The Lion Guard Season 5

Chapter 18: The Tree of Life

{Nguvu's POV}
I really should question how Firi can get us from one Kingdom to another in less than a week, but I've come to accept his... intelligence in the short time we've known each other. And I want to know why Vhid doesn't know where he's going as a Prince of the Nest but if he's as sheltered as he said he was then I cannot question why he doesn't know where he's going. Mother talks to me a lot but it feels wrong. Like she doesn't know what to say but she also does. Or like she doesn't want to answer me. I don't know, but what I do know is that I'm so close to the Tree, to Shani. Is she still waiting for me? No, it's been too long, almost a year. She can't still be waiting for me, she must have moved on. The Tree of Life is a haven for those who need help, she must have met someone else. It'll be hard to let her go, but it's been too long and Shani deserves to be happy. Does king Kion and Queen Rani still remember me? My mind cannot let me be alone for one moment to enjoy these moments with my mother again, because now all I can think about is what has changed. And what will change for me. I've never had a home. Father and his pride was always moving, and when we stopped, we never stayed there for long. But now, the Tree of life is my permanent home and I wonder what will change.
"Guys!" Vhid yelled
"What?" I asked
"There's a massive canyon up ahead, followed by this weird maze of canyons." He said
"We're back at Azaad's Territory." Firi told Vhid
"Who's Azaad?"
"He's a cheetah, and my close friend." Firi explained "He left the Kingdom of Cheetahs when he was an older cub, not when he was an adult like everyone else. He was an odd one, very philosophical, but he's my friend... or he was."
"What does that mean?" Vhid asked
"I am quite curious myself." Nishan added "Who is this Azaad, is he hostile?"
"I just explained who he is Nishan!" Firi yelled
"Even I know who Azaad is." I laughed
"Quiet cub." Nishan growled
I growled back "Stop. Calling. Me. Cub."
"Son," Mother called "Don't let yourself be worked up by someone who isn't worth your time to fight."
"Yeah, you're right Mother."
"And Nishan, was it?"
Nishan nodded
"You should respect he doesn't want to be called that. My son isn't a cub anymore."
"He was a cub when I met him. That's why I'm even here in the first place."
"Be that as it may, he deserves at least an ounce of respect." Mother said. Even after all these years, she's still the same person I remember.
I smiled "Thanks Mother."
"Of course," She said "You are my son, and I missed your entire life."
"That wasn't your fault," I immediately told her "You're here now and that's what counts."
Mother smiled and walked ahead to talk to Firi. She said she wanted to know which way we are going.
"Just past these cliffs and there's a short cut past this ravine. We'll have to walk around it since only cheetahs can jump over it." Firi explained
"And why is that?" Nishan asked in a condescending tone
"Don't take that tone with me mister. If it weren't for me, you would be running in circles trying to find your way." Firi said
Nishan growled and rolled his eyes. Mother was softly chuckling and I was doing my best to hold in my laughter but it was hard.
Firi continued "The ravine is too wide for you guys to jump over. Only a cheetah can jump over it because they are faster."
"Heeeeey!" Vhid yelled from the sky "You're forgetting about be! I can cross any ravine!"
"But you can fly!" Firi yelled back "We can't!"
"But I'm an eagle! I can pick you up and carry you across!"
"I don't think that is a good idea your highness." Nishan said
"Why? I lifted Nguvu!"
"He is one, we are many." Nishan calmly answered, which bothered me since if I said something like that, he would just growl at me.
"Yeah! But I can still do it!"
"You know Nishan," I interjected "If he does manage to carry us over the ravine, this journey could end quicker."
"Here's the ravine." Firi said
"Fine." Nishan relented "Just make it quick."
"Will do!"
