Lion Guard Defend

[Tamber]

"Nowhere to go? Your father came here as an assassin! Don't you dare compare a low-life like him with mine."

Nuha's eyes flashed. The wind began to rush around them, whipping the matted hair in Jono's mane.

"My father..." she said, her words slow, her voice deep and resonating on the wind, "...was ejected from his pride for protecting King Simba. His scar is a mark of courage, to stand by what is right."

The rock began to crack beneath her, and Jono fell to the ground as she remained at its precipice.

"Kovu is your king consort. You, Jono, answer to him."

Nuha could feel her words in her skin, her growls in her fur. The wind was heaving down on Jono, with enough force to press him into the grass.

"But maybe you don't want to be one of us..."

[cheezeegriff]

There wasn't really much to say at that point. Jono covered his eyes as Nuha spoke and tried to crawl away, though had to scrape his belly across the earth to do so. But once he'd crawled more than a few feet the downwards wind became a sideways wind. Like an insect in a hurricane Jono cartwheeled down the grassy slope along with sticks and twigs and branches and bits of broken stone, finally coming to rest he didn't know where, but well away from where he had been, too stunned to move, and in enough throbbing pain in his shoulders and back and face and everywhere that he wasn't sure it was a good idea anyway.

[Lyonize]

Before Alari could get up, nearly the entire pride had arrived. Including her mother. Alari looked up at the big lion standing over her and then to Tiifu.

"Hi, mom." She said with a sheepish smile. "This isn't what it looks like." Alari got up and faked a chuckle, embarrassingly as she punched Feroz's shoulder. "Heh. Good one... uh. Bro." Alari continued walking towards her mother. Tiifu knew her daughter well enough to see what was going on.

"Alari!"

"Heyyy, mom." She said, still embarrassed at the situation she had been caught in.

"Alari, I'm not mad. I'm just glad you're alright." Tiifu said as she nuzzled Alari. "But what have I told you about picking fights?"

"I know, I know! But Khari was alone and I thought-"

"NOW, KHARI!" Kovu's shout all but made Alari jump. The mother and daughter watched as Khari headed to Pride Rock. His body language was telling.

"I'm gonna go see if Khari is ok." Said Alari.

"Alright." Tiifu said, hugging her daughter once more. Tiifu was a particularly caring mother, and she passed that trait down to Alari. She taught her to always be there for others.

During all of this, Ono had been in the sky, watching. Not a single detail escaped his eyes. After Jono had cried "wolf" the egret turned around to inform the rest of the Lion Guard. Only a couple minutes later, Ono was joined by Kion, Fuli, Beshte, and Bunga at the scene just in time to see Nuha begin yelling at Jono. Alari nearly bumped into Kion on her way to Pride Rock. She turned around as she heard Nuha. She was particularly loud today. Her words were joined by roaring coming from the sky as the wind beat down on Jono.

Alari didn't know how long her jaw had been hanging open. "Heh. That was weird." She smiled up at Kion. "For a second, it looked like Nuha was using the Roar of the Elders."

[abalancedbreakfast]

Feroz took a second step away from the crowd of people amassed at the scene before hearing it. Roaring, coming from the sky, and a lioness. Somehow she had gotten some sort of boost in strength. Enough to split a whole boulder with her voice, anyway. And then, he saw that punk kid who had got him permanent scars on his face blown back, tumbling in the grass. Feroz had to admit, part of him was terrified with the display, but a slight voice in the back of his head kind of felt that it was really attractive. But there wasn't time for that now.

"Serves him right" He muttered to himself with a shocked look on his face before starting to trudge on, away from the group.



"Wait, rogue!" Came a voice from behind him, one sounding like another male. But not the king. And not accusatory.


"I know. I'm going. I'll travel on two more years. Maybe I can visit my mother's grave." Feroz said, taking more steps.


"What? Are you refusing positive proof of your innocence?" 


Feroz stopped. An advocate? What must... He turned around, and faced a motley crew of five animals. One egret, a hippo, a Cheetah, a honey badger, and a strong (not as big as Feroz, still, but quite the adversary) lion with a firey red mane. And on all of their shoulders bore a mark of a roaring lion. "Who are you guys? And, why are you defending me if you think I attacked the prince?"


"We're the Lion Guard. Protectors of the Pridelands. And we're defending you because we know you didn't attack Prince Khari. Tell 'em, Ono!"


"Right, Kion!" The egret said in a bit of a nasal voice, before clearing his throat and turning to face Kiara and Kovu. "Queen Kiara. King Consort Kovu. If you exile this... What exactly is your name, rogue?"


"Feroz..." He said, spitting out a little blood from a now damaged mouth.

"Right. If you exile this Feroz, you are exiling an innocent lion. I saw the whole thing from the sky. Feroz, with Jasiri's escort, entered the pridelands. Upon Jasiri being distracted by Jono, who I must say is the most guilty party in this situation, Feroz obtained permission from Jasiri to continue on to Pride Rock without escort to humbly ask Queen Kiara to join the pride. Added to which, Feroz followed all the rules of entry for a non-aggressive male. He made no search for food, he made no threats, verbal or physical, and he did not attempt to hide from anyone. However, upon coming close to Pride Rock, he spotted Prince Khari, who seemed in distress. Hoping to comfort him, and do a good deed for the Pride, Feroz approached Prince Khari, and attempted to comfort him. Khari was offput for a moment, but managed to ease up after he found that Feroz was trying to be friendly, when Alari came in and, perceiving him to be a threat, attempted, to very little avail, I must admit, to sweep Feroz's front paw. Feroz did not fight back or resist the move, though I must admit he had little reason to, and seeing a dull situation as Nuha and Tarajii caught up, Jono, from afar, decided to falsely accuse Feroz of attacking Prince Khari, for the sadistic pleasure of his own entertainment."


"And I got to say, he did a damn good job. Ach..." Feroz said, spitting out a little more blood. 


Kovu would have silenced this comment, had it not been for the fact that, well, he did kind of deserve it. 


"Kovu. You and I are going to have a real serious talk with Jono after this is over. As for you, Feroz..." Kiara said, stepping to the rogue and taking on a more compassionate tone. "We are deeply sorry for what just happened, and I have to say that your introduction to this pride flies in the face of the values of the pridelands. Someone who has gone through two years of suffering like that doesn't deserve this kind of treatment. And seeing as you've been hurt, we'd like to ask you to stay at least one night to have a Shaman patch you up. If you choose to stay after that, you are welcome here. As a pridelander." 


Feroz stood for a moment, absolutely warmed by the queen's kindness. And that egret, he dared say, was quite the Deus Ex Machina. Seeing as it was high time, he bowed to this queen. "I accept your offer, your highness."


"Now, honey." Kiara said, prodding Kovu. "I believe you have a little apology to make to our new pridelander here." 


