It had been months since that day. We defeated the Komodo Dragons, saved Lumba-Lumba, bid goodbye, and continued on our way.
As of now, we found the next Moja Kwa Moja stone. Makini tapped her staff on the stone, and it showed an image of the Tree of Life like always.
"Look, the Tree of Life," Makini said, " This is the next Moja Kwa Moja stone all right."
"Then we're still on the right path to the Tree of Life," Kion said with a smile.
"But the painting shows a river," I heard Bunga say, "You call this a river?"
Walking up to where Bunga was, Ushari and I looked down to what was in front of us.
It was a dry path where a river would have been.
"What happened to it?" I asked.
"It might've been a big river at some point," Ono explained.
"Landscapes can change overtimes or with the seasons," Ushari added.
"Just like the dry season back home," Kion said.
Suddenly, Ushari pulled his sad face. I noticed and looked at Kion.
"Kion..." I said, shooting him a glare.
There was a certain trait in my personality that you haven't seen yet, and it was my anger. My anger was the kind that was way worse than anyone else's, probably even worsened than a lizard that the Guard told me about once. The fact of letting my anger out is rare that it only happened a couple times a year. Usually I was always close to letting them out.
I continued to glare at Kion until it occurred to him.
"Oh, right," He said.
Fuli walked up to me and looked at Ushari. "Ushari, do you really think it was only you that caused problems for the Pride Lands?" she asked.
"I just did bad stuff that made the dry season difficult for the Pride Landers to go through," Ushari answered.
"Oh, come on!" Bunga said, "It wasn't just you that caused trouble. It was also Janja and his hyenas, Kiburi and his crocs, Reirei and her jackals, and Mzingo and his vultures."
"Yeah, but that doesn't excuse the fact that I did bad things," Ushari said.
"Look," I told him, "The mistakes you made are in the past. You were forgiven, there's no need for you to start feeling upset."
"I know," Ushari said, " It's just whenever I hear things that had to do with the bad things I did, I can't help but feel bad because they keep reminding me."
"Like the dry season?" Bunga joked, only to receive a glare from me and Fuli.
"Anyways," I started, "Ushari, you were forgiven, and you're lucky to be coming along with us. I'm pretty sure that sooner or later, you're going to forget those horrible memories and you'll be the happiest snake to ever live in the Pride Lands."
Ushari sighed and smiled. "Thanks, I needed your comfort," he said.
I smiled and then looked at Kion.
"Ono, what's the next landmark?" Kion asked Ono.
"Nawaza," Ono muttered before adding," It's a pool of water with rocks all around it."
"Anga?" Kion called out to Anga, who was in the skies at the moment.
"Yep," she answered.
"Oh, I remember this river now!" Makini said, "I was here with my mom and dad when I was little, on my first trip to the Tree of Life. It had a lot more water back then."
"Well, any river I can hop across has enough water for me," Fuli replied.
"So, Makini, was Rafiki here with you too?" Beshte asked.
"Nope," Makini answered before adding, "My mom and dad were taking me to the Tree of Life to meet Rafiki. We had so much fun!"
After that being said, Makini looked as if she was remembering the memory she had told us, sitting down and dipping her toe into a big puddle in the path that replaced the river.
Makini laughed as she spun around in the puddle, soaking me, Ushari, and Fuli with water.
"I know I like the water, but not cold water," Ushari said, shivering as he wrapped his coils around my body again.
"You get used to it," I told him.
"Makini!" Fuli said in frustration.
Makini stopped spinning and laughing and saw us soaked.
"Oh, sorry guys," Makini apologized.
"It's alright, I get a little caught up in my memories sometimes," I said.
"Zuka Zama!" Bunga then dived into the puddle, soaking us in water.
"Careful, Bunga!" Makini warned, "You know the saying, 'test the water before diving in'!"
"Where's the fun in that?" Bunga scoffed.
"You sound just like my dad," Makini chuckled.
"He also sounds like Timon and Pumbaa," I whispered to Ushari.
.
"He also sounds like my sister," Ushari added.
"You had a sister, Ushari?" Makini asked, walking right up to us.
