A Strange Visitor

The two aliens arriving on the lions’ home planet caused a lot of chaos. It affected all of them and the environment in which they live. However, the little imposter made a change in the heart of one of them right from the moment it entered their lives. Ejszaka, for a reason unknown to anyone, took it upon herself to take care of the small creature. She was the one teaching it their language, helping it fit in and pick it’s more permanent appearance. Ejsza lived surrounded by loving lions and never experienced the loneliness of someone stranded on a strange planet. Yet, somehow she immediately formed a connection with the child. She treated it a little like her own cub, if she ever had any. In the future it would fall upon her to make a decision whether to adopt an abandoned cub and raise it or leave it to die. Perhaps if it wasn’t for this experience her choice would have been different and the way she got attached to the young one would definitely have differed. With the alien for the first time in her life she had to take care of someone and protect them, rather than be someone always being protected.

Ejsza, despite having grown close to the alien, could not keep it close to her and take care of it. Kingscardine was a place way too dangerous for it’s strange powers. If he was discovered by the wrong people he and potentially the whole world may have been in danger. That’s why it was decided that he would stay at the Night Watch’s headquarters with their captain, Sen. The alien itself would have an effect on every lion it came in contact with, but it wasn’t just that. The stranger now being on their planet would have much wider consequences. His presence needed to be hidden from unwanted eyes, but select few would know about it and do everything in their power do discover it’s secrets and further intentions it had for their land. Who would be the one to be trusted? Who would make the decisive vote on who to trust? Should scientists be allowed to experiment on it? Should they force the imposter to never use it’s powers for fear of bringing upon them potential destruction or should it be encouraged to use them to help their pride and earn it’s place in it? The lions would need to discuss those questions and more and figure out their answers in the following months.

The enemy alien’s magic also had an effect on the environment in the pride. It almost felt like being back in the world of the Trinity Tree. Plants seemed to have developed sentience or at least murderous intentions. It wasn’t uncommon to see a bush running away or to get smacked by branches of a furious tree. The facts they knew got turned upside down. They had to adapt and find new ways of dealing with the unusual predators. Some, like Nox and Lumos, found it to be an opportunity. It was their moment to shine and go on a completely new adventure to become heroes. They formed a new party of brave, powerful and plain crazy lions who’s only goal in life was to obliterate the enemy flora.

Kingscardine, the most developed of all the cities of Valley of Kings had very low greenery and had the least problems with the new threat. Partially also thanks to it’s guards who would take care of anything before it could get deep into the centre. Auris and Shadow had more on their heads than ever. Their relationship deepened thanks to their fight with the enemy alien. By that point they have known each other long and well enough to know that they would have each other’s backs, but testing that out in a real situation made them even more reassured. Their later travel back to headquarters escorting their new friend was a way for them to take a breather from the constant stress of living in Kingscardine, but it was very temporary. Back home Shadow had to continue his quest of exposing the government for their lies and violence and Auris had to play the double agent. But now the stakes were even higher. If Shadow was caught and made to talk, the evil captain would find out about the otherworldly beings and the main quarters involvement in the situation and a war could break out between them.

With all of that going on the lions still have one more thing to worry about - the enemy alien coming back into their world to conquer their planet. Alongside their new friend they need to learn as much as they can about the threat and how to stop it, whether it be a fight once it arrives in the pride lands on creating a magical protection that will stop it from entering.