Moral Eyes
Tazama was no fighter.
Over a course of days, plots by the Rogue Trio had become more and more frequent. Annoying the fellow Pridelanders with their obnoxious roaring, breaking the Pridelands' laws by hunting prey on land that didn't belong to them, and ongoing annoucements of their future rule. All of their attempts to cause trouble to the Pridelands have so far been squandered by the Lion Guard. Though, it had been getting harder each time.
The Keenest of Sight had been caught in the middle of yet another battle that had broken out between the two lion groups. There was something about a certain member of the Rogue Trio he found herself sympathizing for the more she saw him. It was Jeuri, the youngest member and the outcast of the Trio, given the way he'd been treated and utilized by his coalition of bachelors.
While the rest of the Guard prepared for their gruesome, bloody, and cathartic battle against these creeps, Tazama had watched as the leader, Kiume, had mistreated and belittled the young lion. It had grown gradually worse throughout each fight as she noticed Jeuri seemingly taking more and more interest in the Guard.
Kiume was less than pleased with Jeuri's distracted behavior, and began to outcast him. Kiume's appointed right-paw lion, Bo, was not nearly as cruel, but he still stood and watched his younger colleague take the brunt of abuse. Tazama noticed this about them, and pitied the youngest lion.
Vitani, similarly, grew annoyed with Tazama's rather inappropriate pacifism, and her teammates' criticisms and impatience grew ever hurtful. She'd always been treated different from her pridesisters, ever since she, along with a young Shabaha, Kasi, and Imara, had joined Zira's Outsiders. She was prone to bullying and teasing throughout her early life due to the inhospitable nature of the Outsider pride, and with a ruthless viceroy who'd enabled their behavior to top it all off. Her pacifism and tendency to favor observation and admiration of the nighttime had gotten on Zira's nerves, so she'd been a least favorite of hers. Her scouting abilities had at least earned her a reconnaisance position in the Pride, which carried over to her place in the Lion Guard that Vitani had given to her.
As for Jeuri, it was true he was an easily-distracted young lion. Whatever impressed him overpowered his priorities, such as the awesome powers of Vitani's Roar -- which had been growing ever fierce --, and the compassion he felt from Tazama after a rough defeat from the rest of the Guard.
Tazama didn't hurt him. She spoke gently to him, and even sometimes giggled when she saw him. He loved making others laugh. He also could've sworn she'd tried to save him before -- albeit verbally and from a distance. He'd wondered just how much Tazama had liked him...
Today, Jeuri had foiled yet another plan to distract the Lion Guard. They'd chosen a poor secretary bird to taunt, threaten, and possibly eat, once again violating the hunting law. But of course, Jeuri had been amazed by the Guard's fighting moves and individual qualities that gave them their titles in the group, accidentally letting the secretary bird escape his grip.
He almost wondered what position he'd have if his own coalition was a super team...
Omega. His boss said. Omega of the group was the answer.
____
Later, after the mission...
"C'mon, ma'am." Vitani began to escort Karani the secretary bird, "It's not safe, here."
"Get off my property!" the secretary squawked.
Vitani's face fell, "W-What?"
"You lions are nothing but trouble!" Karani began to sob, "Look what you all did to my nest!"
"Yeah, that's kinda why we need to move you --"
Suddenly, the bird began to peck at them.
"We just saved you, lady!" said Shabaha.
"Yeah, what is wrong with you?!" said Kasi.
"LEAVE! OR I'M WARNING THE AUTHORITIES!"
"Ma'am, we are the authorities!" Vitani grunted.
After several minutes, the Guard scrammed.
One dodgy mission they'd almost failed, Tazama acting strange, and now an ungrateful civilian. This entire week had been disasterous, but this was just the udara on top. They all headed to the Lair early that day.
____
Tazama left Pride Rock as the rest of the pride had gone to sleep. She turned to the night sky for solace.
Suddenly, she heard rustling in the grass. She saw a figure pacing, seemingly grumbling to itself. It was Jeuri.
Jeuri stopped pacing to rub the back of his head, still sore from receiving a handful of smacks upside the head throughout the day, each time he didn't listen or let a plan unravel before him. The large-eyed lioness cleared her throat.
"Hi..."
"WHOA! DON'T HURT ME! DON'T HU -- " the young lion sprang before realizing who it was, "Oh... it's just you."