"Yess," Ushari answered, "She was just like Aarati. Kind, sweet, loving, caring, forgiving, and happy."
"That's nice," Makini said, "How come we never met her?"
"Uh, well...You see..." Ushari stammered, not exactly sure how to explain.
"She disappeared," I said, "Ushari doesn't like talking about it."
"Oh, sorry I asked," Makini apologized.
"It's alright," Ushari said," And perhaps one day, we'll all get to meet her."
Just then, Anga flew over and landed on a big rock. "Hey, Anga!" Beshte said, walking over, "Did you find the next Moja Kwa Moja stone?"
"I found a rocky pool with small boulders, but it's dry," Anga answered.
"Oh, that doesn't seem right," Makini said, "The pool I remember had lots of water, and the boulders were huge!"
"It matches Ono's description, it's just drier," Anga stated.
"Well, if this river has less water, it makes sense that the pool would be dry too," Ono said.
"Wait, I remember those trees!" I heard Makini say. We turned around to see her where the trees were, in the opposite direction.
"There's a waterfall down there, it's amazing!" Makini said.
I smiled when she said that. Back then, whenever I visited Hakuna Matata Falls, one of my favorite things to do there was jump down the waterfall.
"Uh, that's the opposite direction of the pool," Anga said, frowning.
"But it's so beautiful!" Makini said before asking, "Can we go, Kion? Please?"
"Well, I guess a little detour out of our way would be okay," Kion decided, "Lead on, Makini!"
We followed Makini through the rocks.
"Just right around this corner!" Makini told us, leading us to it, "We're here! This is it! or was it?"
Makini had lead us to the place where a waterfall would be. But there was no waterfall, much to my disappointment.
"Um, am I just not seeing it?" Ono asked, looking around.
"Where's the waterfall, Makini?" I asked.
"Well, it used to be here," Makini told us,"Water was pouring down this rock." Just then, a tiny drop of water fell on her head, and she turned to us with a smile. "Oh, look! See?"
"I wouldn't call that pouring," Fuli said.
"Look, one of Rafiki's paintings!" Makini pointing to a stone next to her that was a painting of a waterfall, "This wasn't here last time. I wonder if it's a Moja Kwa Moja stone." Makini tapped her staff on the stone, but no image of the Tree of Life appeared. "Nope, no Tree of Life."
"But now we know this used to be a waterfall," Beshte said, "Maybe Rafiki saw the waterfall on his trip to the Tree of Life and painted it just because it was poa."
"That makes sense," Ono said, "He paints things all the time in the Pride Lands."
"So the next Moja Kwa Moja stone is this way," Anga said, flying off and leading us back to where we came.
"Let's go, everyone," Kion called out to us.
"Did you see the waterfall with your mom and dad too?" Beshte asked Makini.
"Yeah, I saw so many amazing things on our trip to the Tree of Life!" Makini answered, "Oh, I remember something really fun down that way! Come on!"
Makini began to run past us.
"Makini, where are you going now?" Kion asked.
"See this rock?" Makini asked us as she stood next to a rock, "It has a big hole near the bottom that you can stick your arm through!"
"I wanna try! I wanna try!" Bunga said, and ran to the rock, "So, where's the hole? Think I can stuck my head in it?"
"I don't see it," Makini said with a frown, "I was sure this was the rock. But maybe it's not."
"Sorry, Makini, but we have to get moving," Kion told her.
"Lousy rock with no hole!" Bunga said as he kicked the rock with his foot, only to yelp in pain and walked with the rest of us.
"Okay, so maybe that wasn't the right rock," Makini confessed with us, "But there is something really amazing over there!"
Then, Makini proceeded to run off, the rest of us reluctantly following her.
"Seriously?" Fuli asked.
"So what are we looking at?" Kion asked when Makini stopped at a mountain.
"That mountain right there!" Makini answered, "The one that looks like a monkey's face!"
Ushari and I eyed the mountain closely.
"I don't mean any offense, but that mountain doesn't look anything like a monkey," I told her.
"Yeah, it looks like a regular mountain instead," Ushari added.
"Don't see it," Anga said.
"We might have to get lower," Makini said, "And tilt our heads a little."
