With all this time wasted, and all this time gone,
You are still waiting on me.
But if I could choose, I would choose not to feel
Cause I am hardly ever happy,
I am hardly ever happy.
—Of Monsters and Men, "Phantom"

Upon cresting a gently sloping hillock, Vitani was greeted by the sight of the East African Mountains looming in the distance. She took a moment to enjoy the shade provided by the acacia trees and allowed her gaze to wander the grassy expanse before her. Mbali Fields was on the fringe of the Pride Lands, but the Lion Guard's patrol had actually ended not far off from its border. And when Shabaha suggested taking up Tamika's offer to join the hunt, there were no objections from the others.

It wasn't long before the rest of the Lion Guard caught up, prompting Vitani to step back into the heat with just a smidge of reluctance. Half a year in the Pride Lands and I've already become spoiled. Still, I don't think we'll take shade or clean water for granted ever again.

"We're near the edge of the border," remarked Imara. "It's going to be a long haul back to Pride Rock."

Kasi grinned. "What, don't think you can lug an entire zebra across the Serengeti?"

The muscular lioness rolled her eyes. "I can," she grunted. "It's the rest of you I'm not sure about."

"Thanks for volunteering, Imara," said Vitani without turning or slowing down.

The others snickered at the nonplussed Imara, who huffed as she kept pace with her team leader. "I can't tell if you're joking or not."

Vitani held a straight face but did not respond. She could see Kiara's team gathered atop a barren crag up ahead. The princess was gazing out into the mountains with her back to the others. Tamika beamed upon seeing the Lion Guard approach.

Conversely, Tiifu and Zuri cast baleful looks their way. "These are the 'friends' you invited, doc?" Zuri muttered.

"Mm-hmm," affirmed Tamika cheerfully.

"I was hoping you meant that cute lion with the black mane," Tiifu sighed. "The really shy one who only sees you in private."

Tamika rolled her eyes. "It's not what you think, Tiifu. I give him something for his headaches during the wet season, that's all."

Kiara turned about, having noticed the conversation. "Afternoon, Lion Guard," she said brightly. "I hope you aren't too tired."

Vitani noticed her team straightening ever so slightly, and held herself a little more upright as well. "It's been a slow day. A bit of excitement would be a nice change of pace."

"So if you guys are here, then who's on patrol now?" demanded Zuri.

"Zazu," said Tamika.

Zuri raised an eyebrow. "Just Zazu?"

"He's got backup," Tamika assured her. "I asked Hadithi to accom—"

"You know Hadithi the Hero?" Tiifu gasped.

"I know everyone. And he owed me a favour after his last misadventure."

"Don't worry, I made sure we were covered for today," Kiara told her friends.

"That's because you think of everything, Kiara," gushed Tiifu. Behind her, Kasi was silently mime-vomiting.

"Yeah, it's not you we don't trust with the safety of the Pride Lands," Zuri chimed in.

Vitani narrowed her eyes. Kiara cleared her throat, having noticed the tension in the air. "Why don't we get started? Everyone must be starving after the fast."

"As if any of you know the first thing about starving," growled Tazama. Vitani shot her a warning look but the damage was done.

"And what do you know about hunting?" Zuri shot back. "Aside from trespassing through our borders for food?"

"Zuri, don't," Kiara pleaded. Kasi raised her hackles at the accusation, and Imara immediately held a paw in front of her though she too was fuming.

Tazama bared her teeth. "We were dying, you ignorant—"

"Your borders?" laughed Shabaha, though to Vitani it sounded more like a snarl. "We were born in these Pride Lands, same as you. And speaking only for myself right now, I joined the others in exile because I couldn't stand by a ruler who could send cubs into the Outlands." She leaned in closer, prompting Tiifu and Zuri to shirk back involuntarily though they did not dare look away. "It wasn't even close to the hardest decision I've lived with. But make no mistake, those were the roughest years of my life. Prey was hard to come by, tough too. They're far more violent than the ones in the Pride Lands, so hesitating was out of the question — you hesitate, your pride starves for another day."

Tiifu's eyes widened. "That sounds horrible," she said in a hushed voice.

"On that we can agree." Shabaha straightened, finally taking her eyes off of them. "So maybe you and your friend should be glad you've never lived it."

"I know I am," Zuri muttered, unrepentant.

"Come on, Zuri, this could be a good thing," implored Tiifu. "They can learn how to be civilized again."

This time Vitani did react. "'Civilized'?" she hissed.

"Okay, I have an idea," interjected Kiara, hastily stepping between her friends and the Lion Guard. "We're going to split into teams and see who catches who catches the biggest zebra in Muhimu's herd."

"A competition? Bring it on!" Kasi jeered, still glaring at Tiifu and Zuri.

The princess looked taken aback. "It doesn't need to be a competition."

