Book 1: Chapter 7
"You think you're so clever, Rei Rei?" Janja's voice rang out.
"Well, as a matter of fact, I do!" the jackal snapped.
As Dalia and Imba neared the charred remains of Kilio Valley, the arguing grew louder though the pair couldn't yet see the two arguing forces. The two friends exchanged looks before deciding to continue walking forward. The lioness stifled the bounce in her step. She had to admit that she was excited to spy on the Outlanders who were currently inhabiting Kilio Valley.
The idea to spy on Scar's Army had struck Dalia like a lightning bolt.
It was a truly genius idea. Because the Outlanders didn't know who they were, it would be the perfect opportunity for her and Imba to infiltrate Scar's Army and to act as the Lion Guard's spies. Kion immediately agreed to the idea, and the rest of the Lion Guard seemed pretty ecstatic about it too.
A loud crunch snapped Dalia out of her thoughts. She whirled her head around, claws immediately sliding out, and realized that it was just a branch that had snapped under the weight of her paw.
"Jumpy much?" Imba asked, cocking a brow. She returned to the ground beside Dalia. "They're right over there," said Imba, gesturing with her wing to the group of Outlanders. Dalia followed her gesture and her eyes found the female jackal and Janja in the midst of a heated argument.
The lioness looks at her friend. "Ready?" A few more steps forward and Scar's Army would have a full view of her and Imba. They would need to be persuasive and clever. And they would need to do it fast.
"Ready," she replied, tipping her head into a nod.
. . .
Reirei and Janja were face-to-face, snarls plastered on both their faces. They were on opposite ends of a rock that overlooks the rest of Scar's Army, fighting for leadership.
"You think you're so clever, Reirei?" Janja snapped.
Reirei narrowed her eyes and bore her teeth. "As a matter of fact, I do!" she quipped with a bite to her voice.
"If you really think that you deserve to be the leader of this shebang, you've got another thing coming!"
A rustling from behind the two bickering Outlanders stopped both of them in their tracks. "Actually," said a female voice from behind them, "It's 'you've got another think coming.' A common misconception."
Spinning on their heels, the Outlanders watched as two figures emerged from the distance. A lioness and an eagle. From the smirk on her face, it's apparent that it was the eagle who made the remark.
Instantly, Reirei and Janja alike jumped off of the rock they were fighting over and bared their teeth at the newcomers menacingly. The crocodile float, who have been merely onlooking the argument, swayed forward as well. One of the crocs hit his tail against the ground hard, and the other two crocs stepped in place behind him. Even the vultures got into formation.
Yet, in spite of the other parties' apparent hostility, the newcomers remained composed.
"Relax, would ya," the eagle said cooly, a smile playing with the corners of her lips. "We don't bite."
The lioness lept from the charred grass to the top of the now-vacant rock that Janja and Reirei were once fighting over. "Look at you," she said patronizingly. Her green-gray eyes scanned the clearing before resting on Janja and Reirei. "Fighting like a bunch of children." Her eyes narrowed in contempt. "How very mature."
The eagle snickered before perching on the rock beside the lioness.
"I'm sorry, but who exactly are you?" Mzingo questioned.
"My name's Dalia," she said with a dramatic bow. She gestured to the bird beside her. "And this is my friend, Imba." Dalia lept off of the rock and walks between Reirei and Janja. "And we've got an offer for you."
The vulture beside Mzingo gave her a look. "Oh really?" He snorted derisively. "You sure the likes of you two have anything to offer us?"
Dalia gave him a wry stare. "I don't know about you, Baldie, but I don't speak for the sole pleasure of hearing my own voice." The vulture shot her a sharp glare and Reirei snickered at the nickname. The lioness smirked before turning to the rest of the group. "I'm a lioness who so happens to be at odds with the Lion Guard." Her gaze locked with the crocodile leaders. "And I would do anything to take them down."
Imba stifled a flinch at the tone in Dalia's voice. The eagle quickly decided that she was very grateful that the lioness was on her side; the nomad was capable of being quite intimidating.
Janja let out a scoff. "And how do we know you're not a spy?" he questioned with an accusatory tone.
Dalia suppressed a victorious grin from spreading across her muzzle. This was all going just how she planned it. She had already thought of a convincing answer to that question long before the hyena even asked it. She deliberately tilted her forepaw forward and tugged at her bandages, giving everyone a full view of her scar.
