While Kion and Chris were getting well-acquainted with one another, Simba was also hitting it off with Joel, as with Persephone and Tara hitting it off with the other lions rather nicely.
The members of the Lion Guard and Kifaru were hitting it off with Chris as well. They also were liking the human boy a great deal.
Some of animals, including Kion started asking some questions about what humans would do, and the boy would answer to them things that these animals have never heard of before. Chris pulled out a device called a cellphone out of his pocket and showed the animals around him what it is and how it would work. "You can call other humans with this phone. You can take pictures and play games on it too."
"Games?" asked Kion. "I don't think you can play hide-and-seek with this thing."
Chris couldn't help but chuckle. "No, no, not at all. I'm not talking about those kind of games. Video games." he pulled out a fun game on his phone entitled: "Gems Galore" on it, and showed his new friends how the game would work.
"Ooh." the kids looked so amazed by this device.
"But humans like me have opposable thumbs to play these games, and you guys don't." Chris sounded a little embarrassed. "and you can probably scratch my screen with your claws."
"Oh. I understand." said Fuli. "It looks fun though."
"It is." Chris agreed. "I would like you guys to enjoy it, but you might break my phone. it's very important to me. Besides, I will need it in case of an emergency, like if I get lost out here in the savanna and got separated from my family. There could be other animals that would probably want to eat me."
"Good thinking." said Bunga. "or why not just sniff your way back to your family if you get lost?"
"Because my sense of smell isn't as great as most animals. it would have to be as big as a dog for thag to help."
"A very good point." Kion said. a thought just came to his head, "Hey!" he thought, "speaking of dogs, there is a pack of painted dogs that I know that might like you. And don't worry, they won't give you any trouble."
"Are you sure?" Chris said.
"Absolutely!" Kion said. "They will like you, trust me."
"Yeah, they are like lions," Ono pointed. "But they're dogs and not cats."
"Obviously." Kifaru said. "But Kion is best friends with Okove."
"He's the youngest kid of the leaders, Akilah and Veya." Kion pointed. "They're very good animals and follow the circle of life like all good animals do."
"Where do they live?" asked Chris
"Over at a small pond with a large rock two miles from here. You see that small pond over there?" Kifaru pointed.
"Hmmmm, the one with the light brown dot next to it?"
"Uh-huh." Besthe nodded his head. "Right over there to the right."
"It's not really like Pride Rock, but they call if home." Fuli said. "And they helped Kion and us against Inuwa when he tried to take over the Pride Lands."
"Really?"
"Yep, painted dogs might not be as big as lions, but they still know how to fight." Kion said. "And... it kinda pains me to say this, but... they hunt better than us lions would do."
"And lions are supposed to be the rulers of the Pride Lands?" asked Fuli teasingly.
Kion scowled at his cheetah friend. "It's not about the hunting." he said. "it's about the strength and knowledge. Knowledge is power."
"Ah, I'm just kidding." Fuli said. "Come on, smile."
"You're like Vitani a little bit, you know that, Fuli?"
"Oh, don't be like that." said the cheetah.
"So, you told me about the Lion's Bane," said Chris, "What other bad guys do you fight?"
"Well, Kion told you about Reirei and her jackals." Bunga pointed. "There are some hyenas and vultures that give us a hard time."
"But they're not so much trouble." Beshte pointed.
"Yeah, probably not worth the effort like they used to be like." added Ono. "it's the Lion's Bane we have to worry about. they mean business."
"I believe you." said Chris. "I hope I don't meet them."
"Don't worry," said Kifaru. "I doubt you will."
"Well, I should ask my dad if I can take you down there to meet the dogs."
"Sure! I would like that."
The cub asked his father if they can do just that, and Simba agreed... on one condition, he and the rest of Kion's family comes with them.
It was no problem for Chris, because if would make him feel less nervous when meeting the African painted dogs.
Meanwhile, still lurking in the grass, Ramses and the Lion's Bane were still stalking their own enemies and the humans. "Well, he's not wrong." said Ramses, "we are far superior to those weaklings Kion mentioned."
"Yeah, they are jokes." Makucha concured. "So should we ambush them now? I'm dying to maul those kids to shredded meat."
"Yeah! and I can't wait to take out that annoying Bunga." Harif added.
"Patience my friend, patience." Ramses said. "They will suffer and die a very painful death soon enough. Some things require precision as I have mentioned."
"And besides, you all got me." said Mpishi. "I'm the eye in tbe sky for you guys. They'll never know what will hit them as I watch them from the skies."
"I hate to break it to you, Mpishi." said Draak, "but you're forgetting about Ono. He's got a better keen sight than you dk."
"Yeah, as soon as he sees you, he will know we're onto them." Tuma added. "they may be kids, but they never forget faces."
"Well our time to kill them all will come. but for now, we must follow them and see what they are planning."
"I am a hippo," said Draak, "I am pretty strong against any stupid dogs or cats."
"Maybe so." said Ramses, "but you don't have the Roar of the Elders. Even if they are smaller, the more numerous they are, the more difficult it will be to complete the task. Now come on, and keep your mouths shut."
The Lion's Bane followed the humans and Kion, his friends, and royal family through the grass, very quietly without being compromised. After all the times they were defeated by the Lion Guard, it is making them smarter.
