The Lion Guard: Season 3 Reimagined

Chapter 2: Tamaa

Kion braced himself as he felt the air grow drier around him, only exacerbating the pain in his left eye. Despite this, the Prince pressed on, slowly watching the flora around them wane in favor of more sand and stone.

"Desert." Beshte said in a wary tone, looking at the approaching terrain with particular anxiety.

"Are you sure this is the way?" Beshte asked Makini with a nervous expression.

"Yes, but don't worry, the terrain doesn't become a complete desert for a while."

"What's the matter, big guy, can't handle a little sand?" Bung asked, elbowing the hippo playfully.

"Bunga, hippos don't do well in the hot sun and drier terrain." Ono said, trying to look at Bunga by the sound of his voice.

Kion sighed, sounding slightly irritated.

"If you don't think you can make it, Beshte-"

"No! I'm fine!" He interjected.

"Alright, lead on Makini." Kion rubbed his eye again, the pain getting worse.

"Why are you bringing him with you? He'll only ssssssslow you down." Kion froze and looked around as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Kion?" Fuli asked, noticing this.

"Gaaah, the stupid venom, now I'm hearing things." Kion growled louder.

"Maybe we should rest a little before going on-" Anga started.

"No! We need to keep moving!" Kion almost roared, giving the others a slight fright.

"Gaaah, I'm sorry Anga, the venom is burning my insides and I-"

"I have the remedy!" Makini cried, eagerly reaching inside a hollowed gourd on her staff before taking out a handful of strange violet flowers.

"What is that?"

"Tuliza, a herb that will help with the pain." Kion didn't wait another moment and quickly ate the flowers. Within moments, the burning sensation faded, it didn't completely go away, but enough to ease the Prince.

"Ahhhh, thank you, Anga I-" Kion started with a guilty expression.

"It's fine." The eagle said, landing beside him and placing her wing around his shoulder.

"How much of that stuff do you have?" Fuli asked, also relieved by Kion's healing, if only temporarily.

"Enough for now, but don't worry, it grows along the path to the Tree."

"Good." Kion exhaled before turning to Beshte.

"Are you sure you're good to go through the desert? We could look for another way."

"No! I can handle it, you and Ono need to get to the Tree as soon as possible, come on!" Beshte now took the lead, earning smiles from the others. They didn't pass many animals along the way, and those they did encounter all raced for shelter with frightened looks.

"Are they scared of us?" Fuli asked, glancing from one animal to another.

"Maybe, most of the animals who live in the backlands are small, and they don't see lions, cheetahs, or hippos often." Ono said. However, Kion had other ideas.

"This is Makucha's territory, maybe he and his band are nearby." Kion growled.

Fuli similarly growled thinking about the leopard bandit they'd fought a few times before.

"Anga, you see anything? She asked the fish eagle who nodded and used her keen sight to look ahead for miles in each direction before finally understanding what had frightened the local animals.