#Imara

[arty-e]

Tw blood

Just a happy family

[mask-of-prime]

VG: Season 3 Poster (+ Announcement)

Vitani's Guard makes its return for one final, high-stakes season! This season will be full of concepts that have been developed for years since the release of the final episode of TLG, and will quite possibly be the heaviest subject matter in VG yet.

What's in store:

Water encompasses the theme of this entire season as it explores self-reflection and resurfacing past memories. Important figures from the past will return to guide Vitani and her Guard in these times of introspection. Starting later this September! (A heads-up for this season: Many if not all episodes will contain flashbacks from various points in time, particularly in the span of the Guard's lifetimes. There will be illustrations of these flashbacks along with illustrations of present-day scenes.

Also this upload kinda serves as an official logo reveal for Vitani's Guard too, albeit a very eroded one. I may post different variants of my logo design for VG. Loved the process of making it so detailed.)

[sleuth-draws]

LOVESICK (part 3) - She Can Never Know! < prev | next >

As the sun begins to rise, the time for morning patrol follows suit. Every morning, the Lion Guard assembles at the base of Pride Rock to greet one another a good morning and decide who should hit which part of the lands. 

Imara has to admit she's not entirely used to sleeping in a dark, cool den full of other lions; it's a far cry from sleeping in the dust of the Outlands, the rising sun hot on her pelt, tail and ears flicking away the termites that crawled over her. She can't complain though. There's an easy comradery in it that living in Zira's pride had never achieved, to be able to lean into the nearest warm, slumbering body when needed without worrying you'll be kicked away antagonistically -- kind, almost familial.

Since the migration to the Pridelands, Imara has come to like the lions in it, despite all her raising to despise them. It had taken quite a bit of healing and talking with the other lionesses -- from both groups -- to finally admit that. She used to be one of the skinniest of the Outlanders, something of a runt as a cub and always shoved from what little food could be scrounged up, the surprising generosity of the others allowed her to finally eat without worry to her heart’s content and build more body weight than she could've ever dreamed of having. She feels safe and supported here.

So these days, when she rises, bright and easy, stretching her ever-growing muscles and shaking her ears out, she's happy to pay it forward.

Today, she hops down the Rock and is the first to be at the base.

Next is Tazama, who greets her quietly yet warmly; then Shabaha, whose limp from the war has become hardly noticeable now; then, ironically, Kasi, who grumbles as they slink down the Rock.

"Nice of you to join us, Kas," Imara chuckles. "What kept you up so late last night?"

Kasi grouses, grooming a paw, "Noth --"

"I know what," Shabaha butts in, snickering, "You were up talking to Zuri last night, weren't you?"

From the way Kasi bristles, they can all tell Shabaha's right on the money. "...No, I wasn't . I can't even stand tha brat, let alone hold a conversation with her."

Shabaha laughs that wild laugh of hers, as if that's the funniest thing in the world. "Oh, please! I could hear you two giggling like cubs in the corner of the den! Who knew you could be such a charmer?"

"That -- you --" Kasi fumbles for words, their ears flattened in embarrassment, obviously caught. "Sh-Shut up, Shabaha! I-It was just…just idle conversation, nothing to gawk abou --"

"Yeah, you sure like gawking at her, don't you --"

"Why, you -- "

"Um, not to interrupt," Tazama says, distracted but clearly disturbed by their noise, "but it's past sunrise already; where's Vitani?"

The group falls silent as they realize she's right; they're far past their usual patrol time and their leader is nowhere to be found.

"Gosh," Imara says, "you guys don't think something happened to her, do you?"

"She might be sick?" Shabaha suggests. "Did you guys notice her looking strange yesterday?"

"Not me," Kasi says, shrugging. “‘Zama?”

"Hm," Tazama ponders, "I did notice something…odd last night at supper. Vitani looked quite anxious and didn't seem to eat much. In fact, she ended up giving the rest of the meat to Princess Kiara."

Imara's ears perk up at that. "Hey, yeah, now that you mention it, she didn't really say anything at supper. Neither of those things are really like her."

Tazama nods fervently, "Yes, yes, and also , I swear I heard her leave a little after everyone settled in to sleep. I think I could hear pacing just outside. It doesn't seem like she came back in."

Imara hums, then sniffs the air, then the ground. "Well, she's nearby. C'mon, guys, I think she's in the lair."

Sure enough, when they enter the lair, they find a lanky figure curled on the ground, breathing gently.

"Vitani?" Kasi calls.

No movement.

"Vitani, are you alright?" Tazama asks, as they all approach.

Still, nothing.

"VITANI! " Shabaha belts loudly, shaking her shoulder. Vitani bolts awake, eyes wide and growling, her stance defensive, fur standing on end. The four take an appeasing step backward.

"Whoa there," Imara attempts to soothe, "It's just us, Vitani."

Their leader freezes and blinks, eyes clearing. Her muzzle unwrinkles and her jaw goes slack. "Oh...jeez, I'm sorry, guys. I thought -- um --"

"It's alright, Vitani," Tazama placates, and Vitani drops her stance to lay on the ground again, yawning. "You didn't show for patrol --"

"Shit, what time is it!?" Vitani jolts up again but the Lion Guard blocks her path. "We gotta --"

"Absolutely not, dude," Kasi says.

"Indeed," Tazama agrees, "Patrol can wait for just a bit."

"But --"

"We can tell there's something wrong, Vi," Imara says. "What's eatin’ you? You didn't have much food last night and Tazama heard you get up and pace outside. And now we're finding you slept in here last night? C'mon, fess up."

Vitani, caught, gapes at her former squadron. "I..." And realizing there's no sense in making up excuses, she sighs heavily. Gone are the days where they were emotionally unavailable with one another in order to remain tough. They can all admit that they need this vulnerability now to survive after everything Zira had done to them. 

She starts slowly and quietly, "Yesterday...when we were done with evening patrol, I met up with Kiara to hang out like usual. But it was…different this time."

She doesn't look at them, looking conflicted and frustrated.

"Different how?" Imara gently presses.

Vitani heaves a sigh. "I think..." She trails off before growling voicelessly. Her friends nearly back away again -- they know how she can get when angered -- but in an instant the anger drains away, leaving shame in its wake. She squeezes her eyes shut. "I think I...I'm in love with Kiara."

