The Lion Swap: Return of the Roar

Part 8: Keenest of Sight

The golden sun shone brightly, making its way across the cerulean sky that was scattered with birds finding their way across the Pride Lands, cawing loudly. Kiara sat in front of a watering hole, checking her rippled reflection. A group of young hippos spashed about in the hole, unaware of the presence of the new leader of the Lion Guard.

"Leader of the Lion Guard, protecter of the Pride Lands," Kiara murmured to herself, uneasy yet exhilerated at her new role in the Circle of Life.

She was unsure of the power and authority this title bestowed upon her, as well as the myriad of responsiblities this job now entailed to her. But the Great Kings of the Past had decreed it, so her father had been forced to allow her the opportunity, however grudgingly he had done. On the bright side, it gave her the freedom to explore the Pride Lands and interact with the animals inside, something Simba rarely gave her.

The swirl of anxiety inside her numbed her mind and heart, uncertain whether it was from fear or excitement. She stared up at the sun, squinting as not to damage her eyesight. Kiara shook her head, trying to rid herself of her concerns and fears. She was the Leader of the Lion Guard! She shouldn't be scared!

"Right, okay," she said to herself. "You've got this, Kiara. If the Great Kings think you're ready, then you're ready." She stood up, stretching out her legs. "Now let's go out and find members for your team."

Before the words had even left her mouth, a familiar bright blue blur zoomed towards her, flapping its wings furiously. A small sound escaped the bird's beak, somewhere in between a dying scream and a gasp for breath, just as it smacked into her face, and wrapped two wings around her muzzle. 

"There you are, Kiara!" exclaimed Tumaini, panting hard. "I was beginning to wonder where you went!"

"Tumaini!" Kiara cried, trying to move her mouth without doing any damage to the bluebird. "Do you mind getting off my muzzle?"

"Oh, sorry!" the bird said, clambering off the princess's face and jumping onto a rock. "You ready to start assembling the Lion Guard?"

The cream coloured lioness laughed. "Yeah, I think so. Daddy said the Lion Guard needs the Pride Lands' bravest, strongest, fastest and keenest of sight. So I think I'll start with the keenest of sight." A small, grin formed on her face as she looked at Tumaini.

Not quite catching on the bluebird spread her wings to block Kiara from moving. "Kiara, wait! Before you go asking who you think is the keenest of sight, think about this! I may not be the biggest bird, but I can see everything! I can see a caterpillar crawling through the grass five hundred metres in the air!"

Kiara chuckled. "I know, Tumaini, that's why-"

"And I can fly to great heights!" added Tumaini. "I'll help the Lion Guard fight hyenas! Or jackals! Or vultures!" The bluebird couldn't help but notice a vulture listening in on their conversation not too far away, but decided to ignore it. "Or even great big rock slides, or blazing infernos of fire, or super dangerous, drowning floods! I will stand with the Lion Guard! I'll never give up! I'll... I'll..." She struggled to find words to describe how great her loyalty to the Lion Guard would be.

"Why don't you stop talking so I can ask you to join the Lion Guard?" Kiara asked with a smile on her face.

"Say what?" Tumaini said, not quite believing it. 

"Come on, Tumaini!" exclaimed Kiara. "You have the best eyesight of any animal that I know! You're the one who saw that the zebras were panicking and running without a good reason, you're the one who saw the hyenas when I didn't! I want you to be the first to join the Lion Guard!"

Tumaini cheered, and lifted her wings, starting to fly in loop-de-loops. "Angalia!" she shouted in joy. When her fit of excitement passed, she saw the vulture nearby fly back to the Outlands. Something was up...