Tazama squinted, she didn't know if that was an insult to the intimidating presence she utterly lacked in combat, or some kind of compliment to her compassionate nature.
"Thank you?"
"No prob!" the boy smiled, "What are you doing out here?"
"Oh... watching the nocturnal animals come out. Hunting. Pollinating. Chirping."
"Huh..."
"You?"
"Uh... needed some time alone, don't really wanna think about it..."
"It's Kiume, isn't it?"
"Ah, you saw that. Well... my boss has been kind of hard on me."
"Mine, too."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah... I've been watching you take a lot of abuse. I've been wanting to get you out of it, but I'm afraid Vitani will cast me out for interfering. I don't think she knows I feel sorry for you, but she's already mad at me for not fighting you, or your friends. The Guard's mad too."
Jeuri was confounded. He'd admired the Guard from afar a lot lately, but now they didn't sound as cool as he'd originally thought.
"Guess we're just a couple of omegas in our prides, huh?"
"Yeah..." the lioness lied down beside Jeuri, "I guess that's a way to put it. Even though that alpha male thing is kind of a misconception."
Her brief biology infodump flew over his head, "I guess. But, yeah, we could be losers together, hah."
Tazama chuckled too. She thought a while.
"You know, Jeuri... there's this time of year in the Pridelands we call 'Kupatana', which is about unity."
"Really?"
"Yes. If only our prides would care to think about Kupatana for just a moment. Its meaning. Not just unity, but a truce."
The two looked up at the stars a while.
"Y'know, you're the only one who's ever understood me in any of this. Do you think that... maybe... we could be soulmates?" Jeuri leaned forward bashfully.
"Like friends?"
"I was thinking, y'know, more than friends?"
Tazama blushed all over. She knew that look of hope. The Keenest of Sight was not the type to be assertive, so she had no idea where to start with letting Jeuri down gently.
"O-Oh... I don't, um... I don't know how to feel about -- I never really thought... about anyone that way. A-And... you're... a little young for me, anyway?"
Her heart raced as she anticipated Jeuri's reaction. She had to say no, but she didn't trust others' reactions to giving 'no' for an answer. Would he yell? Hurt her? Cry? She winced at all the possible outcomes.
Jeuri froze before slowly nodding. He looked away.
"Um... that's okay." he sighed.
Tazama awkwardly turned the other way, "I'm sorry, I've got to go home. I..."
"Yeah, it's okay..." Jeuri blinked hard, "Nice, uh... talking to you... See ya..."
The Keenest of Sight hurried back to the Lair. Jeuri, frowning deeply as he watched his only chance leave, saw where she'd been heading.
The young lion suddenly stopped frowning, realizing he'd been taking in key information as he watched her. In his distraction and fixation on being rejected, he now knew the location of where the Lion Guard had been headquartered.
Tazama wouldn't accept him, and the rest of the Lion Guard was apparently cruel and uncaring. It sounded to him like approval from the boss was the way to go...
That night, the lion returned to where his pride had been camping out. He told Kiume and Bo that he spotted the Keenest of Sight heading home, and told them that he'd gotten information out of her, in which she told him that Vitani had been the biggest hurdle in their plans, due to her overpowered Roar, and her bullheadedness.
____
The following morning...
The Lion Guard was still reliving the ridiculousness that had been yesterday's mission. They'd rant about the Rogue Trio's frequent appearances, and ruthlessly joke about their lame fighting skills and equally lame misogyny. Tazama sat uncomfortably the whole time in disagreement with nearly everything they were saying, especially about Jeuri, until she couldn't take it anymore.
"That's it!" she shouted, "Don't you guys think that maybe they're not all bad all the time?"
A long pause ensued. Tazama raising her voice was a rarity, for one thing. But her statement, to them, was absurd.
"No..." said Kasi.
"No way." said Shabaha.
"Mm-mm." said Imara.
"Do you even hear yourselves? How could you be so closed-minded?"
"Taz, don't fall for it." Vitani glared, "Don't become an apologist. That's what they want."
"This isn't apologism! I'm just thinking about giving them a chance for once, what about Kupatana?"
"Kupatana?!" Vitani scoffed, "Kupatana is for Pridelanders! And have you looked around lately? Clearly, nobody cares about that holiday, right now."