"It's always a competition," grumbled Tamika in resignation.

"We're in," asserted Vitani. "Four on four, two teams each. Tazama can be the referee."

Kiara sighed. "Alright. Choose your partners, everyone, and remember we don't go after the young or pregnant ones."

"She's talking to you, just so you know," Zuri said pointedly to the Lion Guard.

"That's enough, Zuri," Kiara growled. "Go scout the herd with Tiifu."

Vitani was surprised at the princess' commanding tone. Maybe she won't be a total pushover after all. And sure enough, Tiifu and Zuri headed off without making a fuss. Tamika let out a sigh of relief.

Once her friends were out of earshot, Kiara ruefully turned her attention to the Lion Guard. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to offend."

Tazama relented, her previous animosity all but evaporated. "You're one of the good ones, Kiara. I shouldn't have snapped at you." Her sharp aquamarine eyes lingered on Tiifu and Zuri's retreating forms. "Your friends, though..."

"Give them some time," encouraged Tamika. "This 'reunifying the pride' thing has been an adjustment for everyone."

Vitani snorted. "Whatever. I wasn't expecting a little Kupatana spirit to change anything." She tapped Shabaha lightly on the shoulder, and the older lioness followed her the other way. "Good hunting, you two."

"Likewise," Kiara responded. "Give Tamika a shout if anyone gets hurt."

A sizable gathering of zebras were grazing in the open field not too far off. As Tazama went off to find an observation point, Vitani slid down the side of the crags with the rest of her team. She wordlessly signalled for Kasi and Imara to get into position; the two of them quietly prowled away into the hillocks while she and Shabaha circled around to the other side of the rocks, careful to remain out of the zebras' line of sight.

"You're not gonna say 'I told you so'?" asked Shabaha.

Vitani shrugged. "I didn't try to talk us out of coming."

"I'm starting to wish you did," the older lioness grumbled. "Six months in service to the Pride Lands and they're still suspicious of us."

"Wouldn't you be, after everything we've done?" reasoned Vitani. "After Zira?"

Shabaha scowled. "I know how it must have looked when I stood by her. I was part of Scar's inner circle, after all."

"So was Fasiki. But you two made very different choices when Scar confessed to murdering Mufasa."

"I was still complicit — protecting Scar, driving the Keepers from the Outlands, feeding my boy while the other cubs were starving... I have a lot to atone for." Weariness entered Shabaha's shoulders. "But that's for me to live with, not you or the others."

"You're not the only one dragging down the team's reputation, if it makes you feel any better," Vitani told her. "I came this close to killing Simba in the same gorge where his father died, so I definitely know why the Pridelanders give me the side-eye."

Shabaha snickered. "Aren't we a pair? And still, Simba vouched for us yesterday."

"I think he's working through a few regrets himself," Vitani said reflectively, though she too had her reservations. There were too many things Zira hadn't answered for, too many questions that would likely remain unanswered. "Do you think he was right about my m—about Zira?"

"I doubt we'll ever know. That kid, what was his name—"

"Kopa."

"Yeah, that was it. I was with the search party in the middle of that rainstorm, and we never found so much as a trace of him."

"But do you believe she killed him?" pressed Vitani.

Shabaha sighed. "It'd be easy to say yes. Even when she was exiled, I wasn't sure if she was right. I was only certain Simba was wrong."

Vitani thought about this for a moment. "And what if she did do it?"

"Then she deserved the Outlands. But you and your brothers never did. I still stand by that."

"Bila hofu?"

The older lioness smiled, and her usual twinkle returned to her eye. "Exactly. Bila hofu."

Up near the zebras' position, Vitani could see Imara signalling to them from behind the adjacent hillocks. Careful not to rustle the tussocks around them, Vitani silently and methodically crept to the opposite side of the crags. "Looks like they're in position. We'll wait for Kasi to make the first move."

As if summoned by her words, Kasi bound out in a brown-tan blur. The zebras instinctively dispersed from where they grazed, kicking up a cloud of dust in the open field. Vitani's gaze scoured the approaching herd before settling on a portly middle-aged male in the middle of the formation. "That one. We need to split the herd."

"On it," said Shabaha curtly. She clambered up atop the rocks and into view of the zebras, who haphazardly veered to change course with Kasi nipping at their heels. Shabaha unflinchingly leaped into the middle of the herd, causing them to scatter and lose what coordination they had left.

Vitani bound into the field, ducking between the frenzy of clopping hooves without taking her eyes off her target. Imara soon closed in from the other side, leaving the zebra no choice but to speed up. Out of the commotion leapt Kasi, nimbly obstructing him from going any further while the rest of the herd raced away.

The zebra skidded to a halt, fraught eyes darting about in a futile search of escape. He trembled as the four lionesses closed in from all sides. "W—will it hurt?"

