Rafiki's proclamation of the Lion Guard was met with looks of awe by some of the Lionesses. While confusion by others. None more so than Elsa herself with her title of Jungle Guardian. Never before had she heard of the Lion Guard. She squinted her eyes curiously at the mandrill.
"Lion Guard?" Elsa said.
Shifting her glance to Simba and Nala, looking up to her, shaking her head. They looked just as confused as she was. Never before had they heard of such a thing. However, unlike his fellow Pride members, Mufasa seemed familiar with what Rafiki had said, squinting his eyes at the wise old Mandril.
"Rafiki, are you certain of this?" The Lion King asked.
Rafiki turned back to the King with a nod of his head.
"Yes, Mufasa, the Great Kings have decreed it so. And it's them that they have chosen to be," He insisted, pointing at the seven Teens.
The notion these seven Teens would be the next Lion Guard caused much debate amongst the Pride. The lionesses all talked among themselves, finding what Rafiki had said to be completely absurd. Especially at the idea that these seven Man-cubs would be this new Lion Guard. While it was true that Elsa was human and was the Jungle's Guardian, she was still a member of the Pride. But these seven cubs were from the world of Man and did not understand the jungle's ways.
Should this guard not be made of Lions from the pride and not some outsiders?
Seeing the lions seeming to be talking among themselves caused the seven Teens to become nervous. Unable to speak their language, the lions came off as growling and giving low roars. While none of them appeared hostile toward them, their constant roaring was certainly making them nervous.
"Uh, guys, what's going on right now?" Kenji asked.
"I don't know, but it can't be good," Yazmina insisted.
"Darius, what's happening?" Sammy asked.
Darius only stared wide eyes and excitedly.
"I don't believe it. Do you guys know what this is?" He asked excitedly.
"Planning on which of us they will eat first?" Ben guessed.
"They are communicating with each other!" Darius insisted.
"Lions are known to..."
"Communicate through roars and growls," Lucky finished his sentence.
Darius did not take any offense to it. Rather, he gasped in utter excitement that someone shared in his love for zoology as he did. The only question was, what were they talking about?
Darius turned to Elsa, who seemed to be listening to the Lions talking. Since they raised her, there was perhaps a chance that she understood what they were saying.
"Elsa, what are they saying?" Darius asked curiously.
Elsa shifted her glance back at him.
"The Pride is deciding," Elsa insisted to them.
"Deciding what?" Lucky asked.
"Whether you seven are worthy of being the Lion Guard," Elsa insisted.
Darius and Lucky glanced at each other confusingly. Yaz, Sammey, Brooklynn, Kenji, and Ben were also confused by what she said.
"Lion Guard? What's a Lion Guard?" Darius asked.
That was a question the wild woman had herself. She turned back toward Mufasa and Rafiki, where she saw the Lion King again lift her gaze to the old Mandril.
"I trust your judgment, Rafiki. But I still cannot help but think of the danger that comes of this," Mufasa insisted.
Elsa nodded her head in agreement.
"As do I. I know this was what the Kings asked of me, but..."
Rafiki chuckled at her, raising a single finger.
"Ah, but Elsa, there may yet be something to come from this. Something that may prove good for the jungle," The Maandril insisted.
"What do you mean?" Elsa asked.
"You have often said man does not truly understand the Jungle. Well, what better way of showing them through them?" Rafiki asked, turning back to the seven Man-cubs.
Elsa paused for a moment, looking back at the teens, curiously. She squinted her eyes inquisitively, pondering Rafiki's words. It was true she had said the man never understood the Jungle. They only ever cared about whatever would bring them such riches at the cost of their people. However, with the advent of these seven teens, there may yet be a chance to show her kind what she had always seen in the jungle.
"You- you want me to teach them?" Elsa asked, turning back to Rafiki.
Rafiki nodded his head to her, raising an eyebrow at her.
"No one better knows the Jungle than you," Rafiki insisted.
Elsa glanced up at Mufasa, who seemed rather intrigued by Rafiki's words.
"Hmm, that sounds very promising, Rafiki. It may be what we need," Mufasa said.
"Father?" Simba asked.
"Mufasa?" Elsa said.
Mufasa turned back to the rest of the Pride.
"Rafiki is Right. Man does not understand the ways of the jungle," Mufasa proclaimed.
"But if Elsa could learn and become one of the Pride, so can they. And they might do the same and teach their people. This may be a way to help man understand the Jungle as Elsa does."
