Never Roar Again
The Lion Guard chased Janja and his clan across the plains, after foiling another one of their half-baked plans. "Get outta here, Janja!" Kion growled.
"Come on, Kion. It was just one gazelle." Janja defended as he led his clan back into the Outlands.
"One gazelle?" Kufu repeated. "You took out 9 gazelles!"
Janja and his hyenas then jumped across the ravian and stood just at the edge of the border. "Okay. See, we're back in the Outlands. You happy?" Janja questioned.
"And this time, stay there!" Bunga shook his fist.
Kion glanced at each member of his team, "Nice work everybody." He praised. "Let's go."
Bunga wiped his palms together, "We sure showed those hyenas who's the boss." he bragged.
Fuli nodded in agreement, "Yeah. You'd think they'd learn by now and just give up." she scoffed.
"They're too stubborn to give up, Fuli." Kufu replied, walking in step next to his cheetah friend.
Back with the hyenas, Janja waited for a few seconds before jumping over the ravian. "Alright, come on fellas." He ordered.
"Huh, where are we going, Janja?" Cheezi asked.
"Where else? To go after those gazelles." Janja said with a smirk.
"Back in the Pride Lands?" Chungu asked.
"Janja, didn't The Lion Guard tell us to stay out of the Pride Lands?" Cheezi asked.
"Yeah, and since when did we ever listen to The Lion Guard?" Janja asked with a look.
"Uhh, since never." Chungu said before the rest of the hyenas followed their leader.
The Lion Guard continued their patrol before sounds of hyena laughter in the distance made the Guard stop in their tracks, "Oh for, Ono?" Kufu asked tiredly as Ono flew up and saw The Hyenas running across the plains.
"Hapana." Ono sighed with a roll of his eyes. "Looks like Janja and his clan are heading back into the Pride Lands." he informed the rest of the Guard, perching on a rock.
"Seriously?" Fuli blinked.
"Don't they know when they've been beaten?" Bunga questioned.
"Guess they're not giving up today." Beshte shrugged.
Kufu rolled his eyes, "Those hyenas." He groaned.
"C'mon, Lion Guard. Let's go." Kion voted. "Till the Pride Lands end...Lion Guard defend!" The Guard raced towards the direction where they heard the hyenas.
A grin spread across Janja's muzzle, "Spread out, boys." he ordered.
"I don't see those gazelles nowhere." Chungu spoke up.
Beside him was Cheezi, who kept looking around, "You sure about this, Janja?" he asked. "We were just chased out of the Pride Lands."
"So?" Janja cleared his throat and stared down the two hyenas. "If I wanna go into the Pride Lands, we go into the Pride Lands."
"Janja!" Janja flinched and looked up to see the Queen of the Pride Lands standing over him and his clan on a large boulder. "What do you think you're doing in the Pride Lands?" Nala questioned, glaring down at the hyenas.
Janja chuckled nervously, "Nala. Is this the Pride Lands?" he looked around, playing dumb. "I must have got turned around. I would never wanna go where I'm not welcome."
"But, Janja, you just said..." Cheezi started, but clamped his jaw shut when Janja shot a glare in his direction.
"Stuff it fur brain," Janja ordered lowly.
"The Outlands are that way." Nala snarled, leaping off the boulder and staring down the clan that slowly surrounded her.
Janja rolled his eyes, "Yeah...so we keep hearing." He groaned.
The Queen's glare only hardened, "So go!" she ordered.
Chungu's ears fell flat against his head, "Uh, I think she means it, Janja." he whimpered, backing away.
"Relax. She ain't so tough." the hyena leader scoffed, taking a step forward. "Out here all alone. Outnumbered." He narrowed his eyes and let out a growl as the rest of his clan regained their confidence.
"You sure you want to do this, Janja?" Nala questioned, hunching her body low.
"Oh, I'm sure." Janja cackled. "The question is... are you?"
The hyenas circled around the Queen, trapping her between them and the rocks. "Okay Janja, we've got you..." Kion jumped onto the large boulder overlooking the hyenas, his eyes widening when he saw the clan attacking his mother. "Mom!"
Nala quickly glanced over her shoulder to see her son standing where was moments ago. "Kion?" Nala said in surprise, Seeing an opening, the hyena Nne lunged for the Queen's leg, knocking her off balance.
"No!" Kion yelled as his eyes instantly narrowed as the clouds in the sky darkened to a steel grey. "Get. Away. From. My. Mom!" The young Prince unleashed his Roar, the spirits of the Great Lions appearing in the dark clouds, roaring the five hyenas right back into the Outlands while Nala hunkered down.
Just as Kion Roared, the rest of the Guard ran up behind him and froze when they saw the hyena pack flying. Kion slid down the rocks and ran to Nala,
"Thank you, Kion." Nala thanked her son.
"Of course, mom." Kion said softly as he nuzzled his mother, relieved she wasn't injured.
Bunga stood with his eyes wide and jaw slack, "Un-Bunga-lievable." he said in awe.
"That was, different." Kufu muttered in shock.
The ground began to quake beneath everyone's feet. "What's...the...kerbubble?" Beshte stuttered, bracing himself.
Fuli looked ahead and her eyes widened as she saw the cloud of roaring lions heading right for them. "Kion, your Roar!" she alerted. "It's coming back towards us!"
Nala and the Lion Guard tried to outrun the wind, but failed. Fuli and Kufu crashed into each other, while Bunga flew right into Beshte, and poor Ono was sent tumbling over everyone else. Kion braced himself, but fell on his stomach. The ground beneath Nala's paws cracked, creating a crevice just wide enough for her to fall into.
"Mom!" Kion ran to the crevice's edge, seeing Nala clinging onto a rounded stone protruding from the side. "Mom!" He said in worry.
"Kion!" Nala said, holding on as tight as she could.
"Hang on." Kion said as he reached down to grab her paw, "Almost..." the prince strained, grabbing his mother's paw between his. "Got you." Kion pulled Nala from the crevice and back onto solid ground, both royals sighing in relief. "Mom, are you okay?" Kion asked, his ears flat at the sides of his head as he nuzzled his mother.
Nala returned the nuzzle with a smile, "I'm all right, Kion." she assured her youngest cub. "Thanks to you." She pulled back and smiled at her son.