All their ears point sideways and they gape in astonishment.

"Ah." Tazama is the first to speak up. "That is quite the conundrum."

"Wait, I'm confused," Shabaha says, "How did that make you eat less and lose sleep?"

"Shabaha..." Kasi says exasperatedly, knocking their shoulder into her.

"She's my brother's girlfriend, that's why! Ugh, how could I be so --" She lays her head flat on the the ground and covers her eyes with her paws, looking humiliated. "I'm such an asshole."

"Don't say that," Imara says, kneeling in front of her. "C'mon. Tell us how you know."

"How I --"

"How you know you're in love. "

Vitani lifts her paws away, staring up at her Strongest. "I...Well...Sh-She's just so kind to me and -- and brave and strong. I think the war was the first sign. Her standing up to her father like that, standing between him and us, gods, I have so much respect for her. Whenever I see her, I just...can't help but feel happy." She softens entirely. 

The rest of the Guard are shocked. Vitani is not the soft type. Though she may have let her eyes linger, she has never once swooned over any lioness ever. They can tell that even thinking about Kiara has an effect on their leader. 

"Yesterday, we were play-fighting and she pinned me so quickly. No one has ever done that, not even an Outlander. That's what made me realize that -- that --"

Anxious fright floods her expression, the realization that she's in deeper than even she realized, and she covers her face again, groaning. "She can never know!"

Imara, feeling sorry for her, asks, "Well, why not?"

"'Why not? '" Vitani mimics, suddenly lost in her own head, "It's embarrassing, it's -- it's disgusting! I'm weak for this. How could she -- How could I feel this way for -- What would my mother think?"

The mention of Zira sends a chill through all of them.

"Your mother isn't here," Kasi reminds firmly. And thank the gods for it, goes unsaid.

"Vitani..." Tazama steps closer. "Kasi's right. This isn't the Outlands; there's no reason to feel ashamed for loving Kiara." 

They all know that it isn't loving Kiara specifically that's the issue; it's loving, period. In their childhood, Zira liked to instill the belief in their heads that love was a fickle, weak thing. Something that makes you soft and distracts you from the ultimate goal of overthrowing Simba. As adults, they now see what a hypocrite she was, obsessed to extreme ends with her past lover, and understand it was simply a manipulation tactic to get them to focus on being her soldiers full-time, giving more attention to their physical prowess with the added goal of stunting them emotionally.

Once upon a time, Vitani had let herself stray. As a teenager, despite her best efforts, she fell for another of Zira's followers -- a defiantly kind lioness named Kuuma who always, always shared her rations with Vitani and whose laugh sent a wave of butterflies through her stomach. She never got the chance to pursue anything with her; Zira had been observing her closely, saw how her eyes would linger, how they got lost in one another while together.

One less soldier was an easy price to pay for teaching her foolhardy daughter a lesson.

It was Vitani's mistake, her fault. How dare she, her mother's most loyal confidante, lose sight of their cause?

Maybe if she had just been stronger, kept her base desires in check, Kuuma would still be…

Vitani swallows, finds herself close to tears. She tries to bite them back, shoulders shaking. The four at last lie down beside her in comfort. Imara gently nuzzles her cheek. Shabaha touches her paw to Vitani's. Kasi leans their head on her back. Tazama leans a foreleg on her side.

The affection makes Vitani break, sobbing quietly.

They stay like that for a long moment, before Vitani's breathing evens out again and she's stopped shaking. The Guard wait patiently and occasionally groom her in consolation.

"I would never do anything to come between her and Kovu. Never." Vitani sighs. "He’s my brother. I promised myself I’d never hurt him again. And…even if she weren't with Kovu," she mumbles lowly, "There's no way she'd want to be with...someone like me. And what if she's disgusted? Then I'd lose someone I consider my best friend. I...I can never tell Kiara."

The Guard is quiet for a long time. Imara is the one who breaks the silence.

"Vitani, you know Princess Kiara better than we do. Do you really think she'd stop being friends with you over this?"

Vitani looks sorely down at the dirt between her paws. "...No."

Tazama smiles. "We all saw the bravery and kindness that ended the war. If you told her, even if she didn't feel the same, even if she doesn't like lionesses, I think she'd appreciate your honesty."

Shabaha and Kasi make sounds of agreement. Their leader thinks about it for a moment.

"I...I'm not ready to tell her. But I won't let it change anything between us. You all are right; I don't think she'd be that cruel." She lets out a final sigh. "I'm going to be mature about this. Thank you, guys, for listening to me and giving me advice."

Vitani rises from their emotional support pile, shakes the dust from her fur, and stretches, before puffing her chest out in determination.

"Now c'mon. We've got some patrolling to do."

--

i don't see much delving into trauma that revolves around zira's treatment of her kids and the other outlanders. i'm super into exploring that and showing how these characters are healing in their own ways. vitani's got some issues because of her mom's bs, especially because she seemed to be her number one grunt.

for timeline sake, at the end of tlk2, kiara, kovu, and vitani are young adults, equivalent to 18-year-olds, the rest of the guard being early 20's-ish. in this story, kiara, kovu, and vitani are about 21-22 and the guard are mid-20s, maybe 25-ish. much more mature and working things out. for further reference, kion is still age group behind, just now growing his mane out (and yet still married before kiara who has the sense to take things slow lmao).

and of course, the designs used here are from my older post which has them redesigned! >:P

[australet789]

TLK: Perfectly Valued Act 3 Page 23 

People were asking about Imara and there she is  I told you it was cub season. Riadha means "athletic"! And yes, Amaziah is a himbo

<<PREVIOUS | COVER | NEXT>>

[dierentumbls]

[lumiere-angel-90]

Imara for a DTIYS : @heibergida

[rais-crockpot]

IMARA NAKYANZI, the burly swordfighter who founded MAKARA; initially, her one-woman side hustle. She has since retired to the humble life of a fishmonger, but still oversees MAKARA's missions and it's agents.

Imara was once a selfish, prideful and vain individual. However, her previous job as a sword-fighting teacher to the young prodigy Vera initiated a change within her for the good of the girl. She is firm but fair, encouraging, protective. --- (Just a reminder, if you'd like to follow along with these characters, the synopsis in the teaser post puts them into context ;))

[mwemaduma]

Drew some old OC's

Trying to find a style for drawing lions

[chrislisboa]

Oração do perdão Kahuna:

“Buscando eliminar todos os bloqueios que atrapalham minha evolução, dedicarei AGORA alguns momentos para “PERDOAR”.

