New Angles

Return To The Pridelands pt. 5

~Episode twenty: Return To The Pridelands~

~Part Five~

(AU; no Lion Guard competition; continued)

"Jaha! Stay close!" Madiha called, her ookas drawing the attention of every one of her young baboons other than the one she was addressing.

"Oo Oo!" The young baboon answered. Then turning back to the grasshopper resting on a rock nearby, he watched it carefully with a growing anticipation.

Creeping across the ground like a crocodile's belly drag, the small monkey snuck over toward the rock. Pouncing just seconds late yielded a fruitless catch and when opening hands confirmed this, he looked on and crept after it.

xxxx

"I'm telling ya.. having another honey badger around wouldn't be that big of a deal." Bunga was saying as they strolled across the tall grasses; their length coming up to the Guard's shoulders far lower than they remembered. And even while parts of it did brush under the two cats of the group in more of a tickle than a full on lick, it hardly bothered them at all. In fact it began to remind one of them of the opposite effect,.. when his branch perch rendered an annoyance that began to become normal, and he almost missed it.

Kion realized the oddness of this thought and shook his head out of a stare.

Since when do I miss frogs jumping all over me? He wondered.

"Yeah, that's just what we need." He heard Fuli say, diverting his attention once again. "Another you to keep track of."

"Cause that's not challenging enough." Ono deadpanned with more of a dry tone than anything.

"Oh come on? What's not to like?" Bunga scoffed.

"Let me see.." Fuli ventured, giving the illusion of hard thought. "The stink?.."

"The constant eating.." Ono added.

"The wild honey badger challenges?" Anga put in.

"Oh, come on! Those are the best parts!" Bunga returned with a wave of his clawed hand.

"Humph! For you maybe.." Fuli asserted.

xxxx

Jaha tried and failed to catch the grasshopper once again, the tiny insect landing on a log bridge not far from where it once was. Jaha smirked, leaving his spot to sneak two paces then plunged the rest of the way forward, leaping right before reaching the log and landing right in the center of it where the grasshopper was.

But when his fisted hands came up empty once again he curiously searched for where it went, and before he could find it, a cracking sound turned into a drop!..

xxxx

"Seriously though! What could be more fun than?..-" the honey badger's protest was suddenly halted by a crying howl. Kion's paws tingled and he could swear they suddenly became wet.

"Ono! Anga! What's making that sound?" He asked, looking to the two birds in the sky.

Anga flapped up a little higher and extended her vision, Ono maintained a lower altitude and searched around their nearer surroundings.

"*gasp* hapana!" He cried, focusing a little more. "There looks to be an animal in the river.. headed toward Maji Baridi Falls!"

That's where I got tripped way back when.. Kion subconsciously recalled.