Book 1: Chapter 21

"Is something wrong with Mom?"

Kiara's question took Simba by surprise. The father and daughter were standing in the cave of Priderock, and Kiara's eyes were training on Nala – who was currently standing by the ledge, looking over the Pridelands. What she was looking at, Simba wasn't quite sure. But it seemed like Nala was particularly fixed on it. The Queen bore a look of contemplation, like she was trying to figure out the best course of action.

"No, why do you ask?" Simba questioned carefully.

Over the past few days, he also had noticed an odd change in Nala's behavior. She was quieter, and looked more tired.

Kiara threw her shoulders into a shrug. "I dunno, she just seems... off."

Simba nodded. He understood all too well. "Mom's fine," Simba said, assuring his daughter, "Why don't you go and find your friends? I think I saw them near the edge of the Outlands. Go make sure they're okay."

Kiara tipped her head into a nod before walking away in pursuit of Tiifu and Zuri. Once she was gone, Simba approached his wife.

"Honey?" he called, padding up to her. "You alright?"

Nala seemed startled by his voice, and she flinched. "Hmm?" She turned her head sharply so that she was facing him, but her eyes were darting back toward whatever it was she was staring at.

"I said," Simba repeated slowly, "Are you okay?"

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine."

Simba wasn't convinced. "Nala," he said, raising a dubious brow. "I know you better than that. Something's bothering you. What is it?"

Nala didn't answer right away, her eyebrows furrowing slightly. Simba stood next to her, following her gaze. To his surprise, he found Nala's gaze settled on Dalia from below. Dalia was standing just outside of the Lion Guard's Lair, greeting good morning to Kion. The King and Queen watched their son smile sheepishly at her before gathering his Guard for morning patrol.

Simba was trying not to smile when he noticed his son intentionally allowing his mane to get mussed by the wind, giving him a rugged look.

But when he looked at his wife, he noticed that she wasn't concealing a smile at all. She was concerned. And not only that but her gaze was also fixed on Dalia – not Kion. Simba's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Something was definitely going on that Nala was trying to conceal from him. And as King, it was his obligation to figure out what - both for the good of his kindgom and his family.

"Is there something about Dalia that I should know?"

Nala looked uncomfortable. A beat of silence stretched between the two of them, and Nala looked like she was trying to come up with something to say. "Don't you think that Dalia looks a lot like Nyla?" she asked finally.

The question took Simba by surprise. "Nyla? As in the Nyla who grew up with us?" Nala nodded. "What? Of course, not – their coloring and features are completely different," said Simba. "The only thing they have in common is their –" he cut off as realization dawned on him. "—eyes."

Nala nodded eagerly. "That's what I thought too," she said, "Nyla always had those eyes. Gray and green. The only other lion I've seen with them is Dalia."

Simba considered this. "Huh. I suppose there might be some relation." He tried thinking back to what happened to Nyla during his time of exile, but his mind drew a blank. "What happened to Nyla, anyway? I know she was still in the Pridelands when I ran away, but she was gone by the time I came back and fought Scar. I know you two were really close back then."

Nala nodded gravely. "We were close. During Scar's rule, maybe a few months before you returned… Scar began having a very strange obsession with her. Not romantic per se. But obsessed nevertheless. None of us had any clue as to why."

Nala bit her tongue. That was a lie. She knew perfectly well why Scar had an obsession with her friend. And as much as she hated lying to Simba, for the sake of Dalia's wellbeing, she would have to. At least, until she figured out what to do with Dalia.

"And, well, eventually," Nala continued, "she did what none of us had the courage to do. She ran away. And she survived. After the war was over, I sent Zazu to look for her and to let her know it was safe to come back. She refused. I suppose she wanted to distance herself as much as she could from the Pridelands. And, honestly? I can't blame her." Nala sighed. "Scar put her through a lot before you defeated him, so she wasn't too eager to return to the Pridelands. Last I heard about her, she had been taken as the queen of some other Pride."

"Taken?" Simba echoed. "What do you mean by that?"

"Once you start straying away from the Pridelands, you discover much more barbaric lands, Simba," explained Nala. "Where she went, it was common practice for Kings to forcibly take the regional nomadic lionesses as their queens. I suppose that's what happened to her."

Simba looked horrified. "Do you know where she is now?"

