"Sorry I'm a little late, guys." Kilio apologized as they prepared to leave.
"Not a big deal, you're not THAT late." Tano said, "So what kept you?"
"Well...." Kilio became a little nervous. "There's this hyena from our neighbouring clan, Jasiri was it? And she marked the western border-"
"WHAT?!" Janja practically yelled. "Oh Jasiri's gonna get it from me! If she thinks I'm gonna let 'er mark her marks then she's got another thing comin'!"
Kilio never really understood why Janja disliked the neighbours so much, sure they're.... kinda un-dependable when it comes to fights..... well, most except for the hyena she just met, and them being more of the pacifist types and being scavengers, but why hate them so much? She never asked the question since it seemed normal for them and nobody was complaining and seem to enjoy the thought of never seeing them again, so she never questioned it; but meeting the hyena from before, she's starting to think not all of them are as bad as they make them to be.
"But Janja, why do we exactly.... you know, hate them?" Kilio asked. "I mean, last time I checked they're usually peaceful aren't they? Purple are peaceful and Grays are wild?"
Janja bit his bottom lip, he didn't want to tell her this, nor does he even remember what made him dislike for Jasiri worse than it was other than her stepping into his turf one day and a confrontation they had a long time ago.
"Janja?"
"It's a long story, and you'll just be bored listenin' to it." Janja said.
Kilio raised a brow. "Try me." She said.
Janja turned to the rest of his crew who all just shrugged; well, two of them, Cheezi and Chungu just stared at them dumbly and seem to just be going with the flow of the situation when it changes.
Flapping noises came from above and they all looked up, it was Mzingo, with a look of contempnest which gave Kilio the feeling he has just eaten his fill.
Kilio smiled at the vulture. "Mzingo! Long time no see!" She said.
Mzingo landed on the ground. "Nice to see you too, Kilio." He turned to Janja with an expectant look; "Well? Are you going to tell her or not?"
"Yeah Janja, just tell me what happened." Kilio said, urging him to tell her.
Janja shook his head. "Nope."
Mzingo rolled his head, "If you don't tell her, I'm telling it." He said, Janja snapped his head at him, wide eyes in fear.
A sinister smile came to Mzingo's beak. "And I'll even let her in on when you fell right on top of Jas-"
"DON'T!!!" Janja interrupted.
"Wait you fell on top of someone?" Kilio asked her brother.
Mzingo's sinister grin only grew; "Yes he did, in fact I can clearly remember his face getting a crimson hue."
Giggles and laughs were heard by everyone else while Janja growled and started getting a bashful red hue because of it.
"Hey guys knock it off." Kilio said, "What's so funny about it anyway?"
"You had to be there, Kilio, you just had to be there. I can get a good kick from telling you." Mzingo said.
"Shut up already!" Janja said, trying desperately to hide his embarassment but ultimately failing to do so. "I thought we've been through this already, I didn't mean it!"
"Besides, I'm pretty sure she hates me and I hate her!" Janja said.
"Tell me."
"No."
"Then Mzingo will tell me, right Mzingo?"
"Yes, I will just for the fun of it."
"Alright! Alright! I'll tell her!" Janja finally gave in.
"It all started a long time ago, a year ago I think? And I swear I didn't put myself on top of her it was an accident!" Janja said. Kilio looked at him with suspicion.
"It was Jasiri, she was wanderin' ma's turf and was trash-talkin' my ma!" Janja said, getting angrier. "So naturally I wanted to defend ma and I uh.... I wanted to ambush her but I slipped." His ears folded against his head in embarassment.
"And I fell on top of her." An audable sigh of relief escaped Kilio and Janja gave her a questionable look.
"What? Is it wrong that I had this suspicious vibe when I keep hearing you fell on top of her and then you telling me you didn't put yourself on top of her on purpose?" Kilio defended herself.
Janja waved it off; "Anyway, we fought-"
"And you were losing, badly." Nne snickered.
"And we had to help you out." Tano added.
"And if memory serves us right you were crying when Jasiri sat on top of you with a victorious smile and made fun of how you were fighting her." Mzingo said.
"What was it now? "Careful funny boy, wouldn't want to trip on your own feet!" " Mzingo said, rising the pitch of his voice in an effort to match Jasiri's upbeat tone.
More laughter erupted from the den.
"That can't be all, there's more is there?" Kilio asked.
"Yes.... and I hate to tell you." Janja said. "Already told ya one thing and that's enough."
"No need, I'm sure they remember." Kilio said, pointing to Mzingo and the others.
Mzingo shrugged, "It turned out Jasiri's sister, Madoa, wasn't happy about the fight." He said. "Long story short it all started because of a fight that happened."
"And Janja thought getting revenge was a bright idea..... and he dragged us along with him." Tano said.
"And that's how it happened." Nne added.
''Wow..... that's uh..... I honestly don't know how to feel about that." Kilio said, not understanding how one conflict can spark this kind of rivalry, and to be honest Jasiri's the one at fault here though her encounter of the hyena before didn't hint any of the things she's just learning.
"Anyway, let's just go already, the moon's already showing!" Cheezi said, finally speaking after everything.
"Right, enough of this, let's just go!" Janja said. Everybody shrugged and all went to the Pridelands, but Kilio still had to wonder, are purples really that bad or is it just a little stretched and ended up as fibbing?