"No, Queen, it's fine." Feroz attempted to say.


"Oh, don't feel the need to be polite." Kiara said, turning to give a death glare directly at Kovu. "I insist on it."


Slowly, Flustered, Kovu walked up to the larger lion, and stretched out a paw to him, looking up at this new rogue with blood on his face. "I am... deeply sorry for this mix up. I only meant the best for my son."

"Of course, my King." Feroz said, stretching out one paw, before realizing it was covered in blood, and then stretching out the opposite paw, forcing Kovu to change paws as well, leading to a very awkward handshake.

After this, Kion walked over to Kiara, and whispered in her ear "I think it's time. We need to have a talk with Nuha about the roar."

[Leto]

The lioness stood from a far just observing and watching. Suddenly she felt remarkably separate like a stranger looking in from the outside, even if she could see her parents; Khari being called off as her father arrived on the scene to give the intruder she now knew as Feroz a paw to the face. Her mother wasn’t far behind either. She watched the scene unfold just sitting there, however what caught most of her attention was not the rogue… no in truth she couldn’t care less about him. He was no threat she had seen this from the get go, but the whole thing had blown up so rapidly she hadn’t been able to say much of anything. No most of her attention was on her older sister, and the strange aura surrounding her; Tarajii could feel it, and it sent a shiver up her spine. She would have to tell Rafiki about this!

When the lion guard arrived on the scene however things took a 180 turn, instead being accused Feroz was now on the receiving end of hospitality. As her mother mentioned having the stranger patched up, on that cue Tarajii pressed forward walking on quiet steps she gave a humble almost deferring bow as if she was greeting a couple of highly important strangers for the first time; but truly she was just being professional in seeing there was a stranger and visitor to their lands; familial sentiments had to be forgone, she was a Shaman apprentice before she was a royal cub. As apologies were being offered and silence once more befell the crowd the small female spoke; her words humble.

“I offer to treat Feroz’s injury and needs, by your decree your majesty.” She spoke her head lowered and her eyes downcast in submission to her own mother. She wasn’t a shaman for nothing after all; she could feel her parent’s gaze on her but she did nothing she kept her submissive stance, occasionally letting her eyes trail Feroz to gauge the extent of his injuries, and in turn what she had to do to patch him up.

[cheezeegriff]

"Of course," Kiara said, smiling down at her daughter who was being so professional. To the rogue she said, "Feroz, follow Tarajii, my daughter. She'll attend your injuries and take you to her master if you need more care than she can provide."
She turned to her still awkward-looking husband.
"Kovu. Can you find our little troublemaker Jono, make sure he's ok and if he is, bring him up to me in the den? I need to have a word with him."

Then she turned to the task at hand. Kiara gave a nod for Kion to follow, and they walked over to the little grey lioness still perched atop the broken boulder.

Kiara had to stifle her own fear, for around the lioness it looked like a tornado had struck. Grass had been pushed back to reveal the bare earth beneath. A nearby tree had been upended, and those further out had lost their branches. She gulped a little, scanning the surrounds for any sign of Jono, but all she could see was Kovu and Tiifu rallying the lionesses to look for him. Guilty or not, she didn't want to have THAT conversation with his mother. I'm sorry, Yuraha. My daughter killed your son, but it was an accident. How can make it up to you? Thankfully, Kion still had a few wits about him, and as they took sides on the young cub's flanks, he said in his husky voice, "Heyy little niece. Feel better now that it's all out of your system?"
Humor. It could work. Kiara cleared her throat, smiling nervously.
"Nuha. Really. What did the grass and trees and stones-" and the birds and the insects and the hyraxes who lived in the den you just unearthed "-ever do to you?"

[Leto]

((No one but Rafiki actively referres to Tarajii as a male, and by a male name. Everyone else calls her a she, Family included. ^^))

[Leorgathar]

The walls of Pride Rock felt colder than usual as Khari entered through the mouth of the cave. Two lionesses guarded the entrance, which told the Prince that Kiara had ordered them to watch him and not let him out until she had returned. Khari snorted when he passed through.

“So little trust,” he said, kicking then an antelope’s jaw bone angrily with his front paw. He climbed to his usual spot and curled up resting his chin on his crossed paws, letting out a loud sigh. Many thoughts invaded his mind. The stampede incident. His carelessness on a strange lion approaching him and the cowardice he felt when talking to him. His father sending him to his room without listening to what he had to say in front of all the Pride. But most of all, it was the cold look his mother gave him that pierced into his soul. His thoughts then wandered around all the past mistakes he had done that earned him his mother’s disapproval, as well as his reputation of a stupid clumsy lion.
“Can’t wait to be King,” he said sarcastically.

Before he could relax, Khari got startled by what sounded like a loud thunder outside, which made the cave walls reverberate and dust fall from the ceiling. A gust of wind also blew from the entrance shaking the prince’s fur. For a second he gasped with his ears perked, wondering what that could have been.

“Pumbaa! What did I tell ya about breaking wind in the cave!? You’re gonna stink the whole the Royal Chamber!!!” A senile voice yelled not too far from Khari, which made him pout and rest on his paws again, now feeling annoyed. He did not expect to have a crazy old meerkat’s company.

“Pumbaa passed away months ago, Timon.” Khari reminded him. A trembling meerkat with a twig for a cane approached the Prince.

“Ah yes, yes, that’s right… old habits I guess… oh, the poor old fart, gone with the wind to live among lion elders.” Timon said nostalgically, but then he smiled almost childishly. “…He used to say that after every meal, you know? Hyehyehye!”

“I’m not in the mood for your stupid gas humor, Timon.” Khari said clenching his teeth. The meerkat placing one of his tiny trembling hands on his shoulder.

“What’s the matter, champ? You look blue… or maybe dark brown, I can’t tell, hye hye… (Classic Pumbaa).”

“What do you care? It’s not like you can help me NOT be the future King.”

“What? Why wouldn’t you want to be the King?”

“No one listens to me. No one trusts me. And with good reason they don’t, I can’t do anything right. And they expect me to rule them all someday? Forget it!” Khari replied angrily, turning to lay on his side and not facing Timon. “I’d give everything go far away from here as I can, be just a normal carefree lion with no ties to Royalty.”

“You know… I know exactly what you seek. You remind me a bit of your grandfather. Simba lived that kind of life with me and Pumbaa when he was your age, far away on the other side of the desert that borders with the Canyon. There was a jungle paradise where we lived many adventures together. It was Hakuna Matata at its best. Ah… good times. Now the trio is down to one, it seems.”

Khari looked back to Timon, feeling partly interested in the place he had just described. Hopeful to hear more about it, he opened his mouth to ask, but he stopped and hanged his head down.
“My mom will be here any minute now,” he said sadly. “I’m not supposed to go anywhere until she has had a word with me. This time I’m dead for sure.”

