Return To Pride Rock (Chapter 2)

So the pride and I were walking towards a large lake located north of pride rock before Kion started talking to me.

So, you're someone from another world. Kion started.

Yes. I replied.

And you came to the pride lands first four years before I was born. Kion continued.

Yep. I answered.

And you married my sister during that time? Kion asked and I nodded, Does it ever seem weird a non-lion is marrying a royal lion?

It's only as weird as you make it, Kion. I chuckled as we approached the lake, with an entire float of crocodiles waiting.

Welcome to lake matope, everyone. an old crocodile greeted kindly, I assume you got the word of the mashindano?

Indeed, Pua. Simba confirmed to the croc named Pua, And I hope that whoever wins will lead the crocodile float into a peaceful path rather than a harmful one.

Prepare to be disappointed, then…

What exactly IS a mashindano? Kion asked me and I looked at him with a frown.

''According to what I was told prior to me leaving last time, it's an ancient tradition within the crocodile floats. Ever so often, a crocodile will call for a mashindano, leading to a tournament to crown a new leader. I explained and Kion looked at the crocodile float, Any one of these crocs would be the leader, but it's usually a one on one contest.''

Ah, so you're Prince Shujaa? I hear a voice ask as a younger croc came over, smirking at me, The float heard of your 'return' and that made me eager to face you.

Trust me, I do not intend to interfere in the affairs of crocs. I assured the crocodile, Whatever you want to do in this mashindano, make sure to not harm this pride.

When I WIN this mashindano, we will do whatever..we...want. The croc said with narrowed eyes, By the way, the name's Makuu….and I hope you lions will be ready.

Makuu laughed before walking off to stand across from Pua, leading to all of the animals around us but the pride and the guard to start chanting.

Mashindano! The animals chanted as Makuu and Pua circled each other, ready to strike before they charged, ramming into each other and doing, in wrestling terms, a lock up.

I watched with a look of awe as the two crocs battered each other like two drunks as the guard were cheering for Pua, who slammed Makuu down.

Ooh, that's gonna hurt! Fuli said while cringing.

Yeah, Pua is winning! Bunga shouted with excitement, but saw I was frowning, ''Uh..why aren't you happy? He's winning, right?''

No, he isn't. I flatly stated, to the shock of all of the guard but Ono and Kion, the latter of which was still watching the fight.

''What? Of course he is! He's beating Makuu to the curve!'' Bunga protested.

That's what Makuu wants him to do. I told them, causing Ono to speak up.

Shujaa's right, Makuu seems to be letting Pua beat him in order to exhaust him. Ono agreed and sure enough, Pua began to slow down and pant, leading to Makuu smirking.

You're old, Pua...give up. Makuu threatened, but Pua growled.

Never. Pua answered and they continued fighting, with Makuu overwhelming the older croc along the way, to the horror of everyone but me.

After a few minutes, Makuu pinned Pua down until Pua tapped out, ending the mashindano in Makuu's victory.

''Pua's tapping out! He gives up!'' Bunga exclaimed, shocked.

What, you mean Makuu wins? Kion asked and I slowly nodded as he looked to Makuu, who was standing in the middle of a circle of crocs chanting his name.

MAKUU! The crocs chanted as Makuu bathed in his new success and followers.

''That's right! Makuu! Leader of the crocodiles!'' Makuu gloated as he and his float swam off and the rest of the animals left as well, leaving only the guard and I.

I hope Makuu's big win isn't a big loss for the pridelands. Kion said, worried about the current state of things.

...Connor...Connor! I heard Kiara yell during my sleep, causing me to shoot up.

Kiara? I gasped before I saw she was okay, just standing in front of me to wake me up, God, you need to start considering my thoughts as well as your own.

Sorry, but we're having an-OOF-problem in the den! Kiara told me, causing me to raise an eyebrow.

What kind of-Oh… I replied as I noticed baboons all over the den, Well, what a turn of events...wake me up when all of this is settled and the critters are back to where they belong.

