The Lion Guard: The Northern Crocodile

Chapter 9

"Where are we going?" Zaire asked.

It hasn't been long since Makuu and Zaire left the watering hole. Makuu didn't feel comfortable roaming around the Pridelands with Zaire, but he didn't exactly like the idea of leaving him behind, either. Not because he was worried of what Zaire would do to the float, but rather what Masika would possibly due to her brother. In any case, Makuu wasn't willing to take any chances. Although, he did wish that Zaire had better control over himself, since he lashed out at any curious Pridelanders that got too close for comfort.

{At least he hasn't killed anyone, yet.}

"We are heading to Pride Rock so that I can tell the Royal Family about what just happened," Makuu answered.

"Royal family? That means you answer to the authority of lions, right?"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Seen it before."

"You have? Where?"

"Another kingdom, south-west of here. I would say a good few weeks trip, assuming you don't get lost or take unnecessary detours."

"I'm guessing that's when you took your break from keeping an eye on your sister."

"You heard that?"

"I heard all of it. I know you have more to say, but I also know that you are not going to tell me anything until you talk to your sister about it."

"Even if I refused to tell you, it seems that my sister trusts you enough to tell you about our family. I mean, I wouldn't be too surprised if she tells you what I tell her."

"If that's the case, then just tell me what you know right now. I mean, you said it yourself, Masika might just end-up telling me once you're done talking to her."

"Ha! No way! If my sister found out that I revealed my secrets to you before talking to her about them first, then she would most likely kill me. You saw what happened back there. Trust me when I say that you never want to tick my sister off."

"At least that's something we can both agree on, but I'm not gonna stop pestering you until you tell me what I want to know."

"Alright, fine, but if my sister finds out, we're both dead."

"Sounds fair enough. So, what part of your family were you investigating?"

"Mother's side of the family. Did Masika talk much about our mother?"

"She talked a lot about you and your father, but she didn't really say much of anything about your mother."

"That's not surprising in the slightest. Our mother, Mesi, is kind of a mystery. She is a really amazing crocodile, and a highly respected member of the float, but no one knows anything about her past, especially since she wasn't born in the River Valley."

"Did she ever talk about where she came from?"

"Nope, hence the word 'mystery'."

"Well, what did you find out about your mother down south?"

"Believe it or not, I managed to find mom's old float."

After his last answer, Zaire's mood changed. Makuu became unsettled, since it wasn't a positive change that he sensed, but rather something dark and unwelcoming.

"Zaire, what's wrong?" Makuu asked.

Zaire kept quiet for a short period of time, then sighed and continued speaking.

"Let's just say I now know why my mom left home and hid her past from the rest of us."

"What exactly do you mean by that?"

"What I mean, Makuu, is that my mom's old home was filled with monsters."

"Monsters?"

"Yes, you heard me right. I couldn't believe that my mother actually used to be a part of a place like that. I mean, there is no way that she could have possibly belonged there at any given point in time."

"Are you sure you didn't make a mistake or something?"

"That's what I hoped, but it wasn't the truth. I realized that my mother looked exactly like the crocodiles from that kingdom: similar builds, similar colors, similar markings, and so on and so forth. There's no doubt about it. My mother was once one of them."

"Mind if I ask what this place is called?"

"It's called the Crescent Valley. It got its name from the large, crescent moon-shaped lake located in the center of the Valley's grasslands. The predators that live there - specifically the lions and the crocodiles - are fierce, ferocious, and fearless, as well as powerful and devious. Barely anyone survives their wrath."

"No wonder your mother never told any of you about where she came from. That place sounds like a death trap."

"It basically is one. I'm just surprised I managed to get the information I needed and get out of there before I was caught."

"You almost got caught? How in the world did you escape?"

"A hyena helped me."

"A hyena?! You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not."

A short pause followed. Zaire soon realized something.

"You don't like hyenas very much, do you?"

"No one around these parts likes hyenas, let alone would any of us be willing to trust one of them."

"Maybe you just haven't met the right hyena, or you're looking at it from only one perspective. If you take a moment to think about it, us crocodiles aren't that much different from hyenas."

"Care to explain?"

"Both hyenas and crocodiles tend to have a stigma placed upon them, which is just a fancy way of saying that we both tend to be categorized with bad reputations. However, that's because other animals don't understand us. If we got to know each other better, then we might be able to have a better understanding of each other. Then again, I doubt that's ever going to happen anytime soon, considering most animals aren't willing to change their minds. Once someone sets their mind to something, they tend not to change it. Enough of an explanation for you?"

"I can tell you're very sensitive on the topics of trust and understanding, but trust me when I say that your opinion is definitely an unpopular one around here. No matter what, no one here is going to listen to what you have to say on the matter."

"What else is new."

"Was that a question or a statement?"

"I'll leave that up to your imagination."

Zaire gave Makuu a friendly nudge, and Makuu did so right back. The two males continued on in silence until they reached Pride Rock.

"Well, Zaire, we're here," Makuu announced.

"So this is Pride Rock, huh?" Zaire pondered. "This is a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, but I guess it does make sense if it is the home of a lion pride. Speaking of which, who are you supposed to see again?"

"Simba, the King of the Pridelands, and his son, Kion."

"Do I even want to know why you need to see the king's son and not just his father?"

"That's kind of a long story, and you most likely won't believe me if I tell you."

"Try me, Makuu."