The Lion Guard Season 5

Chapter 22: ...Brother?

{Amani's POV}
It has come to my attention that I am not very conspicuous because Saka was very close to finding out what I am doing. And now I will not be left alone. Either Duma, Shani or Uzuri are around me and they only leave me alone at night because of their 'beauty sleep'. It doesn't matter to me, soon I will get what I am owed.
"Amani." Shani said
Uuuuuughhhhh. Here we go. ANOTHER lecture about communicating my thoughts to EVERYONE.
"If you think I'm going to lecture you, I am not." Shani said
"So now you read minds?" I asked
"Less so reading minds, more so it's on your face." She responded with the same amount of sarcasm I gave her
I rolled my eyes "So what do you want to do now?"
"Uncle is taking us to the Pridelands," Shani explained "Saka and I are ready. I came to get you ready since I know you are not."
"Seriously, the Pridelands?" I complained "They have to be the blandest lands in the world!"
"Trust me, they are not." She laughed "Also everything looks bland compared to the Tree of Life."
I rolled my eyes, because of course Father wants to go to the Pridelands. We go there like once a month at this point.
"When are we going?" I growled
"Maybe check your tone before asking me a question madam." Shani snapped back
"I'll remember to do so next time, oh Queen of Scars."
"If that's your best comeback, you need to learn how to be more creative." She remarked
Her blind eye seems to stare into my soul. I sighed "When are we going?"
"Better," Shani smiled "Tomorrow."
"Great," I said "I'm going to have to deal with stupid snooty Asha and actually stupid Koda."
"Hope you have fun." Shani laughed, and she didn't walk away
"You know this is the part where you walk away."
"I know." She said
"So...?"
"So I'm not going anywhere." She said "You can't shake me that easily."
I sighed in exasperation "You're going to be babysitting me?"
"No."
"What?"
"I'm going to accompany you, not babysit."
I rolled my eyes and flopped onto the ground "Don't you have something better to do?"
"No."
"Nothing Night Pride related?"
"This is Night Pride related."
"Oh let me guess, oh mighty Prince Saka ordered you to watch me."
"Maybe oh mighty Prince Saka cares about you and wants to make sure you're okay."
"I doubt it." I said before falling asleep.
{Shani's POV}
Amani fell asleep, which is odd because she used to be with Uzuri around this time. But if they were right, and she really is sneaking out of the Tree at night, then it makes sense why she fell asleep now. I would've sat somewhere else, when Nguvu approached me. It was so long that I have seen him that now I want to be with him all the time.
"Hey babe." Nguvu greeting sheepishly
I smiled "Babe?"
Nguvu's cheeks filled with color "I-I'm sorry. I just thought it was cute and you and I are boy-"
I started to laugh and he raised a brow. "I was just teasing you. But you could come up with something better than babe."
"I'll think of something," He said "We on babysitting duty?"
"Who's we?"
"The best couple in all the land!" Nguvu exclaimed
"All the land, huh?"
"Of course," He said with more confidence than I've ever heard from him "Shani, my love, you could never be below the best."
"Who replaced my dorky boyfriend with this Casanova?" I asked
"Casanova?! Shani, I am repulsed by the idea of my heart belonging to anyone but you, my love."
"Ooohh, I love that nickname." I said "It sounds so- perfect."
"If you don't mind, my love, I would like to spend some time with Amani before you leave for the Pridelands." Nguvu said
"Why?"
"I left one month before they were born and I feel like I should have a relationship with King Kion's cubs."
"Have fun," I said "She hasn't been the same since you've been back."
"I have been told." He answered "But maybe I can help."
"Babe, please. She isn't talking to the animals she knows, why would she talk to you?"
"I'm a neutral third party." He explained "Maybe she would feel comfortable enough to tell me."
"Highly unlikely." I responded
"You guys realize I can hear you, right?" Amani growled
"That was the intention, Princess." Nguvu said
Amani got up and walked closer to us until her face was an inch away from Nguvu's "I hope you realize I would never tell YOU anything."