We all did what she suggested, but we still couldn't see it.
"It doesn't look like anything at all," Fuli said before asking, "Can we go now?"
"Good idea," Anga said as she flew off again.
"Sorry, Makini," Kion apologized," Maybe you were remembering a different mountain."
"Here we are, finally," Anga said.
We were all at the pool Anga told us about. Like she said, it was dry than the river and had small boulders.
"Yes, this is it! And it looks just like I remember it!" Makini said before adding, "Except there's no water, and I thought the boulders were bigger."
"Maybe you were smaller?" Fuli asked.
"Oh yeah," Makini said.
"This painting matches what I saw on Rafiki's map," Ono said, "Makini?"
Makini tapped her staff on the stone next to the pool, and the same image appeared. "Yep, that's a Moja Kwa Moja stone."
"Ono, what's next?" Kion asked.
"Nawaza," Ono said, "The next landmark is four white flowers in the shape of a diamond. They're in a field of smaller white flowers."
"Anga?" Kion called out.
"Yep," Anga replied before flying off, "Anga Lenga!"
"I don't remember any white flowers," Makini said, "But I do remember a really amazing-"
"NO!" The rest of us except me and Beshte shouted.
"Sorry, Makini," Kion apologized, "But no more detours, we have to keep moving."
Makini sighed as we all began on our way. Beshte, Ushari, and I stayed with her.
"Don't be sad, Makini," Beshte said.
"Your detours are very fun," I told her.
"Thanks, Beshte," Makini said, "I had a lot of fun with my mom and dad the last time I was here. In fact, this is where they first told me I might be a royal mjuzi."
"Really? Poa," Beshte said.
"Yeah, it was poa," Makini said.
"Anga, did you find the white flowers?" Kion asked.
"Nope," Anga answered.
"Great! Then let's-" Kion said before realizing what Anga said, "Wait, what?"
"No sign of white flowers, or anywhere flowers would grow," Anga replied.
"So, what did you see?" Fuli asked.
"Desert straight ahead," Anga answered, pointing to a desert with one of her wings.
"Oh, I remember the desert!" Makini said, "We have to cross and head towards the cliffs."
"I didn't see any cliffs," Anga replied.
"There aren't any cliffs in Rafiki's painting either," Ono said, "Just the field of flowers. But the river, waterfall, and the pool are all dried up. Maybe there used to be flowers here when there was water."
"I don't remember flowers," Makini said, "But I definitely remember the desert. We walked all the way across it until we reached the cliffs."
"Kion, Makini's memories haven't exactly been reliable so far," Fuli told Kion.
"I know," Kion said, "But if we can't find the next Moja Kwa Moja stone, we can't find the Tree of Life."
"Makini is the only one of us who had been to the Tree of Life before," Beshte said, "Isn't that why Rafiki sent her with us?"
"Okay, Makini," Kion decided, "Lead the way!"
"Yes!" Makini said cheerfully before telling the rest of us, "Okay, everyone, follow me!"
She proceeded to run off again, and the rest of us followed her.
We were in the hot desert, following Makini as she lead the way.
Then I heard Beshte sigh and turned to see him. Not only did he look exhausted, he had sunburns on his back and snout.
"Beshte, are you okay?" I asked with worry.
"Yeah, I guess," he answered.
"Hapana!" Ono said in a panick, seeing Beshte's sunburns, "Beshte! You're starting to get sunburned!"
"What?" Kion said, hearing Ono, "Everyone, stop! we gotta get Beshte some shade!"
The rest of our friends stopped walking to look at Beshte.
"Kion's right," Ono told us, "Hippos don't do well in the sun!"
"There's no shade anywhere," Anga said, flying above Beshte,"Nothing but sand."
"Ooh, that's better," Beshte suddenly said. I looked and saw Anga's shadow hanging on Beshe's body.
"Hey, that's a great idea!" Kion said with a smile.
"Anga, can you keep flying above Beshte so he's in your shadow?" I asked her.
"I guess," she answered.
"Thanks, Anga," Beshte said.
"No problem," Anga replied.
Then, me, Bunga, and Makini climbed onto Beshte's back to be in the shade.
