Hello everyone.
Sorry for not updating for a while, been busy with University. Exams and all. Now I managed to find a whole in the schedule, so I managed to write this chapter.
I hope you will like it. We will in this chapter see to a few friends we have not heard off since the end of Life in the Pride lands.
With that, I bring you, Life of Kiali, Chapter 8.
Mpenda woke up inside of a dark cave. Despite him being a cat and having eyes made to look in the dark, could he not see a thing inside of this cave. He didn't know if it was day or night, he did not even know where he was. All he remembered, was that black panther cub who had lead him straight into an ambush.
He shook his head and laid down on his stomach, trying to make himself as little as possible, an indication that he was scared. This had all started when he and Kiali separated when that panther arrived out of nowhere. Kiali! Where is she? Did the panther capture her as well? Ohh how stupid could he be! He had forgot all about her.
Hearing a person clearing his throat made Mpenda look to the right. He could not see who it was, but the individual moved to the side and the light that came blinded the leopard. He remained blind for some time before his eyes could adapt to the bright light. He looked back to the individual and immediately backed down into his submissive stance. He heard a laughter, a loud and mocking one.
Before him stood the biggest black cat, he had ever seen in his life. The panther was at least half a meter longer than King Simba, and two paw lengths taller. The entrance he blocked was fairly large, but the big cats size could easily block the sun coming from that way. Mpenda tried to look away from the panther, but immediately looked back at him, as all he was surrounded by, was skeletons of other animals. Some animals he had never seen before, and a few he could see looked like feline skeletons.
"When I heard Tambo had caught a pride lander, had I expected one of the large lions, not a small shaking cub who can't even be alone for less than five minutes"
Mpenda's gaze snapped back to the giant panther. He was about to say something, but the panther growled, and he stepped down, going back to his frightened state. The panther sighed and turned around, leaving the leopard behind in the den. Mpenda looked out the way the Panther left, only to find another panther waiting. The panther growled at Mpenda who backed away.
Mpenda lied down on his stomach and started crying. He missed his home, he missed the pride lands, but most of all, he missed Kiali. He did not even know what happened to her during the chase. He hoped she was okay wherever she was.
Mpenda's head snapped to the entrance as the panther moved out of the way, and another entered the cave. It was the panther that caught him earlier and dragged him here, the one who was called Lambo or Dambo... Tambo, that was the name. He looked at the panther who was a lot smaller than the one before, but was still looking menacing to the small cub.
"I am here because Amani wants to know about your friend, the hybrid I never caught"
Mpenda shook his head for a moment sitting to his full height, defying the panther, but only for a small time. Tambo leapt at the leopard, who was too slow to dodge the panther, and was pinned down by the older and bigger cat.
"Listen scum, you are just a little weak cub here! Everyone around here can pin you down and everyone around can kill you, and do you know why? Because you are weak and cowardly, not worthy of living in the jungle!"
Mpenda was shaking under the heavy paw of the panther. He breathed fast, a clear sign of his fear. Tambo laughed before releasing Mpenda, who simply kept lying on the floor. Tambo turned away and sat on the ground. He turned to look at the leopard, showing his right paw.
"But, perhaps I should… reward you defying me"
His voice was dark and the moment Mpenda saw his eyes, he gulped. Tambo's claws sprung from his paw and he laughed as he leapt at the small cub.
Meanwhile back in the pride lands, a certain group of animals had gathered at the watering hole. A hippo, honey badger, an egret and a cheetah stood before Rafiki, Mpilo and Simba. It was the first time since the Battle of the Pride lands, that the Lion Guard, or the remains of the guard, united.
"Lion Guard, I have called you here, because of events that happened a day ago. Fuli, a member of the guard and great friend to the royal family, lost her only daughter, Kiali, to the raging Tekani River"
Everyone was looking at Simba, except for Fuli who was looking at the ground instead.
"Kiali fell into the river together with a leopard cub. One of her friends, Mpenda. From what Mpilo told us, we know what happened. I will take care of Musa and his troubling offspring, but I need you four to do a crucial task"
Fuli looked up from the ground to find the king looking directly at her. He gave her a smile as he looked down at her.
"I want you, to find these two lost souls of the pride lands. I want you to travel down Tekani River and find Kiali and Mpenda. Mpilo here will accompany you, as Rafiki assured me, that he is able to treat any wounds, you should acquire during this expedition. Any questions?"
Simba looked over the gathered animals, and nodded as none of them replied.
"You should prepare and decide when to leave. I wish you all good luck. May the kings of old guide you"
With that the king left the watering hole, going to find a certain leopard.
The guard remained silent as the King of the Pride lands left. They all looked over at Fuli, not knowing what to say. They could only imagine what she was feeling right now. First she lost her mate, now her child. Beshte was the first one to speak up.
"Don't worry Fuli, we will find Kiali"
Fuli smiled at Beshte, about to say something, when Bunga intervened her.
"Yeah just like in the past! It will be as easy as when we saved Kiara and her two friends from that island, remember?"
The remaining members tilted their heads, shaking their heads. None of them remembered the event, which made Bunga sigh.
"Oh come on! Kiara, Tiifu and Zuri was caught in the middle of a river that had just formed! We tripped a log for them to get off!"
They all nodded, finally remembering the day they saved the three of them.
"I hope you are right Bunga, I really hope you are right"
Hours passed and the group prepared. They later meet at the watering hole again, all waiting for Mpilo who would show them the place Kiali and Mpenda fell into Tekani river.
