Book 1: Chapter 4
"What about you, Lia?" Tombie lifted an eyebrow. "You ever want to go back home?"
"No," she responded quickly. Too quickly.
Tombie's eyebrows raised once more, but he didn't say anything further. He knew the lioness wasn't being exactly truthful, but he also couldn't blame her for it.
He still remembered it like it was yesterday — the way she ran to his den in the middle of the rainy night, soaked to the bone and shivering. That night, she had desperately begged him to help her, sobbing as she explained to him why she needed to leave immediately. Tombie had agreed, of course. In all the time he knew Dalia, he had never seen her like that.
They never spoke about the night they ran away — it was a touchy subject for both friends. However, though Tombie never had the heart to bring it up again, he did think about that night occasionally. He often thought about how the story would've changed if he had said 'no.'
Would he have liked it better that way?
oOoOo
The brisk, cool air of the night ruffled through Dalia's fur.
The lioness caught up with her hyena friend for the good portion of the night, only sleeping when Madoa lightly teased them about how late it was. Afterward, Dalia and Imba both left the Outlands in the morning, profusely thanking their friends for their hospitality.
They had spent the day chatting and discussing the Lion Guard, and Imba had retired for the night. The lioness, on the other hand, decided to proceed with her nightly hunt.
She had decided to hunt during Beshte and Bunga's shifts, after learning that they weren't as attentive as the others. After a quick glance around to make sure no members of the Lion Guard were near, she lifted her head to the sky, catching the scent of the prey she was tracking. Stilling for a moment, she angeled her ears to the side, trying to pick up any noise.
Her heart sank with disappointment when she didn't pick up anything.
Just as she was about to call it a night and accept that her hunt wouldn't be successful tonight, she caught the slightest rustling in the long grasses in front of her. Remaining absolutely silent, she spotted the top of a gazelle antler peeking out from the long grass. Dalia grins before lowering herself to the ground. She was going to eat well tonight, she decided.
As she slowly parted the tan long-grass of the Pridelands, Dalia couldn't help but think of the conversation she had with Tombie the previous night.
After she quickly shut down Tombie's question, Dalia decided to ask about Janja and his clan to change the subject. After all, gathering information about Janja's clan was the whole reason she came to the Outlands in the first place. Tombie had described in disgust exactly what he thought of Janja and his clan, which matched up with what Dalia gathered from her spying in the Pridelands.
After they had been through, Dalia trusted Tombie with her life, and will always believe what he told her.
Lost in thought, Dalia hadn't noticed that the gazelle had spotted her until the four-legged creature was sprinting away from her.
Cursing herself under her breath, she sprints through the long grass. The gazelle got a running start and was already a good distance from Dalia, so she needed to make up for lost time. Her hindlegs propel her forwards, and her claws dug into the ground for more traction.
She kicked up dirt in her wake, sprinting to catch up with the gazelle. Dalia shook her head in frustration as the early rays of the sunrise settled on the Pridelands, setting a pinky-orange hue over the grassy savannah. The Lion Guard would start their dawn patrol soon, and Dalia hadn't had food yet. She was half-tempted to just give up on the hunt entirely and endure the empty stomach, but she decided she had worked too hard to give up now.
The chase was long, and both the gazelle and lioness started letting out gasps as they try to catch their breath. It was a well-known fact that gazelles had longer endurance than lions, so she knew she'd burn out if she was not being careful. The sun rose higher over the Pridelands by the second, the heat starting to warm the fur on her back.
She knew she wasn't being careless, but she was too stubborn to stop now.
Fortunately for the gazelle (and unfortunately for Dalia), Dalia was too preoccupied with the gazelle to realize a certain golden-furred prince was running towards her. Dalia's jaws were barely a foot away from the gazelle when the prince tackled her to the ground. The nomad let out a startled gasp as the heavier lion shoved her out of the path of the gazelle.
However, he didn't exactly take into account the sloping land directly behind Dalia.
A blurred mixture of pale cream and yellow-gold rolled down the slopey hill behind Dalia, the lioness hitting her back paw at an awkward angle each time she hit the ground. She somehow managed to catch sight of the large acacia tree behind them and let out a panicked shriek realizing that they would crash into it.
