Never Judge Anyone by Their Spots

Never Judge Anyone by Their Spots is a fanfiction story by Songfire. It is a shipfic for Fuli and Jasiri, or Fusiri.

Chapter One: Meeting Again
The tall cliff walls loomed steep and confining on either side of the small group of teenage animals, causing the adolescent second to the leader, a brightly-colored cheetah, to glance up and cringe.

“Not much further,” called the head of the group, a golden-furred lion adolescent with a half-grown bright red mane on his head. He glanced above him, where a cattle egret was gliding, large eyes swiveling and flashing in all directions. “Right, Ono?”

The egret hesitated. “I don’t know, Kion. As far as I can see, it’s just the Outlands on all sides of us.”

“What?” the cheetah burst out, stopping in her tracks. “We’re lost?”

“We can’t be,” protested the animal bringing up the rear, a large, blue-eyed hippo. “We haven’t gone very far.”

“I don’t know, Beshte, Fuli might be right,” Ono remarked.

“But-” began the final creature, a honey badger with strange steely blue fur.

“Guys,” interrupted the lion adolescent. “We don’t have time for this. We have to find those lost baby oryxes before Janja and his clan do.”

“Kion’s right,” agreed Fuli, turning to meet the gazes of her companions before resuming her steady pace.

“But,” the honey badger repeated in a quiet whisper. “We are lost.”

“Bunga,” Fuli hissed by way of contradiction.

A laugh suddenly echoed through the canyon, reverberating until it sounded as though it were coming from all sides. All of the members of the group, the Lion Guard, instantly sprang into defensive positions, the only exception being the lion, Kion, who remained frozen, eyes dilating with shock.

“You five are a bit of a sorry sight, aren’t you?” a thickly accented female voice chuckled, breaking through Kion’s paralysis.

“Jasiri?” he queried.

“That’s right,” answered the violet-gray hyena, leaping into sight from a cleft in the stone walls above the Guard. Her deep evening-blue eyes sparkled with friendly amusement. “Fancy seeing you here, Kion!”

The rest of the Lion Guard relaxed as the familiar hyena surveyed them. Turning back to Kion, she gave him a cheerful nudge. “I’ve missed you! It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?”

“Sure has. We’ve been busy in the Pride Lands. There’s been a lot going on!”

“I’ll bet! The Outlands haven’t been so thrilling, but at least Janja’s clan haven’t been giving me too much trouble ever since the first day we met.” For a moment, the two stared into each other’s eyes, reminiscing happily. Then Ono cleared his throat.

“Well… Jasiri, it’s nice to see you. You know, we could use your help. We’re sort of… lost.”

“Never trust Kion to navigate the Outlands for you,” Jasiri remarked with a giggle. “I’d be glad to help.”

“Good,” Kion declared, relief lacing his tones. “We need help finding some lost baby oryxes. We think that they’re somewhere close to Embamba Canyon, because some oxpeckers heard some bleating coming from there, but we started in the canyon and ended up totally lost.”

“And we’ve got to get there before Janja and his clan do,” added Fuli.

“Got it. Follow me.” Jasiri turned and led the Guard down the trail, expertly moving down twisting and turning paths. As she did so, Fuli, after a moment’s consideration, sidled up at her flanks. This was the one hyena that she could trust.

“Do you think there’s any chance Janja and his clan will have gotten to the oryxes before we do?” she inquired.

“That depends,” responded Jasiri. “Do they know about them?”

“No. At least… I hope not.”

“Then we probably have a better chance of finding them. Unless they were close by. Even if they aren’t, we should be ready to fight them off.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind that,” noted Fuli with a grin. “As long as the oryxes don’t get hurt, I’m ready to take on hyenas any day.” She slid into a crouch, smirking, before her eyes widened as she realized what she said. “Bad hyenas, I mean,” she added. “You know. Not like you.” At least, according to Kion.

Jasiri smiled, the mane of striped hair on her head falling into her face. “I don’t exactly go looking for fights, but I can’t say I’d run from one either,” she agreed.

“Yeah, I know. Kion mentioned something about how you fought Janja’s clan. Do you have any special moves?” Fuli queried, raising her thin black eyebrows.

“Sure I do. I can teach them to you sometime, whenever you feel like popping into the Outlands.” Jasiri chuckled.

“Maybe that won’t be so often,” Fuli admitted, glancing at the cliffs rising above them, producing another low laugh from Jasiri.

“Everyone, everyone!” Ono called from above. “I see the oryx calves!”

“Are they okay?” asked Beshte.

“They’re fine!” responded Ono, and the whole Lion Guard sighed with relief. “Just scared!”

“We’ve got to get them back to the Pride Lands,” Kion declared. “Can you see a path to take?”

“Yes, I do! Follow me!” Ono soared ahead of Fuli and Jasiri. Fuli thought that maybe the hyena would turn back now, but she didn’t. She ran with them, though this time it was Ono who led the way, Kion right beneath him. Some of the paths twisted and turned so sharply that almost everyone slipped or staggered, except Fuli, who was skilled at sudden changes in direction. The cheetah began to hear faint bleating cries that grew louder every moment until the group burst into a wide clearing- a rocky valley. Huddled in the center of it were three bedraggled oryx calves, their fur dusty and their dark eyes huge, but unhurt.

