The Story of the Lion Guard


Kion, Nyota, and Bunga made their way back to Pride Rock, where the King and Queen, along with the Royal Mjuzi, heard the loud roar that came from the young Prince. Rafiki had a huge smile on his face, "He is ready!" he announced.

"No, Rafiki. He can't possibly be ready." Simba rebuffed. "He's still a cub."

The old mandrill moved to stand beside the King, "Simba, Simba." he spoke, patting the lion's mane before bonking him on the head, "You heard the Roar!"

"I heard it. It's just..." Simba sighed, looking down. "It's a big responsibility. I need more time to prepare him."

"I think you've just run out of time Simba." his mate noted, "You need to tell him."

"But, Nala..." Simba argued.

But the Queen was already walking off into the den, "Listen to Rafiki, Simba."

"Kion is ready." Rafiki repeated, leaning close to the adult lion. "It is time."

"Time for what?" Kion and Nyota asked in unison as they stepped up onto Pride Rock.

"Dad?" Kion raised an eyebrow, looking up at Simba.

"Papa Rafiki?" Nyota's expression matched Kion's. "What's going on?"

Rafiki nudged Simba's shoulder with his elbow, earning a glare from the King before he faced his son, "Son, we need to talk..."

Kion's ears lowered and he backed up, "Dad, we already had that talk. 'Can you feel the love tonight...'" he rolled his eyes and shook his head, "I know all about that mushy stuff!" Nyota crinkled her nose in agreement.

A laugh escaped Simba's muzzle before he cleared his throat, "It's not that, Kion." he clarified.

"No, no. Most definitely not that." Rafiki agreed, walking up to the young prince, "We have heard your Roar! Yes, yes!"

"Yeah. It was-" Kion exchanged a glance with Nyota and Bunga, "-uh, kinda different today."

"Different?" Rafiki repeated, leaning closer to the cub's face, "Different you say?" he jumped back quickly and twirled around, chuckling.

"Oh boy, I hate it when he gets like this." Nyota shook her head. "Crazy, old mandrill."

"It is the Roar of the Elders!" Rafiki announced, "When you use it, the great lions of the Pride Lands' past roar with you."

"What?" Kion questioned, looking from Rafiki to Simba, "You mean that's what happened to my roar?"

"Yeah, lions in the sky! I saw that!" Bunga exclaimed. "Nya saw it too!"

"Did you now?" Rafiki got in the young lioness's face.

"I guess." Nyota backed up, "I thought I was seeing things or something."

"The Roar of the Elders is a great gift, Kion." Simba told his son. "It will make you the fiercest animal in the Pride Lands. But..."

"But what?" the young prince pressed, raising his brow.

Simba turned to Rafiki for help, but the mandrill shook his head, "No, no, Simba. It is you who must tell Kion about the Lion Guard."

"The Lion Guard?" Kion repeated. "What's that?"

Simba motioned for his son to follow him. Rafiki followed after the king and prince, "Come along my little cub, this is something you must hear as well." he patted Nyota's head.

"Um, okay." Nyota followed her guardian, with Bunga close behind. She leapt down the rock stairs, catching up with Rafiki. Suddenly, his staff came down and knocked her on the head, "Yowch!" she whined, her paw moving to her head.

"That was for calling me crazy and old." Rafiki scolded, continuing down the path.

Nyota rubbed the soreness away before padding behind the mandrill, "Sorry papa." she apologized.


Simba stopped by a large fall of vines at the base of Pride Rock, earning confused looks from Kion, Nyota, and Bunga. "It's a bunch of vines?" questioned the honey badger.

"Rafiki." Simba spoke, giving a nod.

The mandrill stood on a rock and pulled the vines aside with his bakora staff, revealing a secret entrance. "Whoa!" gasped the two young cubs.

"Look at that!" gasped the honey badger.

Simba led them inside the large cave, which was dark, dusty, and covered in overgrown vines. "How did we not know this was here?" Kion looked around.

"Seriously." added Nyota, who walked side-by-side with Kion, "I thought we explored all of Pride Rock."

"Dad, what is this place?" Kion asked, running up to Simba.

"This is Lion Guard Lair." the King answered. "It's the secret meeting place for the members of the Lion Guard."

"Ugh!" Bunga coughed, brushing away some vines from his face. "Maybe they should think about fixin' the place up." he coughed again. "Or at least do some dusting."

Rafiki popped up in front of Bunga, spooking him, pondering on what the honey badger had said. "Yes." he agreed, swinging from the vines, landing on a small rock-ledge. He pointed his bakora staff at the small opening above, a large gust of wind blowing all throughout the lair, blowing away all the plants and dust.

"Ah! That's more like it." Bunga nodded in approval. "Can you show that trick to my Uncle Timon and Uncle Pumbaa?" Rafiki simply chuckled.

"Dad, enough with all the secrecy stuff!" Kion looked from the lair walls to his father, "You gotta tell me. What is the Lion Guard?" Nyota stood beside Kion, looking at the paintings all over the wall.

"The Lion Guard is the team that protects the Pride Lands and defends the Circle of Life." Simba informed, standing beside his son. "According to tradition, the Lion Guard is made of the Pride Lands' fiercest, bravest, wisest, fastest, strongest, and keenest of sight."

"So what happened to them?" Kion asked, "It looks like they haven't been in here since...forever."

