It has been many years since Kion's coronation as the king of the Tree of Life, Kion is an adult, but for some reason, his mane refuses to grow more than it already has. And to those foolish enough to attack these lands, they'll be met by the Night Pride, and the roar of the elders, which is why Kali needed a plan, and the first step is to find recruits to his expanded army… preferably someone who knows those lands.
"Hey you!" Kali called out to a tiger "I am Kali, and under Emperor Rifalme, I would like to recruit you into my army."
"Why should I?" The tiger growled, "Better yet, why would me, a Tiger, willingly help you, a lion?"
"You'll have food, water, shelter," Kali cajoled, "I mean… you certainly don't want to rot and die in this wasteland."
The tiger spat "Tell me about it."
"I heard you have history with the Tree of Life," Kali continued, "So why don't you go and share the bedtime story about it?"
"It's none of your business." The tiger growled
"Alright then, I'll start," Kali chuckled, "Ganaji entered the Tree of Life, seeking shelter, but when he overstepped his boundaries and over hunted, he was forced to leave"
"That's not the true story!" Ganaji snapped
"Ok, then tell me" Kali replied "What really happened?"
"The night pride are scum, they're selfish," Ganaji grumbled, "They would only let in people they liked into the tree, their whole spiel about taking in anyone in need is nothing but hogwash, I did what I have to do."
"Very well" Kali "Looks like we have the same enemy"
"What do you want?" Ganaji asked
"I'm planning to invade the Tree Of Life" Kali replied "After that, I would let everyone in need to enter the tree"
"That is, if they swore there loyalty to the empire" Kali whispered under his breath
"And why should I trust a lion?" Ganaji asked "Something I learned is that lions are not to be trusted, they'll always stab you in the back."
"Oh, that's so harsh…" Kali feigned being hurt "I swear that we lions aren't all that bad. Well if you don't want to help me then sure, you can go ahead and rot in this wasteland, you can die for all I care"
Kali turned his back on him, but he knew Ganaji, he's all about revenge and he wouldn't miss this opportunity… even if it means helping a lion
"Wait" Ganaji called out
"What is it, tiger?" Kali taunted, "I thought we were done here."
"I… I'll join you" he hesitantly said
"Well that's a change of mind that I didn't expect" Kali grinned
"The Night pride has to pay… And I wouldn't miss out a chance to get my revenge!"
"Wait is that…" Ullu wondered "Ganaji!"
"I am proud that you considered my purposal" Kali said "It would've been a shame if you have rejected it"
"I'm only doing this for me…" Ganaji spat "Not for your precious empire."
"Well I must say I am impressed by your story" Kali replied "Killing not just the queen, but the king of the Tree of Life as well?"
"Those selfish bastards deserved it" Ganaji said with great irritation
"I must remind you that the tree of life has the roar of the elders" Kali said "For that I have the perfect weapon… the roar's weakness"
"The roar of the elders?! That's a leonine myth!" Ganaji spat
"It isn't" Kali replied "I saw it on my own eyes the new king of the tree of life used it against an invader"
"That's impossible!" Ganaji exclaimed "And who is the new King of the tree of life?"
"I don't know what's his name" Kali replied "But it's someone you shouldn't mess with"
"What's the weapon?" Ganaji asked
"I learned about alot of myths" Kali replied "The roar of the elders is one of them and they all have weaknesses"
"The weakness of the roar is the Takatifu stick" Kali continued "The venom of this stick is powerful enough that it can remove the roar on whoever has it… permanently"
"I can't believe I'm working with a lion this mad.." Ganaji whispered
"Kion!" Ullu called
"Ullu? What's going on?" Kion asked
"... G-Ganaji!" Ullu stuttered
"Who?"
"He is the tiger that killed Rani's parents!" Ullu replied "He now has an army…"
"I have to get to Rani!" Ullu exclaimed
"Hey, slow down!" Kion called "You're saying this tiger killed Rani's parents?"
"Y-yes, He was exiled because he overhunted" Ullu responded "And he killed the king and Queen as a response… but now he has a Lion army on his side…"
"Ok Ullu calm down, I think we can stop him" Kion comforted "It would be just like the others who tried to invade this lands"
"Kion, Ullu, what's going on?" Rani showed up
"Ganaji is back!" Ullu exclaimed
"Ganaji? But… it can't be…" Rani replied "We have to prepare now!"
"A tiger with a lion army? How did that happen?" Kion pondered
"Well looks like they were expecting us" Kali said
"Outsiders, I do not know why you wish to invade the Tree of Life," Kion threatened, "But know that I will give you one chance to leave—take it"
"Ooo scary," Kali teased "Especially with that questionable mane of yours"
"Is that even an adult?" Ganaji asked
"Who are you?" Kion asked, "You look like a Pridelander…"
"...And just like my father" Kion thought silently
"I am Prince Kali, son of emperor Rifalme of the Umojelands," Kali introduced, "I can assure you I am no pridelander"
"You brought a Prince!?" Rani exclaimed
"Well I didn't bring him…" Ganaji chuckled, "He simply recruited me… Because well, we simply have the same interests"
"So your plan is to invade the Tree of Life," Kion said, "Why?"
"For peace and prosperity" Kali replied
"How would starting a war cause peace and prosperity?" Fuli joined in "That doesn't make any sense"
"If we are done every pride will be united as one there will be no need for war" Kali explained, "And there shall be peace forever and if the purpose is done war will be relics of the past"
"Peace? Forcing every kingdom to be part of yours is not the answer" Kion replied "You'd only destroy the circle of life! Every kingdom must be balanced!"
