BETA: TheSupernova
Chapter 4: Bittersweet Pain
Jasiri had been given a clean bill of health by Rafiki not just hours ago, but that was only relative to her pregnancy. The changes in Jasiri's body to accommodate her newborn lion cub were progressing far more rapidly then Rafiki had anticipated.
Her joints and muscles ached most of the day, and when she wasn't in pain, she was sleeping. Jasiri's stomach and lower abdomen often felt like a rolling thunder storm had strolled in and decided to make itself at home. She had hot flashes, then cold ones, and Jasiri wished her body would make up its mind.
Today was particularly troublesome. Her core felt as if it were on fire, an unbearable heat radiating out from her bones. Jasiri felt as if she were cooking from the inside out. She managed to drag her body to the edge of the watering hole, and dunked herself in for a short swim.
The sun continued to crawl high along the sky, and Kion had yet to check in on her. She was getting anxious, though realistically Jasiri had no reason to be. Kion had his duties as leader of the Lion Guard, so he was often busy.
Something felt off; the hot, stale air unnerved her. Jasiri felt as if the eye of the storm had chanced upon her.
These days, her body wouldn't let her move far from the den Kion helped create for her. She had only made it halfway before her legs gave out and she dropped to the ground where she stood. She fell asleep the moment her head hit the ground.
"…siri. Jasiri," Kiara called out gently. She nudged the sleepy hyena with her paw. "I have some bad news…"
"I get the feeling that Janja is up to something," Jasiri said. "The early attack on the Pride Lands is meant as a distraction, it has to be."
Kiara tilted her head in thought, but before she could say anything, the cackling of three unwelcome hyenas popped behind them.
"Very perceptive of you, Jasiri," Janja said. "We needed Kion and the Lion Guard out of the way, far out of the way."
Jasiri took a fighting stance.
"Janja! What are you planning?" Jasiri yelled.
She barely got two feet before Kiara shut her down. As much as Jasiri hated to back down from a fight, the princess was right. Jasiri's body couldn't take a fight, three-on-one.
"I may be Princess, but if anything happens to you and his cub, it'll still be my fault," Kiara hissed angrily. "So back off."
Kiara stood her ground, confronting Janja and his gang with the confidence that would one day make Kiara a good queen. But Janja had somehow anticipated this. He played to Kiara's protective instincts; Kiara's connection and duty to her pride over her loyalty to her brother and his hyena lover.
Her pride or the hyena.
That's when Jasiri knew that Janja hadn't come up with this plan on his own. Scar's plan was beginning to take shape.
The invasion was never about taking over the Pridelands, not directly. No, Scar wanted the Lion Guard out of the way. He wanted to destroy the Lion Guard once and for all.
Beginning with Kion.
