[A/N]-
I KNOW WHAT YOUR THINKING! DID SHE REALLY UPDATE SO SOON AFTER THE LAST ONE!? WELL YES, YOU'RE RIGHT! ME AND MY CO-AUTHOR GOT IT DONE!
I really do have to thank Grapejuice101 though! She helps me a lot while writing this story and it's due to her help that I'm even posting this this soon...
ALSO PLEASE WATCH OUT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! YOU'RE GONNA LITERALLY SCREAM WHEN YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THIS ONE! NO JOKE!
Alrighty enough of my all caps writing...
(p.s)- I really want to hear what you guys think so please comment your thoughts when you finish reading!
enjoy!
Previously on The Lion Guard-
"Janja, I'm hungry!" one hyena complained in high pitched whine.
A deeper toned voice was then heard, whining in agreement, "Me, too!"
These two voices were that of Cheezi and Chungu, Janja's closest lackeys that he personally preferred to call "fur-brains". They looked up at their clan leader from the bottom of the pile of small boulders.
"You two only have yourselves to blame," the leader scoffed. "To think that you were scared by the roar of a lion cub!"
"Janja, see, Kion's roar, it wasn't like, like a normal roar..." Cheezi trailed off as he struggled to explain what had happened. He furrowed his brow in thought before proceeding. "It was, uh..." he laughed nervously. "Super loud!"
"And the clouds!" Chungu added. "They turned into roaring lions!"
Janja rolled his eyes, "Oh! So you're scared of clouds, too?"
...
"Stuff it, fur brains!" he shouted. "Seems we have a visitor to our humble humid den.."
Low and behold, Sauda had been right when she'd seen the vulture on the tree back in the pride lands. The scraggly looking vulture sneered slightly before greeting whom he'd come to see. "Janja," he nodded. "Hyenas."
Janja smirked mockingly as he addressed the vulture, "Mzingo! What are you doing this far into the Outlands? Looking for leftovers?"
"No, but I'd be happy to eat-"
"Forget it. We don't have any," Janja said as he interrupted Mzingo. He glared at the ground as the hyena grumbled, "Simba's cub, Kion, managed to cancel our lunch plans."
As Janja's hyenas laughed like it was a funny joke, the vulture smirked as he said, "Then you already know about Kion."
The hyenas immediately stopped laughing. Their leader slowly looked back at Mzingo and hissed out, "Know what?"
Mzingo leaned forward and whispered like it was a secret, "Simba has told Kion to assemble a new Lion Guard."
"Lion Guard? That's impossible. The Lion Guard died out after Scar..." Janja paused as he remembered what his fur brains said.
...
Janja glared as he said, "I was saying... With a Lion Guard patrolling the Pride Lands, it will be next to impossible for us Outlanders to take whatever animals we want for food."
"Then what're we gonna do?" Cheezi interjected with a whining voice.
Chungu looked down at the ground thought for a moment before replying, "Ooh, we could eat each other!"
Janja growled under his breath and narrowed his eyes,"No fur-brain! We'll strike now, before the Lion Guard is ready...and we'll take down all the animals we can."
The hyena clan leader's proclamation brought a evil smile to Mzingo's beak. "Mmm. I like the sound of that!"
"Whole herds of animals,"Janja continued.
Cheezi and Chunga being as simple-minded as they were only replied with, "Yeah, right! Tasty!"
Jumping to a higher ledge, Janja stared down at his clan members and cried out, "Tonight, we Outlanders will feast. Hyenas and vultures alike! Tonight, we strike!"
[Part III]- A Frustrating Cheetah
Flying high in the sky was a young egret that went by the name,Ono. It was his lunchtime and he was on the hunt for grubs in the grass fields. He used his vision and scanned the ground closely as he spotted a small, pink snail on a blade of grass. Ono's beak lifted into a smirk,"Target in sight..." he stated shortly. "Dive!"
Back on the ground, Sauda, Kion and Bunga had walked for about thirty minutes - not that she could tell since there was no clocks on the african savannah- and they were now currently trudging through a large field of tall grass while scanning the sky for one of Kion's friends. She didn't know exactly whom it was but she guessed that this Ono friend of Kion's was a bird of some kind. Squinting her eyes as they continued walking, Sauda suddenly spotted the form of a diving bird hurtling down towards the area they were in.
