Chapter Five: An Unexpected Hero.
It was just before midday now, and Jifunze had decided to take his leave and continue exploring his immediate area, as he had done quite a bit the day before. However his plans would swiftly change, as some nearby cliffs allowed an echo to reach Jifunze's ears.
"HELP! PLEASE," A voice shouted out, it sounded like a young girl's voice and was coming from the canyon that Jifunze was near. And while Jifunze was a little hesitant, he decided to rush into action, bolting down the canyon towards the source of the noise. Along the way hearing more people shouting.
"Don't worry Tiifu, I got you," another voice shouted out, and while at first Jifunze might have thought that it was Princess Kiara, he quickly dashed that notion. After all, why would the princess be all the way out here?
"HELP, I-I'M SLIPPING," The voice that Jifunze assumed was Tiifu shouted out, causing Jifunze to run even faster, as fast as he possibly could. And as Jifunze neared the sounds of distress, the sight he saw completely bewildered him, as Princess Kiara really was this far from Pride Rock, alongside two other young lionesses that appeared to be around her age.
However, Jifunze wouldn't be able to stay shocked for long as there were far more pressing matters, one of the lionesses that was with Kiara had fallen off of the cliff and was desperately hanging on to the cliffside, and what was worse, she seemed to be too far down for Kiara to be able to pull her back up. And that wasn't even the worst part, as Jifunze was hearing an all too familiar sound, the sound of the cliffside collapsing.
"PRINCESS KIARA," Jifunze shouted, "GET AWAY FROM THE LEDGE! YOU'RE CAUSING IT TO COLLAPSE!"
"Jifunze," Kiara shouted back, bewildered, "Why are you here?!"
"PLEASE YOUR MAJESTY," Jifunze shouted, now just as distressed as the lionesses, "YOU NEED TO GET BACK BEFORE THE ENTIRE CLIFFSIDE COME DOWN!"
"Kiara, maybe we should do what he says," The other lioness said to the princess.
"And just leave Tiifu here," Kiara shot back, "No way Zuri!"
"I'LL GET TIIFU TO SAFETY," Jifunze shouted, "BUT I CAN'T DO THAT UNTIL YOU MOVE!"
"Please Kiara," Tiifu begged the princess, "Just do what he says."
And with that Kiara along with Zuri backed away, thus making the cliffside far more stable, allowing Jifunze to jump into action. Positioning himself directly below Tiifu, or at least as close as he could be, Jifunze jumped up onto the cliffside, digging his claws as deep into the rock as he could. And as soon as he felt stable, Jifunze began his ascent.
Moving far more swiftly than even he expected, Jifunze quickly made it up to Tiifu, however he would have some difficulty with the rescue, as her flailing caused her to kick a lot of dirt and rocks into Jifunze's face.
"Hey, hey. Listen," Jifunze sputtered out, "I need you to calm down please, or at least stop kicking dirt into my face."
"S-sorry," Tiifu replied as she tried to steady her legs, "It's just, I'm scared. I don't wanna fall."
"I am too," Jifunze said as he tucked his face into his chest to avoid the onslaught of rocks, "I'm incredibly scared."
"You are?" Tiifu said, looking down to Jifunze.
"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna panic," Jifunze said, puppeting words of wisdom from his past, "If you give in to panic, you're guaranteed to get hurt."
"But I'm still scared," Tiifu said, still kicking dirt and rocks at Jifunze.
"That's fine, being scared is fine, it's panic that'll get you hurt," Jifunze said, still repeating wisdom from others, "Just try saying 'No More Panic' to yourself a few times, it helps me a lot to have my eyes closed too."
"Ok," Tiifu said before closing her eyes, "No More Panic, No More Panic, No More Panic." And as Tiifu repeated the mantra to herself, she finally stopping her assault of dirt and rocks onto Jifunze's face, and Jifunze had managed to help push her back up to the ledge that she had fallen off of.
