Chapter 1: Leopard in the Pridelands

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(these translations are off of what I'm assuming is a legit Wikipedia page for the show.)

The worn out leopard cub skids to a halt looking behind her at the grassy fields. "I think I lost him." she huffs and flops to the ground. "why doesn't anyone want me around? I never hurt anybody." She lays there with her ears down. "now I have no idea where I am or how to get home."

Not far away the lion guard is attempting to help the zebra herd leader Thurston out of a mud pit.

"Beshte, you stand behind him and get ready to push. Bunga help Beshte." Kion directs. "Fuli standby. Ono check for hyenas."

"right!" Beshte nods trudging through the mud to get into place.

"on it! ZUKA ZUMA!" Bunga yells excitedly jumping on Beshte's back. [Zuka = pop up] [Zuma = dive down]

"ok." Fuli nods keeping her place outside the mud hole.

"affirmative!" Ono flies up into the sky to keep watch.

"what hyenas!? Panic and run!" the zebra kicks up sinking lower into the mud.

"no there aren't any hyenas... I hope." Kion rolls his eyes. "ok Beshte on three." Kion calls his count and Beshte and Bunga push the zebra out of the mud pit and onto dry land. Bunga falls forward off beshte's head and lands face first in the mud, but doesn't seem very bothered by it.

"thank your lion guard." Thurston bows respectfully. "don't know what I would have done without you. bye bye now." He trots off to the east.

"Thurston your herd is that way." Kion points to the west.

"oh. Yes of course." Thurston nods and turns to go the other way. "thank you again lion guard."

"Hapana! Kion!" Ono yells having spotted the leopard cub. [Hapana = oh no]

"what ono?! Hyenas?" Kion asks running after ono as he flies.

"worse probably." Ono frowns. "it's a leopard."

"Leopard?!" Fuli turns to Kion. "but we sent Badilli home!? And Makucha wouldn't come back here!? Would he?"

"we're about to find out." Kion puts his paws to the dirt and sprints forward.

"no it's just a little one." Ono says as they get closer. "but still a leopard in the pride lands can't be good."

"a little one?" Kion questions as they can now see her laying on the ground by herself. They all stop kicking up some dust. "maybe... maybe the leopard is friendly? Like Badilli?" he nods and looks at his friends. "let me see what's up." he walks carefully over to the leopard. "hey... leopard!"

"hu!?" Neema shoots up in the air and lands on her feet startled. "i... I'm sorry I didn't realize I was trespassing." She mumbles quickly folding her ears back. "please... I can't keep running I'm exhausted..."

"wooo what's got you all jumpy?" Kion questions sitting on the ground to show her he means her no harm.

"i..." Neema sees him sit so she sits to though she keeps her ears down. "I'm horribly lost and the other leopards don't want me around. They drove me out of the fields..."

"oh I see." Kion looks at his feet his eyes dart back and forth for a moment then he returns his gaze back to Neema. "I'm sorry that happened. But this is the pride lands this is no home for a leopard." He sighs and after thinking it over decides to give her a chance. "you're a mess... I'll take you to rafiki and he'll make sure you're alright. Then we'll find some place for you to stay."

"really!" Neema smiles with her ears up. "you... you aren't going to send me away?"

"no I couldn't." Kion smiles a bit. "after all you haven't done anything wrong. You're just looking for home, and I'd feel bad leaving you out here in this shape." He turns to his friends and nods.

The four hurry over to Kion. "so what's the story?" Beshte asks.

"she's just a little lost leopard." Kion explains.

"my name is Neema." She smiles a little.

"well nice to meet you Neema. I'm ono." Ono smiles and holds one wing out. "keenest of sight on the lion guard."

"I'm Fuli and I'm the fastest on the lion guard!" Fuli smiles spinning in a circle.

"I'm Beshte and I'm the strongest." Beshte smiles.

"ZUKA ZAMA! I'm Bunga!" Bunga jumps off beshte's back and into the air and lands in front of neema. "nice to meet you."

"come on Rafiki's tree is not far from here." Kion waves them over and they begin walking. "I'm Kion by the way. The leader of the lion guard."

"nice to meet you all." Neema smiles.

-to be continued-

t/8

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