A partir deste momento, eu perdôo todas as pessoas que, de alguma forma, me ofenderam, me machucaram ou me causaram alguma dificuldade desnecessária.

Perdôo sinceramente quem me rejeitou, me entristeceu, me abandonou, me humilhou, me amedrontou ou me iludiu.

Perdôo, especialmente, quem me provocou até que eu perdesse a paciência e acabasse reagindo agressivamente, para depois me fazer sentir vergonha, culpa, ou simplesmente, sentir inadequada.

Reconheço que também fui responsável por estas situações, pois muitas vezes confiei em indivíduos negativos, escolhi usar mal minha inteligência e permiti que descarregassem sobre mim suas amarguras, suas histórias, seus traumas e seu mau humor.

Por tempo demais suportei tratamento indigno, humilhações, medo, grosserias e desamor, perdendo muito tempo e energia, na tentativa de conseguir um bom relacionamento com essas criaturas.

Agora me sinto livre da necessidade compulsiva de sofrer e livre da obrigação de conviver com pessoas e ambientes que me diminuem e, principalmente, destas pessoas que se sentem incomodadas com a minha presença e a minha luz.

Iniciei, agora, uma nova etapa na minha vida em companhia de gente mais positiva, cheia de boas intenções, gente amiga, que se preocupa em ser saudável, alegre, próspera e iluminada. Gente preocupada em melhorar a qualidade de vida, não só a nossa, mas de todo o planeta.

Queremos compartilhar sentimentos nobres, aprendendo uns com os outros e nos ajudando mutuamente, enquanto trabalhamos pelo nosso progresso material e nossa evolução Espiritual sempre procurando difundir nossas ideias de unidade, de paz e de Amor.

Procurarei valorizar sempre todas as conquistas que fiz e o amor que tenho em mim, evitando todas queixas desnecessárias, que me seguram nesta frequência, de onde já consegui sair.

Se, por um acaso, eu tornar a pensar nestas pessoas com quem ainda tenho dificuldade de convivência, lembrarei que elas todas já estão perdoadas.

Embora eu não me sinta na obrigação de trazê-las novamente para minha intimidade, eu o farei, se elas demonstrarem interesse em entrar em sintonia.

Agradeço pelas dificuldades que elas me causaram, pois isso me desafiou e me ajudou a evoluir, do nível humano comum, a um nível de maior amor e compaixão, maior consciência, em que procuro viver hoje.

Quando eu tornar a lembrar destas pessoas que me fizeram sofrer, procurarei valorizar suas qualidades e também liberá-las, pedindo ao Criador que também as perdoe, evitando que elas sofram pela lei de causa e efeito, nesta vida ou em outras.

Também compreendo as pessoas que rejeitaram meu Amor e minhas boas intenções, pois reconheço que é um direito de cada um, não poder ou não querer corresponder ao meu Amor.

**Faça uma pausa e respire profundamente por algumas vezes para acumular energia **

Agora, sinceramente, peço perdão a todas as pessoas a quem, de alguma forma consciente ou inconsciente, magoei, prejudiquei ou fiz sofrer.

Analisando o que fiz ao longo da minha vida, sei que minhas intenções foram boas, embora nem sempre tenha acertado e que, estas coisas que fiz de bom, são suficientes para resgatar a dor do meu aprendizado, ainda deixando um saldo positivo a meu favor.

Sinto-me em Paz com minha consciência e, de cabeça erguida, respiro profundamente… prendo o ar… e me concentro para enviar uma corrente de energia destinada ao meu EU SUPERIOR.

* * * Ao relaxar, minhas sensações revelam que este contato foi estabelecido. * * *

Agora, dirijo uma mensagem de fé, ao meu EU SUPERIOR, pedindo orientação, proteção e ajuda para a realização, de um modo acelerado, de um projeto muito importante que estou mentalizando e para o qual estou trabalhando com dedicação e Amor. ( …citar o projeto… ) e que será, com certeza, para o bem maior de todos os envolvidos.

Também peço que minha fé seja firme e que eu possa, cada vez mais, tornar-me um canal, uma conexão permanente com os Seres de Luz, desenvolvendo todos os potenciais que possam facilitar esta comunicação.

Que eu perceba todas as respostas às minhas perguntas e dúvidas, reconhecendo os sinais claros que estiver recebendo, sempre protegida e amparada pelo Universo.

Agradeço, de todo o coração, a todas as pessoas que me ajudaram e me comprometo a retribuir trabalhando para o bem do próximo, para sua alegria, seu bem-estar, atuando como agente catalisador de harmonia, entendimento, saúde, crescimento, entusiasmo, prosperidade e auto-realização.

Tudo farei sempre em harmonia com as leis da natureza e com a permissão do nosso Criador eterno e infinito que sinto como único poder real, atuante dentro e fora de mim.

Que Assim Seja!!

In Lak’ech Ala K’in

[yael-aryeh]

Scene redraw! I feel like this has been done before, but oh well I’m doing it too. So for some basic background on each of these members just so the comic makes more sense. From left to right:

Shabaha(target)- she’s Zira’s half sister, their mom passed away when she was an adolescent shortly before Scar’s death, she never lived in the pridelands, she lived on the border of the outlands and mountains. She’s still crazy brave and unhinged, her role in the outlands and now the pridelands is just an all around pawn similar to Nuka she’s there to fill at gaps that Zira or Kovu need filled. She is very loyal to Vitani and Kovu, and is willing to do whatever they need of her. Zira hates her a lot, she’s the only surviving member of her family left and she feels no bond with her so she’s ppretty cruel to her. Shabaha and Imara met as cubs during Scar’s reign at the border of their lands, she scared off some jackals that were harassing Imara and the infants she was guarding. Shaba has been smitten ever since. She is a fun, if not worrisome, aunt to Zira’s cubs, being around the same age and status as Nuka they’re often paired together for missions.

