It had been a stressful couple of days for the Pridelands. Hyenas had been bearing down hard on the savanna, taking any animal they wanted. From Sable Antelopes to Klipspringers, no plant-eating animal was safe from the scavengers-turned-predators. The aging king Simba had found it to be a bothersome situation indeed. The king had decreed there be a curfew for all animals, restricting them from going outside of their territories at night.
To say that problems in the Pridelands were rising to troubling rates would be an understatement. The herds had never been more on edge, not since the return of Scar so long ago. Fear was in the heart of every herbivore. Even the Rhinos were starting to get a little edgy. There was no denying what everyone thought at this point: they were in trouble.
With Simba's final decree as king, Vitani worked as hard as possible to keep animals feeling safe. It had been a week since Jasiri's clan had gone rogue, and she hadn't gotten anywhere further into the mystery that surrounded it. There were no sources, no suspects. At least none that traced back to the shifty name of Notar. Everyone in the Pridelands was too scared to go anywhere near the Outlands. Her guard had been working just as hard as her, and not even they had gotten any further on the mystery either.
The sun was bearing down hard across the African landscape as the dry season bore its harmful and burning effects upon the earth. Plants began to wilt from lack of water. Very few things could bring such suffering and pain as that of the dry season. Animals who were denied hydration would meet an unsatisfying end by the burning sun above. They were known to fight amongst each other for the precious water. Carnivore against carnivore. Herbivore against herbivore. Family against family. Friend against friend. One day, two individuals would get along just fine. The next day, they were fight until their muscles ached for a mouthful of the cooling sensation that is water. The victor is rewarded all the water they can eat, while the loser is left to expire in the sun. Sad, I know. However, that is how the wilds of Africa function.
Much of the culture of the plains of Africa is fraught with these harsh lifestyles. Ruling them, of course, are the Lion's. Are they any better than the conditions of this ever-dangerous place? Not exactly. Lions are hard-skulled animals, always ready to face whatever challenge comes their way with a fierce bravery. Not only the males, but the females as well. The Lioness, I know, are known to be living nightmares when they're angry. In fact. I, as the author, would go so far as to say that they were more deadly than the male of the race. Much of the hunting responsibilities of a lion Pride went to the Lioness, while the male always had first pick.
If there was a Lioness to specifically name under the toughest category, it would be Vitani.
Former daughter of a crazed Lioness, this young adult was now living in the prestigious Pridelands under the watchful eye of her brother Kovu. She was the chief defender of the kingdom, and bore the weight of keeping the peace upon her shoulders. It was a tough job, yes, but it was perfect for someone equally as tough. I suppose life in the Outlands will do that.
The four Lionesses in her team had followed her since daybreak. She had recently led them on a mission to stop the same hyenas from attacking the Impala herds. With Vitani leading them, they were able to save the herd from being needlessly killed by the invading creatures. And yet, she could not help but feel that there was something else at work here.
She knew the true leader of this clan fairly well. She was a cub when her Pride took over their watering hole on the Outlands. Jasiri was not one to take this lying down, however. And what no one in Zira's pride knew, was that Jasiri had some powerful friends. Kion and his Lion Guard managed to be more than a match for the whole pride altogether. And then, Kion showed Vitani the true power behind the fiercest of the Pridelands: The Roar of the Elders.
She remembered the day she and her family were blasted out of the Outlands. As if things weren't bad enough living in the Outlands. Now, they had to live in an even worse wasteland, far beyond both lands. At least there was prey in the Outlands, but in the Termite fields, all they could eat was those wood-eating insects. But why should she complain about that now?
Looking back at that, and looking at where she was now, Vitani realized that she had nothing to complain about now. Sure, it was rough when they first got there. But as time went on, it caused her to change. She adapted with the environment. Even when she was in the Outlands, she would push herself beyond her limits in training against the Pridelands. At the time, her skills WERE to be used against the Pridelands. But now? Now she was different. She was not the hate-filled lioness she once was.
Having to watch her own brother die right before her may have contributed to that.
Hey, just a thought.
She had called for her guard to take a breather in what little shade they could find. Naturally, this order was well-received by the quartet, as chasing off hyenas for weeks in the dry season was not exactly a dream endeavor. The four of them laid down in the dried, crusty grass and sighed a collection of weary sighs. Imara sighed as she looked out at the field. "What a day…"
"Tell me about it." Shabaha groaned as she rubbed a spot on the back of her neck. "Man… those Hyenas sure are tough. I'll be feeling this in the morning."
"That Notar is relentless…" Kazi grumbled as she laid her head down. "My paws are killing me. This rest is just wat we needed."
"Well, get comfortable, girls." Vitani said to her team. "Until I see anything out of the ordinary, we're going to take a breather. We've earned it."
"Want me to watch for any hyenas, Vitani?" Asked her Keenest member.
"No thanks, Tazama. I'll keep an eye out."
