Laini's claws unsheathed digging into the ground, she was angry, why was fate this way? She needed to protect her siblings, which meant staying near them. She couldn't afford being away. But Laini sighed in defeat she had to listen to her mother despite wanting to protest. So she sat in the all so familiar den without her sisters. She looked up at a spiky-furred slender tan and cream lioness laying on the other side of the den. Laini sighed, "You're going along with her aren't you? Matope,". Matope nodded, "I really should be scouting the Pridelands or defending Thunder but that- that crazy lioness said, 'oh wait till storm arrives'," Matope snarled sarcastically saying the last part. Laini chuckled walking up to sit next tp Matope, "What do you think?" She whispered softly. "Ha! I was the one who raised you for the most part! You don't need to be with your sisters to be brave Laini. Hopefully Storm will actually be able to knock that thought out into your head," Laini was taken aback by the spitfire lioness, "You're the coward!" She snapped pinning her ears back. Matope just made her really angry and she had no idea why. Matope leaped up stretching out her legs, "Lets go out, don't tell Thunder. Storm is taking way too long so we'll find her ourselves," She smirked urging Laini to follow her out of the den. Laini sighed rolling her eyes trotting after Matope a smile on her face, "Do you even know where Storm would be?" "Of course! She does the same thing I do after all besides the defending part,". Laini's ears perked up as she stepped on the dry dirt path surrounded by crunchy dry-season grasses, did Matope and Storm actually talk? The pink-gray cub tilted her head in curiosity, making sure to keep up with Matope. Matope started clambering up stones above a ravine, "We'll get a better view up here," She looked down at Laini realizing the cub may be too small to climb up the wall, she grabbed Laini by the scruff in which she did not protest. Laini gasped at how much she could see when Matope put the cub down at the top of the ravine. Laini watched as Matope scanned the area for any sign of Storm. Matope smirked, "Thats bound to attract Storm, follow me Laini!" Matope leaped down the rocks to the bottom of the ravine, "Lets go through here!" Laini leaped after the spiky furred lioness into the ravine. Matope laughed, "You have to be faster than that!" She suddenly sprinted forward leaving dust in her trail. Laini gulped at the thought of being left alone in the canyon so she did the only thing she could do, which was to run as fast as she could after Matope. Laini gulped at every shadow but there was no time for thoughts of fear she had to focus. Laini screeched to a stop when the ravine ended leading to a pile of collapsed stones. Laini observed the pile, looking around nervously how exactly could she get over? She put a paw on one of the rocks, it crumbled directly under it. Laini stared behind her feeling as if something was watching her, her fur spiked up. She took a deep breath, she had an idea to get past the brittle stones. She back up clawing at the ground getting ready. Laini charged torwards the stones leaping up the most stable rocks she saw in the pile. Laini was surprised to land safely on the other side. She closed her eyes sniffing the ground finding Matope's scent she was on the right track. Laini kept running along the dry path in the ravine. She screeched to a stop, the path continued but into a tunnel.
And we enter the ravine! Meet Matope the lioness who mainly raised Laini as she leads Laini through a ravine. The Lion Guard Characters: Laini (Soft) Matope (Mud) Mentioned Characters: Queen Thunder
