Kion's Tale Ch. 18

He could feel the sunlight touch his scaly exterior. The warmth of the sun was a feeling he normally felt, no doubt, but this sunlight felt more radiant, more lush. He walked along the fields that he found himself in. Around him, he could see herds of Zebra grazing on the swaying blades of grass. He did not dare to surprise them, lest they "Panic and Run." He could see the long necks of the Giraffes feasting on the leaves of Acacia Grove, where the Forest Hogs laid in the same sun, lazily grunting.

But the main thing on his mind was the question, "Why was he in the Pridelands?"

He looked around at the species of animals he had not seen for over three decades. He wondered what he was doing here in the forsaken Kingdom from whence he once ruled. How much had changed? Has anyone still kept the dragons a mind? If so, why had they not come looking for him?

"My King."

He stopped in his tracks. All questions that flooded his mind subsided. The female voice that had just addressed the Komodo King seemed to ring a special bell to the latter. He turned his head to find the source.

And find it, he did.

A beautiful female Komodo stood on a hilltop a good ways away from him, facing him and only him. The king could feel the water pouring from his eyes as he spotted this She-dragon. She was clearly someone who struck a special chord in his heart. He raced up the hill and rested his head against hers.

"Serena..." He choked back a sob. "My Queen, You have been gone too long."

"I know." Serena enjoyed the embrace by her living husband. "Forgive me, I went somewhere where you could not follow just yet."

"There is nothing to forgive." The King looked her in the eyes with tears flowing. "Your Journey to the Circle of Life ended, no one can stop that. What you need to forgive is MY actions. Ever since you left us, I've devoted our new Kingdom to abolishing all Lions. I've regretted every moment of it, but I could not bring myself to trust any Lions after... after..." It was here that he clenched his eyes shut and bowed his head, drops of tears circling around his eyes.

Serena lifted her mate's head and looked him in the eyes. "I understand how you have felt, but things must be allowed to develop if they are to live. I do not support what the Lion Cataro did to us, but the Circle of Life gives us what is best, even when we least expect it."

The Komodo King nodded as a smile slowly found it's way onto his face, the tears still not leaving. Serena smiled warmly as she took a few steps back, confusing him. "Serena? My Love? Where are you going?"

"I will see you soon, my King." She replied as the surroundings of the Pridelands began to slowly fade. The King began to frantically look around as he desperately didn't want to the daydream he thought would never come to him for so long to come to an end. Not so soon.

"I love you."

--

'You Majesty?"

Scar Snout was swiftly snapped back to reality as he looked down at the entrance of Komodo rock, where the Hyena Janja stood, looking up at him. He quickly picked himself back up and addressed him with authority. "U-um, yes, Janja?"

"Nabii and chewa haven't come back from their search yet." The Grey Hyena answered. "And we just put out a pretty bad Wildfire at Jagoro woods."

"Hmmm..." If Scar Snout was acting serious, he was doing a very good job at it. "Send another arty to be safe, and check in on Jasiri. I have not seen her since the hearing."

Janja nodded as he went back out of the Rock, carrying out his new leaders orders.

As soon as the Hyena had gone to do what he had asked, Scar Snout let a faint sob escape his mouth. The daydream that he just had was too much for him to handle. Why did the conscious mind torture him so? How long would it take before his Mate's words came full circle?

--

"Sooooo, you said you could smell where those Outlanders are?" Rookus tilted her head as she followed the Wooden Tailed Dragon along with her grey spotted crush.

"I didn't talk gibberish, did I?" Django glanced back at the Brown female. "And they got some Pridelander kids with 'em."

"So the Lion Guard DID bring reinforcements!" Barbatus growled.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Barbie." Rookus grinned. "Maybe they were just on a field trip."

Barbatus raised his eyebrow at the annoying female as the continued to follow the Scaly Lone Range. "Ok, first off: Kids don't go on field trips here. Second:" He leaned towards Rookus, glaring her in the eyes. "Don't. Call me Barbie."