Tazama stretched and laid back down next to her team members. Vitani watched her most visual teammate start to rest in the shade and looked out across the dry savanna. She saw several Wildebeest grazing what grass was edible in the hot sun above. The Lioness sighed and shook her head. Now, being a tough woman like Vitani had its ups. But there can't be such a thing as up without the concept of down.
You see, ever since Vitani became the leader of the new Lion Guard, things certainly did change not only for the Pridelands, but for her as well. In the Outlands, not all animals were very sociable. Many of them saw Lions as omens of death just waiting to hand out stitches to anyone they saw. Our Lioness here never had any friends, other than the other cubs of Zira's pride. They only stayed around her and acted as her friends to ensure that they were not on Zira's bad side. After all, she needed to find herself something to occupy her time since Kovu got all the attention. But as time went on, this false friendship turned into something true. She started to feel connections with those her age. Of course, the only survivors of that group of cubs made up her whole team. Yes, it was a troubling time for her as a cub, watching those she considered friends be taken by those revolting scavengers of the Outlands. But hey, such as life in Africa.
She envied Kiara. There, I said it. Heaven knows she would never admit it. She was greatly jealous of her sister-in-law, despite not interacting with her much. She had heard tales from almost every animal she met in the Pridelands about how Kiara was raised by their hero Simba, the son of Mufasa who single-handedly won the battle of Pride Rock and saved the Pridelands from the tyranny of Scar. Yes, yes, we all know the story, so I'll spare the repetitive detail. Everyone knew the story all too well. Yes, this included Vitani. And being part of this royal family meant that the youngest would be the head of the class. Teacher's pet and all. But where did that leave Vitani? Nowhere. She was strictly on the Outside looking in. Kiara was the queen now that Simba and Nala stepped down. Everyone looked up to her and Kovu now. But did they show equal respect to Vitani? Not exactly.
But that didn't mean that she'd make the same decisions a prior guard leader made…
Regardless of her brushing off her jealousy for the time being, Vitani could not help but wonder. How exactly could she get her due respect? Sure, she was not a glory-hound like many heroes you know, but it still would be nice to be recognized for her talents. Some small children giving her the same praise as the hero before her for once. Instead of giving awkward nods of fear and an occasional 'thank you' from those she saved from harm.
Maybe one day…
*Snap!*
The snapping of a twig got her attention, as well as the attention of her guard. They turned their heads towards the bushes to see what it was that was approaching them. The rustling of leaves also helped raise their awareness as they stared at the foliage.
"Alright, whoever's in there, come out now!" Vitani ordered. She snarled at the bushes as whatever was in there was starting to come out.
"If it's any of those Hyenas, I swear." Kasi growled.
The four of them lowered their heads in advance as the animal was approaching sooner than later. Whatever it was, it sounded big. Bigger than a Hyena anyway. Regardless, that didn't mean they would have to let their guard down. Vitani continued to growl as the animal finally stepped out.
"Kanuk?!"
The large lion emerged from the leaves, a stoic expression on his face. He looked around at the five lionesses around him. To say that they were considered friends would be one of the falsest things I have ever typed. From the moment when Vitani and her allies had been welcomed into the Pridelands, they had been given many things to remember about their new home. And one of the most important lessons to be learned was to never trust Kanuk.
As far as they knew, he was a wanted criminal lucky to even still live in the Pridelands. He must've done something really bad to have made Simba hate him this much. It had to have been, if neither one of the Royal family members wouldn't tell them specifically what his crime was. Simba was far more talkative about the matter, while Nala tried to avoid it, as if it was something uncomfortable to talk about with her.
Heck, they hardly told Vitani anything about him. But whenever he showed his face around her, it was to preach about his views on Hyenas. There was something odd about him, though. As if he had reasons for being what he was. But she merely shook this off as she saw that scowl on his face slowly turn into a smile.
"Well, the Lion Guard." He said as his raggedy mane waved in the breeze. "Out on another patrol. I had just seen you chase those mongrels away once again."
"What're you doing here, Kanuk?" Vitani immediately questioned.
"Yeah, nice to see you too, Vitani." Kanuk rolled his eyes. "I just come to visit. That isn't too much to ask, is it? The sun is quite hot out today, isn't it? Strange how much the sun has shown its burning anger at us."
"Well, it is the Dry Season." Tazama interjected.
"You know something? You're quite bright for someone with the eyes of an Eagle."
"Oh, well thank you." Tazama puffed up with pride at Kanuk's comment, earning an 'oh brother' from Imara.
Vitani rolled her eyes at this and turned back to Kanuk. "Listen, Kanuk. Me and the girls don't need any trouble from you right now. So why don't you just turn around and leave?"
"Why? I'm just out on a little stroll, is all." Kanuk shrugged. "And I knew I just had to come and see the Pridelands' newest heroes. Not many people have seen them up close and personal, let alone have a conversation with them."
"So that's what you want?" Vitani asked him. "To just talk with us? Well, if that's what you want, you won't get it. We don't have time to talk with wanted criminals."