"Hey, Bunga!" she called the honey badger over.
Bunga looked up at her and then she pointed upwards at the sky with her paw and an extended claw. "Is that Ono?"
Bunga squinted up in the direction Sauda was looking and then when he realized who it was he smiled and nodded. The honey badger then motioned the dark lioness cub over and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion when she caught the mischievous look in his eyes. Sauda had just come to a stop next to Bunga when she let out a yelp as the honey badger unexpectedly put his arm around her front shoulders and dragged her to the ground in a crouch. They could no longer be seen above the grass, and Ono could no longer have the opportunity to see them.
Catching onto the small badger's plan, she motioned for him to be quiet with a toe to her mouth and then began to stalk through the grass towards the place Ono was targeting for his landing. Bunga followed behind her, silently giggling to himself under his breath. When Sauda came to a sudden stop he stopped, having run into her. Sauda grumbled slightly under her breath and then looked back over her shoulder at Bunga with a smirk. She nodded her head forwards in a circle motion.
There was a few moments where Bugna just looked at her confusedly before she repeated the motion again with more exaggeration. His eyes widened and smile appeared on his face before he snuck in front of her about five feet and turned to face her as the two waited for the unsuspecting egret to land between them. Kion who'd lost track of his two friends used his nose and tracked them to the middle of the field where they were crouched down. Sauda noticed that Kion had walked out in front of her just as Ono had been about to land and didn't have enough time to pull him down before Ono landed.
"Hey, Ono!" Bunga cried out as the bird landed, causing him to spiral out of control and somersault on the ground until he stopped on the ground just in front of Kion's paws and Sauda's hidden form.
"Woah!" Ono let out a grunt as he slid to a stop. Looking up at Kion he continued, "Oh...Hi, Kion, good to see you!". Ono stopped short when Sauda sighed and finally revealed her presence. Ono smiled then and greeted her as well, "Hi..." he hesitated, "...strange lioness I've never met before."
Sauda just laughed at the birds' nervous kindness. "This 'strange lioness' name is Sauda," she introduced herself. "Sorry if Bunga startled you. I'm starting to notice he does that a lot actually..."
"It's fine, I've gotten a bit used to it by now," Ono responded kindly.
Sauda laughed at the young egret's response before Kion cut in.
"You see just about everything, Ono," the young lion prince stated. "That's why I want to talk."
"About what?" Ono asked with a curious tone.
"Just follow, us Ono!" Bunga said excitedly. "We'll tell you after we have everyone."
︎short time skip brought to you by Simba's luxurious mane ︎
Sauda didn't know who Kion was talking about previously, either, so she simply followed the golden haired cub along with his two friends until they came upon a watering hole that belonged to the hippos native to the pride-lands. As they got closer, Sauda could hear voices getting progressively louder as they cheered someone on.
"Beshte! Beshte! Beshte!" the voices chanted.
"Hey, everybody!" 'Beshte' yelled with an excited tone. "Who wants a water slide?"
Kion, Sauda, Bunga and Ono walked over the peak of the hill at that point and Sauda took in everything in the area at once. Her eyes scanned the watering hole and she noted in her mind the number of hippos and where they were. This 'Beshte' character, as the other voices had called him, was standing on a rock ledge that a stream of water was blocked by a boulder.
"Ooh, yeah!" one of the hippos agreed.
"Me, me!" another said with enthusiasm.
"Do it, Beshte!" another cried out.
"Poa!" Beshte said with a smooth tone. "One water slide, coming up!"
Beshte then put his snout against the side of the large rock next to him and braced his body before lunging forwards and pushed it out of it's place with ease. "Twende kiboko!" he grunted as he did so.
When the large rush of water came surging forwards after the boulder was gone, Beshte, along with the rest of his fellow hippo friends were swept away with the water as well. "Yay!" all the hippos cried with joy as they were moved by the water.
"Yeah!" Beshte laughed as he slowly came to a stop as the water settled again.
Sauda and company were completely taken aback when they saw the water rushing towards them and only one thing blurted out her mouth as she turned tail and ran back in the opposite direction.
