A Lion's Path

Chapter 1 - The Next Day

The smoldering symbol, etched deep in the dry earth after the hyenas and the jackals had long retreated from the Pridelands, haunted Kion's every thought. He wanted to brush off its ominous appearance as merely coincidence, but Rafiki's troubled face when he first spotted it was all the convincing he needed to know it meant something more.

His body ached from the intense day. The hyenas and jackals working together was something new, something unforeseen, and for a far more nefarious purpose than just causing their usual mayhem, or stealing a midday snack. As Kion dropped his exhausted body to the cavern floor for a much needed nights rest, his mind continued to race.

An assassination attempt. It was truly an evil plot, wanting to kill Rafiki. The wise mandrill had served as Royal Mjuzi since the early rule of Mufasa. He was the knowledge keeper and royal adviser, and while he often spoke in riddles, he knew more and saw more within the Pridelands than any other animal. As Kion's body slowly gave way to sleep, his last thoughts fell just short of recognizing the purpose of the day's coordinated attack -- to take out one of only two animals in the Pridelands that could sense the Lions of the Past.

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Kion woke refreshed and with the fog of uncertainty lifted from his mind and body. The sun had risen some time ago, Kion sleeping more than usual after the intensity of the previous day. There was fresh meat from an early morning hunt left for the remaining morning stragglers of the pride. He took what he needed to quell his hunger, then set off to meet the Guard at the lair.

The other four members were already there, appearing mostly recovered from their exhausting previous day. Bunga was feasting on a rotting log full of colorful insects.

"Nice of you to join us Kion!" Bunga teased. It wasn't like Kion to be the last to arrive, and the honey badger never missed an opportunity to, well, badger.

"Yesterday kinda kicked my butt," Kion admitted. "The physical toll of fighting off twice as many bad guys, along with mentally working through why it happened in the first place."

"Do you think there was something more to yesterday's attack?" questioned Fuli, without any hint of her usual sarcasm.

"I do. Why would the hyenas and jackals work together? Sure both groups have made it known they're our enemies, but what would bring them together, and above all, to kill Rafiki?" pondered Kion, while slowing climbing up a group of rocks that would bring him closer to the older paintings on the lair wall.

"Maybe they just bumped into each other in the Outlands and thought it'd be fun to stir up some trouble," guessed Bunga, while popping a particularly crunchy bug into his mouth and chewing loudly.

Even Kion made a slightly grossed out face. "Maybe. I sure hope that's the truth. I feel like there's something bigger at work here...." Kion's voice faded as he became lost in thought. He snapped out of his head when he realized the other four were staring at him with concerned faces. "Anyways, no need to dwell on this now. Time for morning patrol, you guys ready?"

"Affirmative! Before you got here we were talking about starting towards the east, just to double check Mapango Cliffs for any straggling hyenas," stated Ono.

"That sounds like a plan! Lion Guard, let's move!" Kion commanded.

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The morning patrol was thankfully uneventful. On days like today, with no zebra herd in immediate peril, or rhino stuck in something, or any other impending threat to the Circle of Life, the Lion Guard members usually retreated back to the lair to formulate the day's Guard plan, and today was no different. On the way back to the lair, Kion walked beside Beshte, who carried Bunga as a passenger.

"Glad today seems like a calm day in the Pridelands," expressed Kion. "I noticed that strange mark from yesterday, near Mapango Cliffs, had disappeared. Maybe it was just a coincidence that it looked like something important."

"Just like I said! That would be great news for us," chimed Beshte.

"Great news indeed," said Kion, allowing himself to be partially relieved of his mental burden, as they made their way back into the lair. Fuli and Ono were lounging comfortably, as if they'd been waiting for a while. 'Yep, same old,' thought Kion. 'Glad things seem back to normal!"

They decided who would take the day off and who would patrol. It was Kion and Ono's turn to be on the lookout, so Bunga went to spend the day with his uncles, Beshte joined the hippo pod for a midday soak, and Fuli went off on her own. Kion and Ono spent a little time resting in the lair, then headed back out for an afternoon patrol across the western borders. They saved a nest of eggs from being trampled and re-directed an elderly antelope back to his herd. Not exactly a heroic day, but they welcomed the downtime.

Kion closed his eyes that night expecting a calm night's sleep. In his dream he and the Guard were at some type of large gathering at Pride Rock. Herds of different species were all present, as was the entire royal family along with Zazu, Rafiki and Makini. The gathering was calm, with all of the animals waiting patiently for something. Suddenly, dark clouds rolled in from the east, west and south. In the far distance smoke was seen rising beyond the Prideland borders, and balls of fire began soaring through the air and landing amongst the animals gathered. From the east came the hyenas, packed tight, more numerous than Kion had ever seen together before. From the west, the jackals and banished crocodiles, and from the south, leopards with a huge group of vultures flying overhead. Dust and dirt, fire and smoke filled the air from every direction. Animals panicked and tried to flee, mass chaos enveloped the area as the enemies closed in. He spotted it then, the Tree of Life, burning from its roots to the tip of its branches. His heart filled with fear and despair at the scene unfolding before him, feeling too small to be able to stop the onslaught. A chilling laugh filled the air, and Kion traced it to a face forming in the smoke billowing from the Tree of Life. The symbol from the ground two days ago appeared within the silhouette, the eye, of a now unmistakable face -- Scar.

"Scar, NO!!" Kion awoke with a yell and a start. Some nearby lions opened their eyes for a moment, but quickly slipped back into slumber realizing it was just Kion yelling from a nightmare. It was just before dawn, and the first thin beams of sunlight were streaking up the sky from the east. Kion was panting, his heart racing from adrenaline. He gave himself a moment to shake off the dream, took a deep breath and headed out into the morning. Things seemed quiet and calm, as they should.

His mind reeled with the recognition of the symbol in the ground -- the symbol of Scar. It all made sense now, how the groups of enemies were coming together and for what purpose. Kion paced back and forth while the gears in his mind turned. What should he do? What *could* he do? Who should he tell? A first thought of running to tell his father came to mind, but what proof did he have? Proof, something tangible, was what he'd need before convincing anyone that somehow this was all related to Scar. Were the groups organizing under Scar's name? Did his evil granduncle leave some sort of instructions that were found? Or worst of all, were the enemies communicating with the spirit of Scar in some way? Kion intended to find out, and put an end to it.