"They're literally outlaws, Tazama." Kasi added.
The Keenest of Sight blew up.
"Okay, you, Kasi? Shut up! Just... Shut up! No one asked you! And Vitani, of all animals, how could you not consider giving others -- especially non-Pridelanders -- a chance? We once weren't Pridelanders, ourselves. We literally would not be a team without the King's acceptance!"
The rest of the Guard fell silent, exchanging various looks.
Tazama stormed off. She was angry, and justified, but yelling always made her cry. She didn't know if she felt good or bad for snapping at that moment.
Vitani sighed heavily after Tazama was out of sight.
"Well, that was different of her." Shabaha said, scratching at one paw with the other.
"Whatever," Vitani rolled her eyes, "I could use a drink..."
____
At sunset, the Lion Guard arrived at the watering hole, occupied by a diverse array of fauna scattered at the shore.
Too dazed to absorb her surroundings, Vitani shook her head and sighed. The herbivores hated her and her Guard even more than before. She glanced to her sides and noticed Tazama didn't join the group.
"Oh, no. Look who it is..." Kasi sighed, "The Savannah's biggest day-drinkers, staying for happy hour."
"Oh, nah," Shabaha shook her head, "not that bird that chased us out yesterday. Are you serious?!"
"We're just here for a sip and we're out of here." Vitani grumbled, marching on.
The four lionesses squeezed between the other animals, but not without receiving hesitance and dirty looks from animals who, unsurprisingly, didn't trust them. Their ears picked up on the not-so-discreet gossip Karani had whispered to the ear of her friend, Asinini, the wild ass.
"These are the girls I'm talking about. They had the nerve to involve me in the raucous everyone was causing. They tried to rip me out of my own home!"
"Pssh, cats." Asinini scoffed, "Always making their annoying fights known. Always thinking they're so entitled to the whole Savannah..."
"Picking and choosing who they allow to live, here." the bird added, "Some choices, indeed."
Vitani slowly removed her nose from the water and heaved. She wished she could just pounce and make a two-course meal of them right then, but they were subjects who were healthy and in the prime of their lives, and could not be hunted on the spot. Why the Circle of Life hadn't chosen these two, Vitani did not know. She had to hold it in. Last thing the lions need is a violent reputation.
"Keep your head down, Vitani." Imara said sternly, "Don't make any waves."
Vitani huffed. She observed Imara's undisturbed state, and tried her best to follow suit.
Unfortunately, Kasi, too, had picked up on her friend's fuming demeanor. She would not stand for anymore slander of her team. She spoke up.
"Lay off, alright? We're just here for a drink." the Fastest scowled deeply.
"Shouldn't you be doing your jobs?!" Karani put her wings on her hips.
"Shouldn't you be taking your chicks in the divorce?" Kasi spat.
"WOOO! GOTTEM!" Shabaha shouted.
"Guys, KNOCK IT OFF!" Vitani hollered angrily.
Karani scoffed and looked back at her equine friend.
"Look, we're gonna leave. Alright?" Vitani spun the other way, "Was getting crowded here, anyway."
____
The four miserably marched to the base of Pride Rock. No animal made being outside bearable, especially lately. It was the last thing they needed for this supposed 'unity' between animals the holiday of Kupatana would bring in a few short days. Certainly none of this nonsense reached the Lion Guard Lair, the only place they sought comfort and safety in...
"WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOUTHREE DOING HERE?!"
Everything had been disheveled, even to their standards. The lionesses found themselves making Flehman responses, the place was rank with territorial spray and wildly unfamiliar lion fur.
The three rogues ceased their eating and reclining and looked up at the source of the voice. Kiume grinned as he picked at his teeth with a thin bone.
"Ah, Vitani. So glad you could join us." he purred, "If it weren't for your little scout friend, we wouldn't have known where to find your little hideout..."
Vitani's chest grew tight. Tazama's defiance to help during missions, her incessant questioning of Vitani's leadership, the frequent bailing on the team. Tazama betrayed her... She hoped it wouldn't lead up to this. She grew to doubt Tazama, but she never saw this in her.
"Roar at us all you want, you'll just make the ceiling collapse on us all." Kiume gestured all around, "This is a safe place, for whoever's in it."