“Found ya!” Bunga exclaimed. “All right, ory-ory-oryxes. Time for you to come back to the Pride Lands!”

“The Lion Guard!” one oryx sighed in relief, her multicolored face splitting into a grin. “You found us!”

“What were you even doing out here?” Fuli asked them critically, frowning at the group.

“Well, some of the herd was fighting,” a second oryx explained shyly.

“Figures,” muttered Fuli.

“It gets kind of boring to listen to,” continued the calf, “so we went exploring. We were trying to find Mbali Fields, but I guess we got lost.”

“You sure did,” Beshte told them. “You’re in the Outlands! Your parents are worried about you, little guys.”

“Come on, Lion Guard,” Kion broke in. “We’d better get them home.”

“I can see the Pride Lands from here,” reported Ono. “There’s a short route we can take if we follow that trail.” He gestured to a narrow path leading away from the canyon.

“Thanks, Ono.” Kion turned to their hyena companion. “And Jasiri, thanks for your help.”

“Any time! Bye, Kion!” Jasiri flashed the group another smile before scampering away.

“Bye!” Fuli found herself calling after her.

Chapter Two: A Fierce Fight
The journey back to the Pride Lands wasn’t as difficult, even with the added burden of three baby oryxes. They made it about halfway back before the babies finally needed a rest. Beshte couldn’t carry all three of them, and the Guard was tiring, too.

“I’ll be glad when we get out of here,” muttered Bunga dully after making the mistake of trying to flop onto the stone ground. He rubbed his round cheek, wincing and glaring beneath him.

“Me, too,” agreed Fuli.

“Not much longer, guys,” Kion assured them, casting a glance towards the sky.

“What, leaving so soon?” a third voice asked. Recognizing it, Fuli instantly flattened herself to the ground, prepared to speed into battle. She gave a raspy snarl as Kion tensed beside her.

“Janja!” the young lion growled. “Where are you? Show yourself!” They’d picked an unfortunate place to rest. There were tunnels on all sides of them, and the rocks rose high above them, giving all sound an unhelpfully echoing quality. The sound of hyena laughter rang out; and it was impossible to tell how many there were. Fuli hissed, frustration surging through her as she realized that her immediate instinct right now was to fight, but there was nothing to take on.

“Scared, hyenas?” she taunted.

“Aw, just hungry. Ain’t personal, Lion Guard, but those oryxes look delicious.” There was a slurping sound, followed by more high, nasty cackles. One of the oryxes gave a high squeal of fear.

“Leave ‘em alone, Janja!” Bunga ordered, taking a step closer to the babies, his head swivelling from left to right as he tried to spot Janja.

“You wish!” came the response, and suddenly there were hyenas charging out of every tunnel. Fuli spotted Cheezi, laughing maniacally, and dashed forward, plowing into him. She glimpsed Kion taking on Chungu and the rest of the Guard circling the oryxes protectively before her vision was filled by Cheezi’s ugly face, pink tongue lolling out as usual. He stumbled to his paws and made a go for the oryx calves, but Fuli was ready. She darted in front of him, blocking his way, and repeated the move when he foolishly attempted it again.

“Huwezi! You’re not going anywhere!” she spat at him, smirking.

“That’s what you think!” came the response. Fuli had barely turned her head when Janja slammed into her, his weight taking her off of her paws. He pinned her to the rock, knocking the breath out of her, laughing horribly, his foul breath washing over her. He snarled, leaning closer, his teeth glinting. “Oryx and cheetah. We’re gonna have us a nice meal tonight, fellas.” Fuli thrashed, hissing, but we unable to free herself. Janja drew back, ready to strike.

“Get off her!” bellowed Kion. There was a flash of golden fur, and Fuli was able to breathe again. She clambered to her paws in time to see Kion rushing after Janja, who was making a hasty retreat into one of the tunnels. “C’mon, boys! Some measly oryxes ain’t worth this!” the hyena leader ordered. Panting, Fuli watched Bunga release a particularly stout hyena as Beshte checked on the oryxes. It was over as suddenly as it had started. Everyone was fine. Fuli felt relief blossom inside of her, immediately followed by a burning sense of shame. All of the others had managed just fine by themselves. And it wasn’t like this was the first time she’d needed to be rescued, either. She’d felt lame for needing it, and yet she’d gone and let it happened again.

Kion had spoken with her after. When she’d admitted her feelings, she remembered his reassurance. ''“You shouldn’t. We’re always there for each other. We’re a team!”'' But every member of the team should be able to hold up on their own, shouldn’t they? Especially her, who prided herself in doing things her own way.

Nobody seemed to notice her silent musings. “Come on, everyone! We need to get home before dark!” Ono reminded them.

Kion nodded his assent. “Lead the way, Ono.”

Fuli trailed behind, following the others wordlessly. She nudged a baby oryx’s rump when he began to lag, but didn’t talk to any of the Guard members. Bunga chattered away, oblivious to this. She nodded whenever she heard her name. Finally, the dark, lifeless environment of the Outlands relented, and the group climbed up into the Pride Lands. She helped carry the littlest oryx, with Beshte lifting the largest and Bunga working with Kion to bring up the third. “Ono, how about you take them back to their parents?” Kion suggested.

The egret saluted. “On it!”

“Everyone else,” Kion told them.”let’s get back home.”