"It will if you struggle," said Vitani calmly.

The zebra closed his eyes and took a deep breath, though he was still trembling. "Okay. I... I'm ready."

Vitani moved in, ready to close her jaws around his neck — and stopped mid-step when a wave of disorientation washed over her. She fought to steady her shaking paws, overwhelmed by a sudden sensation of vertigo as if the ground was shifting beneath her. Suddenly a spike of adrenaline seized her body, setting her heart pounding.

Kasi was shaking, dilated eyes darting to and fro at everything and nothing in particular. Imara sank to the ground with a groan, while Shabaha rubbed the sides of her head with her front paws, teeth gritted.

A low, dull rumble echoed from deep under the field. "Wha—what's happening?" the zebra stammered.

"Earthquake," gasped Shabaha, barely able to utter the word. "It's... coming this way..."

Vitani managed to hold back a wave of nausea as she righted herself. She stumbled to one side to let the zebra pass. "Get back to your herd. Go."

He immediately galloped off, needing no further invitation. "Panic and run!"

"Shake it off, Lion Guard," barked Vitani, raising her voice as the tremors began in earnest. "We're going to find the others." She led her team into a slow sprint, speeding up gradually to allow everyone time to recover their wits.

Mbali Fields was a mess of dust clouds and herd animals running every which way; scanning the convulsing landscape, Vitani spotted Tazama above the pandemonium, signalling them to join her atop the hills. She also noticed Shabaha eyeing the herds and gave her a nudge. "Leave them for now."

The four of them stumbled as an ominous splitting crack was heard from below. Vitani led the others around the hysterical mix of herds, slowing down only to weave over or around fallen trees in their path. The ground could be heard breaking open from behind them, staggering Kasi and Imara but barely slowing them down. As they rushed up the hill where Tazama stood, Vitani couldn't help but feel it was no sturdier than the field below.

"We have a situation," said Tazama.

"I noticed," Vitani responded sarcastically.

"No, I mean that." The lookout jerked her head toward a nearby cluster of acacia trees.

Following her gaze, Vitani spotted a petrified Tiifu clinging to an acacia tree's limb. At the base of the trunk stood Zuri, who was frantically trying to coax her down. "Great," muttered Vitani. "Where's the princess?"

Tazama frowned. "She and the doc were going that way," she recalled, honing her gaze back on the stampede, "but I lost sight of them when the earthquake started."

"They could be on the other side of all that," Shabaha pointed out.

"If they're lucky. If they're not..." Tazama craned her neck forward, peering intently into the dust.

"You and Shabaha keep looking," said Vitani. "Kasi, Imara, with me."

The ground was now ripping itself apart more vigorously, and Vitani made sure to keep a sharp eye out for paw-sized sinkholes; having suffered her fair share of sprains in the Outlands, she knew that a debilitating injury now could be catastrophic — and not just for her. She hopped between the jumbled chunks of grass with Kasi and Imara close behind, and could now make out some of Tiifu and Zuri's words over the din.

"Tiifu!" hollered Zuri. "Get down, we have to go!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Tiifu exclaimed shrilly. "It's safer up here!"

"No it isn't! Now come on!"

"You can't make me!"

Vitani rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of—"

The tree cracked without warning, tearing diagonally through the middle of the trunk. Tiifu screamed as the field opened up beneath the swaying acacia, its roots clinging to the rapidly crumbling dirt.

"Tiifu!" cried Zuri. Vitani pushed herself to top speed, even though she already knew she could not reach the tree in time.

Kasi zoomed past in the blink of an eye, making a sharp beeline for Tiifu. "Haraka haraka!" She hopped onto Zuri's back, pressing the other lioness face-first into the dirt as she propelled herself up onto the acacia. She slammed straight into Tiifu, sending her rolling into the grass on the other side. But the added weight caused the trunk to tip, and Kasi lost her balance before rolling into the clutter of branches.

Vitani reached the chasm right as the acacia keeled over in earnest, pawing at the leaves in a futile effort to grab hold of it. Imara snapped her jaws around one of the limbs, furiously digging her paws into the dirt as the tree threatened to pull her down with it. Seeing Kasi struggling to untangle herself from the branches, Vitani hastily put her paws around Imara's middle and planted her weight against the ground as hard as she could, straining with exertion.

Imara's paws were slowly sliding toward the rift. "Get up here, Kasi!" she growled, her words slightly muffled around the tree limb.

"Vitani!" called Tazama. "I see the princess!"

Vitani turned to look over her shoulder. "Move! I'll be right there!" Her head whirled back to front at the sound of a splitting crack, just in time to see the tree limb crack. "Ka—!" She was flung backward into the dirt, her cry cut short as Imara landed across her midsection.

