge, but not in a way that demanded attention—just in a way that expected to be followed.
Janja’s pace quickened, his shoulders rolling as he took the lead without hesitation. His movements were confident, natural—like he’d done this a thousand times before.
The lionesses flinched, their eyes widening ever so slightly. A hyena, leading Kion? It was one thing for the prince to work with hyenas, but to let one take point in a hunt? That was unheard of.
Kiara held her breath, feeling the tension ripple through the pride. Even Simba and Nala seemed to stiffen, their eyes tracking Janja’s movements with silent intrigue.
But not everyone looked concerned. Jasiri, lounging off to the side, flicked her tail and yawned.
madoa standing beside her, gave a small shrug. she didn’t seem to care much either—this was just another hunt to her.
But to everyone else, it was something more. The pride watched, curiosity and unease mingling in their gazes. Janja was leading, and Kion wasn’t stopping him.
Simba’s gaze followed Janja closely, his expression unreadable. The way the hyena moved—leading the hunt without hesitation, his stance loose but controlled—was enough to make the lion king pause.
He wasn’t the only one who noticed. The lionesses, though trained to mask their emotions, couldn’t hide the way their ears twitched, the way their tails flicked anxiously. A hyena leading them? Leading Kion? again? It was a sight none of them had ever imagined.
Nala, standing just beside Simba, shifted her weight slightly. “They trust him,” she murmured, her voice low enough that only Simba could hear.
Simba didn’t respond right away. His mind was elsewhere—pulling back to the conversation he had overheard.
But now, watching Kion let Janja take point, letting him lead the hunt—Simba wasn’t sure what to think.
“He’s comfortable with him,” Nala continued, her tone measured. “Like this isn’t the first time.”
Simba finally spoke, his voice thoughtful. “Because it’s not.”
Nala turned to look at him, questioning..”
Nala’s ears flicked back, processing the weight of simba gaze.
Simba inhaled deeply, steadying himself. He knew what Kion was—powerful, disciplined, more controlled than most ever gave him credit for. But
what did it mean now?
The lionesses still watched warily, their pride unsettled. But Simba found himself staring at Kion instead. His son moved without hesitation, utterly unbothered by the whispers and glances around him.
Simba had spent years preparing Kiara for her future. But Kion… Kion had been preparing himself. And the one who had helped him do it… was walking just ahead.
As the hunt began, Janja and Kion moved as one, their strides effortlessly in sync. They didn’t need to speak, didn’t need to signal—each instinctively knew where the other would go. It was seamless, natural, something honed through practice.
The lionesses, who had hunted together for years, found themselves watching in stunned silence. Some of them had struggled to find this kind of coordination even after moons of training, yet here were a lion and a hyena—two species that had been enemies for generations—moving together like they had been doing this their entire lives.
Serabi, watching from her place near Simba, finally broke the silence. “They hunt better together than some of our lionesses ever have.” Her voice was calm, but there was something weighted in it. An acknowledgment of skill, yes, but also a quiet revelation.
Nala’s ears twitched at the remark, her expression unreadable. But inwardly, she felt something tighten in her chest.
Her lionesses were strong. They were skilled. Yet, seeing them stand idly by as a hyena outperformed them with her son—it was… difficult.
She had spent her life ensuring the pride's hunters were the best they could be. And yet, as she watched Kion and Janja moving through the grass with flawless coordination, she felt it—an ache she hadn’t expected.
The pride had always believed lions were superior hunters. That it was their birthright.
But here, in front of everyone, that belief was being quietly, irrevocably challenge
The tall grass barely shifted as Kion and Janja weaved through it, their movements precise and controlled. Every step was calculated, every breath steady. The world seemed to slow as they crept forward, eyes locked onto the herd.
Two zebras grazed near the edge, slightly apart from the rest. Vulnerable. A perfect opportunity.
Kion and Janja exchanged a glance—brief, but enough. They didn’t need words.
Janja veered slightly to the left, his body low to the ground, muscles tensed like coiled springs. Kion shifted right, mirroring him, his golden fur blending seamlessly into the dry savanna.
Then, in an instant—motion.
Janja lunged first, bursting from the grass with startling speed, his jaws snapping as he cut off the zebras’ escape route. The startled animals bolted in the only direction left—toward Kion.
The lion struck like a shadow, powerful and silent. He surged forward, muscles flexing as he lunged, slamming into the first zebra’s side with bone-rattling force. The impact sent it stumbling, legs failing to catch balance before Kion’s fangs found its throat. It gasped, struggled—but Kion held firm, his grip sure and practiced.
The second zebra veered sharply to the right—straight into Janja’s waiting path.