"Who do you think gave me this?"
The jackal leader's eyes shot up her forehead. "The Lion Guard did that to you?"
She shrugged. "Well, I'm not sure if Hotshot necessarily meant for this to happen when he sent me flying sky-high with that roar of his," she said, shrugging, "but here we are."
It's Janja's turn to cock a brow. "And why do you think we should let you join us?"
Imba grinned before taking flight. While she was in the air, she peered down at Janja. "I'll be your Eyes in the Sky gal," she answered before peering off into the distance. "Can you see the Lion Guard's Lair from where you're standing? Because I can."
The hyena with a lopsided tongue shook his head 'no.' The big-headed hyena, Chungu, only replied with, "Where's the Lair?"
Imba swooped back down to the ground and turned to Dalia. "What about you Dal? What'd you got to offer?" she questioned, her tone light.
The lioness locked gaze with Janja, then Reirei, then the crocodile leader, before finally settling on Mzingo. "I know the Pridelands like the back of my paw - and I'd say I'd have the lion's share of the wit around here." She hopped back on the tall rock and settled into a relaxed position. "I'll be the brain of the operation."
Mzingo cleared his throat disapprovingly. "Pardon my bluntness, young miss, but we vultures have already claimed both of those positions." He flapped his wings. "We're the Eyes in the Sky," he said before tapping his head with his wing, "and the brains of the operation."
Imba snorted. "You think you can see further than me, Mzingo? You're on!"
Instead of getting defensive as her winged companion had, Dalia could only smile at the vulture's comment. "You really think you're the smartest?" Mzingo tipped his head into a nod, making Dalia only giggle more. "Then why's Baldie still holding that stick?"
The vulture in question let out a panicked gasp as he looked down at the still firey branch between his talons. He tossed it between his talons for a moment, unsure what to do with it, before looking over at Mzingo.
"Oi!" he shrieked, much to the amusement of Imba. "Emergency motion to allow me to extinguish this fire!" he immediately dropped the stick and watched and the charred ground lit with fire once more. An ember of the new fire landed on a sleeping Goigoi's tail, who awoke with a shrill shriek. The vulture grimaced before muttering, "...Motion rescinded."
Janja finally scoffed. "Whatever," he muttered with an eye roll. He glanced at his minions before turning back in the direction of the Outlands. "C'mon, fur-brains. We're getting outta here."
Before he could take so much as a step, a loud booming male voice sounded from the still-burning stick Mwoga dropped.
"Go? But you've only just arrived!" a loud, booming voice exclaimed.
Dalia's eyes widened as she watched the flame grow larger until it took the form of a fiery lion. Now she knew where he got the name Scar from, she thought with a snort. When she first came to the Pridelands, she thought it was strange that everyone was calling a former king "Scar." At first, she had thought it was perhaps a symbolic name his parents had come up with.
Now, looking at the bright white scar that extended from his eyebrow to cheek, she realized the name was at best a cruel joke.
Honestly, she didn't know which was more terrifying: the fact that there was a dead lion speaking to them, or the fact that everyone else seemed unfazed by it For the umpteenth time since arriving in the Pridelands, she wondered what was wrong with this place. Evil dead lions, good dead lions, roaring dead lions, cloudy dead lions — you'd think this place is nothing more than a graveyard.
Imba trembled beside Dalia, but her expression remained stoic. The only console Dalia no could provide was a sympathetic glance, but it wasn't enough to calm the eagle's nerves.
The Outlanders were at a loss for words. Finally, Janja stammered out a response. "S-scar! Uh—What're you doing here?"
Scar only laughed, which sent shivers down Dalia's spine. The firey lion turned to the nomad as if he noticed her grim expression. She quickly regained her composure and glanced back at him coolly.
"I came to say welcome to the newest additions to my Army."
Practically all the Outlanders, with the exception of Kiburi, were slack-jawed. Reirei was the first to protest. "Hey, wait a minute! You're just gonna let them in — just like that?"
The lion made of flames glared at the jackal. "Reirei, are you questioning my judgment?" His question was drawling, and cold.
Dalia felt a shiver go down her spine. Something about the tone in Scar's voice made it seem like there was something sinister lying beneath his words. She made a mental note to be wary of the firey lion. For he was just like a certain other lion from her past.