"INCOMING!".
As Sauda had been the first one to descry the gargantuan wave of water headed their direction, she'd been the only one to escape getting wet. When the water eventually settles back down to the bank of the pond, Sauda let out a giggle at the sight of Kion and Bunga who'd gotten wet. Kion's fur was being dragged down by the weight of his wet fur and his mane was covering his eyes. In all honesty, the young cub reminded Sauda of his father from the original Lion King movie scene where Nala and he had reunited. Bunga, on the other hand was just as saturated with water as the lion prince.
"Strongest?" Bunga asked as he raised his arms, water dripping from them.
Kion blew his wet mane out of his face as he responded simply with, "Strongest."
"Also wettest..." Ono sighed as he lifted his wings. Said egret then flapped his wings to rid them of the water as Sauda was walking up behind them to rejoin the group.
"Wahh!" Sauda cried out as she was pelted with water droplets.
"Aah!" Kion also yelled in surprise.
"Ono!" was the only thing Bunga yelled out in response to getting wet again.
"Great," Sauda complained. "Now I have water in my eyes!"
"Sorry Sauda…" Ono laughed sheepishly. "My bad..."
Beshte who previously had been laughing along with his other friends in delight over the "waterslide" finally noticed the troop of animals at the edge of the watering hole. "Hey guys!" he greeted them.
He waded out of the water and joined them on land when he noticed a strange lioness cub standing next to his friends. "Hey Kion," he asked. "Who's this?"
"The name's Sauda," Sauda introduced herself. It's so weird how natural she calls herself Sauda now. No more Selena. "And you are?"
"Beshte," the young hippo responded immediately.
"Hey Beshte!" Kion said. "Mind coming with us? We got something we need to tell everyone!"
"Sure!" Beshte replied. He then turned back to his hippo friends and gave a short goodbye before rejoining Sauda and the others.
Ono had decided to ride on Beshte's back as they walked along. When Beshte looked back at his bird friend with a questioning, curious look Ono simply shrugged. So Ono didn't know what was going on either? Beshte just smiled then and happily turned back to Kion and the new lioness as they walked along the African savannah.
🐗💨another short time-skip brought to you by Pumbaa's Backside🐗💨
"Ok so now we need the fastest," Kion stated as they continued walking. "We just need to find-"
Kion was cut off as a yellow blur blazed past them and down the pathway. "Found the fastest," Sauda commented, coughing from the cloud of dust.
"Yup, it's definitely Fuli," Kion replied.
"Don't worry guys, I'll get her!" Bunga sounded off as he began bounding after Fuli.
"Um..." Sauda began slowly. "Bunga does realize that he won't be able to catch her... right?"
All the lioness received in response was a hesitant smile from Beshte, a wing to the head from Ono and a nervous chuckle from the lion beside her.
"Fuli! Wait!" Bunga called as he followed after the cheetah. "Kion wants to talk!"
Fuli turned her head back in Bunga's direction only for a brief moment before saying, "Not now, Bunga. I gotta run!"
That made the honey badger stop in his tracks as he gave Fuli a puzzled look. "What? Why?"
"That's why," Fuli panted out as she proceeded to run.
A screeching noise was heard that caused all of them to turn their noggins in the direction that the young cheetah had come from. Sauda practically leapt from where she was standing and almost bumped into Kion as a stampeding herd of Baboons came hurtling over the hilltop.
"Oh, you have GOT to be kidding me!" Sauda exclaimed at the sight.
"Oh..." was all Bunga could get out before he was trampled over by the group of Baboons. "I'm ok. Nothing broken here!"
"I see Fuli's a bit occupied," Ono stated, putting a wing over his eyes to see better.
"Even I can see that, Ono," Kion stated before smirking. "But I have an idea..."
"Whoo!" a baboon screeched out as it tried to tackle Fuli to the ground.
Fuli simply changed direction with a flick of her tail, "Huwezi! You can't catch me!"
Ono flew over head as he called down to the cheetah, "Fuli! This way!"
Fuli followed the egret to where Kion had Beshte right in the pathway of Fuli's running. The hippo was camouflaged as a rock between two boulders and as Fuli approached them Kion yelled out, "Fuli! Jump!".