"I…almost lost you," Kion said solemnly.
"Kion! Queen Nala!" Kufu called out as he, Fuli, Bunga, and Beshte ran up to them.
"You're not hurt, are you?" Beshte asked.
"We're fine." the Queen reassured.
"I'll say it again, Un-Bunga-lievable." Bunga gaped.
"It sure was." Kion sighed heavily, his ears still down. "Is everyone okay?" He looked at the rest of his friends.
"Yup." Bunga grinned.
"Yes." Fuli followed with a small smile.
"Me, too." Beshte added.
"We're good Kion." Kufu assured.
"Affirmative." Ono answered, perched on a small stone nearby.
Everyone looked in his direction and blinked, seeing that in the midst of the chaos, Ono had somehow lost his crest feathers.
"What are you all staring at?" Ono asked, one of his crest feathers falling onto his beak. "Oh, strange. That looks like one of my feathers."
"Should we say something?" Bunga asked the rest of the Guard.
"I wouldn't." Fuli answered.
"Maybe he won't notice." Beshte noted.
"Oh, he'll notice." Kufu rebuffed, casting a glance at the hippo.
"Notice what?" Ono questioned. "Huh, funny, suddenly my head's kinda cold."
Kion looked out over the savanna, seeing various trees knocked over and flattened, "Hevi kabisa." He sighed. "The Roar did all this?" His ears fell flat against his head as he saw the damage his Roar was capable of doing. What he was capable of doing.
"C'mon Ono." Kufu said at the egret, standing in front of the branch he was perched on so he could easily jump on his back. "It doesn't look that bad, really." The Lion Guard continued on to their Lair. Fuli and Kufu then noticed that Kion was falling behind and they both saw the hints of sadness, bordering despair, reflected in his eyes, which made the two look at each other in concern.
But unbeknownst to them, someone was hiding in a bush and had witnessed the whole thing.
The Guard sat around the pool in the center of their Lair, except for Kion, who just stared at the various paintings of his great-uncle's Lion Guard.
"What's the big deal about a few missing feathers?" the keenest of sight shrugged, landing on a stone near the water's shore. "They'll grow back, right?"
"That's the spirit, Ono." Kufu encouraged, taking a drink from the watering hole.
The egret smiled at the lion cub, before looking down at his reflection, "Oh, no!" he shrieked. "That's me?"
"Yeah, pretty much." Fuli answered, laying on a flat rock near the shore.
"What are all the other egrets going to say? What's Kipo gonna say?!" Ono exclaimed, still shocked over how he looked without his crest feather. "You think they'll notice?"
"Oh, they'll definitely notice. It's impossible not to notice." Bunga confirmed. "I mean, everyone's gonna notice." Fuli and Kufu then glared at the honey badger. "I mean...no one's gonna notice." he recanted. "I barely noticed."
"Nice save, Bunga." Kufu said sarcastically as he jumped onto the sloping rock over the pool.
Ono sighed heavily as he continued to stare at his reflection, "My head looks weird without feathers." he whined.
"Nah." Beshte rebuked, swimming up to his egret friend. "Just looks smooth, like a hippo's backside."
"My head looks like a hippo bottom." Ono translated, flatly. "That's something to celebrate."
"You look fine from below." Bunga pointed out, jumping down to the bird. "As long as you fly higher than everyone, they'll never know."
Ono quirked his brow, "And if I don't fly higher?" he questioned.
"Well, then you'll stand out." Bunga answered.
Ono shook his head and flew up to Kufu, standing right beside the lion cub who was laying on his stomach with his paws crossed.
Bunga danced around the shore of Beshte's pool.
Bunga:
Fitting in is overrated
I'd rather be appreciated
What better way to shout you're here
Then have a head like a hippo rear!
The honey badger jumped onto the sloping rock, wrapping his arm around the egret's shoulders. "Bunga, that doesn't make me feel better." Ono replied, hopping away from the badger, moving to stand against the lion's chest.
Bunga shrugged it off and swung on a vine towards one of the painted walls.
Bunga;
Giraffes stand out in the zebra herd
Elk can't hide in a flock of birds
With that head, you can't hide from view
Then again, who'd want to?
"Well, there's predators, for one." Ono pointed out. Kufu just rolled his eyes, but couldn't help but smile even a little bit.
Bunga:
You gotta stand up, stand out!
Let the Pride Lands hear you shout
Be proud, be free,
To be the way that you wanna be!
If weird is better, you are the best
Totally stand out from the rest
Lucky you, your head's unique
Looks like a rock that grew a beak.
For comparison, Bunga held a small pebble up to Ono's head. In response, Ono tried to hide himself behind Kufu. Wanting to help cheer up the Guard's keenest of sight, Fuli and Beshte joined in with Bunga's song.
Bunga, Fuli and Beshte:
You gotta stand up, stand out
Bunga:
Let the Pride Lands hear you shout
Bunga, Fuli and Beshte:
Be proud, be free,
Bunga:
to be the way that you wanna be
Bunga, Fuli and Beshte
To be the way that you wanna be!"
A small smile crossed Ono's beak, for he was grateful to have his friends. Bunga pointed to a painting of his two adoptive uncles…
Bunga;
Don't forget my uncle Pumbaa
Folks all know him when he passes
'Cause his toots go Bada-boom-ba
You gotta respect those massive gasses!
Kufu let out a chuckle, tapping his tail on the stone he laid on. He got to his feet, and lifted Ono with his nose and set him on his shoulder as the three Guard members continued to sing. Bunga swung through the vines falling from the cave's ceiling.
Bunga, Fuli and Beshte:
Oh... You gotta stand up, stand out
Bunga:
Let the Pride Lands hear you shout
Bunga, Fuli and Beshte:
Be proud, be free
Bunga:
To be the way that you wanna be!
Bunga, Fuli and Beshte:
Stand up, stand out
Bunga:
Let the Pride Lands hear you shout
Bunga, Fuli and Beshte
Be proud, be free
Bunga:
To be the way that you wanna be!
Bunga scooped up Ono from Kufu's back and jumped onto Beshte's, setting the egret on top of the hippo's head as the trio kept singing. Kufu had a smile on his muzzle as he watched his friends, jumping down from his perch and landing by the pool of water.