"It was rumored that she was exiled. As a pregnant lioness," Nala said, chewing on the inside of her cheek. "Apparently, she was in love with another nomad before she was taken as Queen. And her unborn child didn't belong to the King."

"But exiling a pregnant lioness is—"

"—essentially a death sentence," Nala finished. She nodded gravely. "I know. I always wondered what happened to her. Whether or not she found safety." She gestured towards Dalia. "I guess I found my answer. If Dalia's truly her daughter, like I think she might be, that means Nyla must've been strong enough to make it through her exile. I wonder how she managed it."

Simba considered Nala's words. "But that doesn't explain what has happened to her now. Why would her daughter be wandering around alone?"

They both knew exactly what Simba was implying.

"I'm not sure," Nala said, sighing. "I just hope that wherever Nyla is now, whether that be in this world or the next, she's at peace."

. . .

"See you later, Dalia," Kion called from over his shoulder before turning on his heel and walking away.

The lioness watched as her friend left to start his dawn patrol. Dalia was currently just outside the Lion Guard's Lair, along with Makini and Imba who were still inside the cave. The former was nearly bursting with excitement for reasons Dalia and Imba had been unsuccessfully trying to pry from her all morning. The latter was currently perched on a rock, flashing Dalia with a smug glance. When Dalia spotted it, she instantly groaned, knowing what was to come.

Imba laughed. "You don't even know what I was going to say," said Imba.

Dalia rolled her eyes. "I can take a good guess," she muttered, "Why is it so hard for you to understand Kion and I are just friends?"

Imba just smiled, biting her words. "I'll believe it when I reason to," she said simply, before thankfully dropping the subject. "I'm just excited for you, is all. First loves are exciting."

"Speaking of excited," said Dalia, changing the subject and turning her attention to Makini who was smiling ear-to-ear. "You need to tell us what's got you in a fit of giggles."

Makini grinned even wider, something Dalia didn't think possible. "I can't say!" she protested half-heartedly, looking like she wanted nothing more than to just blurt out the secret. "Rafiki told me I shouldn't tell anyone until he meditates on it, and makes the final decision." she squealed, bouncing up and down. She suddenly looked past Dalia and through the vines guarding the mouth of the Lair. "Ooh!" she exclaimed, pointing madly. "There he is! There he is!"

Dalia turned her head, and sure enough, they saw Rafiki approaching them with a smile on his face. Makini looked like she was going to explode.

"Rafiki!" she called out, half-begging. "Please, please, please tell me what I hope you're gonna tell me."

Rafiki chuckled as he entered the Lair. He sighed contently. "Today's a good day, no?" he said, not immediately answering her question. "Warm, and full of life." He took a deep breath through his nostrils. "Which is why," he began to say, trying to conceal a smile, "today's the perfect day for your Mpando Mpaya."

Makini screamed giddily. "Yes! Yes!" she shrieked, looking ecstatic. She wrapped her mentor in the tightest hug possible. "Thank you, Rafiki! Thank you!"

"No need to thank me, little one," he said, patting her back, "You're the one who has accomplished this feat, not me. Today when I was meditating, the great voices of the past themselves even told me you were ready."

Makini tilted her head up to the sky. "Thank you, great voices of the past!" As Rafiki began walking to the other side of the Lion Guard's Lair to start on a new painting, Makini turned to Imba and Dalia with excitement in her eyes. "Dalia, Imba, my Mpando Mpaya's happening! Can you believe it?"

Imba grinned, patting her back with her wing. "I'm super proud of you, girl," said Imba. "I hope I'm gonna get an invite?"

Makini laughed. "Of course you will! I expect both of you - you and Dalia - to come to my Mpando Mpaya."

"I'm in," said Imba. "What about you, Dal?"

Dalia smiled sheepishly. "Of course, I'll come," she said before her voice wavered a little. "...Uhm, what's a Mpando Mpaya, again?"

Imba blinked at her in disbelief. "You don't know what a Mpando Mpaya is?" she asked, shocked. "Wow. I guess they do things a lot different from wherever you're from."

"A Mpando Mpaya is a ceremony where every Royal Mjuzi in training plants his or her own baobab tree in Mizimu Grove," explained Makini. "It's like a rite of passage for us Royal Mjuzis. We can only partake in the ceremony if our mentors give us special permission. Basically, by having a Mpando Mpaya, it's confirmation that we are destined to be future Royal Mjuzis." She peered up at her expectantly. "So, you're going to come, right?"

