Two Weeks Later, Noon in The Pridelands
The other Guardians watched as Kilio scaled a large tree with the greatest of ease, and Makoto couldn't help but think back to how his attempt at climbing went for him. Partly out of his own thoughts, but mostly because Ojore brought it up again. "See that, Makoto? That's how you climb a tree." He said, the mirthful prodding in his voice. Makoto simply narrowed his eyes, before making a retort. "Let's see how he does coming back down." Makoto said, a little too defensively. Taka intervened.
"Now, to be fair, I don't think anyone here would have had the courage to climb as high as Makoto did." Almost as if on cue, Ojore laughed. "Did you miss the fact that I'm the Bravest?" He taunted, letting out that characteristic, haughty laugh of his that just screamed 'I'm braver and better than you all'. Even Kilio could read that in his tone, not that he was going to comment on it. He left that to Taka. "The word I used was 'courage'. After all, it's easy to be brave when you don't understand you're in danger." Taka responded, and Ojore simply rolled his eyes. "Or maybe I just understand fear is a weakness. And once you and the other prince up there realize that, maybe you two won't chicken out so much during our 'training'." Ojore taunted.
Mikali snickered at that, mostly because he knew exactly what Ojore meant by that. "Heh… Funny that the two future kings were the ones that backed away from a challenge." Mikali had chimed in finally, but if that had rankled Kilio he showed no signs of letting it distract from his work. In fact, it was Taka who had taken the most offense to that. "You know, Mufasa and Kumari don't take unnecessary risks, and everyone says their 'wise beyond their years'. But I exercise a little caution, and all the lionesses call me a coward for it. Every problem can't be solved by brute strength and blind machismo." Yes, Taka was simply parroting what his father Ahadi had told him, but that didn't mean there wasn't truth to those words. Especially since those words applied to Taka's role as the leader.
Kilio's ice-colored eyes had been glowing the entire time, not that anyone was paying attention. However, when he spoke up over his teammates' conversation, it was with urgency. "Guys! Hyenas! And a rogue! Coming from two different directions!" He said, conveying the relevant information as quickly as possible. And in that instant, the cubs were no longer playmates or friends but turned into the defenders of the Pride, united under Taka's leadership. And Taka's next words were swift and clear.
"Where are they headed?" He asked clearly, and Kilio's eyes glowed again. "The rogue is approaching the Queen and her huntresses from the west, from out of the Kuatan Jungle! While the hyenas are swarming the Gorge, and they've surrounded Mufasa and the girls!" And with those words, Taka's eyes went wide from alarm for just a moment before the gears started turning. After a moment, his orders became clear.
"Makoto! Go find my Dad and lead him to Mom and the others. Mikali, Ojore, you get a head start in that direction as well; Makoto and Dad should catch up with you guys by the time you find the hunting party. Kilio, you're with me. Till the Pridelands end…" Taka need not finish the creed as the five juvenile Gaurdians sprang into action.
"LION GUARD DEFEND!"
The Gorge, Moments before Kilio's Report
Sarafina and Changa were uncertain, especially right now as the sun reflected off of the bleached rock surfaces that was the Gorge. "I… I'm starting to have second thoughts." Sarafina voiced aloud, and Sarabi breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't her who said this. She would merely follow it up. "Maybe Sarafina has a point. Our parents always warned us about playing near the Gorge, you know." To that Mufasa raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah, and they also warned against going near the northern river, the western caves, the eastern forests and the southern drylakes. Notice that all of those are places where the Lion Guard can go with impunity." Mufasa divulged, and the golden cub hissed those last few words out with noticeable disgust. "Seriously, Taka and his friends get to have all the fun. I bet they aren't even 'defending' the Pridelands right now!" Mufasa let his thoughts loose, thankful that no adults were around to hear him. Changa looked around, almost as though to ensure the coast was clear, before making her opinion known. "Yeah, and worse, Ojore and Mikali don't shut up about how they no longer have to sneak around to the cool places. They're always on about how 'Only the Bravest Lions go there' and 'Only the Strongest Lions can survive the dangers there'. Ugh!" Sarabi and Sarafina had to concede; Mikali and Ojore could be jerks about their statuses. Makoto was a little better about it, in so much as he was less boastful than the larger cubs. However, even he could at time carry himself as though he was a prince and he had a habit of ensuring that others could see the lionhead mark on his shoulder. The girls found it cute in moderation, not that they were going to voice that aloud at this moment.
"Well, I'm pretty strong! And pretty brave, too. If that's all that's required, then I can do the Lion Guard's duty in my sleep." Mufasa puffed out his chest, and perhaps he really meant that as he strutted in front of the girls as confidently as he did. Sarafina crinkled her nose at that; she wondered how Mufasa could be so unironically full of himself just as they were lambasting the other Guardians for just that reason.
"In fact, I'll bet I can handle mangy poachers like hyenas with my eyes closed and one paw behind my back." Mufasa chuckled out, and if Sarabi didn't believe in precognitive magic, she certainly started to believe it right now. She felt a chill go down her spine as the golden prince tempted fate, and at the same time a pungent smell masked the entire area with its presence. Changa and Sarafina's faces dropped as Sarabi let out a gasp of terror at what she beheld.
"Sounds like good odds to me." A hyenic voice cackled out, and for a split second Mufasa's eyes dimmed as he froze in his boastful tracks. In the next split second, he whirled around and was greeted with a contingent of hyenas. There were only about 10 of them, and all appeared to be teenagers barely out of puphood. For some reason, however, this didn't put the lion cubs at any more ease as the gathered hyenas cackled and snarled around them. Mufasa backtracked, hoping to put some distance between himself and the optimistic mustelids.
