I'm getting a lot of Hamilton vibes from this title (not that it's a bad thing)
"What are you doing here?" Badala hissed as Tai landed in front of her. He gave her a respectful bow before speaking.
"Isn't that my task, Badala?" Tai asked. "To spy the Tree of Life and report back to you every few weeks or so?"
"Yeah, if only you had reported back useful information," Badala growled.
"W-what?" Tai gasped.
"Don't 'w-what' me!" Badala snapped, her eyes blazed. "You haven't told me a single useful thing the whole time you've been spying!"
"I-I did too!" they protested, trying to not let their voice rise. He paused for a moment, rethinking his words so he wouldn't say something that might cost his very life.
"I told you about Rani's existence, Kion and his friends forming the Daylight Guardians, and how Rani is now expecting cubs! Oh, and sneaking in shouldn't be too hard for you because Rani hasn't mentioned your name because she's still very superstitious!"
"How many was that, four?" Badala hissed, causing Tai to fall silent. "You have said only four useful things the day I gave you this task, the rest of the times you come dragging your pathetic, little eagle ass here only to tell me stuff I already know or how much you hate your mate!"
"Anga is NOT my mate!" Tai argued, though Badala growled at him and he went silent again.
"I want to know, Tai," Badala snarled, thrusting her muzzle towards the martial eagle, her tail flicked impatiently. "Do you have anything useful to tell me?"
"Erm..." Tai thought out loud as he tried to think.
"WELL?"
"Oh!" Tai said. "You remember Azaad? Well, apparently he's still alive-"
"WHAT!?" Badala shrieked with outrage. "But that's impossible! He and his coalition are dead! My father and the pride DESTROYED them! We killed both of his parents! I was there! I killed his mom! How can he still be..."
"I don't know that part," they admitted, shrugging. "But he's alive alright. I'll tell you this, though. He's pretty wary of lions, even though the Night Pride, or what's left of it, helped him at one point. I guess that makes sense, considering that your father and the Pride killed his family."
"For a good reason, too!" Badala snapped, causing them to back up a little. "His coalition had disrespected my father! He was the king, they shouldn't have questioned his actions, anything the King says or does is the law!"
"I didn't mean any disrespect," Tai said meekly.
The cream lioness said nothing, though she still held her cold gaze. "Luckily, we gave them the message, and I'm sure Azaad and his dead family understood..."
"Other than that, there's not much about him, really," Tai replied. "He hasn't been to the Tree of Life that much before. I'll tell you this, though, he is clearly head over paws over Fuli."
"Really?" Badala said, she let out a dry snicker. "How touching..."
"Yes. And he seems to disapprove her friendship with Kion," Tai went on. "I don't know, Azaad's a strange one, indeed. His shifting behavior is what caused him and Fuli to split before. Hey, did you know that at one point, he and Fuli actually sorta broke up? I don't know the argument exactly, but it must've been pretty big because that was why Azaad had stopped coming to the Tree of Life when it happened. What do you think it is? I think it might've been-"
"Ugh! NEVER MIND THAT!" Badala suddenly roared.
Tai immediately clamped his beak shut as he stumbled back a little from his boss's sudden outburst. Badala glared at Tai, who tried not to whimper in response. The lioness bared her teeth as she tried to keep her temper.
It's all this useless worm-brain ever does! Every few weeks, he comes back, only to give me this useless rubbish!
"We aren't getting anywhere, thanks to you wasting your time passing on useless information," Badala growled at Tai. "And because of that, I'm going to have to find out and gather real information myself."
"You're leaving?" Tai gasped.
"If you had done your part of our deal, we would've left later," Badala glowered at him. The bird ducked away shamefully.
"Now get out of here, go back to the Tree of Life and continue what you're doing best," the lioness went on. "Befriending everyone, gaining everyone's trust, playing with Anga's heart. Because those seem to be the only things you're good at."
"Ugh, I don't know how long I can take this," Tai complained. "That Anga is really into me! I want that beetle-brain off my back as soon as possible."
"Then I suppose you get your feathery ass back over there and do as your told," Badala growled. "If you this plan and our deal to pay off faster."
"Alright! Alright," Tai said, waving his wings. "I'm going."
He then turned around, they were about to fly off, but then Badala called him back.
"One more thing, Tai, before I forget," she said. "I need you to find Vish for me."
Tai stared at his boss as if she had grown a second head. "You want me to find that old snake?" Tai asked, staring at the lioness. "But he is like, ancient! "
"Vish is an old friend of my father's," Badala hissed impatiently. "I know he can do a way better job than you could ever." Maybe I should've gave him the task in spying instead of you.