They separated when they crashed into the trunk of the acacia tree at the base of this hill, Dalia gasping to catch her breath.
As soon as she got her bearings straight, Dalia whirled around, ears angled down in hostility and claws unsheathed. Her assailant was also catching his breath, mere feet away from her. Not yet realizing who tackled her, her brows knitted together in anger.
"What's your problem, you—"
Her voice caught in her throat when the lion lifted his head, the sunlight behind him making his features more visible. Kion.
The backlighting of the morning sun behind him was doing the young prince wonders. His auburn tuft of main on his head shone bright red and the gold flecks in his eyes were more noticeable, giving him an almost angelic glow.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," he started before looking up to the top of the hill where he shoved Dalia. "Or push you down the hill, for that matter."
The fur on her back rose in embarrassment and heat rose to her cheeks. "I wasn't startled," she gritted out, teeth clenched and claws sliding into the ground.
Her tail thrashed in annoyance. Dalia pressed her weight down on her back paw and winced at the sudden jolt of pain that shot up the length of her hindleg. Biting the inside of her cheek, she told herself not to do that again and kept her paw slightly elevated off the ground.
Kion's eyes narrowed. "Regardless, I would like to know why you were attacking the gazelle."
Dalia let out a scoff of disbelief. "Attacking? I was hunting."
To emphasize her point, she stomped her back paw on the ground, forgetting how sore it was. The same sharp pain jolts up her leg, and she winced before lifting it a bit higher off the ground. Dalia chided herself and bit the inside of her cheek harder, this time tasting the copper swirls that came forth.
The fiercest's ears angle downward, and he shook his head in disagreement. "But since you're not from our Pride, and you're not a Pridelander, you don't have a right to be hunting in the Pridelands." Kion then quirked a brow. "So, which Pride are you from?"
"I don't belong to a Pride," Dalia answered sharply, ears still flat against her head. "I'm a nomadic lioness."
"A nomadic lioness?" Kion echoed doubtfully. Dalia knew that Kion was apprehensive of her because of the vulnerability of the Pridelands. She even overhead Ono saying just a few weeks ago that anyone could be working for Scar. He thought for a moment, trying to decide what to do with her, before sighing. "I think you should speak with my Dad, and let him decide what to do," he said eventually.
Dalia wasn't too thrilled about the idea but realized there wasn't a better alternative. Oh, this was so frustrating. She should've been more careful and gone home when the first rays of dawn settled over the Pridelands. Slowly sheathing her claws, she tipped her head into a reluctant nod.
"Fine."
. . .
The walk to Priderock was painful for Dalia given her current paw situation. Although the pain was starting to fade, as they continued to walk, it became alarmingly evident that something was wrong with that paw of hers. Kion either didn't notice the limp in her walk, or paid no mind to it, and continued escorting her to Priderock.
Along the way, they met with the rest of the Lion Guard. After briefly explaining the situation and instructing them to continue dawn patrol without him, Kion brought her to his father.
The King.
Dalia thought that meeting the King of any land would be more nerve-wracking.
She noticed that Simba resembled his son quite a bit with his auburn-red hair. His fur was a brownish-gold, duller than Kion's coat, and his underbelly, muzzle, and paws were a creamy tan. Broad-shouldered and lean-muscled, the King was very well capable of being intimidating. However, something about him told Dalia that he was a fair and just ruler.
Queen Nala reminded Dalia a lot of her own mother, with her dark tawny coat and a paler muzzle and underbelly. The only significant difference between her mother and Nala was the eye color. Her mother's eyes had a unique blend of green and gray, similar to Dalia's.
"Kion." Simba looked at his son, quirking an eyebrow. "Who's this?"
Simba gave their guest a once-over, and Dalia suddenly felt very self-conscious. Looking over her messed fur, embarrassment pricked her cheeks and ran up the length of her spine. After her hunt, her pale fur was a mess, mussed by the wind and dirt-stained after her tumble down the hill. Not to mention her paw, which she fears may be sprained.
Today had been awful so far, and it had only just begun.
"I found her hunting in the Pridelands this morning," Kion answered, "She said she was a nomadic lioness who would like to stay in the Pridelands temporarily."
Simba nodded in understanding. "I see."
