The Lion King: Rise of the White Pride
Chapter 21: Saving the Convoy
FINALLY! I get to update this thing. I'm very sorry for the late update. Got my hands full. I'm also getting sloppy at making this, so forgive me if it doesn't match your taste.
And I finally added my favorite lion out of the five, Malka. I like the idea of his dual-colored mane.
Against the rising sun, the shadow of a lion laid upon Shaka and Uzuri. Their surrounding was silenced, the only thing that they could hear is the howling wind and occasional growl from Uzuri. Not because she was angry of sort although he looked so, but she didn't want to get into more problems, not with Shaka in that state.
"Well?" the dark orange lion asked again. Tilting his head to the side a bit he narrowed his head, his eyes shifted to green as he move. "My friends won't last another hour, there." He motioned his paw to the dense trees area. At first glance, the white duo couldn't see anything, but when they focused, they could see the trees are moving wildly, the leaves, at least, and they could hear a roar and shrieks emitted from there.
Uzuri was about to spat out some words when Shaka beat her into it. "I'll help," he said as he approached the lion, almost fell to his knees when doing so.
The white lioness flinched. "Wha-? Shaka! You're not going anywhere with that body!" she said as she stood between him and the lion.
"It's okay." Shaka flexed his muscles as he moved, trying to return his body to the usual state. "I'm half okay, yeah, but I'm more than enough to help," he said, smiling at his concerned friend. When she was about to speak again, he interrupted. "I already let my friends fall. I won't let the same happen to others."
Uzuri took some steps back, before smiling in understanding. She clearly saw the glint in Shaka's eyes, a sign of renewed determination. It was countless how many times he did this, but each time he did, Uzuri couldn't help to only face palm herself mentally. Why not? Shaka had many ups and downs in his life, at least to the point Uzuri knew, whether how bad things go and how worse the situation affects Shaka, he would always get back on his paws, ready to turn the table even though his body is mostly at its limit.
Uzuri suppose that she was lucky to have a friend like Shaka. A friend that keep getting up when downed. Yeah, when he is downed, he could be like that for months, but she knows that eventually and surely, Shaka would get up from the darkness he was thrown in and slash a path to a better future, be it for him or the others, be it to be with others or to sacrifice himself for the others, and be it sacrificing everything he has so he can make his dearest ones happy.
Maybe that's not the best choice, sacrificing yourself to save the others, but that's what make relationship deeper. Uzuri knew that well, how it felt to leave one's friends for their safety and how it felt to lost someone that give up their live to protect her. That's why Uzuri will always be there for Shaka, the one she had ties to the past with, as a friend that was separated for years, at least she could make sure Shaka stays in his usual self.
Defeated, she smacked Shaka's head in annoyance. "Don't push yourself too far, your body can't take anymore beat up right now," Uzuri said, making sure Shaka hear every word she said before turning to the dark orange lion, smiling his face off at the white couple. "Okay, sir, what help can we provide?"
The lion smirked before running off to the direction he gave. "I'll brief you on the way. Come on!"
The white lions quickly ran to catch up. Shaka limped for a while but he got better control of his body shortly after and then running fast. They entered a line of tree that edged a river that had stones that came out of the water. The lion took lightning steps to cross the river with the stepping stones with Uzuri, then Shaka following suit into the dense trees.
As soon as Shaka and Uzuri aligned with the lion, he started talking while maneuvering around the random tree formations. "The name's Malka. I'm in a journey to the Pride Lands with my friends from there when that happened," he turned his head upward to say his point.
Above them, leaping from branches, were baboons, and a lot of them. Around eight or ten and they were heading to the same direction as Malka. Shaka scoffed. "So the land's is that famous, huh?" Kiburi thought to himself as he remarked the Pride Lands, which was a contrast to the Mountain Pride's fearsome reputation.
"Are those baboons?!" Uzuri said as the shocking of the shrieks the baboons made felt like claws digging into her ears.