That night, Fuli slept in the Lair of the Lion Guard. She did this sometimes, and occasionally another member of the Guard joined her. This time, however, she was alone. As usual, she preferred it this way. She gazed at the paintings, usually colorful, but drab in the darkness. Unable to find sleep, she tossed and turned, replaying the events of the day. Walking with Jasiri. The hyenas attacking. Janja pinning her down. Kion having to save her, shoving the hyena away. Abruptly, Jasiri’s words came unbidden into her mind.

''“Sure I do. I can teach them to you sometime, whenever you feel like popping into the Outlands.”''

Jasiri and Kion had taken on Janja’s clan once- just the two of them. As Fuli understood it, Jasiri had even held up on her own for a while. That was impressive, few animals had such skill. Eventually, Kion had come to her aid- they had managed to fight the hyenas for quite a while until finally Kion used his Roar.

The friendly hyena had offered to teach her- she’d been joking, Fuli suspected, but she would probably stay true to her word. Jasiri could teach her everything she needed to know. She wouldn’t have to rely on Kion, Bunga, Beshte, or Ono ever again. She would help them, and they would help her, as the Guard should, but she would hold up on her own most of the time. Just the way she liked to.

But Jasiri was a hyena. Could she be trusted? Was it possible? If Kion's judgement was anything to go by, then yes. And she had helped them find the oryxes. Fuli was decided. Tomorrow, once she finished her patrols, she would go find Jasiri.

Chapter Three: Into the Outlands
“Keep your eyes peeled, Ono! Come on, Bunga, let Ushari be! Fuli, could you do a lap around the Water Hole? Careful, Beshte!” Kion’s orders sounded loud and clear as the Lion Guard began their patrol. Fuli, always first up and most alert in the mornings, raced around the Water Hole, trying to focus. She was itching to put her plan into action. But she dutifully circled the Water Hole, listening for any signs of trouble.

“Everything’s fine, Kion!” she told him.

Their leader nodded. “Good job. Ono, see anything?”

“All of the Pride Lands!” the egret replied crisply. “Everything looks fine!”

“Let’s split up,” decided Kion. “We can cover more ground. When we’re done, we can relax. You guys have earned it. We sure worked hard yesterday!”

“We did, didn’t we?” agreed Bunga.

“Those baby oryxes had better not go wandering off again,” Fuli grumbled. Her paws were aching from so much trekking through the forbidden lands.

“I think they learned their lesson,” Ono commented as his eyes, flashing bright yellow, scanned the Pride Lands. “It looks like their herd isn’t fighting right now, either, so they’ll have no reason to go explore.”

Kion halted. “Glad to hear it. Now, Ono, why don’t you and Beshte head over to Chakula Plains? Fuli, Bunga and me will cover Mekundu Cliffs. Everyone got it?”

“Yes!” they chorused. Fuli followed Kion to the cliffs, Bunga at her side. She eyed the area around her, searching for signs of trouble, but there was none. Bunga found a dead tree and scooped out a mouthful of termites. Kion spoke a sable antelope who was worried about hyenas. Fuli found herself glancing in the direction of the Outlands repeatedly, without even intending to. Finally, they rejoined Beshte and Ono. Nothing of interest had been found.

“So we can relax!” exclaimed Bunga. “Race ya to the Lair, Fuli!”

“No, thanks, Bunga.” She gestured towards the savanna. “I’m going to go hunt.”

Beshte smiled. “Good luck,” he bid her. She tried to smile back, then darted away in a blur, unable to resist the urge any longer. She didn’t quite know why she felt inclined not to tell the Guard. No, that wasn’t true- she did. She didn’t want them to know that she needed instructions beyond the team’s frequent training sessions. That as fast as she was, she couldn’t escape Janja once he had her pinned.

Well, she thought almost defensively. ''Being fast usually works. This is just a precaution. It’s not like I’ll ever let Janja get me off my paws again.''

Cheered up slightly, she sped across the Pride Lands in record time until she reached Flat Ridge Rock, a location marking easy access to the Outlands. This was where Kion had met up with them after meeting Jasiri, who had helped him find the spot. Fuli hoped she could find the hyena there- and not run into Janja’s clan like Kion had. This way, she didn’t have to cross a treacherous river. It was just a bit of climbing.

Peering down, she corrected herself. A lot of climbing. But she could do it; she would just need to be careful. Fuli began by gingerly lowering herself onto a smooth, pale russet boulder. Having accomplished this, she leaped down, landing on a second boulder. Gaining confidence, she sprang agilely down onto a stone further than the second, managing to land with surprising ease. She made the final jump to the ground without any issues whatsoever.

Now what? The idea dawned on her that she had no idea how to find Jasiri- especially how to do so and avoid Janja’s clan at the same time. She shouldn’t have been so thoughtless, should have thought this through. She’d been so eager to learn… and still was. She could find Jasiri if she tried, she only need be very cautious. If Janja and his clan showed their ugly faces, she’d simply have to speed away. That was really all she would be able to do, though the idea of running away from them bothered her.

“Fuli?” a startled voice burst out. The cheetah adolescent turned to see Jasiri approaching, her dark eyebrows raised. “What are you doing in Janja’s territory?”

“This is his territory?” she asked, shocked.

Jasiri nodded. “He mostly skulks about in his lair- by the volcano- but technically, this part of the Outlands belongs to his clan. Of course,” she continued, amusement lighting her gaze, “he doesn’t really come about here as often as he did before Kion roared at him.”