Once the two had reached the top, Jifunze turned to Tiifu and said, "H-hey, we're s-safe now."
And as Tiifu opened her eyes she smiled as she saw her friends waiting for her, "Kiara, Zuri!" Tiifu then bounded over to the pair.
"Tiifu," Kiara exclaimed running up to her friend, "Thank goodness you're ok," Kiara said as she embraced her friend.
"I thought we lost you," Zuri added as she did the same as the princess.
"W-well, I'm glad e-everyone is ok-k," Jifunze said, awkwardly.
"Oh and you!" Tiifu turned towards Jifunze, beaming, "Thank you so much for saving me! I don't think I could've held on for much longer!"
"O-oh, it was n-nothing," Jifunze said, waving off Tiifu's compliment, "I didn't r-really do m-much."
"Are you kidding," Tiifu asked walking up to Jifunze, "You're a hero! If you didn't show up when you did, I would've fallen for sure."
"O-oh, well, I w-wouldn't call myself a h-hero." Jifunze hid his face as he went red with embarrassment, "A-after all, a hero i-is someone who s-saves others all the t-time. Doing it j-just once doesn't r-really mean m-much."
"Well, we are still grateful for your help Jifunze," Kiara said, releasing Tiifu from their hug.
"Oh, Tiifu, your fur is all messed up now," Zuri said, patting down Tiifu's back.
"Oh no. This is gonna be a nightmare to fix." Tiifu groaned.
"Actually, I know a great way to fix matted fur," Jifunze said, perking up a little bit.
"Really? I wouldn't expect a male to know things like that," Tiifu said, somewhat taken aback by Jifunze's knowledge.
"Yeah well, I'm not a normal male," Jifunze said, slightly embarrassed, "Anyways, what you gotta do is-"
But Jifunze was cut off by an all too familiar voice.
"Kiara, Tiifu, Zuri," Kion shouted out as the guard approached the four, "What's going on here?"
"Well-" Kiara began before Tiifu cut her off.
"Jifunze just saved my life," The young lioness exclaimed.
"Wait, what," Kion said, confusion spreading across his face.
"Could you maybe start from the beginning," Fuli requested.
"It wasn't anything special," Jifunze said, "I just helped Tiifu get to safety, that's all. I didn't r-really do anything impressive."
"You have to be joking," Tiifu said, "You saved my life! And that little word thing you taught me? You were great!"
"Word thing? What's a word thing," Bunga asked, scratching his head.
"It's just something I say to calm down," Jifunze responded, "I use it whenever I start to panic, I just say 'No More Panic' and I'm just fine."
"Oh, you mean a mantra," Ono said, hopping down off of Beshte's back.
"A what-tra," Bunga said, obviously confused.
"A mantra, they're usually used to help people meditate, but are also helpful to keep people motivated, or in Jifunze's case, calm," Ono explained, "Common knowledge really."
"Ok hold on, I'm still not sure what exactly happened here," Kion said, trying to steer the conversation back to the incident, "Kiara, could you start at the beginning?"
"Sure Kion," Kiara responded, taking center stage, "Mom wanted me to go out and monitor the gazelle herd, and Tiifu and Zuri decided to come with me. At first we were going to take the long way around but Zuri insisted that this pathway along the cliff was quicker, but I guess it's only safe for one animal to cross because part of it collapsed under Tiifu and she fell. Me and Zuri tried to save her but she was out of our reach, thankfully Jifunze showed up and managed to get her back to safety."
"Wait, Jifunze, what were you doing in that canyon," Fuli inquired, turning towards Jifunze.
"Yeah, isn't your tree kinda far from here," Beshte added.
"Um, well, I wasn't in the canyon," Jifunze tried to explain, "I was, just passing by it and heard someone calling for help, so I did what any good person would do and tried my best to help them."
"But, this is a dead end canyon," Ono said, turning to the side Jifunze entered from, "You heard Tiifu's shouts from that end of it?" Ono then pointed down the way Jifunze came from.
