I walked out of the den to be greeted by smiling Kiara...who was actually grinning more than usual.
''You seem to be happy today, Kiara.'' I said and Kiara giggled.
''Well, daddy just told me that something important needs to be said to us regarding royalty.'' Kiara informed me, causing me to raise an eyebrow, ''I think you should find out what he wants.''
''Isn't kissing up to your dad the pride's job?'' I asked, but at Kiara's serious face, I sighed, ''Okay, fine.''
That was followed by a grin from Kiara.
I walked down to see the pride standing across from Simba, Nala, Kion and Zazu in a shoulder to shoulder formation like you see in the army. When me and Kiara arrived, Simba cleared his throat as I stood next to Vitani.
''As all of you know, a great friend of mine and Nala's ended up passing away in his sleep and the elephants are holding a funeral for him.'' Simba started, ''Which is why me, Nala and Zazu are going to be away for a day in order to go to his funeral.''
The pride nodded in understanding as I raised an eyebrow...where is he going with this?
''And after a discussion with my mother, the two of us have determined who will rule in that one day.'' Simba said, causing me to beam.
''SARABI!'' I shouted out, but Simba shook his head.
''No, Shujaa..we chose you and Kiara for this day.'' He answered, causing my ears to go down and me to have a fearful expression, ''While we are stepping down in two months, we determined we wanted to see how you did before then.''
As he said that, my face became more scared, causing Nala to raise a worried eyebrow.
''Shujaa?'' Nala asked, worried.
''A-A-Are you sure?'' I asked Simba, who nodded, ''I-I don't think I can-''
''Shujaa, Nala believes you are qualified due to your sense of justice and preservation of the pride lands' way of life.'' Simba revealed, ''And who am I to question what Nala thinks?''
''Who knows, who cares, point is, I am without EXPERIENCE!'' I shouted, waving my arms up and down in protest, ''There's no way I can do this!''
At my protests, Simba placed a paw on my left shoulder.
''I was like you when I began my rule, Shujaa..'' Simba started, ''Not having the proper training due to spending most of my life in the jungle, I was worried I would end up like Scar and plunge the pridelands into more chaos than it already was...but sometimes, it's better to trust those around you to help than self-teach….help trumps experience when first starting, so it's up to you to go to those you feel can help you become a great leader.''
His advice caused me to chuckle a bit.
''I won't let you down, Simba...I won't let either of you down.'' I said and both royals smiled at that before they walked to Kiara.
''Kiara...we're both proud of how far you've come...and we wish you both the best.'' Nala told her daughter, who nodded, followed by Nala hugging both of us, ''Goodbye for now.''
''Goodbye, Nala'' I said, followed by Kiara nuzzling her parents before Simba and Nala walked off guided by a flying Zazu, causing me to drop a sweat, and look at Kion, who was visibly annoyed by this, ''Kion?''
''Why do I have to take orders from my sister?'' Kion asked angrily.
''Hey, it can't be all bad.'' I reminded him, ''I'll try to be fair with the power I have.''
''For a day.'' Kion pointed out, causing me to scoff.
''Good point…'' I admitted, ''But I assure you, Kion, everything will be just fine. And just to make sure we aren't without a majordomo...HEY, ONO!''
Said bird landed before me.
''Yes, Shujaa?'' Ono asked.
''You're the majordomo until Zazu returns.'' I replied and Ono nodded before flying off...this might be tough.
''So you're angry at this family of baboons for disrupting your sleep?'' I asked Fuli as we were standing next to a tree at Nyani Grove.
''Of course I am, Shujaa!'' Fuli replied, ''Cheetah's usually nap for twelve hours a day, but i've only been sleeping for two!''
''...Even though you stated you chose to nap at the Baboons' natural habitat?'' I asked, causing Fuli to have a blank face.
''W-Well…'' Fuli stuttered before she spotted something, ''It's Ono!''
The bird in question ended up landing before us and had a panicked look, causing me to raise an eyebrow.
''Shujaa, it's an emergency!'' Ono exclaimed, causing me to blink.
''What kind of emergency, exactly?'' I asked and Ono pointed towards the direction that has the border with the outlands, ''The outlands? What does the outlands have to do with this?''
''There's a border dispute going on between Janja's clan and a group of lionesses that aren't a part of our pride that is threatening to leak into here!'' Ono said, causing my eyes to widen….the lionesses loyal to Zira...they must still be around the outlands. This revelation caused my face to harden.
''Grab Kiara and two other lionesses and tell the rest of the guard to stay back while Fuli comes with me...I feel this will be too much for even your group.'' I told Ono, who nodded and flew away before me and Fuli started storming towards the border with the outlands.
