Return to the Jungle 2
Ingrid's jeep arrived at the scene, emerging from the trail through the jungle. In the clearing, she was greeted by the local Rangers' and Fire Department's vehicles. As well as the smoke from inside the resort. Ingrid stopped the jeep to peer over the resort's state. From the looks of things, much of it didn't seem damaged. It must be one of the cabins inside the resort.
Ingrid then glanced forward. Overhead, she saw Tooth and the guests standing off to the side as the authorities handled what remained of the fire. It seemed Tooth had managed to evacuate all the guests in the nick of time. Fortunately, no one looked to be injured. However, that begs the question, what started this fire?
Ingrid rushed over to Tooth, who dropped one of the emergency blankets over one of the Guests. She then paused as two paramedics walked past her, carrying a stretcher. Over the stretcher, she noticed what looked to be a body covered by a white sheet. She squinted her eyes worryingly.
"Tooth!" she called over to her.
Tooth looked up and saw Ingrid coming up to her.
"Ingrid!" She said in relief.
"I came as soon as I heard. What happened?" Ingrid asked curiously.
Tooth stood up, shaking her head.
"There was a Code Red," Tooth proclaimed.
"Code Red?" Ingrid said.
Tooth nodded her head.
"Yes, we had multiple wild animals come onto the resort and attack the guests and staff," she insisted to her.
"Multiple?" Ingrid said.
The zoologist squinted her eyes curiously at the mention of Multiple. By the very word, she made the educated guess that it was doing of a pack. The only animals to come to mind for such behaviors in this region were Hyenas, Jackles, and... Lions. Though it couldn't be the ladder. The Lion Pride were in the western plains and had never ventured near the resort. Neither would hyenas or Jackles. But then what could have done his?
"Did anyone see what species they were?" She then asked curiously.
Tooth glanced to the side, pondering for a moment.
"Our staff reported seeing hyenas," Tooth insisted.
"Three of them, to be exact."
"Three Hyenas did all this? That doesn't seem attainable," Ingrid insisted.
"Especially with our number of staff. There would have to be an entire pack of them."
"Well... that's the strange part. They weren't alone," Tooth insisted
Ingrid glanced at her curiously.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Tooth paused for a moment. She looked back at Ingrid before revealing the news that startled the zoologist.
"It's back... She's back!" Tooth said.
Ingrid was left with a startled realization of just who she meant.
There was a sudden feeling of unease amongst the seven teens as they were stared at by Elsa and the two lions with her. The wild woman squinted her eyes sternly. Her gaze alone felt like a lioness's as she looked at them through the cover of the tall grass. However, the two lions with her were not helping matters.
"So... um," Kenji said, breaking the silence.
Though he was quick to fall silent upon Elsa's stern glance was then directed at him. He turned away, rubbing the back of his head.
"What do we do, y'all?" Sammy whispered.
Lucky glanced at Darius and the others, who seemed just as worried as she was. All the while, they wondered what they should do. Despite protecting them from the rouge lioness that attacked the resort, it was clear to the seven that she was not so welcoming to them. Having again trespassed into her part of the jungle, they might have caused North and Tooth more trouble with her.
But they couldn't just stand there silently. They had to say something, at the very least.
Darius cleared his throat before speaking up.
"So... I know how this looks," Darius insisted to Elsa.
Elsa only stared back at the seven teens with the same stern expression. Only to turn forward with her spear and walk over to where Zira had gone. Earn a glance from both Nala and Simba.
"Look, we're sorry. We didn't mean to come back here," Darius insisted.
"And we don't mean to cause you or North any more trouble. If you show us the way, we'll head back to the resort and... forget this whole thing ever happened."
Elsa continued to ignore their words. She was more concerned about where Zira had gone and whether she was still nearby. She kneeled, glancing at paw prints that led off into the jungle. She seemed more focused on that than on what the five teens said. The seven glanced at each other.
"Um, hello, earth to Jungle Girl!" Kenji said, waving his hand to her.
Yet once more, Elsa would not say anything or acknowledge their words. Kept her focus on the jungle itself and where Zira had gone.
"Yeah, I don't think she's hearing us," Kenji insisted, shaking his head.
The other teens only stared sternly at his comment. Then, Simba and Nala approached her and came up next to Elsa.
"Elsa?" she said.
Elsa turned back to them. Simba glanced back at the teens as if trying to get an answer for her. Then, Elsa narrowed her eyes with a sigh, standing back up.
"Yes, I know, Simba. and we will," Elsa insisted to her.
"But Zira could still be nearby."
Simba and Nala each looked at each other, knowing Elsa was right. There could be no doubt that Zira could still be nearby, awaiting a chance to pounce. It would be dangerous to bring them back to their village when Zira was still out there.
