Previously on The Lion Guard....
That's when I saw it, the vines near the ground were slightly swaying, telling me that air was moving back and forth between the plants. There was a cave in the back of Pride Rock, holy fucking shit!!
"No, Bunga," I corrected slowly, my breath leaving me at the realization.
"It's a cave...."
Chapter 5: History of the Guard
"Correct, Sauda," Simba smirked. "Rafiki?"
The Mjuzi smiled coyly before taking his wooden staff and pulling the vines back to reveal the entrance to the cave. I was too much in awe myself to comment or notice laugh at the other two's reactions.
"Whoa!" Kion cried in amazement, smile on his face.
"Look at that!" Bunga yelled excitedly, pointing at the tunnel with a claw. He looked back at us before turning back to the cave entrance.
"How did I not know this was here?" Kion wondered aloud, walking towards the cave entrance.
Simba padded ahead of Kion and myself to lead the way into the cave. Bunga and Rafiki followed closely behind.
"Dad, what is this place?" Kion asked.
I looked around as we treaded into the main area of the cave. There was rock formations surrounding a pool of water in the middle of the area and more hanging vines surrounding the place. It looked a bit dusty though, as if no one had been in here for years.
"Yeah, this place is freaking amazing!" I commented, looking up to the king.
"This is Lion Guard Lair," Simba smiled. "It's the secret meeting place for the members of the Lion Guard."
Bunga got caught up in part of the vines and sneezed as the movement kicked up dust.
"Ugh! Maybe they should think about fixin' the place up..." he stated scowling, trailing off into a coughing fit. "Or at least do some dusting..."
I nodded my head in agreement and looked over at Bunga who was pulling the vines off of himself. "Yeah, this place is giving me serious congestion..." I stated, lip curled in order to try and prevent myself from sneezing.
Rafiki looked around the cave and nodded his head in thought.
"Hmmm..." he murmured in thought before he let out a chuckle. "Yes..."
Rafiki then nearly scared the ever-living shit out of me by raising his stick up towards the skylight in the roof of the cave. A sudden wind crawled it's way through the cave and over my dark fur covered back, sending a chill up in my spine. The air surge kicked up the dust and fallen leaves laying around the floor of the cave and turned it into a small dust tornado that funneled up into the air and out the sky light in the ceiling. I screeched in surprise as it happened sending Kion and Simba into a near panic at the sound before the realized it had come from me and calmed slightly. I was breathing heavily and with vigor and seeing the panicked look in my face, Kion made a strangled sound as if he was trying to stifle laughter.
I ceased my heavy breathing and breathed out a deep, slow breath before opening my eyes and saying a glare over at the golden haired cub in disdain. However, I realized how I must've looked at had trouble stifling my own giggles as well. Bunga hadn't seen my reaction having been so captivated by the rush of wind that Rafiki had seeming summoned out of pretty much nowhere. He gave a look of confusion at Kion and I's forms shaking lightly with laughter. He then shrugged it off, not thinking any of it as we calmed down.
"Ah! That's more like it," the honey badger smiled, dusting his hands off. He looked up at the blue facd mandrill. "Can you show that trick to my Uncle Timon and Uncle Pumbaa?"
Rafiki didn't say anything but chuckle in response to Bunga's question.
Finally Kion seemed to have had enough of the suspense.
"Dad, enough with all the secrecy stuff!!" he cried. "You gotta tell me! What is the Lion Guard?"
Simba nodded to his son.
"The Lion Guard is the team that protects the Pride Lands and defends the Circle of Life," the king started to explain. "According to tradition, the Lion Guard is made of the Pride Lands' fiercest, bravest, fastest, strongest, most cunning, and keenest of sight."
Simba had turned to what looked like a mural of pictures on one wall of the cave. There was multiple pictures of past lion guards and even painting of their achievements and adventures.
"So what happened to them?" I wondered aloud. "It looks like they haven't been in here since well, forever..."
Simba sighed in what sounded to me like remorse. "I'm afraid that's a story... without a happy ending..."
Simba motioned to the mural and in the center was a dark looking painting with a lion whom I immediately recognized in the center, Scar..... Not only was the dark maned lion my all time favorite Disney villain, in my opinion Kion's late Great Uncle was also the most misunderstood. He was judged by his marred appearance that he had been given due to an injury and was immediately dubbed as evil. Not to mention his own father fucking named him "Taka", the Swahili word for trash...