"Of course," insisted Dalia. "I know it's important to you, so of course I'll come. Who else is going to attend?"

Makini spread her arms about her head in a wide gesture. "Everyone," she said, "I'm inviting everyone. I want everyone to be there for my big day."

Imba squawked in surprise. "You're inviting everyone?" she echoed, "Then what're you waiting for - c'mon! We got some invites to send out ASAP if your Mpando Mpaya's tonight!"

"Who're we inviting first?" asked Dalia as the three girls began exiting the Lair, stretching in preparation for the long walks ahead.

Makini scratched her chin, thinking about it. "Well, first the King and Queen, obviously. And then, Zazu. And then, Bupu's herd. Then, the zebras. Then the giraffes. I'm even going to invite Makuu and the crocs..." Makini rattled off, her list apparently endless.

As she kept listing off names, Dalia and Imba exchanged glances, both girls chuckling lightly. It was going to be a long day.

. . .

It had been a few hours, and Makini, Dalia, and Imba had successfully invited nearly everyone on Makini's list. Though Dalia and Imba loudly complained about it all the while, they secretly enjoyed spending time with Makini.

Their friendship with the mandrill started when Daila had to stay in the Lion Guard's Lair under Rafiki's careful watch. Both Dalia and Imba were bored out of their minds. Dalia couldn't leave due to the worry of her wound reopening, and Imba, being the fiercely loyal friend she was, also insisted on staying with her. So, they turned to Makini - who they discovered to be equally lonely.

As it turned out, being an apprentice required her to spend most of her days studying herbs and practicing spirituality. That didn't give her a whole lot of time to spend with friends her age. So, she was also eager to spend hours upon hours just chatting with Dalia and Imba.

And thus, a beautiful friendship was born.

But Dalia was considering rescinding this friendship if Makini didn't wrap up her conversation with Ma Tembo soon.

"...and that was the day that I learned the Golden Seal should only be used in cases of emergencies. The loose bowel movement that follows is almost not worth the cure!" Makini babbled. Ma Tembo looked relieved that Makini had come to the end of the story, but her face quickly fell when Makini began talking once more. "Now do you want to hear about the time Rafiki taught me how to dye fur with medicinal herbs?"

Even Imba, who usually loved babbling, looked impatient.

"Uh, Makini," Dalia finally said, stepping in between her and Ma Tembo, who also seemed tired of the long conversation. "We better go finish the invitations if we want to make it in time for your ceremony tonight."

Imba nodded eagerly. "Yes. Invitations."

Makini raised her eyebrows, apparently surprised at how much time had elapsed. "Oh," said Makini, tapping her chin. "I guess you're right." She turned to wave at Ma Temba, who looked all too relieved. "It was nice chatting with ya, Ma Tembo."

Ma Tembo's smile was strained, but she gave a polite wave back. "Bye, Makini. And congratulations on your Mpando Mpaya."

"Thank you!" was Makini's cheery response.

And with that, she went skipping back over to where Dalia and Imba were, both girls leaning against a rock, bored out of their minds. Imba was stifling a yawn when Makini came back to them, talking about how many invites they had sent out thus far.

"… so that takes care of Ma Tembo and the elephants," she said, trailing off as she tried thinking of more animals to invite. A flash of realization crossed her face, and she snapped her fingers as if to catch the thought. "Oh!" she said, looking surprised. "I nearly forgot about Basi and the hippo pod!"

Imba looked excited for a change of scenery. "Well, then it's a good thing we're not too far away from Big Springs," she said, gesturing with her wing.

Dalia followed Imba's gaze, and sure enough, discovered Big Springs within earshot. And, to her surprise, she also noticed that Kion and the Lion Guard were also there, chatting with Basi. Makini must've noticed this too, for her eyes brightened nearly immediately.

She clasped her hands together in delight. "Great! Now we can invite the Lion Guard too."

Dalia nodded her agreement, and the three girls began walking toward Big Springs. "Basi! Lion Guard!" she called out. The Lion Guard and the hippo pod, who seemed to be discussing something, turned their heads in Dalia's direction. "You guys know what a Mpayo Mpanda is, right?"