Vhid swooped down and picked up Nishan, who was not happy and I joked about how he could experience the joys of flight, which he rolled his eyes too. Vhid put him down on the other side and then came back and picked me up. I told him to put me down and take Mother first. He did put me down, literally. My paws hurt when I landed. Vhid picked Mother up and while she didn't scream, she was definitely not with being picked up. He flew back for me, now panting slightly. I didn't even have to say anything because he just picked me up immediately and flew me over. He is way more comfortable with me than the others and while it's nice to see that, I would have still liked to be prepared to fly. Especially because after he dropped me on the other side, he asked Firi if he wanted him to fly him over. Of course Firi being a cheetah said no and just jumped over. After we were all reunited on the other side, Firi led us to a canyon where we had to carefully jump over a nest and then walk up a dried river bed. This was the longest part of the journey. Eventually, Firi led us through a narrow canyon to the snowy area outside the Tree of Life.
"Well, I don't know where to go from here." Firi admitted
"You don't?" Nishan asked "What happened to being the smartest of our group?"
"Well Nichey,"
Nishan growled at that, and I understand why. Those nicknames are kind of dumb.
"It is a universal rule to never go near the Lions Kingdoms."
"And yet your princess went to the Pridelands and grew up there." Nishan retorted
"There are exceptions," Firi said "Like you being here with 2 lions."
Nishan grumbled "Alright, I can accept that."
"Guys!" Vhid yelled from the sky "What happened to going to the Tree?! Firi said he doesn't know where to go!"
"That won't be a problem your Highness!" I yelled back "I know this area well. I know where to go. Keep a lookout for mountains!"
"Like those ones over there?" Vhid asked, motioning to the mountain range to our right
"Yes," I answered "Look for a gap in those mountains. That's the Mountain Pass, the only way to the Tree of Life."
"Okay!" Vhid yelled as he flew off
"Come this way, while he looks for the Mountain Pass, I'll lead you to them."
"Then why did you tell him to look for them?" Nishan asked
"Just to let him do something."
"How generous." Nishan grumbled
I rolled my eyes then started walking towards the Mountain Pass. Something was wrong, Mother was silent. It's not like her to be silent but it had been years since I've seen her. Perhaps she changed, or she's hiding something. Then Vhid came back shouting about how he found a gap in the mountains behind a frozen lake. Before I could say anything, he flew in the direction of the Mountain Pass and I led the others to it.
"Here it is," I said "The entrance to the Tree of Life."
"It's about time." Nishan grumbled under his breath. I ignored him.
"Well? What are we waiting for?!" Vhid yelled "Let's go!"
"Vhid wait!"
"What?"
"The defenders of the Tree do not know you. They are more likely to let us in if I go first. They know me." I explained
"Okay!" Vhid agreed "You lead!"
I walked ahead and made it halfway through until I saw Ullu flying off. After all this time she's still there watching the entrance for King Kion and Queen Rani. We walked a little further until we were stopped by a group of teenage animals, a couple cheetahs, a honey badger, an eagle and a lion in front. The lion had off-orange fur, an orange mane and the Mark of the Night Pride on his shoulder
"Stop right there!" He roared "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"Woah, calm down. I'm not here to cause trouble. I've been traveling for a while and I'm ready to come back. I promised the King I would come back. My name is Nguvu." I told the teenage lion. He was no older than I was when left the Tree of Life. I can't believe how much changed.
"Dekha! Go get the king and the Lion guard!" The teenage Lion yelled to the eagle "Bring Shani if you find her!"
"Gotcha!" The female eaglet yelled before flying off. I couldn't believe the name he said, Shani? She's still here? It is really her?
"Shani?" I asked "Is she still here?"
"Huh?" The other animals asked
"How does he know Shani?" The male cheetah asked "Maybe he's telling the truth Saka."
"Or maybe he's trying to manipulate us." The lion responded "We cannot trust outsiders. Not after what happened last time."
"Saka, we weren't here for that!" The female cheetah said "And Shani said that was a month long!"
"Are you guys talking about the War for the Tree of life?" I asked without thinking. After I said it, I realized what I said but it was too late.
"How do you know about that?" The lion, whose name I assume is Saka, asked
"Oh man! You are definitely not going anywhere now!" The honey badger yelled
Nishan sighed and Firi gave me a 'are you kidding me look'. Vhid landed in my back, whispering to me that he thinks this is going to take a while. And I agreed.