Kasi (speed)- she’s the grand daughter of Scar’s fastest guard member, she inherited and exceeded his speed, she’s very slender both from genetics and her harsh cubhood. She’s utilized as a scout and is often send to collect information o the pridelands and other bordering territories. She’s pretty timid and soft spoken, she tends to hang around Vitani and Shabaha, neither of them really bother her for her sensitivity and in return she doesn’t judge their behavior either. Her relationship with Kovu is respectful, but outside of orders they rarely speak even as cubs, Nuka finds her annoying since she won’t laugh at his jokes and she’s too fast to really be paired with anyone else so her missions are usually solo. Zira doesn’t see her as much more than a faster than normal pawn and is very harsh of her mannerisms, thinking it’s signs of weakness, but she’s reliable if not forgettable.

Imara(stable)- Not related to any other outsiders or pridelanders, her pride is small and migrated from the mountain pride’s territory when she was a small cub. More info about her back story will be posted soon, but for now just know that her mother was the original leader but has since passed with Imara taken her place. She’s got a genetic mutation that caused her increased since, however she’s a very calm and fair lioness. Because her pride is small and has mostly cubs, she and her mom had to reluctantly negotiate a deal with Zira to avoid being targeted by the outlanders. She patrols, assists in training, and eventually she’ll help take over the pridelands, in exchange her pride can stay safe and be brought to pride rock when they win. Zira doesn’t like her at all and sees her as competition as she’s a very strong leader, to keep some leverage she uses Imara’s (obvious) crush on Shabaha against her. She and Kovu have a good friendship, despite Zira trying to limit their contact, they often trained together, Kovu was never aware of the deal between her and his mother but her greatly respects her and considers her a member of his pride.

Vitani(war)- of course we know she was groomed to be Zira’s right paw and help Kovu take of the pridelands, what Zira never specter was the amount of loyalty the pride (especially younger members) have to her. If Vitani showed any sign of disobedience or individuality, her mother would crush it immediately. Luckily, Vitani is both stoic and cunning, so any emotions she has are carefully hidden and she reveals them to no one, even Kovu or Kesi. She has a natural talent to fighting and hunting, as well as leadership, she leads most of the hunts and Kovu goes to her for help with disputes or fights. She doesn’t talk much, but she’s got a strong charisma about her.

Tazama isn’t in this scene, she’ll get her own separate post soon.

[tiimpani]

some sphinxes! the sazaarhan princess (soleil), her mother the queen (imara), a pygmy sphinx named shebao, and a pygmy sphinx named lioh! names may change in the final game

[arty-e]

Been working on this for the past few days i hope you enjoy!

[mask-of-prime]

VG: Controlled Burn

Many years ago, during Mufasa and Scar's respective reigns... Vague pictures were coming back. There was a slash across the face, a crash, a loud snap. Times changed. The cackling of hundreds of hyenas as they took more than their share of kill. Separated from his family. That dark era under an irresponsible lion's rule had changed the mind of the ungulate forever... ____

Present day, one quiet morning... At Ndefu Grove, a certain fierce lioness stood atop a knoll as she conversed with her brother's summoned spirit. She summoned him not for advice from him, but an important lesson for both of them. Something she recently came around to learning.

Vitani looked on at the hazy air that continued to creep up the trees. Not a single galago in sight, as they'd evacuated from the inhospitable air quality.

"I think I see what you meant about being careful about the Roar, Nuka."

The fire-ghost surveyed the area along with his living sister. He saw the damage done to Ndefu Grove. Not all of it was ash, but the burned area still stuck out, telling a story.

"But... I don't think I need to be careful for the reason you think. I had to defend myself. Kiume was a threat."

"But, you still --"

"The Lions of the Past aren't displeased with me for using the Roar on another lion. I get that we're biased about our own kind, Nuka, I really do. But I learned, here, that the other animals matter just as much..."

Nuka looked skyward in deep thought. He must have misunderstood the voices of the past. They never really did tell him what exactly Vitani did wrong with the Roar, he just filled it in with whatever made the most sense.

"I need to approach things with more thought. I can't keep relying on the Fire Roar." she looked up at him, "No offense."

The spirit listened to an influx of whispers. He eventually looked down at Vitani, and smiled.

"None taken. You're really growing, Vitani. Those lion heads up there really like that."

Vitani softly smiled back, it vanished as her ears picked up on a voice that called to her from a distance.

"Think our time's up." Nuka rose, "Till ya need me again!"

POOF!

"Vitani!" the dark lion bounded through the knolls.

"...Kovu?" Vitani turned around, "What is it?"

When Kovu arrived, he had just missed Vitani talking to Nuka. One brother came so close to meeting the other for the first time in well over a year...

"Prey takeover at Pride Rock..." he panted, "Lion Guard trapped... Rogues are back..."

"The prey animals and the Rogue Trio?"

Vitani looked grim. No wonder things had gotten so quiet. Less prey animals than usual, no occasional complaints from the Pridelanders, and no recent plots from the Rogue Trio. Until now... They'd all had something to do with each other this whole time, and they chose Kupatana as their big day... ____

Near Pride Rock...

The royal pride had heard the army of herbivores approaching from miles away as hooved animals stomped the ground to sound the drums of war. The lions had spent the time they had bracing for battle, protecting themselves and each other as much as they could before more reinforcements could arrive.

"We're almost there, my bretheren!" shouted Ngurumo, "Sharpen your horns! Ready your hooves! Get your torches!"

The select army of ungulates and all other kinds of loyal followers did as told. Antelopes and buffalos stuck their horns out like spears, equines kicked and stomped their hooves, and other animals capable of holding objects -- including Karani the secretary bird -- ignited their torches.

"What's this, I see? A band of traitors?" Ngurumo chuckled, "Led by some of my favorite animals, of course! The biggest traitors of all; my former friend, my lifelong rival, and the local predator-lover, Ma Tembo! Funny, how all the enemies in my life have come together to conspire against me!"

"My friend, this senseless violence must stop." Nyumbu bleated.

"We're not friends anymore, you frail geezer!" the rhino smacked the elderly wildebeest away.

The elephant matriarch stepped in front of the antelope to protect him.

"Your extremist ways are unnaceptable!" she held up her trunk, "You are hurting your brothers and sisters in the Circle of Life on the day of Kupatana!"