"Do you mean Mpando Mpaya?" Basi asked, his whiskers twitching with amusement.

"Yeah, that," replied Dalia a little sheepishly.

Kion's brows lifted. "Mpando Mpaya? I don't think the Pridelands has had one in a long time."

Basi nodded. "Not since Rafiki first came to the Pridelands."

"So in other words, a long time," joked Imba, who was promptly offered a fist-bump by Bunga.

Ono nodded his agreement. "That's correct, Imba. The Pridelands probably won't have another Mpando Mpaya until Rafiki decides Makini's ready for it." Ono gestured towards Makini. "And that may be a few more years until that happens."

Makini giggled. "More like a few more hours," she said slyly.

Her confession stirred a shocked reaction out of nearly everyone.

"What?" Ono gawked. "But... most Royal Mjuzi's have to have two years of training before their Mapando Mpaya. It's only been one!"

She shrugged, laughing. "Rafiki was told by the great voices of the past that I was ready," said Makini, smiling broadly.

"That's incredible!" Basi praised, causing the mandrill to practically preen. "The hippo pod is very proud of our future Royal Mjuzi!" Beshte was nodding so hard in agreement, that Dalia was sure that his brain was rattling.

"So is the Royal Family," Kion said, grinning at her. "And the Lion Guard."

Bunga turned to fist-bump her, and even Fuli looked pleased.

Fuli gave a rare smile. "Nice," said the cheetah. "Looking forward to having finally a girl Royal Mjuzi. You'll be the first one since King Ahadi's Grandfather's reign, you know. You should be proud of yourself."

"I am!" said Makini eagerly. "I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm so grateful for all the support and encouragement you've shown me... and that's why I'm going to invite all of you to my Mapando Mpaya tonight at Mzimu Grove!"

Another wave of excitement went through everyone, and Dalia hadn't ever seen Makini so happy. Dalia was also happy for her, and even if she wasn't all too familiar with the concept of a Mpando Mpaya, she knew that it was something to be very excited about. Everyone was buzzing about how they were looking forward to attending the ceremony, and how this would be the first one in a very long time - when there was a sudden rustling in the grass behind them.

Basi looked on edge, a frown marring his usually pleasant expression. "What is that?" he asked quietly, dropping into a defensive position.

Dalia drew out her claws, spinning on her heel to face the direction of the noise, and she saw everyone around her tensing up in a similar manner. The young hippos quickly scurried into the safety of the water, hiding behind their mothers who looked on fiercely. A few suspenseful seconds passed, everyone tensed and ready for a fight with Scar's Army, when suddenly - two figures burst from the grass.

As Dalia's eyes focused better, she realized they weren't members of Scar's Army, but that pesky warthog and meerkat duo that accused her of stealing their stupid grubs and trapped her in vines her first day in the Pridelands. And, speaking of which, it looked like the two of them were recurrently in the pursuit of a ginormous wayward beetle they hoped to make their lunch.

"Oh." She instantly relaxed her body, and the fear that had been present a few moments before was now replaced with annoyance. She remembered how they had strung her up with vines and then left her dangling in the air to go call the Lion Guard. "You two," she exasperated.

The meerkat turned to her, his floppy ears nearly standing up in agitation. "You!" he cried. "You were the one that said you were gonna eat us!"

"Grub thief! Grub thief!" the warthog bellowed out, his wiry eyebrows shooting up his forehead. "It's the grub thief!"

Bunga took on a very offended look. "Grub thief? What is the meaning of this?" he demanded Dalia. Before she could answer, he placed a hand over his heart dramatically. "I feel faint; I trusted you!"

Dalia glanced at the rest of the Guard, trying to find support with them. Fuli seemed to find the situation funny, for she was openly smirking. Beshte looked thoroughly confused. And Ono? Well, Ono looked annoyed for having to hear about this situation for a second time. Kion, though, looked like he was trying not to smile.

Kion glanced between the Dalia and the warthog, meerkat, and Bunga a few times, confused. "Wait, wait, wait," he said, turning to Dalia. "You were the grub thief?"

Dalia nearly laughed at the silliness of the question. "Of course not," she said. "Why in the world would I steal their bugs? They're absolutely insane. The first time I stepped foot into the Pridelands, they hung me up by a bunch of vines!"

