Chapter 14 nymphs and crystals
Lewis, Cleo, Rikki, Zane, the lion guard, Kiara, Kovu, Tiifu and Zuri were hanging around the RV. Lewis was telling the animals about a short film he and Zane made for a contest (kind of by accident.)
Zane was in the water screaming "Shark! Shark!" Cleo, Rikki and the pridelanders laughed.
"For a bad boy, you looked scared Zane!" laughed Fuli.
"Yeah you should've seen your face Zane, you sure were frightened!" agreed Zuri.
Zane blushed in embarrassment.
"I wasn't afraid by the way," he said. "I was just acting so Lewis could have his moment as a star at the competition."
The others just laughed.
"Yeah right Zane," said Kovu.
"Good thing Rikki used her heat powers to save you" said Beshte kindly.
"What is that you were doing before that shark's fin knocked you into the water?" asked Kiara.
"It looks like fun!" added Bunga.
"It's called windsurfing," explained Zane. "Surfing is when you ride the waves on a board, but windsurfing is when you add a sail to the board like a boat. My dad set a record for windsurfing." He boasted.
"What's the sail for?" asked Ono.
"Some boats have a sail," said Lewis. "When the wind blows through the sail, it makes it go. That's what we call wind power."
"I brought by windsurfing board," said Zane. "I'll show you how it works."
JAW
The group gathered around lake Shangaza. Zane set up a windsurf board at the water's edge. Lewis checked the wind.
"The wind is picking up" he said.
Zane placed his windsurf board out in the water and got on. Then the wind filled the sail and Zane started riding it all over the lake.
The lion guard and the humans/mermaids watched as Zane rode his windsurf board across the lake. They were really impressed.
"Zane looks like he's having fun" said Tiifu.
"I so want him to teach me to do that!" said Bunga excitedly.
Cleo suddenly noticed something was rising up from the water. It looked like a human head!
"Look out Zane!" cried Cleo.
Zane noticed the head too and tried to turn the windsurf board, but he fell off and splashed in the water.
"Are you alright Zane?" called Kion.
"I think so" muttered Zane. He looked around the water, the head was gone. But the rest of the group noticed what looked like a human girl rising up from the water and walking through the shallows.
She looked like she was in her early teens. She had long, straight dirty blond hair, and wore a flowing, pale blue dress.
The girl walked on to dryland. The animals, humans and mermaids walked over to her. She didn't seem surprised to see other humans and animals together.
"Who are you?" asked Kiara.
"Name's Arabella," said the girl. "I'm a nymph."
"What's a nymph?" asked Kiara.
"Nymphs are minor nature goddesses," explained Lewis. "They are associated with trees, water, meadows and springs."
"I'm a water nymph," said Arabella. "I come and go from a lot of lakes and rivers around the world. It's the job of a water nymph to make the water of the world clean and beautiful."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Arabella," said Kion. "I'm Kion. This is my sister Kiara, and our friends, Bunga, Fuli, Ono, Beshte, Tiifu, Zuri, Kovu, Zane, Emma, Rikki, Cleo, Bella, Will and Lewis."
When Arabella looked at them, she looked surprised.
"Your mermaids!" she said to the girls.
They were all speechless.
"How did you know?" asked Emma.
"Nobody told you" added Will.
"Nymphs are magical creatures too," said Arabella. "But unlike most magical creatures, I'm somewhat a goddess, so I can tell who fellow magical creatures are." She then looked at Kiara, Kovu and Fuli.
"I can sense mermaid magic in you three too," she said. "Though I've never seen mermaid forms in lions and cheetahs."
"We fell into a moon pool that was created in the Outlands," explained Kiara. "That's how we became mercubs."
"Very interesting" muttered Arabella.
"We should take her to Pride rock," said Kion. "My parents would want to meet her."
The others agreed and they, along with the nymph left the lake. But they didn't see Mwoga, one of Mzingo's vultures hiding in the hole of a tree nearby listening to their conversation. He decided to let Scar know about this.
JAW
In the Outlands, the Outsiders and the hyenas were lounging around in the volcano. Nobody was speaking to each other unless they had too and just stuck with their own species due to the dislike between lions and hyenas.
Nuka was leaping enthusiastically into the volcano holding a cream-colored flower in his jaw.
"Mother!" he cried. Zira sighed and looked up at her oldest child. "What is it Nuka?" she sighed.
"I was around the boarder of the Pridelands," said Nuka holding up the flower proudly. "And I picked the flower for you as a late mothers' day present."
Zira looked at the flower, she frowned and sliced the head off with a claw.
"Unless you bring me Simba's head," she declared indigently. "Any mothers' day present is unsatisfying."
Mwoga flew into the volcano calling Scar's name.
Scar erupted from the flames and looked at Mwoga.
"What is it?" he asked with interest.
"I thought you'd might like to know," said Mwoga. "That there's another magical creature in the Pridelands."
"Is she another mermaid?" asked Chungu with interest.
"She looks like a human," said Mwoga. "But she said she's a nymph."
"Nymphs," snarled Scar narrowing his eyes. "Those god-like creatures are always spoiling the world. Making it all cheery and colorful."
He then thought for a moment.
"What is a nymph doing in the Pridelands anyway?" he asked.
"She said she moves around as she pleases" said Mwoga.
Scar smirked at the vulture. "Go back to the Pridelands and get more information about the nymph," he said. "I'm interested to know about this new ally to the lion guard."
JAW
The Pridelanders and the humans/mermaids brought Arabella to Pride rock. They were talking to Simba and Nala.
"She's another magical being?" asked Nala.