Under normal circumstances, Fuli might have laughed. Now, however, she felt too on guard. “How did you find me, if this is his territory? Why are you here?”

“I heard your voice. You know how well sound carries here. I thought Janja might be lurking somewhere. But the real question is, what are you doing here? Did Kion get you stranded out here?”

“No!” Fuli denied, quick to defend her friend. “I came looking for you.” Against what might have been my better judgement.

Now Jasiri appeared curious. “I’d like to hear this, but first, we’d better go somewhere a little safer. Follow me.” Fuli padded alongside her as she trotted along several paths, finally halting when they reached a large hollow. A few scattered bone fragments were visible in one corner. A dead shrub grew out of a crevice.

“Does your clan live here?” she inquired. There weren’t any other hyenas in sight.

Sadness clouded Jasiri’s gaze. “We… don’t exactly live in clans like we used to. Ever since the original one was exiled here… prey grew scarce, many starved, and then Janja’s clan began to cause a lot of trouble. They hate it when others try to band together- they want to have the most territory, don’t want any others competing. And honestly, sometimes I… like to be alone.”

Fuli found herself grinning despite Jasiri’s solemn tale. “Nothing wrong with that. So do I. I go my own way.”

Jasiri giggled, back to her usual spunky self. “Sounds good to me. So why have you gone this particular way?”

Having put it off long enough, Fuli finally confessed. “I came to learn your moves,” she muttered, fighting the desire to study her paws. “You know,” she added, her tones rising in volume. ”you said you would teach me. I know you weren’t serious, but we ran into Janja and his clan on the way back to the Pride Lands after we found the oryxes. Janja managed to hold me to the ground. Kion had to save me, and I don’t want it to happen again.” She observed Jasiri closely as she spoke, searching for a reaction, seeing only attentiveness.

“Well, you came to the right place,” the hyena announced when Fuli finished. “Time for lesson number one.”

Chapter Four: Lesson Number One
“The first thing you need to know is to avoid getting pinned in the first place!” called Jasiri from her position across of Fuli. “Have your eyes everywhere at once. Keep your ears open. Be focused, but not foo focused on everything and not too focused on one single thing, either. Find a balance! Once you do that, there are countless moves to make. Be fast, be alert. Show me what you can do!”

The sudden command startled Ful, but in an instant she was moving. Jasiri crouched and lunged for her, teeth clipping together on empty air when Fuli darted away. “Huwezi!” she cried sharply, unable to resist. She loved the action, the intensity, and adrenaline began to rush through her veins as she ran, legs moving rapidly, listening for Jasiri’s pawsteps. She heard her opponent’s claws scrape against the ground, and whirled to face the hyena, preparing to lunged first. However, she found herself facing a cloud of dust, which billowed towards her, obscuring her vision and irritating her eyes. She shook her head, trying to regain her senses, but by the time she heard Jasiri’s paws strike the ground it was too late. For the second time in two days, a hyena plowed into her and pressed her to the ground. It was not a pleasant experience.

“Not bad,” Jasiri complimented her. “But it takes more than speed to win a fight. You need to rely on your wits, too- shouldn’t be very difficult when you’re fighting a fur-brained male like Janja. And you could try what I did- kick sand in your enemy’s face. Not sure how it would work in the Pride Lands, but worth a shot.”

“Got it. But how do you get free once you’re pinned down like this?”

“Well, I’m not so sure,” Jasiri admitted. “Janja did it to me, once- he uses the maneuver a lot- and that’s when Kion gave me a little assistance. If they’re coming at you from the front, though, use her head to shove them away- best if you can butt them into some of the others.”

“I’ll try. Let’s go again!” After a moment, Fuli squirmed out of Jasiri’s unresisting grasp, though she noticed the hyena didn’t actually back off her.

“Remember what I said. You’re already a rather good fighter, though- for a cheetah,” teased Jasiri.

Fuli smiled wryly. “And you’re a rather good teacher- for a hyena,” she quipped in response.

“You can’t judge anyone by their spots, can you?” Jasiri answered. “This time, it applies to both of us,” she noted, chuckling as she indicating Fuli’s smooth, dappled coat, usually immaculate, now dusty from the sand.

“Yeah. Better to judge someone by how well they can defeat Janja’s clan. Which makes me know you’re a friend worth having,” Fuli replied. The corners of Jasiri’s round muzzle tilted up, one protruding tooth cocking higher than the other.

“The way I see it, Fuli, you already are.” Jasiri crouched, her haunches sloping above her head- the precise position, Fuli realized, that she had first seen the hyena in. She’d retaliated just as fiercely, but then came Kion’s words.

''“But not all hyenas are like Janja. Some of them are good. She’s one of them.”''

And as Fuli readied herself for another skirmish, she found that she couldn’t agree more. Jasiri was tough, fierce, clever- just like she herself was. There was also something about her energetic, fun-loving personality that Fuli found compelling. Bunga could also be described in such a way, but Jasiri somehow made Fuli want to laugh with her rather than roll her eyes.

