*Chapter 14: A Destroyed Kingdom/Allies*

Back in the Savannah, the Pride Lands were in ruins. The whole sky and land were gray, and there were a number of plants and trees that appeared to be dead. Nia, who is fully grown into a beautiful hyena, walked in the den to see Scar threatening Zazu who is trapped in the cage made from some animal's ribs. Nia frowned a bit. It's been 4 years since Simba and Ajani are gone. Nia was losing hope. Perhaps her visions are wrong...

"You called for me, Scar?" Nia asked. The dark lion turned to her.

"Have you found her yet?" Scar asked.

"Who?"

"Nala. Where is she?" Scar asked.

"No, Scar. I couldn't find her anywhere. She is nowhere in the Pride Lands. She must've escaped." Nia said. Scar growled at her.

"You're lying to me."

"I swear to you I couldn't find her! And the Pride Lands is nothing but dirt and bones! There's nothing out there to hunt!" Nia argued. "You call yourself king? You couldn't even-" Suddenly, someone shouted from outside of the den.

"Hey boss!"

"Oh, what is it this time?" Scar asked with dismay while turning his attention to the entrance of the den. Nia sighed in annoyance. The three hyenas started walking into the den glares on their faces with Banzai shouting.

"We got a bone to pick with you!"

"Stop shouting. He's right here." Shenzi said.

"What?!" Banzai asked. Shenzi rolled her eyes. Scar raised a brow at the hyenas.

"We...encountered Iris. She used her scream." Shenzi said. Nia couldn't help but to smirk. Seems like they had bumped into Iris out there and she used her scream to keep them away and deaf for a while. Banzai is the only one deaf. "Anyway, Scar. There's no food or water..." Banzai finally can hear again.

"Ah, there we go! And yeah! It's dinner time, and we ain't got no stinkin' entrees!"

"It's the lionesses' job to do the hunting." Scar said in an exasperated tone.

"Yeah, but they won't go hunt." Banzai said.

"Oh... Eat Zazu." Scar said while offering up Zazu.

"Oh, you wouldn't want me. I'd be so tough and games and... eww!" Zazu said fearfully.

"Oh, Zazu, don't be ridiculous. All you need is a little garnish..." Scar said. " And as for you, Nia..." While the evil king continued talking, Banzai muttered to Shenzi.

"I thought things were this bad under Mufasa."

"What did you say?!" Scar asked with a look.

"I said Muf-" But Shenzi elbowed Banzai with a nervous smile, causing him to change his attitude and say with a nervous smile of his own. "I said, uh... Que Pasa?"

"Good. Now get out." Scar said with a glare. As the three hyenas began to exit the den, they all paused as Banzai turned back to Scar.

"Mm...yeah, but...we're still hungry." He said.

"OUT!" Scar shouted. The three hyenas ran out of the den with Ed letting out a crazy laugh. Scar turned back to Nia. "Now...where was I? Oh, right. If you think you are covering for Nala, I will-"

"You'll what? Kill me? Like you did to my family? Do it then!" Nia snapped. Scar let out a roar as he swiped at Nia's face. She let out a yelp. Zazu gasped at this. Nia slowly turned to Scar, breathing hard. She now has a mark over her eye like Scar's. He gave her a scar.

"Consider this a warning, Nia! Your blood will run down my chin if you try to foil my plans again!" Scar said. Nia didn't say a word and ran out of the den. Tears appeared in her eyes as she ran past the lionesses. Sarabi watched the hyena run into the Lion Guard den. She followed her inside to see Nia sobbing.

"Nia? Are you alright?" Sarabi asked, walking towards the hyena. Nia sniffed and turned to her.

"I'm...I'm alright, Sarabi. You shouldn't worry about me." Nia said. Sarabi saw the fresh scar over her eye.

"What did he do to you?"

"He marked me!" Nia said.

"Nia, I am grateful that you helped Nala escape, but...you must go and find her and get help." Sarabi suggested. "I know you are nothing like any other hyenas. I can trust you. Find Nala and get help." Nia wiped her nose and made a firm look.

"You're right. Nala needs help out there. We're going to find help. The Pride Lands is destroyed. We need a rightful ruler. Sarabi, I'll be back soon!" Nia ran out of the den and left Pride Rock.

A 16-year-old African girl with long black hair in a braid, wearing a yellow and red dress with a brown cloak, a dagger, and a bag of supplies. The girl left the village a few days ago, and she had been traveling through Savannah. She is searching for someone. Someone very dear to her. She removed her hood, and she is wearing the headband she had kept for 4 years.

"Wherever you are, I'm going to find you." She spoke. "You're out there somewhere. I pray every day, hoping you are alive. I know you are. If the stories are true, I could ask the animals for help. I hope I can understand them, and they'll understand me." The teen puts the hood back on and continued her journey through Savannah. She didn't see Iris watching her from one of the dead trees.