"Elsa is right; it's too risky with Zira around," Nala insisted.
"There are bigger things at stake right now than just Zira. As long as the man-cubs are here, we are all in danger," Simba reminded them.
"It won't be long before man searches for them. We need to return them to their village."
Elsa turned forward, peering into the jungle for but a moment. She then turned to look back at the seven Teens, seeming just as eager to go back as they were. Simba was right. While she was still concerned about whether Zira was nearby, the jungle was still in danger as long as they were there. They needed to return them to North's village in the east.
Elsa turned and approached the seven Teens, who all tensed up when the wild woman and the two lions approached them.
"None of you should be here. The Jungle is no place for you," Elsa proclaimed to them.
"Lady, we don't wanna be here, either. We want to get back to the resort," Yazmina insisted.
Elsa nodded her head in agreement.
"That we can both agree on. But it's too dark to make the journey," Elsa proclaimed.
"We'll take you back to your people in the morning."
"Uh, anyway, we can go now?" Darius asked.
"Yeah, I'm not about staying the night in the Jungle," Ben said, shaking his head.
It was then that Lucky stepped in.
"Wait... actually, do you think we could stay with you for a while?" Lucky asked curiously.
Darius and the other turned back at Lucky in awe.
"I'm sorry, what?!" Kenji asked.
Elsa turned to Lucky.
"What? We came to learn about the reserve, didn't we? Who better than her to teach us?" Lucky insisted.
"We can learn a thing or two from her, can't we?"
"You can't be serious," Yaz said, shaking her head.
Elsa stepped in, shaking her head in response to Lucky's suggestion.
"No, you all cannot stay here. You all need to go back to your people," Elsa proclaimed to them.
Lucky was just about to speak up.
"But..."
Elsa turned back to her.
"No, that is not-"
Elsa paused at the sounds of the howling winds from above. The wild woman lifted her gaze to the opening above, where she saw wind gusts and leaves, the spirit of the Kings of the past, spiraling above them. The winds descended upon them. Upon the seven teens, who looked curiously at the guests of air circling them.
"Uh... what's happening?" Sammy asked
Darius shook his head.
"I don't know," he said.
Elsa, Nala, and Simba watched in awe. Elsa, most of all.
"The Spirits?" Nala asked.
Elsa stepped forward and squinted her eyes at the spiraling winds. Seeing the spirits of the Kings of the Past circling the seven teens, the Wild woman stared in awe. She knew well what it meant. She had asked the Kings of the Past to guide her and help her find a way to protect the jungle from Zira. Only now, it seemed, had they come to give her an answer.
And it seemed to be these seven teens.
The gusts of wind suddenly rose through the opening above, disappearing into the Night. The seven teens stared up at the opening above for a moment. They then turned back to Elsa, who stared at the opening in awe.
"Uh, what was that?" Brooklynn asked.
Elsa stared at the opening above before returning her gaze to the seven teens. The wild woman was left speechless at the will of the Kings of the past. As well as the answer to how she could protect the jungle. Though it was not at all what she would have thought nor expected from the Kings of the Past. How could these seven be the answer to protect the Jungle?
Regardless, it was to be the will of the Kings of the Past. Thus, she would follow it.
"Come, now," Elsa said, taking Lucky's hand.
Elsa turned and raced off into the jungle with Lucky, who followed.
"Hey, wait!" Darius said.
Darius ran after them along with Yaz, Brooklynn, and Sammy. Leaving both Kenji and Ben, who glanced ahead of them curiously. Ben attempted to say something, only to be nudged from behind by Nala. They glanced back at the two lions, who gestured them forward.
"Okay, okay, we're going!" Ben said before the two ran off after the others.
Elsa moved swiftly through the Jungle underbrush as the cheetah through the plans. Lucky, Darius and the others even struggled to keep up with her. The wild woman paused several times to scope out their surroundings. On the lookout for any sign of danger.
Or Zira.
Once she saw the clear way, she returned to the others and gestured for them to follow. She then turned and continued through the Jungle as the others followed suit.
"Where are we going?" Lucky asked.
"Where are you taking us?" Yazmina said.
Elsa said nothing back to them, hardly noticing what they were saying. Rather, she continued leading them through the jungle. She then glanced up through the narrow opening above, noticing a familiar blue feathered majordomo flying overhead.
"Zazu, Zazu!" She called to him.
Zazu glanced down, where he saw Elsa down the jungle. He gasped before flying down to her.
"Elsa!" He said.
The Majordomo suddenly paused upon seeing the seven Man-cubs emerging from the foliage behind her, gasping.
"Elsa, what are Man-cubs doing here?!" He asked.