“Oh so you’re grounded already!” Timon said amused, which annoyed Khari even more. “Your mother used to be grounded too when she was young. I recall this one instance on the day of your father’s exile from the Pridelands. Simba got so angry with your mother that he wouldn’t let her leave Pride Rock. But he made the mistake of asking Pumbaa and I to watch her… because she totally escaped! Hye hye! Yes, she escaped to be reunited with her beloved Kovu. I don’t know how we didn’t notice the hole at the back of the cave where she crawled to her freedom, maybe we were too busy arguing. Oh Pumbaa… Pumbaa… Zzzzzz.” The old meerkat closed his tired eyes and began snoring.

For the most part Khari couldn’t stand Timon’s ramblings about the past, but the last part of his mother’s anecdote called his attention. A hole in the back of the cave? He wondered. He got up on his four legs and decided to go inspect the cave’s far side looking for a possible opening. He found a corner with many piled rocks covering it and sunlight filtering from inbetween them. Out of curiosity he pulled one of the bigger rocks, and the wall crumbled easily revealing a hole that lead to out in the open. With a new grin on his muzzle, the prince ventured to try crawling through it. He struggled, but he finally made it to the other side. The struggle caused some more rocks to crumble from the hole’s opening, and Khari could hear old Timon’s startled voice coming from the inside.

“Eh? Wha-who’s that? Pumbaa? Is that you? Why don’t you have some decency and let me sleep, you old pig!?”

Khari chuckled and ran away towards the canyon. Once he got to the Kingdom’s edge, he gave one last look at Pride Rock in the distance. He thought of his parents, his sisters, his few friends… Alari.
“I’m sorry… I can’t…” The prince said in a sad whisper. He turned his head and trotted towards the desert. To his freedom.

[Tamber]

It took Nuha a few moments to realize that, as Jono was tumbling down the hill in front of her, something odd was emanating from her direction. She slowly snapped out of a strange daze, the wind died down, and she began to notice what had happened around her. Trees had snapped, the grass was being uprooted, and animals other than Jono were being blown away from her. Backing away in fear, she stumbled and looked down to see the boulder beneath her had broken in two.

What's going on? she thought. Did I just black out?

She looked around her frantically, turning around to see what was going on behind her. But she saw nothing but billowing, white clouds breaking off and revealing a sunny sky. Everything seemed as calm as it had been just a few minutes ago.

Suddenly she remembered Jono. She jerked back to where she had been facing. He was nowhere in sight. Oh my gosh, Jono...?

"Heyy little niece. Feel better now that it's all out of your system?"

Nuha's eyes lit up at the familiar voice.

"...Uncle Kion?" Her mother was there, too. "Mom?"

"Nuha. Really. What did the grass and trees and stones ever do to you?"

Nuha was winded, though she didn't know why. What did her mother mean? A feeling of dread flushed Nuha's face. In a panic, she leaped off the boulder and embraced her uncle, who was gone so often that she rarely saw him.

"Was this...my fault?" she asked.

Kion placed a gentle paw around her shoulders. "Ssshh, it's okay kiddo. Everything's alright."

"What happened to Jono?" Nuha asked. "Is everything okay? I'm having trouble remembering the last few minutes...or more..."

"We've sent your father and the lionesses to check on Jono," Kiara said. "I think he's okay, sweetie."

Kion sat back and looked his niece in the eye. "Nuha. Do you know what just happened?"

The gray lioness was afraid to answer. Uncle Kion had spoken to her and her siblings about this the night Grandfather Simba died. She'd prodded him for more information throughout her childhood, but he was secretive. All she'd gathered was that someday she'd have to follow in his pawprints, that she'd be leading the Lion Guard one day. She'd seen his roar; what she'd never been sure of is whether she would develop one herself. She knew nothing about how this related to her uncle, to the Guard, to her destiny.

Nuha hesitated before answering. "I...I didn't know if I'd...am I supposed to have a roar like yours? I'm supposed to succeed you somehow, right? Why haven't you guys talked to me about this??"

Kiara and Kion looked at each other with expressions of discomfort. Kiara sighed. "Nuha, it was my decision to wait to talk to you about the roar until you were older. It's hard to understand the weight of your uncle's position at a young age, and it's hard to live with the responsibility."

Kion nodded. "The roar came to me when I was very young, kiddo," he said. "I had no choice but to step up and lead when I was a cub. But it wasn't an ideal situation, and if possible, I wanted you to grow up a bit before you had to start thinking about all this."

Nuha was unimpressed by their explanation. "Do you think I'm stupid? You think I had no idea that something like this would happen someday?" She was incredulous, feeling wholly unprepared. "I knew, but I didn't know enough. Why didn't you tell me more? Did you think I'd crumble under the pressure or something? I'm not like that. I'm not-" Nuha had to stop herself from comparing her situation to Khari's.

Kiara saw her daughter's frustration and questioned her choices as a mother, but she refrained from apologizing. Kion spoke up. "It's gonna be okay, Nuha. Come, there's a place we need to show you. This will all make summore sense soon."

[abalancedbreakfast]

"I offer to treat Feroz's wounds, by your decree, your majesty" Said the lioness with the gourd tied around her. Feroz tried to let out a half smile as her eyes trailed up to his face to examine the wounds, but then whinced as the smile started to hurt. 

"Thank you... Tarajii is it?" Feroz asked the lioness, trying to remember all of the names. Tarajii responded with a quick nod and gestured to him to follow her.

They walked together, in complete silence, for about five minutes. Feroz was honestly intrigued by the silent lioness walking next to him and wanted to try and find a way to at least make her crack up a little.

"So, uh, Tarajii. I got a couple questions. First off, what exactly are you going to do to heal the wounds? Second, my face isn't too bad that I won't be able to attract the ladies, right? Are the scars, like, alluring scars that make me look rougeish, or are they just ugly scars?" Feroz said, hoping to earn a laugh out of this lioness before turning his head away, needing to spit out a little blood. "Ach... think I accidentally bit my damn tongue when he hit me."