The acacia's long branches scraped against the sides of the rift before the ground swallowed it up, ripping loose chunks of earth that clattered down with it. And in that moment, Vitani did not know what to do.

Pull yourself together. There are others counting on you. As Imara got up, Vitani forced herself to tear her gaze away from the abyss and stood as well, turning her attention back to the others.

Zuri was helping a dazed Tiifu to her paws, who winced as she tried to take a step. "I think it's sprained," she moaned, her voice tight with pain. "No way I'm walking like this."

"Imara, get her out of here," said Vitani briskly. "Come on, Zuri."

Zuri, who was spitting out dirt and trying to rub her face clean, looked up in bemusement. "M—me?"

"Yes, you," Vitani snapped. "Hurry up."

Without waiting for a response, she sprinted in Tazama's direction, noting that the ground was getting harder to navigate by the moment. Out in the middle of the field, Shabaha was trying to wrestle her way through the stampede to no avail.

"Shabaha, stop," shouted Tazama. "You'll be trampled before you get through all that."

"Then think of something fast," Shabaha grunted, undeterred. "They could open a fissure running around like this."

"Calm down, everyone!" Vitani barked. "You're making it worse!"

The animals continued to panic — and run, either unable or unwilling to listen.

"Already tried that," Tazama informed her. "We gotta get their attention with something louder."

"What about the Roar?" blurted Zuri.

Vitani and her teammates turned to stare at her in surprise.

"I don't mean use it on them," Zuri clarified. "But that's something louder, right?"

Shabaha did not look so sure about this. "It's risky, especially during an earthquake."

"I don't have any better ideas," conceded Vitani. "Get behind me!" The others hurriedly did so as she planted her paws into the ground. A few of the animals began to slow down as they took notice of the dark clouds rapidly forming over them.

The Roar of the Elders cut through the earthquake with a deafening boom, and amidst a howling wind the tremors began to settle in the ravaged fields. The herds finally slowed to a halt as the clouds slowly settled back into their natural forms.

Vitani shook the dust out of her ears and cleared her throat before speaking. "You aren't safe here! Follow my team, they'll get you to solid ground."

The herds peered at one another, and then to her immense relief, began filing into relatively orderly groups. As Shabaha and Tazama rallied them away, Vitani wasted no time clambering through the disarray to reach Kiara and Tamika. They were covered in dust and looked a bit shaken, but appeared otherwise unharmed.

All the same, Vitani inspected them for injuries. "You two alright?"

"Yeah..." murmured Kiara, brushing some dust off herself. "Thanks, Vitani."

To her surprise, Tamika rushed forward and pressed herself against Vitani's neck. "I just... froze," she whispered. "Why did I do that?"

Vitani shook her sister by the shoulders. "Hey, ask yourself later. Right now I need you with me, okay?"

Tamika slowly withdrew and gave a firm nod, though there was still a bottomlessness to the depths of her eyes. "Okay. Yeah, I'm okay. I'm here."

"Good. Tiifu's hurt, you need to find her and Imara."

"And what are you gonna do?"

"One of my teammates fell through a hole." Vitani turned her attention to Kiara. "What's under this field, princess?"

"The Nandembo Caverns," Kiara told her. "My dad got stuck down there once."

"The pride isn't allowed in those caverns," cautioned Tamika. "It's easy to get lost in the tunnels."

Vitani shrugged. "I'll find a way out. Now you two need t—"

The ground dropped by a paw's length just then, sending everyone stumbling or falling over with startled cries. The mismatched herds began to panic once more as entire sections of the field broke apart, sending numerous animals tumbling into the chasm amidst a barrage of dirt and stone.

"Move!" yelled Vitani. Shabaha and Tazama turned in the opposite direction, desperately looking this way and that for a means of escape.

Vitani felt the ground splitting apart before she saw it. Instinctively, she reached out and yanked Zuri back as an enormous fissure ripped open from under the herds, taking the vast majority of them in the blink of an eye; Tazama disappeared from sight, soon followed by Shabaha. A heartbeat later, Kiara screamed as the ground suddenly gave way under her paws, and she fell into the darkness as well.

"Kiara!" hollered Tamika, snapping out of her reverie. Zuri rushed forward in horror.

Vitani waved them back, attentively scanning the fissure for every surface and angle. "I got her! Just get out of here!"

"Tani, I don't—"

"Go!" Vitani leaped into the abyss, zigzagging back and forth between its walls to control her downward trajectory.

She launched herself diagonally toward Kiara and caught her in one swift move, deftly flipping herself under the princess at the same time. Well, that was the easy part. Now comes the part that's gonna hurt. With the cavern opening up around them, Vitani could see no way to slow their descent.

