"Thank you, Zazu for the news."

The blue hornbill nodded before taking off to the sky. Desta sighed before continuing his rounds. The brownish lion wasn't a king, he and his father was leaders of a small pride that looked out for the safety of the other animals and lions that lived in the land as well as any land nearby that was in danger.

Desta was knocked out of his thoughts by the voice of his father. The brownish lion smiled as his father walked over to his side.

"I saw the Pride Lands majordomo. What was that about?"

Desta smiled. "Tiifu and Kopa became mates. They're in training to become the next king and queen."

Sariel nods and was about to say something when his eye caught the sight of birds flying over in huge flocks. "What the..."

Desta followed his father's gaze and was just as confused as the dark brown lion. Soon the sound of roars and screaming reached the father and son ears. They shared a look before running full speed towards the sounds.

Sariel and Desta ran for a few miles before they came to a horror sight. Dead bodies were laid out across the field. Lions unable to count stood by the bodies as others stood around. A few other lions stood by a young red-brown lion with a black mane.

He must be the leader, Sariel and Desta approached slowly.

"Stand down!" Desta yelled looking at the younger lion's every move.

"This doesn't have to get any messier." Sariel said gently.

The red-brown lion looked at the two and smiled. A evil glint shone brightly in his black eyes. "Of course it does. I've come too far for anything else. I am Jesús from the Pride Lands, and I am burdened with glorious purpose."

Jesús, brother of Kopa? Thought Sariel and Desta.

"We have no quarrel with your pride." Sariel stated calmly.

Jesús laughed as he raises a paw and inspected his claws. "An bug has no quarrel with a paw."

Sariel and Desta shared concerned looks before the dark brown, darker brown maned lion spoke.

"You planning to step on us?"

Jesús smirks at the two older lions. "I come with glad tidings,...of a land made free."

"Free from what? Freedom?" Desta asked.

Jesús walks over to to a few of the lions standing nearby. The lions stepped out of the way to reveal a young dull cream lion with a brownish mane and a light brown lion with a dark brown mane.

"Jashua!"

"Sãhasí!"

"Freedom is life's great lie." Jesús looked at the two lions in his grasp and smiles. "Once you accept that, in your heart...You will know peace."

Sariel looked from the two members of his pride to Jesús. "Yeah, you say peace, I kind of think you mean the other piece."

Jesús laughs before turning to his lions. "Head out!"

The large amount of lions turned and walked away with Jashua and Sãhasí in middle. A dark grey lion with a darker grey mane walked over to Jesús.

"Sir. What about them?"

Jesús laughed before walking away with the dark grey lion. "They're a waste of time."

Sariel and Desta watched Jesús and his army disappear out of sight.

Desta shook his head before he looked at his father."We must assemble the team!"

Sariel nodded before turning and running towards the pride with Desta in tow.

~O~

"So I'm so glad that he left..."

Asteria and Sherise rolled their eyes before the light beige teen nuzzled the creamy-white lion.

"We know you were jealous."

Luis glared at his girlfriend as Sherise snickered.

"I am glad to see you're enjoying yourself."

Sherise looks from the couple to the direction of the voice. Where a creamy lioness stood with a light in her bluish eyes.

Sherise smiled widely before running over and burying her head in the lioness' pale chest. "Anissa!"

Anissa laughs before nuzzling the dark brown teen. "I never had a welcome back like this before."

"Because you're my favorite!"

Luis and Hunter rolled their brown eyes. "What are you doing here?" asked the light beige, dark brown maned lion.

Sherise glared at her brother as Anissa rolled her bluish eyes.

"Because consulting hours are done."

Sherise growled at the creamy-white, black maned lion as her brother and sister laughed.

"This isn't a consultation."

"Is this about The Avengers?" Sherise asked which earned Anissa to nod.

Luis stood from sitting with a confuse look. "The Avengers Initiative was scrapped, I thought. And I didn't even qualify."

Asteria looked from her boyfriend to her sister and Anissa. "I didn't even know that."

Luis rolls his eyes at the memory of Sariel and Desta's words. "Apparently I'm volatile, self obsessed, and don't play well with others."

Sherise snickered before smirking. "That I did know."

A wave of seriousness washed over the creamy lioness' face. "This isn't about personality profiles anymore."

Sherise frowned. She had never seen Anissa like this before. "I'll leave with you."

Anissa nodded before walking out of the clearing with Sherise at her side. Luis sighed before looking at the light beige lion lying nearby.

"Might as well see what this is about."

Hunter nodded before stretching and followed his sister and friend after Sherise and Anissa.