[cheezeegriff]

Jono lay where the blast of wind had left him. He knew he shouldn't be there. His body felt uncomfortable, like he had a stick or two under his back. The left side of his face throbbed and flies buzzed around it, and he couldn't see.
"I can't believe we're being made to look for this little brat," a gruff female voice said.
"What do you mean?" Jono didn't recognise that voice either, but it was gentler. Softer.
"It was Jono's fault that outlander was attacked. Feroz, I think someone called him. He'll have scars for the rest of his life now."
There was a rustling, the two lionesses moving closer. Jono tried to open his eyes, to get up and run, but it was like his body didn't agree to do what his brain told it to.
"How was it Jono's fault? It's every lion's job to give a warning if an intruder was spotted. And... wasn't the rogue attacking prince Khari?"
"All I know is that Jono is a trouble maker. Can't trust his kind. Leopards that lay with lions, they muddy the blood and all their offspring."
"Muddy the-"
There was a rustling, and the light on Jono's eyelids grew brighter. He tried to move, but his body felt far away. The best he could manage was a squint.
"Ha! Found... oh."
"Let me see," the softer voice said, then added, "Oh... yuck. Is... is he alive?"
Something prodded him. Jono guessed it was a claw.
"Looks that way. He squirmed, see? Let's get him to Rafiki. Hopefully the little runt will die a quick death. Otherwise he's going to be the ugliest lion in the pride."
"I'll... I'll... you carry him, I can't..."
"Just like carrying a lump of meat," the gruff voice said. Nevertheless it was a gentle paw that untangled him from the broken branches and carried him by the scruff of his neck, out into the sun, towards the shaman's baobab tree.

[abalancedbreakfast]

(Notice: Leto recently injured his hand and is having difficulty writing at the moment. I have obtained permission from him to control his character until he's recovered.)

"...my face isn't too bad that I won't be able to attract the ladies, right? Are the scars, like, alluring scars that make me look rougeish, or are they just ugly scars?" Feroz said, trying to make some humor out of his wounds.

This was enough to earn a smile out of Tarajii. Some sign of amusement, in either case. "No, Feroz. I'm afraid you just look ugly now." She said with a chuckle.

"Oh, come on, Tarajii. You're a shaman, right? Just heal up the scars that make me look ugly, but keep the ones that make me look hot!" Feroz said, still trying to make her crack up.

"Well I can't promise you that any of those scars will heal up completely." Tarajii said, starting to chuckle a little bit. "But don't worry, dude. They're only on the left side of your face. Just walk to the left of any lioness and you should be fine."

"Oh really?" Feroz said before circling around and moving to Tarajii's left. "Like this?"

But for reasons unknown to Feroz at the time, Tarajii had lost the smile for a moment. "Look, Feroz... I'm not exactly looking right now, okay?"

"Oh. Okay. I'm sorry, I guess I do tend to be a bit... uh... forward..." Feroz said, a little awkwardly. "Don't worry, I won't bug you about it any more."

"What brings you to the Pridelands specifically, anyway?" Tarajii asked, trying not to sound accusatory after that awkward moment. 

"Um... You're a shaman, right? There was... this vision. Of a lion... he told me, after he told me to escape the Setting Sun pride just in time to escape the civil war... he told me to go east... and to, well... travel to the pridelands. He didn't tell me how long it was going to take, or what was going to happen to me, he just told me to have faith. And after two years and a lot of tests of that faith... I ended up here. But the lion in my visions said I'm supposed to fill some sort of purpose. I just don't know what that is yet." Feroz said, hoping she wouldn't think he was crazy.

"That doesn't sound right. Spirits don't appear like that. They communicate more subtly, through the wind and clouds. What did this vision look like?" Tarajii asked.

"Oh, god, you think I'm crazy, don't you?"

Tarajii didn't confirm or deny this statement, but waited for Feroz's answer.

"Okay. Fine. He was a lion made of solid gold, much larger than me, with eyes like diamond and a mane of fire. He had this... booming voice, and a very comforting presence about him."

"Ooookay... we'll tell Rafiki to make sure your head is right, too." Tarajii said. 

"Hey, if you want to talk down to me, I could just go somewhere else! I knew I shouldn't have told you." Feroz said

"Look, let's just get to Rafiki, so we can stop this conversation, and I can do something more important than kissing your damn boo-boos."

Feroz stopped for a second, fed up. "Yeah... Pridelands. Real damn legendary. I think I'll just leave tomorrow."

So the two continued to walk in total silence until they reached Rafiki's baobab tree.

[Tamber]

Nuha followed her mother and uncle toward Pride Rock. The group was silent, a cloud of something hanging over them. Was it discomfort? Anticipation? Nuha wasn't sure. But the closer they got to the towering stone, the more Nuha began to wonder what they could show her that she hadn't seen before.

The queen lead them to what looked like no more than a wall of rock covered in vines. It's ivy, Nuha thought. What's so special about ivy?

"Kion?" Kiara said, allowing him to step toward the wall.

But it turned out not to be a wall at all! Kion pulled the vines aside to reveal an opening in Pride Rock, leading into some cavern. Nuha's ears perked up, her curiosity piqued. The site brought to mind a cave she had explored with a Cape fox one time - they'd slipped and skidded down wet rocks into a series of stone halls, filled with the most intense darkness Nuha had ever seen ... or ... not seen. It had been so long since she'd found a cave to investigate, and yet here was one right under her bedroom.

She glanced at Uncle Kion excitedly. Still a bit intimidated, she wait for her mother to step forward and into the mouth of the cave. Nuha and Kion followed her in closely.

They were met with something starkly different than the dark cave Nuha remembered. This was lit with ambient sunlight; pollen was hanging in the air and glowing in the bright rays. Not only that, but it was lush with greenery, with vines like those at the entrance growing all over the cave walls. At the center of the room was a pool, filled with water of a seemingly impossible shade of blue. It took all of Nuha's self control to avoid leaping into it.

"What is this?" Nuha asked, a touch of wonder and joy in her voice.

"This is, in a way, your new office," her mother answered. "Kion is handing it down to you. It is the Lion Guard lair."

Nuha chuckled under her breath. Lair? A lair made it sound like a dank cavern or a dusty termite mound. This was far more beautiful.

"So this is where you work?" she asked her uncle. "Is this why I don't see you very often?"

"Well, I work all over the Pridelands, little niece," Kion said. "But this is a great place to meet with the Guard, to hash out ideas. And, admittedly, to take a swim." Her uncle grinned.

As Nuha looked at Kion, she noticed a large wall of finger paintings behind him. "Are those Rafiki's?" she asked. The old mandrill's art was always a joy to see.

Kiara walked toward the wall and sat next to it. "On this wall, Rafiki documents the history of the Lion Guard - its members, its stories, and the power of the Roar of the Elders."

Nuha looked to her uncle. "Like your roar?"

"Nuha," Kion began, "My roar is not just mine. It belongs to our family, and to a long line of second-born cubs." He gestured to the many paintings of past lions painted on the wall. "It came to me when I was very young, but in recent weeks it's begun to fade in me. Today, we saw it blossoming in you."

"The Roar of the Elders comes to all second-born cubs in time," Kiara said, "And with it comes the strength and the right to lead the next generation of the Lion Guard."

Kion nodded and nuzzled his niece. "The sun is setting on my time as leader, Nuha." They glanced up to the sunny openings, which began to grow orange with the onset of twilight. "It will rise with you in my place, with a hand-picked guard of your own."

