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Ni could almost recall Kula. She had been part of Nala’s gaggle of friends, who she’d introduced him to so many years ago—but what he didn’t recognize at all was the kingdom, more lifeless and grey than the feared Outlands that he had crossed to get here. But Kula assured the rogue that he had found his way back to the Pridelands; this was simply what a drought looked like when your monarch was Scar.

Ni bombarded her with questions—how long had the drought been going on? Had Scar always been such a terrible king? How were they surviving, and why didn’t they leave?—but Kula was in no mood to answer, telling Ni to leave her alone and find Nala, he could ask her instead. But be wary of Scar’s his hyenas: the king had never changed the laws about rogues (that they’re free to come and go, so long as they introduce themselves to the monarch), but she wouldn’t put it past the clan to see a stranger as fresh meat, even so.

Shaken, Ni snuck through the brittle, dead grasses until he found a few more members of the pride, Nala among them. Though she initially enthused over her old friend’s return, the lioness quickly caught him up on how the Pridelands had changed, since his initial visit: Scar had always been a neglectful leader, but he had his good moments, such as welcoming in the dregs of a pride who had lost their home, and caring for some cubs who’d lost their mothers. These shows of kindness had kept his subjects believing in him for a long time, but then the drought hit. The hyenas who he had always been too lenient with were wreaking havoc on the drying lands; they were stuffing themselves as other animals rationed, causing herd after herd to flee the kingdom. The clan didn’t care what damage they caused, and Scar didn’t either, so long as he and his family were still eating. Speaking of his family, there was some sort of drama regarding his successor, which was taking up a great deal of the king’s energy—nobody cared about the circle of life anymore, except those without any power to change things. They could not simply overthrow Scar; it went against eight generations of respected tradition, the pride found a coup to be unthinkable. And even if they did attempt to commit treason, what about all those lions who were loyal Scar, because he had saved them before? What about the hyena clan, who outnumbered the pride ten to one?

Ni didn’t know what to do, and Nala didn’t have any suggestions but one: go back to where he came from. She said it kindly, but emphasized that the Pridelands were not his home, and he didn’t need to be get himself hurt or killed trying to protect it. That was her job, and that of the rest of the pride. He ought to turn around and walk the same route he’d taken to get in here, so that no hungry hyenas would see him leave.

Ni was a stubborn lion, and when he set out to do something, it was getting done... but he understood that he could not help his old friend just by being present, and it’s not as if he was bursting with ideas, either. He did as she said, but promised to remain close at least for a while, in case one of them thought of a way that he could help. Ni snuck back to the border of the Pridelands and Outlands, all the while sulking over his inability to do anything for the Pridelanders.

When he had made his way to the riverbank again, Ni found Kula still there. To his surprise, she approached him and apologized: she said she’d been having a hard day—or a hard couple of years, really—and regretted snapping at him. Ni was taken aback, assuring the lioness that he hadn’t even felt snapped at, and she had nothing to apologize for. They awkwardly laughed it off, and Ni broke the tension by asking Kula why she was hanging out by the border in the first place. She admitted that she had been feeling a little out of place lately, and watching the lazy river was a nice bit of respite—but forget about her, what was he doing here, back on the Pridelands?

Before they knew it, Ni and Kula had been conversing for a few hours. They kept it light: she talked about her friends, and interesting things she’d seen watching the Outlands. He talked about the adventures he’d had out in the world, and shared a few stories about his family back in Tia Maji. It was nice just to talk to somebody; Kula hadn’t had many conversations that weren’t tinged with pity since her brother’s exile, and Ni hadn’t had many conversations period.

Soon enough night had fallen, and they figured that Ni couldn’t stay on this side of the river overnight. He made the hop over to the Outlands, after bidding goodbye to Kula. As Ni made his way to a comfortable kopje to rest atop, he thought that, even if he wasn’t able to offer help to the pride, he might have another reason to hang around this kingdom.

