Kion and Rani were looking at the small lake the group of Emela-Ntouka lived in. It wasn't as humid as it was. After all, it wasn't the rainy season this time of year. While looking at the nice scenery, Kion felt it necessary to have a sip of the beautiful, sparkling waters of this lake, and Rani followed after him.
"I would be careful in this lake." said Adewale, coming up to the kids. "Such dangers hide in these waters. Pythons, tigerfish, and others."
"Tigerfish?" said both Kion and Rani.
"It is a nasty type of fish that will prey on anything it can get their teeth on. They are terrifying, and it would be one of the last things you would want to encounter whole you are swimming in a lake or a river."
Both the cubs looked a little unnerved by this kind of fact. Pythons are one thing, along with venomous snakes, but a gigantic fish that can rip flesh out with it's bare teeth? That is something out of the ordinary. Of course, there were sharks that lurked in the rivers to wait and catch prey for themselves without the prey knowing.
"Well, it can't be as scary as a crocodile or an angry hippo. You know how strong a crocodile's bite is." Koom pointed. "And pythons aren't really that much trouble."
"To lions as yourselves, no." Adewale said. "But for smaller or animals that do not have horns or sharp teeth to defend themselves with, yes. Of course, you are both cubs, and these fish would eat you. I am not trying to scare you, I am just trying to help you he more alert."
"No, it's fine." said Kion. "I've faced greater dangers. Like the Lion's Bane you saved me from."
"Excellent point. The fish are probably a little inferior to those brutes." Adewale noted. "But still, it is best to steer clear of them."
"You don't have any problem with them?" Rani asked curiously
"No, of course not. We Emela-Ntouka have thick hides, and we can easily pierce them with our horns, unless if you were as old as my son that is."
"Well, we'll be careful, Adewale." Kion said. "It's no match for my roar of the Elders."
"Perhaps. Like most fish, it cannot be on land for too long."
"Well, we'll be fine," Rani said. "We promise."
The Emela-Ntouka smiled boldly. "I know you will. You are both strong-willed and you know how to stay alert if needed. And Kion, I never thought you would didn't think about becoming the new king of your home before. You have what it takes to he a good leader, and provide the well-being of your friends and allies."
Kion blushed a little. "Thanks, but I can't picture myself as a king of the Pride Lands." he looked away a little. "Besides, that's Kiara and Kovu's destiny. My destiny is to be the leader of the Lion Guard."
"Hmm... I see."
"Well, at least you won't have to have the same responsibility my parents will pass on to me."
"Like I said Rani, you still have a long way to go."
"I have to check on my family." Adewale remarked. Don't worry, I'll be back to get some water to drink. As he went away, the ground was mildly shaking like a small earthquake. The Cubs were alone in this dense jungle.
Still, a tigerfish sounds pretty nasty and awful. No matter, the kids woumd be able to handle a tigerfish, depending on how many there are, or what they eat. "Do you think that those fish fo exist?" Rani asked him.
"Probably. But I don't wanna think about it too much."
"Yeah, you're right, Kion. I'll be ready to give those fish What's coming to them.
"They could hunt in groups, Rani." Kion speculated.
"Groups?" the lioness scoffed. "Pah, it's gonna take a long more than having a group of mobster fish. I don't even care how many of these stupid fish will be taken care of. I fight until the end."
"Me too." Kion nodded his head.
"Well," said a smooth voice. "Issssn't that nicccccce?" it sounded like a low, calm, and soothing hissing sound in his voice. Both cubs looked a little alarmed and they waited for this stranger, whoever he was, to pop out of nowhere and attack them. Many animals in Africa are ambush predators, but this animal sounded like he was toying with them all.
After a moment of silence, the Cubs acter like it was nothing and were about to head back to Adewale, they saw a gigantic, bulky, wide African Rock Python, about the size of a tree from head to tail.
The cubs looked at surprised, and they held their ground against this reptile if needed to fight with him.
"What the heck are you" Kion asked.
The python made a chuckle and replied calmly: "I am animal not to he trifled with, boy." the python replied. "For my name, I am known as Mjinja, the greatest snake to ever walk across these Lands. Ybr python then sneered.
"Look, we don't want any trouble," said Kion, trying to reason with him.
Mjinja chuckled again. "Oh I know. I am wondering what two Cubs out here are doing in a place like this: lost, hungry, thirsty,"
"Hold it." Rani said. "We're not lost. We already arrived here to look for the Emela-Ntouka."
"Ah yes, those animals are quite fascinating. Almost as fascinating as you both. It's not a very common sight for a lion to wonder deep into this jungle." This python started to slowly slither and and went behind the children.
"You don't know who you're talking to, don't you?" Kion asked. "My name is-"
"Kion of the Lion Guard?" Asked the rock python with a bold look on his face. "And you are Rani, am I correct?"
"Yes." Kion replied. "How do you know about it?"
"Words from the birds come around here fast."
"Ah, of course." the male cub said in his mind. "Always the birds that spread the new around here." Of course, he didn't hate the birds. No, he is just feeling a little more vulnerable now than ever in these woods. "Just move along now, or I will have to use my Roar of the Elders on you!"
Mjinja made a small laugh of doubt and he sounded amused, like he wanted to toy with these cubs some more. "That issssss tough talk for a sssssmall cub like yoursssself." he said before hissing shd baring his teeth at the two Cubs.