[cheezeegriff]

The gruff lioness grumbled all the way to the baobab tree, so Jono did his best to avoid a confrontation and pretend he couldn’t hear anything.
The next thing he knew he could hear a strange voice yelling at the two lionesses. He must have blacked out, because he didn’t remember arriving. He assumed the strange voice was Rafiki’s, for he could feel nimble mandrill fingers tenderly turning his head this way and that.
“Someting’s missing,” he said. “Look, here and here. The skin doesn’t come together. You left part of him out there.”
“Hey, we did what we were told to do,” the gruff lioness said.
“We have other duties, Rafiki,” said the more gentle voice. “We should get back to Tiifu and report for hunting duty.”
“Hunting? A lion cub lies injured in my your care and you want to hunt instead of help him?”
“He’s not a lion cub,” the gruff voice said. “He’s-“
There was a thump, and a lion’s shocked growl.
“Shame on you. Get out and find it. Now! Come back with nothing and I’ll tear a strip from you instead. I know where you live, Kivivu!”
There was padding of feet, and more grumbling in the distance. Jono tried to open one eye.
All he saw was green, and the multi-coloured face of Rafiki staring down at him.
“You’re awake,” he said, gently, then put a finger to his lips. “Shh. Go back to sleep.”
“Wh-“ he tried to stand, but Rafiki pushed him back down.
“No. Rest. Let me wash your wound,” he said, and brought over a wooden bowl. With Jono’s face pinched in one hand he poured the bowl of water gently over the side of Jono’s face.
But it didn’t feel like water. It felt like snake venom. The side of Jono’s face burned and he squirmed reflexively, letting out a screeching roar in the process.
“I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry,” Rafiki said. “You have a deep gash here, beneath your left eye. I’m going to sew it together but you can’t move.”
“Let go of me,” Jono said. He could hear Rafiki’s words but he didn’t believe them. Nobody would want to help him. He used his claws, ignoring Rafiki’s pleas, until a sharp pain reverberated through his skull and some disgusting leaves were shoved down his throat.
“Here, chew. This will help with the pain,” Rafiki said, and held Jono’s mouth closed until he swallowed. Almost instantly Jono felt strange, like he was floating. When Rafiki spoke again his voice was booming, and soft and so very far away: “Close your eyes, rest. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh…”
Jono heard, and fought, no more.

[Tamber]

[OOC: Gonna go ahead and post again to get Nuha's big talk moving.]

Nuha's eyes lit up at the prospect of being as important as her uncle, but the thought of leading a sort of lion patrol sounded like something she may not be cut out to do. "What does the Roar have to do with all this? Why is it so powerful?"

"The Roar of the Elders is pretty much what it sounds like," Kion told her. "When you roar, the great lions of the past roar with you. That's what makes the ground tremble, the wind blow, and the clouds form into great, roaring lions."

Nuha thought of the way the earth shook, how mayhem seemed to ensue when she became so angry with Jono.

Kiara came over and nuzzled her daughter. She spoke softly. "You remember how I told you and your siblings when you were a cub, that the great kings and queens of the past are always with us, looking down and guiding us?"

Nuha nodded.

"As bearer of the Roar," Kion said, "You'll have a close relationship with our ancestors. With the power of your roar, and the wisdom of lions past, you can protect the Pridelands in ways no one else could."

Nuha looked to the wall of paintings in front of her, contemplating the position she was in, and hoping these old paintings would have some answers for her. She looked toward the bottom of the mural, where she saw her uncle and his guard painted on the stone. She grinned, enamored by the image of her uncle as a cub. But as she looked around, she saw that no other painting looked quite like it. "Why are there no other animals on this wall, besides Beshte and Bunga, and Fuli and Ono?"

"Every guard has it's story," Kion said. "No two are the same."

Nuha cocked her eyebrows. "These others all look the same."

"You have to look deeper to see their story," Kion said. "The one that meant the most to me was of Scar's guard."

"Scar?" It took Nuha a moment to understand. Her grand uncle, who pushed the Pridelands into chaos, was the second-born after Mufasa. "Scar had the Roar, too? But that's terrible!"

"He did," Kion said, "but only until he tried to use it to take the throne for himself." Kion pointed to the paintings on the wall, slightly faded from wear. They were telling the same story. "When his guard refused to help him, he used the Roar to take their lives. But the Roar does not stay with those who use it to harm others needlessly, or to throw the Circle of Life out of balance. Scar serves to teach all guard leaders to come that the Roar is nothing to be trifled with. To work with the Pridelands' Elders, you have to think like one."

Think like an elder? Nuha thought. How am I supposed to do that?

"Just like Scar's time as guard leader teaches lessons," her mother said, "Kion's does, too. No guard before him ever employed an animal other than a lion."

"And you," Kion said, "will be different, too. Do you see any lionesses leading the guard up there?" he said with a wink.

Nuha watched her uncle and grinned. She looked through the paintings expectantly. Every leader had a mane. "You mean...I'm the first lioness to lead the guard? Really?" She beamed, looking between her uncle and her mother as they returned their smiles and nodded.

"You, and the guard you choose, will shape the story of the Pridelands," Kiara said. "And as the Fiercest animal of the guard, you will need to choose the Bravest, the Fastest, the Strongest, and the Keenest of sight to protect the Circle of Life with you."

"I get to choose them myself??" Nuha was dancing on her toes, ideas of who to pick racing through her head.

Kiara nodded. "We'll hold a ceremony once you choose, and once your Roar develops."

Nuha was ecstatic. She embraced her mother and leaped over to tackle her uncle. "Ooh, thank you guys! I'll do the very best I can!" With that she raced out of the "lair" to get to work.

Kion grinned and rolled back onto his paws, watching his successor go. He swore he could feel a joyful wind in his mane, as if grandfather Mufasa was in the lair with them.

[abalancedbreakfast]

By the time Feroz and Tarajii had gotten to the baobab tree, the silence between the two had gotten too awkward to handle, and they both decided that it would be in their best interests to jog up to the tree once they saw it. 

"Rafiki! We have a patient here. One rogue, who got caught in a bit of a misunderstanding." Tarajii said, hoping to dispatch this patient immediately.

"Anuddah one! Oh, Mufasa, you must have decided to play a cruel trick today. Vedy busy day today. Does dis one need help immediately?" Rafiki asked, his voice coming from behind the baobab tree instead of inside of it.

"Huh? Well, medically, he does need help, but it can wait." Tarajii said, gesturing for Feroz to follow her. "Mentally, however-" She grumbled under her breath before seeing the extent of Jono's injuries and freezing.


"What in the name of the creator... What happened to him!" Feroz asked, shocked by the gash under this odd lion's eye. "His face looks worse than mine."


Rafiki seemed to take notice of his use of the word "Creator" for a moment, perplexed, but set back about his work. "I can assure you, you will get help here soon enough. Adhai, throw some of this in his gashes for now. That should hold him over. Then come back and help me get to work on Jono here." 