As Barbatus walked past her, Rookus turned to looked at Django. "You heard him, Django. Don't. Call him Barbie." She put the last statement in a voice that mocked Barbatus' threatening tone, causing Django to roll his eyes as he led the way. In the back of his mind, the hardened Dragon began to think hard on the scent of these Pridelander children, avoiding Rookus' childish behavior. According to the scent, these animals were Mandrills. One in particular rang a bell to him.

Why was that?

--

Makini had been looking up at the Sky for quite some hours now. She was desperately hoping that the plan she had formulated would come a reality, for her friends sake. Nothing. If it were another scenario the four was in, the shining stars above would be a soothing sight be behold. But, in the present, it was only a welcomed sound falling on deaf ears. "Guys?" She turned to the four behind her, hoping to lift their spirits. "Don't worry, Tuca'll be here."

"Or maybe he bolted the first chance he got." Rogo stood up, clearly pessimistic about the matter. He then pointed up at the sky suddenly. "Look! Look!" They all looked up before Rogo made it clear he was being sarcastic. "No! There's no Macaw! Look, after we fed him, and fixed his wing, he better show."

"He'll be here, Rogo." Makini tried to reason with her eldest brother. "Tuca seems trustworthy enough. He said he would help us, and that's what he'll do."

"Aww... that is so sweet."

The three monkeys and the Cuckoo bird turned to see the mockingly sympathetic face of the Brown Cub that belonged to the sinister Lioness in charge, rallied by his two siblings and several of the Lionesses. "You put your pitiful, naive trust in a stranger. Well, what else can you expect from a Pridelander?"

The Outsiders allying their second in command joined in his laughing as Makini glared at him. "Just you wait, Kovu!" She pointed at him. "You're going to be sorry when Tuca comes and shows you who's boss!"

Kovu smirked and raised his eyebrow slyly. "Oh really? Well, I think he'll be here a little late." He bared his fangs at the last statement and approached her with Vitani and Nuka at his sides, each one with an appetite for Mandrill on the brain. Before Kovu could pounce, however, a rock the size of a Hyrax fell from above them and knocked him to the ground.

As he got up, he found that they may have some competition.

A pair of spotted Hyenas, one Grey and one Brown, stood in their way and growled fiercely at them. "You leave those Monkeys alone..."Barbatus growled, his ears lowered and his teeth bared. "Or we'll do this the hard way."

"Yeah." Barbatus rolled his eyes, knowing Rookus would make a lame joke by her tone of voice. "Or you're the ones who'll need a spot or two." She chuckled at her own joke before earning a grunt from her comrade.

Kovu seemed rritated and unimpressed by the Brown Hyena, giving an order to his squad and his siblings. :Lionesses, Lame, Loser, it's become necessary to put these dogs through obedience school. Kill!"

With that order being carried out, the Outsiders leapt into action. Makini and her brothers wanted to help, but seeing the fangs and claws flying, they hesitated (With Rogo stating he need "Time to Formulate".) As you can probably imagine, the odds were not in the two Hyenas' favor as they fared against 15 Lions.

Rookus found herself pinned down by Nuka, who laughed triumphantly. "Ha! Not so tough now, are ya Hyena?"

Rookus just grinned up at him. "I bet you say that to all the girls, huh?"

Nuka seemed to be caught up in what the Hyena said."Well yeah. I use that line on all the ladies, heh heh." He chuckled to himself, filling with pride before smiling at her in a sinister manner. "Nice choice of last words." He lifted his claws to strike her in the chest, but was halted, along with the other Lions, by a cold, pig-like roar.

As a bolt of Dry Lightning struck a distance away, it revealed the shape of Komodo Dragon before them all, a wooden tail in place of a real one. He narrowed his eyes at the group of Outlanders. Makini's eyes widened, as did her mouth. Rogo and Ugo did the same, only they closed each others mouths. Kovu looked up from about to execute Barbatus, having two Lionesses hold him down for him. He growled at the Dragon. "If you don't want any Trouble, I suggest you back off, now."

