Chapter 6
For two days, the teenagers traveled through the Kingdom of Life's grand, luscious, and beautiful version of the East African landscapes. Along the way, they saw a wide and large waterfall, walked besides flooded grass plains, and sighted Mt. Kilimanjaro. Rosa says that they're not supposed to be anywhere near due to the direction they took. Greg speculates that since the Kingdom has similar landscapes like those from the outside, it might have some of the same looking —or the exact copy of— landmarks like that of Mt. Kilimanjaro within as well.
Not only the scenic views in the Kingdom caught their eye, but the wildlife itself. Rosa says this is more animals she ever saw in most of her years spent in both Kenya and Tanzania... except they're keeping their distance from the teenagers... more than they normally should. Rosa suggested that the animals aren't used to outsiders other than the human tribes that reside in the Kingodm.
During the first day in the Kingdom, The boys have slightly gotten better at archery... especially Greg. They've also now understand a bit more of Swahili while sort of got the hang of understanding time by looking at the sky... but Cody understands more like Rosa than the others.
One time, Rosa woke the boys up earlier than they should so they can all watch the gazelles jumping across the misty plains. Cody smiled at Rosa's excitement over the animals and the surroundings around them. He and the others also thought this was pretty amazing as well... even Stan admitted that this was kinda cool.
Right now they still walking to their destination as they read the time from the sky finding out it's six o'clock in the afternoon.
"Are we there yet?!" Greg complained.
"We won't know until we see Pride Rock." Cody replied.
"How do we know when we see it." Stan asked with annoyance while looking tired by carrying his luggage, "Tukufu didn't really say what it looks and says we'll know when we see it. But we don't even when we do!?
"Why is it even called 'Pride Rock' in the first place?" Fred added, "Also why is their home also called the 'Pride Lands' as well?"
"I think that King Simba and his people live alongside with lions." Rosa replied.
Greg, Fred, and Stan stared at a surprised expression.
"What makes you say that?" Fred asked.
"You know, that kinda makes sense since lions live in groups called 'prides'." Cody replied.
Greg, Fred, and Stan aren't surpised since they knew that his sister taught him some stuff about animals, but it was still an eye-opener for them when he told them the answer. Rosa on the other hand is happy that he has some knowledge like her.
"But wouldn't the lions kill them for being in their territory?!" Fred asked.
"I doubt it." Rosa replied, "Some of the animals that we came across are predators, and they didn't even bother us. So I believe that King Simba and his people coexist with the lions for generations. Kind of like neighbors."
"Yeah, except my neighbor isn't a giant cat that can kill me at any moment." Stan argued.
Rosa rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"By the way, did anyone notice that the animals look... a bit different." Cody asked, "Their expressions seemed... human."
"What you're describing is anthropomorphism." Greg replied, "And yeah, I noticed it too."
"WAIT, SO I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE?!" Stan exclaimed.
"'I've noticed it as well." Rosa added, "It's very strange..."
"I bet it's all in our heads because of the lack of sleep when waking up earlier and the constant walking." Fred said.
"Yeah you're right." Cody agreeing with him, "The sooner we find Pride Rock, the sooner we can locate King Simba and his tribe."
"Guys... I think I found it." Greg said wide eyes with his mouth hanging agape while pointing what's in front of him which clearly has taken his breath away.
The rest of the teenagers then looked at the direction where Greg is pointing at. They then recieved the same expression as Greg as they what's before them.
Four miles in front of them is a magnificent, but massive triangular rock formation; a second rock juts out in front of it while being supported by other rocks. Also on the base and back of Pride Rock, there are multiple amounts of trees as well.
"HOLY CRAP!?" Cody exclaimed, "IT'S HUGE!?"
"It's majestic..." Rosa said in awe.
"HECK YEAH!" Stan cheered, "FINALLY WE'RE HERE! NOW THIS SIMBA GUY CAN HELP US GET HOME!"