When she vaulted herself over the curled up hippo, Sauda then called out, "Beshte! Now!".
Beshte stood up just as the Baboons had gotten ready to jump over him. So instead of flying over the rock like the cheetah had, they all face planted into Beshte's side.
"Ouch, right in the face!" Sauda cringed. "That's gotta hurt."
"Nice save, Beshte," Kion commented as the Baboons all slid down off his side and onto the ground in a pile.
Fuli climbed up on the rock next to them with a smile, "Totally. Thanks." She then looked down at the groaning mound of monkeys. "And as for you guys, I said I'm sorry!" the cheetah exclaimed. "I wasn't trying to be mean when I said you look funny when you scratch your heads..."
The Baboons had sat up by this point and the leader just replied wearily with, "Apology accepted..."
He then fell back down onto the ground, as his fellow Baboons doing the same. Giggling at the Baboon's antics, Sauda turned back to face the group of her new 'friends' she knew that she was going to have to stay close to for the duration of the plot of the show. Not only because she didn't want to be killed but she didn't want her presence to affect the plot line of the show. She padded forwards to stand beside Kion as he began talking to the group.
"Hey, guys. Thanks for meeting with me," he smiled. "I wanted to talk to you because... Well, I need your help"
Kion ended his sentence with a slight frown and based upon the look on his face, Sauda could tell that the lion prince was worried about his friends reactions to the news they were about to receive. Internally, the inter-dimensional traveler standing beside the second heir to the throne was quite interested in watching this scene from this end of this screen. Although she'd seen the return of the roar movie before, this was a new experience in itself due to actually being present while happening.
Beshte stepped forwards, "What's the kerbubble, Kion?"
Kion didn't hesitate to respond to his hippo friend's question. "I haven't quite found someone to fill the spot for the slyest yet, but the five of us are definitely the Pride Lands' fiercest, bravest, strongest, fastest and keenest of sight," he answered. "And that's why I want you all to join the new Lion Guard. Together, we'll protect the Pride Lands and defend the Circle of Life!"
Ono let out a low whistle in awe at this news.
"Well, lick my tail and call me a meerkat!" Beshte exclaimed.
"Hey!" Bunga cried, defending Timon. "My uncle's a meerkat!"
"No offense, Bunga..." Beshte apologised. "Wait! Aren't you a honey badger?"
Bunga didn't have time to answer because at that moment Fuli decided to chip in with her point of view. "A Lion Guard? Figures," she scoffed. "Always the lions lording over the Pride Lands. I suppose Simba put you in charge of this little team, Kion?"
"Excuse me?" Sauda asked under her breath.
She was shocked at Fuli's insolence for two reasons. One, it was one thing to question Kion in front of her. But seriously, how can she stand there in front of Simba's own son and insult his father like that!? I mean, sure the lion could be a little arrogant, but the guy saved the pride lands from Scar's tyranny! And two, wasn't she supposed to Kion's friend, regardless of what she thought about the lion's father? Sauda didn't know why she was getting so upset about Fuli's questions, but she did know she definitely didn't like the fact that she was pretty much outright insulting Kion and his pride...
Sauda was brought out her little inner monologue when Bunga chimed in with, "You bet your spots he did!"
"Fuli, the Lion Guard needs you!" Kion tried to negotiate with her. "You're the Pride Lands' fastest."
"You got that right," she said with pride. "And you're supposed to be the fiercest?"
Sauda was beginning to really question whether this Fuli and she were going to get along...
"Well, he is a lion..." Beshte commented.
"And lions are fierce," Ono finished. "It's kinda common knowledge, really..."
Bunga then jumped down and landed next to Kion, Fuli and Sauda. He seemed excited for some odd reason and soon as the honey badger opened his mouth she knew was he was gonna say.
"Show 'em the Roar, Kion," he cheered. "Show 'em the Roar!"
"Yep," Sauda thought. "There it is..."
"What's Bunga talking about? The Roar?" Fuli then asked. "You think you're somethin' special just 'cause you can roar?"