Reirei shook her head fervently. "O-of course not!"
"Good," he hissed. "It'll be in your best interest you all trust my discernment. For I am your King. I have given you purpose and not cast you aside like everyone else has." Once again, the jackal tipped her head into a fervent nod. Once he was satisfied with her answer, he addressed the rest of his army. "I also came to say well done. Kilio Valley is ours for as long as we remain and lay claim to it." An evil grin spread across his face. "So there will be no 'getting outta here'."
Kiburi's eyes widened. "You mean, you want us to stay here?"
"But why?" asked Reirei.
Scar grinned malevolently. "All part of my plan. We will take over the Pridelands piece by piece, so in the end, there will be none left for the Lion Guard to protect."
And with another malevolent cackle, he disappeared in a plume of smoke.
Dalia picked at the dirt between her claws, utterly bored as she lounged lazily on the rock Janja and Reirei were once fighting over. This espionage job is going a lot differently than she had imagined.
Eventually, Janja stood up. "If we're gonna be stuck here anyway, I figured that we hyenas would do you guys a favor and take charge around here."
Dalia gave an amused snort but otherwise continued lounging lazily. Imba didn't even bat an eye. The other Outlanders, on the other hand, were quick to protest.
"Woah, woah, woah," Reirei started, "You hyenas?"
"No way," Kiburi added firmly, "Scar didn't say nothing about you hyenas running things."
Dalia finally joined in the conversation. "From what I've gathered, Scar doesn't say much when it comes to who's in charge among us."
Imba nodded her agreement. "That's true."
Mzingo cleared his throat. "Territorial leadership claims cannot be determined without proper parliamentary procedure." He turned to the rest of the flock. "Isn't that right?"
They give 'ays' of approval.
"Oh, give me a break," Dalia said with a groan, rolling to her side. She looked between the vultures, "Your parliament wastes far too much time." Her paw found her forehead. "Not to mention, it gave everyone a headache."
Reirei chuckled. "I've gotta hand it to Newbie, she does have a point there." The jackals looked around the clearing. "Which is why we jackals should be in charge."
"You're one to talk," the lioness continued with a snort, directing her attention to the jackal. "No offense — I'm sure you're a great gal — but you can hardly control your family, much less an entire army."
The jackal let out an indignant noise, her brows furrowing. "Hey!" From beside his now irritated wife, Goigoi attempted to put up a protest against Dalia's judgment of them but tripped over his own paws. In the distance, the jackal kids were rough-playing and nipping each other's tails. Reirei rolled her eyes after a moment, "Yeah, I can see your point."
Janja grinned wickedly. "So if the vultures are too inefficient and the jackals are too restless, doesn't that mean the hyenas should be in charge?"
"Oh, please," Dalia muttered with a light chuckle. "You hyenas? You've got an ego the size of Priderock with nothing else to back it up. And don't even get me started on dumb and dumber," she said, gesturing to Cheezi and Chungu respectively.
The two of them exchanged glances before arguing amongst themselves over who's 'dumb' and who's 'dumber.' Janja gave an annoyed groan as he overheard the argument before pointing to the crocodile leader. "What about him, oh wise one?" He retorted sarcastically. "What about Kiburi?"
Kiburi gave a grunt of indifference. He truly didn't care for this conversation much. Sure, he naturally thought that the crocs should be in charge, but he wasn't convicted enough to argue about it. He was just tired of hearing the vultures, hyenas, and jackals bicker.
Dalia tilted her head as she pondered the question. What about Kiburi? Eventually, she just shrugged.
"Honestly, I like Kiburi." The crocodile leader made what appeared to be a smile, but Dalia couldn't quite tell for sure. "Too bad he's all muscle and no brain." And just like that, the semblance of a smile had vanished from the croc's face.
Janja let out a scoff.
"If anything, I and Dalia should be in charge," Imba noted. "I mean, we both know the Pridelands inside out, and I can see super duper far."
The lioness shot her friend a warning glance. While they were supposed to be persuasive, they couldn't afford to be this bold right off the bat. It'd attract suspicion. So far, the nomad's plan was to be persuasive yet also to lay back in regard to the power struggle. Gain the Outlander's trust, then slowly and almost imperceptibly rise to the top.
It would be a gradual, fickle process but also worth it if it paid off in the end.