"Your Majesties." Dalia bowed her head quickly out of respect. "My name is Dalia, and I'm a traveler. Or, as he put it, a nomad."
"A traveler?" Nala said.
The lioness tipped her head into a nod. "A traveler," she affirmed. "I was just passing through the Pridelands and would like to stay here temporarily." Simba quirked a brow, the silent gesture signaling for an elaboration. "I mean, I was just passing through in the beginning. As I was doing so, I noticed the Lion Guard protecting those who would otherwise be incapable. I would like to stay here, at least for a little while, before I go on my way. "
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the ends of Kion's lips turn upwards into a smile before he quickly resumed a normal expression.
"I see," Simba said again. The King looked to his Queen, and she gave a silent nod. "Well, you can certainly stay in the Pridelands, —"
Kion was the first to protest. "But Dad, how do we know she was not a—"
"Kion," Simba silenced, glaring at his son. His son quieted, but not without a sigh. The King redirected his attention to Dalia. "As I was saying, you can certainly stay here in the Pridelands. I'll have my daughter give you a tour."
Nala gave a nod of agreement. "I think it'll be beneficial for you to know where everything is around here. " Nala glanced down at Dalia's injured paw. "It's the least we can do, especially with your paw and all."
This took Dalia by surprise, something that didn't happen very often.
"I noticed you limping," she explained, glancing down at it once more. She redirected her gaze to Kion, who didn't seem thrilled at all with her staying here. "Kion, take her to Rafiki, will you?"
Kion nodded briefly, eyes trained on Dalia. The lioness managed a polite smile, stifling the frustrated groan that threatened to spill. "Thank you, your Majesties. I'm looking forward to the tour," she said. She can feel the blood roaring in her ears and her right eye starting to wince.
"Good," Simba said, looking back towards the entrance of Priderock. As if on cue, another lioness stepped out. She looked about Dalia's age, perhaps a little older, and resembled both of her parents with her pale golden-orange fur. Her amber-brown eyes resembled Kion's a good deal, and the thin-dark brows that rested above them were raised in Dalia's direction. "This is my daughter, Kiara."
Kiara stepped in place between her father and mother, Kion on the other side of his mother. "Hello," Kiara greeted cordially. As she stood amongst the rest of her family, the sense of regality that each of them carried themselves with was indisputable. The stark difference between the Royal Family and Dalia was undeniable. The young lioness had never felt as out of place as she did now.
"Kiara, this is our guest, Dalia." Simba turned to his daughter before gesturing to Dalia. "I would like you to give her a tour of the Pridelands." Kiara nodded her agreement, offering Dalia a small smile as she did so. "After you've visited Rafiki, of course."
. . .
"Ow!"
Dalia's eyes were shut tight, and she willed the hot tears beneath her lids not to spill out.
Rafiki turned out to be a monkey — more specifically, a mandrill — and a very eccentric monkey at that. The moment she met the Royal Mjuzi, or whatever they call him, he immediately struck her as odd. Perhaps it was the crazy glint in his eyes and the unexpectedly sharp points of his teeth. Or maybe it was the way his unruly white fur spiked around his head and dipped down below his chin.
Regardless, there certainly was something strange about the Royal Mjuzi.
The mandrill was prodding her heel, each prod sending jolts up her paw and cries from her mouth.
"Sorry," Kion apologized, eyebrows knitted together. "If I had known about your paw, I wouldn't have let you walk to Priderock." Though he didn't exactly trust the nomad yet, he certainly didn't intend for her to get hurt.
The lioness opened her eyes, just so she could look at him. He was standing by the vine-covered entrance of The Lion Guard's Lair, the sun seeping through the vines making patterns on his golden fur. "Don't sweat it— OW!" she broke into another cry when Rafiki prodded her heel particularly hard.
Rafiki seemed to pay no mind to her cries and continued on. "Just as I feared," he murmured to himself vaguely.
Dalia groaned impatiently. "What?"
The Royal Mjuzi didn't answer; instead, he turned his back on her and called out for his apprentice. "Makini!"
Makini's head popped out from around the corner, her olive-green eyes sparkling with excitement. It was a trait both mentor and apprentice shared: being easily excitable. She was much smaller than her older mentor but just as clever. Medium brown fur stylishly framed her face, contrasting with the gray fur that covered the majority of her body.
