Chris and his family were getting to know Akilah, Veya, Okove, and the other wild dog family more often today. Chris was playing with Okove and Kion just many yards from the home turf. Right now they were just playing tag and having so much fun together as kids.
"Your son is one of a kind," said Akilah. "So happy, full of life."
"All kids are like that." said Tara. "They're always happy." she some pictures of the three playing together, and she smiled at how much fun her little brother was having with his two animal friends. The four humans were thinking to themselves that coming here in Tanzania, Kenya, or wherever this area was, turns out to be the best thing that ever happened to them. "Kids being kids and all."
"That is true." said Veya. "Living happy-go-lucky lives without a care in the world."
"It makes me wish that me and my wife were kids again." Joel admitted.
"I wouldn't go there." said Akilah.
"Why not?" asked Persephone.
"Because Simba and Nala found a fountain of youth somewhere out here and it's best not to have it be shared by every animal in the Pride Lands." Akilah explained. "Or any other animal that comes across it."
"That's why they sealed the entrance away so no animal would endure it." Veya added.
"Well, there's nothing wrong with dreaming." said Persephone with a smirk. "There's no sin in dreaming."
"No argument." Akilah agreed. "All you have is herre and now, and you can't change the past."
meanwhile, Okove said: "Tag you're it!" to Chris, and he was the one that he had to touch (either Okove or Kion). Of course, they all knew that they couldn't do quick tagbacks.
"I'm gonna get you, Kion!" said Chris
"Haha! come and get me!" Kion replied back as he continued to run from Chris in a playful manner.
The playing went on for five minutes and eventually Kion suddenly slipped on his side and it gave Chris the perfect opportunity to gently pat his lion friend. "Gotcha! you're it, Kion!"
The boy ran away from the lion now and he was being chased by his new lion friend.
Deep down, Kion knew that humans couldn't probably outrun most animals (because they walk on two legs instead of four.)
Suddenly, to Chris' surprise, he felt someone tackle him, making him land on the soft ground. "Pinned ya!" sang a female voice. it was Rani
"Oh, Hey Rani." said Chris.
"You ok, Chris?" asked Kion
"Yep. Just fine."
"Why don't we take a break?" asked Okove.
"Good idea."
"Aww, but I just got here."
"We're not stopping, Rani." Kion smirked. "We're just taking a break. There's a difference between them."
Rani chuckled and said: "I know."
So they went to the wild dog group. "You guys having fun?" asked Joel.
"Yeah dad. so much fun." Chris replied. "I'. glad we came here."
"We're as glad as you, sweetie." said Persephone.
"So you humans, where do you come from?" asked Veya
"It's complicated." said Tara. "You can say we live in a... concrete jungle. It's kinda like a real jungle, but not how you think it would be."
"You wouldn't understand." Joel added.
"It can get very noisy where we live." Chris said. "And I know you guys have good hearing. So that means you have sensitive ears, right?"
Akilah made a small laugh and said: "That's right. we do have a very keen sense of hearing. One of the traits why we're better hunters than lions."
"Really? said Chris in surprise. "I thought lions are bigger."
"True," Akilah stated. "they are bigger and more powerful than us dogs, Chris. But what makes us better is our teamwork and our stamina."
"What he means is that: we can run for miles and miles chasing our prey until it gets tired and exhausted to even run anymore. That's when we go in for the kill."
"And we know how to keep it quiet when we are hunting." said Okove. "Our prey doesn't really know we're going to catch them until it's too late."
"We can usually chase our prey for about an hour before it gets too tired." said Veya."
"Admittedly," said Rani, "We lions can get a little noisy." she slightly shied away. "But anyway, how was patrolling, Kion?"
"The usual. Reirei and her Jackal family causing some trouble." Kion sounded annoyed. "But on the other paw; Janja and his crew aren't bad guys anymore. But..." he let out a sigh. "I wish those stupid jackals can just change and become good guys."
"Well I wouldn't bother with them." said the oldest son of Akilah's wild dog family. "They're mostly scavengers with nothing better to do than to bully other animals and steal food. Denial can be a powerful thing, if you know what I mean. You've seen Ramses, right?"
"True." Rani said. "He was beyond redeemable. Too crazy." she nodded her head.