Description
Context

~~~

Ni could almost recall Kula. She had been part of Nala’s gaggle of friends, who she’d introduced him to so many years ago—but what he didn’t recognize at all was the kingdom, more lifeless and grey than the feared Outlands that he had crossed to get here. But Kula assured the rogue that he had found his way back to the Pridelands; this was simply what a drought looked like when your monarch was Scar.

Ni bombarded her with questions—how long had the drought been going on? Had Scar always been such a terrible king? How were they surviving, and why didn’t they leave?—but Kula was in no mood to answer, telling Ni to leave her alone and find Nala, he could ask her instead. But be wary of Scar’s his hyenas: the king had never changed the laws about rogues (that they’re free to come and go, so long as they introduce themselves to the monarch), but she wouldn’t put it past the clan to see a stranger as fresh meat, even so.

Shaken, Ni snuck through the brittle, dead grasses until he found a few more members of the pride, Nala among them. Though she initially enthused over her old friend’s return, the lioness quickly caught him up on how the Pridelands had changed, since his initial visit: Scar had always been a neglectful leader, but he had his good moments, such as welcoming in the dregs of a pride who had lost their home, and caring for some cubs who’d lost their mothers. These shows of kindness had kept his subjects believing in him for a long time, but then the drought hit. The hyenas who he had always been too lenient with were wreaking havoc on the drying lands; they were stuffing themselves as other animals rationed, causing herd after herd to flee the kingdom. The clan didn’t care what damage they caused, and Scar didn’t either, so long as he and his family were still eating. Speaking of his family, there was some sort of drama regarding his successor, which was taking up a great deal of the king’s energy—nobody cared about the circle of life anymore, except those without any power to change things. They could not simply overthrow Scar; it went against eight generations of respected tradition, the pride found a coup to be unthinkable. And even if they did attempt to commit treason, what about all those lions who were loyal Scar, because he had saved them before? What about the hyena clan, who outnumbered the pride ten to one?

Ni didn’t know what to do, and Nala didn’t have any suggestions but one: go back to where he came from. She said it kindly, but emphasized that the Pridelands were not his home, and he didn’t need to be get himself hurt or killed trying to protect it. That was her job, and that of the rest of the pride. He ought to turn around and walk the same route he’d taken to get in here, so that no hungry hyenas would see him leave.

Ni was a stubborn lion, and when he set out to do something, it was getting done... but he understood that he could not help his old friend just by being present, and it’s not as if he was bursting with ideas, either. He did as she said, but promised to remain close at least for a while, in case one of them thought of a way that he could help. Ni snuck back to the border of the Pridelands and Outlands, all the while sulking over his inability to do anything for the Pridelanders.

When he had made his way to the riverbank again, Ni found Kula still there. To his surprise, she approached him and apologized: she said she’d been having a hard day—or a hard couple of years, really—and regretted snapping at him. Ni was taken aback, assuring the lioness that he hadn’t even felt snapped at, and she had nothing to apologize for. They awkwardly laughed it off, and Ni broke the tension by asking Kula why she was hanging out by the border in the first place. She admitted that she had been feeling a little out of place lately, and watching the lazy river was a nice bit of respite—but forget about her, what was he doing here, back on the Pridelands?

Before they knew it, Ni and Kula had been conversing for a few hours. They kept it light: she talked about her friends, and interesting things she’d seen watching the Outlands. He talked about the adventures he’d had out in the world, and shared a few stories about his family back in Tia Maji. It was nice just to talk to somebody; Kula hadn’t had many conversations that weren’t tinged with pity since her brother’s exile, and Ni hadn’t had many conversations period.

Soon enough night had fallen, and they figured that Ni couldn’t stay on this side of the river overnight. He made the hop over to the Outlands, after bidding goodbye to Kula. As Ni made his way to a comfortable kopje to rest atop, he thought that, even if he wasn’t able to offer help to the pride, he might have another reason to hang around this kingdom.