"Um, yeah." Jifunze was now slightly panicked, he didn't understand why the guard was questioning him like this, and he really didn't like it.
"That's Un-Bunga-Lievable," Bunga shouted while jumping towards Jifunze, "You've got some powerful ears! Hey, could you give me some pointers?"
"Um-well-I-" Jifunze stammered out, overwhelmed by Bunga's questions, "I've just, always been able to hear like this, and it's not really something you learn."
"Aw man." Bunga let out a disappointing sigh, "But it would help the guard." Bunga then perked up, "Hey what if you joined-"
"NO!" Jifunze shouted, cutting off Bunga and surprising everyone. Jifunze looked around at everyone, becoming immediately flustered by their stares, "W-what I meant to s-say was, No. I don't want to be in the Lion Guard."
"Why not," Bunga asked leaning on Jifunze, "You're hearing is kinda powerful, and would be really useful."
"Bunga, that's not your decision to make." Kiara practically growled at the honey badger.
"Well, what do you think Kion?" Bunga turned to the young lion, "Think we could add Jifunze to the guard?"
"Well, he does have the sharpest hearing in the Pridelands," Kion started.
"Then that settles," Bunga interjected, "Jifunze you're on the guard as the Sharpest of Hearing."
"Bunga," Fuli growled, "Let Kion finish."
"As I was saying," Kion continued, "He is the Sharpest of Hearing, but I don't think that's how the guard works, I'm pretty sure the Lion Guard can only have five members."
"Also Jifunze just said he doesn't want to be on the guard," Ono added.
"And we really shouldn't force him to," Beshte said, "As my dad always says, 'Can't be a team player, if you don't wanna be on the team.'"
"What? Of course he wants to be on the guard." Bunga turned to Jifunze, "I mean who wouldn't?"
"Me," Jifunze stated, "I don't want to be on the guard."
"What," Bunga exclaimed, as if he didn't even listen to what Jifunze said less than a minute ago, "Why not? You get to save people's lives, fight bad guys. Why wouldn't you wanna join?"
"For those exact reasons," Jifunze said, shocking everyone once more, "Listen, my hearing can be powerful, but it's really inconsistent. Sometimes I can hear things that are halfway across the Pridelands, other times, I can't even hear something right next to me, that doesn't really sound like Lion Guard material to me. And, well." Jifunze turned away in shame, "I. I, can't, fight."
"What do you mean you can't fight, everyone can fight," Bunga said, obviously misunderstanding Jifunze.
"No I mean. I. It's just. Ugh." Jifunze was having trouble finding the right words.
"You what? What is it," Bunga pressured, getting far too close to Jifunze.
"Bunga," The Lion Guard alongside Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri all stated in unison.
"What, I'm just trying to help," Bunga said, trying to defend himself, "Now come on, spit it out Jifunze."
"I'm a coward, ok," Jufunze shouted out, once more shocking everyone present.
"What you're not a coward," Bunga said with scoff.
"Yeah you saved my life," Tiifu said, stepping forward, "I doubt a coward would do that."
"That's not what I meant," Jifunze said, starting to get frustrated, "I mean that, if there's a fight happening, or someone's trying to hurt me, I won't fight back. I'll just, run away like a coward." Jifunze looked to the ground, ashamed, "It was kinda the only way I could survive in the Backlands."
Bunga scoffed again, "So what. We can just teach you how to fight."
Jifunze groaned, feeling annoyed once again, "You don't get it Bunga," Jifunze stated, his tone getting harsher, "I. Don't. Want. To. Fight. People!"
"Why not," Bunga asked, clearly not listening to Jifunze, "It's super fun and-"
"That's enough Bunga," Kiara stated, cutting Bunga off.
"But-" Bunga said, trying to finish his point.
"Enough," Kion said, stepping forward, "If Jifunze doesn't want to be on the guard, then he doesn't have to be."