Dalia cleared her throat. "Yes, the keywords are if anything." She glanced around the clearing. "Does it really matter who's in charge or not? It's a desirable position, yes, but whoever's in charge will answer directly to Scar." She gave a pointed glare at Janja. "And we all know just how unsuccessful your attacks against the Pridelands have been so far."
This seemed to knock some sense into them. Janja nodded after a moment. "I think she's right."
Reirei soon nodded her agreement. "Yeah, it doesn't really matter who's in charge as long as we work together."
"All in favor of temporarily putting aside territorial leadership disputes?" Mzingo questioned, raising an eyebrow at the rest of his flock.
"Aye," the vultures all chimed in.
Imba rolled her eyes at the flock of vultures. "All in favor of temporarily dismantling the vulture parliament?" she questioned, mimicking the vulture's accent.
"Aye," replied everyone but the vultures.
Dalia chuckled at her friend's irritation and took back her place at the top of the rock. Janja eyed her with annoyance but retreated to a secluded area. Kiburi and the crocs started sparring with each other, and Reirei had long given up on trying to round up her kids. Goigoi was snoozing with drool making its unpleasant escape out of his jaws, and the vultures started singing a song that drove Imba up the wall.
The lioness decided to take a page out of Goigoi's book and try to catch some shut-eye as well.
She stretched out her limbs, positioning herself in a way so that nobody could sneak up on her effectively, and closed her eyes. Just as she closed her eyes, the smell of smoke brushed past her nostrils. She sat up with a start and immediately identified the source of the smoke.
Just beyond the hill, a big, black billow of smoke rose in the distance.
She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. Dalia managed to keep her tone even and turned to Janja. "You dropped fire elsewhere, as well?"
His eyes squint as they settle on the billow of black. Dalia's question seemed to stir the rest of Scar's Army as well, and their attention also snapped to the smoke rising. Though she had asked Janja, Mzingo answered for him.
"We vultures didn't drop fire anywhere other than Kilio Valley," he noted.
Janja chuckled dryly. "Scar was right after all." His eyes narrowed. "Last time we spoke, I asked him why we're only dropping fire on Kilio Valley. I mean, with the vultures' help, we can practically light the entire Pridelands on fire within one afternoon. But I remember him telling me, 'even dying embers can catch fire.' I guess he was right."
The words repeated in Dalia's mind. Even dying embers can catch fire.
Before she could think about it too much, Reirei snapped her out of her thoughts. "Wonder if the Lion Guard's already there."
"I can go check," said Imba.
The eagle's tone was much calmer than Dalia had expected, though the nomad could detect the slightest, nearly imperceptible waver in her voice. Thankfully, nobody else seemed to notice. The eagle shook out her wings before taking flight. As she soared through the sky, Imba's heart plummeted down at least 30 feet when she saw that the Lion Guard was still with the herd of elephants, trying to find them a new home.
She dove back down to the ground, masking her distress with faux giddiness. "They aren't there yet," she informed, "Too busy chaperoning those elephants."
Cheers and whoops broke out amongst Scar's Army, but Dalia struggled to keep her face even. Another part of the Pridelands would be charred if the Lion Guard didn't come back soon. Though she wasn't very attached to the Pridelands, it's disturbing how utterly wasteful they were being. Conquering is one thing, but why must they burn the Pridelands to ashes?
After the Outlanders settled down, Dalia beckoned Imba over with her paw. "Come here," she whispered between gritted teeth. Once she was confident she was out of earshot, her voice lowered even more. "We need to figure this out. We can't let this happen again."
Imba nodded. "We need someone else, someone who's small enough to stay hidden. Someone who can secretly bring messages from us to the Lion Guard."
Dalia tipped her head into a nod, as well. She couldn't just let more of the Pridelands burn down by the hour. They would need someone who could stay hidden and deliver messages from them to the Lion Guard.
"I'll talk to Kion about it tonight," said Dalia.
The eagle cocked a brow. "Tonight?" she repeated.
She tipped her head into a nod once more. She would just need to wait until everyone else was asleep and sneak away at the perfect time. She had planned it all out with Kion earlier. They were to meet at midnight by Rafiki's tall acacia tree. She would tell him the information she's coaxed out of the Outlanders, and he would relay that information to the rest of the Guard.
"Tonight," Dalia confirmed, "We're meeting at midnight."