Bunga, Fuli and Bestie:
Stand up, stand out
Bunga:
To be the way that you wanna be
Bunga, Fuli and Bestie:
Stand up, stand out
Bunga:
Let the Pride Lands hear you shout!
The musical beat ended as Bunga struck a finishing pose, "Right, Kion?" he asked.
Kufu and Fuli glanced at their best friend, seeing Kion still staring at the paintings on the wall. Their ears fell to the sides of their heads as they looked to him, "Kion?" Kufu spoke up.
"Huh?" the prince questioned, glancing at his friends for a moment. "Yeah. Ono looks great." he agreed, before turning back to stare at the paintings of his great-uncle's Lion Guard.
"Well, obviously he didn't look." Bunga muttered, running up to Kion, jumping over Kufu and Fuli along the way. "So what are you looking at, Kion?" The honey badger asked as he, Kufu and Fuli followed his friend's line of sight, and they frowned.
"Oh," Fuli said as they were staring at the painting depicting the Destruction of Scar's Lion Guard, by Scar himself, "Scar Destroying his Lion guard with the Roar.
"Yeah, my moms told me that Scar was the worst Lion to ever live in the Pride Lands, but what would you expect from a lion who would murder his own brother?" Kufu questioned as Kion looked down for a moment.
"Good thing you're the one with Roar now, right Kion?" Bunga said with a smile, nudging Kion's shoulder.
"Yeah..." Kion agreed, although not entirely believing it to be true. "...good thing." He muttered as Kufu and Fuli noticed this and shared another concerned look.
"Lion Guard?" Zazu's voice echoed through the Lair as he flew in, "Ah, there you are. Thank goodness."
"Zazu?" Kufu questioned as the hornbill landed in front of him, Fuli, Bunga, and Kion. "What are you doing here?"
"Ono's job, apparently." the Majordomo answered. "There's been a rockslide. No one was injured, but it cut the giraffes off from their watering hole."
Ono flew down and landed behind Zazu, "Oh, no." he gasped, holding the tips of his wings up to his beak.
"Oh, yes, Ono." Zazu scoffed. "You would have known had you been on the lookout...Oh!" The hornbill gasped and leaped back when he saw the bald egret.
"There's nothing wrong with him." Bunga stated, folding his arms over his chest. "He stands out."
"Indeed." Zazu noted, recomposing himself. "In any case, the giraffes need your help."
Fuli looked at Kion and gave him a soft smile. "Right. We're on it." Kion returned Fuli's smile and glanced at the rest of the Guard. "Till the Pride Lands end…
"...Lion Guard..." The others added, only halted when they realized one of them was not joining the rest.
"Ono?" Bunga questioned.
"You coming?" Fuli quirked her brow.
The egret looked down at his talons, "Uh, I'm not sure." Ono shrugged.
"But Ono, you've gotta come." Kufu pleaded. "You're the keenest of sight."
"Kufu right, Ono." Kion agreed. "Come on, we need you."
"You heard Kion. Duty calls." Zazu shoved Ono towards the Lair's entrance. "Mustn't dawdle. Spit spot."
"Okay! Okay!" Ono squawked as Zazu pushed him past the others who watched in amusement. "Lion Guard defend. Lion Guard defend!"
Fuli let out a giggle, "Zazu can be pretty persuasive." She lightly nudged Kion's shoulder with her own.
"That is the understatement of the year." Kufu said with a chuckle.
"Definitely." Kion agreed with a soft chuckle as a thought came to him. "Actually, Kufu? Think you can take charge for a while? I need to take care of something." He asked his friend.
"Oh, uhh, okay." Kufu said, surprised by this request.
"Are you feeling okay, Ki?" Fuli asked in concern.
"I'm fine Fuli, I just…. Need to handle something, I'll catch up with you guys soon." Kion told them with a weak smile, which Kufu and Fuli noticed.
"Okay, if you say so." Kufu said before turning to the others. "Till the Pride Lands end…"
"... Lion Guard defend!" The others finished before rushing out of the lair, Kufu and Fuli took one last concern look at Kion before following the others.
Kion then turned back to the painting, more specifically the one where Scar destroyed his Guard with the roar and the painting where Scar murdered his own brother, Kion's grandfather, Mufasa.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here." a familiar voice spoke out, Kion turned around and saw Kopa entering the cave with a smug look on his face.
"Oh great, here we go." Kion muttered, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "What do you want now, Kopa? I'm not in the mood to deal with your stupidity today."
"Oh, I just thought come by and see how your transformation into the next Scar is doing." Kopa told him.
"Not this again." Kion complained. "For the one millionth time Kopa, I am not like Scar!" He sternly told the dark golden lion cub. "And I will never, I repeat never, be like him!"
"Are you sure about that?" Kufu asked with a sinister grin. "What you nearly did to your own mother says otherwise."
Kion's eyes widened hearing that. "W-What?!" He exclaimed in shock. "H-How do you know that?" He questioned.
"Kind of hard not to miss giant lion heads made of clouds and earthquakes," Kopa told him. "And I also saw what happened to the queen as well." He added with a sinister grin.
"Th-That was an accident! I didn't mean for that to happen!" Kion told him.
"Maybe it was, but what about next time?" Kopa asked as Kion looked down worriedly as Kopa began to walk around him. "You lost control of the Roar, just like Scar did, that's stage one, who's to say it won't happen again?" He asked, still having that grin on his face. "And what would your mother say? I mean, you already harmed her once with your Roar, she must be very disappointed in you."
Kion took a few steps back and glanced down in worry. "Face it Kion, your destiny is meant for one thing and one thing only, to be exactly like Scar." Kopa said, looking into Kion's eyes. "And what you did earlier just proved it, it's only a matter of time before you end up just like him." He told him before turning around to leave the lair. "Think on that while helping your so-called 'friends'. And maybe warn your sister to watch her back." He said before leaving the lair leaving Kion to think about what Kopa just said.
Kion looked back at the painting and then turned to one that showed Scar holding onto the front paws of Grandfather Mufasa on a cliff over a wildebeest stampede, the painting depicting the day of Mufasa's Death.