Janja was fast. Faster than the zebra expected. With a sharp pivot, he lunged at its legs, his teeth finding purchase on the ankle. A sickening snap echoed through the plains as the zebra tumbled forward. Before it could scramble back up, Janja was on it. His jaws closed over its neck, and he clamped down, cutting off its frantic kicking.
The struggle lasted only moments. Then, silence.
The herd in the distance had scattered, their panicked brays fading into the wind.
Kion and Janja stood over their kills, breath heaving but measured. Blood stained their fur, their expressions unreadable. But there was something undeniable between them—a shared understanding.
They had moved as one. As if they had hunted together their whole lives.
Serabi exhaled softly, her eyes lingering on the scene. “They hunt better together than some lionesses ever have.”
Nala said nothing, but she couldn’t deny the truth in her mother-in-law’s words.
Her lionesses had watched, hesitant. Uncertain. But Kion and Janja had acted. Had executed a perfect hunt, without a moment of hesitation.
And it had worked.
Jasiri grinned, flicking her tail as she watched the hunt come to its swift conclusion. “Two in one go! Not bad, huh?” she called out, her voice carrying over the plains.
Beside her, madoa only gave a small nod, completely unfazed. “As expected,” she murmured, as if the result had never been in question. Her gaze lingered on Kion and Janja, who stood over their kills, still catching their breath.
Janja smirked, wiping his muzzle with a paw. “Yeah, yeah, we’re amazing. Tell me something I don’t know.”
Kion merely shook his head, casting Janja a sideways glance before stepping back from his zebra. He wasn’t interested in boasting, but he couldn’t deny that the hunt had gone perfectly.
The lionesses still watched in silence, their expressions unreadable. Kiara’s jaw was tight, her ears twitching, but she said nothing.
Simba, standing beside Nala, frowned slightly, his mind still replaying what he had overheard before—Janja training Kion. The way they moved together now, completely in sync, confirmed it.
This wasn’t just a one-time thing.
They had done this before. Practiced.
right?
And that was something Simba wasn’t sure how to feel about.
Nala watched as Kion and Janja stood over their kills, the way they moved together so effortlessly still lingering in her mind. It was impressive—undeniably so—but a pang of something unfamiliar settled in her chest.
That should have been Kiara and Kion.
She had always imagined her cubs hunting side by side, learning from each other, growing together as heirs to the Pride Lands. But instead, Kion had trained away from the pride, away from the lionesses.
She blinked, suddenly struck by a realization.
She had never asked him to train with them.
Never invited him. Never made space for him.
She had assumed—everyone had assumed—that because he had the Lion Guard, he didn’t need the pride’s lessons. That because he had the Roar, he had his own path.
But looking at him now, so natural, so skilled… he had learned to hunt without them.
And he wasn’t just good—he was exceptional.
Better than some of her lionesses who had trained together for years.
A quiet sadness settled over her features. Had they pushed him too far away? Had tshe let him grow without them?
As the others spoke around her, Serabi remained silent, her gaze fixed on Kion. He stood beside Janja, his stance steady, his expression unreadable. The hunt had been swift, efficient—he had moved like he had done this a hundred times before. Because he had.
But not with them.
Serabi’s ears flicked as a memory stirred, one she had buried long ago.
Kion’s first hunt.
He had been just a cub, younger than Kiara was during her first. Eager, determined. The lionesses had let him come along—not as a real hunter, just as an observer, but he had watched them with sharp eyes, taking in everything.
Then, just as he had started to mimic them, crouching low like his mother, preparing to pounce—
"We should focus on Kiara more," Simba had said, his tone light, offhanded. "She’ll need the practice."
Serabi had said nothing then.
She had watched as the focus shifted.
Watched as Kion, still just a cub, had blinked, ears twitching, before silently stepping back. He hadn’t argued, hadn’t complained. He had simply… accepted it.
sarabi thought simba was right
he was kiara needed more attention
yeas he was but now sarabi is realizing
how that small ofhand meaningless comment affected kion
And then, he had stopped joining their hunts.
Now, years later, Serabi sat among the lionesses, watching him move with Janja—so in sync, so natural—and she wondered if he even remembered.
He didn’t.
But she did.
Far too well.
Her chest ached, the weight of it pressing down on her. She should have said something then. Should have spoken up. But it was too late now.
He had learned without them. Without her.
And now, he no longer needed them.
Janja tore into his meal with no hesitation, scattering bits of meat and bone across the ground as he ate. He didn't care about the mess—food was food, and he'd earned this hunt. His tail flicked lazily as he chomped down, completely unbothered by the looks he was getting.
Kion, sitting nearby, watched with an amused expression, his eyes glinting with quiet amusement as Janja devoured his share. He wasn't surprised—Janja had never exactly been the.... neatest eater?..
Jasiri, on the other hand, sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "Manners, jeez. The king is here," she teased, tilting her head toward Simba, who was watching from a distance.