The warthog rolled his eyes. "They weren't a bunch of vines. They were an elaborate and beautifully designed trap to catch whoever it had been that stole our grubs."

Imba gave a shy smile. "Oh. Uh, that was me," she said, confessing. "Sorry 'bout that. It started off because I was hungry and there was a fat pile of grub just lying around. Then, I realized that it belonged to you guys, and well, it sorta became a game to me. Your reactions were just so funny and over-the-top!" She chuckled lightly, reminiscing. "But, yeah, it was wrong and I won't do it again."

Both the warthog and the meerkat's jaws dropped.

"Oh, don't tell me you're surprised," said Dalia, still a little ticked off about the wrongful entrapment from several months ago. "You seriously think a lioness would've stolen your grub? A lion. Really?"

The meerkat jabbed a finger at her in indignation. "I'll have you know that lions love grub, little missy," he said very self-righteously, "And I would know! Me and Pumbaa raised a lion!"

She rolled her eyes. "See, I told you they were delusional, Kion," she said, looking at him. "They're claiming to have raised a lion. A warthog and meerkat raising a lion? Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke."

Kion looked like he was trying to contain a laugh. "Well, that part's true," he said. "They did raise a lion." Dalia must've made an incredulous face because the rest of the Lion Guard along with Makini and Imba began to emit quiet snickering - as if they were all part of a big inside joke. "... and the lion they raised turned out to be the current King of the Pridelands."

Dalia nearly choked. "I - what?" she spluttered. "Your Dad?" Kion nodded in a way Dalia knew he was telling the truth. "Your Dad was raised by a pig and a rat?"

Kion nodded while Pumbaa and Timon both looked severely offended. The warthog, Pumbaa, began spluttering in disbelief. "A pig?" he cried, turning to the meerkat. "Timon, she just called me a pig! And she called you a rat!"

Timon nodded somberly. "I know, buddy," said the meerkat sympathetically, "I know."

"Hold on," interjected Dalia, looking at Kion, "Can we go back to how the King of the Pridelands was raised by these two?" She gestured vaguely towards Timon and Pumbaa.

"Long story," said Kion, "I'll tell you about it after Makini's Mpando Mpaya."

Timon's eyes went as wide as papayas. "Maikini's Mpando Mpaya?" he echoed, turning to Makini. "Is he serious? Rafiki's approved ya Mpando Mpaya?" Makini nodded, her eyes shining with pleasure. "Well, don't just stand there! C'mere and give ol' Timon a hug," he said warmly, outstretching his arms towards the mandrill.

"Yeah!" added Pumba. "Bring it in!"

Makini giggled before throwing her arms around the two in a warm hug. "You're both invited," she said, much to their delight. "Everyone is! I'm inviting everyone in the Pridelands. Plus Jasiri's Clan. It's gonna be at Mzimu Grove."

Timon looked a little wary. "Uh, Mzimu Grove's an awfully nice place for..." he paused, looking disgusted, "...hyenas to be. Are you sure we can't just, uh, make this a Pridelanders-only thing?"

Makini looked a mixture of offended and surprised, and Dalia was about to speak in defense of Jasiri and her Clan, when Kion suddenly interjected. "Timon, Jasiri's Clan will always be welcome anywhere in the Pridelands," he said sternly, "That goes for any other Outlander who obeys the Circle of Life as well."

Basi nodded his agreement. "I agree with Kion," he said, his tone soft and gentle. "I understand where you're coming from, Timon, because I lived through Scar and the hyenas' reign too. So I understand your reservations about hyenas. But I spoke with Jasiri a few weeks ago, and I have to say, she's a wonderful youngster. I think you'll like her - she's funny like you."

Timon nodded half-heartedly. "Yeah, okay, whatever," he said, waving his hands dismissively, "I guess the hyenas can come. It's Makini's Mpando Mpaya, after all. It's her call."

Pumbaa looked excited. "Can me and Timon be entertainment?"

Timon clasped his hands together. "Oh, yes! A show! We can put on a show for your Mpando Mpaya, Makini," he offered, sounding very eager. "It'll be great! And it'll be sure to lift everyone's spirits." He glanced over at the hippo pod, some whom were still frightened from the false scare from a few minutes ago. "Look at 'em," he said, gesturing with his hand, "Those kids look glummer than an oxpecker at an elephant graveyard. A show will be just what everyone needs to cheer themselves up. And me and Pumbaa are just the guys to do it."

