Episode 28:
Call of the Drongo
During a quiet day at the Pride Lands a mouse is currently enjoying his lunch as he munches on his leaf when he heard a strange voice
“Mmm mm. You look tasty.“ A voice sounding like Makuu’s called out.
“Who's there?” The frightened mouse called back.
“I'm Makuu, the crocodile, and I'm gonna eat you.” The voice from the tall grass behind said in response which left him running away.
Later a different voice called out to a rabbit eating lunch alone.
“Mmm mm. You look tasty.”
“Goigoi? The jackal?” She nervously replied with a scared gulp.
“That's right, and I'm gonna eat you.” The voice returned as she ran off too.
“Help!” She screamed.
Next came another voice when the aardvark is having his lunch.
“Mmm mm. You look tasty.”
“Uh?” He said in confusion as he looked back at the direction of Janja’s voice.
“I'm gonna eat you.” He returned.
“Janja, the hyena!” He then screamed running for his life.
“Help! Lion Guard! Pony Guard!” The hare cried out to the group out on patrol.
“Thank goodness.” The aardvark added as he and the mouse approached them as well.
“What is it?”
“What's wrong?”
Kion and Twilight asked.
“Makuu!”
“Goigoi!”
“Janja!”
The three all exclaimed as Kion began giving his insturctions.
“Lion Guard, Girls, we need to split up. Fuli, you Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Ono take on Goigoi. Beshte, you Applejack, Pinkie, and Bunga go after Makuu. Leave Janja to me, Twilight, and Rarity. You three, take us to 'em.” He then said to the others. “Til the Pride Lands' and Equestria’s end...” He then began…
“Lion and Pony Guard defend!” The others called out as they split up while Kion, Twilight, and Rarity follow the three.
“Okay, where was Janja?” He asked Muhangus as they quietly approached where he last saw the hyena with Twilight and Rarity having their horns lit up ready to use their magic on the hyena leader.
“Right behind my den.” He stammered in reply.
“Okay, stay back.” Twilight told him as the three split apart before they all leaped out into the out.
“Janja! Show yourself!” Kion called out to him but to their surprise he’s not around. “Huh, nobody here.”
“That’s strange.” Rarity commented.
“All right, Makuu, we're coming to get ya!” Bunga called out the crocodile as he, Beshte, Applejack, and Pinkie all arrive on the scene
“Freeze! Crocodiles!” Pinkie shouted with her cannon ready to blast at him but they all found the same surprise as well. He is not there.
“Hello? Makuu?” Beshte called out.
“Maybe he heard us and ran. Or swam!” Bunga figured.
“Doubt it.” Applejack expressed skepticism about that.
“Anyway... he's gone now.” Beshte said seeing nothing has happened here as the mouse gasped in shock.
“What is it, little critter?” Applejack asked her.
“Makuu ate all the roots I was having for lunch.” She sadly said as she looks at the bare twigs left behind.
“Interesting.” Applejack expressed while scratching her hoof with her chin.
At the same time the hare found that her lunch was already eaten up and then spooked by Ono and Fluttershy’s sudden appearance.
“Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you.” Fluttershy apologized.
“No sign of Goigoi from above.” Ono reported as the hare yelped upon Fuli and Rainbow appearing.
“I just searched around every tree in these woods. Not a jackal in sight.” Fuli reported.
“And that includes searching from the skies around us.” Rainbow added.
“But my leafy greens are gone. The jackals must have eaten them.” The hare pointed to the bare twigs in front of her.
“Hmmm.” Ono examined finding something strange about this.
“Well, at least they didn't eat you.” Fuli assured her of what really matters.
“Don’t worry, we’ll help you find new food.” Fluttershy added as she looked around to find some more leafy greens for the hare.
“There's no trace of Janja and his hyenas anywhere around here.” Kion said to the aardvark as he sniffed around. “Not even their scent! And believe us, if they were around, you'd smell 'em.”
“And we would have sensed them with our magic.” Twilight added as she and Rarity regrouped with them. “Because we just did a scan around here and there was literally no trace of Janja’s fur in sight.”