Ngurumo smiled disgustingly, "You know, Ma Tembo, I almost considered you as a more fit leader of the Pridelands -- until you brought that stupid, woke lion-and-elephant-reenactment play back to Mizimu Grove!"

"It's called. The Ukumbusho." the matriarch's voice grew deep and firm, "It's a generations-long tradition, and if you know where us elephants' traditions come from, it's from impeccable memory of every moment of our lives since we arrived in this world. The elephants were there, that fateful day, when Askari's Lion Guard made peace with us all."

Zito spoke up, "Don't you remember what happened a few months ago? The Lion Guard ruined this year's Ukumbusho! Lions have no respect for our tradition!"

"Wow..." Ngurumo gawked, "Of course Zira's old faction of lions would do something like that! You're a real poor judge of character, telling me about that 'Circle of Life', which I'm sure is made up by these lions! So, don't you, of all animals, tell me what I can't do on a holiday!"

He then pointed to his blinded eye and broken horn, "Is this what you call the Circle of Life?! I've told everyone time and time again how predators ruined my face!"

"You got that from me."

Everyone gasped. Ngurumo swiftly turned to the voice. He saw Mbeya wearing an uncharacteristic glare.

"Don't you remember? Our faceoff at the Tamasha? You challenged me for leadership over the crash." Mbeya then chuckled and hooted, "...and boy, did you bring a whole new meaning to 'crash'! Heh-heh... I was so agile in my day, and my eyesight was pretty good for a rhino, too! Hoh, you smacked right into a big tree after I cut your eye!"

Several confused herd animals echanged looks. Ngurumo turned red with rage and humiliation, but he quickly simmered down and regained his composure. His face returned to a pale grey as a konniving smile formed. He eased the crowd with deceitful charisma.

"Now, we have this old fart spreading lies about me." the scarred rhino chuckled, "Typical of a predator-lover to be so willing to twist the words of a pure herbivore to silence the truth. I'm surprised none of you have been eaten, yet."

His calm demeanor switched back to zealous rage.

"If you want to die for your lion friends, then, so be it! Let's see how well you fight in fire!" he rose his hoof, "NOW!"

The animals wielding torches dropped said burning sticks onto the dry ground, setting it ablaze.

"CHAAARRRGE!" Whinnies, bleats, and the trumpeting of elephant trunks filled the sky.

The coup had officially begun, and the royal pride had nowhere to safely escape it. ____

Kovu led his sister to where the rest of the Guard members were. Vitani had to reunite with them to overpower the Rogues with their combined strength.

Happening upon where the other members had been, the siblings took on fighting stances. Kovu was ready to tear them apart for terrorizing the Pridelands and for personally threatening Kiara and her family, meanwhile, Vitani just wanted to tear them apart because she hated everything about them the moment she'd first seen them.

Speaking of which, Vitani almost didn't recognize Kiume. His mane -- something he'd taken much manly pride in -- had been completely singed off my Vitani's last attack. All that was left was fuzzy hairs that were burnt and melted at the tips. The short hair on his neck almost looked like Vitani's very own, in a way.

Stopping in her tracks, Vitani's paws skidded across the dirt, creating a cloud of dust. The Lion Guard turned to the sound.

"Guys!" the Fiercest called to them, "They're working with Ngurumo!"

Kasi gasped, "What?"

"They're here as a distraction! Ngurumo is leading a coup to Pride Rock right now!

"Well, this 'distraction' will be the only level you reach before you get to them, little girl." Kiume spoke up, ready to pounce.

Vitani stared daggers into Kiume. Her tail twitched.

"Kovu, get back." she said, not even glancing behind her.

The dark lion did as told. Vitani really didn't feel like risking abusing the Roar, but she took a deep breath, anyway. Locked and loaded.

WOOOOOOOO! The ground shook all around the lions. The Rogues in particular had collapsed, holding their heads and groaning.

Vitani blinked. She, along with Kovu and the Guard, slowly glanced way up at the source of the noise. Lo and behold, it was Kelele, standing atop the rock formation. After a moment of awkward silence, the wolf shrugged.

"Well, they were bothering me too." she said, recalling her own misogyny and unwanted verbal harassment she'd faced sharing the lands with these same rogues.

Kasi smiled at Kelele. She was astounded to find that she really could trust Kelele and find an ally in her. Vitani caught the Fastest's smile, and the two lions exchanged looks.

"There's something you haven't told me, isn't there?" Vitani arched a brow. She wasn't at all angry, just somewhat amused.

Before Kasi could think to respond, Kelele leapt down from the rock.

"Vitani, please... I'm not a threat to the Pridelands. I just wanted to meet the Roar-Wielder, and learn everything I could about you, so I've observed from afar. That's why I stayed in these lands. Because I knew our journey wasn't over, yet. I'm an ally..."

The Fiercest glanced back. The rogues were still down, disoriented and perplexed by the strange power they'd encountered in that moment. The lioness then approached the wolf closer.

"Alright, Kelele, if you're really the ally you claim to be," a smile creeped up Vitani's face, "then I need you to do this one thing for us..."

With a flick of an ear from Vitani, a command universally understood by all former Outsiders since Zira's leadership, the two biggest brutes of the Lion Guard, Imara and Shabaha, obeyed the order and approached the Ethiopian Wolf.

Moments Later... "ARE YOU LIONS CRAZY?! PUT ME DOWN!" Kelele screamed.

"That wouldn't be a very good idea." Vitani deadpanned.

Kelele was being dangled over a Lake Matope full of crocodiles, held by the scruff by Imara's jaws. She was getting what was hers after her attempt to kidnap and alternatively threaten the life of a certain wild dog pup.

"I REALLY AM YOUR ALLY! I'M SORRY ABOUT SAUTI! THAT 'SIKIO'-THING WAS JUST A MYTH! JUST ASK THAT OLD MONKEY! PLEASE!" the wolf screamed, legs kicking.

Imara lowered Kelele closer to the water. Eager reptilian eyes watched her every move. Some couldn't wait any longer, and gave a few threatening snaps of their jaws at her. That sadistic Bravest Lion Guard member's cackles added to the terrifying symphony.

The wolf curled her lower body up as much as she could, tail tucked between her legs. She made a high-pitched whine characteristic of the canine family. What more did these lions want?

"...I forgive ya." Vitani smiled, "Alright, that's a wrap, everyone!"