Kion tilted his head, considering this. "I actually think that's a great idea. What do you think about that idea, Makini? It's your call at the end of the day."

Makini thought about it for a few seconds. "Oh, alright," she said before wagging a finger sternly at the two, "But the two of you better be on your best behavior. Especially in front of Jasiri and her hyenas. You gotta promise."

Timon nodded solemnly. "Cross my heart," he said, dragging a finger over his chest.

"Hope to fly," Pumbaa added, twirling his tail in a circular motion.

"Stick a porcupine quill in my eye," they both finished, jabbing a finger (a hoof in Pumbaa's case) towards their right eye.

"I'll hold you to that promise," said Makini, only half-joking as she made the same eye-jabbing motion they had just done.

Bunga fist-pumped the air in excitement. "This is so cool!" he said, hopping from one foot to the other. "Let's be the official, uh... Mpando Mpaya Planning Committee!"

"What's that?" asked Beshte.

"It just means we're gonna be the ones to help Makini's special day go perfectly," Bunga explained. "First matter of discussion: entertainment! The Mpando Mpaya Planning Committee is officially in session!"

In the minutes that followed, it certainly did feel like a Planning Committee to Dalia - whose head was starting to feel strangely foggy.

The group began discussing the upcoming Mpando Mpaya. Timon, Pumba, and Bunga began sharing their ideas for the very quickly upcoming Mpando Mpaya. They agreed on having a song and dance before the actual planting of the tree, but it seemed like there was some contention over the after-party. It seemed like they couldn't decide between hosting a large pool party afterward (something Dalia quickly vetoed) or an "epic snail chugging race" as the afterparty (something everyone except Bunga vetoed).

Makini didn't seem too pleased with either idea and began suggesting more mellow ideas. "How about a group meditation session afterparty?" she suggested, looking to Dalia for support.

It was really unfortunate timing because, around this time, Dalia began feeling a strange, painful pulse at her temple, making it slightly hard to focus. So, not quite processing what Makini had told her, she just nodded vaguely. Makini must've taken this to mean that Dalia disapproved of the idea because her smile slowly slipped from her face. Dalia felt bad for this misunderstanding, but her mind was a little too foggy to rectify it.

When nobody else seemed particularly enthused about the idea, Timon began scratching the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Eh, that's not really an afterparty if ya know what I mean."

"Well I think we should leave the decision up to Makini," interjected Imba sharply, "It's her Mpando Mpaya."

"But we're the Planning Committee," argued Bunga.

"That's not a real thing," said Imba, "What is real is what Makini wants. It's her special day, so let her pick what she wants to do afterward - if she even wants to do anything at all. Right, Dal?"

Dalia again nodded vaguely. She was feeling incredibly dizzy at this point like she couldn't even support her own weight. Imba glanced at her, looking a little concerned. She gave her a look that said are you okay? to which Dalia nodded once more.

Makini was looking very uncomfortable. "It's okay, Imba. A group meditation session afterparty was a silly idea anyway," she said, relenting. "What do you think we should do, Dalia?"

Dalia's headache had become ten times as painful - like there was a tick bird in her skull hammering away at her brain. It was getting slightly hard to focus on what everyone was saying, but she forced herself to remain alert. Today would be a very important day in Makini's life, and Makini was Dalia's friend - so she'd be there at every step of the day. That's what friends do.

"Whatever you want is fine," she said tiredly.

"You okay, Dal?" Imba asked, furrowing her brows. "You look a little peckish."

Dalia nodded, her eyelids heavy. "I'm fine. Just tired."

Makini took on a concerned look. She took a step towards her, placing the back of her hand across Dalia's forehead. "Hmm. You feel a little warm, and you don't look like you're feeling too great," she pointed out. "It could be nothing, but I think you should go let Rafiki have a look at you."

She didn't necessarily want to go and visit Rafiki at the moment, but Dalia's head was beginning to hurt so bad that it felt like the only option. "Alright," agreed Dalia, "I can go." When she saw Imba getting ready to leave as well, she raised a paw to halt her. "It's fine, Imba. You stay here with Makini. I'll be fine."

"You sure? I can come with you if you want."

"No, it's okay. Stay with Makini and help her plan tonight's ceremony."

