A/N: I can only apologise for the lateness of this chapter. Well, there isn't really a schedule at this point, but this has come far too late than I would have liked. Also, how awesome was the teaser trailer? Simba was so cute! The imagery was beautiful, the CGI was nearly flawless. I refuse to wait for the film itself!

The sound of thundering hooves echoed around the canyon, and the rumbling of the ground almost unsettled me. I had to get out of here, but what I didn't know was how I was to escape. I scanned my surroundings, hoping to detect a crevice that could accommodate me until the stampede had passed. However, while I was searching for sanctuary from the oncoming wave of what I now saw to be wildebeests. I could see thousands of pairs of scarlet eyes coming ever closer, but somewhere in the cacophony of hooves stamping onto the dusty earth, I heard a sound that made my heart drop.

"ALEX! HELP US!" the voice of a tremendously frightened cub yelled. I looked to where the sound originated, and my eyes widened when I saw not only Simba but also his friends, running as fast as their limbs would permit in a vain effort to evade the stampede.

"RUN!" Nala's instruction brushed away the shock, disbelief and fear that betrayed my otherwise courageous heart. In an instant, I turned on the spot and accelerated. However, I ran at a pace that allowed for the cubs to catch up and briefly overtake me before I scooped all five cubs in succession. Chumvi and Tama managed to cling on to my claws scratched my skin, but I ignored the inconvenient and petty pain. All I cared about was getting the cubs to safety. I looked to each side of the canyon, looking for a ledge to safely place the cubs.

I managed to form a smile when I saw a ledge that could be safely reached by the cubs. However, it faded when I saw that it could not accommodate both the cubs and me. Furthermore, it would take longer to ensure the cubs' safety than it would for the stampede to catch up.

I ran as fast as my legs would permit in an effort to produce as much time for the cubs to reach the sanctuary of the ledge. I looked to my left, and my heart sank as I saw the wall of fear and panic come ever nearer. I cringed at the thought of the countless horns penetrating my skin as I would be swept off my feet.

I looked up at Simba, who bore an expression that told of frantic fear and impatience.

"Alex! Get up!" the cub demanded, but I shook my head.

"I'm sorry, Simba. I love y-" I felt entire body move violently as the stampede finally met my insignificant being. I felt many horns and hooves pierce and trample my flesh and limbs. I expected my senses to cease, for my world to go into a silent darkness as I fell into an eternal void, leaving that which I loved and lived for.

However, to my confusion yet nonetheless relief, I found myself being able to breathe in the dusty air, and while I was currently in discomfort, I was no longer in pain. I opened my eyes and saw that I was lying on the back of a sprinting wildebeest, and remarkably, I had not yet fallen off. And such was my balance, it felt to me that I would not fall on my accord.

However, I dispelled my disbelief. I had to end this stampede as soon as possible. I positioned myself so I could interact with the wildebeest.

"Excuse me, wildebeest, but may I ask you to give the signal to end the stampede?"

"I'm sorry, Alex, but while we know not what panicked us, we know that it frightened us to our core. It was as if a subconscious entity had extracted hurtful memories and fears. We could not understand why we felt this way, but we wanted to remove ourselves from that environment, and it so happened that we ran in the direction of the gorge. However, while we ran as fast as we could, we could do nothing to evade the feeling of dread," the wildebeest explained.

"Shit..." I muttered. This would not end swiftly. However, combined with the knowledge that it felt that it was impossible for me to fall, at least while I willed it that way, an idea had formed in my mind.

"What are you doing?" the wildebeest asked as I steadied myself as I stood on my feet.

"Something potentially dangerous," I replied before I jumped to another wildebeest who was running parallel to the one on which I was standing. I repeated this until I had reached the central column of wildebeests. Every so often, one would, unfortunately, stumble beneath my sudden and unexpected weight becoming a burden on their bodies, and they would then be trampled beneath the hooves of perhaps their friends and family.

I looked again for a ledge, at least somewhere that I would be beyond the reach of the stampede. It was not until the stampede had passed an inadequately tall stack of rock that it began to slow down due to a narrowing of the gorge ahead. The herd was travelling at such a speed that I did not need to wait to jump across to another column of wildebeest. I, therefore, made my way across to the left of the gorge.

By the time I had made my way to the edge of the herd, it had virtually come to a halt. However, what was most unexpected was an explosion of light that caused me to flinch. However, instead of restarting the stampede, all the wildebeest herd could do was stare at what looked like a miniature star. It was as if they were hypnotised, entranced. I could not deny that the light was... mesmerisingly tranquil. The rays of light radiated as if the source was an enormous diamond. However, my weak trance was broken when I noticed that the light momentarily darkened, and then I realised something truly horrible.

A stack of rock was collapsing into the herd.

At that moment, everything seemed to slow down around me. Before I could think, I instantly ran towards what I judged to be the area of impact, pushing out of the way several wildebeest who obstructed my direct route. My shield began to materialise around my arm. I then threw it across the floor like a discus, and it stopped near enough the centre of the area of impact, and I slid and rolled on the floor so my hand could, without hindrance, slide into the handle. I held the shield in front of me, and it felt only a little less heavy than the incident with the hyenas due to my developed strength. I braced for a painful impact, and in my cringe, I unwillingly tightened my grip on the handle, which apparently activated some sort of invisible shield that stopped the rocks from crushing me and the wildebeest. It covered the width of the gorge and was about thirty feet wide. Several smaller rocks and dust spilt over the edge.

After I recovered from my shock, I ordered the wildebeest to evacuate the shield.

"Get out of here! I can't hold this for long!" I yelled, and the confused beasts momentarily looked at each other, wondering what had just possessed them to fail to recognise the fact that the stack of rock was about to fall on them, only for me to yell again.

"GO!"

The wildebeest then ran from under the rocks and far down the gorge. I looked to see if anyone was still beneath the shield, I saw that I was the only one beneath it, and at this point, my arms were trembling under the stress and weariness caused by the weight of the rocks. I released my grip on the handle, and the shield above my head disappeared, and I rolled to my right, out of the way of the rocks. I blocked several smaller rocks with my shield from hitting me before the rocks landed with an enormous, destabilising thud that caused a cloud of dust and sand to engulf my person, causing me to cough.

"Everyone okay?" I asked the small group of wildebeest who were previously beneath the rocks. They could only nod blankly, still processing the whole event.

I decided to return to Simba and to do that, I would have to climb over the pile of rocks that was now blocking my path to my adoptive brother. Luckily, there was enough ballast beneath the rocks to support my weight as I climbed the new pile. When I reached the top, what I saw stole my breath.

I saw thousands of wildebeest, celebrating my survival, chanting my name, elated to see the one who saved the lives of their brethren had come out of the situation without being harmed. As I descended the other side of the pile of rock, I paused again. I beheld a most astonishing sight.

The herd had now organised itself into two groups. One was to the left wall of the canyon, and the other was to the right. And in between was a flawless path. But what was most amazing about this was the fact that every single wildebeest had their heads to the floor. Were they... bowing for me?

This was the moment that I knew.

I was The Guardian.

A/N: Roll credits! Oh, wait...

Anyway, as usual, please tell me your thoughts about this chapter and/or the story in general so far. Do you love it or hate it? Do you think it's great or a big pile of shite? All I ask is that you make it constructive. Anyway, thank you again for reading, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.