"That's great and all, but Tufuku didn't really tell us where Simba and his tribe are located." Fred said ruining the moment.
Stan's excited smile quickly changed to a deep disappointed frown in realization.
"How are we supposed to find them?!" Greg asked in a frustrated flustered tone "Or are they supposed to find us?"
"I think they're somewere near Pride Rock." Cody guessed, "If not, we'll keep on searching in the Pride Lands until we do. But right now we need to find a place to camp for the night and then start looking tomorrow morning."
"I noticed a acacia tree surrounded by ring of tall grass and some shrubs." Rosa said pointing in the direction from the left of them slightly down a hill. "It'll at least provide some coverage from the predators and upcoming rain."
"What rain?" Stan asked.
Then the teenager heard a rumble in the sky as the looked from the right as they saw rain clouds heading towards them and Pride Rock.
"Seriously?" Stan said with annoyance.
"It is the wet season after all."
"Wet season?" Fred said witha raised eyebrow.
"There's also a dry season too."
The boys had no idea what Rosa is talking about. She sighed in annoyance due their lack of knowledge about Africa.
"I'll tell you guys about it before we go to bed."
Then the teenagers headed toward the temporary camping site as they arrived five minutes later. Greg was the first one to enter throught he ring of grass and shrubs until the others heard him scream. They rushed inside as they found him sitting on the ground, with his belongings on the ground, while looking spooked and breathing very heavily.
"What happened?" Cody asked.
Greg tried to gain back his composure while straightening his glasses before he replied "The moment I arrived at the tree, I was then staring face to face with a bird in front of me! It screamed at me as if it was frightened before it flew off!"
"Come on, you got startled by a bird." Fred said with smirk.
"The bird startled me!" Greg argued, "And I could've sworn it sounded almost human!"
"Did it really?" Stan asked with skeptism and a raised eyebrow.
"I don't know," Greg replied while looking unsure, "it happened so fast!"
"What did the bird looked like?" Rosa asked.
"It was blue... while having a red beak." Greg replied.
"You just saw a red-billed hornbill!" Rosa said with a excited smile. Then she wore a puzzled expression "At first I thought you were talking about a gray parrot. Hornbills aren't known to scream like humans."
"Maybe you were screaming louder than the bird making it sound like a human." Cody suggested.
"Let's just set up camp before the storm arrives." Greg said with slight annoyance and frustration while making everyone forget what happened.
"Sounds good to me." Stan agreeing with his nerdy friend.
Cody then began building campfire pit due to the flammable flora around them while the boys worked on the tent and Rosa worked on the food. But uknownst to them, the red-biilled hornbill that Greg startled is heading toward Pride Rock.
"This is very troubling." Simba said with a troubled expression after Zazu told him and the other lions inside the den of Pride Rock about the humans being close.
"I'm worried Simba," Nala said, "Vitani and the the Lion Guard still haven't returned. Plus Timon is coming back home from visiting his relatives with Pumbaa in two days."
"I know." Simba said agreeing with her.
"What do they even want?" Zuri asked with worried tone.
"They're not here to hunt everything the Pride Lands are they?" Tiifu also asked but with concerned tone.
"We don't know that for sure Tiifu." Kiara disagreeing with her.
When the princess visited the royal mjuzi, Rafiki told her that he doesn't know everything about humans and instead told her much as he knows. She learned that he met the High Chief, Tukufu, of Nomadic Ghosts when he was younger when the mandril got himself injured. Tukufu helped heal his injuries and thus became great friends. Rafiki and the High Chief only met each other four times in their lives and they enjoy the short time they spent with each other. And what he learned what the humans other than the Nomadic Tribes.
The mjuzi told Kiara that the humans that are good help take care of orphaned, sick, or/and injured animals. They even try to help recover or build a new homes for them if they're taken away from the greedy humans. She was even told stories about human cubs being raised by animals in which they're blessed by the Great Spirit so they an understand and speak to the animals which fascinated her. What the humans lack from strength, speed, sight, and hearing of other animals, their intelligence is what makes it up which leads to their incredible creativity... which is why the animals feel uneasy towards them.