"Adhai? I thought your name was Taraj-" Feroz said before having some strange dust from a gourd thrown into his face by Tarajii, aimed directly at his wounds. "Ach! A little advanced warning wouldn't hurt!"


"Oh, calm down, Feroz. That'll keep the wound clean until I can treat it better tomorrow. You're free to go." She said, dropping the gourd immediately afterwards and moving over to Jono.


"Oh, okay... and, Tarajii, I know we kind of got off on the wrong foot there, but, uh, thank you."

With that, Feroz turned around to Pride Rock, and started walking, thinking about what life was going to be like now that he wasn't constantly on the road. Of course, he could have cut his trip down by half a year if he hadn't gotten lost in a jungle along the way, buuuut, he wasn't going to mention that to any pridelander. He worried for a moment. Would the lions back at Pride Rock trust him, still? Perhaps Prince Khari was there to confirm what that strange egret said. That'd certainly be helpful, in any case. After some time, he finally got to the rock. Very tall, he thought. Certainly fit for the king and queen of whoever these benevolent lands were. He took a step onto the rocks, and began to climb up to the den.

[cheezeegriff]

(OOC: Assume other characters present can hear Jono mumbling the dialogue he spoke below)

Jono felt like he was under a bright light, floating in ocean that tumbled him around, and around, and around. Only the light stayed above him. Perhaps he and the sun were both spinning. But then the light went out, and all he felt was darkness.
Silence, too, for long enough it felt like a dream. But then a whisper:
“Here is another one to fill our ranks.”
Jono sat up. He was in a lagoon, or a lake, and overhead stars twinkled. Only they weren’t ordinary stars. They were fewer, and brighter, and glowed in many shades of green and blue. As the water rippled it glowed too.
“He’s awake,” came the whisper.
“Who’s talking?” Jono said, trying to sound brave.
“He can hear us.”
There was a rush of wind, and on that breeze came another voice:
“We are the sspirits in waiting. Not kingly enough to enter the clouds. They guide from the light. We guide from the sshadow.”
Jono got to his feet. Though only a moment ago he had been floating, now the water was only as deep as his paws. He turned about, trying to catch a glimpse of who was around him.
“How did I get here?” he said.
“You died. Or you were given something to seem like death,” said a third voice. It was raspy, like wind in leaves.
“His form does not fade. He’s alive,” said another.
“You are Jono, from the pridelands of Kiara?”
Jono span about. The last voice had come from right behind him. To his horror and surprise the stars were hovering right before him like glowbugs, but they traced the outside of a lioness. “I… I am,” he said.
“Then carry back this message,” said the lioness of stars. “An evil older than any of us awaits his chance to win the crown. The queen will fall if she’s not guarded by the five. Join the five, or be ruled by another.”
Jono looked at the lioness of stars, incredulous. “New ruler…?” he began to say, but before he could verbalise a new thought there was a thump, in the distance, and the stars turned red.
“He’s coming.” The lioness of stars turned, as if in fear.
“Push this one back.”
“Guard the queen,” the lioness of stars said. “Guard the pridelands, or be a slave.”
“Guard her from what?” Jono said, but then the lioness spread her paws and a wind like the one before picked him up and pushed him back to the light. The next thing he knew he was sitting up and facing Rafiki and his apprentice. “Guard her from what?” he blurted.
For a moment Rafiki was too shocked to speak. Or so it seemed. Then he cleared his throat:
“Shh. Rest. Lie back down, little lion,” he said, and put his paw on Jono’s shoulder.
“Where am I?” Jono said, looking about at the tree and the leaves overhead. “Oh… I’m back…”
“Back?” Rafiki said, then leaned in close, peering at him with one eye. “Back from where?”
“From the starry place,” he said, then gripped his head as pain lanced through his skull. “Ugh. What did you give me?”
Rafiki left, climbing higher into the tree. Jono wiggled his jaw. It felt funny. The skin on the left of his face was tight and ached. He moved to touch it, but then saw the apprentice shaman staring at him.
“What are you looking at?” Jono said, narrowing his eyes.

[Lyonize]

Alri watched from a distance as Nuha was approached by Kion and Kiara. She took a step towards them. She couldn't resist snooping, but then she remembered Khari. The young lioness paused mid-stride and looked back at Pride Rock. To snoop, or to see how Khari is doing? Oh, how she wished she could be in two places at once. But not even she was that fast. A glance at her mother and Alari knew what she should do.

Three leaps and Alari was up the rocky path leading to the mouth of Pride Rock. She peeked into the cave, her eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness.

"Khari?" Alaris voice reverberated against the stone walls. There was no answer. Alari turned and stepped outside to look out on the savannah. Khari wasn't anywhere in sight.

[abalancedbreakfast]

Feroz finally reached the top of the den, where he looked over the edge of pride rock.

"Oh my god.... this is beautiful..." He said before bowing his head. "Creator..." He started whispering. "Thank you for providing the world with such a wonderful sight, and molding the earth with your perfect paw. May you ble-"

He heard footsteps coming from behind him. Turning around, he heard a voice in the cave.

"Khari?"

Something was clearly wrong. The lioness came out of the cave, confused. Feroz decided to speak up and ask if she needed help.

"Hey, there... Aliri, is it? Is something wrong?" He asked, still not quite sure of the lioness's name.

[cheezeegriff]

Rafiki came back before the lioness had time to say anything, juggling with several bowls of paint. "Here," he said, handing him a hollowed out bowl filled with red goo, then another with orange, another with blue and yet another with black. "Draw what you saw."
Jono looked down at the bowls, the skin on the side of his head pulling strangely. "Uhh... oh-kay..." he dipped his claw in the paint and applied it to the wall. He dipped again as he needed, drawing the lioness made of stars. Rafiki was peering over his shoulder.
"What... what is that? I can't see. Draw bigger, will you?"
Jono scoffed. "I can see it just fine. It's a lioness. She was made out of stars. She said to guard the pridelands... and the queen... or to be a slave." He stopped just after finishing more blue lines meant to represent water, and looked over his shoulder at the lioness. "Is it too small for you, too?"

[Leto]

Tarajii would peer at the drawing, having kept silent thus far, having little to nothing to say regarding Jono's delusions as far as she saw them. However she would turn to her mentor gauging the expression on the elderly mandrill as he studied the crude painting.

"A lioness of stars, hrm." he'd rub a finger on his chin thoughtfully. "You, my boy, just had a vision of one of the Queens of the Past." he spoke, almost dismissive waving a hand, as if this was common place. "But why did she, speak to you directly, without even a summon, peposterous!" he'd cast a glance at Tarajii looking at his apprentice. "Adhai! Who was Queen of Stars?" he spoke out loud as if giving a quiz out of nowhere. Tarajii scrambled having actually been half nodding off for the moment, paying no need to Jono and his ramblings.