"I'm afraid I must disagree" Kali chuckled
"Then so be it!" Kion threatened as he took a fighting stance
"Oh? But why should this all end in bloodshed, why don't we fight, one on one," Kali suggested, "A duel"
"Remember the plan" Kali then whispered to the tiger
Kion was skeptical, why would Kali bring his entire army, only to demand a simple duel, yet there was no reason to refuse
"Very well, Kali," Kion replied, "I accept"
"Kion, are you absolutely sure? You might be hurt!" Rani said
"Well, the other choice would be nothing short of a bloodbath," Kion replied "This way there will be less casualties.."
"Well, I suppose you were smart enough to accepted by suggestion" Kali said "It is a wise choice"
Kion stared silently at his opponent
"Well let's get started, Kion," Kali chuckled, "Let us start, with this"
Kali plunged some stick into Kion, who roared with agony
"What the heck?" Kion asked, "What did you do?"
"Well, I evened the playing field, considering you have the roar of yours" Kali checked his claws nonchalantly
As soon as Kali finished talking, Kion keeled over, something sapped his strength, he was tired, he knew there was a trap, yet he still fell for it.
"KION!" His friends exclaimed
"Attack!" Ganaji commanded confirming the lioness attack against the tree of life
"Well Kion, what I just stabbed you with is the one weakness of the roar of the elders," Kali grinned, "The stick contains venom that you will not be capable of using the roar forever"
"That's… impossible" Kion struggled to his feet, but exhaustion washed over him, so strong…
"And what are you going to do?" Kali asked
Kion roared, he roared as hard as he could but nothing happened
"Ooo scary" Kali chuckled
"H-how did you" Kion was shocked
Kion's roar failed him, his strength failed him, this is not going to be an easy fight, but it's not an unfamiliar feeling.
"You're not going to win, Kali" Kion defiantly roared
"We have you outnumbered, the leader incapacitated, what more can you do" Kali said
"The thing about the night pride is that, there's not just one leader" A smile tugged onto Kion's mouth, "RANI!"
"Night Pride, with me" Rani called out and they engaged
"You night pride are a thorn to our side, but just that, a thorn" Kali angrily said
"Oh yeah? Then bring it, Kali"
Kali lunged and Kion used the last of his strength to flip Kali over, a move taught by his mother
Despite their best efforts, the night pride were slowly overwhelmed by Kali's army, and before long, they entered the Tree of Life, terrorizing the animals the night pride have to retreat but they did not.
"Well now the Tree of life is about to fall on our paws and your stubborn friends are not giving up" Kali said to a weakened Kion
"Rani we have to retreat we are being overwhelmed we can just go back and retake the Tree of Life when we're more prepared." Baliyo said
"No Baliyo, I'm not leaving!" Rani hissed
"Animals dying because of some false belief that they will win." Kali said, "It's pathetic."
"You're not going to win, Kali" Kion struggled to his feet, "Not… while I'm still breathing"
"Your own breath is ragged" Kali sighed, "but oh well…"
Kali simply pushed Kion, knocking him down, and stepped on his throat
"Such a shame…" Kali chuckled, "I have to end this with such bloodshed"
"Kion, No!" Rani tried to rush to Kion's side, but there was a dozen lionesses blocking her path
"Get down" Baliyo swiped his claws above his sister, where it hit a lioness who lunged at her
"I'm not leaving without Kion" Rani hissed
"Sis, listen to me, if you die here, the Tree of Life will lose it's last leader, if you die here…" Baliyo swallowed back a sob, "I can't lose you too."
Rani hesitated, she looked at the battleground, Baliyo was right, it was hopeless, it was do or die.
"You won't get to see the light another day" Kali bared his teeth, eyeing Kion's neck
"Kali i should have known you would be terrorizing another innocent kingdom" the lion said
Kali flinched, he recognized that voice, the only lion that managed to stop him, his only embarrassment
"You again! Stay away from this or you will meet the same fate" Kali growled
"Too bad, Kali, your empty threats wont work with me!" The lion answered
Before Kali could even react, the lion swiped his left eye. Kali recoiled in pain, clutching his damaged eye. And while he was distracted, the lion carried Kion and ran towards the jungle
Kali and Ganaji have successfully taken over the Tree of Life.
"That fool double crossed me" Kali said after finally finding some tuliza to deal with the pain on his eye
"How did you get all these scars?!" Ganaji asked
"Got it since I was some cub, Why?" Kali replied
"What kind of cub were you??" Ganaji asked again
"None of your business" Kali growled
"W-where am I?" Kion asked
"I thought you were dead," The lion replied, "Don't worry, you're safe in my den."
"Who are you?" Kion asked
"It doesn't matter but I'm here to tell you about some more information about Kali and his army" The lion continued "He is the second in command of that megalomaniac emperor Rifalme, conquering everything in his path, all in the name of his so called 'peace'."
"I have to go back to the Tree of Life, they might still be there! I need to–"
"Your friends are safe, the night pride have successfully ran away" The lion interrupted "even if you come back, consider yourself dead since Kali has conquered it"
"Well if that's the case i have to go… The pridelands! They have to know about this threat and I have to warn them!" Kion exclaimed
"I understand," The lion replied, "Good luck in your journey"
"Before I go, may I know your name?" Kion asked
Kion looked back but the lion was gone like he was never there.
"Well I guess I better go…"
Swahili translation:
Ganaji (Mpiganaji) = Fighter
Takatifu (Mtakatifu) = Sacred
Co-written by Rheo Elpis