"Yes, Rafiki?" she trilled, her voice squeaky.
"Simple sprain on this one," Rafiki stated, eyes focused on her paw and not his apprentice.
Makini nodded with understanding. "Ah, I see."
"What?" Dalia repeated, her brows raised in annoyance.
Rafiki hummed knowingly but, again, didn't answer her question. Rather, he took fistfuls of vines and leaves, wrapping her paw tightly with a thick wad of green. Dalia bit the inside of her cheek to keep from squealing, and her claws slid out, the silvery-gray tapping against the ground beneath her.
When the mandrill was finished, he brushed his hands against each other and took a step back to admire his work. His fingers stroked the white fur on his chin, and Makini observed the cast with admiration as well. Kion mouthed another "sorry" from the other side of the space.
"Try not to exert yourself too much," Makini put in. "Walking around should be okay, but maybe have someone else hunt for you."
Rafiki nodded. "My apprentice is correct." His fingers reached up to stroke the white fur on his chin before he turned around and started walking towards the opening of the lair. Over his shoulder, he said, "Come back in a week or so, and your sprain should be healed."
Dalia was startled. "A week? No hunting?"
"Correctamundo!" Makini cheers. "Sounds fun, right?" she asks, waggling her eyebrows playfully.
The lioness grimaced. "Extremely."
Just as she was about to leave, and hopefully return to her and Imba's hideout, a rustling of the vines covering the lair echoed throughout the cave. Looking over, Dalia remembered the tour Kiara was supposed to give her.
"Look's like you've got a visitor," Makini hummed.
The princess shuffled with her paws. "Hi," Kiara greeted awkwardly.
"Hey," Dalia replied flatly, completely unenthusiastic.
She gestured with her head towards the exit. "Why don't we start your tour," she offered before backpedaling and gazing down at her now bandaged paw. "If your paw's okay, that is."
Dalia gingerly placed her paw on the ground and found that it no longer aches. She supposed that whatever Makini and Rafiki did help. "It seemed to be fine."
Makini nodded as well. "Yup, she should be good to go. Just don't run on it." Her smile brightens. "Have fun!"
Kion cleared his throat, reminding Dalia of his presence. "I'll be starting patrol with the Guard," he said. He passed Kiara as he made his way towards the exit. "Have fun," he echoed Makini's words.
As soon as Kion left the cave, Kiara redirected her attention back to the nomad. She gestured to the exit with her paw, "Shall we?"
. . .
"And here's Big Springs," Kiara announced, presenting the glistening pool of water.
She continued to drone on about Big Springs and the inhabitants, but Dalia was not really paying attention. Several hippos dotted the blue water, their purple-grey backs sticking out from the water. From the surface, Dalia could spot several fish swimming about.
Dalia was pleasantly surprised to see the bandages on her paw were still holding up.
Makini was correct after all. It really only hurt when she put too much pressure on it or ran. Looking up to the sky and noticing the noonday sun, she wondered how long this tour would last. The three lionesses who were serving as guides were helpful and all, but she really would rather head back to her and Imba's corner of the woods.
Yes, three lionesses. She turned her head towards the side and spotted the two lionesses flanking either side of Kiara: Tiifu and Zuri.
Tiifu's pelt color was similar to Dalia's, just a bit lighter. A strange, yet endearing, tuft of fur stuck up from her head and towards the sky. Three small pink freckles dotted either side of her face, giving her a friendly look. She was sweet — almost annoyingly so, but sweet nonetheless. Green eyes, just like Makini's, lit up with excitement at Kiara's announcement.
Zuri, in contrast, was the polar opposite. Her tawny-orange fur shone from her extensive grooming of it, a stark contrast to the mussed fur Dalia was sporting. Like Tiifu, Zuri also had a small tuft sticking out from her head. Her eyes were a very distinctive blue with a small, pale spot beneath each eye.
In the short time Dalia had known the lioness, she noticed that Zuri's gaze was nearly always half-lidded and her brows perpetually raised in a bored expression.
Apparently, the pair made up Kiara's friend group, and they insisted on tagging along on the tour. Their presence had been nothing but tiring for the nomad. All she wanted to do was retreat to her and Imba's hideout in Hakuna Matata Falls and take a nap.