Kelele blinked, "W-Wait, what --"

The wolf felt herself being gently put down, away from the crocodiles. Speaking of which, she watched Vitani thank the leader, Makuu, for being in on the act.

"I don't understand..." the canine was stunned.

"We were never really gonna kill you." Vitani smiled, "Not our way. Not anymore..."

The Lion Guard chuckled at the dark humor of totally psyching Kelele out. Now, that never left the way of the former Outsiders.

Their brief moment of making light of the situation was interrupted when a heavily-beaten Kiume limped his way behind the Lion Guard's backs.

"Um, excuse me? Don't we have a fight to fini --"

WHACK! With quick reflexes, Kovu knocked Kiume out cold with a backhand. ____

In the meantime, as Ma Tembo's extended herd pushed Ngurumo's army back from raiding Pride Rock, the lions sought refuge in an area of the said landmark that had been unaffected by fire. They were all huddled together.

"Where's Kovu? Shouldn't he be back with the Lion Guard by now?"

Kiara was not easily prone to panicking, but Kovu was the love of her life, and the two were practically inseparable since their engagement.

"I'm sure he's okay, sweetie..." Nala gently headbutted her daughter, "They'll make it."

"How are they gonna get through the firewall?!" Tiifu cried, equally anxious.

"Shhh, they'll find a way..." Nala brought Tiifu close.

SNAP!

A burning tree trunk fell in front of them. They had no time to wait for the Lion Guard any longer. They had to move.

"We've got to find a way out of here!" Simba used a commanding voice, "We can put as much fire out as we can, ourselves! Come on!"

With feline agility, the pride dodged burning objects as they prepared to swipe moist dirt over the fire.

Just then, Kovu and the Lion Guard made it to Pride Rock. They were devastated to see the lands glowing hot with fire.

Vitani's eyes followed the height of the smoke clouds until she could see daylight peeking through. There, she saw a lone, white cloud.

Suddenly... a voice she heard from the past echoed in her mind...

"You see that little cloud? Try roaring at it..."

Vitani's predecessor, Kion, did as told, and he'd turned the innocent, small cloud into a large, thundering raincloud. It had been the first time she'd seen the Roar up close. She'd herd it many times from a distance from her termite mound home far back of the Outlands. But, now, she knew what it was. However, the discovery of this power, and her mother's knowledge of what it was capable of, had raised many questions from the young lioness for years to come...

Vitani was not going to fight fire with fire. She would not blindly charge head-first into battle like that of Ngurumo, but instead show that she and the other predators were capable of civil negotiation. Her eyes gleamed as she felt power rise within her...

In the midst of the calamity of the battling herd animals, Ngurumo spotted the royals making their getaway. The rhino crouched low and slowly approached, grinning wide as his plan to attack formed in his head. He felt the hunted becoming the hunter, and the hunter becoming the hunted. He chuckled. Such an ironic twist...

ROOOOAAAAARRR!! Everyone turned to the loud cry of the Leader of the Lion Guard. Above them was a growing, darkening cloud that poured rain over the selected area. The firewall had been extinguished, allowing the Guard's entry into the battlegrounds.

As Ngurumo was distracted in his astoundment over Vitani's newly-discovered power, the pride cornered by the rhino slipped away, with Kovu reuniting with Kiara.

The rhino watched Vitani emerge from the smoke. A furious glare from under her drooping, wet tuft.

"Ah, Vitani. What a surprise." Ngurumo looked around, "Are you here to attack me and claim more land as yours, as lions do?"

“No. No we’re not. We’re just here to repair a strained relationship between us Pridelanders,” Vitani smiled, “As lions do.”

“LIES!” Ngurumo roared, “You just wanna keep these lands under a dictatorship! All of you lions are born evil, none of you deserve ANY place to live in this world!”

The rhino shoved Vitani hoof-to-chest with full force. Her Guard quickly gathered around her and prepared to fight, if things needed to get that way.

The rhino chuckled, "How quick to react your little friends are. If it's not about your tyranny you're known for, you lions are also known for following every little order someone gives you, even if it doesn't benefit you in the end..."

"I KNEW IT!"

Everyone turned to the voice and gasped. It was Kiume. He and the rest of the Rogue Trio caught up with the Lion Guard after following their trail.

"Your plans were never really about us getting the Pridelands to ourselves, were they? For a long time, I had a hunch it wasn't about us anymore. I was right!" the maneless lion growled, "and now we all know why..."

The crowd of herd animals muttered amongst themselves, shocked beyond belief.

Prodded with piercing questions from his fellow herbivore followers, Ngurumo became overwhelmed.

"No... T-That lion doesn't know what he's talking about!" he sputtered, "He's crazy! I-I don't know him!"

"How long have you been making deals with them?!" yelled a gazelle buck.

"What else are you keeping from us?!" whinnied a zebra mare.

On cue, as always, Uongo swooped in, and promptly answered the latter question:

"Such easy animals to please. Anything works on them!" sampled the bird, in the rhino's voice.

Appalled cries filled the savannah.

"NO! He totally took that out of context! He's cherrypicking what I said!" Ngurumo stomped a hoof.

"Well, how long has he been doing that?!" sneered Zito.

Furious cries escaped the herbivores' mouths. They wondered how much information from this rhino had been skewed from reality for the sake of his own personal gain. 

"Excuse me..."

Everyone went quiet as they turned to Thurston, one of many indoctrinated ungulates.

"Since tickbirds eat bugs, does that make them predators, too?"

The herbivores yelled more grievances about their tickbirds.

"Wha -- No!" Ngurumo sputtered again, "Ticks aren't animals! They're BUGS!"

"My tickbird cut me all over!" a heavily-scarred buffalo bull cried.

"Mine took milk from my calf!" bleated a springbok doe.

"You ingrates and your COMPLAINTS!" the rhino stomped again, "I saved all these nice tickbirds for you, led a battle for your freedom, and THIS is how you repay me?! You ALL belong to the lions! I hope every last one of you is EATEN by those monsters! Especially YOU, Uongo!"

The crowd backed Ngurumo to the edge of the cliff behind Pride Rock. The once dry ravine he stood on the edge of couldn't hold the rainwater that suddenly filled it.