"Hey, Banagi, you actually came up with a good plan." One of the hyenas complimented, and the one who had originally spoken began to give a cackle of triumph. "Yes, and since it was my idea, I think I should get the first cut of the meat." Banagi said, licking his chops as he did. The girls backed away, but Mufasa stood his ground and growled at the approaching adversaries. "You hyenas are in the Pridelands. Leave, now!" Mufasa said, but the golden cub was so unthreatening to the hyenas that their laughter turn to mocking guffaws in short order.
"Leave the orders to the Lion Guard, kid." Banagi taunted, to which Mufasa bared his teeth even more. "Lion Guard?! I have something even greater than the powers of the Lion Guard! I'm the Prince of the Pridelands, and directly related to Queen Uru. And, right here and now, that means you mangy poachers can't so much as lay a paw on me! Not without provoking a war with the Pride! So you all need to leave!" Mufasa stood front and center as he declared this, and for what it was worth some of the younger pups on Banagi's side seemed to falter at the prospect that they might have to face the wrath of the Pride. A war that they could not win, even though they'd definitely try.
"Banagi, umm… I think the kid has a point there." One of the younger teens voiced, and for a moment the lion cubs breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, that might have some… repercussions." The leer that the teenaged leader gave the Pridelanders could have killed a bull elephant with just how hope-crushing it was. "I'm sure Queen Uru will be happy to see her son return to her without a scratch. And she'll tell him that his friends died for a good cause: feeding starving hyenas." And with that, the order was given.
Banagi and his followers leapt right past a frozen Mufasa, and their maws honing in on Sarabi, Sarafina and Changa with almost personal viciousness. Whether it was the fact that rows of teeth were coming right for them, or just pure instinct and proclivity for self-preservation, the lioness cubs scattered. There was no plan, nor any coordination; obvious moves were obvious, and with one accord they girls ran away. "Don't le-" Banagi's orders were interrupted by Mufasa throwing all of the weight his cub body possessed into the teenaged leader's chin. Having been blindsided, Banagi's mouth was slammed shut and he felt blood well up in his mouth.
Being a teenaged hyena, Banagi still possessed the edge in size and strength as compared to the 6 month-old cub, and he was now going to use it. Banagi bit into Mufasa's shoulder, and likely would have broke it if not from Mufasa clawing him across the face. Banagi yelped in surprise, and fortunately for him the golden cub's claws missed his eyes. Either way, this caused Banagi to only do superficial damage to the royal cub and, more than that, allowed him to run away. He caught up with the girls in short order, and as a group all four lion cubs led the hyenas on a chase throughout the gorge.
Although the young hyenas applied their hunting training to confound and trap their prey, the four cubs proved to be as slippery as a frightened feline was stereotyped to be. Just when the hyenas thought they had them, one of the cubs discovered a way to save themselves and their friends. This chase lasted a good 5 minutes before the cubs finally made one false move.
"This way! Move it!" Changa called out, and the other cubs followed. The hyenas just weren't fast enough to stop the young cubs as they clambered up the climbable wall, using their claws to secure their footing as they made for the 'escape tunnel' above them. Only, when they got to the hole in the wall, they discovered that this 'escape tunnel' was in fact just a hole in the wall that only lead to a stony dead-end. Sarabi rounded on the earth-colored cub.
"Good one, doofus!" She insulted, though the panic in her voice was undeniable. "Don't worry we'll just-" Mufasa's thought was interrupted by the snapping jaws of Banagi, who just barely missed his target as Mufasa jumped back with a startled yelp. "We might be stuck here for a while." Mufasa squeaked out submissively to the girls. "I knew this was a bad idea! I just knew it!" Sarafina cried out, tears of fear flowing freely.
"Come on down, kiddies. We got some lunch plans to got on with." One of the youngest hyenas said, the impatience building as he and his packmates jumped up and constantly fell just short of the platform. They were at an impasse, for as long as the lion cubs could hold out. "Give it up! You can't outlast us, cubbies." A female adolescent's voice sounded from below, not that the cubs were going to let that influence their decisions.
However, the next voice that called out was distinctly leonine in origin. "GET OUT OF THE PRIDELANDS! NOW!" Okay, 'voice' was more like 'numerous voices', and there was a bit of an ethereal reverb to those words as they were being spoken. Mufasa swore that it was Taka who spoke, and he looked outside of the cave to be sure that it was indeed his brother.
And, when his eyes were greeted with that confirmation, his face broke into a grin of relief. The hyenas, on the other hand, zeroed in on the Fiercest and the Keenest of Sight that stood before them. The Crown Prince of the Pridelands, and the Crown Prince of the Outlands; Banagi almost couldn't believe the serendipity. "Only two of you? You must really want to be our lunch." Banagi growled out, and seeing their leader stand firm gave the other teenaged hyenas courage. However, Kilio narrowed his eyes.
"You heard what Taka said, hyenas. Or, would you rather take your chances with a fight?" He professionally, yet coldly, asked. Although they were just cubs of 6 months, the two Guardians knew exactly why they were the ones with the advantage. Banagi growled. "First of all, the name's Banagi. Remember it, cause you ain't seen the last of me. Or, rather, they haven't seen the last of me." Banagi had directed that at the cubs above them, causing Mufasa and the lioness cubs to gain looks of confusion as to his meaning.
"Everyone, forget about the peripheral brats! Taking out the next King of the Pridelands is gonna make Mom more than happy with our expedition. Get them!" He ordered, and the other 10 hyenas followed. As soon as the cabal of teenaged mustelids were within range, Taka smirked that characteristic grin that he had inherited from his father.
The lionhead mark on his shoulder glowed brightly as he blasted the hyenas with the Roar of the Elders.