The Lion's Babysitter [A Twisted Wonderland Fanfic]

Prologue

The village was filled with cheers and shouts, each citizen urging on their chosen racer as they neared the finish line near the centre of the village at the large fountain carved in the shape of a lion. The one that the racers were running for. Many were starting to slow as they neared the village, tired from the lengthy run. A race around the entire kingdom. A race to determine who the Lion Guard's newest member would be.  

The royal family stood next to the statue and the rest of the guard, waiting to see who their new Fastest would be. Many suspected that Sahel, one of the lions, would come out on top. His father was in the guard, after all, holding the position of The Fiercest until the second-born prince grew up to inherit it. If he so desired. Though no one wished to see, the prince inherit something as powerful as the Roar of the Ancestors.

And sure enough, as the racers came into view, Sahel was at the front, a prideful grin on his lips as he saw the finish line. His father was waiting behind the ribbon with a proud and prideful grin. He had trained Shael for years, hoping he would prove to be fast enough to earn himself a guard position. And of course, it didn't do them any harm that they had scoped out the race track ahead of time, figuring out exactly where possible... accidents could happen.

The crowd cheered wildly as Sahel tore into the village, his feet moving like the wind as he sped towards the finish line, the other racers, all sorts of beastmen, following close behind. 

But while everyone was focused on the handful of runners making their way into the village, no one was paying attention to the racer at the back of the pack. Hair tied up out of her face in a tight ponytail, a wild glint in her eye, her cheeks painted with the black lines of her family. The one who had been at the back of the pack since they started that morning and who still jogged at a simple pace.

As she saw the finish line in sight, her lips curled into a smirk as she started to lean into the wind, pushing her body to the limits as she pushed off of the ground like a rocket, her tail swishing rapidly behind her. Though Sahel had run like the wind, her feet ran like lightning, a mere blur as she passed her competitors, crossing the ribbon just as Sahel stretched his arms wide in victory. 

The victor quickly spun around, planting her feet on the ground and skidding to a stop before she could crash into the royal family. As the dust cleared, everyone stared in shock at the small girl, save for the second-born prince who chortled happily. At least one of the prideful lions had gotten what he deserved. 

"Wha-" Sahel exclaimed, turning to look behind him. He had hardly even noticed the girl that morning when they had started. She had quickly fallen to the back of the group, and though she easily kept pace with the others, he had never expected her to run so fast. He had never seen her run that fast in all their twelve years of training.

"What was that," Sahel's father hissed, stepping forward and glaring at the young girl as she squatted in the sand, smirking up at him. One of her ears flicked in mockery, her tail still swaying back and forth on the ground beneath her. 

Slowly, she got to her feet, folding her hands behind her back. The rest of the guard returned the excited expression. They were pleased to see that she had passed the test and was now joining their ranks. While Sahel's father had been busy focusing his training on his son, the others had seen the young girl's potential and determination to come out on top. 

"You cheated," Sahel shouted, storming up to the girl and grabbing the collar of her shirt. Spit flew through the air, stinging the girl's face as Sahel seethed at his loss. "This victory was supposed to be mine!"

"Sahel."

The boy sheepishly backed away as he heard the king's booming voice, standing next to his furious father. 

"What is your name, child," the king asked.

"Y/N. Y/N Duma," Y/N said with a small smile. She found her family standing in the crowd with beaming smiles on their faces. 

"Well then, Lion Guard, meet your new Fastest. Y/N Duma."