The Lion Guard: Lost Heart (#1)

Chapter 3

Quick A/N: I'm going to mention 'that one Christmas' later on.  That refers to the events of my Christmas Special on my The Lion Guard - AU.  It's just those events that have happened in this book.  Nothing else.

The Guard was nearing the Pride Lands when they all started to get tired.  They had been jogging since they left the Tree of Life.  It was hard to keep up the pace, but the threat of Harako kept them running.

"How...long...until...we...get...there?"  Bunga panted.

"There's the great stone wall," Fuli said.  She had had the easiest time - of the land animals - jogging at the pace of the Guard - or just Kion.  It was more of a trot for her.

"We're...almost...there," Kion panted in response.  "Anga?"

"I'll see," Anga flew up.  Her and Ono were stooping to gain speed.  Neither of them seemed to have had a problem keeping up with the Guard.

"Let's see," Anga muttered to herself.  There were a group of Outlanders gathered at the front of the volcano.  She recognized the hyenas from Janja and Jasiri's clans, but Janja and Jasiri were nowhere to be seen.  ReiRei's pack was there, along with Mzingo's committee.  There also some Outlanders she didn't recognize, along with some Pride Landers she did recognize.  Like Tazama and Shabaha.  Anga came flying back down towards the Guard to glide above them.

"The Outlanders are gathered at the front of the Volcano," she reported.  "Tazama and Shabaha are there, too."

"Any cheetahs?"  Fuli asked.

"Not that I could see," Anga responded.

Fuli decided to check it out once she could get to a vantage point.

After a while of jogging, the Guard had gotten to the edge of the Pride Lands.  Kion could remember when both his and Vitani's Guards battled in that ravine.

"I'm going ahead," Fuli said.  "I'll be at Flat Ridge Rock."

"Right," Kion watched his mate run off.  What he would give to have her speed right now.  She had been trotting beside him the whole time they went from the Tree to the Pride Lands.  Suddenly, power filled his legs.  He sprinted ahead of the Guard.

Fuli sat on Flat Ridge Rock, waiting for Kion and Anga.  She didn't want to look down at the Outlands without Kion there for her.  Kion came running up to her, almost as fast as a cheetah.  He stopped.

"What was that?"  he asked aloud.

"I've no idea," Fuli said, "but you were running as fast as me."

<Fuli and I are waiting at Flat Ridge Rock,> Kion told the Guard.  Anga and Ono were the first to arrive, followed by Bunga, then finally, Beshte.

Fuli stood up and looked down at the Outlands.  The sun was halfway through the sky, so it was almost right above the volcano.  She looked down and spotted two cheetahs.  One she thought was dead, and another she wanted dead.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing, Anga?"  Fuli asked.

"I'll see," Anga flew up.  "Those two cheetahs?"

"Right," Fuli said.

"It's hard to make them out with the sun in my eyes," Anga said.

"One of them's Harako," Fuli said.  "The other is my brother.  Harako had told me had died."

"I can only see a whole bunch of Outlanders," Bunga said.  "The sun's in my eyes too much."

"Cheetahs have excellent day vision," Ono explained.  "It's due to the stripes along their muzzle.  Common knowledge, really."