This little comment made Kanuk's face drop back into a frown. He narrowed his eyes at Vitani and scoffed. "Criminal, eh? How very pleasant. It seems you've been spending much time with Kiara, yes? Oh, she's definitely Daddy's little girl, isn't she?"
"Look, what's the real reason you're here, Kanuk?" Vitani pressed forward on the subject.
Kanuk merely sighed and shook his head, as if what he was reluctant to say what was coming next. "I can see you are quite inquisitive, Vitani. Very well. I have noticed that the Hyena problem has begun to get out of hand. They have not listened to any of your warnings. They've continued on with their attacks and taken more than their share of meat. As I have noticed, they are causing a massive situation for not only the herds, but for the predators of the Pridelands. Haven't you noticed that the Servals and Crocs haven't been getting their fair share these days? I have. They can't live off of Hyraxes and fish all their lives, can they?"
The four lionesses in the guard all nodded silently. As much as it hurt them to admit it, Kanuk was right. Lions were not the only predators in the Pridelands, and they too were starting to suffer from the poaching of the Hyenas. Vitani, however, kept her face hardened as Kanuk carried on.
"Look, I know that you don't like me. I know that none of you like me. I'm not exactly fond of your methods myself. You all look at me, and you see someone who had done wrong in the past. Think what you will, but my duty is truly to the Pridelands. I was only a cub when Scar ruled this place. And the last thing I want is for this place to fall into the same kind of ruin all over again. Therefore, it is in the best of my conscience, that I have decided… to help you."
Now Vitani was not the kind of Lioness to show a lot of her emotions. As I have said before, her time I the Outlands had caused her to become tough and aggressive. Emotions were the last things she would show in a fight. But hearing that a mysterious criminal in her new home was willing to help her was rather unexpected to her and her guard. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me right, Vitani." Kanuk answered. "I have decided that I'm tired of just wandering the Pridelands while sustaining accusing looks and side remarks from every animal I come across. I don't face them at all, you see. I don't ever visit with the likes of them. Being an accused animal can make you rather introverted. But regardless of that, I don't want to let their thoughts about me stop me from helping them."
"Wait, wait, wait," Vitani shook her head. "You actually wanna help us?"
He growled a little bit. "Listen, this isn't exactly my favorite idea, either. You, being part of Simba's new family isn't a good thing to have on your resume in my book. But I am willing to put it behind us because I'm one of the souls you wish to protect. When you took the Roar from Kion that day, you swore your life to the oath. The oath that he, himself, devoted much of his existence to. You swore that you would protect the Pridelands and all its inhabitants from harm. Well, let me hold you to it. What other option do you have, Vitani? What do you say?"
Vitani lowered her head as she looked to the ground. This was all a lot for her to process. As much as she hated to admit it, Kanuk had made a valid point to her. When she chose to lead the Lion Guard, when she was given the roar, she had basically signed her life to protecting just about every life in the Kingdom. That is what the Fiercest did. That is what the Lion Guard did, and what it stood for. The very foundations of their ancestors' home were still standing today all because of Kion.
Her brother-in-law had left big shoes to fill when he left to return to the Tree of Life. She wished that they had left each other on better terms. She wished that she had been more reasonable with him. But now was no time to think on that. Now, she had to decide whether or not to accept help from Pridelands enemy number one. Right now, number one was offering to help catch number two: the Hyenas. How exactly could Kanuk help them? Could they even trust him? Why didn't Simba tell them everything about what he did? She was seriously doubting whether or not this lion was serious about helping them over downright betraying them.
Then again, what other choice did she have at this point? After all, many of the animals in the Pridelands were scared. They didn't want to let their guard down for a second out of fear of those spotted poachers coming back and taking their young. They would become jumpy and scared at a simple greeting. And Kanuk here seemed to be the only animal within 20 miles who wasn't afraid of them She raised her head back up to him and gave her answer.
"What did you have in mind?"
Kanuk simply smirked back at the Lioness. "Very good. Now then, first thing is first." He leaned in closer to the leader with a serious expression. He hardly even noticed Tazama and Kasi stepping back.
"What do you know about them?'
Here you have it! After his little talk with Kongwe, Kanuk is briefly putting aside his grievance against the Royal Family for the greater good. We get a little insight on Vitani's thoughts, as she looks back on her life in the Outlands and reflects on the present in the Pridelands. And now, she has been working harder than ever to keep Jasiri's former clan from breaking the Circle of Life, under the orders of the crooked Notar.
And you can sort of put two and two together of the hint of what Simba did on Via's part (Kanuk's dead mate). Apparently, Simba tried to have an affair. Didn't go so well for anyone. But we will cross that bridge when we get to it. There will be a flashback for it, so prepare for drama and a trashcan full of tissues.
Be sure and follow me and watch my other Fanfics "Jurassic World: Dominion (My Version)" and "The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Season 2 (My Version)." Also, be sure and watch out for a new story of mine coming out in 2022, titled "Disney's What If?...", an anthology series based on "Marvel's What If?..."
Anyways, you all have a Merry Christmas, have a good winter break, and I will see you all next time!