"What are we going to do now?" Kiara asked, still pacing back and forth. While they were all lying around, Zira was taking their land. They had to do something, but at the actual moment Nala, Kiara, and Beshte just stood among each other. Worry hung thick in the air, unsaid but threatening to push them over the edge. Was this the final moment for them? The last little bit before it's all for naught?
Nala herself was just as worried, there wasn't any word of where the lioness went off to. For all the queen knew, they were scattered, chased off by Zira's own forces. That left them with nothing but themselves against the mounting force. The former queen prayed the Pride Landers resisted Zira's rule, staying true to who they were long enough for them to figure something out.
Beshte noticed the fraught look on his queen's face and stepped towards her. "Um, Your Highness?"
Nala's ear flicked and she looked to the large hippo, giving him a small smile. "Yes, what is it, Beshte?"
"I know it's just me and all but... I'll do everything I can to protect all of you," Beshte assured, standing tall.
The queen smiled and gave a pleasant chuckle. "Thank you, Beshte. In this time especially it means so much to me. To all of us."
The hippo nodded and was about to say something else but a noise caught his attention. A sharp series of rustles. Making good on his word, Beshte stood firm in front of the queen and princess of the Pride Lands. His demeanor was serious, standing tall and planting his hooves into the ground, Beshte's nostrils flared and a deep huff left him.
But from the foliage came none other than Ono. The egret was panting, having come back to the hideout with urgent news. Beshte and Nala rushed to his side, eager to hear what it was. The Keenest of Sight was put in charge of watching the outside for any sign of trouble.
"What is it, Ono?" Nala asked, fearing the worst.
"You're never gonna believe this but..." Ono took a moment to clear his throat, looking up at his friends. "There's a whole hoard of hyenas out there charging into the Pride Lands. And Nakala's leading them!"
"What?!" Nala asked, indeed not believing the words that were coming from the egret's beak. But Ono was nothing but serious. He recounted exactly what he saw to those who were listening. Charging right past the border was Nakala, leading the charge with nearly countless hyenas running behind him. He had no idea the clan was so plentiful...
"We need to get out there," Nala said, getting up to her paws. Kiara, Beshte, and Ono looked at each other, stunned at the queen's sudden urgency. With no other choice, they followed behind her, hoping that Nala knew what she was doing...
Nakala pounded his paws to the grass, coming closer and closer to Pride Rock. He was determined to take it back for the sake of his family and his clanmates. With Janja, Chungu, and Amana by his side, the lion felt near invincible. He was more than sure that they could do it. With his Roar fully in his control once again it was guaranteed that Zira was done for.
"Lioness! Over there!" Amana yelled, catching the attention of those on the front line. They skid to a stop, keeping a look out for their foe. Sure enough there was a lioness running right towards them. Taking no chances, Nakala broke away from the rest, planning to meet the fellow feline head on. But as he drew closer and realized who it was, the lion gasped and once again skid to a halt.
"Nakala!" Nala yelled, panting heavily as he approached her son. "You're here!"
"Mom?" Nakala asked, instantly relaxing. "What are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you that," Nala pointed out.
"We're all here to save the Pride Lands. The lioness may be stronger but there are more of us. We can beat them easily. Don't worry, we're gonna make everything okay."
Nala nodded and sighed, worried for the safety of his cub but also proud of his resolve to do the right thing despite all that came unto him. "As the Queen of the Pride Lands, I am coming with you."
"Mom, I-"
"She's not going alone, either!" Kiara announced, joined by Ono and Beshte.
"Ugh... Alright..." Nakala caved, making a mental note to not look out for his friends and family as well. "Wait a minute... Where's Dad?"
Nala looked away for a moment and frowned. "Do you want me to take you to him?" Her son nodded and she sighed, knowing that it might be a waste of their time.
"Janja! Lead the charge! I gotta make sure the king is safe!" Nakala called back to his mate.
The clan leader nodded and smirked as the lion, his mother, and his sister charged off towards the forest. "Alright you all heard him! Let's give that Zira exactly what she deserves!"
The hyenas all raised their voices and charged through the Pride Lands, carrying out the order of their leader. Some of Zira's own lioness noticed the wave of hyenas marching towards them and barreled off to warn their leader. The lioness in question was sitting in the cavern of Pride Rock, ruminating her next action. She had big plans to expand her reach as far as it could go but it needed to be foolproof. Sure, she had the Pride Lands but her hold on it was fresh and weak, with too much room for failure of exploitation.
"Zira! Zira!" The lead lioness' thinking was interrupted by own underlings, making her snarl in annoyance.
"What?!"
"It's...an army, Zira! An army of hyenas getting closer and closer! There's so many of them!"
"Those fools..." Zira scowled to herself. She rose to her paws and left the cavern and over the ridge of Pride Rock to take a look for herself. Sure enough, there was a hoard of hyenas getting closer and closer. In total there were more of the hyenas than there were of her own lioness. They outnumbered her own forces at least 5 to 1, more than enough to easily overpower her pride in time...
"Gather the lioness and defend Pride Rock!" The lioness nodded and went off to fulfill her leader's wishes. Zira herself stood back, watching the opposing force getting closer and closer, a feeling stirring within her. A feeling she didn't like at all...