Chapter Twenty: The Cunning Hyena Queen

Chapter 20: The Cunning Hyena Queen

No matter what Chu Ye thought, Nira did not flee hastily upon seeing Jik. Instead, after her underlings scattered, she boldly summoned them back. Though the hyenas dared not confront the male lion and preferred to flee, Nira’s call was irresistible, and they reluctantly returned to the battlefield.

Even Jik found this strange—how could his kingly presence not scare off these pesky dogs? Chu Ye stood atop a large tree, watching intently, puzzled by the scene. He couldn’t understand why the male lion, his father, failed to drive away the hyenas. After all, hyenas are typically terrified of male lions. Whether ordinary hyenas or a hyena queen, none dared to stand their ground against a lion. Even a handful would flee, let alone a dozen.

Yet as Chu Ye scrutinized Jik, he noticed something amiss. “Damn, the lion king is injured.” Jik bore several wounds, likely from a battle with an intruding male lion while patrolling the border. Recently, stray male lions had been restless, frequently challenging the lion king.

Earlier, Jik had spotted a wandering male lion trespassing into his territory. Without hesitation, the two fought fiercely. Fortunately, the intruder was not as robust as Jik, though its challenge attested to some strength. Ultimately, Jik emerged victorious, driving the intruder away, but not without injury.

Though triumphant, Jik and his two lionesses were all wounded. The hyena queen had noticed this too. Seeing the lion king and his pride hurt, Nira sensed their diminished fighting power and felt hope. She realized she did not need to flee; she could face the lions and fight once more.

Thus, Nira commanded her dozen or so hyenas to surround Jik and the two lionesses. This enraged Jik and caused him some worry. He had expected that upon his return, the hyenas would scatter at once, ending the conflict and rescuing his lionesses. But the cunning Nira, seeing his wounds, did not flee but confronted them head-on.

Exhausted from his earlier fight, Jik was reluctant to battle the hyenas again, but fate was unkind. Today, Nira would make an exception and challenge the lion king and his two lionesses anew. Unable to scare off the hyenas, Jik prepared to fight.

From his perch, Chu Ye was astonished to see the hyenas encircle the three lions. He couldn’t fathom why they dared challenge the lions. Though Jik was injured, the wounds did not appear severe enough to impede his strength. Why then did the hyenas show no fear? Chu Ye was bewildered but could only watch the unfolding battle.

This was a fight that would decide the fate of the pride. If the lions lost to this pack of hyenas, the pride was doomed, and so were the nine cubs. “Jik must not lose!” Chu Ye clenched his fists anxiously.

Jik and the lionesses, Lisa and Aisha, felt the gravity of the situation. They knew that if they failed, their pride and the ten cubs would be destroyed. Facing such peril, with no retreat, they resolved to fight desperately to defeat the hyenas and save their pride.

The battle resumed fiercely. At first, Nira herself joined the fray, determined to crush Jik, Lisa, and Aisha, and secure the ten plump cubs ripe for the taking. The cubs were three or four months old, fat and tempting prey, making Nira’s mouth water.

Yet when the three lions realized there was no turning back and committed to a fight to the death, the hyenas began to falter. Especially Jik, a lion king—strong, battle-hardened, and no stranger to fighting hyenas. Though injured from his clash with the wandering lion, the wounds were not grave. The rival’s strength was modest; Jik had driven him off in a few exchanges.

Despite some fatigue, Jik had eaten well in recent days, maintaining good condition. Though he had fought hard earlier, he still possessed enough energy to contend with the hyenas.

The outcome defied Nira’s expectations. She suddenly realized she had miscalculated. The three enraged lions unleashed formidable power. Jik swiftly bit down on a male hyena’s spine with a crunch, snapping it cleanly in two.