Vitani growled before turning to the exit.
"V, what are you doing?" Kasi called to her friend.
"Make sure they stay. Just beat 'em black and blue like the usual deal. I'm looking for Tazama."
"What are you going to do?"
"Have a talk with her," Vitani looked away, "Fire her, maybe..."
"What?!"
"She really betrayed us, Kasi. She gave our Lair away. Who knows what other ways she's compromised the Pridelands? She might not be good for the team..."
Vitani departed, and the remaining Guard blocked the exit after she left, prepared to put on yet another fight with the Rogue Trio, like they'd done all week.
The fight was on.
Vitani was given enough time to travel far by how long the Lion Guard and the Rogue Trio had kept up the fight. The Rogue Trio spent it dodging all of the Guard's moves. They seemed to be rushing for the exit the whole time, in fact.
"I don't get it, I thought you wanted to stay here." Imara said, blocking the way out.
"Oh, we'll be back for the Lair." Kiume smiled, "And Pride Rock, and the lands that go with it. But right now, it's not you three we're after."
Little did the remaining Guard members know, they'd been cornered right where the rogues wanted them to go. Above them was Jeuri, who'd lithely climbed atop a ledge that had sported a collection of nesting material leftover from Ono's occupation of the Lair.
"It's already hard without the Roar to rely on," Kiume looked up, "but you three are also nothing without your Keenest of Sight to look out for you."
The Guard noticed Kiume's gaze. They looked up as well, rather too late. They'd been crushed under the falling debris.
The Trio seized the time in which the Guard had been distracted to run after Vitani's scent.
Kasi stood up first, eyes widening in realization of the rogues' motives.
"They're trying to get rid of the Roar..."
____
Vitani was right in thinking to check the trees by Ndefu Grove. Tazama had a usual hiding spot she liked to retreat to for alone time every now and then. She'd especially payed her favorite tree a visit as she felt more and more out-of-place as of late.
Vitani took a deep breath. She wasn't sure what Tazama's fate would be in the team. Was distrust clouding her judgment? Would she deeply regret letting Tazama go? How well did she think she even knew her?
Vitani cleared her throat. Here goes.
"I heard you coming." said a solumn Tazama.
"Keenest of all the senses, it seems." Vitani remarked, "Taz? Can I please speak to you?"
"Why? Do you plan on treating me like a cub again?"
"Cut the drama." Vitani said curtly, "Why did you tell the rogues where the Lair was?"
Tazama froze as she quickly put the pieces together. She realized Jeuri had betrayed her in an act of revenge. She thought she could trust at least someone. Now, not even him. Or... was Vitani accusing Jeuri, like always?
"I didn't tell anyone anything." Tazama stood her ground, "I didn't know any of this would happen."
Vitani narrowed her eyes, "I don't know if I trust you right now."
Tazama copied the gesture, "Funny, I was thinking the same thing."
"Great, then it's settled." Vitani sarcastically remarked before taking a breath, "Tazama, you are hereby -- "
"GET HER!"
Vitani found herself being dogpiled by the rogues, whom she'd realized had escaped the Lair. She had been slammed to the ground. Hard.
"Come on, boys!" Kiume bellowed, "Cut the head off of the snake, the rest will fall!"
Tazama backed away, as she always did with a fight. She watched as the Guard caught up to the rogues. The Guard had been too late, they already got Vitani.
The following minutes were horrible. Vitani had made a torch to summon Nuka, but dropped it in the grass, starting a small wildfire where there were dry patches. As the Guard scrambled to put out the flames, the rogues took advantage of the time they were away to overwhelm Vitani.
Vitani received deep scratches on her shoulders and wrists as a result of shielding her heart from their claws, and narrowly escaped death as she pulled away from bites to her neck and lower spine before they could get any deeper. The Rogue Trio clearly wasn't afraid to hit girls, anymore.
Seeing their leader grow weaker and unable to handle the beating, the remaining Guard members lessened the load for Vitani by singling out Kiume's cronies.
Tazama panicked as she looked around. She spotted Jeuri in the calamity. She walked near him, gazing at him in devastation.
"Jeuri..." Tazama frowned, "I thought you were going to change..."
The young lion slowly turned around as his name was called. He quickly ran up to her, his shame in letting his new acquaintance down suddenly overpowering his need to earn his boss's approval.