"And afterparty," Timon added from behind her, raising a finger.

Imba tipped her head into a reluctant nod. "Alright. Just let me know if you change your mind."

"Okay."

With that, Dalia turned on her heel and began walking towards Kion who was talking to Basi's pod along with the rest of the Lion Guard (minus Bunga, who was event planning with his uncles). They were standing a little distance away, the hippos being in the water while Kion spoke to Basi from the grass nearby. Dalia just figured it'd be a good idea to let Kion know that she'd be heading back to Priderock, just so he wouldn't worry that she was missing or something.

As she approached, she realized that Basi was much more concerned about the safety protocols of the Mpando Mpaya rather than the actual ceremony.

"You sure it'll be safe Kion?" He asked, furrowing his brows together. He glanced at the rest of his pod, who looked similarly anxious. "I mean, a large gathering like that is practically asking for an attack," Basi argued.

"I confident it'll be safe," Kion said decisively. Perhaps a little naively as well. "The Lion Guard will patrol extra times today to get ready for the ceremony. I think this will be a great opportunity to raise morale."

Basi's brow lifted slightly. "A lifted morale is great and all, but safety should come first."

Kion replied something that Dalia couldn't quite catch as her head began pounding even more. She tried calling out to him to tell him that she'd be heading back to Priderock, but she could barely hear herself over the roaring of blood in her ears. Thankfully, her babbling managed to catch Fuli's attention, and the cheetah's brows almost immediately knitted with concern.

"Uh, Kion, is she okay?" Fuli interrupted whatever Kion had been saying to Basi, gesturing towards Dalia.

Dalia blinked hard a few times, her vision refocusing. "I'm fine, I'm fine," she repeated, "Just sleepy. I think I'll be heading back to Priderock soon. I don't feel too well."

Kion looked concerned. "Do you want me to walk you back? I can-"

"No," Dalia said firmly. "You should sort the safety stuff out with Basi. I'll be fine; it's just a short walk to Priderock from here."

Kion looked reluctant but eventually tipped his head into a nod. "Alright," he said hesitantly, as if still unsure. "I guess I'll see you tonight at the Mpando Mpaya?"

"Yeah. And you owe me the story about how your Dad was raised by a meerkat and warthog," Dalia said, quirking her lips into a smile.

"Alright," replied Kion, also smiling. "See you there."

Unbeknownst to the Pridelands, a familiar pair of brightly-colored skinks lizards were stationed in a nearby tree, just out of view of Ono. They shared a knowing glance for a beat before slithering off in the direction of the Outlands, their scaly mouths no doubt ready to repeat all that they had seen or heard.

"A Mpando Mpaya, eh?" Scar repeated from the report that his trusted skinks spies had given him. His voice bore a cruel sort of amusement to it, like he thought this was all a big joke.

Shupavu's red tail flicked as she and Njano - her golden-skinned accomplice - stood in front of Scar in his lair. "Yes, Scar," Shupavu confirmed, "At Mzimu Grove. All the Pridelanders will be there. I think they're even inviting Jasirir's Clan?"

Scar grinned malevolently. "So all of our enemies in one location?" he asked in his cold, drawling tone. "I suppose the Pridelanders won't mind if a few guests show up uninvited. Don't you think so, Njano?"

Njano snickered. "Yes, Scar," he said, "I don't think they'll mind at all."

Scar's booming laugh echoed across the walls of his Lair. Everything was working out perfectly in his favor.

As Dalia neared Priderock, her head began to get even foggier with every step she took. Dizziness was threatening to overtake her, and she had to blink hard several times before her vision began to clear. Thankfully, she was very close to Priderock - maybe less than two minutes away from the Lion Guard's Lair, where she hoped Rafiki would be. But with each step, the sharper the pain behind her temple became.

Finally, when she was just outside the Lion Guard's Lair, it became just too much. Sharp, agonizing pain worse than anything she had ever felt was centralized in that small spot behind her temple.

Dalia screamed in agony, placing a paw at her head, and sunk to the grass.

Her vision began blackening and the pain only intensified.

Vaguely, she heard a distinctively female voice call out to her, but through her incoherent mind, it was indiscernible. Her vision blackened more, and she tried fighting the lull of unconsciousness that was luring her in. She forced her eyes open, stretching them as wide as she could. Whatever this feeling was, it terrified her, and she refused to give in to it.