"Uh.. Queen Malika, she ruled the Pridelands in the ancient days. When the pridelands divided between three prides." Tarajii spoke up, feeling a bit proud for remembering the history lesson. "Indeed." Rafiki nodded, "She predates the legendary Mohatu by several generations." the mandrill's gaze snapped back to Jono.

"Why would Queen Malika contact you, to guard the Pridelands and our Queen." the mandril mused he was clearly distraught by something. "Master." Tarajii then spoke up drawing the old man's stare. "Perhaps this is a portent, or an omen." she hesistated shuffling her paws.

[Tamber]

It took Nuha a while to get her wits about her, at least enough to make some decisions about who to invite for the Guard. Her mind raced. When would her roar grow stronger? How long would she have to wait before the Guard officially became hers? How was she going to choose only four people to serve with her?

She took a while to lie beneath Pride Rock, in a private place, and think over one big question: would she invite other animals?

It only seemed natural to follow her uncle's paw prints and include some of the many species the Pridelands had to offer. After all, an egret could see better than any lion; a cheetah could run faster than even the best lioness hunter.

But one thought pressed on her mind: the divide she still saw between long-time Pridelanders, and those who returned from the Outlands not long before she was born.

Nuha was particularly bothered by how hastily some Pridelanders tended to judge rogues, wanderers, and those of mixed background. Her family and fellow lions were well-meaning, but sometimes their prejudices shined through. It didn't surprise her. After all, not all tensions from the past generation vanished when the Outlanders returned. She had heard whispered slurs about former outlanders among her peers, and it was no secret that some cubs of former Outlanders disliked the more privileged members of the pride. She had witnessed how Jono and his mother were marginalized for their association with a half-breed. And even Jono - an outcast himself - had just caused a ruckus today over a peaceful rogue.

Nuha figured she had to do what she could to bring her family around to real acceptance, not mere coexistence with secret grudges and fears lying beneath. Perhaps a strong Lion Guard, with members from a variety of backgrounds, would set an example for the next generation. But she would need good lions to stand beside her, and she knew just where to start.

[Lyonize]

Alari was so focused on finding Khari that she didn't notice Feroz approaching from her side.

"Hey, there... Aliri, is it? Is something wrong?"

"Oh hey. Uh. It's AlAri. I seem to have lost my prince." Alari immediately turned a shade redder, realizing how that sounded. "I mean Khari! He's the prince! Prince Khari! I lost him! I mean he's lost... I think." She paused for a moment, inhaling and exhaling as she dragged a paw down her face, flustered. "I can't find Khari. Have you seen him?"

[cheezeegriff]

"How'd you know it was her from a few dots?" Jono asked Tarajii, but then kept drawing when Rafiki instructed him to. His drawing spread out across the wall, intricate and detailed. He drew the stars in the sky and their reflection in the water, doing his best to remember the constellations that had stood out to him in the dream.
Then he looked up, and noticed the real stars were coming out. "Oh. Uh, I need to go," he said, and stood.
"Go? You need rest," Rafiki said. "Sit and draw."
"No." Jono pulled away. "I feel fine. I..." he stopped when the skin on the side of his face grabbed him once again. "What's wrong with me? What's on my face?"
Rafiki swallowed. "Come," he said, and gestured for Jono to look in a pool of water, tucked away on one side, among the roots of the tree.
Jono walked forward slowly, and looked down. His face was framed by stars, with the moonlight pushing through the leaves high overhead. But even in the light of the moon he could see something was wrong. There was a scar on the left side of his face, starting at his eyebrow and extending back along his forehead, into his hair. He couldn't see it after that but he could guess, because his left ear was a mess. It looked like it had had a huge, ragged wedge cut out of it, and then sewn back on - but not all of it. There was a gap on the edge, as if something with buck teeth had taken a bite out of him.
Jono stepped back from the pool in horror. Rafiki was talking, but he couldn't hear what he was saying. The shock of what he'd seen was still too loud.

[abalancedbreakfast]

"Oh hey. Uh. It's AlAri. I seem to have lost my prince." Alari stammered out, earning the confusion of Feroz. "HER prince?" the look on his face seemed to convey.


"I mean Khari! He's the prince! Prince Khari! I lost him! I mean he's lost... I think." Alari said, still trying to cover her tracks, earning only a slight tilt of the head from Feroz.


"I can't find Khari. Have you seen him?" She said, seeming to give up.


Feroz just paused for a second, a perplexed look crossing his face. "So... you're saying Prince- Khali, is it? Khali is lost, but you're stammering, because ya like the guy? S'that what's goin' on?"

Feroz turned back to look over the cliff for a moment. "Hmm, maybe the guy's calling it quits for the day. When I saw him he looked like he was on the verge of tears. Guess this whole incident-" He gestured to his still clawed face, "-just about set it off for him."

Feroz paced around for a second, actually very concerned for the safety of his new Prince. "Say, was there any particular place Khali liked to go blow off some steam whenever he was upset? Seems like it wasn't his first time being on edge like this."

[Tamber]

Voices passed faintly on the wind, down from Pride Rock, and through its cool underbelly where Nuha lay. Her ears perked up. Her amber eyes looked to the sound. She couldn't hear what was said, but she knew who was speaking. Nuha leapt to her paws in excitement, then caught herself. An idea was growing in her mind. It brought a grin to her maw, and the lioness felt a rush of confidence as the idea seemed more and more ingenious to her.

Bravest, fastest, strongest...

After taking a few moments to consider, she went with her gut and took action.

Nuha emerged from the shade of Pride Rock and hopped from boulder to boulder until she reached the top. There stood just who she expected: her dear friend Alari, and the newcomer who'd been the target of so much hostility earlier.

"Hey, sis," she said, getting Alari's attention. She looked to the massive hulk of a lion. He was even bigger than she remembered. On the way to the Lion Guard lair, her mother and uncle had filled her in on this burly stranger...

"Feroz, is it?" she asked him. "I'm sorry about the confusion earlier. I'd like to welcome you to our home, and our family." Nuha smiled earnestly.

After a brief hesitation, the lioness went on. "And I actually have a request for both of you, if you're willing to hear me out." She looked at them both expectantly, grinning with pride, but secretly afraid they would reject her idea entirely.

[abalancedbreakfast]

Feroz smiled warmly at the incoming lioness. He'd remembered the kindness she'd shown toward him during the little encounter, even if said kindness took the form of somehow roaring someone off their paws (it was the thought that counted to him)


"Feroz is the name, ma'am. You're uh... Nuka, right? Apologies if you're not, I'm not the best with names."

He took a step closer to Nuha. "Sorry if the size intimidates you, I try to come across as gentle, but, you know, can't control it" he said with a laugh before wincing at the pain on the side of his face. "Ach- gotta keep the laughter down, it pulls apart these claw marks. Anyway, for the generosity, I'd certainly be willing to pay it forward for ya. What's your proposal, exactly?"