"I'm afraid it's a story without a happy ending." Simba sighed, moving to a cluster of paintings not too far from where they currently stood. He looked to Rafiki, who nodded, lifting his staff. A painting glowed and started to move.

"Whoah." gasped the three young ones, who ran up to the wall.

Simba glanced down and met his son's eyes, "When your grandfather Mufasa was about your age, his younger brother, Scar, was leader of the Lion Guard. Scar also had the gift of the Roar." he explained, as another painting depicting Scar and his Guard glowed, and another of Scar using the Roar. "The Roar made Scar feel powerful. But that power went to Scar's head. He began to think that he should be king, instead of his older brother Mufasa." Simba continued. "So Scar ordered the Lion Guard to help him take down Mufasa. When the Guard refused, Scar was furious. And then, Scar used the Roar to destroy the Lion Guard." the panting showed Scar roaring, blowing away the other five lions in his Guard. "What Scar didn't realize was that by using the Roar for evil, he would lose the power of the Roar completely."

"Heyvi kabisa." Kion and Nyota gasped together, their eyes wide.

"Yeah." Bunga agreed.

"The Roar is a very powerful gift." Rafiki informed. "It can be used for great good." he tapped the young prince's nose, "But it can also lead to terrible evil." he tapped his chest with his staff.

"Well, I'd never be like Scar." Kion promised. "Ever!"

Nyota smiled, "Not as long as I'm here." she rubbed against Kion's side, her cheek laying against his shoulder. Kion smiled down at her and rubbed his forehead against hers.

Simba too smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. Because starting today, you are the leader of the new Lion Guard."

Kion shook his head, "I'm the what?" he repeated.

"He's the what?" Nyota questioned at the same time.

Rafiki chuckled, "You heard Simba. The leader of the new Lion Guard! It is you!" he pointed his staff in Kion's face.

The prince looked up at his father, who nodded in agreement. "And now, as leader of the Guard, I need you to assemble the Pride Lands' bravest, wisest, fastest, strongest, and keenest of sight."

"Okay, Dad. Got it!" Kion took off towards the lair's entrance. "Don't worry. I'm gonna make you proud!"

"Wait for me, Kion!" Nyota called, running after the prince.


The two slowed their pace and walked side by side. "Wow! Me! Leader of the Lion Guard." Kion repeated, still in shock over the new revelation.

Beside him, Nyota smiled. She bumped his shoulder with hers, "I always knew you were meant for something great." she told him.

Kion raised an eyebrow, looking at the lioness, "Really?"

"Of course." Nyota confirmed, running ahead then turning to face him, their eyes meeting.

A smile crossed his muzzle and Kion laid his head over Nyota's, his chin resting on top of her head, "Thanks Nya. That means a lot."

"What are best friends for?" Nyota closed her eyes and rubbed her cheek against Kion's chest. "I know you'll be a great leader." She pulled back and the two smiled at eachother.

Before another word could be said, Bunga called out for the two cubs. A second later, he slid past them and landed in the watering hole, splashing said cubs. "Bunga!" they groaned, their faces soaked.

"Ready to start assembling the Lion Guard?" Bunga questioned, swinging his arms, which only caused more splashes. "Huh? Now? Yeah? Huh?"

"Yes!" Kion answered, "Just stop splashing us!" Nyota nodded, water dripping from her chin.

"Oh." Bunga chuckled, "Sorry, Kion. Sorry Nya."

"Hakuna matata, Bunga." Nyota replied, shaking herself dry.

Kion did the same. "Now c'mon!" he ran ahead. "Time to assemble the Lion Guard!" Nyota and Bunga followed close behind. "Dad said the Lion Guard needs the Pride Lands'-"

"-bravest, wisest, strongest, fastest, and keenest of sight." Nyota listed.

Kion nodded, "So I think I'll go ask the bravest animal in the Pride Lands first."

"Kion, wait!" Bunga halted, cutting off Kion's path. "Before you go asking whoever you think is the bravest, think about this...I might not be the biggest honey badger. But I know what's in my heart. And I'm not afraid of anything, or anyone!"

Nyota glanced at Kion, their eyes meeting, "I know, Bunga." Kion replied, "That's why..."

Bunga cut him off, "I'll help the Lion Guard fight hyenas. Or jackals! Or crocodiles! Or vultures! Or great big rock slides or wild fires or floods!" he rattled off, "I will stand with the Lion Guard! I'll never give up! I'll, I'll..."

Nyota placed her paw over Bunga's mouth to silence him, "Bunga, stop talking so he can ask you to join the Lion Guard." she said, removing her paw.

"Say what?" Bunga questioned.

Kion smiled, "Come on, Bunga! You're the bravest animal I know!" he told the honey badger. "I want you to be the first to join the new Lion Guard."

A wide grin spread across the honey badger's face as he jumped up and cheered, "Zuka Zama! You couldn't have made a better choice. We're gonna make a great team." he hugged the lion cub's leg. "I can't wait to tell Uncle Timon and Uncle Pumbaa."

Unknown to the three, there was a vulture perched up on the tree not too far from them, that heard every word about the Lion Guard. "I wonder if Janja knows about the Lion Guard?" Mzingo got up from his perch and flew into the Outlands to inform the hyena leader of the new development.


A/N: Double feature everyone! Hope you enjoy this new chapter. Thanks to the first two reviewers/followers of this story DBROWN13 and Demongirl123. Stay tuned, the next act will have the first musical number.