"Leave them Alone." Came Django's only reply.

This did not phase Kovu, as he boldly stepped forward, smirking at the poisonous Lizard. "I think you have us at a disadvantage. You see, there's Fifteen of us, and only one of you."

Disadvantage was obviously a word that did not appear in Django's dictionary. He glared at the Lions, signaling that he would not back down. Seeing this, Kovu scowled at the thought of this mighty reptile being unafraid of him.

"Kill him."

As the battle intensified, a song began to play in the Background as Django became entangled as the center of attention of the Lionesses.

''No I won't. Back. Down.''

He swatted a Lioness with his Iconic tail.

''No I won't. Back. Down.''

He clawed another.

''You can stand me up at the gates of Hell, but I won't. Back. Down.''

Makini rushed in to try and help, but was met with a fiercely growling Vitani. "Going somewhere, Leverage?"

''And I won't. Back. Down.''

She lunged at her and sank her teeth into her staff. Makini remembered a move she watched Django make as he saved her from Kenge. She spun around, Vitani still holding onto her staff.

''Gonna stand. My. Ground.''

"Is that all you got?" Vitani tried to keep herself from getting dizzy.

''Won't be turned. Around.''

Nuka clawed at Django.

''And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down, gonna stand. My. Ground. No I won't. Back. down.''

"Nope!" Makini replied.

Hey Baby

She spun faster.

There ain't no easy way out.

She let go.

Hey I

As Vitani soared through the air, having let go of the staff, something else of thicker wood swatted her in another diretion. Django's Tail. He watched as she soared out of eyesight, over the rocks.

''Will stand. My. Ground.''

He turned to give a smile to Makini, who excitedly smiled back.

''And I won't. Back. Down.''

Soon, Nuka and the Lionesses piled onto Django, prompting Makini to join in to save him. Seeing this, Rogo and Ugo rushed in to help their little sister as Gunge watched from above. Makini swung her staff and smacked several Lionesses as Rookus and Barbatus charged in.

''Well I know. What's. Right.''

Django saw that Nuka was about to pounce on Makini. "Kid! Look out!" She looked up and smacked Nuka out of the air. The dragon grinned as he watched her. He used his tail to fling her onto his back.

''I got just. One. Life.''

The two yelled as they braced themselves to bring on the Lions.

In a world that keeps on Pushin' me around.

None of them noticed Kovu on the rocks above them.

''But I'll stand. My. Ground.''

"I gotta do everything myself..." He muttered as he prepared to pounce on the Lizard.

''And I won't. Back. Down.''

Makini looked up. She saw Kovu preparing to jump on her role-model, claws sheathed. A sick, twisted grin on his face, ready to kill the scaly ranger. No. She could not let him do that. She leapt over a Lioness, kicking her to the ground, and swatting Kovu as hard as she could with her staff. The Brown cub flew high above the fight, and ramming straight into the trunk of a dead tree, getting his head stuck completely through the trunk.

Seeing this, Gunge grinned and flew down to the stuck cub, flapping right in front of his face in midair. Then, swiftly, he gave the cub a sharp peck in the nose.

"Remember me now?"

With all the Outsiders dazed, Django turned to his allies. "Quickly, let's get outta here." He led the way out of the clearing, Makini following closer than any of the others. He glanced down at the Mandrill, giving her a grin. "Nice moves out there. Makini, was it?"

"Yeah that's me!" She was so ecstatic that her hero remembered her name. Her chipper personality. "Django, we need your help!"

"Didn't we already take care of that?" Django raised his eyebrow.

"Well ye-I mean no! The Outlanders are going to ambush the Lion Guard!"

Django's face fell into a shocked state. He then turned to Rookus and Barbatus. "Guys, we gotta track down that Lion Guard!"

Although confused at Django's new mission, Barbatus was the first to nod, prompting Rookus to follow. They did not know why they were to save the Lion Guard, but they would have to.

Django's orders.