Mufasa's words caused the Lionesses to glance at each other curiously. Elsa was also taken by his words, glancing at Simba and Nala. The idea of teaching man-cubs about the jungle was not something they would ever have thought they would do. Seeing that they were supposed to be this lion guard, they would need to learn about the Jungle. The same way as she did. And if this could be a way for their people to understand the Jungle as she had.
"Elsa, being that they are your people, I believe it would be best that you teach the cubs," He insisted.
"You know the Jungle well. This may be your way of helping your people."
Elsa shifted her eyes to the side, frowning. She never thought of man as her people; the Pride and the other animals of the jungle were. Nor did she want anything to do with her affairs of Man after what had happened. After being forced to... let him go. She didn't wish to go through that again.
However, it seemed she already was.
"Come now, you follow old Rafiki; he knows the way!" Rafiki proclaimed.
The Mandrill scurried off toward the path. Darius and the others turned to him curiously before returning to Elsa.
"What is going on?" Darius asked.
Elsa walked past them along with Simba and Nala. As she came to face the path, the wild woman turned back to them before gesturing to follow her. With but a single nervous glance at each other and one back at the lions, the seven Teens followed after her down the path. Mufasa and the rest of the Pride watched on as they took their leave. He glanced at Sarabi, who seemed rather uncertain about this herself. While she trusted her mate's judgment, she could not help but worry about this.
They then turned back to the cave's entrance. There, they saw Sarafina and Diata, who had no doubt been watching them this whole time. She no doubt shared Sarabi's concerns and those of the Pride about allowing seven man-cubs to stay among them. However, she was more worried about her daughter and the danger this would place her in. As if Zira wasn't enough, they had to worry about Man returning to the jungle.
And Elsa would again be in the middle of it all.
Elsa and the other followed Rafiki down the path, where the mandrill scurried toward the foliage off to the left. He turned back to them, gesturing them to follow.
"Come, come, this way!" The Mandrill insisted.
Elsa squinted her eyes, glancing at Simba and Nala curiously, and wandered where Rafiki led them. Elsa turned back to Lucky, Darius, and the others.
"Come this way," She said.
Elsa and the others continued to follow Rafiki into the jungle. Darius and Lucky came up behind her, looking ahead to Rafiki.
"Are we seriously following a tall monkey through the jungle?" Brooklynn asked from behind.
Darius turned to Elsa.
"Elsa, where is he taking us?" He asked.
Elsa glanced back at the four Teens. She then shook her head, wondering that herself. Since they were cubs, she, Simba, and Nala had spent much of their time playing around the den. Never had they ever noticed anything else. They thought they knew every sense of the pride's territory.
"I... I don't know. Rafiki, where are you taking us?" She said.
"You will see soon," Rafiki insisted.
Yaz rolled her eyes.
"Oh well, that's great. She's talking to the monkey," She said.
Rafiki brushed aside the leaves and palms, emerging from the foliage itself. There, he erupted with laughter, scurrying forward as Elsa and the others emerged from the foliage behind him. There, they saw Rafiki scurrying toward what appeared to be another cave, hidden away by some vines. He pulled aside the vines, opening the way inside.
"Come, come," He proclaimed to them.
Elsa squinted her eyes as she approached the cave, stepping inside. She was greeted by the full moon, peering through an opening above. The Moon's light glistened over what looked to be a small pool of water, which stood at the very center, and what looked to be a smaller Council Rock. Elsa paused, taking in the sight of this strange lair. Simba and Nala came up next to her, along with Lucky, Darius, and the others.
It was there the seven teens came to gaze upon the inside of the cave.
"Well, would you look at that," Simba said.
"Wow," Nala said.
"What-what is this place?" Elsa asked.
Rafiki came up next to her.
"This... is the Lair of the Lion Guard," The wise Mandril proclaimed.
"Lair of the Lion Guard?" Elsa asked.
"It doesn't look like anyone has been here in years," Nala commented.
Rafiki came up to the edge, turning to face them. He then turned back to them, nodding his head to her.
"Indeed," He insisted.
"Why have we never heard of this before?" Simba asked.
"And why is it only now that there is another?" Elsa asked.
Rafiki narrowed his eyes with a sigh of contempt.
"Ah, yes, I'm afraid that is a tale of great tragedy," Rafiki proclaimed to them.