Helpless, the rhino turned to the remaining lions of the Trio, Mrembo and Jeuri.

"You two! Help me! DO SOMETHING!"

The two lions hesitated, torn on who they felt led by, and if they even needed a leader anymore. They didn't like how Kiume had treated them lately, but now, they felt double-crossed by their bigger boss. They looked at each other before scowling at the rhino. They promptly sent a hollow, burned tree falling towards the direction of Ngurumo's head.

CRASH! The rhino rose to his feet. Everyone gasped.

A branch on the fallen tree had impaled his only usable eye. He was now fully blind.

Taking advantage of the rhino's blindness, an enraged Kiume charged, and pushed the rhino over the cliff. The lion quickly found himself being blocked by none other than his own fellow coalition. The two lions stopped him before he could go anywhere near the Lion Guardas they rushed over to the edge of the cliff.

They could see that the pachyderm had landed in a curved ledge on the cliffside that safely cupped him from falling down the ravine. But time was ticking...

"Ngurumo!" Vitani called.

Ngurumo tried to climb back up, but the motion made him slip back. There was luckily sloped ground under the ledge that he could put his hindlegs on, but his forelegs just barely held him up onto the ledge.

He knew he was teetering on the brink of life and death at that moment.

The rain fell hard. Gambling with the idea of giving Ngurumo one last chance, the Lion Guard rushed to help. The Strongest was the first to reach down, having the best chance at pulling the gargantuan pachyderm up -- eventually with combined strength of the rest of the Guard, of course.

The rhino hollered and roared in distress. He found himself once again at the mercy of the Lion Guard, like how they'd all first met. He was not going to face that humilitation again...

"Ngurumo, take Imara's paw! NOW!" Vitani roared through the pouring rain.

"Why should I trust you? You KILLER!" the rhino blindly swung his hoof in protest, "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"A hoofed animal wouldn't be able to help you with something like this. Predator and prey need each other in the Circle of Life, Ngurumo!" Vitani tried desperately to persuade him.

"NO!! I don't trust a single one of you monsters! ANY of you monsters! Paw or hoof!" he slammed his own hooves down, "'Circle of Life', NOTHIN'! It's just a corrupt belief -- You're all CORRUPTED! ALL OF -- H-Huuhh?!" "NO!" Imara grunted.

The ground that the rhino barely held onto became slick from the rain. That last slam sent him slipping down the soil-turned-mud.

"NOOOOOOO!!!" Landing hard at the bottom of the ravine, the heavy pachyderm had taken mortal damage falling from the great height.

"The Pridelands will fall... no matter what... but it won't be from me..." he croaked as he gave a weak smile, for the last time.

Ngurumo's grinning mug was abruptly masked by the gush of water that overtook the once empty ravine. He would be carried off by the powerful water, his eventual whereabouts ever-changing for the rest of time...

Imara backed away from the ledge, feeling the mud run from under her paws. It didn't take her focus away from how perturbed she was.

"At least he didn't get eaten like he always feared..." Shabaha remarked absentmindedly.

"Yeah..." Vitani's voice trailed, still staring down at the rapidly rushing water.

"Let me help you!" "No... never!" Vitani shut her eyes. Whether the predator-prey civil war be handled with compassion or murderous rampage, Ngurumo needed to die. He was too far gone, and therefore nothing but a threat to the Circle of Life. This wasn't the first time circumstances had to be this exact same way, and the Fiercest knew it too well...

Suddenly, Fukiza the cobra emerged from the crowd from under their hooves. She'd been hiding underground for a majority of the time until the commotion brought her outside. Only until now could she safely track down her friends.

"Lion Guard! Are you okay?" she slithered their direction, slipping between the paws of the Rogues.

Tazama smiled at the sight of her old friend. It was the first time she'd truly seen her with healed eyes. She was such a beautiful monocled cobra. However, the Keenest of Sight wasn't the only one seeing Fukiza for the first time...

"SNAAAAAAKE!" screamed Kiume, "Guys, run! Get it away from me!"

Mrembo and Jeuri didn't budge, instead opting for an exchange of disappointed looks at each other. This was it, this was the tipping point for them. They officially found Kiume to be a pathetic boss all around.

"Wow, I am so glad I'm over that whole cobra superstition." grumbled Vitani as she rolled her eyes. She couldn't be more disappointed in this lion.

Kiume pushed Jeuri and Mrembo away with full force, fueled by fear. However, before the maneless lion could make his escape, he was suddenly subdued by a pair of lance-like horns. Quickly turning the other way, he tried to run through Mrembo and Jeuri again, but they'd once again caught him mid-run.

"HeyheyHEY! What are you DOING?!" he yelled, furious at the sudden mutiny.

"Kiume..." said a voice. It was the King.

The herds of prey animals backed away to make room for their much more respected leader. The antelopes trapping the lions with their horns stood still, making sure said felines were contained.

Simba gave a stern scowl, "As punishment for your repeated attempts to overthrow my pride, you will remain where someone can keep an eye on you..."

Suddenly, the other two lions felt their own shoulders being grabbed by the Lion Guard. All three male lions were under arrest.

"...The same goes for you two." Simba continued, "Unless any of you can prove to me that you are no threat to my family, or the Pridelands, you will be watched closely, and punished harshly."

As the former Rogue Trio was being escorted away by the Guard and the pair of loyal antelopes, Vitani scampered over to Simba's side. She still wasn't quite over the shock of Ngurumo's demise. She had a violent upbringing and a tough nature, but she still couldn't handle death well.

Simba could see the somber fear in Vitani's eyes. He, too, has had to let animals die, particularly for any reason that they presented themselves as a threat to his life or his kingdom. Though, he still couldn't forget how he felt the very first time he did it.

"Vitani, sometimes... it's the best thing you could do in a situation like this." the King then smiled cordially, "You did good. Trust me."

The Fiercest cracked an uncertain smile. She was still very shaken, but greatly appreciated Simba.

Simba wasn't praising his daughter-in-law, but was actually comforting her as much as he could. He made a subtle gesture that commanded her to join the rest of her Guard in keeping the rogues restrained as they arrested them.

The crowd of herd animals muttered amongst themselves, some even bowed to their King and his pride before going their separate ways. Every animal retreated to their assigned place in the Pridelands.