She wheezed as the howling wind in her ear was abruptly cut short. Her vision flared and every last bit of air was forced from her lungs, throwing Kiara off of her in the process. Vitani winced as the rough stone floor scraped at her back and sides, before her momentum was just as quickly halted by an unyielding stone wall. The last thing Vitani registered was Kiara stirring feebly in her periphery before the darkness closed in around her.

•••

Lying prone on his front, Tumaini carefully stuck one foreleg into the rabbit hole before him. He felt a stone nudge against his palm and closed his paw around it, then withdrew his foreleg and tossed the stone onto the debris piled away from the opening.

Sauti popped out from the warren, panting for breath and taking a seat next to him. "Whew! That's all of it for now. One down, five to go."

Tumaini made a disbelieving noise. "You have six warrens?"

Sauti chortled. "I'm a mother of thirty-four, dear Tumaini, and my siblings have even more kits than me. Where do you think I put them all?"

"Never gave it much thought, to be honest." Tumaini peered into the rabbit hole. "Is anyone still down there?"

"Sungura got everyone out, don't you fret. We're good diggers, and this isn't my first earthquake."

"First one I've had since we found Kopa..." murmured Tumaini.

Sauti noticed his tone. "You must be worried sick."

"He should have been back by now," he fretted anxiously. "It's almost sundown, he never takes this long on a hunt."

"I reckon the earthquake slowed things down for everyone," she mused. "Still, you ought to find him before it gets dark."

"But I promised I'd help your colony," he protested, albeit half-heartedly.

She patted him on the foreleg. "And your help has done a lot to ease my mind. It'd be poor manners on my part not to return the courtesy."

"Tumaini!"

Tumaini turned toward the sound of Sungura's voice. The alpha rabbit raggedly scurried out through an unkempt clump of bushes, prompting a concerned look from Sauti. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Is it one of the warrens?"

"No, it's..." Sungura leaned in, and his voice dropped to a whisper. "There's a lion in the forest — not Kopa, this one didn't have a mane."

Tumaini felt as if the bottom dropped out of his stomach. "A lioness? What was she doing?"

"Nothing. She was unconscious when I found her, but when she wakes up..."

"Show me," said Tumaini immediately. "Sauti, can you tell Tanzu what's going on?"

"Right away," Sauti responded, already on her paws once again. She darted off into the undergrowth, and Tumaini hurried after Sungura with all haste.

The two of them bolted through the disarray, with Tumaini leaping over broken trees while Sungura zipped underneath. The rabbit was keeping pace despite his shorter legs, and even had to slow down at times so Tumaini could weave between the overhanging vines and uneven terrain. The black-maned lion's heart was racing, though not from exertion. I haven't seen another lion besides Kopa in ages. Who could she be? What if she's from—

Tumaini stumbled as one of his front paws nearly sank into a small sinkhole, and he reminded himself to worry about the details later. Outsiders were generally unaware of the forest's no-hunting rule, and indeed he and Kopa had chased off numerous predators in the past for refusing to abide.

They were approaching the edge of the forest, and at last Sungura slowed to a halt. A fine evening mist had settled over the cluttered shambles of the treeline, obscuring the view of the mountain range that laid beyond. The rabbit carefully sniffed a set of tracks that unmistakably belonged to a lion. "Looks like she's on the move. She can't have gone far, I saw the state she was in."

"I'll take it from here," said Tumaini firmly. "Go be with your family, keep them below ground. Don't come out until I find you."

Sungura nodded. "Be careful, my friend."

As the rabbit rushed off, Tumaini followed the tracks while trying to get a fix on the lioness' scent, moving as silently as he could. He became aware of the unnatural hush that had fallen over the edge of the forest. The others must have noticed her and cleared out. Either that, or... I just hope I'm not too late.

Strangely enough, the tracks led to a single patch of dirt before going off every which way. Tumaini frowned, examining the pawprints for any indication of which way she had gone. He spotted a few dark patches in the fresher tracks, and strained to identify the metallic scent of blood tickling his nostrils. It smells like... lion? But—

Tumaini's ears pricked up at the barely audible sound of breath being drawn behind him. He whirled about just in time to see a brown-furred lioness lunge toward him and instinctively dove aside. Though he avoided the brunt of the attack, her back paw caught him in the flank before he could regain his footing, sending him rolling onto his back.

He used the momentum to roll himself upright — and not a moment too soon, as the lioness' paws slammed into the dirt where his head was a moment ago. Unsheathing his claws, Tumaini bound forward as she leaped at him again, grabbing hold of her shoulders to keep her claws away from his face. She raked at his mane, adamantly refusing to budge no matter how hard he tried to push her back. His claws dug into her shoulders, drawing blood, but she didn't even react.

