Lion Guard: King of Life

Chapter 7: The Northern Kingdom

"You know, a few of us yesterday were wondering what happened to make Radcliffe's followers act the way they do. Maybe we'll figure that out today."

"Maybe, they are rather frightening."

Ono chuckled.

"I think there could be more to them than meets the eye."

Anga's looked closely at the ground and noticed the number of herds and hospitable land were declining the further north they went.

The poaching parties could be seen avoiding the territory north of their location and Anga felt a growing dread inside her.

"Keep your eyes peeled guys. I have a bad feeling about this."

Ono and Ullu soon understood what Anga meant. The clouds ahead seemed far different than the others. They were far more spread out like stratus clouds but were almost black in their appearance.

The clouds rested over a large area roughly as big as the Pride Lands. Rocky passageways lined each entrance while the low clouds covered what the Kingdom itself looked like.

All three were silent as they glided over the Kingdom below.

".....I guess this is it." Ono muttered nervously.

Ullu breathed heavily as she tried to keep herself away.

Several minutes of pure dread passed and none of them came any closer.

"Alright, we just have to get it over with. We go in, see what Radcliffe's up to, then get out. Stay close and try not to draw any attention."

Ullu kept close to Ono as he put his left-wing over her.

"We'll go in together."

The two followed Anga as they pierced the clouds. Almost immediately upon doing so, they felt the air turn foul and reek of destitute.

The three nearly coughed as they tried to power through the horrible sensation. That was until they finally passed through the clouds and saw the Northern Kingdom.

All three nearly panicked when they gazed upon the lands below. The birds saw no signs of vegetation only fungus that extruded from sections of the ground.

The land was barren save for one central watering hole near the base of a great rock formation.

The empty watering holes seemed to have been drained through dug canals and forced into the central watering hole.

There were no herds to be found but plenty of bones. More bones than any of them had ever seen. Anga used her keen sight to look closer. Herbivores of all kinds were laid out as skeletons throughout the land.

But they weren't alone. Ullu and Ono looked sighed nearly as many predator bones spread out among them. Not just adults but even cubs. It was like a nightmare.

The dark clouds stole most of the sun's gift and left only darkness over the kingdom.

"I think we've seen enough!" Ullu squawked in fright.

"We haven't seen Radcliffe yet, I don't see anyone."

"You're not looking close enough." Anga almost moaned.

The two birds looked back down at the canyon-like environment below. They finally saw what Anga was looking at and felt their beaks drop open.

An army of the feral predators stretched out along the canyon. Groups dragged in poached animals from every direction and then tore the meat apart like swarms of locust.