"We were passing this forest when a group of baboons invaded us. There were eight of us and there were like a couple dozen of them on the trees, throwing us things. Fruits, rocks, and those hurts like hell!" he said, as they started to dodge the projectiles the baboons are throwing at them. "Half of us are injured so we can't actually defend ourselves so we need help."
Shaka just keeping his sight ahead when a rock hit his head. "What can the two of us do any help?"
"We have a plan, and you two fit the role perfectly."
Soon, they came upon a small opening. There they could see seven animals circling against the trees. They were an interesting group that consisted of an adult lion, two lionesses - one adult and one young adult, a hippo, an egret, a cheetah, and a honey badger. The lion and the cheetah were overwhelmed by the baboons while the lionesses, the egret, and the hippo were wounded. Their wounds are presumably quite serious as they were unable to move, except for the younger lioness.
The lion noticed the three's arrival and sent them a brief smile before returning to his frowned one as he deflected a rock. "Malka! You're back!"
"Yeah let's do it!" Malka said as he dodged a rock that went above his head.
The lion nodded and commanded with orders. "You two, split to the south and north, try to drive the baboons to the west side!" he shouted to the white lions. The two nodded and quickly dispersed to the south and north. "Bunga, go! Beshte, strike the trees!" The honey badger and the hippo both yelled and went for the trees at the west direction. "Fuli, cover Ono's launch! Malka, run the opposite direction of Fuli!"
After the orders were given the tide of the battle started to change. The honey badger went up to the trees and started attacking the baboon in such agility that overwhelmed the baboons. The hippo charged at any baboon that was sent down by the honey badger, driving them to the north and south side only to be attacked again by Shaka and Uzuri. The cheetah ran in circles, covering the egret's launch to the airspace from the baboons' attacks.
Both Shaka and Uzuri were both impressed and confused at the plan. All they could get was that they were driving the baboons to the east side, for what exactly? Their hearts paced against the time as they dodged the baboons attack and counterattack sending the enemies from the west to the east.
Some moments after, from a height in the sky, the egret yelled. "It's done!"
Shaka and Uzuri looked at him only to redirect their sight to the lion with red mane that was giving commands just some minutes ago.
The lion stood to the east side where the baboons are. He closed his eyes, completely ignoring the rocks the baboons threw and the shrieks. Suddenly Shaka felt a strange feeling as the lion took a deep breath. Time stopped to him and the world turned inverted, the bright blue sky rippled like water when thrown a rock in, a wave of force emitted from the lion blowing lightly outward before the frozen space itself bent onto the direction of the lion, as if being absorbed. Suddenly, Shaka felt a dose of pain in his head. He held a paw to his face as he dropped to his knees. His eyes and the blue lines on his mane glowed as the space bent more inward.
Then, the lion unleashed a tremendous force of sound in form of a roar that shook the entire forest, the great force it contained managed to blew the baboons of the trees, the face of fear plastered to their faces. At the same time the pain in Shaka's head disappeared as he gazed upon the sky where a series of lion faces formed at the cloud making roaring faces as if they were uniting their roars with the lions.
The tension settled as the lion concluded his roar. There was a moment of silence before the honey badger jumped to the lion's head, complimenting his move while the others expressed their impression at his roar.
Uzuri just stood there dumbfounded. "What just happened?" she asked Shaka without letting her sight go from the lion.
Shaka stood to his paws. "He called for the spirits' help." Uzuri raised a brow in surprise, but then nodded.
It's a very uncommon phenomenon, and none of the two white lions were expecting this kind of things. Maybe the saying that said, things outside our homes are much more amazing than you think are true. If the Mountain Pride was never attacked, they wouldn't reach this point where they witness a powerful display of strength of the Pride Landers.
The crowd broke when the lion approached the white lions. His light gold coat contrasted greatly against Shaka's mane, which is silver in color. His red mane were swept back, much like Shaka's. Their body actually were similar in shape, while his brown eyes distincted himself from the others.