For a moment, in his imagination, Kion saw in place of his grandfather, a cream colored lioness and in place of his great uncle, a yellow lion with a red mane. Kion realized that it's depicting his sister Kiara in his grandfather's place and himself in Scar's place.
Kion shook his head and started panting heavily as the paintings went back to normal. Kion then approached the pond in the lair and looked at his reflection in worry, wondering if Kopa was right and that he would end up like Scar.
Unbeknownst to him, Zazu was perched above the hole in the ceiling, having witnessed the whole thing, as he narrowed his eyes at Kopa's actions towards Kion. "Perhaps Simba and Nala should hear about this." He said before flying off to locate Simba and Nala and inform them about what Kopa did.
It didn't take the Guard long to reach the giraffes and their watering hole. "At least the giraffes are all waiting patiently." Beshte noted.
"For now." Fuli muttered.
Kufu led the Guard through the giraffe herd. "Alright guys, let's find a way to unblock the Watering Hole." He told the others..
Ono swooped down and landed on a small stone in front of Shingo. "Hey!" The male giraffe scolded. "Wait your turn, egg-head." He glared down at the bald bird.
"Egg-head?" Ono repeated. "Is that a reference to how smart I am?" He chuckled nervously.
"No, it's a reference to your head looking like an egg!" Twiga, the herd leader laughed. A few other giraffes joined in the laughter.
Ono let out a groan and covered his face with his wing. "Hey, don't call Ono an egg-head." Fuli hissed, defending her friend.
"Yeah!" Bunga added. "His head looks more like a hippo bottom." The giraffes continued to laugh.
Kufu and Beshte all stood in front of the wall of rocks. "Well Kufu, what do we do?" Beshte questioned.
Kufu continued to stare at the rocks. "I got an idea." Kufu said as he looked to the Guard's strongest, "Beshte, if you move that one big rock, it'll open up the whole thing."
"You got it, Kufu." Beshte approached the rock wall and braced himself against the largest one in the center.
"Everybody stand back." Kufu advised the giraffes.
Beshte put all of his weight against the center boulder, "Twende kiboko." He grunted. He pushed the boulder up and it collapsed the wall, creating a wide enough entrance for the giraffes to get to their watering hole.
"Great news, giraffies, your watering hole's back open!" Bunga announced. "Plenty of water for everyone!"
"It worked!" a female giraffe cheered, as she and a few others walked right past the hippo.
"Huzzah!" Shingo declared as he and the rest of the herd followed the others to the watering hole.
"Our work here is done." Fuli noted, turning to walk back the way they came.
"Yeah." Kufu agreed as he glanced up at Beshte, "Nice work, Beshte." he smiled.
"Nice plan, Kufu." Beshte replied with a grin.
The Guard began walking away from the Watering Hole, Fuli then went up to Kufu. "Hey Kufu, do you know what's going on with Kion?" She asked, looking a bit concerned. "I feel like something's wrong with him."
"Yeah, I'm feeling it too," Kufu added, frowning in concern. "He's been like this since what happened with Queen Nala and the Hyenas."He said before his eyes widened as he remembered something else. "And with the Roar." He added as Fuli realized what Kufu meant.
"You don't think that 'accident' with the Roar messed with Kion's head, do you?" Fuli asked in concern.
"Kion's always tried to prove he's worthy of the Roar. He's only ever used as a last resort and had full control over it." Kufu recalled, "But back there, all that control went out the Aardvark hole."
Fuli was about to say something, before an animal crying in the distance caught everyone's attention. "Now what?" Bunga scratched the back of his head.
The Guard followed the animal's cries and saw it was a klipspringer on a small boulder in the middle of the river. Ono flew over and hovered in front of the scared animal.
"Don't worry, little guy, we'll get you to safety." Ono assured. "Somehow." He added after-the-fact, taking note of the fast current of the river.
"He's a klipspringer." Bunga noted. "Can't he just jump to the other side?"
"I think the poor little guy's too scared to move." Beshte guessed.
The klipspringer let out another terrified cry. "We'll have to go get him." Kufu voted, unsure of how to go about rescuing the animal.
"The water's moving too fast for me, Kufu." Beshte informed.
"And it's too wet for me." Fuli added, taking a step back from the river's edge.
The Guard's bravest tapped his chin with his claws, "So just stop the water." He suggested.
"And how are we supposed to stop the water Bunga?" Kufu asked with a raised brow before he spotted a tree near the river's edge and a better idea came to mind. "Beshte, the dead tree. I can use it as a bridge to get to him."
"Gotcha, Kufu!" Beshte grinned, running to the tree. "Twende kiboko." The hippo grunted as he easily knocked the tree over with his snout.
"Nice job, Beshte." Kufu smiled as he ran past him, jumping onto the tree. "I'll go get the klipspringer, Can you guys keep the tree steady for me?" He glanced back at the guard, who nodded.
Fuli, Bunga and Beshte held onto the end of the log, watching as Kufu carefully walked across it towards the klipspringer. "Don't worry little guy, I gotcha." He assured the klipspringer. Kufu took another step and the wood cracked under her weight, and she let out yell as hiw paw sunk into the wood.
"Kufu!" Fuli ran to Kufu's side and tried to help him get free.
"My paw, it's stuck." Kufu griped, trying to pull his paw from the trunk of the tree.
"Hang on Kufu!" Bunga called out. "We'll save you!" The rest of the Guard ran to help the two felines.
"No! Go back!" Kufu yelled. "The wood's rotten! It can't handle all our...weight!" The tree completely collapsed under the added weight of the three other Guard members, sending the five animals into the river. A chunk of wood from the tree struck Ono, who was hovering above his friends.
The four popped out of the water and swam back to shore, "You guys okay?" Kufu asked, shaking himself dry.
"We're okay." Beshte assured.
"Yeah, just fine." Fuli said dully before shaking herself off
Bunga popped up behind Fuli, resting his arms on her shoulders. "Looks like the little klippie-springer's safe." he noted, watching the small animal leap around in the nearby field, bleating happily.
"At least we're all in one piece." Ono noted in relief, perching on a tree branch over the rest of the Guard.
"Hey, Ono!" A familiar voice called out as Kipo with two more members of the flock perched in another nearby tree.
