Penda's thoughts focused on the odd way that Thimba was acting when she met him. She wondered what he meant. But she couldn't let that slow her down, she had to get home before she was found out. The last thing she wanted to do was get in trouble. But if she did, she thought it was worth it to be able to see Thimba again. 

Penda saw the dawn break and it was quite beautiful as she thundered through the land back to the den. But when she got to the cave, she saw a crowd of lions gathered outside. She noticed a few lions were missing from the group. All of the pride's heads were hung in sorrow. 

She slowed her pace and frowned with fear. She didn't see her beloved father anywhere and this looked like a death had occurred. 

Penda looked around at them and saw the king, Ahadi, lift his head and narrow his eyes at her. He stood up and pounded angrily over to her. She began to crouch in fear, her eyes filling with tears at the thought of what must've happened.

"Where were you?" The king yelled so loudly that his shout echoed through the land.

"I-I. . ." she stuttered.

"Where were you?" he yelled again, extending his claws and digging them into the dusty savanna terrain. 

"I was at the hyena's dens," she whispered. 

King Ahadi swiped his claw across her face in anger and sorrow and gave her a large gash. She cried out in pain and fear. She stood and galloped fiercely to the den. No one was expecting it, so no one stopped her from running into the darkened den. 

In the middle of the den sat Rafiki. He was standing over four bodies. The body of the queen, Uru, the body of Penda's beloved father, the body of the king's third cub, and the body of another lioness in the pride. Penda gasped at the sight, causing Rafiki to turn in surprise. He'd told them no one was allowed in the den. 

But he saw her face and frowned at her. 

"Daddy?" she whispered, stepping forward. 

She approached her father. His pale coat was matted and covered in blood. His body was motionless and ghostly. Her eyes widened and tears flowed over her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks. She buried her face into his mane and cried very hard. 

Rafiki went over to her and rested his hand on her back. 

"Penda," his wise voice said. "The hyenas were here. They attacked at night when we were sleeping. They killed them."

This caused Penda to cry harder and bury down farther. She slowly lifted her head and growled loudly. She looked Rafiki in the eyes and snarled at her thoughts. She darted out of the den and ran past the king, back to where she came from the elephant graveyard. 

Penda didn't stop running until she was at the dens of the hyenas. She stood at the center and growled loudly.

"Thimba!" she called, standing strong and ready. "Come out here you dirty coward."

A few hyenas emitted from the dens, including Thimba. She snarled at him and bared her teeth, sheathing her claws and readying for an attack. 

Thimba's dark brown eyes narrowed and he snarled back, sending her a message. 

"Leave now, or you will die." he said. 

"Come and kill me then!" She replied. 

He walked towards her, and the two of the turned in cirlces, staying across from each other and snarling like savages. 

"I told you that you wouldn't love me any longer." he said.

"All I had was my father, and you took him from me!" she barked. 

"That's what we do, we kill, we murder, we hunt lions." he hissed. 

She couldn't wait, she leaped forward and took him to the ground. She was bigger, but he was more skillful. The two were good matches in fighting, and they rolled and tumbled in the dirt until finally, one came out on top. Thimba stood atop her, growling viciously. 

"You've earned it," he said, glancing at her scar. 

She gulped and stared into his eyes, her eyes showing her pain but also the love she still held for this savage, merciless hyena. Thimba saw the love in her eyes and the sorrow and hurt, but he wasn't about to let her go. Her time had come. She shouldn't have come back. But she made her mistakes and now she would pay. 

"Any last words?" he asked. 

Penda saw a flicker of love in his eyes. Then she saw the fire ignite and the love and unforgiveness flood into his soul and overflow into his eyes. And she knew that he didn't show it, but he did love her back deep inside himself. And that was all she needed. 

"I love you too, Thimba," she said, her voice cracking.

Thimba struggled inside his being and swallowed hard, lifting his head and performing his duty. He lunged his head for her throat and clenched it in his jaws, sending her into death. He stepped off her pale form, emotionless and peaceful. 

"Mwuaji!" Thimba called softly, not lifting his eyes off of Penda. 

In the time that these events had occurred, Mwuaji had officaily become their shaman and Thimba had become the official ruler of the land.

"Mwuaji," Thimba said as the female hyena advanced towards him. She had grown and now wore colorful feathers on her ear and a necklace made of rodent bones, both to symbolize her position in the clan.

"Yes, sire?"

"What does 'Penda' mean?" Thimba asked her, still looking at the lioness.

"Well, 'penda' is actually a suffix that come after a-" she began, but he cut her off.

"Just spare me the details,"

"Well put shortly 'penda' means 'love'."

"Love. . ." He mused quietly.

They sat for a moment. By now all the sleeping hyenas had awoken and were watching their leader with great interest. The King turned and spoke, "Go back to your dens and rest. I must be alone for now."

They hesitated but reluctantly went back to their sleeping quarters and left the king alone. Even Mwuaji left and went back to her cave.

Thimba waited until they had all left, then he advanced towards Penda. He sniffed her pelt and took in her scent one last time before he laid down next to her and began to sing the lullaby of his ancestors to his love's dead form.

Author's Note

I hope y'all enjoyed it. I know, kinda sad but I personally like sad stories.

Please vote and share!
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