In all honesty, when she had first watched the movie and tv series, Selena or now 'Sauda' had actually liked Fuli's character and feistiness. But now as she watched the cheetah interact with the others, Sauda knew they weren't gonna get along. She didn't know if being transformed into a lion caused her sense of loyalty to be elevated even higher than it had been as a human or not, but in that moment the human part of Sauda was actually really close to cussing the young cheetah out. Sauda knew that it wasn't proper to react that way, however, especially since she'd just met the cheetah and held her tongue. It still didn't stop her from thinking about it, though. She changer mind, though, when she noticed that as Fuli was talking she begun to get closer to Kion's face. The cub had begun frowning and furrowing his eyebrows and Sauda could tell that he was beginning to question himself. That was crossing the line! So, Sauda decided to finally take action...
"Alright, Fuli," she stated icily. "That's enough!"
"And just who are you?" Fuli said, turning her attention to the unknown lioness standing next to Kion.
Kion was slightly surprised that his new friend was coming to his aid like that and he then decided to return the favor. "Her name's Sauda," Kion stated, smiling as he stepped closer to said lioness. "She's new to the pride...Bunga and I were showing her around when we got caught up in some trouble with the hyenas and well something happened to my roar."
"Kion, Bunga and I went back to pride rock and Simba told us about the Lion guard," Sauda continued. "And then bada bing bada boom we gathered all you guys and here we are..."
Fuli didn't say anything in response only nodding as Bunga continued egging Kion on. "Anyways, wait 'till you hear it!" he stated elatedly. "C'mon, Kion. Show 'em the Roar!"
"Bunga," Sauda sighed. "You're putting too much pressure on him..."
"No I'm not!" he countered. "You were there Sauda! His roar was so cool!"
"So what is the deal with your roar?" Beshte asked curiously.
"Oh, you totally have to show us, Kion," Fuli smirked with a stuck-up tone.
"Seeing is believing! Though with a roar, it's more about hearing..." Ono stated.
Bunga had a smug look on his face and his paws on his hips as he looked at his friends.
"Okay, fine! I'll show you the Roar!" Kion grumbled in reluctant agreement. "Just, uh... stay behind me. I don't want anybody to get hurt."
"'Scuse me..."
"Watch it!"
"Pfft. Groundlings..."
Everyone rushed forwards behind Kion, knocking into one another in anticipation to hear this roar of Kion's they'd just heard so much about. Sauda sighed under her breath and walked up next to Kion as he prepared himself.
"You shouldn't have to do this, Kion," Sauda told him with a worried look on her face.
The young prince turned to his friend with a soft smile, "It's alright, Sauda. Let's just get it over with, yeah?"
Sauda just sighed again and then smiled at her friend before nodding confidently. "Arlright," she agreed.
"Ready?" Kion asked. All of his friends nodded enthusiastically. "Okay. This is the Roar... "
Kion took a deep breath in preparation, let out his claws, bared his teeth, and when he opened his mouth all that came out was a small squeak. "What in the Pride Lands..." Kion immediately said after.
"Huh!?" was the only thing that came out of Sauda's mouth.
"That was...different," Ono stated, obviously trying not to laugh.
Fuli laughed hysterically. "Kion! You call that a roar?" she exclaimed, chuckling.
Sauda practically growled in response to Fuli's statement. Kion standing next to her was the only reason that hadn't immediately began yelling words that none of them would likely understand...
"Didn't sound like a roar..." Beshte commented with a cautious tone.
"That wasn't the Roar!" Bunga cried in Kion's defense. "That was a squeak!"
Deciding Bunga was out matched, Sauda eventually chimed in. "Hey come on!" She protested. "Y'all were seriously putting a bunch of pressure on him, especially you Fuli!"
Fuli scoffed and rolled her eyes, " And what's that supposed to mean exactly?!"
Sauda didn't have time to respond as a voice from above them called out, "I've found him, Your Highness! Kion is over here!"
Looking up to the sky, the lioness discovered who the voice belonged to. It was Zazu, the king's majordomo, and he'd brought company with him as well.
"See, Dad?" Kiara's voice sounded. "What did I tell you?"
"Tattletale," Sauda murmured under her breath.
"Thank you, Kiara," Simba said. "You and Tiifu go ahead and track the gazelle. I need to talk with Kion. Alone."
