Chapter fourteen: This Means War!
"So, our little scheme actually worked." Scar reviewed, thoughtfully.
"Mhmhmhm, indeed." Shupavu chuckled.
"Excellent!" Scar jeered. "Then I believe the trap is set. Gather my army;... it is time to begin." The tone he set with this last statement would strike fear into anyone that were to hear it. But only the skinks heard this, though; and they only felt and undyingly, pleasureful bliss from it.
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"There's gotta be a way to stop him." Kion was saying. He paced back and forth anxiously; his paws padding across the dusty stone floor. "The cave of secrets below the Lair showed us that we are the key to defeating great evil.." Kion stated aloud. "We know what our great evil is, but not the way we need to defeat him. What are we missing?!" He resumed his pacing, as everyone else lounged around, watching him.
"Calm down, Kion." Fuli told him. "We'll figure it out. We always do."
"Yeah, but we need to do it soon." Kion returned anxiously. "I don't feel right staying here when the Pridelands need us. Now more than ever we have to defeat Scar." The cub went back to pacing once more, when he heard something that made him stop dead in his tracks. Looking up, he darted for the door.
"Kion?!" Simba called after him. Everyone getting up to race after him. Kion however ran to the edge of Pride Rock and gazed down. His amber eyes hardening and his eyebrows furrowing across his face. When the rest of the animals arrived at his side, they all gasped.
Below them was a parade of animals; all Outlanders. Hyenas, crocs, jackals, vultures... even Kenge had returned.
"Dad?" Kion looked to his father, a stoic look on his tense face.
"Scar has sent his army into battle." Simba said finally. "This means war." Everyone eyes widened, the whole atmosphere shifting to a heavy darkened feeling hanging in the air, as a wind began to blow gently at them. Simba heard the vague whisper of a guiding force that said "go", and he stared out at the approaching army with a stonefaced glare.
"Then what do we do, Dad?" Kiara asked.
"We fight back." Kion answered for him bravely. "We can't let Scar take control of the Pridelands again. Not after what he did to it, during his reign as king."
"You're right about that son." Simba said, still staring outwards. He finally broke his gaze to look at Kion. "But I still want you to stay here."
"But Dad-"
"This attack could be another way to draw you out into another trap." The King told the cub. "I can't take that risk." He shifted his attention up to his left. "Makini. Stay with Kion and watch over him. The rest of you; we are going into battle.
"But dad, I can help. I have the Roar, I can finish them off. I-"
"I know you want to help." But it's too dangerous this time. Please, Kion. Sit this one out." Simba's gently eyes reflected his understanding of Kion's situation, and the cub lowered his head in defeat.
"Okay." The cub finally gave in.
"Good." The king looked up again. "Nala gather the lionesses and prepare them for battle. Lion Guard; come with me... We need to make our stand against Scar's army." Simba's grave look, sent chills rippling up Kion's spine. As worry began to build up in him; and it only grew when they began making their way down Pride Rock. Makini stood back, her heart went out to him in silent pity for what the young leader was going through; wishing she could help him in some way.
The dry ground crunched under their feet, Zazu landed on Simba's shoulder; the King and the Guard behind him glaring at the unwanted guests.
"Well, well, well, it looks like the welcoming committee is here to greet us." Janja snickered spitefully.
"This is not where you belong, Janja." Simba declared firmly. "Return to the Outlands, now." His voice slightly hardened.
"I don't think you understand, your majesty, but this is our home now." Rei Rei corrected. "And you are not welcome here anymore."
"The Pridelands are our territory now!" Kiburi announced smoothly.
"If you think.. that I'll just leave, and hand off the Pridelands to the likes of you and your leader, Scar, you are sorely mistaken." Simba snarled. "I will only make that mistake once."
"Have it your way." Janja shrugged. "Get 'em boys!"
"Jackals, attack!!" Rei Rei howled.
"Attack!" Mzingo squawked.
"Crocodiles! Take down the King!" Kiburi thundered.
"No, you won't!" Nala called from a rock above them, as her lionesses appeared around her. Simba's mighty roar sounded and the Pridelanders lunged forward into battle, the Outlanders responding with pleasure.
"Guys, keep Kenge away from the King!" Fuli called.
"You got it, Fuli!" Beshte called. "Twende Kiboko!" Bunga leapt onto the hippo's back, as he charged toward the lizard. Beshte caught him by stepping on his tail and back.
"*grunt* Let me go!" Kenge snarled snapping back at him. Bunga jumped down and, landing on his head, hugged his arms around the lizard's jaws and held on.