The lioness swiftly sank her teeth into Tumaini's foreleg, causing him to release her with a roar of pain. Gritting his teeth, his other front paw stamped down hard on hers and she reared back with a roar as well. She ducked the swipe he made at her head, though one of his claws managed to nick her ear, and he could feel her struggling to free her paw from under his. Suddenly she closed in and went for his throat, and he stumbled back as her teeth found his mane.

Finally relinquishing her paw, Tumaini pushed forward once again and disentangled her with his bulkier weight. But she was quick to react, using his momentum to slide in under him and push against his abdomen with both hind paws. The world turned upside-down for a moment as he flipped over her head — and landed on his back with a winded gasp. Dazed, Tumaini barely managed to raise his front paws in time to catch her forelegs; with the lioness' claws a hair away from his face, he noticed that the fur around her paws were matted with blood. "You — shouldn't have — come here..." he growled.

The lioness pushed even harder against him. "Like you — gave me — a choice..."

Tumaini's grip nearly gave in surprise. "What?"

"How many — did — she send?" she demanded, still trying to drive her claws toward his snout.

"'She'?" sputtered Tumaini. "Send where — here?"

Bewilderment entered the lioness' features as well, and she stopped struggling. "You... you're not one of them, are you?" she asked cautiously.

"I don't even know who you're talking about, so I'm gonna say no." Tumaini sat up, though he did not relinquish his grip. "Your turn. How many animals did you kill in this forest?"

She looked down at her bloodied paws, comprehension dawning on her. "None. This blood is my own. I found this place by accident, I've been on the run the last two nights."

Relief swept over Tumaini, and for the first time he noticed that her paw pads were scraped raw. He finally let go of her forelegs, careful not to touch her injured paws. "Running from who?"

"Never mind. I don't have time to get into—"

A golden blur slammed into the lioness without warning, and she gave a startled cry as she was thrown to the ground. Kopa held her fast, teeth bared in a snarl. "You want to kill my friend, then you'd better kill me first. And you'll find I'm pretty stubborn."

Tumaini hastily scrambled to his paws. "Kopa, stop! She's not trying to kill me... anymore."

Kopa blinked in confusion. "I... I heard fighting..."

"Just a misunderstanding," Tumaini insisted. "Now let her up, it sounds like the real trouble is coming this way."

Slowly, Kopa obliged. The lioness straightened as he stepped aside, and brushed some dirt off herself with a small wince. "Knowing who's after me, I wouldn't be surprised if that's true," she said grimly. "I'm Siri, by the way. Sorry we got off on the wrong paw."

The black-maned lion gave a dismissive wave. "Tumaini, and you've already made Kopa's acquaintance." He cocked his head, now regarding her with curiosity. "How about you explain what's going on and we'll call it even?"

Before she could respond, Tumaini's stomach rumbled rather loudly. Kopa gave him a knowing look. "We can discuss it over a meal," he suggested. "Wasn't expecting company, but I brought back enough to share."

Siri shook her head. "That's very kind of you, but—"

Her words were cut short as her stomach rumbled even louder. An irrepressible grin appeared on Kopa's face, and Tumaini gave her an encouraging wink.

"—okay, fine," she said, smiling grudgingly as well. "Lead the way."

•••

"What did you do? Tell me!"

Vitani shirked back at the sight of Simba's imposing figure. She crouched behind Zira's foreleg, trying to make herself as small as possible.

By contrast, her mother did not look intimidated at all. "Nothing," Zira responded disdainfully. "I did nothing wrong. You ought to keep searching for your boy instead of hounding me."

"Don't lie to me!" fumed Simba, advancing on Zira with every word. "Zazu spotted him in the river. I know it was you!"

Vitani peered up at her timidly. "Mother?"

"You wound me, Simba," Zira hissed. "I was looking for Nuka when the storm hit. Perhaps if you'd kept a closer eye on your son, he'd still be with you."

An enraged snarl arose from Simba's throat, and in the blink of an eye he had her pinned to the ground. Vitani cried out in fright as she saw her mother struggling to free herself, and then her view was obscured by several lionesses leaping in to pull Simba off of Zira.

Vitani awoke with a gasp, instinctively bolting upright before her senses returned in full. She immediately regretted it as a sharp pain rang through her head and coursed down along her aching back. Blinking a few times to clear her swimming vision, she took a moment to let the cold damp air rouse her into wakefulness.

"Easy, Vitani," came Kiara's voice from nearby. "Don't move too quickly all at once."

Vitani noticed that she could see her own breath in the air. "How long was I out?" she asked groggily, straightening.

"The sun went down a while ago. I haven't seen anyone else pass through this cavern."

As her eyes gradually adjusted to the darkness, Vitani took in their surroundings before peering up to assess the scale of their drop. She could make out a sliver of the night sky beyond the opening in the stone ceiling, high above their reach. "We're not climbing, that's for sure. Come on, we'd better find a way out of here." She rose gingerly, standing up one paw at a time. Kiara got up as well, though Vitani could tell she was having trouble putting weight on one side. "You alright, princess?"