Ono shrunk away from his flock. "I knew this would happen." He muttered under his breath.
"Ono, what's with your feathers?" Kipo asked with a brow. "You're bald at both ends."
Ono sighed. "I know, I...what?!" The keenest of sight looked behind him and realized his tail feathers were missing too. "Hapana! My Tail feathers! That chunk of wood must've knocked them off."
"At least now everything matches." Bunga said optimistically, scratching the back of his head.
"This is so embarrassing." The young egret whined.
The Lion Guard walked across the plains back to their Lair, Fuli then used her paw to stop Kufu in his tracks. "Fuli? What's wrong?" He asked.
"We can't keep going like this. We need Kion." Fuli told him.
"Yeah, I agree." Kufu agreed before he spotted something just up ahead. "Fuli, look, I see him."
Fuli turned her head and saw Kion sitting by the river, she and Kufu shared a concerned look before they approached their leader. "Hey, Kion?" She spoke up.
Kion jumped a little bit before turning his head and saw Kufu and Fuli approaching him. "Oh, hey guys." He greeted before turning his head back to the river.
"Kion, where have you been?" Kufu asked him.
"Yeah, usually our team is a mess without you, and we've managed so far without you but it just doesn't feel right with you not with us." Fuli told him before noticing the worried look on Kion's face. "Ki, are you feeling okay?"
"It's just…just…" Kion tried to speak.
"Just what?" Kufu questioned. "Kion, be straight with us."
Kion sighed heavily, "After what happened with my mom...I'm afraid I might hurt someone else with the Roar." he admitted, looking down.
"Kion, it's not like you did that on purpose." Kufu told him.
"Yeah, Kufu's right Ki, it's not your fault." Fuli assured him.
"I know...and that's the problem." Kion replied, his voice cracking. "I couldn't control it. I don't know if I should ever use the Roar again." He said sadly.
"What?!" Kufu and Fuli exclaimed in shock.
"Kion, you can't just stop using the Roar." Kufu told him.
"But Kufu, I lost control of the Roar." Kion said.
"Once." Kufu reminded him.
"But what if I lose control again?" Kion asked worriedly. "What if this time I lose control again and actually really hurt someone or worse? What if…. What if I am actually gonna be like Scar?"
"What?!" Fuli exclaimed in shock. "Kion, that's ridiculous! You are nothing like Scar! Who told you that?!"
"I'll give you one guess, Fuli." Kufu answered with a look, already having a hunch as Fuli realized who Kufu was talking about.
"Kopa." Fuli said with a growl. "That explains a lot."
"That idiot must've seen what happened and used it to his advantage." Kufu growled as he faced Kion, "Kion, don't tell us you're actually listening to that blowhard?"
"I, I know I shouldn't be listening to him but…" Kion tried to say "What he said about my mom being disappointed in me for what almost happened to her because of me… It really got to me."
"Kion, Kopa can go on and on for days about you being like Scar, but if you ask me, he doesn't know the first thing about him." Kufu said to his best friend before giving a smile, "So maybe, you should talk to someone who spent her life under his tyranny." He said, giving Kion a hint to who he was talking about.
Kion thought about what Kufu said and realized that he was right. "Yeah, you're right Kufu, maybe I should talk to someone about this." He said with a small smile.
"That's the spirit, Kion." Fuli said with a smile. "Now if you'll excuse me I am gonna hunt down a certain Lion cub and rip his spine out from his throat." She said with a growl before she sped off as Kion and Kufu shared a chuckle before walking away from the river.
But unbeknownst to them, hiding in the river was Makuu, and he overheard everything. "So, Kion is afraid of using the Roar, interesting." He said with a chuckle as another crocodile approached him. "Looks like it's time to make my move."
"You mean go back to Big Springs?" A crocodile asked.
"Who needs Big Springs, when the whole Flood Plains can be ours!" Makuu declared with an evil smirk.
Kion walked down a grassy hill and looked up at the clouds, "Grandfather Mufasa?" he spoke weakly.
The clouds opened up and the past King's spirit appeared before his grandson. "Yes, Kion. I'm here." he replied calmly.
"I'm worried about the Roar." Kion admitted, looking down at the ground. "The last time I used it, I was really angry...and it caused so much destruction."
Mufasa nodded, "The Roar of the Elders is very powerful." he noted.
"I know. And that's why I'm thinking..." the young prince sighed. "...I shouldn't use it again. I... I'm worried that..." his ears fell flat against his head. "That Kopa might be right…. About me turning into Scar."
"Scar cared only for himself." Mufasa reminded his grandson. "His selfishness and Greed fueled his anger. Why were you angry, Kion?"
"Janja and the hyenas. They were attacking my mom." Kion answered, his brows furrowing. "I was so mad at them when I used the Roar. I lost control...and it almost hurt my mom. I almost hurt my mom."
Seeing the subtle changes in his grandson's eyes, Mufasa was beginning to understand. "My brother never cared for anyone else the way you do, Kion." the Great Lion informed. "So perhaps you should speak with the one you care so much about."
"I will. Thank you, Grandfather." Kion smiled, Mufasa tipped his head and his spirit disappeared into the clouds.
Kion then ran to find his mother.
At the Flood Plains, animals from all over the Pride Lands were enjoying the water, but then Makuu and his Crocodiles arrived. "The Flood Plains now belong, to the crocodiles." He said as he and his Crocodiles began to chase all of the animals away from the Flood Plains, Makuu then snapped at a Bushbuck which caused it to run as Makuu let out a chuckle. "That's right Bushbucks, leave!"
A mongoose then ran by Thurston who was drinking the water and was annoyed by that. "Hey! I was drinking here!" He said before he noticed Makuu heading towards him. "Ahh! Panic and Run! Panic and Run!" He said before running off.
Makuu let out a laugh as all the animals ran away from the Flood Plains. "That's right, run! And tell all your friends, the Flood Plains now belong to the crocodiles!" He declared
The mongoose ran for his life not noticing that he ran past Fuli who saw him run before getting in front of him. "Hey, are you okay?" She asked.
"Makuu and the Crocs!" The mongoose answered, trying to catch his breath. "They've taken over the Flood Plains!"