Rafiki turned and leaped off the edge, scurrying over to the stone wall. They came up next to her, turning back to look at the Mandrill. It was there over the cave wall; by the moonlight, over the water, they saw what looked to be paintings like the ones they saw in Rafiki's tree. Elsa came up to him, looking over that cave painting of what looked to be different groups of lions.
"Are these...?" She asked, turning to Rafiki.
"Yes, these were all the Lion Guards of the past. The Ones who had protected the Pride throughout the years," Rafiki insisted to her.
Elsa paused Seeing so many, it was clear to the jungle Guardian that this had been a long tradition of the Pride. Which only begged the question further. Why had she only heard about this now? Why has there never been another Guard until now?
From behind, Darius, Lucky, and the others walked up as they looked upon the wall paintings. Darius stepped forward, gazing in awe at the many paintings of what looked to be groups of lions. Most notably, he could only assume male ones were these supposed Lion Guards.
"Wow..." Lucky said.
"What are those?" Sammy asked.
"I don't know. They look like old cave paintings," Darius said.
"But none of these look that old. Not like the ones cave people used to make."
"Rafiki said that these are the Lion Guards throughout the years." Elsa insisted.
The seven Teens turned to Elsa.
"The ones who protected the pride all these years," She insisted to them.
The teens throw several awkward glances at each other. Especially at the fact that this was all being said by the grunts and hoots of a mandrill.
"You got all that from a monkey?" Kenji said, pointing at the Mandril.
Elsa turned back to Rafiki.
"But I thought the Jungle Guardian was the one who protected the Jungle," Elsa asked.
"Ah, yes, Elsa. But there was not always a Guardian to protect the Jungle. In those times, it fell on the Guard to keep peace in the Jungle." Rafiki insisted, stroking his white beard.
"Each Guard comprises the Pride's Bravest, Fastest, Strongest, Keenist of sight. And most of all, the one who possesses the Great Roar of Elders."
"Elsa, what is he saying?" Lucky asked.
"Rafiki said that the Lion Guard comprised the Prides, Bravest, Strongest, Fastest, and Keenest of Sight," Elsa proclaimed to them.
"And that's us?" Brooklynn asked.
Elsa turned back to look at the seven Teens for a moment. She turned back to look over the cave paintings of the previous Lion Guards. She wasn't sure whether they fit the mold themselves. It was already clear they didn't, seeing that seven of them and the previous guards only had five members. Just by looking at them, she did not think any of them could possess such titles as those.
However, she wondered who the one who possessed this Roar of the Elders was. She turned back to Rafiki.
"What is the Raor of the elders, Rafiki?" Elsa asked.
"Ah, the roar was a powerful gift from the Kings of the Past. One that could be used for great Good," He proclaimed to them.
"But also great evil. And the last one who had that passed the Roar..."
Rafiki raised his staff and gestured to a particular group of Lions off to the side. Distant from the other guards. One of which looked exactly like...
"Scar?" Elsa said.
Rafiki nodded.
"Yes..." He said.
Simba and Nala stepped forward to the stone wall, staring sternly at the mention of Scar.
"Scar lead the Lion Guard?" Elsa said, glancing to Rafiki.
"Indeed, long before you three were born. It was he who possessed the roar of the elders," Rafiki proclaimed.
"But this power caused Scar to be driven by his greed. He thought he should be King and tried to get his guard to overthrow Mufasa."
Elsa squinted her eyes sternly. She would not expect anything less from Scar. He was never worthy to have such a power as this Roar of the elders. She still remembers when he tried to kill Mufasa and Simba. Luckily, both she and Nala were able to stop him in time. And Scar was banished to the outlands for good.
"However, the Guard refused to follow Scar's orders. And so, Scar destroyed them with the Roar," Rafiki proclaimed.
The three were left in awe at the painting depicting Scar's hate crime against Pride, which had not been known by the Pride for a time.
"Scar destroyed the Guard?" Nala said.
"Yes, but in doing so, Scar would lose the power of the roar... forever," Rafiki said.
"But the truth would never be revealed to us... that was, until you came along, Elsa."
Elsa turned back to Rafiki.
"Me?" She asked.
"Yes, and after you were made the Jungle's Guardian, we did not believe the Lion Guard would be needed," Rafiki insisted.
"Never had the Guard existed alongside the Jungle Guardian. But it seemed the jungle would need both. And seeing no one possess the roar, it falls to you to lead the guard."