But that's the thing! My wife protested, The baboons belong at Nyani Grove, not the den!

''Oh, so it's a loss of habitat? A natural cause of endangerment in my world, but what's the cause in this case?'' I asked as Tiifu and Zuri walked in.

We think it has to do with that Makuu guy. Tiifu said, I told Kion about it, so he went to investigate it with The Lion Guard.

Did he say that 'Til the pride lands end, Lion Guard defend' stuff? I asked and Tiifu nodded, Pretentious, but i'll take a look as well.

This earned a nuzzle from Kiara before she smiled.

Thanks for coming back...I felt like I lost a piece of myself when you left. Kiara admitted and I smiled back.

Hey, i'm the cause of everyone's happiness, so I might as well enjoy it. I chuckled before walking out of the den.

What in earth's flavorous nachos? I balked as I saw Giraffes in Nyani Grove...which was still in tact...clearly, an act of one shift in location affecting other shifts. Wanting to get answers, I walked to a giraffe that was eating, Hello there.

Hello, Prince Shujaa, I assume you came here because of all of the ridiculous accusations of my herd attacking the space of the baboons? The Giraffe asked me, but I shook my head.

Kiara woke me up and told me about displacements of animals in parts of the pride lands, I replied, then looked around, I don't suppose you know where all of this is coming from?

''Puh! Makuu and his float took over big springs, followed by the Hippos moving away.'' The Giraffe informed me.

So when the Hippos moved, so did everyone else… I realized, then had an idea, I'm gonna go find Makuu and have a little chat with him.

And sure enough, I arrived in big springs to be greeted by Makuu's float bathing themselves in the water and it smelled AWFUL.

God, now I know why mom always tells me to take a shower even when it isn't needed. I noted as I trotted to a rock that's above the pond, Hello, Makuu.

The crocs stopped bathing as Makuu swam over to me.

''Didn't I tell ya, Shujaa? I won the mashindano and look what i've done for my float!'' Makuu gloated, but I scoffed.

Yeah, you moved them to a smaller body of water and as such, threw the entirety of the pridelands off balance. I scoffed, causing Makuu to growl.

If they don't like the way the pridelands are with the crocs, then so be it! Makuu roared until I heard Kion speak out.

Makuu! Kion shouted to the croc, who looked at him with a smirk.

So two Princes coming to make us move...well, we won't! Makuu spat.

Oh yeah? Kion asked and Makuu chuckled, Well try this!

Followed by that, Kion did what he called ' the roar of the elders', directing it towards trees that completely emptied them of leaves, to the shock and fear of Makuu.

U-Um...perhaps it's time we moved on. Makuu admitted before he and his float walked out of big springs and back to his lake, Big springs was running out of fish anyway.

That's what I like to see...everything back to where they belong. Ono said as the guard, Kiara and I were sitting around at big springs.

Looks like the circle of life is back in balance. Kion started, but was interrupted by an old hippo.

Except for one thing… The hippo revealed before look at Makuu, ''Makuu! When the fish population is built back up, you and the crocs are welcome to come back! All you have to do is ask.''

I'll keep that in mind, Basi. Makuu replied before he and his float went into the lake that belonged to the crocs.

When that happened, I turned to Kiara.

Well, seems like everything is back to normal. I said and Kiara nodded.

And it's all thanks to you six. Kiara replied and I scoffed.

''Kiara, I hardly did anything. Only stuff I did was stall Makuu until Kion and the guard arrived.'' I pointed out, causing Kiara to giggle.

Well, the more contributions made to the pridelands, the better. Kiara countered.

But taking care of threats is the king's job, not mine or the guard's.

But we're becoming rulers in two months, remember?

At that comment, I went silent.

...You win this time, Kiara… I sighed before all of us laughed.

NEXT: When Simba and Nala leave the pridelands in charge of Shujaa and Kiara while they attend a funeral, it's up to them prevent a border dispute with Janja's clan from spiraling into full scale war.