"Makuu." Fuli repeated with a glare before looking at the mongoose. "Don't worry, The Lion Guard will handle it." She assured him before rushing off to find the Guard.
Beshte stood in his pool, with his front legs resting on the shore, while Kufu sat beside the shore. The two were watching as Ono was sitting on a medium sized stone while Bunga worked on a flower arrangement to replace his crest feathers.
"Oh, I don't know about this, Bunga." The egret admitted.
"Trust me. Almost done." Bunga assured, clipping some of the excess flora with his claws. "Just a little more off the top."
"Poa!" Beshte exclaimed. "It's a whole new look, Ono."
"Is that good?" Ono questioned. Kufu smiled weakly and tapped his tail on the cave's floor.
Bunga continued to clip away a few more excess leaves, "There." He jumped off the stone and spun it around, tapping his chin with his claw. "Now let's see what I can do about these tail feathers."
"Guys!" Fuli called as she sped into the Lair.
"Have a seat, be with you in a minute." Bunga halted, holding his hand out behind him.
"What is that?" The Guard's fastest raised her brow at the weird arrangement on the keenest of sight's head. She shook her head to recollect her thoughts, "Nevermind, listen, Makuu and his crocs just took over the Flood Plains!"
"Wait, what?" Beshte gasped. "He can't do that. A lot of animals depend on those plains."
"You're right Beshte." Kufu agreed, getting to his feet. "We gotta get down there." He looked over to Ono, "Ono, find Kion, tell him to meet us at the Flood Plains."
"Affirmative!" The egret saluted, instantly taking to the air.
"All right, let's go!" The slyest voted, "Till the Pride Lands end..."
"...Lion Guard defend!" The others finished, Fuli and Beshte followed Kufu out of the Lair while Ono flew out through the ceiling's skylight.
"Careful, Ono!" The Guard's bravest called after him. "That's a Bunga original!"
Fuli and Kufu were the first to reach the Flood Plains. "All right, Makuu, you've had your fun." the cheetah hissed.
"Now it's time for you to leave." Kufu added, baring his fangs.
"Yeah!" The honey badger agreed, standing at the left of the lion cub. "Get out, or we'll throw you out!"
Makuu chuckled and swam closer to the shoreline, "Without your fearless leader?" he snickered, seeing the lion prince nowhere in sight. "Or should I say, your Roar-less leader?" the crocodile leader raised his brow and narrowed his eyes. He saw the looks of confusion on the Guard's bravest, and strongest. "Oh? Your wisest didn't tell you?" Makuu's eyes fell on the lion and cheetah cubs as he chuckled, "Mighty Kion, leader of the Lion Guard, too much of a coward to use his Roar."
Kufu let out a snarl and hunched his body, protracting his claws and flicking his tail until he quickly regained his composure and quirked his brow, letting out a small chuckle,
"I don't know what you think you heard." Kufu said, stepping forward to face the float leader. "But if you think we need the Roar to defeat you, then you're sadly mistaken." He narrowed his eyes.
Makuu simply laughed in the cub's face, "We'll see about that, little cub." He chuckled. Three other crocodiles emerged from the water; one was sleek with bright green scales, another was bulky with dark green scales, and the final one was smaller than the rest with medium green scales. The float leader snapped at the Guard's slyest, who narrowly dodged his teeth.
Fuli jumped on Makuu's snout and landed on the next bank. "I'll take Makuu." She told the rest of the Guard. "Can you three can handle the rest?"
"You got it Fuli!" Bunga agreed, charging into the water and tackling the smallest crocodile.
"Twende kiboko!" Beshte called as he charged into the water, knocking the bulky crocodile back a ways.
"Let's get them! Huwezi Kuniona!" Kufu exclaimed before jumping on a crocodile
Makuu lunged, which the cheetah dodged easily. The two continued their dance of attack and dodge, until Fuli changed it up and went on the offensive. She pounced on his head, and stretched his mouth wide open with her paws.
Makuu snapped his jaw shut just as Fuli jumped away. She quickly leaped into a nearby tree and clung to the branch by digging her claws into the wood. Makuu let out a low growl and slithered forward, and Fuli swiped her claws over his snout. The crocodile leader clamped his jaw around the tree's base and the cheetah cub jumped down.
"What's the matter cub?" Makuu taunted, stalking forward. "Can't fight without your prince?"
Fuli lowered her body in preparation to pounce, "You'd better watch what you say Makuu." she warned.
The crocodile leader raised his brow, "Ohh. Someone's a little touchy." He took a couple steps forward. "You're twice the feline he ever was." Makuu repeated in a high-pitched mocking tone.
Fuli let out a snarl and tackled Makuu into the water, digging her claws into the scales on his neck as he thrashed around. "Told you we didn't need the Roar to beat the likes of you." the Guard's fastest said through gritted teeth. "And Kion's no coward." she added with a hiss. Makuu continued to thrash around, trying to throw the young cheetah off his back. Fuli only dug her claws in deeper, "Take it back." she growled.
Makuu ceased his thrashing to catch his breath, "I don't think so, cheetah." he grunted, diving into the deeper water and rolling onto his back. Fuli let go of Makuu and came up for air, only to be slammed back down underwater by Makuu's tail.
Fuli swam back and gasped for air when she reached the rest of the Guard. Kufu was standing on top of Beshte and Bunga back, Makku and his crocodiles surrounding them. "Did you think I'd try to take over the whole Flood Plains with only three crocodiles?" The float leader questioned as his entire float surfaced.
Bunga shrugged his shoulders, "I kinda did." he admitted with a dry laugh.
Meanwhile, Nala was in Mizimu Grove and listening to what Zazu was telling her. "And now, Young Kion is plagued with the idea of becoming like Scar, all thanks to that scoundrel Kopa." Zazu finished.
"Kopa said that?" Nala asked with a frown, "I always knew he resented Kion but this is unbelievable." She said, shaking her head.
"I haven't reported this to Simba yet, I'd thought that since the accident revolved around you, I figured you should know first." Zazu explained, before shaking his head. "Honestly I say that when that little scoundrel is of age he should be expelled from The Pride Lands. Saying Kion is like Scar, he wasn't reduced to songbird in a ribcage by that tyrant."