"So?" Tai pressed. "What could Vish possibly do for you now?"
"You won't know if you don't get him. Now go," Badala replied. She then abruptly grabbed Tai by his neck, the martial eagle let out a startled and frightened choked squawk. "BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T, I'LL STRIP YOUR WINGS RIGHT OFF OF YOU AND SHOVE THEM DOWN YOUR SKINNY, LITTLE THROAT!"
"YA-HAAAAIIIIEEE!" Tai yelped as he struggled from Badala's grip.
The lioness toyed around with him for two more heartbeats before letting him go, Tai gasped as they fell onto his back. Badala smirked and she watched with wry amusement as Tai quickly scrabbled back onto his talons and clumsily took off. He quickly flew out of her cave and away from the canyons, not hesitating for a moment.
Idiot bird... Once he was gone, Badala padded outside of her cave and clawed her way up to the tallest rock in the canyon where she held all of her announcements.
"EXILES!" she roared, grabbing everyone's attention. The six lions all stopped what they were doing and turned their gaze to their leader.
"Our time for revenge is coming!" Badala declared, "I know you have all waited for this, I have too. But our time has finally come, our time to avenge King Sahvan and take back what is rightfully ours is now here! Our time to end Rani and her reign ONCE AND FOR ALL!" The Exiles roared with joy and excitement at the news.
"Finally!" one lioness cried.
"It's about time we've done something about that brat!" another one agreed. "We have let Sahvan's death unavenged for too long!"
"When do we strike?" a skinny male asked.
"My friends!" Badala roared, everyone fell silent again. "I know you have anticipated for this very day. We will leave as soon as Tai confirms that the cubs are born. In the mean time, I want every single one of you to eat and train well for the next few moons. I will need each and everyone of your strengths if we are ever going to bring justice to Sahvan!"
"For Sahvan!" the smallest lioness of the rogue band cheered. "The true King of the Tree of Life!"
"For Sahvan!"
"For Sahvan!"
"For Sahvan!"
"For Sahvan!"
"For Sahvan!"
"Now get to it!" Badala ordered. "Pride dismiss!"
Everyone dipped their heads respectively at their leader, then disbanded from High Rock. Three of them left to go on a hunting patrol while the rest went battle training. Badala watched as her Pride prepared for their long journey for a couple of heartbeats, then she bounded off High Rock and made her way back inside her cave.
"Excuse me, Badala?" the skinny lion asked.
"What do you want, Mikli?" Badala growled.
"I was wondering... If you want practice some battle moves with me later," Mikli said. "Or maybe just go out with me and hang out...?"
"I have no time for this," Badala snapped.
"Oh come one, Dala!" Mikli pleaded. "It'll be like the time when we were young cubs again! We used to sneak out at night and hang out together-"
"One, DON'T EVER call me 'Dala'" Badala snarled, thrusting her muzzle towards Mikli. The thin lion chuckled nervously. "Two, I'm too old for foolish cub games. I have more important business to worry about now, such as getting my Pride ready for our attack."
"Oh, okay..." Mikli sighed, feeling hurt. "Maybe next time?"
"Maybe," Badala agreed, though Mikli could tell that she had no interest in going out with him anytime. "Now get back to work."
"Yes, Badala," Mikli said, turning around to join a hunting patrol. She's just busy... he kept on telling himself. Badala has been planning for this day for moons, she's probably just under a lot of stress...
Badala watched Mikli leave, feeling a little guilty for snapping at him. Then she quickly pushed it away. I have more important things to worry about, I have no time to frolic around like a dumb cub! Mikli and I have been best friends since we were cubs and he knows why we're all like this. He should've known better!
Sighing, Badala turned around and headed back inside her cave, her plan playing out over and over inside her head. The more she thought about it, the more furious and impatient she grew.
You fools have no IDEA how long I've been waiting for this... she thought to herself as she lashed out at a pile of bones. Bits and pieces of the bones scattered across the cave floor, Badala imagined that they were Rani and her allies as she continually crushed them to little tiny bits.
I have waited LONG enough for this! I have let you and your family go unpunished for TOO LONG! I'M DONE... I AM DONE WAITING... You better get ready, Queen Rani. 'Cause we're invading...
Badala stared down at the shattered bone pieces, snickering coldly. I had told you I would be back one day. Just you wait. Once I return, you and your precious kingdom WILL FALL...