"I'll live, thanks to you," assured Kiara. "I don't think anything's broken. It's you I'm worried ab—" She stumbled with a small yelp and immediately retracted her paw.

Vitani immediately darted forward and caught her. "I've been worse," she said, taking a few tentative steps with the princess while holding her steady. "First rule of falling, avoid dropping straight down."

"That was... definitely an impressive catch..." Kiara's words were more strained now that they were on the move.

Vitani felt around and discovered that the other lioness had broken a few ribs. "I've had practice. Mo—Zira would drill us until we got it right."

The conversation gave way to silence, save for Kiara's ragged breathing and the faint echoes of their irregular pawsteps. Vitani scanned every crevice and opening they passed by, looking and listening for any sign of a potential exit.

Zira's training regimen had been torment, no question about it, but Vitani had learned long ago to appreciate the skills she had been taught. Still, this is probably the last thing she had in mind. Zira's training was built around ensuring one's own survival in dangerous situations, and what Vitani was doing right now was the complete opposite of self-preservation.

She discovered that she was buzzing with a sort of perverse glee at what Zira would think if she were here now. I am nothing like you, see? You couldn't mould me into your soldier.

"Vitani?" prompted Kiara.

"What?"

"Are you... do you wish Zira survived that night?"

Vitani narrowed her eyes. This was the last thing she wanted to discuss. "No," she responded shortly, hoping that would put an end to the conversation.

"She was within my reach," reflected Kiara. "I begged her to take my paw, but she refused."

"She got what she deserved," Vitani growled. "If it had been up to me, I'd have put her in the river myself."

"I don't believe that," Kiara said firmly. "You're not like her. You wouldn't hurt someone just to get what you want."

Vitani recalled the wildfire she and Nuka had started during Kiara's first hunt — and how close she had come to killing Simba in the gorge. "But I already have," she admitted bitterly. "That's what you don't understand, I'm not here to play hero — I'm here to set things right."

"I do understand, Vitani," the princess told her. "That's what I admire about you."

Despite herself, Vitani couldn't help being taken aback. She could count every compliment she had ever received on one paw, and definitely never considered herself a role model in any sense of the term. But the way Kiara said the words somehow made Vitani want to believe it as well. It was a strange sense of hope she didn't know she had.

Kiara smiled upon seeing her stunned look. "Kovu told me everything — the fire, the ambush — that's not who you are anymore. Don't you think it's time to forgive yourself?"

Vitani averted her gaze. "It doesn't come easy for all of us. No offence, princess, but you've lived a pretty sheltered life."

"None taken," Kiara laughed. "Well, for what it's worth, I forgive you. I hope you can forgive Zira too when you're ready."

I'm not sure I'll ever be ready. Vitani wondered if she would ever be able to articulate how she felt about Zira. Did I always hate her and was too afraid to admit it? Did I actually love her, or was I just convinced that I did? Did she... really love me?

"You miss your brother, don't you?" Kiara asked quietly.

"What do you think?" growled Vitani. "He'd still be alive if it weren't for her."

"I get it. I wish I had more time with my brother too."

"It's not the same thing. Kion—"

"I wasn't talking about Kion. I mean my older brother... Kopa."

Vitani almost stumbled in surprise, hardly able to believe what she had just heard. "I didn't know you remembered him," she said quietly.

"I haven't thought about him in a long time," Kiara sighed. "But you were muttering his name while you were unconscious, and it all came back to me." A faraway look entered her eyes. "He vanished before I was even old enough to walk. I only vaguely remember what he looked like. Dad didn't talk about him often — it was too painful for him — but mom would tell me how Kopa befriended hyenas and vultures that most Pridelanders wouldn't look twice at. And when my father was cheated out of the kingdom, it was Kopa who uncovered the truth."

Vitani nodded to herself, silently recalling how Zira had planned her own coup before Kopa had won back the Pride Lands for Simba. "You were born right at the end of all that."

Kiara smiled wistfully. "Even as a cub, my brother was kind and brave, and he never gave up. And even if he isn't around anymore, I guess it was him I've been trying to live up to."

Vitani snorted, deflecting her real feelings with her usual veneer. "Don't idealize your brother, Kiara — it's unhealthy, take it from someone with personal experience." She gave the princess a wry look. "If you must know, Kopa was also a pain in the rear. So maybe don't try to live up to that part."

"Oh good, you two are still alive," came Tazama's voice from behind them.

Vitani turned to see her teammate emerge from an intersecting tunnel, though she moved with a visible limp. Kiara shifted her weight so that she was standing of her own accord. "Go on, help her," she said. "I'll manage."