Janja barely paused to glance up. He met Simba’s gaze, growled low in his throat, then—without a single ounce of shame—went right back to eating, tearing another chunk of meat free.
Jasiri burst into laughter. "Oh, real classy," she snickered.
her sister, watching quietly, let out the smallest, barely noticeable smile.
The moment Janja let out that low, defiant growl, a ripple of tension spread through the lionesses. Some stiffened, their ears flicking back, while others exchanged uneasy glances. A hyena, openly growling at the king? Even now, even after everything, it felt... wrong.
Simba didn’t react right away, but his eyes narrowed slightly. He wasn’t angry—just surprised. Janja wasn’t being aggressive, not really. It was just Janja being Janja. Still, a growl aimed at him? It wasn’t something he was used to, especially not from an ally.
Nala, standing beside him, observed Janja carefully. Her tail flicked once, thoughtfully. "He’s comfortable," she murmured, not quite sure how she felt about it.
Sarabi, however, let out a soft huff, her gaze shifting to Kion, who didn’t seem fazed at all. If anything, he looked amused. That, more than anything, made her realize—Janja wasn’t trying to be disrespectful. This was just how he was . And Kion was letting him be.
Still, the lionesses weren’t sure what to make of it. They had fought hyenas their whole lives, had been raised to see them as enemies. Even now, watching one eat among them—leading a hunt alongside Kion—was jarring enough. But growling at the king? That was something else.
Simba exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. "He’s not challenging me," he finally said, more to himself than anyone else. But even so, he couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was shifting in ways he wasn’t sure he could control.
Jasiri snorted, watching Janja tear into his meal with absolutely no sense of control. Bones cracked, meat scattered, and he was making a mess of things like he was starving. She shook her head, amused.
“Damn, boy, you hungry...” she muttered, smirking. Then, without missing a beat, she added, “...So, can I eat too?”
Janja barely even lifted his head before baring his teeth and snapping at her in warning, his growl low and instinctive. His jaws clamped down just short of actually biting her, a clear don’t even think about it message.
Jasiri blinked, then let out a laugh. “Touche.” She stepped back, grinning. “Fine, fine, I get it. First come, first serve, huh?”
madoa, still watching with mild amusement, shook his head. “You did see him , right? Let him have his moment.”
Jasiri smirked. “Yeah, yeah. Just figured I’d test my luck.”
Jasiri stretched, rolling her shoulders as she glanced at the others. "Sooo, we’re gonna hunt for the rest, right?" She gave Kion, Janja, and Badili a pointed look before jerking her head toward the plains. "Come on, you three, let’s go, yeah?"
Kion, still watching Janja eat like a wild animal, exhaled through his nose before standing. "Yeah, let’s go," he agreed, already stepping away from the fresh kill.
Janja, still gnawing on his meal, barely glanced up. "Tch. You go," he said through a mouthful of food. "I already did my part."
Jasiri smirked. "Ohhh, so now you’re lazy?" she teased.
Janja shot her a glare but didn’t argue. Instead, he just went back to eating.
Jasiri laughed, shaking her head. "Fine, fine, we got this." She turned to Kion and Badili. "Let’s move before the others start whining."
As they walked away from the kill site, Jasiri glanced at Kion. "So, what about the others back at the Outpost? You think they’re getting impatient?"
Kion kept his pace steady, eyes focused on the open plains. "Maybe.
madoa huffed a small laugh. "I bet half of them are already complaining," he mused. "Especially Cheezi. That guy never stops talking about food."
Jasiri smirked. "You’re not wrong. And you know Janja’s boys aren’t exactly patient either."
Kion glanced at her. "Think they’ll keep things under control?"
Jasiri hesitated before nodding. "Mzuri's there, so yeah. But some of them might try sneaking out to hunt on their own if we take too long."
jasiri licked her tail. "Then we better hurry up before we come back to an empty Outpost."
Kion gave a small hum of agreement, his thoughts lingering on the hyenas still at the Outpost. He didn’t doubt Mzuri could handle them, but he also knew Jasiri was right—waiting wasn’t in their nature. And the last thing they needed was chaos right now.
Janja licked his chops and stretched lazily. "Well, I’m done."
Jasiri stared at him, her ears twitching. "...You ate half of that alone."
Janja shrugged, unbothered. "So what?"
Jasiri let out an exaggerated sigh. "So what? So maybe leave some for the others next time, greedy."
Janja smirked. "Should’ve eaten faster."
Kion watched the exchange with mild amusement, while Badili just shook his head.
"Anyway," Jasiri said, rolling her eyes, "we still gotta hunt for the others, unless you want them all fighting over scraps."
Janja yawned. "Yeah, yeah, let’s get this over with."