Elsa lay atop the ledge, overlooking the five teens sitting around a small fire they had made. She stared down at the seven Teens, squinting her eyes, pondering Rafiki's words. While she would tell them they were pretty resourceful, being able to make their fire, she was still not so keen on this new responsibility passed to her. Especially seeing that it meant teaching these seven Teens to be the next Lion Guard.
She didn't wish to be involved in the affairs of Man again. She didn't wish to bring back the dangers of man to the Jungle she loved.
But now she is back in that very place.
From behind, both Simba and Nala were also pondering themselves of what Rafiki had told them. Simba paced back and forth, narrowing his head.
"So what do we think?" He asked, turning back to them.
"About what?" Nala asked.
"About this? Having another Lion Guard after all this time," Simba insisted.
"And having it bee made of... them?"
Elsa turned to gaze down at the seven Teens below. It wasn't as if she could teach them the ways and laws of the Jungle. However, she remembered what had happened with Jack. She didn't wish to have to endure that—not again.
Elsa sighed, shaking her head.
"I'm not sure. I know it's what the Kings asked of us, but I don't know if I can," she told them.
"I never wanted Man to ever come to our Jungle again. But now...I."
She then shook her head, unsure of what to say.
"How are these man-cubs supposed to help us protect the Jungle from Zira?" Simba asked.
"I don't know, but we sure had our fair share of adventures when we were their age," Nala insisted.
Elsa and Simba glanced at one another. It was true; they had had their fair share of adventures when they were cubs, usually from Simba and his mischievous nature. However, this was far different. This was not about a few cubs getting into trouble. This was about teaching these three man-cubs to protect these jungles and, all the while, being hunted by Zira, who no doubt would be waiting for a chance to pounce.
"That was different, Nala. And do you have any idea what danger we put ourselves in?" Simba proclaimed.
Nala raised an eyebrow at him.
"You mean the danger you put us in, Simba," Nala corrected him.
Simba only shifted his glance to the side.
"Simba is right. They don't know the Jungle like we do," Elsa proclaimed.
"And why should man be the one to protect the Jungle?"
Nala squinted her eyes at her sister. She stood up and walked up to Elsa, sitting beside her.
"Maybe there's something about this that we're not seeing. The Kings must have a good reason for choosing them," Nala proclaimed.
"Don't forget, they chose you to be the Jungle's Guardian. And If they chose them, they may see the Good in them just like they did for you. Get to know them and see."
Elsa shifted her eyes to the side, pondering.
Darius, Lucky, and the others sat around the fire they made. Like Elsa, they were lost in thought over this Lion Guard Ordeal. Lucky stared at the fire for a while, wrapping her arms around her legs, seemingly excited by this Lion Guard ordeal. Mainly in the aspect that she would be taught to be just like her and experience life in the jungle. A sentiment not exactly shared by the others.
Glancing around the fire, she saw Darius tending to it, Kenji lying back with her arms crossed behind her head, and Sammy. Brookly and Yaz are also just sitting watching the fire, and Ben is trembling in fear. None of them seemed to be keen on being this so-called Lion Guard.
It was Kenji who then broke the silence.
"So... what do we think?" Kenji asked.
"About what?" Darius asked.
"About this whole Lion Guard thing? Are we listening to crazy jungle girl who talks to monkeys?" He asked curiously.
The seven teens shifted their glance up at the wild woman and the two lions over the ledge above.
"Yeah, Kenji's right. This whole thing sounds completely insane," Ben insisted.
"We're just kids. We're not some Jungle protectors."
Lucky shook her head.
"I mean, you all saw what happened back in the Jungle," Lucky insisted.
"Hey, we don't know what that was," Yazmina told them.
"Still, you have to admit something does seem off about this," Brooklynn insisted.
"What do you think, Darius?" Sammy asked.
Darius continued staring at the fire, taking little notice of their conversation.
"Yo, Earth to dino-nerd?" Kenji said.
It was then that Darius lifted his gaze at others.
"What?" He asked.
"We're talking about what we should do regarding..." Lucky said, gesturing up toward the ledge above.
"Oh, uh... I... I'm not sure, but... we should probably go along with this," Darius insisted.
Everyone turned back to Darius with a look of disbelief.
"You can't be serious?" Yaz said.
"Just for a while. Maybe, if we do this, it will get us home faster," Darius proclaimed.
However, his words only left them with a feeling of uncertainty.