"... and Makuu and his float come by every once in a while when the fish population gets too high," Kiara continued in her telling of knowledge only a princess would know.
"Fascinating," Dalia feigned interest, tail-tip twitching with boredom. Usually, information like this would perk her interest given her inherently curious nature. But today hadn't been the best for Dalia, and she was running on little sleep and an empty stomach.
Just as the princess was about to continue on her tour, Zuri yawned from beside Kiara before starting towards the water. "I'm thirsty," she declared.
Tiifu decided to follow suit. "Yeah, same," she added.
Kiara turned to Dalia. "I think we can take a quick water break."
Dalia agreed to the break after feeling how dry her mouth was. When was the last time she had a drink of water? Was it this morning? Or was it yesterday morning? She'd have to watch out for that in the future. Her mother always used to stress the importance of staying hydrated, especially in the dry season.
The nomad approached the glistening pool of water and involuntarily took a step back. Shaking her head, she gingerly approached the water's edge, deliberately not looking into its deep abyss. Over the years of being acquainted with it, Dalia had decided that water was a beautiful, yet terrifying thing.
It was capable of having a calm aura, while also being capable of wreaking havoc.
Powerful enough to suppress the raging fires of the forest, yet gentle enough to bring back life into dry and barren lands. Mercifully giving life and mercilessly snatching it away. A symbol of destruction and creation at the same time. It was an enigma, contradictory in every regard. Dalia learned the sinister side of her depths the hard way.
The memory of being swept away in the surges of dark water served as a painful reminder of the dangerous nature of water.
She didn't remember too much of the event — which she was grateful for — but remembered enough to be wary.
Dalia dipped her head down and started lapping at the water's edge, the cool water soothing her dry throat. Looking across the lake, she spotted the Lion Guard on the other side — the entire gang — moving along in their patrol. She lifted her head up and glanced at them.
Kion was in the lead, Bunga right by his side, Ono flying directly above them, Fuli on the other side, and Beshte bringing up the rear. Kion said something to Ono, and the bird immediately took flight and scanned the area. While he was in the air, the yellow-furred cheetah's emerald eyes found Dalia's, and recognition flickered through them.
Fuli turned to Kion, saying something to him and then gesturing to Dalia. Though Dalia couldn't quite hear them, it didn't take a genius to fill in the blanks. Kion met her gaze and gave a polite nod of acknowledgment before returning to his patrol. The prince then said something to the effect of, 'let's go,' and the group took their leave, Ono guiding them.
Seeing Ono reminded Dalia of her own winged companion, and she wondered if Imba was looking for her now. She felt a pang of guilt. Imba was probably worried after she realized that Dalia hadn't returned to their little hide-out as promised.
Suddenly, she heard a splash of water followed by a high-pitched squeal. Looking up, she realized that at some point, Tiifu decided to jump into the water. Tiifu's fur was soaked with water as fish surrounded her body. Kiara laughed before deciding to join in on the fun.
Dalia started to inch away from the water after Kiara entered the pool.
"C'mon, Zuri, the water's great," Kiara called out to the tawny lioness before looking over to the nomad. The princess started to go deeper into the water, eventually having to tread it. "You too, Dalia."
Dalia quickly shook her head. "No thanks."
A smile spread across her muzzle as Zuri decided to join her friends. She backed up and gave herself a running start as she sped towards the water and prepared to jump in. As she did so, a mischievous thought crossed her mind. At the last minute, she decided to push Dalia into the water as well. It'd be harmless fun, Zuri thought.
Unaware of the lioness' fear, Zuri shoved Dalia in along with her.
It seemed to go in slow motion. Dalia let out a scream as she neared the surface of the water, her limbs flailing in the air. Her eyes widened and her muscles tensed as her imminent fate approached. She heard a splash followed by a giggle from Zuri.
Flashbacks of strong stormy currents flooded her mind as she crashed through the pool. Oh God. It was so much deeper than it looked.
What Zuri hadn't known was that Dalia had been standing on a ledge under the water. So instead of getting her wet as Zuri intended, she had unintentionally sent her over the ledge. And once she lost her footing, there was nothing but several feet of water separating her from solid ground.
"I can't swim!" was the last thing Dalia managed to get out before her voice was drowned out.