"How 'bout we play a little game called quiet lizard." The honey badger decided cheekily. Kenge only struggled more, Ono dove down toward them. Spinning around Kenge's head, he looped a vine in the air and Bunga got out of the way just in time; as it tightened around the monitor lizard's snout, locking his jaws in place.
"Well that takes care of that." Ono stated, as Beshte released him and the lizard tried to shake off the vine tied to his face.
Rafiki peered slyly out of the corners of his eyes, glancing one way, then the other. Hyenas snarled and growled all around him. The first one came and the mandrill evaded it's bite; dodging and attacking the rest as they came.
"Ah haha! *Sigh* I think I am enjoying this more than they are right now." Rafiki laughed blissfully; leaning casually on his staff.
"Can't we save the chit chat for after the battle?! Kinda busy fighting to stay alive here!" Fuli affirmed, half sarcastically.
"Hm." The mandrill realized, looking around at the raging battle. "Very well." Rafiki instinctively re-entered the battle due to an attempted sneak attack from Cheezi and Chungu.
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Kion's claws dug into the stone, his amber eyes tracking every fight amongst the large cluster of swinging claws and sharp talons. Kion's heart swelled with a viciously passionate anger, as a fire grew more and more at the sight before him. Feeling the wind pick up and a darkened shadow fall upon him, he diverted his attention to the skies above; the darkness suddenly fleeing from sight. Forcing himself to distinguish the flaming seed of anger within him, he gazed to his left as Ono clipped the wing of a vulture. Sending it hurtling toward the ground.
"Ono, come here!" He called, waving the egret over to him with his head.
"What is it Kion?" He asked, landing next to him.
"I have an idea." The cub responded simply, then leaned down to whisper in his ear.
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Far beyond the battle, a fair distance from the Pride Rock;.. a decent sized rock concealed a glimmering face.
"How goes the battle." Scar demanded gazing up.
"Progressing." Ushari reported, slithering down from the rock. "Pride Rock should fall momentarily.
"Excellent!" Scar purred. "The day is nearly ours. And I shall finally have my prize." Scar turned to stare at nothing in particular. "Soon Simba... your reign shall finally end!"
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Kion finally withdrew, "got it?"
"Affirmative!" The egret saluted and took off once more. Looking down, though, Kion's heart leaped by what he saw.
Fuli scratched at Kiburi and his crocs who had blocked her, Kiara, Tifu, and Zuri in against some trees. Bunga swung a stick at Kenge to keep him back away from himself and Beshte. The jackals had surrounded a few of the lionesses; and the rest, along with Simba and Nala, were cornered against Pride Rock by the hyenas and Rei Rei. The vultures would dive down occasionally to snap at them. Kion's anger spiked, but he was suddenly empowered push it away. He assumed his position, he let out a roar that flattened the crocs upon impact.
"Ssscar! Kion is using his roar to take down your armies!" Ushari reported regretfully.
"Meddlesome cub!" Scar cursed under his breath. "Then I believe we must silence him... permanently. Skinks! Fetch me a vulture, we need to put an end to the Pridelanders.. upper handed advantage."
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Kion turned and roared again; this time delivering a blow to Kenge, who dug his claws into the ground to resist the blast. But, ultimately, he lost his grip and was blown away.
"Vultures take out Kion, on Pride Rock!" Mzingo ordered. Mwoga and a couple other vultures circled around toward him. Kion took a couple cautious steps back, before stepping forward again and roared in a blast just small enough to send them back away from him. They managed to land and Kion dodged their pecks and batted them away off the edge of Pride Rock.
"Woah!" Makini cried, as a vulture dove down, snapping at her head. Another one came, and she ducked to the ground; her staff clattering to the floor next to her. Shupavu and her skinks took this opportunity to spring from their hiding places in the crevices of the rocks, to snatch up the staff and scurry off with it into the cave.
"Hey! Come back with my bacora!!!" The young Mjuzi cried, racing after them.
Centering him self, Kion diverted his roar to the jackals scattering them away from the lionesses. The cub, then, ran his roar down the line of hyenas pushing them back, like a domino effect. Unbeknownst to him, a sly figure peeked out from the rocks a short distance around him. A sizzling rattle sounded, as they began their silent approach.
The plot thickens... or so I hope. Anticipating the response to this. Interested to see if this grabs your attention, and I bet it's a bit obvious who's sneaking up on Kion. But I guess we'll have to see how it all goes down. Til then... enjoy!! Thx!!