As they all departed from the ravine, the rainclouds continued to break away, revealing a golden sky as the sun was on its way down. ____

Aftermath... Days passed. After a long process of easing leftover doubts from the herds and careful scrutiny of the disbanded Rogue Trio, the Pridelands felt as it once did before -- akin to the time before Vitani's predecessor Kion had left for the Tree of Life.

Some former followers of Ngurumo had been allowed back into divided herds. Some entire herds, such as Thurston's zeal, were quick to reform due to their naivete and tendency to go with the flow. Some solitary animals kept to themselves. They still had leftover beliefs and conspiracies, but they didn't have power like their deceased leader, so they were harmless.

Speaking of solitary animals, Kelele still remained near the Pridelands to further her friendship with the Guard, especially Kasi and Vitani. She would return to her homeland someday, but not until after she was ready.

As for the rogues, all three lions answered honestly as they'd been interrogated by the Lion Guard for several hours. Kiume's interrogation had earned him a lifetime of imprisonment deep in a heavily-guarded part of the Outlands, on account of premeditated attempts to overthrow the royal pride, and that any attempts to escape would be punishable by death -- which would be left at the discretion of the Outlanders, as part of Simba's decree.

Though Mrembo and Jeuri were accomplices in countless incidents with Kiume, they were found to be harmless without the influence of their former leader, Kiume. They chose not to be residents of the Pridelands, as they preferred to take a more nomadic life. Jeuri became a close friend of Tazama, and both aforementioned lions bonded over their similar interests, while Mrembo chilled with whoever was interested in his food snob-related ramblings, as Vitani could see from the hill she perched on.

The Fiercest breathed a deep, fresh breath of air. A huge weight had been taken off her shoulders. She and her Guard worked hard to earn the Pridelanders' trust, and outdid themselves by making a huge impact on everyone; the Pridelanders learned to trust in the former Outsiders to redeem themselves, and the Lion Guard learned that the non-lion animals were much more than they appeared.

Trust and balance had been restored in the Circle of Life... ____

That night... Rain poured heavily over the Pridelands, which carried on for the next few days. The rivers overflowing with rainwater rushed fairly rapidly for themselves. The sudden change of weather and strange behavior of the water had followed the day Vitani had controlled the sky with her Roar. Kion never used the clouds to put out fires, and for good reason. His successor to the Roar would soon find out why, among other things...

____ ((Author's Note: We've reached the Season 2 Finale! From the way I worded it, that's right, Vitani's Guard's adventures are not over yet. Ngurumo may have died, but that's only the beginning of the storm...

Also, it's been exactly one year and one day since I decided to start releasing Vitani's Guard art as a serialized, continuous story, which is why I chose today to release this season finale.

Fun Facts:

Since I've been basing the Rogue Trio off of alpha male dudebros, when trying to think of Kiume's defeat, I had to think of common fates that those influencers are met with. Alpha male influencers are often met with arrests/jail/prison and a subsequent loss of fans, so I decided imprisonment for life followed by a loss of respect from former followers was fitting for Kiume.

Vitani's "I forgive ya" at the Lake Matope hazing scene was a reference to Makuu's very same line during Ono's apology scene in the episode "Let Sleeping Crocs Lie". I'm still very much dying on that hill that Vitani idolizes tf out of Makuu and likes to unknowingly quote him word-for-word at times, like she did with the "Mashindano" line. (Also, though Shabaha's facing yet another situation where someone's being dangled over a float of crocodiles, she's fine, because one, it's not her, and two, this was actually partially her idea lol)

Ngurumo's "they're not animals, they're bugs!" line is total BS, like everything else he says. Bugs are part of the animal kingdom. Bugs are tiny, multiple-legged invertibrates, unlike the more "conventional" animals people think of, but that doesn't make them not animals. Certainly not plants or fungi lol.

After doing some research on differences between black rhinos and white rhinos, I realize now that I've been giving Ngurumo the back shape of a white rhino, and the hooked upper lip of a black rhino, which likely means he's a hybrid of the two. On a semi-relevant note, I noticed Kifaru, the rhino with the poorest eyesight in Mbeya's crash, is modeled after a white rhino, while the rest are modeled after black rhinos. I like to think that Kifaru was a newcomer to Mbeya's crash, blindly wandering there and not noticing they were a completely different species from him.

There was going to be panels depicting a maneless Kiume as well as Kelele fighting alongside Vitani's Guard, but the composition was hard to figure out and there were too many characters. I'll probably draw the maneless Kiume in some other non-story art so you could see what he looks like.

Can't wait to come back to VG and other art with a fresh start! School and possible work may interfere with my activity, just letting everyone know))

[nycslams]

imara?? how juicy could a /cab driver's/ secrets be??

imara fucked up her career enough to become a cab driver , so clearly it's juicy . take my word .

[australet789]

Say hello to Amaziah ("the one who has the strenght of god"), son of Chumvi and Kula and mate of Imara!

They met first when Chumvi and Kula came to visit the Pridelands and Amaziah saw this super buff lioness running around. He got enamored by Imara instantly so, in a way to show off, he tried moving a boulder that almost killed him xD No need to say that Imara saved his ass. Amaziah fells even harder for her after that, but he still tries over and over to prove how strong he is to impress Imara. Imara is charmed by this lion, but at first believed that he was trying to steal her position as The Strongest xD Imara is very competitive so every time Amaziah tried to show his strenght, Imara surpassed him. She later (very later) realizes that he was flirting with her.

[tamsinswriting]

A year since publishing my ebook

Howzit all!

I was just checking out my stats on Smashwords, where I published my ebook and realised that it's been nearly a year to the day. Thank you to everyone for their support in my writing career.

In case you're interested, here's the blurb for the collection.

"Xelonia: A continent that is a mixture of the mundane and the magical. This collection of tales offers a glimpse into the lives of its inhabitants, such as:  

Adryan, a young prince who dreads ascending to the throne of Tairys;  

Kay, a woman trapped in an abusive relationship and trying to protect her daughter;  

Imara, a young, would-be scribe who dreams of a life beyond her small village;

Azur, a dwarf who is doing his best to care for a young elfling; and

Reve, a magic-user who gets pulled into the traumas of an Elniasan village"

If you'd like to buy the ebook, you can follow the link here:https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1157168