As Jasiri made for her again, growling, Fuli shook these thoughts from her mind. She bolted away from Jasiri, but this time, instead of circling her or trying to block her, she leaped at Jasiri from the side. Jasiri saw the move coming and hopped away, snapping at Fuli’s forepaw. Fuli jerked back and rushed to Jasiri’s other flank, this time managing to ram into her before she could counter the move. Her opponent lost her footing, but managed to slide into a position from which she could counterattack. Before she could lunge, however, Fuli swept up a pawful of light, gritty sand and flung it at Jasiri, using the moment’s opportunity it gave her to pin Jasiri to the stone. For a second, she felt triumph, then pain chased up her left forepaw and she tore it free from Jasiri’s teeth with a hiss of pain.

Instantly Jasiri drew away from her. “Fuli! I’m sorry, are you right?” Her voice was different- softer, concerned.

“Sure. No problem. Let’s keep going.” Fuli placed her paw back down, ignoring the pain that flared. She wasn’t bleeding or anything; she’d be fine.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you. I got carried away.” Jasiri didn’t seem willing to attack again.

“I’m fine,” Fuli insisted.

“If you say so,” came the skeptical reply. “But the fight was over, really. Congratulations, you won.”

“So, can we try again?”

“I think that’s enough for one day,” Jasiri concluded. “It’s a little early still, but I’m going to try and scavenge a meal.” Only once Jasiri had said this did Fuli realize how hungry she was.

“So do I,” she declared. “I’ll be back, someday.”

“Need any help getting back?”

“I think I’ll be able to find my way,” Fuli told her assertively.

Jasiri nodded, then, unexpectedly, leaned forward and brushed her muzzle against Fuli’s cheek. Fuli instinctively pulled away, but Jasiri only grinned. “See you around, Fuli!” the cheetah heard as she made her way back to her lush green home, listening to her friend’s pawsteps fading as their source traveled deeper into the Outlands.

Chapter Five: Time and Time Again
“Fuli? Are you there? You look tired,” Kion remarked one day when the clouds were steely blue, clear darts of rain plunging from the sky and wetting everything they made contact with. Occasionally, lightning would flash, illuminating the Pride Lands with an unnatural glow.

“Hm? Of course, Kion! I’m never tired,” she retorted. In truth, she wasn’t. She’d been wondering how she would be able to train with Jasiri in this weather. Would the boulders be too slippery to get into the Outlands? The river would be more roily than ever. Other entrances might be too loose, and could easily give way under her weight.

“Then why aren’t you complaining about the water?” Bunga queried, bounding out into the rain, which instantly darkened his fur. Of course, he landed right in a puddle, hurling water in all directions. Fuli managed to duck just in time, while Kion, who was doused in the spray, wasn’t so lucky.

“Whoops. Sorry, Kion!”

“Hakuna Matata, Bunga. I’m going to get wet anyway in weather like this. We still need to complete our patrols- and if the rain stops, we’re going to be trekking through the mud,” Kion reminded them. Fuli couldn’t suppress a groan.

Thankfully, it was not long before the rain let up. There was little trouble in the Pride Lands- a gazelle stuck in a hole created when the wet earth gave way beneath it, the usual restoring of the Porcupine Brothers’ log and flipping of the turtles, reassuring the zebra herd that the thunder would not hurt them. All simple tasks, though Fuli still took pride in completing them. There was always something thrilling about being on the Lion Guard, protecting the Pride Lands, fighting for its residents.

The Outlands didn’t have anything like that to offer. But it did have Jasiri, who Fuli had been going to see nearly daily, even though it made her sore, she couldn’t bring herself to miss a day. Their was so much to learn, and, as it turned out, so much to teach. She’d begun to give Jasiri a few tips of their own, and together they were shaping up to be the best fighters around. When they weren’t battling or running, they were talking. Fuli had never been one to sit around and chatter for long periods of time, but she found that as she was content to do it in short breaks, as she groomed her vibrant, sepia-spotted coat and Jasiri gnawed at a stripped rib of some unfortunate animal. They would tell each other stories, Fuli about the many adventures the Lion Guard had faced, Jasiri about her life in the Outlands, fending off Janja’s clan, once going into detail about the day she met Kion. As Fuli told hers, Jasiri always listened readily, often laughing, teasing, offering sarcastic remarks.

Once, Fuli had said, “This is still sort of weird to me. I mean, I’ve been fighting hyenas away from the Pride Lands for so long… and here I am, in the Outlands, telling one stories and teaching her how I fight.”

“Of course it seems weird to you,” Jasiri snickered. “You Pride Landers will pin any animal for being just like all the rest. But it’s inside our hearts that matters, not the sharpness of our teeth or the color of our fur. It all comes down to how we act, and in that case, sisi ni sawa.”

“We’re the same,” Fuli translated automatically, the second language as familiar to her as the breeze in the dry season.

“That’s right, Fuli. And you know, I think that may apply to the two of us more than it applies to most.”

Fuli found herself agreeing despite her reserve. She wished she could see Jasiri more often, without having to make excuses, slip away from the rest of the Guard. She still wouldn’t dream of telling them- although she was now a stronger, more alert, and, if it were even possible, faster battler, and she was very proud of this. It always delighted her when she would successfully best Kion or Bunga in training using Jasiri’s tips; her only fear being that Kion might notice them and suspect her. But the idea was ludicrous, and Kion never did anything of the sort.

