Another chapter! Why? Because nobody is leaving reviews, and I'm guessing that's because people are waiting for the plot to develop so that there is more to discuss. Of course, this does incentivise readers to comments less so that I will update more, but I'll just hope people here are not smart enough to realize that. :P

Also, this chapter marks the end of terrible chapter titles. Seriously, I could not be arsed to come up with good names for the last two chapter, so I just made them references to songs/episodes from The Lion Guard and told myself I was being clever. Anyway, enjoy! And keep the predictions coming. I love seeing how other people thinks this story will develop. :)

"That might just be the most closeminded opinion I've ever heard."

The next morning, the group had gathered at the border for their diplomatic mission – such as it was.

"Sorry guys, I really wish I could help!" Beshti gave them an apologetic look, which Kion had no doubt was heartfelt. It had completely slipped his mind that the hippo could not go too long in the sun, and unlike the Pridelands there was too little vegetation in the Outlands for that to be feasible.

"Don't worry about it Beshti," he reassured him. "We'll manage." Losing their main source of muscle would make this mission far more dangerous – though he felt guilty for thinking of his friend that way. Still, he would use the Roar if it came to that, and the one bright point in going to the Outlands was that there was not much of value there for him to accidentally destroy.

"Exactly," said Fuli, sounding far more eager. She turned to Zazu, who had been assigned to escort them to the border. "We've got this, sir. Ono and I will keep Kion out of trouble, no problem."

"Yes, well." The red-beaked hornbill gave their group a rather unimpressed look. "That remains to be seen. Ono, if there's any sign of trouble I want you to fly straight back and send for help. The young master's safety is paramount, understood?"

"Yes sir! I won't let you down." The white heron raised one wing in salute. Kion was not sure why Ono was taking orders from his father's majordomo, but he decided not to make a fuss about it. Perhaps it was a bird thing?

Zazu gave the group one more appraising look, and sniffed. "I should hope not. If through some rare and unfortunate set of circumstances the young master were to end up being gargled down some hyena's throat, there's no sense in guessing who His Majesty will send to dive in after him." He sighed and waved his wing dismissively. "Go on then you lot, be off with you."

"Alright," said Ono, taking flight, "'till the Pridelands' end, Lion Guard defend!"

"It's just a diplomatic mission," said Fuli, rolling her eyes. "We're not going to war."

"I know that," he protested. "I just thought we should mark the occasion, that's all..."

Beshti waved them goodbye as they went. "Good luck guys! Be careful!"

They crossed the river at its narrowest point, and soon the landscape began to change around them. Grassy hills were replaced by rocky outcrops as the once-welcoming savannah transformed into a desert of sand and grit. Lush trees grew black and withered, and the undergrowth turned into a hostile tangle of thorn bushes. It was not hard for Kion to see how an animal living here might have their thoughts turned to theft and murder – not hard at all.

There had been some discussion with Zazu over where best to start, but in the end they had decided that their best chance of finding civilized Outlanders would be by venturing to the watering holes, which were located deep inside the Outlands. And that meant crossing a vast area of wasteland to get there.

"I can't believe they actually let us go," Fuli said. "Just three members of the Guard on an expedition into the Outlands. Your father must have a lot of faith in you, Kion."

"Well, I do have the Roar to protect me," Kion said. "But yeah. I guess he does."

Ono had taken to flying high overhead, on the lookout for any trouble. It was reassuring, to know that someone was watching over them. Still, if there were any enemies hiding in the caves that lined the cliff faces on either side of them, Ono would not be able to see it.

Fuli followed his gaze to the dark holes that pockmarked the looming stone crags all around them. "Pretty ominous, huh? What do you think – any chance of us running into the dreaded Zimwi out here?"

"There's no such thing as a two-headed creature with eight legs," Kion said, "so no." He examined his feline companion, giving her a pensive look. "Hey Fuli, I've always wondered: Those stripes on your back – they're not common for cheetahs, are they?"

She grinned. "Nope. I got those from my parents: We're King Cheetahs." She glanced towards her own back. "They look pretty sweet, don't you think? Makes me look fast, too – not that I need the help."

"Yeah, they're nice." He hesitated. She had never even mentioned her parents before. "Can I ask…"

"I left them," she said. "It's normal for cheetahs – we're solitary animals, after all."

"Oh okay," said Kion, relieved. "So it's not that they were very demanding or anything."

"Nah, too doting in fact." She grinned. "You know me, Kion. I go my own way."

He laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah. I guess I do."

After a moment, Ono came swooping down. "Okay guys, we should be getting close to the first watering hole. If there's any friendly faces in the Outlands, it should be around here."

"Good work Ono. Let's-" There was the sound of a single stone rolling down the cliff behind them. "What was that?" He turned, seeing only cliffs and empty wasteland. "Who's out there?"

Fuli gave Ono a sharp look. "I thought you were covering our back."

"I did! But those caves are too dark – and the sun's too low to make out what's beneath the cliffs!"

"Enough," said Kion, growling at the place where the sound had come from, at the shadow where he imagined his enemy was hiding. He could feel the line from his stomach drawing taut, and he knew that he could unleash divine destruction if need be. "Come on out, whoever you are. We don't want to hurt you, but if you don't show yourself…"

"I'm right here." The trio jumped and turned around to find a female hyena standing behind them, near the other side of the ravine. "You Pridelanders don't have very good hearing, do you?"

Fuli crouched low and growled. "Back off, Hyena! If you try to touch him–"

"Calm down." The hyena rolled her eyes. "You Pridelanders are just as humourless as they say. I just thought it would be funny to surprise you, that's all."

Ono raised an eyebrow. "So you're the one that dropped the rock? How did you do that from over there?"