"Makini, you sure we're going the right way?" Kion asked.
"I'm sure!" Makini answered, pointing with her finger, "Straight across the desert towards the cliffs!"
"Guys," Kion said turning to face us, "I know it's cooler in the shade, but Beshte might feel better if you weren't riding on his back."
"Everyone, look out!" Anga said in alarm as she landed in front of us.
We all turned around and saw some wave of dust.
I let out a yelp and I hung on tight to Beshte as the dust cloud blew past me.
Once it cleared, Fuli was now coughing out sand.
"Thanks, Anga," Beshte said.
"Indeed," Ono said, "Thanks for the lift, Beshte."
"Yeah, thanks, Beshte," Makini said.
As the rest of us walked, we heard a booming sound.
"Uh, what was that?" Fuli asked.
Then another booming sound was heard.
"There it is again," Kion said.
"Woah, let me try," Bunga said. He jumped off Beshte's back and into the sand, another booming sound being heard. "Whatever it is, it's Un-Bunga-lieveable!"
"This must be a booming sand dune," Ono said, "I've heard of them, but never actually heard them."
"Well, wait until you hear this!" Bunga said.
Then he started jumping on the sand, making more booming sounds.
I smiled, and was about to do the same until Ushari called me off.
"You're not actually thinking about jumping in the booming sand, are you?" he asked.
"Yeah," I answered before asking," Why?"
"Well, I just don't want you doing it while I'm on your back," Ushari said, " Otherwise, I'll fall in the hot sand. Our bodies may be any temperature as the air, but that doesn't mean we handle the cold or the heat."
"But didn't you felt the heat before?" I asked, "Like, when it was drier?"
"The dry season is different," Ushari told me, " I just spent less time outside and more time in the volcano. Sure, it was a little hot, but wasn't as hot as outside anyways. The volcano was like home, where I could easily sleep without anyone tripping over me. Well, almost without anyone tripping over me."
I smiled. "Alright, I won't jump," I told him.
"Good," Ushari said, resting his head on mine.
Ushari was tired. I couldn't blame him. When I was cub, I always wanted to come play with Ushari, but I always found him napping in a pile as always. Being my brave self, I always walked over and immediately wake him up, much to his annoyance.
I asked him why he always slept all day, and he told me that snakes liked to stay awake during the afternoon or at dusk.
"Oh, I remember this, too," Makini said, jumping off Beshte's back and jumping on the sand.
Ushari raised his head up upon seeing the booming sand that came to his ears as Makini started jumping on the sand.
"My mom and dad and I had so much fun here!" Makini said as she continued jumping.
Ushari and I then looked at Kion. He started rubbing his scar uncomfortably.
"That's not a good sign," Ushari whispered to me as Kion started to stare at Makini.
"Makini," Kion said.
Makini stopped jumping to listen to Kion.
"Is that why you brought us here?" Kion asked with an angry look,"Because you thought it would be fun?"
"What?" Makini asked, "No, Kion..."
"We don't have time for any more of your detours!" Kion told her angrily.
"Kion, Makini never said this was a detour," Fuli said.
Kion groaned, rubbing his scar again.
"You sure you're okay?" I asked, "Maybe you have some tuliza?"
"I don't need tuliza!" Kion told me angrily.
I was stunned. Usually, it was me that snapped at Kion, which was rare. Now it was the other way around.
"Kion..." Beshte said.
For a minute, Kion calmed down.
"I.. I'm sorry," Kion said, "I'm hot, tired, thirsty, and covered with sand. But that's no excuse. I shouldn't have yelled." He then took the tuliza from Makini and ate them.
"So," Bunga said, "If we're all good again, then let's have some more fun!" With that, Bunga started jumping in the sand again.
"Bunga!" Kion scolded.
"I know we're on good terms, but I still hate that honey badger," Ushari whispered to me.
"I know, but that's something you'll have to get used to," I told him.
Bunga continued jumping until suddenly, we heard a voice.
"Can't you keep it down out there?"
A jerboa jumped out underneath the sand to face us.
"How can a fella get any sleep with all this stomping going on up here?" He asked us, jumping on the sand for a few seconds at the last part of his question.
