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What Is To Come

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Kiongozi and Fuli continued with their patrol as planned, though Fuli convinced him to let them part ways to cover more ground. He hadn't been too keen with the idea. If Janja and his pack could wipe out three herds in one fell swoop, how easy could it be for them to pick off a lone cheetah? 

She only smirked at his concern, strong lean shoulders rolling. "I promise to book it if I see any hyenas, Kion. I'm the Fastest for a reason."

"I know but... just be careful okay?" Kion could only feel mild relief at the reassuring rub she awarded him against his flank before she was off running through the fields. 

They did discover more alone, Kion was a aghast to find the remains of a large family of hares, alongside a young pair of badgers. Animals who saw him cried for justice against the hyena clan but did not seem to know about the mystery ally who assisted in the slaughter. 

The Lion Guard regrouped at Pride Rock a bit later, each white as a spirit. Kion didn't need to even ask what had them so distressed. 

"More bodies," was all he said, a statement that was met with a chorus of nodding heads. 

"Why are they doing this?" Beshte asked, ears drooping sadly. "Janja is mean but he never just mindlessly destroyed everything."

"His motives must have changed," Kion commented, face contorting in seething anger. His voice remained flat. "Janja is making a ultimatum of some kind, he's leaving a threat to not be ignored."

"Kion... you mentioned killing Janja," Fuli began, she met his stare with her own. 

The Guard all started, only Fuli stood still, eyes staring deeply into Kion's. He didn't look away, neither did the lion or cheetah blink. Fuli wanted to size him up, testing to see if he could really go through with it, Kion knew.

He'd never killed a fellow predator before, he even had issues partaking in hunts many times as killing left a uncertain feeling in his belly.

Bunga nudged his best friend in concern. "Wait, you serious about this?"

"Kion, you've never..." Ono trailed off in uncertainty. Beshte grunted his agreement, shuffling his large feet.

"Janja has gone too far guys," Kion said, turning his attention from Fuli. "Three local herds annihilated in one night, plus a few small families." His face was hard. "He wants a fight, I'll bring it to him."

"His clan has gotten really big, Kion," Ono began, flapping lightly to hover his way directly to his leader's sight. "He's rallied up a bunch of hyenas, how are we supposed to go five on probably forty by now?"

"If we take out Janja, the rest will likely scatter. A group is only as good as its leader. I'll use my Roar to clear them out." His friends looked from one to the other. "It is time I prove just what I can do."

Before anyone could say a further word, a familiar roar reached his ears. Kion perked, spying a golden lion crossing the PrideLands to reach him. He looked ruffled, red mane flying forward and the short fur along his spine standing up. Still he tried to carry himself like a king.

"I got your message Kion," Simba told his son, scowling deeply. "I did some scouting of my own... we need to talk. Now."

"Of course dad," Kion answered, nodding. 

"Everyone, to Pride Rock," the Lion King ordered, leading the flock of juvenile animals to the familiar pointed stone in the near beyond. 

Some lionesses met with the group as the king and his son scaled up the stone steps towards the open area of the den. Worriedly they whispered, by now it was safe to assume that the entire kingdom was aware of the massacres. 

Kiara weaved her way from the back, her ladies-in-waiting Tiifu and Zuri at her heels loyally. Tiifu immediately wormed through the frock to get to Kion, who rested his chin on her head when she reached for him. 

"Are you alright, Kion?"

"Yeah, just, stay here, okay?" He told her, pulling away to see her hesitant nod, followed by a pout.

He vaguely heard Zuri exclaim dramatically to Bunga her fright for the pride and herself. She also added the honey badger to the mix who he saw out of the corner of his eye offer the lioness a comforting nuzzle. The two had formed a rather unexpected bond during their early teens when Bunga saved her from a stampede. Afterwards they were often found together, somehow they made it work.

Even if basically everyone questioned the true extent of the relationship. That was a story for another day as Kion was distracted from his thoughts as his mother called out to her cubs from the den entry. Kiara was speaking with Simba, who slowly shook his head with a troubled scowl.

Tiifu frowned further from beside him. "Was it... as bad as Ono said?"

"Ten times," Fuli interrupted, coming to stand at Kion's empty flank. "You won't be able to sleep for weeks." Kion saw the usually so sure cheetah clench her eyelids together tightly as if to physically repel the images. Kion nudged her, bringing her back. 

"The hyenas made sure work of those herds." Kion began stepping through the group of questioning lionesses, who he only shrugged off as the Guard followed. 

Simba looked at him, then towards the Guard and his lionesses. "You all stay out here, the Guard included." Fuli was ready to open her mouth but Kion shot her a warning look, which she obeyed as she closed her lips together. "Once Kion and I have settled things, we will discuss further with the rest of you."

"Mom and Kiara aren't coming in?"

"No, this is between us." 

"Why?"

"It'll evoke further panic, son."

They wandered into the belly of Pride Rock, Kion furrowed his brows. "How much worse can it get, dad? You saw what Janja did, they already know..."

"It was Zira," Simba interjected sharply.

"Wait, did I hear you right? Zira? She hasn't... what are you saying?"

"What I am saying Kiongozi is that Janja and Zira are working together. She helped kill those herds, I know her pride's stench anywhere." Scowling, the Lion King stared directly at his cub. "Some locals reported odd lions in our territory when I went off looking."

"They... Zira has been dormant for moons, ever since you and mom saved Kiara at the border... why would she suddenly..." Kion blinked his confusion.

"Because she's planning something and this was just a distraction. She's going to stir us up into offense. Janja has nothing to lose now either. This is bad."

"Then we have to do something!"

"YOU will be doing nothing, Kion. You will remain here and wait for further instructions from me. Do you understand?"

"And if they attack us again?"

Simba was silent before sighing, "Then we'll have to stand our ground. Son, trust me when I say this... you stay here. Don't go beyond the borders after Janja. They want to lure you out." His eyes narrowed. "Your Roar is something Zira will fear, she won't try anything unless she knows you've gone."

Kion only tightened his jaw, tense as his father stared him down.

"Son, I need your word."

A sigh slipped passed his flaring nostrils. "Sure, father..."

"Good, now we can discuss this with the pride."

When the two golden males emerged from the den back out to the frantic pride who looked at them for answers, Kion's eyes found Fuli's in the crowd. 

She knew in that very moment Kion was planning already on what was to come next. Fuli hoped it wasn't going to be a big mistake.

-

Previous: The Fields Are Filled With Blood by Wolf-Chalk

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Israeli4Sure's avatar
:star::star::star::star::star-half: Overall
:star::star::star::star::star: Vision
:star::star::star::star::star-half: Originality
:star::star::star::star::star-empty: Technique
:star::star::star::star::star: Impact

First, let me say that the picture is excellent.
Second, the story telling is very good and thought out. Yet, there's a problem with the order of the pictures, i'm honestly confused as crap as to what picture to start with. It would've been nice if the order of the pictures were down in the description, but it annoys me I have to go hunting for them, then guess what comes next. You notice this problem when you suddenly notice that Tiifu is still alive, I thought she died already <img src="e.deviantart.net/emoticons/e/e…" width="15" height="15" alt=":O" data-embed-type="emoticon" data-embed-id="377" title=":O (Eek)"/>! Has she come back from the dead? Is this a Prequel to a Sequal of Prequal-Sequal?! I'm so confused!

Until we get a full list showing the order of the pictures, i'm not going to spend anymore time looking and hunting for stuff like this.
8/10 <img src="e.deviantart.net/emoticons/s/s…" width="15" height="15" alt=":)" data-embed-type="emoticon" data-embed-id="391" title=":) (Smile)"/>