Vitani slowly stepped back, ensuring that Kiara really was fine before hurrying to Tazama's side. "Any sign of the others?"

"Nothing down here except dead zebras," Tazama told her, now able to pick up the pace a little with Vitani's help. "We saw Kasi leading the survivors out, but they were making too much noise to hear us. Shabaha's gone ahead to see which way they went."

Relief swept over Vitani upon hearing that her entire team had survived. This might not have been a complete disaster after all.

"There's bad news too, boss," continued Tazama. "I heard flooding back there. My guess is the earthquake diverted a nearby river into these caverns."

Vitani nodded briskly. "Right. Then let's pick up the pace." She turned her attention to Kiara. "You sure you're okay to walk on your own?"

Kiara winced with every other step she took, but she nodded stiffly regardless. As the three of them hobbled through passageway after passageway with no end in sight, Vitani could make out rushing water close by. A muffled rumble was also growing louder overhead, coupled with the slow, ominous sound of stone cracking.

Vitani felt something cold and wet land between her ears, and the dripping around them intensified aggressively. Suddenly a chunk of wall toppled open behind them, followed quickly by another, sending a vigorous torrent spraying into the tunnel. A moment later, the ceiling began breaking apart piece by piece, forcing the three lionesses to move even more quickly to try and outrun the calamity dogging their heels.

"We're running out of time!" yelled Vitani. "Where's Shabaha?"

"Over here." Shabaha breathlessly appeared from a nearby junction, looking more or less unscathed from her fall. "I found an exit. Hurry."

"Take the princess," Vitani ordered, trying not to think about the water creeping up their legs.

Shabaha put her weight against Kiara's injured side and helped her down the tunnel, with Vitani and Tazama following close behind. A crashing boom was heard from the junction, followed by the growing roar of surging water. "It's... just up ahead," Shabaha grunted, bounding for the end of the tunnel as fast as she could. "Not far now."

Sure enough, the exit came into view as they cleared the next bend. Vitani lurched as the water level rose abruptly, now lapping at her underside.

"We're not close enough," panted Tazama. "Put me down."

"We're gonna make it," Vitani growled.

Tazama made a noise of frustration. "I can see better than anyone, you know that. You and Shabaha still have a chance if you help her with Kiara."

"Nope, not gonna happen."

"I'm not asking, Vitani," said Tazama fiercely. "You have a duty to get the princess to safety, so take her and get out of here!" With a strained growl, she wrenched herself free from Vitani, splashing into the water as the ceiling crumbled around her.

Shabaha and Kiara looked back, unsure of what to do. Gritting her teeth, Vitani took Kiara's other side. They broke into an uneven sprint, half-paddling their way toward the exit with the princess between them.

"W—wait, what about Tazama?" protested Kiara.

Vitani didn't look back as the echoing roar filled her ears. The flood was now up to their shoulders, with chunks of rock hurtling into the water amidst their desperate bid for escape. "Till the Pride Lands' end..."

A sudden surge from behind swept the three lionesses off their paws, and Vitani resisted the instinct to inhale as water engulfed her senses. Holding tightly to Kiara, she suddenly felt them both being yanked down before their momentum slowed to a gentle drift.

Vitani gasped as her head broke the surface, followed quickly by Kiara and Shabaha. She shook a sopping tuft of fur out of her eyes and saw that they had been deposited outside into a gradually filling sinkhole. Gathered around the pool were the surviving herds — and the rest of the hunting party. Imara hopped into the water and crouched down, allowing Vitani and Shabaha to place Kiara onto her back.

Once the princess was safely away, Shabaha turned back to the flooded opening, which was still spewing out a steady rate of water. "I'm going back for her."

"Me too," said Vitani, getting up as well. "I'll use the Roar to give us an opening. Ready?"

She planted herself, ready to unleash the Roar — and then Kasi burst out of the deluge, front paws firmly clasped around Tazama's middle. Both lionesses resurfaced, coughing and sputtering while wearily treading water. Vitani and Shabaha immediately rushed to help them, joined by Imara who expediently carried Tazama out of the sinkhole as well.

The Lion Guard clambered up onto solid ground together, injured and drenched but alive. The herds broke into rousing cheers as Vitani and her team walked past, and it was then that she saw Shabaha smiling.

On the other side of the crowd, Tamika was tending to Kiara's injuries while Tiifu sat with Zuri off to one side. The princess raised her head upon seeing the Lion Guard approach. "Oh, thank the Great Spirits," she exhaled in relief. "You all made it."

"It was a close one, but yeah," said Vitani. Glancing at Tamika, she added, "Looks like you're gonna have your paws full for a while."

Her sister smiled amiably in response. "You saved a lot of lives tonight, Lion Guard. I'll be more than happy to do the rest."