"Aww, you're so tiny, and so mad!" Bunga said with a smile.
"You better believe I'm mad!" the jerboa swung around to face Bunga with a angry look.
"You're an jerboa, aren't you?" Ono asked.
"Looks like one," I heard Ushari say. I then saw him lick his lips with his split tongue.
"You're not going to eat him," I told him.
"Why not?" Ushari asked, "I like jerboas. They're tasty."
"Didn't you have a mouse for lunch a few months ago?" I asked him.
"Yes, but I just want to have at least one jerboa," Ushari said.
I shook my head. "Sorry, but you can't," I told him, "Besides, I'm sure you're already full from that mouse you ate."
Ushari frowned. "Fine," he said, "I wasn't even hungry."
I looked at the jerboa, who was relieved to know that Ushari wasn't going to eat him.
"Well, anyways, I'm a jerboa," he said, "And like any decent desert creature, I was asleep!"
"In the middle of the day?" Makini asked.
"Of course, in the middle of the day!" The jerboa answered," No one travels around the dunes in the full sun! What kind of ridiculous..."
The jerboa then kicked sand in Kion's face, causing him to growl at him.
The jerboa let out a yelp. "Nevermind, have a good day!"
With that, the jerboa hopped away through the desert.
"I didn't mean to scare him,"Kion said.
"With that face, you could almost scare me," Bunga said, "Almost."
"Sorry, everybody," Kion said, "But we're going back."
"You sure?" Fuli asked.
"Yes," Kion said, "We'll go back to the last Moja Kwa Moja stone and start over. There's no field of flowers here."
"But I'm sure we're going the right way," Makini said, "It can't be much farther."
"We'll follow our footprints back across the desert and start again," Kion said.
Then, there was another dust cloud, much to our horror.
"Woah, Hevi Kabisa!" Kion said with surprise as the dust cloud brushed over us again.
"Everyone!" Beshte called out to us," Behind us, hurry!"
We rushed behind Beshte to shield ourselves from the wind.
Soon, it stopped.
"That's never gonna get old," Fuli said.
"I know, right?" Bunga asked.
"Come on," Kion said, "Let's head back to the..." Kion stopped when he noticed the footprints were gone. "Where did our footprints go? Anga, do you see them?"
"Nope," Anga answered.
"Hapana," Ono said in realization, "Our footprints must've been swept away by the storm."
"Fuli, Ushari, can you two make our scent?" Kion asked.
Fuli sniffed the air, while Ushari flicked his tongue.
"I can't tell, Kion," Fuli said, "The wind blew the sand and our scent all over the place."
"Even I can't tell where we went," Ushari added.
"Well, which dunes did we pass?" Kion asked.
"The dunes all look different then before the storm," Anga answered.
"The dunes must have shifted," Ono said, "Sand dunes can shift in the wind. Common knowledge, real-"
"Then how we gonna know which way to go?" Kion asked, growling in frustration.
"Uh, Kion," Makini said, "Maybe you could use some tuliza."
Kion took the tuliza, but spit them out.
"I can't eat that, Makini!" Kion said, "It's covered in sand!"
"Oh, sorry, Kion," Makini said.
"We don't know where we are or which way to go," Kion said, "But we can't stay here in the sun. Especially Beshte."
"You're right, Kion!" Ono said in realization.
"What?" Kion asked, confused.
"It's like the jerboa said, "Ono said, "Most desert animals don't... They shelter during the day and only come out at night. We can dig a burrow in the sand."
"Oh, maybe we can make a shelter!" Fuli said with a smile.
"Burrow?" Bunga said, "Stand aside, Ono. Nobody digs like a honey badger digs!"
With that, Bunga started to dig into the sand.
"Here, let me help," Kion said. We all started to dig a burrow.
Later, that night, I sat next to Makini as Ushari and I watched her talk to a drawing of her mom.
"I know I was here with you, Mom," Makini said, sighing, "My friends except Aarati and Ushari think we might be going the wrong way. I wish I can run back to the Pride Lands and ask for help. What would you say?" Maybe.. 'As you move forward'..."
" 'Don't forget to look back,' " Makini remembered.