At that, Jifunze was kinda shocked. He wasn't really used to people standing up for him like that, especially since this was the second time now that Kion had done this, but he was still grateful.
"Alright," Bunga said, admitting defeat, "But I still think he would make a good member."
"Well, since everyone is alright," Kion said, "I'd say we can continue the morning patrol."
"That's fine by me," Kiara replied.
"And right on time too," Ono said, peering towards the Outlands Border, "Looks like Janja and his crew have entered the Pridelands, and I think they're going after the Impala's."
Kion sighed, "Of course." The young lion then turned to the rest of the guard, "Till the Pridelands ends," Kion began.
"Lion Guard defend," The rest of the guard shouted out as the group made their way across the cliffs, leaving Jifunze with Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri.
"So, what was that trick you knew," Tiifu asked, breaking the short yet awkward silence between the four.
"Huh," Jifunze spurted out, not knowing what Tiifu was asking about.
"Y'know, the one that helps with matted fur," Tiifu elaborated.
"O-oh, that," Jifunze said, embarrassed at the fact that he forgot, "Well, there are these flowers that are a bright pink, they have four big petals, and a big bulb on them, that's like a bud, and it's full of this liquid, and it makes your fur all soft and shiny, and removes matting, and it also tastes terrible," Jifunze said, trying his best to recollect the flowers, "But it doesn't make you smell bad, and it doesn't smell bad at all," Jifunze added.
"And how does this help with matting," Zuri asked.
"Well, you can just roll around in them, and the bulb juice will get all over your fur, and that gets rid of the matting," Jifunze explained, thinking he probably sounded completely insane.
Tiifu and Zuri exchanged a look, though Juifunze couldn't quite tell what kind of look it was, before turning back to Jifunze and exclaiming, "Sounds great!"
"Oh, well if you know where any are," Jifunze said, "Then. Maybe, we could." Jifunze then muttered something under his breath, too quiet for Tiifu or Zuri to hear.
"Wait what did you say," Zuri asked, confused by Jifunze's silence.
"We, could. Gotheretogether," Jifunze said, flustered by his own request.
"Oh, yeah! I think I saw a bunch of those flowers out by Chakula Plains," Tiifu replied.
"Then what are we waiting for," Zuri said, bounding off in the direction of Chakula Plains, "Let's go!"
"You three go on ahead," Kiara said, turning in the opposite direction of Tiifu and Zuri.
"Wait what," Zuri said, pausing, "You're not coming with us?"
"But Kiara, we go everywhere together," Tiifu moaned, disappointed that Kiara wasn't joining them.
"Yeah, but I need to monitor the Gazelle's, remember?" Kiara then walked off towards the Gazelle's herd, "Besides, you two should be able to spend one day without me, right?"
"Well, yeah, but," Tiifu began.
"It won't be as fun without you," Zuri said, finishing Tiifu's sentence.
"Sure it will," Kiara called out before she turned a corner, leavening earshot.
"Well, I guess we could give it a try," Tiifu said, turning to Zuri, "Maybe we'll have more fun without her."
"I doubt it," Zuri replied with disappointment, "But there's no harm in trying."
"Well, shall we get going," Jifunze said, chiming in.
"Oh yeah," Zuri replied, "Lead the way Tiifu."
"Oh right," Tiifu said before she turned towards Chakula Plains, "C'mon everyone, it's off this way."
Tiifu then started off towards Chakula plains, with Zuri and Jifunze hot on her trail. And while Jifunze was having fun running alongside two lionesses, there was this nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Should he become a member of the Lion Guard? It did sound tempting, saving people lives and all. But there was also that feeling of dread. What if he messed it up, like he did with a lot of things. What if it was his fault someone got hurt, or worse, killed. Eventually Jifunze just decided not to think about it, and focused more on having fun with Tiifu and Zuri, something he knew he wouldn't mess up.