"Thank you for telling me this, Zazu, Simba and I will make sure that Kopa's antics are put to a stop." Nala said before looking down in concern. "But right now I need to find Kion and talk to him."
Zazu then spotted someone heading towards them. "Or maybe he will find you." He gestured his head as Nala looked ahead and saw her son heading towards him.
"Mom," Kion said with his ears back, "Can we talk?" He asked.
Nala smiled and nuzzled Kion's head, having a good idea what this was about, "I'll always listen, son." She said warmly.
"I'll give you two some privacy." Zazu said with a bow before flying off to find Simba and tell him what he told Nala.
Kion looked to Nala in confusion, "Zazu told me about what Kopa said to you," Nala explained to the cub much to Kion's surprise before looking down in guilt and sadness, "Wanna talk to me about it?" She asked with a sympathetic smile.
Kion looked at his mother for a bit before giving a sigh. "Well, usually whenever Kopa starts his stupid rant about me ending up Scar, I just shrug it off and ignore him." He explained before looking down in sadness. "But this time it felt…. Different."
"How different?" Nala asked softly.
"Because… I feel like he was right." Kion said in sadness and guilt. "I never lost control of the Roar before, but then I saw you surrounded by hyenas and it made me so angry." The prince stomped his paw on the ground as he faced his mother. "I know I'm not supposed to use the Roar in anger. But I did. And, and then..."
"I know, Kion." Nala cut in. "I was there."
"So, what I need to know is..." Kion sighed, meeting his mother's eyes. "Can you ever forgive me?"
"Forgive you?" Nala repeated in surprise, getting to her feet. "There's nothing to forgive." she ruffled his mane, smiling. "You were saving my life."
"But the Roar created that earthquake...and you fell in." the Guard's leader went on, his ears falling flat.
"And you helped me out." The Queen reminded him.
"I know, but...seeing you like that." Kion sighed heavily. "Ever since, I've been afraid to use the Roar," he admitted.
Nala's eyes softened, "Kion, do you remember how I told you and Kiara about my life growing up?" She asked her son.
"Yeah, when Scar was king of the Pride Lands." Kion recalled.
"But I didn't tell you everything." Nala said before sighing. "When Scar took over, the Pride Lands were a complete wasteland, no food, no water, nothing, and Scar basically tortured us. Whenever one of us lionesses disobeyed him, he would have the hyenas deal with them, the latest victim before I found your father was my…" Nala paused as she closed her eyes in sorrow, "...my mother."
Kion's eyes widened in shock hearing that. "You mean…" He trailed off as Nala looked away, "So, that's why you don't talk about Grandmother Sarafina." He said softly.
Nala gave a sad nod. "It was the worst day of my life." She told him as she scowled in anger. "Scar lied his way into power and then put us to work to pay off his debt to the hyenas, heh, I would be lying if I said that I didn't feel like killing him myself at the time for what he did to Mufasa, to the Pride Lands, to my mother, everything. But in the end, it was Scar's own lies and hatred that destroyed him."
Kion was surprised to hear all this before he looked away in thought. "I've never heard the story of Scar that way, he really was a killer." He said.
Nala nodded before looking her son in the eyes. "Scar may be a monster, but you Kion, you are everything he's not." She told him with a smile. "You are selfless, caring for others, and you have a heart of gold." She explained as Kion looked on and thought about what his mom said. "And as for the Roar, I know that you are scared of using it again, but it is part of who you are, you can't just stop using it."
"But, how do you know I won't use the Roar in anger again and hurt someone?" Kion asked in concern.
Nala placed her paw under her cub's chin, making him look up at her, "Because I know you." she answered, rubbing the side of her head against his mane. "I trust you."
"But, what about Kopa?" Kion asked.
"Don't worry, your father and I will handle him." Nala assured her son.
"Kion!" Ono called as he flew down to the two royal lions. "Kion! It's Makuu!"
"Makuu?" the prince questioned. "What's he done this...Uh, Ono?" Kion quirked his brow, seeing the large floral arrangement on the egret's head. "What's on your head?"
"It's a Bunga original." Ono sighed. "I'll explain on the way. Follow me!" He took off and flew towards the Flood Plains with the two royals right behind him.
Makuu and his float had the rest of the Lion Guard completely surrounded. The runt of the float snapped at the Guard's fastest and she swiped her claws over his snout before roaring in his face, followed by a low growl.
"Aww, the wittle cheetah thinks she's so tough." A bulky crocodile laughed.
"Makuu!" Kion's voice called, getting the float leader's attention. "These Flood Plains aren't yours!" Kion and Nala stopped at the water's edge, with Ono hovering above them.
"You're welcome to use them, as are all the animals of the Pride Lands." The Queen added.
"And if you're not willing to share, then it's time to leave." Kion finished.
"That's right!" Bunga agreed, splashing water at two crocodiles in front of him and Kufu. "You heard Kion and Queen Nala! Clear out! The Flood Plains don't belong to you."
Makuu just laughed as he looked at the two royal lions. "Sure looks like they do to me." he rebuffed, glaring at Kion. "We crocodiles keep what we take."
Nala narrowed her blue eyes at the lead crocodile, and was suddenly knocked into the water by two more members of the float.
"The Queen!" Ono shrieked.
"Mom!" Kion yelled. He glared at Makuu, the sky darkening.
Kufu noticed the change in the sky and her eyes fell on his best friend, "Kion. Calm down." He called.
Kion then took a deep breath and calmed himself, "Not in anger." He said to himself. "Makuu..."
"What are you going to do, Kion?" The crocodile leader challenged, putting himself between Kion and Nala. "Roar at me? Risk hurting your mom...again?" He asked before his smirk grew. "Go ahead, cub. Use the roar, use it on me just like Scar did on his Lion Guard. Show everyone who you truly are!"
"Okay, now that's just a low blow!" Kufu said with a look.
Kion's eyes narrowed for an instant, the sky growing darker, before getting lighter again just as fast. "Kion, trust yourself." Nala told her son.
The Guard's fiercest took another deep breath and exhaled, then he used the Roar. The Roar sent a single stream of water and knocked one of the crocodiles further into the water.
"Poa!" Beshte gasped as he and the rest of the Guard witnessed the new ability of the Roar.
