The Lion Guard - Season 4

Episode 8 - Fire

Fire.  Vovchak woke up to the smell of fire.  He jumped to his feet, trying to locate it with his nose.  Even with him being the bravest, he was smart enough not to jump right into fire.

"Risasi!"  He exclaimed.

The lioness jumped up, smelling the fire as well.

"Lion Guard!  Night Pride!"  Risasi commanded.  "There's a fire!"

"Fire?"  Risas exclaimed, jumping up.  "Get away from Pride Rock!"

"Fermet?"  Risasi said.

"What is it?"  Fermet responded.

"Can you take charge of the Night Pride?"  Risasi asked.  "I need to make sure Queen Kiara and King Kovu are okay."

"I can," Fermet confirmed.

"I'm coming as well," Risas said.  "Ushujaa?"

"Right," Ushujaa confirmed.

Risas and Risasi ran up to the den on Pride Rock.

"Mom?"  Risas asked.  "Dad?"

Risasi was a little confused; he said that his mom was Vitani.  After about half a second, she realized why he was calling the king and queen his parents.  They had raised him after Vitani had been exiled.

"Malkia?"  Risas continued.

"We're here," Kiara assured.  "What's wron-fire!"

"Fire?"  Kovu asked, standing up.  He seemed much more alert than his mate, and she was more alert than Risas or Risasi would consider normal.

"Yes, Kovu," a lioness' voice said from outside the den.

"Zira," Kovu responded, walking out.  The rest of the animals followed him.  Outside were Zira and Scar's bodies made of flame.

"Kovu, my son," Zira said.

"I was never your son!"  Kovu exclaimed with a flash of anger.  "You stopped me from knowing my real mother!"

"Kovu, Kovu, Kovu," Zira said.  "You never understood why."

"Enough with the friendly introductions," Scar said.  "Leopards?"

Bovu and Tsa came walking from behind them.

"You know what to do," Scar said.  

Tsa's eyes immediately landed on Risas.  She jumped at the lion, scratching his left eye with her claw.  Risas winced, then looked up.  His left eye had a scar on it.  Risasi looked at him, worried until Bovu knocked into her.  Before she had a chance to react, he scratched her left eye.  It had left two scars on it.  Seeing the look of pure anger that Risas was giving Scar, she knew it would be up to her to get rid of them.  Trying to think through the burning pain (which had dulled, but she couldn't think much), she remembered what Kion did to defeat Scar. 

"Now you two are exactly like me," Scar said.  "You both have the Mark of Evil."

Risas only growled in response, the wind starting to pick up.

"You don't scare me, Scar," Risasi said.  "There are plenty of good lions with scars.  Kovu.  Kion.  Rani."

"Kovu's scar was inflicted by just my claw with nothing on it," Zira explained.  "Rani had been living at the Tree of Life for her whole life.  And Kion's scar isn't that reliable.  Both his and Rani's will act up eventually.  You have no choice.  Give in."

"I will not give in!"  Risasi exclaimed.  Suddenly, she heard Mufasa's voice in her head.

"Stay calm, cool, and collected," he said.  Risasi could hear the sense in his words.

"But I can see you'll need more convincing," Scar continued.  "Kion Roared at Bunga.  And almost Fuli.  You may do the same with Fermet or Harako."

That hit too close to home for Risasi.  Her dream was getting more vivid each time she had it.

"Seen that in a dream?"  Scar asked.  "Looks like you already were worried about injuring the Pride."

Risasi closed her eyes, putting her tail in front of Risas.  She could handle it.  Risas pushed her tail out of the way.  They needed to do it together.

"We do have another choice," Risas said.  Scar rolled his eyes.

"Something only one Roar user can do to another?"  He asked.  "Forgive me?  I've already been forgiven."

Risasi and Risasi Roared together, causing to rain with a slight breeze.  After Scar had been defeated, barely even existing, Risasi's scar started to hurt beyond words.  She held a paw up to her, but immediately took it off; all it was doing was making it hurt more.

"Risas!  Risasi!"  Kovu exclaimed, worried.

"Get the Night Pride and Lion Guard," Risasi forced out through the pain and gritted teeth.  "Tell them to meet us at Rafiki's tree."

"Got it," Kiara said.

"Come on, Risasi," Risas started walking.

Once they got to Rafiki's tree, Fermet ran up to Risasi.  He pressed himself against her side.  Feeling the cougar's soft fur on her gave her something to focus on besides the pain.

"I know we haven't told the Lion Guard," Risasi started through thought, "but can you stay there?  I need something else to focus on."

"Of course!"  Fermet agreed.

The animals walked up to Rafiki's tree.  He came down before checking to see what was wrong.  They had to go the Arbre de la Vie.  Rafiki gave Risas and Risasi some shaant that Zazu had brought back.  Risas didn't trust the Pride Lands to stay safe when he was gone.  Kion had done the same to thing to Zira as they had to Vitani, but Zira still came back.  He turned to his Lion Guard.

"I don't think all of us should go," he explained.  "We still need some of us to protect the Pride Lands.

"Why?"  Ushujaa asked.  "Scar's been defeated, the Outlanders have a truce.  What else could cause damage?"

"I don't trust Vitani to stay away," Risas explained.  "She's good at manipulating animals, as well.  She might end up getting the Outlanders to turn on us.  And Makucha is back here with his family."

"Oh," Ushujaa said.  "Are you sure you'll be okay on your own?"

"He'll be with us," Risasi assured.  She paused to let Risas speak.  If it was the Lion Guard she had to go with to the Tree, she would Fermet by her side.  She had no reason to doubt that Risas wanted Ushujaa.

"But," he said, his voice a little embarrassed, "could you come with us, Ushujaa?"

"Of course!"  Ushujaa pressed herself against her mate.

The animals set out, Vue having memorized the way to the Arbre de la Vie.  They knew they had to stop at the Tree of Life to get more shaant, but they hopefully had enough to get to the Tree.