Ahadi had been a cruel king in my opinion with no regard for family and a biased opinion on the Circle of Life. He'd ignored his second son and treated him as if he were well, trash. Least to say, Scar was only "Scar" because of the way he had been raised and for trying to change tradition to make life better for those who were part of the Circle of Life. As I looked upon the painting of Scar and his Lion Guard, I listened to Simba explain it's past.
"When your grandfather Mufasa was about your age, his younger brother, Scar, was leader of the Lion Guard. Scar also had the gift of the Roar," the king explained. "The Roar made Scar feel powerful. But that power went to Scar's head. He began to think that he should be king, instead of his older brother Mufasa. So Scar ordered the Lion Guard to help him take down Mufasa. When the Guard refused, Scar was furious. And then, Scar used the Roar to destroy the Lion Guard. What Scar didn't realize was that by using the Roar for evil, he would lose the power of the Roar completely...."
I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from yelling out insults in protest towards Simba. One, I knew that it would do no good since the auburn maned feline was raised on the basis that Scar was inherently evil and had been born that way. And two, I knew that stating any of my knowledge of the history of the Pride Lands that I'd gained from the movies and online would raise questions on who I really was and where I came from. I wasn't supposed to have any knowledge of this and I sure as hell wasn't going to make it look like I did. That would lead to trust problems that I did NOT need right now.
"Heyvi kabisa..." Kion gasped in shock.
"Yeah..." Bunga softly stated in agreement.
"The Roar is a very powerful gift," Rafiki chimed in. "It can be used for great good. But it can also lead to terrible evil!"
Kion looked to the mural painting of Scar. "Well, I'd never be like Scar. Ever!"
Simba smiled in what looked life relief at his son's proclamation.
"I'm glad to hear that, son," Simba stated.
"Why?" I asked indignantly.
Kion looked over to me and then back to his father. "Yeah, why?"
Simba's muzzle adorned a proud smirk.
"Because starting today, you are the leader of the new Lion Guard.
In that moment there was only one word that came to mind about what was happening right now....
Epic.....
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The confused and slightly bewildered expression on Kion's face made it hard for not to laugh in this moment that was supposed to be life-changing and awe-inspiring. Managing to disguise my little outburst as a ragged cough, I turned my attention back to the conversation between the father and son.
"I'm the what!?" Kion cried, eyes widening considerably.
"You heard Simba," Rafiki laughed. "The leader of the new Lion Guard!" The mandrill had started to poke the small lion in the chest as he continued. "It is you! Yes! It. Is. You!"
Kion's face continued to hold that bewildered look but now there was something mixed into it, amazement. I smiled internally, knowing that the Prince of the Pridelands' life had just been forever changed completely. He would have a duty now to protect and uphold the ideas of the Circle of Life.
"Dad?" he asked, looking up.
Simba nodded with a solemn smile. "It's true, Kion."
A smile lit his son's face before Kion sent it towards Bunga and I. "Wow... Amazing!!"
I smiled widely right back, "Yeah, this is epic!"
Simba smiled at us as he continued to say, “It is. And now, as leader of the Guard, I need you to assemble the Pride Lands' bravest, fastest, strongest, slyest and keenest of sight.”
I looked at the painting on the wall. I narrowed my eyes and I realized something. There were six lions on the painted wall. In the show there was only five. Then I remembered one word Simba mentioned.
”I’m sorry, what was the thing you said after the strongest?” I asked the king.
”The slyest?” he replied.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when Rafiki laugh. “Yes, the slyest member in the Lion Guard! This animal must be able to maneuver between enemy lines and conduct ambush attacks and act as a scout for nighttime missions!"
I nodded my head slightly. I didn't remember this being part of the show when I first saw the trailer. "Oh, well that makes sense then, thanks for explaining!!" I smiled at the baboon.
"Okay, Dad," Kion concluded. "Got it! Don't worry, I'm gonna make you proud!!!"
He trailed off as I followed him out of the cave and back outside. Bunga had stayed behind, awestruck at the information just presented to him. Simba looked down at the honey badger and smiled.
"Yes, Bunga?" he asked.
Wide eyed the young animal cried, "This is un-bunga-lievable!!"
Bunga then ran off out the cave of the mouth after us and left the two adult mammals inside. Rafiki walked over to the auburn maned lion and smiled knowingly.
"You see, Simba?" he questioned. "And now Kion will choose the best lions in the Pride for the Guard."
Simba sighed solemnly as he stared at our small forms growing smaller on the horizon, one of them destined to lead the strongest group of animals in the land.
"I hope so, Rafiki," he stated. "I'm still just not sure he's ready..."
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