There was a tone to the king's voice that Sauda particularly not like in that moment.
"Yes, Dad," Kiara said innocently, smirking behind her father's back as she turned and bounded away with her friend.
"Thank you, princess," Simba said before turning back to his son.
"Dad! Am I glad to see you!" Kion started, excited to see his father. "I'm not sure why, but when I tried to..."
Kion was then cut off when Simba interrupted him with narrow eyes. "Kion, Kiara tells me you've asked Bunga to join the Lion Guard..." The king then looked up and stared at said honey badger with what almost looked like disdain.
"Hey..." Bunga greeted sheepishly.
"Is this true?" Simba asked when he turned back to Kion.
"Well, yeah," Kion said, before smiling. "I was just talking to all my friends about it..."
Simba then practically glared at his own son, "Your friends?!". The adult then narrowed his eyes continued with a frown, "Kion, I asked you to assemble the new Lion Guard. Instead you're just playing with your friends?!"
"Simba-"
"Not now Sauda," interrupted Simba.
Kion squared his shoulders somewhat and then lowered his stance in defiance, "I'm not playing, Dad! My friends are the new Lion Guard" He turned his head as he continued. "Fuli is the fastest. Beshte is the strongest. Ono is the keenest of sight. And the bravest, it's Bunga," he concluded with a smile.
"And where is the slyest?" asked the King of Pride Rock.
Kion rubbed his head as he replied, "I... actually I haven't figured that one out yet. But I know I will find the slyest guard member soon!"
"Kion, the Lion Guard has always been made of lions," Simba stated angrily. "Do you really think a Lion Guard with only one lion can protect the Pride Lands?!"
"Excuse me Simba..." Sauda tried to interject. "I mean, your highness..."
Simba turned his head sharply in Sauda's direction when she tried to stand up for her friend and the gleam in his eye was enough for the lioness to shut her trap and step down. Sauda was honestly shocked by how harsh Simba was being with Kion at that moment. It didn't make sense to her. Kion had heard her and smiled softly before looking back up at his angry father wearily.
The lion cub's ears flattened slightly before he spoke up, "Well, actually..."
"Son, listen," the king started. "The Lion Guard isn't a game you play with your friends. It's real. The Circle of Life, and your life,will depend on who's on your team. Please, Kion. There are plenty of good lions for the Guard. I need you to take your new responsibility seriously. Just as seriously as Kiara takes hers..."
Without another word, Simba left the distraught cub and his friends. Kion felt heartbroken and tried to hold back the tears beginning to form in his eyes. "But I do take it seriously..." Kion said under his breath, gaze pointed at the ground.
Sauda had known that this part was coming, but it seemed a whole lot more serious now and she got the odd urge to console Kion.
"Kion..." she started softly with a worried tone. "Are you ok?"
Without looking up, Kion murmured, "Leave me alone Sauda."
"Look Kion, I'm sure everything will be-" Sauda began again, raising a paw to put it on his shoulder.
Kion's head snapped up and he slapped the lioness's paw away, accidentally hitting the former human in the face and knocking her to the ground. "I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Sauda's eyes widened substantially as she sat up and she quickly backed away from the angry lion cub. The others, including Fuli, all let out a sharp gasp at what had just happened, shocked at the fact that Kion yelled at one of his friends. Said lion cub cut off his yell, panting with anger before stopping when he'd suddenly realized what he had just done. The former human lifted her paw to her cheek and then raised her head and forced herself not to show her emotions. Simply looking at Kion after she stood from the ground she turned tail and ran off into the African Savannah. Everyone looked on with worry as Sauda ran away. Even Fuli looked slightly worried for the strange colored lioness. Kion also watched on as his new friend fled from the scene.
The young prince then just sighed with melancholy when his friends looked back to him expectantly.
"Please, I... I need to be by myself right now." he pleaded to them quietly.
He then turned tail and ran away from his friends, not daring to look back.
"Kion..." Bunga said sadly.
"Lil' B, I think Kion needs some time to himself," Beshte stated, nudging Bunga to follow him.
The rest of the group left, and a solemn atmosphere began taking over the pride lands.
[A/N]-
Don't mad at me for the cliffhanger please! I promise what I have planned will make up for it ten fold...