"Yes mom," said Kiara. "She's a nymph."
They looked over at Arabella who was skipping and twirling gingerly around Pride rock's base. They watched at how graceful she looked.
"Nymphs are basically goddesses," said Lewis. "Their associated with nature, even though they're not as mighty as most gods."
Arabella walked over to the royal lions and curtsied; "Your highnesses" she said. She didn't look at all surprised to see that the animals could talk.
"It's nice to meet you Arabella" said Simba.
"You too your majesties" said Arabella.
Arabella then noticed the crystal necklace Bella wore.
"Where did you get that?" she asked.
"Out of a moon pool in Ireland" answered Bella.
"Ah yes," said Arabella. "The caves where all the magical moon pools in the world are filled with these crystals. "They are very magical. They hold the magic of the moonlight."
"The moonlight?" asked Bunga.
"Well the full moon is basically how Cleo, Rikki, Emma, Bella, Kiara, Kovu and I became mermaids" reminded Fuli.
Nobody noticed Mwoga hiding underneath the base, listening to the conversation.
"The world is full of many magical beings," said Arabella. "Many get their powers through different things, especially naturistic objects. Even though I've never seen mermaid magic in animals before."
"I guess it's never happened before with animals" said Rikki.
"But what does the moonlight have to do with the crystals in the moon pools?" asked Tiifu.
"The moon is very powerful," explained Arabella. "It controls water, but on nights when the moon is full is what it's powers are the strongest."
"Do you think we should check to see if the cave where the moon pool is has any crystals?" asked Kion.
"I believe we should" said Arabella.
JAW
Mwoga flew back to the Outlands and told Scar about Arabella and the crystals in the cave. Scar smiled evilly at the vultures.
"Thank you for the information Mwoga," he said. "Perhaps these crystals could be a great use to us. Send Kiburi and his float."
Mwoga nodded and flew off.
JAW
The lion guard, Kiara, Kovu, Tiifu, Zuri and the humans/mermaids took Arabella through the Outlands. Arabella had gone from bubbly and happy to miserable and upset as they walked through the Outlands.
"I hate wastelands!" she complained. "It has no water and no plants and trees; it has no nature at all."
"The Pridelanders couldn't really blame Arabella for feeling upset. When Lewis had told them how naturistic nymphs where, she wasn't used to barren places like the Outlands.
"I don't see how a moon pool cave is anywhere around here" said Arabella.
"I know it's weird," said Cleo. "But you've heard of comet Eva?"
Arabella nodded.
"Well," explained Cleo. "A while back, Bella, Rikki and I saved earth from comet Eva, but a fragment of the comet broke off and it landed here in the Outlands, we believe it created the moon pool and there's a tunnel in the pool that leads to the ocean.
Arabella seemed to understand about the moon pool now.
"The Outlands could use a bit of natural beauty though" she said.
She waved her hands and twirled around, water drops were flying all over the place like a sprinkler, Kiara, Kovu, Fuli and the girls backed up to avoid the water from touching them.
As soon as the water touched the ground, flowers and grass started to rise up. The green and noticeable colors of reds, pinks and yellows stained the wastelands.
"Wow Arabella," said Beshte. "That was good."
"Thanks," said Arabella. "We nymphs have natural powers."
They arrived at the cave. "Okay," said Kion. "Here we are."
Cleo led the way in. Arabella was amazed by the cave and the pool.
"It's beautiful," she said.
"Guys look!" cried Lewis.
Everyone turned to face Lewis. In a crack on the wall in the cave were three blue crystals, just like the ones on Bella, Cleo and Rikki's necklaces.
"There's some more here" said Bunga noticing some on the floor.
"Amazing" said Ono.
"Well," said a voice. The lion guard turned around to see Kiburi's float standing at the entrance. "These are the crystals that Scar wants us to get."
"Go away Kiburi!" growled Kion. "You're not getting any of the crystals."
"Really?" said Kiburi. "What are you gonna do about it?!"
Arabella hid nervously behind Zane.
Kiburi walked in and attempted to grab one of the crystals.
"Cleo," whispered Arabella. "If they get it, they could discover the power of moonlight and that would be trouble with bad guys like Kiburi."
Cleo nodded.
"I have an idea" whispered Arabella.
They two girls walked over to the moon pool.
Kion leapt on Kiburi, two of Kiburi's crocodiles walked forward, Beshte ran into them. Another walked up, Fuli and Rikki used their fire powers to scare the crocodile back up.
"Guys," called Arabella. "Prepare to transform into mermaids and mercubs and humans and regular animals, hold your breaths!"
The crocodiles laughed.
"What's a little girl like you gonna do!?" laughed Kiburi.
"Little girl!" snapped Arabella. "I'm 395 years old!"
Both the humans/mermaids and the animals were surprised to hear Arabella's age, she looked a few years younger than the humans, but she was almost 400 years old.
Arabella and Cleo used their water powers to make the water from the moon pool rise and a big wave washed everyone out of the caves, Kion, Bunga, Beshte, Ono, Tiifu, Zuri and the boys held their breaths as the wave overpowered them.
Cleo, Emma, Rikki, Bella, Kiara, Kovu and Fuli were lying on the ground in their mermaid forms.
The crocodiles looked dazed and then ran off.
"Thanks Cleo, Arabella" said Kiara.
"It was nothing," said Arabella. "I hope those crocodiles don't underestimate a nymph who looks like a kid again."
And everyone laughed.
Author's note; I thought I'd add another magical creature from the water into this story that wasn't a mermaid. Sorry this chapter took so long.