"Amani!" I growled
"Good," Nguvu said, calmly "Because that was not my intention. I simply wanted to get to know you better."
Nguvu matured so much, he was almost unrecognizable, but the lion I knew was still there.
"If you want to talk," I said "I'll be on my way. She stays away from Dirisha."
"Are you kidding me?!" Amani yelled
"That's the only rule I was given, so I assume it's important." I explained "Is there a problem?"
"The River of Patience is just a random spot to forbid me from." Amani said
"How about you and I go to the Lake of Reflection?" Nguvu asked
"That sounds like a great idea Amani." I said "Why not?"
"You won't leave me alone if I refuse, huh?" Amani asked
"I'd leave you alone regardless." I said "But I can't control him."
"You're seriously blackmailing me?"
"Call it what you will."
Amani huffed "Fine."
"Great." I said. I walked away from the two and Nguvu led Amani to the Lake.
{Amani's POV}
Nguvu led me to the Lake of Reflection, whose purpose is exactly what it is named for. It's meant as a place where you can stop and reflect on yourself. I never had a reason to come here except for my training. Why did this lion want me here of all places?
"Care to tell me what's on your mind?" Nguvu asked
"Why did you bring me here?" I asked
"Why did you agree to come with me?" Nguvu replied "You could've refused. Shani would've left regardless of what you said."
I didn't really know how to answer that. The truth was I didn't really know why I chose to come here "I don't know."
"Figured." He said "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you and your brother don't have the best relationship."
"Yeah."
"I never understood the dynamic between siblings. You could seem so close and so distant at the same time." He admitted "You guys could be similar and completely different."
"Saka became someone else after what happened in the Outlands. And outside the Mountain Pass." I told him. I don't know why I want to talk to him, I don't know him but he reminds me of the Master. I never saw the Master but he had such a presence. Nguvu had a similar presence but his is softer, gentler. The Master's presence was commanding, it was strong.
"From where I'm standing," He said "Saka wasn't the only one who changed."
"My whole friend group changed, suddenly I couldn't recognize them." I admitted "They used to be so reckless, but now they're cautious. One of them was so scared and now he's braver than the rest."
"Yeah, that's annoying." He said "Someone was one thing, then they became someone else. It's like there was a whole other animal inside them."
"Yeah..." What is this lion doing? What is he trying to do?
"I saw that a lot, was traveling for a while." He said "I saw a lot of things I hadn't seen before, and I was on the road my whole life. I think you are lucky."
"Lucky how?"
"You got to be here from the start. I had to fight for my place here. You've got animals around you, who want to help you, who love you. I had trainers." Nguvu explained
I scoffed "Yeah right. They don't care about me. The world wouldn't care if I died like they would if Father or Saka died."
"Sure, they wouldn't." Nguvu said "But the world doesn't care about most things. I guarantee you, it wouldn't care if I died and it might be sad if your brother died and then stop caring."
"I wish I never had a brother." I admitted "I hate having a brother."
"I can't relate," Nguvu said "I always wanted a sibling."
I stared at him, and he was staring at his reflection. "Why? They take, they don't leave anything for you."
"Maybe, but I grew up lonely." He admitted "Shani was the only friend I had. My father drove everyone else away, even my mother."
"What?"
"Yeah, it wasn't easy, and I was hidden. And I hated it." He pawed at the reflection of his scar. The Mark of Evil, yet he's the furthest thing from evil. It's strange, but I feel close to him."
"I'm also hidden." I said
"I don't think you are," He told me "I think you're just waiting for your moment to shine."
"My moment to shine?"
"That's how I justified it for years," He explained "But while it was false for me, it's true for you. Your father loves you, your mother never vanished and you're surrounded by animals who want to be your friends."
I was getting impatient at this point "What's your point?"
"Things are annoying right now, and everyone doesn't seem to care, but there's always something we can do or somewhere we can go. And maybe things will get better with a little time."
"Sure."
The sun began to set and I walked away for the lake. I came back to the River when night fell. I was walking slower than normal, thinking about what Nguvu said. My moment to shine? If it won't come, maybe I should force it. I am tired of being the shadow.