"What are your names?" he asked.
"Shaka, she's Uzuri," Shaka answered shortly.
The lion just chuckled. "I'm Kion, son of Simba of the Pride Lands and the leader of the Lion Guard as the Fiercest."
The honey badger that was on his head jumped down to the earth. "Bunga the Bravest. A Lion Guarder." He had blue-gray coat while his fur was silver.
"Fuli the Fastest of the Lion Guard," the cheetah introduced as she showed herself after a cloud of dirt. What so eye catching about her is her coat which is the rare "King Cheetah" coat which consisted of spots that extended into lines.
The hippo approached while panting. A rather noticeable tear wound could be seen at his side. "Beshte. Lion Guard's Strongest."
A moment after, the egret descended from the sky and perched at Beshte's top. "The Keenest of Sight, Ono. Nice to meet you."
"We are the Lion Guard of the Pride Lands. We appreciate your help." Kion said as the five showed their respective mark on their shoulders.
Uzuri's face blanked. Why not, no wonder they had a great teamwork for a group of diverse animals. Yeah, maybe she was too narrow-minded to actually think one might made a group that consisted of different animals when they had the title 'Lion Guard' and only the leader was the only lion there. It did expand the team's capability, though. As lion-only team means the gtoup could only has the abilities of the lions. It was a smart choice, by the way. An egret as air support, a hippo as a tanker, a cheetah as a support unit, a honey badger as the ace in battlefield, and a lion as the commander. Nice work, guys. Nicely done.
"You're from the Pride Lands?" Shaka asked suddenly, not believing what he just heard. "And you're Simba's son?"
Uzuri snapped into realizement as she remember that the lion that died yesterday was Simba. She just tried to keep unfazed as the egret, Ono, spied on her sudden change of expression. "Ya got it," Kion replied, suddenly his tone changed to a playful one. "Don't try to get formal on me," he warned. "I'm a Lion Guarder. I'm used to doing missions instead of kingly duties."
Shaka was struck with another bolt of guilt as he realized that he took a father of three. Uzuri could only stare at him in worry. "Y-yeah, right. We were about to go somewhere when Malka came and asked for help," he lied. He didn't have anywhere to go now. He lost his place at the Pride Lands and he couldn't go back to the Mountain Pride nor to Hasira's crazed group.
Ono shifted to Shaka, allowing Uzuri to breathe her concern out. "But, hevi kabisa, I don't believe white lions really exist!" he exclaimed in an utterly energetic manner similar to Kiburi's. "Tell me, how does it feel to be white?" he shoved his head at the two white lions. The two looked at the other Lion Guarder and saw curiosity as Kion.
"Sometimes? Weird," Uzuri answered, feeling cornered as the Lion Guard closed into them.
Kion stepped back and laughed in excitement. "Hey, come over here." Kion gazed at the lionesses as they approach. "This is my mate, Jua, and my daughter, Hisia. Come on. Say hello to my new friends."
Jua stepped in front of Kion. "Nice to meet you," Jua smiled. "Sorry if the Guarders are disturbing you. They have a habit of doing so."
"Hey!" The five exclaimed in protest.
Bunga noticed Shaka and Uzuri's blanked faces and get between them as he hit their shoulders. "Hey, get comfortable. We're not strangers." he said as he smiled with pride toward the group.
"Hey, why don't you visit the Pride Lands? Kovu won't mind some visitors, right guys?" he glanced to his back to which they just nodded reluctantly. "Oh come on."
Before Shaka or Uzuri could say any more thing, Kion already started to shove them toward the Pride Lands. Uzuri was pretty surprised when Kion nudged them both to start moving. But she soon grown concerned as she peered to Shaka, who had his eyes widen in horror as he panicked inside.
Done, and that's how the Lion Guard get into the story! I'm completely unable to describe how Shaka felt right there, though. Haha, have fun guessing the next chapter!