Kion's Tale Ch. 17

Nabii padded down the pathway that led through Koromoka Valley with her Vulture comrade above her, keeping an eye out for their Cuckoo bird friend. The two of them scanned the area for any sign of the small bird. The only other thought they could think about at the moment was the fact that their leopard friend, Badili, had slipped away without anyone noticing. Hopefully, for his sake, he had a good explanation for it.

"Anything yet, Chewa?" She asked the scavenger.

"Nothing yet, Nabii." Chewa replied. He looked around the valley with his vigilant vulture eyes. As far as he could see, he could not see Hide or feathers of Gunge.'

But he did see something else.

In the forest ahead, going by the name Mirihi, the ground was charred and black. The trees that encased the area had either gone to cinders or had fallen over. It looked as if a wildfire of some sorts had taken place here. Nabii's ears perked up as she looked around at the torched forest.

Chewa landed on a burnt Limb, surveying the sight. "What happened here?"

"It's beyond me." Nabii answered. "Badili lives here, doesn't he?"

Chewa nodded silently, and, knowing what they had to do now, scanned the area, looking for any sign of their Leopard comrade. He flew up above the ground for only a few feet before he saw something that made his eyes widen.

"Uh, Hey Nabii?"

'Yes?"

"You said you knew what the Mark of Evil looks like, right?"

'Yes I do, Scar Snout taught me."

"Then would you mind telling me if that's it over there?"

The Hyena's eyebrows raised in both confusion and concern as she walked in the direction the vulture had pointed her in.

And she could indeed make out the mark in the burnt ground.

As if it were some sort of cave drawing, the Mark of Evil was easily made out among the smoldering dirt. The piercing gaze of the eerie, widened eye with the gaping Scar across it seemed to be a sight out of a nightmare, Paw prints made themselves known to the pair of Backlanders as they observed the mark. Now Nabii, being as good a tracker as she was, went right on it to get to the bottom of who left them. She sniffed the second largest set of prints, knowing them to be Leopard prints.

"Badili took a walk..." She muttered to herself. "But he wasn't alone."

She followed the tracks and spotted some new ones alongside them. One looked like it was walking on two legs but not a bird. One seemed like a Feline but smaller than a Leopard. One seemed to be made by four small feet carrying a large body. Finally, one was no doubt a Lion. It did not take Nabii long to realize it was the Lion Guard who had met up with Badili.

But wait, what was Badili doing before they got there?

Before the fire started.

Nabii scanned the tracks that were made before they entwined with those of the Lion Guard. She could make out what had happened around this point, but it all pieced together rather slowly. Badili had made it to the trunk of one of the fallen trees before it had become fallen. And that was where she could make it out. Badili was talking to someone. And not just someone, but something.

The Sky.

'Why was Badili talking to the Sky?' She wondered before piecing more into the puzzle. Now Nabii was a very, and I mean VERY skilled tracker. She could make out what her target was saying completely just by observing his or her tracks.

And this is what she could understand.

Badili's POV
''Badili had just slipped away from the Backlands council and into his home in Mirihi Forest. He stood by his favorite tree, staring up into the sky above, dark clouds shrouding it.''

''"Hey, uh, Scar?" He seemed nervous to ask. "I c-came like you asked, now what?"''

''In the clouds above him, an ominous voice answered the meek Leopard. "Now, Badili, my little spy, now you will play your part in my plan of ending the Lion Guard."''

"''Um... y-yeah." Badili slowly nodded. "You just say the word and it's done."''

''"Knowing the Lion Guard, if they see a friend in danger, they won't hesitate to help him." Scar explained. " The Skinks tell me they aren't far from your location. And since they trust you more than anyone here, they will trust you to lead them out of the Backlands. Right into my trap."''

"And you'll keep me out of massacring the Backlands?"

"You have my word."

''With a chuckle, a crash of Lightning descended from the sky directly at Badili's tree. The Leopard gave a deep sigh before leaping up his tree trunk and onto a branch. He looked around at the fire that began to spread around the forest before calling out.''

"Help!"

Back to the present
It was like a wave of fear and realization had washed over her. Nabii's ears lowered slowly as what she had just learned sank in rather quickly.

"Badili's the traitor..."

Chewa stepped back as he too got the conclusion that Nabii had come too. "What? No, no way, that can't be it. Badili can't betray us!"

"Then what did I just see?" Nabii faced him seriously. "Badili was the one responsible for the Outlanders finding us, nearly burning down our land! And now he's gong to lead the Lion Guard right into a trap, we've got to stop them!"

'Stop them?" Chewa tilted his head. "Why should we help the Lion Guard? All they've ever done is bring us trouble."

"I don't like them as much as you, Chewa, but without the Lion Guard, the Pridelands will be at the mercy of Scar. Would you like that on your conscience?"

Chewa began to think for a moment before finally coming to a decision. "Which way did Badili take them?"

'This way, come on!" This time, it was Nabii who was leading the way. Whether she liked them or not, she had to save the Lion Guard and expose Badili for who he really was.

She just hoped she wasn't too late.

--

The Lion Guard followed behind their Leopard friend, trusting him with their lives. Kion still felt bad about all that had happened at Komodo Rock, but he also knew that he couldn't let his family know about Jasiri. He knew that if they knew about they're friendship, they would put an end to it if it hadn't been ended already.

"So, Badili," Fuli had just finished glaring at Kion before addressing their guide. "You sure you know the quickest way to the passage?"

"It is getting late after all." Beshte added.

"Don't worry you guys," Badili looked back at the Pridelanders. "It's the least can do for you guys saving my spots."

"Well, that's sure nice of you, Badili." Beshte smiled.

"Ok then," Fuli shrugged. "If you say you know, we trust you."

"Oh, I'm glad you do." Badili turned his head back up front to see where they were going, leading them on. This was also to hide the suspicious grin he had on his face.

"I'm so glad...."