"Zazu, I need you to find Rafiki and tell him to meet us at the den," Elsa proclaimed.
"What... Elsa, you can't possibly..." Zazu gasped.
Simba stepped forward.
"Zazu, do as she said," He ordered him.
Zazu attempted to argue back. Only to be met with their instant glances. He then scoffed, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, I can't believe I am doing this," Zazu said before flying off.
Elsa returned to the seven Teens, gesturing for them to follow before continuing through the jungle. Lucky and the others walked after the wild woman. She shifted her glance back at Darius and the others.
"Where is she taking us?" Ben asked.
"I don't know. But it's sure not back to the resort," Yazmina said.
"So what do we do now?" Sammy asked.
"Well, right now, we need just to play along. She's our safest bet while out here in the jungle," Darius insisted.
"Darius is right. We need to stick with her," Lucky insisted.
Kenji shook his head in disbelief.
"I'm sorry. Are you saying we follow Jungle Girl and her two pet lions?" He said.
Darius glanced back at him, raising an eyebrow at him.
"You got a better idea, Kenji?" he asked.
Elsa continued to walk ahead of the group with her spear in hand. Occasionally, her gaze shifted back to the seven teens, and she heard them talk amongst themselves. They seemed confused about what was happening and where she was taking them. If she was being honest, she wasn't sure about this whole thing either. She was already taking a risk by returning to the Pride's den with them. However, what was more so was how they were the key to protecting the Jungle from Zira.
Simba and Nala came up from behind, glancing back at the four. Simba then looked up at Elsa.
"I have a bad feeling about this," He insisted.
"Me too. Are we taking them back to the den with us?" Nala asked.
Elsa shook her head.
"I... I'm not sure about this either. But if this is what the Kings ask of us, then we have to do this," She insisted to them.
"Regardless of the risks."
"I'm not sure my father and the rest of the Pride will see it that way," Simba proclaimed.
"Why would the Kings of the Past even ask us of this?"
Elsa once more shifted a glance back at the seven teens. That was a question that lingered in her mind as well. Whatever it was, Rafiki would know the answer. For now, it would be best to inform the Pride of this.
After venturing a short while further through the jungle, Elsa, Simba, and Nala suddenly stopped. Lucky and the other were quick to do so as well. Seeing her staring ahead through the jungle, the seven Teens paused, each scanning the surrounding foliage.
"What is it?" Lucky asked curiously.
Elsa turned back to them.
"We're close. Come, stay close to me," Elsa said.
The Pride were all in their usual spots along the pathway leading up to the den. The Lionesses lay over the ledges, partaking in their usual evening pastimes. That being talking among themselves or even grooming the cubs. Having already hunted but a day ago, there was no need for another Night hunt. They could finally enjoy the evening itself.
Or so they had thought.
One of the Lionesses lying over one of the ledges above shifted her gaze to the jungle's edge. Her gaze suddenly went wide in awe as she gasped. The other lionesses were quick to turn and look down below. There, they saw Elsa, Simba, and Nala had returned to the Pride—only they were not alone. Behind them was a group of what looked to be seven man-cubs.
From below, Lucky and the others peered up at the lionesses worryingly. As if being chased by one wasn't enough, now. they were faced with an entire Pride of them.
"Um, are you sure this is the right place?" Darius asked, glancing at Elsa.
Elsa glanced back at the seven Teens.
"Try not to worry. They will not harm you," Elsa insisted to them.
"You sure about that?" Kenji asked.
Elsa, Simba, and Nala walked over the pathway. She then glanced back at the seven teens, gesturing for them to follow.
"Come," she said.
The seven glanced at each other before following Elsa, Simba, and Nala up the pathway. They passed the lionesses along the way, lying along the ledges, who gave them weary glances at the seven. A few stood back up on all fours, standing between them and their cubs, growling. Both Kenji and Ben gave a startled whimper as they hurried to keep up with Darius and the others.
"I don't like how they look at us," Ben said.
"Don't worry, they're just being protective of their cubs," Darius insisted.
"As long as we don't come between them, we should be fine."
Kenji and Ben only glanced back at the lionesses behind them. A few Lionesses stood up from the ledges and seemed to be following them up the path. Adding more worry to the already nervous Teens.
Elsa reached the top of the path. There, she was met by a few of her fellow Pride members, who all looked at her. Seeing the fear and concern in their eyes. It was very much what she had expected from them. She shared the same concerns about the presence of these seven Man-cubs. She could only hope that Mufasa would be understanding.
Elsa walked forward toward the entrance of the cave. By then, Simba and Nala came up over the top of the path along with the seven Teens. They saw the wild woman approach the mouth of what they could only assume to be the Pride's den. Much to the concern of both Simba and Nala.
