Lion Guard: King of Life

Chapter 4: Beyond the Kingdom

Surak, Nirmala, and Afia fiercely fought off an angry zeal of zebras.

The zebras violently bucked their back legs and snapped their jaws at the Night Pride. But the lions were much fiercer.

Surak avoided a zebra's kick and then snapped his jaws around one leg. With a furious thrust of his entire body, the lion hurled his opponent into another zebra.

Nirmala similarly weaved away from another zebra's kick and then pounced into his side, slamming the stallion to the ground.

A larger stallion angrily huffed as he overlooked the battle from a rock.

"Move you fools! There are entire grazing fields inside for the taking! Think of all the mares that will be ours!" Three of the zebras made a dead sprint for the entrance as the lead stallion grinned. However, his happiness was cut short.

Baliyo snarled and crashed into the Zebra like a freight train.

Baliyo slammed the Zebra hard against the rocks and furiously turned to the pass.

"Afia block them, Nirmala come in from behind! Then form up!"

Afia reached the pass entrance just in time. The lioness snapped her jaws and lashed out with her claws. The zebras stopped but didn't falter, that was until Nirmala flanked them and jumped onto the nearest zebra's back.

The stallion cried out in pain and terror as he tried to shake Nirmala off. Afia saw the fear in the flanking mares' expressions and quickly put the pressure on them as well.

Before Baliyo could join the others he grunted against the impact of the lead stallion's hooves into his side.

"Baliyo!" Afia cried.

"I'm fine! Keep up the pressure!" Baliyo snarled at the large zebras as the two faced off.

"You're not being fair. My zeal needs land in here more than your herds." The zebra huffed.

"If you need healing you're welcome. But poachers aren't allowed, and there's more than one kind of poacher." Baliyo growled.

"That grass and those mares are mine!" The zebra turned and bucked his legs violently at Baliyo. As the lion avoided the kicks, he also faced violent bites from the zebra. One even reaching the left side of his mane.

Unfortunately for the zebra, he made a fierce mistake trying to out-bite a lion. Baliyo snapped his own jaws around the lead stallion's head and dragged him down.

Despite his violent efforts to break free, Baliyo carried him across the rocky ground and tossed his enemy among the other zebras.

Nirmala and Afia had now driven the other three zebras back. Surak, Nirmala, and Afia formed up around Baliyo who snapped his jaws forward with the others.

Eventually, their pressure broke the zebras' will and the zeal retreated, even their leader.

Baliyo let out a heavy sigh as he watched the zeal leave.

"Nice work Baliyo." Surak said with a warm smile.

"We all won that one."

"True but you've stepped up your leadership again." Nirmala added.

Afia tried to hide her true expression as she looked at Baliyo.

"How many has that been?"

"Two poacher groups and that makes three territorial herds. Looks like things are getting just as bad here as they are for Kion and his Guard." Surak said with some fatigue.