"Listen, I... I can explain --"
SLAM!
Tazama gasped, and Jeuri found that the wind had been knocked out of him from under Imara's weight. The bulky lioness held the lanky lion down with a massive paw.
"If you're not gonna fight, then just keep watch." Imara grunted sternly, annoyed that Tazama seemed to just be standing around, once again.
"Fyuzi!"Vitani called weakly.
Indistinguishable from the ever-growing wall of fire surrounding the rival prides, Nuka made his way through the air, launching his spirit into Vitani's being, desperate to save his sister.
The Keenest of Sight looked up to her leader's voice. She saw Kiume seizing the opportunity to pounce the heavily-beaten Vitani, now that he and his counterpart were alone since the Guard's paws were full with Jeuri and Bo.
Though she was never one to get into a fight, Tazama almost wished she'd pushed Kiume out of the way before he could knock Vitani down.
Vitani and Kiume were now plummeting and rolling down a steep ditch, each bouncing off of the cliffsides making up the walls of the ditch until the very final slam to the ground had worsened and added to the count of injuries Vitani had sustained throughout the battle. To top it all off, she'd been the one cushioning the fall. Kiume was on top of her, holding her down.
"Where're you goin' NOW?!" Kiume gritted through his teeth, "All alone -- with ME! Once you're gone, this 'Lion Guard' will be history! Once I'm in charge of this dump, your lionesses won't resist me and the guys! They'll be clay in our paws..."
Vitani twitched in Kiume's grip. The rogue had expected the usual enraged reaction from the lioness. It was fun making her mad.
However... this wasn't quite that.
Vitani began to shake, eyes rolling far back, garbling uncomfortably as she felt an invasive possession take over, Vitani's eyes began to glow a bright orange. One would almost swear they saw her eyes bleed into red for a split second, too. To top it all off, her being felt hot to the touch as her chest and throat glowed a hot red. Kiume noticed.
"What in the...?"
Suddenly, Vitani bellowed a guttural, pained roar. A flash of orange met Kiume's eyes. Before he knew it, his prized mane was set ablaze.
"AAAUUGH!" Kiume roared, "SOMEONE! PLEASE! PLEASE, HELP ME! PUT IT OUT! PUT IT OUT!!"
The rogue danced and swatted uncontrollably at the flames that clung to his head. He clambered up the ditch desperately, screaming for help from his fellow coalition.
The Guard and Kiume's lackeys ceased their fighting as they watched Kiume desperately yell and run. Seeing no threat from the rogues what with the leader down, the Guard let go of the remaining two rogues. They knew they were going to run in defeat.
"C'mon, hurry up! HURRY UP, YOU MORONS!" Kiume barked as Bo and Jeuri scrambled to put out the flames, "ESPECIALLY YOU, JEURI! Come ON, you imbecile!"
The direct attack towards Jeuri nearly made the youngster hesitate to help his boss. He huffed, and continued to do as told, though.
No one to confide in, now. It had been confirmed that Kiume had been nothing but a tyrant, but he couldn't turn to Tazama. She just sat there and did nothing as everyone fought. He'd finally understood his leader's frustration with his very own fumbling during missions.
Maybe he was meant to overtake her home with his fellow bachelors...
Tazama stared vacantly. Everything had been her fault. The Guard was mad at her, the rogues were definitely coming back, Vitani was critically injured, Ndefu Grove was partially set ablaze. Kupatana didn't matter, everything and everyone had become more divided than ever.
In doing absolutely nothing, she hurt everyone...
____
The Lion Guard's and Rogue Trio's voices echoed in the outskirts of the Pridelands. They'd been words that had already been spoken by the owners of each voice, played back by a certain oxpecker with a drongo-like talent for mimicking everything he heard. He had been listening to the prides for the past two days, the whole time...
"Tensions are rising within the Lion Guard." Ngurumo chuckled, "One less hurdle to worry about. Thanks to these foolish rogues. Not what I expected of them, but I like it."
The rhino, surprisingly was not worried too much about Jeuri's possible defection, and was rather satisfied in the chaos it brought amongst the lion species. He didn't care who it hurt, they were all lions, and all part of one plan that was done.
It didn't matter, for he now had visible evidence to bring for his next plan...