Elsa came to the mouth of the cave before pausing for a moment. She then spoke up.
"Mufasa?" She called out.
The cave was silent the moment that followed.
"Mufasa, I come with something you must see." She said into the cave.
A lion's roar was heard from inside the cave, paralyzing the seven teens with complete fear as gasps escaped their lips. They then heard the padding of Lion's paw prints, seeming to get louder as they noticed something moving inside the cave—something big. From behind, the seven teens watched on with an exchange of nervous glances at each other. Ben came to hide behind Kenji, shuddering nervously.
"What is that?" He asked.
They saw a large male Lion with an auburn mane emerge from the shadows and the cave. He stood before the cave entrance, staring out over the pride sternly, only to pause when he was met with Darius, Lucky, and the others. Lucky, Darius and the others paused there, stunned at the alpha lion's stern glance.
"Darius... what do we do?" Brooklynn asked, glancing at him.
"Everyone, don't move or turn your back on them. Lions see it as a form of aggression," Darius insisted.
Despite this, Elsa stepped forward to the alpha lion, much to the awe and disbelief of the seven Teens. Anyone in their right mind would sooner run for their lives in the face of a lion, let alone one that large. But no such fear existed in the wild woman raised by lions. Mufasa's glance turned to meet hers.
"Elsa?" He said.
Elsa glanced to the side.
"Mufasa, please. I know how this may look, but I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't for a good reason," she proclaimed to him.
Sarabi emerged from the cave then, having heard everything. Mufasa turned back to the seven man-cubs, squinting his eyes wearingly. The alpha's glance caused the seven teens to gulp nervously and step back.
"Why are these man-cubs doing here, Elsa?" Mufasa asked.
"It was Zira. She was hunting them," Elsa proclaimed.
The rest of the Pride erupted with gasps of shock and awe. As if hunting man's cattle wasn't enough, she was now she was hunting man cubs? had she gone mad?
"Zira!" Sarabi exclaimed.
"Yes, she drove them from their village and led them back here," Elsa insisted.
Mufasa paused. Hearing her say they were led back here by Zira; it was clear to him that these men-cubs ventured into their territory.
"So these were the Man-cubs you spoke of at Council Rock? What reason could you possibly have to bring them here?" Mufasa asked.
"Have you forgotten what happened when you brought the man to the jungle?"
Elsa shook her head.
"No, I haven't. But it wasn't my choice to bring them here," Elsa insisted.
Mufasa and Sarabi glanced at each other.
"Then who?" Sarabi asked.
"It was the Great Kings... they spoke to me on this Night," The wild woman proclaimed to them.
The Lionesses each glanced at each other, chatting amongst themselves at the mention of the Great Kings of the Past. Mufasa stepped forward and squinted his eyes at her.
"The Great Kings?" He asked.
"Yes, I asked for their guidance the night before, and it seems I got my answer," Elsa insisted, glancing back at the seven teens.
Simba and Nala stepped forward.
"It's true, father. Nala and I also saw it," Simba insisted to his father.
Mufasa squinted his eyes questionably. He, of all the Jungle, knew just how mysterious the Kings of the past could be; however, he never would have ever thought this would be their will. However, the same was to be said when they found Elsa and brought her into the pride. But this was different. Especially when it was Zira's doing.
"Well, this is quite usual, Elsa. But if this was Zira's doing, then we may be in more danger than we thought," Mufasa proclaimed.
"Regardless if this is the will of the Kings, their people will come for them."
Elsa glanced to the side, frowning as the Lion King spoke true to those words. It mattered not that this was the will of the Kings of the Past. Their people will come looking for them. As well as Zira. And Bringing them here to the Pride's den would have no doubt brought danger to the Pride.
Suddenly, she heard a familiar chanting from behind. She widened her eyes, turning back toward the pathway. The pride and the seven Teens also turned to look, where they saw the familiar mandril with a staff. It was there; the high Priest stood with that usual smile, chuckling as he saw the seven teens.
"They are here! They are here!" Rafiki proclaimed in excitement.
"Uh, does anyone else see a tall monkey with a stick?" Yazmina asked curiously.
"It's a Mandrill. They are the tallest form of monkeys," Darius insisted to them.
Elsa turned back to the mandril.
"Rafiki, you heard as well," she said.
Rafiki came up to her, chuckling.
"Yes, Yes, Rafiki heard. The Kings spoke tonight," Rafiki insisted to them.
"It is time!"
Elsa squinted her eyes at him curiously.
"What do you mean?" She asked curiously.
Rafiki approached them, turning to raise his staff into the air.
"It is time for the Lion Guard!" He proclaimed.