"I understand you, dear." She spoke. The girl spun around to see her. "You shouldn't be out here. It'sss too dangeroussss."

"You...you can talk! I..I can understand you! The shamans made me a chosen one!" The girl exclaimed.

"You're not the only one, dear. There was ssssomeone before you who can understand ussss." Iris slithered down. "But why are you here? Where are your people?"

"I left my village to look for someone who is important to me. He left 4 years ago. His name is Ajani." The teen replied. Iris's eyes widen.

"You know Ajani? Sssso do I."

"You do? Do you know where he is?"

"Unfortunately not. It'sss been 4 yearssss...he and the son of the king are gone." Iris said in a sad tone.

"Son of the king? Wait, don't tell me he's dead." The teen said.

"I did not ssssay he is. I don't believe he issss." Iris told her. "He could be alive out there...ssssomewhere. Oh, how rude of me! I am Irissss. What is your name, dear?"

"Zuri."

"Pleasure to meet you, Zuri. If you wish to find Ajani, you mussst ally with an animal with a sssspecial gift." Iris said. From the distance, she could see Nia following the trail of Nala. "Ah, there she is now. Nia! Come over here quick!" Iris called with a wave of her tail. Nia turned to see Iris with a human girl. The hyena walked over and see the human isn't Ajani. Nia took a step back. "Do not be frightened. This is Zuri. A friend of Ajani." Iris assured the hyena. Zuri lowered her hand down to let Nia sniff her. "This is Nia. She is born with visions. Perhapsss you can join her." Iris said.

"Visions?" Zuri asked.

"She can...understand us? Whoa... Just like Ajani." Nia spoke.

"Ajani can talk to animals." Zuri whispered with a smile.

"Time is short. The Pride Lands can't be like thissss forever. Nia, you and Zuri mussst look for Nala! I hear she is headed towards the desert. She could die of thirssst out there." Iris said.

"I'm following her scent." Nia said with a nod. She looked up at Zuri. "Well? You in?" She asked. Zuri has a lot of questions, but they will be answered later. They must find Ajani. But they need to find Nala first.

"Of course. Lead the way, Nia." Zuri responded.

"Good luck." Iris said as they leave. Nia is leading the way as Zuri is following her.

XX

"So...that's why the Pride Lands look like that? Scar took over and let all this happen?" Zuri asked as the two walked through the stormy desert. "I didn't think your world has rulers."

"When Mufasa was king, it wasn't all bad. But after he died, Scar took over the throne and he was hungry with power. He's been wanting to be king. He doesn't fit to be king at all. He gave me a scar not too long ago." Nia said.

"I'm sorry about that. So, you're also saying that Simba is next in line to be king?" Zuri asked.

"Yes. But he and Ajani are gone. I know they are not dead. They are out there...somewhere. We need to find Nala and search for them. I was losing hope at first, but I can't give up on them." Nia said. Before Zuri could ask another question, Nia halts and saw something ahead of them. She squinted her eyes. "Wait. Do you see what I see?" Zuri looked ahead to see a lioness with creamy-tawny fur.

"Looks like...a lioness. Is that Nala?" Zuri wondered.

"Yes. Yes, it is!" Nia said with relief. She ran towards the lioness. "Nala! Nala!" The lioness turned to see her.

"Nia? What're you doing out here?" She asked. She looked up to see Zuri running towards them. Nala let out a roar. Zuri gasped and froze at her spot. Nia got in front of Nala.

"No! Nala! She's a friend! She's gonna help us!" Nia said. "We've come to find you and look for Simba and Ajani." Nala's guard is down and look down at Nia.

"What? But...Simba and Ajani are dead. Remember? We need to find help from-"

"No! They must be alive out there! I know it!" Nia said.

"Nia...it's been years. If they're alive, they should've returned by then." Nala said.

"Nala, you can't lose hope. I know we just met, but I believe my friend, Ajani is alive out there. If Simba is alive, then so is Ajani." The teen said. Nala stared at her, wishing she could believe it. Zuri took off the headband. "You see, he gave me this before he left the village. I've been wearing it ever since. And...I need him back in our village. I need him back in my life." She said.

"You really care about him, don't you?" Nala asked.

"I missed him so much. He's my friend. I can't stop thinking about him." Zuri said, clenching the headband close. Nala walked towards her and nuzzled her head against Zuri's hand. The girl looked down at the lioness.

"I feel the same about Simba. He's my best friend. I couldn't stop thinking about him since..." She stopped.

"They are out there. I know it." Nia spoke. "Now come on, girls. Let's get out of this heat and continue on." Zuri and Nala smiled and nodded. The three of them walked through the desert together.