Finally Mpilo came from direction of Rafiki's tree, with a staff in his hand, and a bag made out of leaves around his bag. They all followed the Mandrill, who hand was still cowered in leaves from where Duma bite him, until they reached the place where the cliff gave away. The lion guard wondered what happened, and he answered their question.
"Kiali, Mpenda and I were playing a game of hide and seek down there by the watering hole"
Mpilo turns around and points at a watering hole not far from the place, this hole was smaller than the main one at pride rock, but it still held sufficient amount of water in it.
"We were playing, and I caught Mpenda in a tree. I was holding him, when Mosi and Duma came from out of nowhere and pinned me and Mpenda down. Duma used his claws on my bag, and Mosi was threatening Mpenda"
Mpilo looked at the tree where he caught Mpenda, smiling at what happened next.
"Kiali, as usual, saw what happened and intervened. She challenged Mosi and growled at him. They fought around the tree, and unfortunately, Mosi got the upper hand. He was about to pin her, when Mpenda attacked Mosi. I escaped Duma and we all grouped up"
Mpilo turned silent as he remembered the next part, mostly because it still scared him from time to time.
"What happened next… scared me. Mosi and Duma turned hostile, more than usual. Their claws were visible, and they showed their fangs, as if they were going in for the kill. We ran from them, and they chased us right up until here"
Mpilo stopped, spreading his arms as if to tell the others not to walk down the edge down into Tekani River.
"They caught up to us, Mosi started mocking Kiali about her fallen father and we fought them. The fight was even, but the ground could not support our actions. The ground gave in while Mpenda was still out on the rocks. Duma had bite my paw at the time so I could not help him, so Kiali jumped out to help Mpenda, but was never able to get him to safety… they both fell down into the water"
They all looked down into the water, all of them with mixed feelings. Fuli was furious, that Duma and Mosi could do such horrible things. They were lucky that it was Simba and not her coming their way. Fuli was also sad, because of the fact that this was the place Kion fell down into Tekani River. She shook her head and sighed. She looked up and noticed they all were looking at him.
"What are you all looking at?"
"Are you… Alright Fuli? This is where… You know"
"I am fine Ono. Let's not focus on me, but rather focus on finding Kiali and Mpenda. Ono, look down the river, follow the current. We will walk along the shore, and hopefully figure out what happened to them"
"Affirmative!"
With that the egret flew off, following the river as much as possible, looking out for anything that might tell them what happened to the two cubs. The four remaining animals started walking alongside the current. Fuli could not help but keep looking at the river, looking at every rock, every bump that Kiali could have hit, when she fell into the waves.
Heir hearth sank down into her chest when they passed by the three water falls, the next always bigger than the other. She looked up into the air as she could hear the approaching sound of bird wings. Ono had returned, and he did not look happy.
"You may want to see what's at the end of this river"
With that they all rushed alongside the river. They all ran on four legs, with the exception of Mpilo, who was riding on Beshte's back. They all followed Ono as fast as their legs would let them, until they reached what the Egret wanted to show them.
It was the biggest waterfall they had ever seen in their entire life.
They looked down the fall and could not see where it ended. The clouds were so thick, that it was impossible to see if there was even an ending to the fall. Fuli shook her head, before looking to Ono.
"Ono! Take a look! Fly down there and tell us what you find!"
"Affirmative!"
With that the egret flew down into the giant whole the water ran into. He kept on flying for minutes, but did not find the end of the watering hole. All he could find was more and more cloud. He tried to go down faster, but found nothing. He shook his head, and was about to stop to turn around, when he broke through the clouds. He gasped at the sight in front of him.
A giant lush and endless jungle as far as he could see. He could see big and magnificent trees, clearings filled with berries, and termite mounds. It was the biggest paradise he had ever found. He focused on the distance, and could spot the presence of giant buildings.
"With all that is purple where am I!"
"Ohh my! Fuli need to know what is down here! But one thing first!"
Ono flew down to the base of the waterfall to check if it was deep or had sharp rocks. He let out a relieved sigh as he saw that it was a deep lake beneath the fall.
"It means that Kiali or Mpenda would have survived the fall"
Ono flew back up again, but noticed that it was harder than he had expected, to fly up alongside the water fall. It was as if something pulled him back down. He felt as he quickly fatigued, but was happy to see that he was able to reach the top before his energy was spent. He landed on Beshte's back, panting heavily.
"You will not believe what I just found!"
Ono took a pause to regain his breath.
"An entire rain forest is down there! The biggest most lush area I have ever seen! It must be inhabited!"
They all nodded at the egret. Fuli looked at him, opening her mouth to ask a question.
"Did you find any proof that Kiali or Mpenda could have survived the fall?"
The bird nodded, which made Fuli let out a sigh of relief.
"At the end of the water fall is there a giant lake. I could not see the bottom, so if they fell down the waterfall, would they have landed in the lake, most likely not breaking anything. So, considering the strength of Tekani river's current, would the jungle be the most likely place for Kiali and Mpenda to be right now"
Ono regretted that he ever said that, because the moment he said it, Bunga turned to look at the water fall and immediately jumped down into the seemingly endless fall.
"Kowah Bunga!"
With that the honey badger jumped down into the endless fall. Beshte was the second to join him, and Mpilo the third. Fuli sighed.
"Kiali! Mom is coming! Don't worry!"
And with that Fuli jumped out into the fall, and just like that had the remaining lion guard jumped down onto a world they had never imagined existed.
With that I end chapter 8 of Life of Kiali. As usual, read, review and tell me what you liked. Please, keep reviewing. It is your reviews that inspire me to write this story.