"Good thing I put an end to his craziness." Joel gloated, cocking his rifle in his hands.
"You don't have to always carry that with you, dad." said Chris. "You might just scare some animals with it. Especially with how loud it is."
"I know it's loud, Chris." said Joel with a sigh. "But it's for our safety, and to keep dangerous animals away. You saw how Ramses was about to almost kill you. If I didn't have my rifle, then... you know." he gulped and had a terrible though of not saving his son from that crazed lion, right before he shot and killed him with one bullet.
"I know, dad."
"I'm just glad the Lion's Bane isn't around anymore." Okove noted.
"Here here." Akilah agreed.
Kion and Rani were sitting on a hill together and enjoying the view from above. Yes, they were close to one another and looking each other every once in a while with love and affection.
"It's beautiful out here, isn't it, Kion?"
"Very beautiful." Kion agreed. "So how are your parents? not worrying too much about you I hope?"
"They are doing fine." Rani said. "They are starting to worry less about me and realize how strong I am."
"At least they're not pressuring you to become the new queen of the Back Lands." Kion said.
"Yeah." Rani chuckled. "Thanks to you." she snuggled him and gently tackled him to the ground so she can lay on his belly.
"Heh heh. Stop it." Kion chuckled. "You're gonna squish me to death."
"Oh you know I wouldn't do that." Rani looked amused.
"You're worse than Vitani- wait... no she's the worst."
"She's a hardcore tomboy." Rani pointed.
"Too much of a tomboy."
"Well I'm kind of a tomboy." his girlfriend admitted.
"Yeah, I know. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, but Vitani can drive me crazy sometimes. You should see how he wrestles me."
"No thanks."
"That's what I thought." Kion smirked. "Although... I would like to see you go claw-to-claw with her."
"That can be arranged." said Rani with a smirk. "not like a vicious fight but like wrestling like you said. And hey: if you gives you a hard time, let me know and i'll show her who's boss."
"I would love to see Vitani get tackled for a change."
"Why doesn't Kovu do something about that?"
"It's not that simple." Kion admitted. "He worries that he might take it too far on her."
"Yeah, with originally trying to kill your dad, that wouldn't surprise me from what he's been through."
"He's a way better lion than Scar. Good thing he's not Kovu's dad."
"Right? That would he so awkward."
A little later on in the day, Kion, Rani, Kifaru, and the Lion Guard were guiding the humans to the home of the Emela-Ntouka tribe. This vast jungle area was humid as ever and green with trees and bushes.
"Ugh, it's so humid here." Tara complained. "It's like being a steam room! Not the good kind of steam room either."
"Come on, Tara." said Chris. "It can get humid during the summer at home."
"That's easy for you to say, squirt." said his big sister. "This is more humid than home."
"Don't worry," said Kion. "When we get to Adewale's home, it will be all worth it."
"I hope you're right, Kion." said Persephone. "It feels so yucky on my skin right now."
"You'll get used to it." said Rani. "Besides, we're almost there."
"Good." said Persephone. Despite how humid and yucky it felt, Tare, and the other humans took pictures on their phones for some interesting scenery and so many animals that lived in the rainforest like this. Yes, it was very different than how the Pride Lands were. At last there they were, the Emela-Ntouka territory.
All of these unusual, yet majestic creatures were doing what all herbivores would do; grazing on some grass, eating some leaves from trees, and laying around in mud holes and going on about their lives. Yes, they were almost like a combo between rhinos and hippos once one would think about it. "Wow." said Chris.
"That's what we said when we came here the first time, Chris." Kion smiled. Adewale recognized the visitors and walked up to the group.
"Ah, Kion and company. Wonderful to see you all again."
"Hello Adewale." said Kion and Rani
The leader of these majestic behemoths looked at the human family and addressed them. "And I want to remember... Joel, Persephone, Tara, and Chris, right?"
"Yep. That's us." said Joel with a smile. "You guys are very interesting. I mean, we have never seen you guys before."
"Partly because we're one of the rarest animals out here." said Adewale's son. "There's not a lot of us, and we used to be..."
"Not so favored among other animals." said Adewale's mate.
"But thanks to Kion, everyone in the Pride Lands helped us get to know everyone else, and vice versa." Adewale said.