Ah, the border with the god forsaken termite infested part of the outlands...guh.
Fuli and I stepped into the outlands as we observed the group of lionesses and Janja's clan.
''I had a feeling they wouldn't have left the outlands.'' I grumbled as Fuli raised an eyebrow.
''Wait, you know these lions?'' Fuli asked and I nodded.
''Have you heard about the war between the outsiders and pridelanders?'' I asked Fuli, who nodded, ''Me and Kiara put a stop to that war, but it appears that not all of the outsiders strayed from Zira's views.''
Turns out one lioness heard me and turned her head to where Fuli and I were.
''YOU!'' The lioness growled as the others looked at me, ''I remember you!''
''Congrats, make a memorial for me.'' I spat before walking down between the two parties, ''Now what exactly is going on here?''
''Why would we tell you?'' The lioness asked, causing me to snicker, ''You're nothing but a rat, Shujaa!''
''How do you figure that?'' I replied, baffled by her accusation.
''You go into the outlands to seek acceptance into our faction, then backstab us because of your pathetic princess!'' The lioness roared.
''And he was right for doing so.'' I heard Kiara say as she, Armani and Vitani ended up landing next to me.
''Well, if it isn't Kiara.'' The lioness mocked before she saw Vitani, ''Oh..and Vitani.''
''Nice to see you too.'' Vitani said sarcastically.
''So what are you doing here, Shujaa?'' The lioness asked, more softened than originally, but still pretty hate-filled.
''I heard that there was a border dispute between your pride and Janja's clan and I came to investigate it.'' I explained, ''Simba and Nala are off at a funeral, so they left the pridelands in our paws.''
''Clearly.'' The lioness said before looking at Janja, who raised an eyebrow.
''What you looking at, fur-brain?'' Janja asked, ''Your pride stepped across the line I had marked during the meeting our sides had a week ago, Niagh!''
''That was only because food had escaped and we were going to get it back!'' Niagh countered, causing me to roar, startling everyone but my group.
''Everyone, calm down!'' I shouted before looking to Janja, ''Janja, if the outsiders did not mean for this to happen, forgive them and go back to your volcano.''
Janja slowly sighed and walked off, followed by his clan as I turned to Niagh.
''Niagh, I recommend you move out of the outlands and further into the desert...I hear there's an oasis where your pride could be at in order to escape the lack of food and water that ravages the outlands.''
Niagh smirked evilly at that.
''Good idea, Shujaa…'' Niagh admitted before turning to her pride, ''Alright! We're moving to the oasis that Shujaa has told me about! Now go!''
The pride that Niagh was leading reluctantly followed her, leaving my group to sigh.
''And so I come in as Kiara is running towards the hill when I saw a fire.'' I told The Lion Guard as they were listening to me telling them stories about the outsider conflict from eleven months prior, with Kiara watching of course, ''I quickly tried guiding her out of the fire, but she burned her legs and passed out from smoke inhalation, leading to me hoisting her on my back and escaping the fire, passing out myself.''
The Guard did a simple 'Oooh' while Kiara blushed at the story of me saving her from the fire.
''It was through the fire that I realized how much I actually care for Kiara and here we are, eleven months later and happy...mostly.'' I said.
'''Mostly'?'' Kion asked and I looked to him.
''Kion, when I married your sister, it was in my final hours on this world previously...and it hurt me that I had to leave so soon after quite possibly the happiest moment of both of our lives.'' I explained to them as Kiara nuzzled me, ''Sure, i'm back here, but at what cost? I left my family in my world to care for this one because I just couldn't help myself. The Great Kings assigned me to help you defend the pridelands, but I took it as an opportunity to be there for Kiara in case anything bad happened.''
''And you've done quite the job so far, Shujaa.'' I heard a voice say as Simba and Nala returned from the funeral after six hours of being away, ''Telling war stories?''
''Tch...only twenty one and I feel like a grizzled old veteran.'' I scoffed, ''But yeah...somewhat.''
''Everything turn out okay?'' Nala asked and I nodded.
''Problem in the outlands, but it ended in the relocation of Zira's remaining followers to another land to let the hyenas roam the outlands freely.'' I replied.
''Well, at least everything is fine.'' Simba said before patting both me and Kiara on the head, ''I knew I could have faith in you two...despite your inexperience, you put that behind you for the safety of both the pridelands and outlands.''
''Yes...but...how will that impact relations and monarchy?'' I asked Simba, who chuckled.
As the as the monarchs and Guard laughed, I did a chuckle before looking at the desert, uneasy about my choice to send them to a place they will get back into fighting shape.
BOOM!
Next: When The Guard worries about the amount of time Fuli spends alone, Shujaa volunteers to help the cheetah see the importance of family.