“It’s not his fault. He’s bound not to notice as much as we females do,” Jasiri had remarked on another day after Fuli, chest heaving after their recent brawl, had recalled Kion and the Guard’s attempts to include her in their activities. Eventually, as she’d told her friend, she had ended up with a stinky warthog rubbing against her, elephant dung spattered over her neck and shoulder, being knocked into a lake, and slamming into the ground after discovering that she was not, in fact, supposed to actually hunt a gazelle for reasons she couldn’t fathom.

“Kion’s a good leader. He does his best to make us the greatest Lion Guard ever- which we are. But he doesn’t always get me, at least, not completely. He knows me better than the rest of the Guard, and I like to spend time with him. But not when I’m hunting, which nobody could seem to figure out. Or when he’s ordering me to rest,” Fuli recalled.

“He’s a good fighter, too,” commented Jasiri. “That Roar he has? I couldn’t believe my eyes. But don’t tell him that.”

“Yeah, but I still don’t want him saving me if I can avoid it. I like to look out for myself. And I can, too. Especially now, thanks to you.”

One day, Fuli realized, to her immense surprise, that she thought Jasiri was pretty.

Today she set out briskly after providing her friends with a reason- hunting again. It was becoming slightly difficult to find time for actual hunting, but she got by. Reaching Flat Ridge Rock, she leaped gracefully down- it was astounding how easy the process now was- and quickly sped into safer territory. Jasiri was waiting for her, blue eyes dancing in the shadows cast by the rocks that rose above them. She greeted Fuli cordially, then took a step forward. “Ready for today’s lesson?”

“You know it!” Fuli told her. The day proceeded as usual, with Fuli staying until the sun was directly above them. How different from the first day, when it had been only about halfway between the horizon and the center when she had left. Words were exchanged, and they both worked until they were aching. There was something very satisfying in the familiar feeling. Only at the it were things different. Fuli bid Jasiri good-bye and turned to leave the Outlands. But as she made to leave, she heard Jasiri’s voice behind her.

“Fuli, wait.” Fuli turned back expectantly, and was startled to find Jasiri’s face close to hers. The hyena’s face was determined, poised. She ducked her head and gently nudged Fuli under her chin, and, before Fuli could pull away, licked her on the side of her muzzle. She jerked back, her emerald eyes wide, and Jasiri gave her a sort of wry smile that did not quite match her own eyes, which were bright with elation. A charged second passed, and Fuli found herself leaning forward and softly lapping Jasiri’s cheek. For the longest moment, they didn’t speak. Fuli couldn’t. She felt as though her tongue was tied into a knot.

“You know when I told you that I like to be alone?” Jasiri’s voice came finally. “Well, that may not be exactly true. I also like to have friends, Fuli. And right now, there’s nothing I’d like more than to have a friend like you forever.”

“Friend, huh?” Fuli managed, composing her face into its usual smirk.

Jasiri laughed, her tones ringing out and echoing through the Outlands. “Okay, maybe a little more than friends.”

“Yeah. I’ll… see you around, Jasiri.” Fuli shot her a wide smile before making her way back to the Pride Lands. Jasiri watched from below, a habit she’d picked up as the time had gone by and their routine repeated itself. Only when she was halfway up and the stale air of the Outlands was beginning to give way to the sweet, verdant aroma of the prey-rich Pride Lands did Fuli pause. She craned her neck to glance at Jasiri, then back up at the Pride Lands. It didn’t really seem right, leaving her day after day, time and time again, because, why? Because she was a hyena? Well, Simba had judged her just for being a cheetah, and it hadn’t felt good- Fuli remembered with searing clarity how angry and chagrined she’d been. They’d proved him wrong, and Jasiri had proved Fuli wrong, in a way… she’d always thought all Outlanders couldn’t be trusted, shouldn’t be trusted… but here she was, having just licked the hyena on the cheek. No, it didn’t feel right at all, and Fuli wasn’t the type to keep her jaws shut when she felt things were wrong. “Jasiri?”

“Yes, Fuli?”

“Why don’t you come home with me?”

Chapter Six: One Friend to Another
“So you think the ever-so-open-minded king is going to be happy about this?” Jasiri inquired, as she hauled herself up into the Pride Lands.

“I don’t care what he thinks. The lions don’t have any right to make you live in the Outlands,” Fuli stated firmly, ignoring the anxiety she, too, was experiencing as she kept her eyes trained on the horizon where, in the distance, Pride Rock was visible in the midday light.

“It’s the Circle of Life.”

“If you’re just going to scavenge for your meals, then you’ll be helping the Circle of Life, not hurting it,” Fuli insisted. “Besides, what difference will one hyena make?”

“You got a point there,” Jasiri conceded. “Well, you won’t hear me complaining. It’s… very different here.” She was swinging her head from left to right, taking in her surroundings with a fervor. “Very different from the Outlands, that is.”

“Yep. Isn’t it nice? Plenty of gazelles to chase, room to run, soft ground- this is where you belong, Jasiri.” Fuli truly believed this. She only hoped Simba and Nala felt the same way. ''They’d better. Kion will back me up if they don’t. Kion. What would she tell him? ‘Oh, I happened to run into your old friend, who I might or might not be in love with. We need to convince your mom and dad to let her live here.’'' Yeah, that would go over well.

She decided to figure it out once she reached him, choosing now to observe Jasiri, who was shaking her long striped mane out of her face. “Where will we go?” she asked, looking at Fuli in turn. “Pride Rock?”