[Lyonize]

Was Feroz making fun of her? Or just trying to lighten the mood? Nobody was that bad at remembering names. Alari furrowed a brow, jaw hung open, not quite sure whether to address Feroz’s atrocious butchering of everyone's names or to just move on and answer his questions. Just then, Nuha stepped in.

"Hey, sis,"

“Hi, Nuha.” She replied cheerfully.

"Feroz, is it? I'm sorry about the confusion earlier. I'd like to welcome you to our home, and our family."

Nuha went on to welcome Feroz into the pride, much to Alari’s surprise and excitement. Having another lion around meant another opportunity at friendship to her. The lioness gasped and tapped her paws against the ground excitedly. Not sure what to say, she leaped up and hugged Feroz, wrapping her forearms around his neck, emitting a quiet squeal of elation.

"And I actually have a request for both of you, if you're willing to hear me out."

Alari released Feroz and turned back to Nuha. “Sure! What do you need?”

_____________________________________________________________________
The Elephant Graveyard
_____________________________________________________________________

“What are you doing here? This is no place for a prince.”

The booming voice reverberated off the bones and boulders. A thick fog rested over the graveyard. It was impossible to see very far. The musty smell of death and dust hung in the air.

“Your grandfather would know.” The voice continued, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere at once.

[Tamber]

Nuha beamed and laughed at Alari's ecstatic welcome for Feroz. Though this enormous lion had trouble smiling with the gash in his face, there was a pleasantness and joy about both of them that reinforced Nuha's decision...

"Sorry if the size intimidates you," Feroz said to her. "I try to come across as gentle, but, you know, can't control it."

"Aaactually, your size is just what I wanted to talk to you about. Or, rather, your strength. You remember how Jono was...kind of...blown down the hill this morning?" Nuha said sheepishly. "Well...turns out I have my own power to learn how to control." She shrugged.

"Feroz, you were greeted by the Lion Guard, the Pridelands' first line of defense for the Circle of Life. The guard is led by my uncle Kion, who is gifted with a special ability as the second-born cub to the royal family. Kion can summon the roars of great kings past, and in doing so he can defend our homeland.

"This morning, the Roar of the Elders began to appear in me, and soon I will have to take my place as the next leader of the guard." Nuha looked at Alari with a giddy grin, trying to contain her excitement. "And my first order of business is to select the most qualified animals in the Pridelands to serve with me.

"Alari," Nuha said, hoping to speak well. "You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. It doesn't just take skill to defend the Circle of Life - it take a caring person, who values and respects all other living things. But you're also the swiftest, stealthiest, most acrobatic lion I've ever met. You defy all laws of physics...I mean, the way you move is like art! So I want to ask you to be the first person to stand at my side, and act as the Lion Guard's fastest. I can't imagine feeling more supported and safe in dangerous times than if I stepped into this position with you."

Nuha then turned to the newcomer. "Feroz. You have an incredible gift of strength - but you also seem to have a gentle soul. In this way you remind me of Beshte, who my uncle selected as his guard's strongest. You could put your strength to great work by defending my homeland, and you could do so with the agility and fierceness only a lion could offer. I would be honored if you join not only our pride, but our most esteemed team of animals. I realize this is a big commitment to a pride you barely know...but I see you becoming a hero for my people. I would love to see a former rogue rise up and becoming something...well...bigger," she said with a snicker.

Nuha breathed heavily, feeling a rush of heat and nervousness.

[Leorgathar]

“I must… be getting… close… now…” Khari said between gasps of air. His fur barely protected his body from the Sun’s scorching heat, his mouth dry from the constant panting. He realized in the midst of his trip how poor his choice was to travel in the early afternoon with an empty stomach. His only motivation to keep moving was the slight hope that the edge of the jungle he looked for would appear before him anytime. “Maybe… at the other side… of this dune…”

With a last boost of strength, the young prince climbed up to the top of a tall dune. His eyes had to adjust for a minute to the brightness of the endless sand landscape that stood in front of him on the other side. But there was nothing more than that, only sand. Sand everywhere as far as his dry eyes could see. His teeth clenched tight until he could no longer hold a roar of despair, finally admitting that he was lost.

“DAMMIT! WHERE IS IT!?”

Khari threw claws and kicks to the sand furiously, making him lose his balance and fall rolling down a steep side of the dune. When he reached the base and came around, he spat a mouthful of sand and decided to lay down and rest right there.

“What am I doing?” he asked himself, instantly regretting every decision he had made up until that point. He had run away from home over a silly angry tantrum, to a place he had only heard about earlier in the day, and not even knowing the right directions. “How could I be so stupid?”

…But of course he knew the answer to that question, he had always been the stupid child, the one who always made the wrong choices and ended up in trouble. And now he was stranded in that darned desert, not even sure of how to retrace his steps to go back home, nor with any hope to get to anywhere.

…Or was there hope?

The more he stared at the horizon, many blurry shapes began to appear like a mirage. Tree shapes, a whole jungle right in front of him. Khari smiled weakly, but with a newfound determination to move forward.

“There it is... I found it! I finally found it!” The young prince couldn’t contain his excitement and ran towards the mirage jungle. The shapes became bigger and bigger as he got closer. It was real! And waiting for him right at the jungle’s entrance there was a juicy antelope leg, laying just there. Khari couldn’t think of a better way to feel welcome into the jungle than that. Khari reached the jungle and immediately attacked the piece of meat as if it were live prey. Only there was no meat. He almost broke a tooth biting a dry, meatless bone.

“Ow! What the...?” Khari was confused. Soon as he took a better look around him, he saw there were bones scattered everywhere over the ground. The trees he had seen from afar were now elephant ribs and tusks. Everything was bones.

“The Elephant Graveyard? No! This can’t be right!” The Prince panicked, could he have been going in the wrong direction the whole time? Yes, of course he was, Geography wasn’t his favorite subject in his studies… Zazu would be mad.

Seeing as there was virtually no hope for him back in the desert, the only way for him was to keep moving forward into the jungle of bones. As he ventured deeper, the air reeked of putrid death, and the fog in the place became thicker, blurring his vision of his surroundings. “How in Mufasa’s name did I end up here?”

“What are you doing here? This is no place for a prince,” a sinister voice reverberated from somewhere in the bones and boulders around Khari. A paralyzing chill ran down the lion’s spine, opening his eyes wide and tensing all of his facial muscles.

“W-who said that!? I-I-I’m not afraid!”

“Your grandfather would know.” The creepy voice added.

“Ok now I’m afraid…” Khari said almost in a breathless whisper. “C-come on! This isn’t funny! I-I am Royalty! I o-order you to show yourself! … please?”