The Lion Guard Season 5

Chapter 13: Villain's Scheme

{Cheka's POV}
Bura and I traveled to the Kingdom of Cheetahs, along the way gathering more lions. Most of them begged to join and even marked themselves to pledge their allegiance to Scar. It was pathetic but we needed strength. When we arrived, Bura asked what we were going to do. I decided to do something different. The King of the Cheetahs recently inherited the throne from his deceased father and he would cling to his father's teachings for as long as he could. It would be worthless to try and reason with him.
"But, what if he doesn't know what to do and would agree with us?" One of the new recruits asked
"If it was someone like Simba when he started out, then perhaps. But this one was raised by another king and taught to be king. He wouldn't be so gullible."
"So what's the plan Boss?"
"The outskirts." I replied
"Huh?"
"In case you haven't noticed, there is land outside these walls and that land has animals. Exiles perhaps."
"So the plan is to ignore the Kingdom and scavenge the outside for any traces of an ally?" Bura asked
"Precisely."
"By a Kingdom whose inhabitants like to roam the land?" Bura added
"Unless the cheetahs like to roam just the outskirts of the land they are trying to leave, the only ones there would be exiles or those who live alone."
"Then what are we doing standing here?" Bura asked "The longer we stay here, the more chances they have of spotting us."
"Spectating."
"Huh?" A new recruit asked
"Looking for possible new recruits." I sighed
"Why look up here when you can look down there?"
"You should learn not to ask needless questions and let the master do what he plans without interruption." Bura answered for me
The recruits shut up after that and let me scan in peace. I looked around and saw a lion, a tiger, and a cheetah leaving the Kingdom. The lion had familiar features so I didn't bother going after them. To the opposite side of the wall was what appeared to be a family of cheetahs. I walked to them with everyone in tow. Bura commanded them to let me talk to them alone and they stood back. I found myself being more and more impressed by Bura. He knew exactly what I wanted, which is much more I could say from my previous Pride. I approached the family and the male cheetah growled and prepared to attack me. He glanced at his cub and decided to talk to me.
"You! Stay back!" He warned "Who are you?"
"There is no need to panic." I said "My name is Cheka. What is your name?"
"My name is Uhami." The cheetah said
"Uhami, what are you doing out here? Most cheetahs usually stay inside the walls or far away from the Kingdom."
"Well, my father and I were kicked out by the old king." Uhami explained "It was over a misunderstanding. The king and his family traveled with me and my family to the Pridelands to meet their new son. It's a tradition of ours since some of the cheetahs leave for the Pridelands. But the last time we went, their young princess wandered off and we lost her. We spent days looking for her but when my father said he was the last one to see her, King Kesho became so furious that he banished my family right then and there. We wandered the savanna for my whole life and Dad died some time ago. I met my mate after she left the Kingdom and we made our way to the Outskirts because it was the safest place to raise cubs and it's much easier to get food here than further out."
"I see," I said "That was quite unfair of the old king to do."
"I thought, since the old king is finally dead, and I have a cub, the new king would let me back in." He told me "That's why I'm this close to the wall."
"Don't bother," I said "He's a new king and will hold on to his father's teachings. If he knows you, he will never let you in."
"Are you sure about that?"
"Yes." I answered with full confidence even though I knew otherwise. It felt so good to be back in a place of power, although I won't be for long. "From my own experience, the only way to be allowed to come back home is to conquer it." Manipulating others is something I haven't done in a long time. It's so simple, yet so satisfying whenever someone falls for it.
"There's no way I can conquer the Kingdom of Cheetahs by myself." Uhami said "I guess I can never come back."
"That's where you're mistaken." I told him "I have a plan to topple 3 of the 7 Kingdoms and I can help you conquer The Kingdom of Cheetahs. That is, if you join me."
"If I do join you, will you protect my family?" Uhami asked
"You have my word."
"And you have my allegiance, Cheka."
"Please, call me Master."
"Ooh ooh!" A new recruits interrupted "You should mark him, like we are marked!"
"Yeah! That can mark off whose on our side and whose on there's!" Another recruit added
I sighed and growled in a low voice. These new recruits were starting to get on my nerves.
"That would never work, idiot." Bura said
"Why not?"
"King Kion of the Tree of Life and King Kovu of the Pridelands BOTH have scars similar to ours." I told the recruit "Besides, that was your way to prove yourself loyal to me. He already pledged himself to me. I don't need to mark him, that would be a waste of time."
"Remember what I said about interrupting the Master?"
"Yeah?"
"Good," Bura said "If you don't have any worthwhile ideas, stay quiet."
"But what if we think we have a good idea?"
"Then you tell me, not him." Bura answered "He doesn't need your distractions."
"Okay."