Kion's Tale Ch. 11

"Makini, are you Ok? Cause it sounds like you aren't thinking straight."

Makini walked through the plains of the Pridelands, her brothers close behind. She had just explained her idea to them a few moments ago, and Rogo was the first to disagree with it.

"Going to the Backlands on your own? How does that sound like a good idea?" The eldest of the siblings asked his only sister.

"Well, you got a little mixed up there, Rogo." Makini smiled somewhat innocently. "I'm not going to the Backlands."

The two older brothers gave a sigh of relief until Makini spoke again.

"WE'RE going to the Backlands."

"WHAT?!" Came the reply of both brothers. They both stood there, not believing what their sister had proposed. They were so shocked, in fact, that they almost got left behind by Makini who was just walking away on her way to the said location.

"Makini, think about what you're saying." Ugo tried to reason with her. "The Backlands are home to some of the fiercest Leopards around. You go out there, they'll be pickin' you outta their teeth!"

"Not with you guys with me." Makini gave a small smile, moving forward while not looking at her brothers.

The two brothers felt as if, as usual, they had been outsmarted by their sister, not helping but follow her. It was here that Ugo continued to try and talk her out of her idea. "Yeah, but Makini, with the Lion Guard gone, shouldn't someone stay behind and make sure those Outlanders don't try and attack again?"

"Kiara said that the Lionesses are on that." Makini answered. "Besides, if the Lion Guard is out there, maybe the Outlanders could attack them instead. And who better to protect them then the brains and the muscle of our troop?"

Rogo puffed himself up with Pride as he heard Makini's referral to him and his younger brother. The Three Mandrills had made it to the edge of the Pridelands, the great gorge that separated it from the Outlands, along with the Backlands. "Well, we're not gonna get there just standin' around here." The eldest said, leading the way. "On to the Backlands!"

But what he saw before their path made him duck behind a rock with his siblings.

The adult Lioness that had been leading the recent Outlander attacks was making her way down the pathway, followed by her children, several jackals, and a group of Outlander Crocs. They stood between the Monkeys and the quickest way to the Backlands. "Alright you miserable low-class pickers." Zira said scathingly to the Crocs and Jackals. "As Ushari has told us, the Lion Guard has entered the Pridelands, and always come this way when they leave it. So when they come this way, we will strike, and put an end to them once and for all. Any questions?"

"Yeah." Kiburi stepped forward and glared at her. "What makes you think you can tell us what to do?"

"For your information, Crocodile." Zira got in his face holding a glare colder than his. "I am the mate of Scar, and if you were not listening, my cub Kovu is his paw picked heir, so what he says will go just as much as what I say."

"What, this little hairball?" Goigoi poked Kovu with his paw, only to get a growl from the annoyed cub.

"He refers the term, 'Fuzzy Maraca.'" Vitani chuckled to herself. What she did not know was that her mother had heard every word she just said, and it would be an understatement to say that she was upset with her. With an angry scowl, she stomped hard on the young cubs tail, causing her to yelp in pain, earning a laugh from Kovu. Seeing how defensive Zira was, Goigoi ran and hid behind his mate/leader.

Makini poked her head out from behind the rock she and her brothers were hiding behind, watching the Villains. She turned around and led the way back towards the Pridelands. "Well, it doesn't look like we can get to the Backlands that way."

"Yeah." Ugo nodded. "And the Lion Guard's gonna be in for a surprise when those Outlanders launch their attack."

Makini stopped in her tracks. It did not take her brothers long to figure out she had another idea. "We have to go and warn them."

"What?" Rogo shook his head quickly. "No no no no no, Makini. We cannot go back there. Those Outlanders outnumber us a dozen to one, even if the Lion Guard's with us."

"You're right, Rogo." Makini agreed. "We need a plan to stop the Outlanders from attacking the Lion Guard."

"So, what's the plan?" Ugo asked.

As Makini was about to say that she was thinking on it, a laugh was heard in the skies above them. They all looked up to see a blur of red and yellow soaring through the clouds.

Tuca.

Now that his wing had been fixed, the Scarlet Macaw seemed to be dying to get up in the skies again. He laughed with happiness and pride as he glided through the air. Makini watched the colorful bird show off his tricks in the Sky, clearly onto something.

"I think I have an idea."