Don't fight it, said a foreign voice from deep within her subconscious. Just let go.

And so, against her better judgment, that's what she did. And instantly, the pain disappeared.

Blinking open her eyes, the first thing that struck her was the overwhelming smell of smoke filling her lungs. The air was so thick and full of smoke, she couldn't breathe. Opening her eyes, her world was one of fire. Fire of all colors - electric blue, deep purple, and shocking green. She didn't even know there was a such thing as green flame.

But there it was, very real in front of her.

She didn't know where she was, but it was a place with lots of grass and lots of trees. Screams of others around her filled her ears, but Dalia couldn't make them out. She was scared, so scared, and she didn't know where she was, or where she was going, but all she knew was that she was terrified. Her world that she did not know was burning around her, fire eating up the grass and licking across her fur.

Dalia began to sob.

It was too much, too painful, too terrifying, too-

And then it all stopped. Just as quickly as it started, it stopped; the screaming, the fires, the smoke - all of it - just stopped.

When Dalia slowly blinked her eyes open and saw the familiar sunshine and blue skies from just a few moments ago, she realized that she had never opened them to begin with. Whatever she had seen - the fire and the screaming - must've all been just a strange, terrifying hallucination.

"Dalia?" a timid voice called - the same one from just before she blacked out.

Dalia's eyes focused and she sat up from where she had collapsed to see a fearful-looking Nala staring at her.

"What was that?" Nala asked carefully.

Dalia shook her head, rising to her feet wobbly. "I... I'm not sure," she said, confused. "I think I just passed out and had a... really weird hallucination. I think I'm just a little tired."

Nala's face paled and an intense look suddenly crossed her face. "What did you see?" she asked fervently, crossing the distance between them so that they were standing practically nose-to-nose. "Tell me what you saw in that 'hallucination'."

Dalia felt a little unnerved by how downright fearful Nala looked. "Er," Dalia stammered, taking a step back, "I'm sure it was nothing. This has happened to me before, I think. I guess I'm just prone to blacking out. I'll drink more water."

Nala didn't relent. "Dalia, listen to me - it is very important that you tell me what you saw," said Nala firmly.

Dalia was confused. And a little nervous. She had never known Nala to act this irrationally. Still, she answered. "Fire," Dalia said bluntly. "I saw fire. And smoke. A lot of it."

The Queen grew even paler, pressing her lips into a tight line. "And where was the fire?"

"I'm not sure. It was a large area. Lots of grass and trees." Dalia looked at Nala curiously. "Why do you ask? Is something... wrong?"

Nala shook her head. "Nothing. It's nothing," she said briskly. "I think you should go see Rafiki. He should be at his Tree."

"Thanks, but I feel fine now. My head stopped hurting. I think I'm okay-"

"I think you should go see Rafiki," Nala repeated, her tone sterner.

Dalia's ears flattened slightly, feeling uncomfortable. "Oh. Well, alright then," she mumbled, turning on her heel to leave.

As she began walking towards Rafiki's tree, Nala called out to her. "Wait, Dalia," Nala called. Dalia turned, looking to her expectantly. Nala's face turned very serious. "For your own good, please don't tell anyone else about what you saw. Only yourself, me, and Rafiki should know for now."

"What about the King?"

Nala's lips were pressed together tightly. "I said only yourself, me, and Rafiki should know for now," she said slowly. "Do you understand?"

Dalia understood the implications of what the Queen was saying, although she didn't quite understand why. "Oh. Okay." She nodded her head. "Don't worry, Queen Nala, won't tell anyone else." She began to turn to leave, but Nala's gaze was still fixed on her. "Er, I guess I'll see you at the Mpando Mpaya, Your Majesty."

And with that, Dalia began walking towards Rafiki's Tree, wondering what had gotten Nala so frightened.

A/N: Around this part of the fic, I'm going to start getting into the spirit-y, fantasy kind of stuff that I enjoyed writing about in my old LG fic "The Healer." I hope that I've introduced it better than I did previously (last time, it was just kind of all at once without much fleshing out). The whole concept about being Dalia being a divinator will be a pretty big plotline from this point to the end of season 3, so I'm looking forward to writing about that. As always, please let me know if you have any suggestions/feedback/criticism/etc!