"Rock? I just snuck up on you from behind just now." She turned and beckoned them to come to her end of the ravine. "Are you coming? I'm guessing you didn't walk all the way over here for nothing, right? Or is invading other territories just something lion princes do for fun?"

"No," said Kion, "we came here to – wait, you know who I am?"

She laughed. "Of course I do. Prince Kion, Captain of the Lion Guard, just like the great king Scar before him. Leader of the group that slaughtered our kind for generations. Janja won't shut up about you."

"Janja?" Fuli's growl intensified. "So you're related? He's killed three of our wildebeests."

"Did he? I'm sure he'll brag about it later. But no, we're not part of the same clan. I just… know him." She turned into an alcove, and the trio followed. Immediately, their surrounding transformed: A pool of water lay right in the centre of an oasis; a veritable sanctuary right in the middle of the rocky desert. There were actual green plants, rather than the grey and brown thorns they had become accustomed to, and amongst them lived a clan of hyenas. Small cubs were playing near the pool with not a care in the world.

"My clan split off from Janja's some time ago," The hyena explained. "My name's Jasiri. Make yourself at home."

"You invited us into your home?" Ono stared at the Hyenas cubs, who had spotted them and were now trying to hide behind a big grey rock. The other hyenas looked up in alarm at their approach, but did not move, seeming to trust in Jasiri. "Why would you do that? If it turns out we're enemies…"

She laughed again, and it sounded just as mocking as before. "Come off it, Pridelander. We're not all as paranoid as you. Call it a token of trust. Besides, what're you gonna do? Eat us?"

"It's tempting," Fuli muttered, before Kion silenced her with a glare.

"Jasiri, I thank you for inviting us into your home," he said. "Fuli and Ono here are my companions. We were hoping we could find some kind of solution to your troubles, as well as ours."

"Troubles?" She laughed. "We're doing just fine, thank you very much! And stop with the formalities, you sound absolutely ridiculous."

"I do not sound ridiculous," he said, finding himself growing hot around the cheeks. "I'm just trying to be diplomatic, that's all. Your friend Janja attacked us earlier, and he said that we sentenced you guys to death by making you stay here. I wanted to find out if that was true."

She snorted loudly. "Janja's every bit as ridiculous as you. We've had some tough times, sure, but we can take care of ourselves." She jumped on top of the grey rock and called out to the whimpering cubs that were hiding behind it. "Come on out little ones! They're just silly Pridelanders. Nothing to be afraid of."

"You might not want to teach them to be unafraid of lions," said Ono, frowning. "Remember that you're talking to Prince Kion, the fiercest animal in the Pridelands."

"The fiercest-" Jasiri rolled from the rock, choking with laughter. "Oh, you guys are just too precious!"

"Enough!" Kion was blushing furiously now. "We came here on a diplomatic mission, not to be made fun of. Where is your matriarch?"

One of the other female hyenas approached them. "We're currently short one matriarch, but we take care of each other." She smiled apologetically. "Please forgive my sister. She has some trouble taking things seriously."

Jasiri pulled herself off the ground, wiping tears from her eyes. "Kion, this is my sister, Madoa. Madoa, this is Prince Kion, the fiercest animal" – she snickered – "of the, the pwahahaha, I can't it's too much!"



Ono stared balefully at the hyena, who was once again rolling on the ground in laughter. "I think I'm starting to see why Janja left."

Kion ignored them. "What happened to your matriarch?"

"Shenzi left with King Scar to find a solution to our problems," the older hyena said. "Something about bringing balance; I confess it was all a bit mystical to me. We stayed together for a while, but when it became clear that our matriarch was not about to return, Janja took most of the male hyenas with him and formed his own clan. He's been attacking anyone who he considers an easy target ever since."

Jasiri got up, snorting derisively. "He spouted some nonsense about male pride and left in a huff. I think he just couldn't handle the fact that I kicked him in the 'nads whenever we got into a fight."

Ono exchanged a look with Fuli. "Janja is starting to sound more sympathetic by the second."

"No kidding," she said. "I'm a girl and I feel like I get where he's coming from."

"Diplomatic mission, you guys!" Kion gave them another glare for emphasis. He was starting to think he might just as well have taken Bunga along at this point. "Madoa, I came here to ask you if you're interested in migrating to the Pridelands. You said you can manage out here, but you and your clan seem friendly enough, so if you like I can ask my father to lift the banishment and let you in."

She frowned. "It is true that food and water are becoming scarcer these days, especially now that Janja and his clan have killed so many of the animals here. And I do have to consider the little ones…" She hesitated. "This is a big decision. Please give us some time to think it over, Prince Kion."

Kion nodded. He doubted that Simba would refuse her, especially when he heard about the cubs, but he would still need to ask. "All right. Then, if you're the only major clan in these parts, and it doesn't sound like there's much point in talking to Janja… I guess we're done here."

"I'll escort you out," said Jasiri, still chortling. "I wouldn't want you Pridelanders to get lost, with your sense of direction."

"Hilarious." Kion and the others followed Jasiri out of the oasis and back into the ravine, and none too soon. There was a pressure building in the back of his head which had not been improved by the hyena's antics. He rubbed his forehead, willing himself to focus.

"Are you all right?" Fuli was giving him a concerned look. That compassionate expression still looked strange on her, no matter how many times he saw it. There was a part of him that could not put away the image of her eating those dead wildebeests, unfair as that was.

"I'm fine," he said. "I just have a headache. The sooner we get back to the Pridelands, the better."

Ono nodded in agreement. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'll be happy when we're dealing with Bunga again. Sheesh."

Kion stared at him. "Ono? Shouldn't you be up in the sky, scouting for enemies?"

There was a moment of silence. And then the sound of rocks crashing down.