Journey To Kin

Chapter Five

Kion stood in front of the moja kwa moja stone under the iroko tree they'd finally gotten to. The painting on the stone depicted a little mini-replica of the tree looming over it; green, lush leaves and a nice sized brown trunk. For a split second, he looked to the purplish mountains in the not-quite-horizon, but quickly tried to refocus. He figured the fuzziness and confusion was his scar acting up. But leaders don't show their confusion— not when their team needs guidance. So he kept a smile on and asked the egret perched on Beshte's back, "So, where to next?"

"Nawaza..." Ono paused, thinking. "After the iroko tree, we need to find a mountain with two peaks."

Anga flew up. "Got it. This way." She started to fly ahead; Kion followed her with his gaze at the mountain already visible in the vision, splitting up three-fourths to the top into two triangles, one slightly higher than the other.

It's not that far. Motivation coursed through him at the thought. "Okay, everyone. Let's go find the Tree of Life." Kion set off after the eagle, Fuli, Bunga, Makini, falling in step at his side; Beshte slightly behind. Anga circled around back to them before flying forwards again...

Ah!

Kion reeled his head back, blinking. Fuli was staring at him. Had he bumped into her? He didn't see it... in fact, he barely registered anything in that moment other than the sky. "Sorry, Fuli."

The cheetah eyed him for a second. "You okay?"

"Yeah."

She gave him a look that worried him. If even Fuli, the most aloof and distant —by comparison— member of the group noticed, then Kion sure wasn't doing a good job of hiding it. We're going on a huge journey we've barely even started, and everyone here is leaving home for who knows how long. Who knows what's beyond these lands? I have to be strong for them. That's what a leader does. He gave her the most genuine looking smile he could articulate and kept walking.

"Hey you!" 

Everyone stopped and turned to the sound of the unfamiliar voice and saw a huge golden, russet-maned lion to their right coming over a crest of a grassy hill.

"What're you doing in these parts?"

His voice didn't seem hostile. Still, as he walked closer Kion warily moved in front of the group. War had taught him one thing — complete comfort shouldn't be the first thing you feel when meeting someone new. "Who are you?" Kion tried to make his voice sound non-harsh though; the lion hadn't yet given him a reason to not trust him or to be cold.

He kept walking closer. "I'm Baba, and this is Geni's Pride territory." He flashed a toothy grin. Something... didn't seem right about that grin.

"We didn't know this land belonged to someone. We're just passing through," Kion said.

"Oh, that's all understandable. You traveling?" When Kion nodded, Baba said, "You know, our pride's looking for new recruits. I's the one put in charge of it." Finally directly in front of the group, he came to a stop, eyeing the lion cub up and down with an orange-brown gaze that Kion thought looked a lot like his own. "Sure a tough lookin' rogue like you'd make a fine addition."

"Thanks for the offer, but we're not rogues. We're just..." I don't wanna talk about my scar, "away from home for a while. And we really have to get going."

"We have important Lion Guard business to do!" Bunga added eagerly.

"Lion Guard?" Baba's eyes widened. "So y'all from the Pridelands? Been a while since I've been there. Golly, didn't think they'd have 'em anymore 'cause of Scar. But y'all ain't lions."