"Hey, Makini, you okay?" Beshte asked.
We watched as Beshte walked over.
"My mom says, 'As you move forward, don't forget to look back,' " Makini explained, "But when I do look back, I'm not remembering things right. I feel like I'm letting Kion down."
"You know what my dad always says," Beshte said, " 'The water is always cleaner at the front of the hippo.' You gotta leave those mistakes behind you. We all know you're doing your best. The last time you were here, you were really little. A lot of things changed since then."
"Yeah, I remember when my grandfather Mufasa told me to 'look beyond the past,' " I told Makini.
"Beshte and Aarati are right," Kion said, approaching us," It's not your fault everything's so dry now everything's so dry here. So, now that's it's night, we can get going... If we knew which way to go."
"Well, it's more to step forward than it is to sit still," Makini said, "Let's go this way!"
We took a step, but then there was a another booming sound.
"Did anybody take a step?" Kion asked us.
"Nope."
"Negative."
"Not me."
"No."
The booming sounds continued.
"Someone's coming," Kion said, trying to not let his guard down.
Then, the jerboa from before appeared. He became fearful upon seeing Kion.
"Oh no, not you again!" he said.
The jerboa was about to hop away again until he heard Kion.
"Wait!" Kion said, stopping the jerboa in his tracks, "I'm sorry I scared you before. I'm Kion and this is the Lion Guard. We're just passing through."
"Well then, apology accepted," the jerboa said, " Name's Tupp. And let me apologise for being rude. I'm not really a morning person. I see you took my advice about getting out of the sun. Smart, you look much more comfortable. But you also look thirsty. Follow me, my friends!"
We then followed Tupp as he hopped forward.
He led to some plant.
"I don't drink much water myself," Tupp said, "But travelers coming through are always looking for water, here."
"Uh, it's not water, little guy," Bunga told Tupp.
"Well, no, it's a plant," Tupp said, "But its leaves can collect water." Tupp grabbed one of the leaves and showed it to us. It was filled with water. "See? Plenty for everyone."
Each one of us approached the plant and started drinking from it. After Ushari and I were done, we saw Makini sticking Tuliza petals into the water and then giving them to Kion.
"Here, Kion," she said.
Kion took the petal and ate them.
"Thanks Makini," Kion said with a smile.
"I didn't see this plant before," Anga said, "It must've been in sand. How did you know it was here?"
"Well, it's a plant," Tupp said, "It doesn't exactly move."
"But how did you find it?" Anga asked, "There aren't any landmarks in this desert, and the dunes keep moving."
"Here, in the desert, we don't look down to find our way," Tupp explained, "We look up at the sky!"
We all looked up at the sky. There were beautiful, white stars.
"It's so pretty!" Makini said, "It looks like a field of flowers. Oh, that's it! That's the field of flowers!"
"Of course!" Ono said in realization, "They're not flowers on Rafiki's map. They're stars!"
"Look!" Makini said, pointing at the sky, "Four bright stars in a shape of a diamond!"
"Oh, yes," Tupp said, gazing at the stars, "those stars are always in the same place in the sky, spinning around in a circle."
"Do you know where they lead?" Kion asked.
"Of course!" Tupp answered, pointing in a direction, "They always lead there. Across the desert to the tall cliffs."
"The cliffs?" Kion and Fuli said in unison.
Kion looked up at Anga.
"Anga?" Kion called out.
"Got it," Anga said as she took off into the sky, "The Moja Kwa Moja stone is on top of the cliffs!"
"You were right all along, Makini," Kion told Makini, "Sorry we didn't believe you."
"It's okay, Kion," Makini said.
"Thanks, Tupp," Kion said, "We can find our way from here."
We then started making our way to the cliffs.
"Oh, oh!" Makini said cheerfully, "And I know an amazing detour on our way back to the Pride Lands. We can go see my mom and dad, and tell them all about our trip."
"That sounds poa," Beshte said.
"Indeed," I said, "Don't you think so, Ushari?"
"Yeah, indeed," he said. I smiled when I heard him yawn and rest his head on mine again. He closed his eyes and dozed off to sleep.
This adventure was amazing alright.