Rafiki even taught what he knows about humans to two of his apprentices: Makini who now serves as Royal Mjuzi at the Tree of Life and Akili who is currently learning about medicinal plants and fruits outside of the Pride Lands —Rafiki even tells her that he's currently with the Nomadic Ghosts learning from their shamans and has only been with them for two days— while being Rafiki's only successor as Royal Mjuzi of the Pride Lands if he decides to step down or join the Circle of Life. Since Makini knows about humans, she'll tell everyone about the good things about them... expecially to Kion and Rani in which Kiara hopes that they feel the same like her.
Kiara, Kion and his friends, Zazu, and her parents met Akili several times in their lives. He left on his journey six months before the Battle for Pride Rock. Akili always seems grumpy, half the time unintenionally, and takes Rafiki's teachings seriously. She didn't knew about much about Akili other than being one of Rafiki's apprenctices so one time she asked about his parent and Akili replied with soft anger "It's personal." Rafiki was the one who found him when Akili was young child and says that he'll one day explain since mjuzi promised he wouldn't tell. And the only person Akili ever told was Makini since she's sort of like a little sister to him. Rafiki also says that his journey might be good for Akili hoping he'll become more positive, exactly like him. He even adds that Akili will be arriving back to the Pride Lands the same day as Timon and Pumbaa.
Kiara even asked Rafiki why her father never told her and Kion anything about the humans like he did. The mandrill then told the young lioness that Scar, Simba's uncle, told him stories more frightening than the other ones that are told which is why he's very cautious of humans despite of her grandfather, Mufasa, telling good things about them. She is frustrated that Scar still managed to place fear in her father and sad that her father is distrustful of the humans because of what her great-uncle did to him.
"We don't know that for sure Kiara." Simba said otherwise.
The king then stood up as he then said "If the humans continue to remain here until tomorrow evening, we'll chase them out of the Pride Lands."
Kiara is appalled with her father's plan. "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS?! WE CAN'T JUST RUN THEM OUT OF THE PRIDE LANDS WITHOUT ACTUAL CAUSE!"
"Their presence is the cause!" Kovu argued while trying not to upset his mate, "We can't just ignore—"
"But they haven't done anything yet!"
"KIARA!"
The princess faced her and expected a frown from him, but instead gave her a sympathetic look.
"Let's talk outside."
Simba then walked to the exit out of the den with Kiara following him. As they got out, the king faced his daughter and began to speak to her. "You spoke with Rafiki haven't you?"
"Father I—"
"Kiara, I'm not mad. I undertand how you feel, but we can't let our guard down."
"This isn't right! What if they're lost or something and they need our help!"
Simba smiled proudly at her daughter. "I know you will make a great queen one day. After convincing me to allow Kovu and the other Outsider lionesses, I realized the error of my ways. You even inspired me to let Vitani and her friends become the temporary Lion Guard until Kion and the others came back. And now they kept the status after he and his friends stepped down."
Then the king's expression changed into a frown. "Except right now I'm the current ruler of the Pride Lands and I decide what to do. Not you."
"But—"
"A part of me believes that the Watu will someday be accepted into Animalia Kiara. But not in my life time. Maybe yours when you're queen, except I have my doubts since it might happen before yours and those after. Possibly it might never happen until many more generations have passed."
"Daddy—" Kiara still arguing while being unhappy until her father interrupted her.
"I'm sorry Kiara, but my word is final."
Simba then started walking back into the den while Kiara just stood there while looking dejected. The rumbling dark clouds then hovered Pride Rock as rain slightly began to fall from the sky. Tears began to fill up the princess' eyes as she then wiped them off with her paw as her expression changed into a determined frown.
If father won't see to reason and speak with them. Then I will.