“Sort of. The Lair of the Lion Guard; it’s inside. Unless there’s been some trouble, we should find the rest of the Guard there.”

They lapsed into silence once more. Fuli tried to work up a strong argument on the way to the Lair, but couldn’t conceive anything particularly brilliant. It was too late now- they were approaching the entrance to the Lair. With a final gaze at Jasiri, who stared resolutely back, smiling vaguely, Fuli pushed through the vines.

As expected, they were there. Bunga, swinging around on the vines, Beshte relaxing in the water, Ono preening himself, Kion gazing out over it all with a faint air of pride. Of course, it was the sharp-eyed egret who caught sight of them first. “Fuli!” exclaimed Ono. “We’re glad that you’re back. It’s been a while, we were starting to wonder where- is that a hyena?!” His eyes expanded in alarm.

“It’s just Jasiri, Ono,” Fuli informed him. Kion leaped down from his position, and Bunga dropped to the ground.

“Jasiri? What’s she doing here?” he demanded curiously. But Fuli’s eyes were focused on Kion’s.

“I…” ''What to tell them? What to tell them?'' She found herself turning to Jasiri. The hyena mouthed two words. The truth.

Maybe she’s right, Fuli decided. ''These are my friends. I can trust them. We’re a team.''

“Jasiri’s been helping me,” she confessed in a rush. “Most of the times I’ve said I was hunting, I was out training with her. Ever since what happened that one day, with Janja pinning me that one day in the Outlands and Kion having to save me, well, I wanted to get better. And now-”

“Slow down, Fuli,” Kion broke in. “It’s all right. We already know where you’ve been going.”

She froze. “Wait, what?”

Kion appeared slightly embarrassed. “Well, you were going out a lot, staying for longer and longer, so one day I asked Ono to see where you went. He saw you and Jasiri training, then talking, and reported back to me.”

“You ordered Ono to spy on me? Seriously?” shrieked Fuli, turning her fiery glare onto the egret, who cringed back.

“I was just worried about you!” Kion defended himself.

''Deep breath. I’ll yell at him later. I need to ask him about Jasiri first.'' “So, we’ve been spending a lot of time together. I don’t think it’s fair that she has to live in the Outlands, Kion, so I invited her here.”

A moment of astonished silence followed. Then, to Fuli’s private relief, Beshte spoke up.

“I think you’re right, Fuli.” Beshte pronounced. “But… what will Simba think?”

Who cares? “That’s kind of why I’m here,” she admitted. “Kion, I- I guess I need your help. We need your help.”

“One friend to another,” Jasiri chimed in.

“Got it!” Bunga burst out. “We’ll go ask him! Come on!” He began to stride confidently out of the Lair, but Fuli was quick to block his path.

“No, Bunga! It’s not that simple.”

“Maybe it is,” Kion protested gently. “We should at least try and ask them like we did with Ajabu.”

“Oh, yeah. That’ll go over well,” Fuli muttered, then relented. “Okay, okay. Let’s give it a shot.”

Chapter Seven: New Beginning
Fuli ascended Pride Rock with growing apprehension, Jasiri at her side, her expression entirely casual. “Nice view,” she noted, bumping Fuli’s haunches with her own.

“Don’t knock me off the rock,” Fuli shot back tersely, extending her claws further. They scraped uselessly against the stone. Kion, walking along her other side, gave her a reassuring smile, which she returned with some difficulty. Reaching the magnificent structure jutting peak, Fuli’s gaze turned to the entrance to the throne den, and she paused for a moment, Jasiri copying her. Bunga, of course, strutted right on ahead, and Fuli, summoning the confidence that usually came so naturally, resumed at a more rapid pace so that she was the first to enter. They were there, of course. Simba was sprawled on a rock formation in the back, his mate Nala at his side, listening intently to the majordomo, a hornbill called Zazu, as he spoke to them- something regarding bushbucks. Whatever it was, it can’t have been very important, because the two royal lions immediately looked up.

“Ah, Lion Guard,” Simba announced loudly, cutting off Zazu. “What brings you here?”

“Dad?” Kion began. That seemed like an appropriate place to start. “I have a… request for you.”

“Fire away, Kion.”

“There’s another animal looking for a place to stay- who deserves a place to stay,” Kion informed him, Fuli nodding slightly as he did. “She follows the Circle of Life. She can help the Pride Lands.”

“Why, of course, Kion.” Nala’s cerulean eyes were warm. “Allow us to meet her.”

“About that,” Fuli broke in. “You see, she’s not what you might be expecting.”

“I doubt I could be any more surprised than I was the last time, when you presented us with an okapi,” Simba recalled, sharing an amused glance with Nala. “What could be more unexpected than an animal who looks like a mix between a zebra, a giraffe, and an oryx?”

Fuli cut to the chase. “She’s a hyena.”

Whatever Simba had been expected, it hadn’t been this. He drew up to his full height, pupils stretching wide until his eyes were black pools with only a faint ring of crimson visible. “A hyena?” he gasped. “Kion, you can’t possibly be serious. You of all lions know that hyenas can’t be trusted! I know they can’t be trusted, especially not to follow the Circle of Life. They live in the Outlands for a reason. When Scar let them into the Pride Lands, famine broke out- the land couldn’t support them. And how do you think they repaid Scar, by the way? They tore him apart and ate him, their only ally among lions. Doesn’t that prove anything?”