Kion Roared again, this time knocking two more crocodiles away from his mother. From her spot next to Bunga, Fuli blinked as her jaw fell slack, "Hevi Kabisa." She muttered, the corner of her lips curling up.
Kion walked into the water and stared down Makuu, "Next time when I say go, you leave." he warned, before Roaring a third time, which sent the rest of the float flying out of the Flood Plains.
Nala swam to shore and smiled down at her son as the rest of the Guard ran up to join them. "That was un-Bunga-lievable!" cheered Bunga, who playfully punched Kion's shoulder.
"It sure was." Beshte agreed with a grin.
Kufu walked onto the dry shore, "I didn't know you could do that with the Roar, Kion." He said with an amazed smile.
"Neither did I." Kion replied, looking from his friends to his mother. "Guess I just had to have a little faith in myself."
Nala smiled proudly, "I've always had faith in you." she said, tapping her forehead to his.
"So have I." Fuli agreed, stepping up beside Kion. The two cubs shared a smile before the cheetah female nuzzled her head under the golden male's, their tails swaying behind them. "And nothing will ever change that." she added.
"Hey, guys! Look!" Ono exclaimed as he flew over his friends, perching on Kufu's back.
"You lost your headpiece." Fuli noted.
"I can make you another one." Bunga offered.
"No need." Ono replied, "Look, my feathers have already started to grow back." he motioned to the red feathers on the top of his head. "I'll be back to looking like a normal egret in no time."
"Hey Ono!" Kipo called out. "Check it out." He showed off that he and two others had removed their own crest and tail feathers.
"Look at that, Ono." Beshte chuckled, glancing at his avian friend. "You started a trend.
Ono chuckled, "I suppose I did." he agreed with a smile.
Kion and Nala had made it back to Pride Rock and then Nala saw Kopa sneaking up on a Jerboa as she gave a firm look, "Kion, why don't you go on ahead, I'll catch up," She told her son.
"Uhh, sure mom." Kion said as he made his way towards the cave.
Nala then turned her attention to Kopa, who hadn't noticed her yet, and approached him from behind and just as he was about to pounce she put a paw his tail causing to yowel in surprise as the Jerboa saw him and scampered away.
"Hey! What's the big ideeeeee-" Kopa stopped himself when he turned and saw Nala looking down at him with a frown, "Oh, uh, hi your highness."
"You are in a lot of trouble Kopa." Nala said in a firm tone. "I know about what you said to my son, and so does Simba."
Kopa's eyes widened hearing that as he shuffled his paws, "Y-Yeah, so what?" He asked carefully.
"Picking on Kion and his friends is one thing, but when you fill his head with the idea that he's anything like the worst Lion I've ever known," Nala started in a mad tone.
"Well it's true! He's the younger brother, he's the leader of the Loser Guard and he's got a super destructive roar that almost-" Kopa tried to say before Nala silenced him with a snarl as he hunkered down in fear.
"I've suffered through Scar's reign myself, I've seen with my own eyes how cruel, selfish and evil he was, so I know better than anyone in the Pride Lands that Kion is nothing like that monster!" Nala sternly told him. "And it's not just me. Kula, Tama, Zazu, Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, your mother and Simba all know that Kion will never be like Scar. can you look me in the eye and say that we're wrong right now?"
"Uhh…. Maybe?" Kopa said nervously.
"Is that so?" Kopa turned and saw Simba walking over next to Nala with the same expression as his mate, "Then go ahead and say it to me, the King. Say that my son is destined to be like the lion who killed my father." Simba ordered, practically daring the cub to say it.
"You heard my dad, Kopa!" Another voice spoke out as Kopa turned and saw Kiara giving him a death glare. "Say that my little brother is like Scar, then I'll have a good reason to throw you into a stampede!" She said with a growl.
"Well, Kopa?" Nala asked with a brow.
Kopa looked at the Royal Family and couldn't find any words to say that wouldn't get him into any more trouble than he already is. "Pfft, that's what we thought." Kiara said with a look.
"Kopa, I am going to tell you this once and I want you to listen to every word," Simba said firmly leaning close to Kopa, "You will not bother my son or his friends, you will not try to ruin their efforts to protect the Pride Lands and you will never, never, bring up the subject of Scar again. Is, that, clear?"
"Y-Yes, your highness." Kopa squeaked fearfully.
"Good, now head back to your mother, she wants to have a word with you." Simba said as Kopa ran off to his mother as Simba shook his head. "What are we gonna do with that cub?"
"Well I know that once I'm Queen, Kopa is out of here." Kiara said as she watched Kopa run off with a look. "Because I am so sick and tired of that dork messing with my brother."
"Kopa is still young, we have to hope that someday he will grow up." Nala told her daughter.
"Even still, when you do become Queen Kiara, we're counting on you to take care of Kion." Simba told her.
"I already made that promise when Kion was born." Kiara told her father. "And that's a promise I am never breaking, not now, not ever."
Simba gave Kiara a nuzzle and nudged her to run along as she then ran and found Kion as the two started play fighting. Simba and Nala watched their children playing with warm smiles as they looked at each other and nuzzled, happy that their family was together.
To be continued...
A/N: And that was Never Roar Again, and dang this is one awesome chapter. Kion lost control of the Roar, Kopa was being a jerk once again, the crocodiles attacked and a little mother and son moment. This was great and I thank my friend HarryBuilder for helping me with the chapter. I hope you all enjoyed reading this chapter, leave a review and tell me what you think.
Up Next: The Lion Guard meets some goofy Princes.
Here's the Cast List.
Max Charles as Kion; Caleel Harris as Kufu; Joshua Rush as Bunga; Diamond White as Fuli; Atticus Shaffer as Ono; Dusan Brown as Beshte; Rob Lowe as Simba; Gabrielle Union as Nala; Gary Anthony Williams as Mufasa; Blair Underwood as Makuu; Rider Strong as Kopa; Jace Norman as Kipo; Eden Riegel as Kiara; Jeff Bennett as Zazu; Andrew Kishino as Janja; Kevin Schon as Chungu and Thurston; Vargus Mason as Cheezi; Alex Cartana as Twiga; Phil LaMarr as Shingo; Cam Clarke as Mongoose; and Kevin Michael Richardson as Crocodile.