Kion parted his jaws to speak, but Fuli was faster, naturally. “Yeah, it sure does,” she spat. Simba’s gaze fell on her, thick eyebrows raised. “They killed a traitor and a murderer. What, you think that’s a bad thing? You’d rather your evil jerk of an uncle was still alive, huh?”

“That’s not the POINT!” Simba bellowed, his voice breaking into a roar as he rose abruptly to his paws. Zazu fluttered back in alarm.

“Simba!” Nala cried warningly, but he paid her no heed.

“Hyenas will stab you in the back without thinking twice. They want nothing but to destroy the Pride Lands- that’s why you’re always stuck chasing their adolescents out! They’re filthy, greedy, wild-”

“-slobbering, mangy, stupid poachers,” Zazu finished, his voice as pretentious as his expression. Fuli bared her teeth viciously at him. Her blood felt hotter than the lava in the Outlands volcano, scorching her from the inside.

“This one isn’t!” Kion insisted. “Please, Dad- she saved my life!” Kion wailed. Simba hesitated, and Nala took advantage of this, seizing control of the situation.

“Simba, sit down,” she ordered calmly but firmly. “Kion, I think you have some explaining to do.”

“I got lost in the Outlands one day,” Kion told her rapidly. “She helped me get out. She taught me sisi ni sawa- we’re the same. At the end of the day, it’s like water and rain. You can’t judge her before you even know her! I made that mistake. And I was wrong.”

“That’s not the only time Jasiri has helped us, either,” Ono noted in the matter-of-fact way of his that was shockingly persuasive. “When some oryx calves got lost, she navigated us through the the Outlands so we could find them, then return home.”

“She’s our friend,” Beshte insisted with conviction, frowning.

Nala dipped her head slowly. Simba seemed at a loss for words.

“She saved my life,” Kion repeated.

Zazu ruffled his feathers. “Royal protocol states that all debts must be paid,” he stated crisply.

“But how can we know that this hyena friend of yours is trustworthy?” Simba finally questioned gruffly. “How do we know this isn’t some trick?”

A retort instantly on her tongue, Fuli attempted to speak, but Jasiri’s words came first.

“Because I would never do that.” The young hyena had entered the den and come to stand between Kion and Fuli. Her face was unwaveringly resolved. “I just want to be here, with my friends, not in the Outlands, with a gluttonous clan of hyenas who would gladly kill me. With Fuli, who I love, rather than Janja, who I despise.”

So now everyone knows that I love a hyena, and she loves me. Fuli found that she didn’t care in the slightest. She ignored Bunga’s sharp inhale of shock, Simba’s eyebrows vanishing into his mane, even Kion’s amber-brown eyes burning holes into her fur.

“You think I don’t know about the Circle of Life,” Jasiri continued. “I do. I know how I can play a part in it without hurting the Pride Lands. We’re more similar than you think, hyenas and lions. The least you could do is give me a chance.”

Both king and queen seemed at a loss for words. “Does she have your blessing?” pressed Kion quietly.

“Well…” Simba’s expression was still agitated. Nala eyed him carefully. He exhaled in a huff. “She has a chance. One chance. But I won’t tolerate trouble.”

“So be careful,” Nala advised them. Zazu snorted, eyeing Jasiri with clear distrust. She grinned back, vaguely insolent. Fuli barely noticed. She leaned forward proudly and brushed her head under Jasiri’s chin, pressing against her in a tentative embrace, ignoring the startled stares of everyone in the den. Jasiri gave a low chortle in her chest, azure eyes sparkling, and passionately bridged the slight distance between them.

Epilogue

The sun, a half-circle of fiery gold, lazily breached the horizon, spilling its light over the savanna. The earliest risers paused in their grazing to glance at it, their eyes quickly darting back to their meal. The rays touched Pride Rock in a far more gradual manner, subtly illuminating the stone. Atop its lower peak stood two animals, a cheetah and a hyena, their spots less visible in the glaring light, their coats aglow, more vivid in color than at any other time.

“Not bad.” Jasiri’s eyes raked over the Pride Lands. “Really is a nice view. I didn’t get to see anything like this in the Outlands. Too low.”

“Sure is,” Fuli agreed. However, her own eyes were on Jasiri. She had experienced so many joys in her life, particularly after becoming a member of the Lion Guard, though she hadn’t reflected much on them until now. Defending the Pride Lands, rescuing animals in need, keeping the dangers at bay. None really matched what she felt now, a cub no longer, sitting on Pride Rock with a hyena at her side.

“What did you wake me for?” Jasiri inquired.

“The Guard has to get up early to patrol and train. I wanted to spend some time with you before that.” Fuli grinned. “You know. Go for a run. Hunt some gazelles. Chase away Janja and his clan.”

“Sounds romantic,” Jasiri chuckled.

“Seriously, who cares about romance? I shouldn’t need to spend time with you in some specific way when I’m happy being with you at any time.”

“Then let’s do things our way.”

“Always have, always will.” Fuli stretched, feeling her muscles extend and retract. “Come on, let’s get moving.”

The sun continued to rise, bathing the Pride Lands with its warmth, as the two animals raced across the grass, leaping the clear rivers, dodging the acacia trees, all the while smiling at each other, eyes ablaze with light and love.