“At least not today.” Rarity added.
“But they were here! They've eaten all the bugs that I was gonna eat for lunch!” He insisted he’s not lying here.
“Hey, the crocodiles ate my lunch too!” The mouse added as she and the accompanying guard members joined them.
“And the jackals ate mine!” The hare added as the others joined them too.
“Did you find Makuu? Or Goigoi?” Kion asked them.
“Nope.”
“No.”
“Zero.”
“Nothing.”
“Uh-uh.”
“Didn’t see them.”
“Nooky, dooky.”
Bunga, Fuli, Rainbow, Ono, Beshte, Applejack, and Pinkie all reported empty-hoofed.
“Strange, Janja wasn't here either.” Twilight brought up.
“I bet Makuu, Goigoi and Janja heard us coming. See, that's just how good we are. We just show up and all of those baddies run off.” Bunga figured with confident crossed arms.
“You said it.” Rainbow replied while sharing a fist-hoof bump with him while floating on his back with the same posture.
“I'm not so sure.” Kion still thinks otherwise as he sniffed for their scent again. “I didn't even find any hyena tracks. No sign of Janja at all.”
“And we didn’t sense their presence around the area either.” Twilight added.
“Hey wait, I didn't see any jackal tracks either.” Fuli brought up as she remembered.
“Did we see any crocodile tracks?” Beshte asked Bunga and the earth ponies.
“Uh, I don't think so.” Bunga replied.
“Nope.” Applejack also replied while shaking her head as Pinkie tried moving her tail and body around to get a sense for them.
“Didn’t even get a Pinkie sense out of him.” Pinkie added.
“And last I checked, none of them eat roots or leaves.” Ono brought up.
“Right. And Janja doesn't usually eat bugs... are you sure it was Makuu, Goigoi, and Janja you saw?” Kion then asked the three.
“Well, I didn't actually see Janja.” Muhangus admitted.
“I didn't see Goigoi either.” The hare added.
“I didn't stick around long enough to see Makuu. But I sure heard him.“ Jebora added as he recalled what he heard while shuddering at the memory. “He said, "Mmm mm. You look tasty. I'm gonna eat you!"”
“That's what Goigoi said!” The hare gasped as she recalled.
“And Janja!” Muhangus added.
“Wait... Makuu, Goigoi, and Janja all said the same thing?” Kion said in surprise hearing all of this as they all nodded in response. “Something weird is going on.” He thought as he turned to the egret. “Ono, scout the Pride Lands. See if you can find Makuu, Goigoi, and Janja.”
“Rainbow you go with him.” Twilight added. “And be ready to bring him or them down.”
“Affirmative!”
“You got it!”
The two replied as everyone hears the sound of hyena laughter.
“Hold on. Do you hear that?” Fuli brought up as her ears picked up as the sound of Janja’s voice is heard.
“We got you now!”
“Sounds like Janja!“ Beshte said.
“Janja?! Ah!” The aardvark exclaimed in fright with the other two.
“This way.” Fuli said as she led the way.
“You guys wait here with Fluttershy.” Kion instructed them as the peagsus flies over to them with some plants and bugs for them to eat. “Time to figure out what's going on.” He then said to the others. “Till the Pride Lands and Equestria’s end...”
“Lion Guard defend!” The others finished as they race to where Fuli had stopped.
“I don't hear Janja anymore.”
“I can't see him, either.” Ono added as they hear rustling from the nearby bush.
“Shh. Janja. Come on.” Kion whispered to the others as they slowly approach the bush at every corner.
“We need to be very quiet so…” Twilight told the others until Rainbow quickly flew towards the bushed and tackled the guy hiding in the bush.
“So much for the element of surprise.” Twilight said in annoyance with her impulsiveness as Ono widens his eyes upon what he and Rainbow have discovered.
“Wait! It's not Janja!” Ono reported as the others run up to see that Rainbow has tackled down a bird with dark blue feathers and green eyes.
“No, no, no. No, I'm not. I'm Tamaa, the drongo!” The bird nervously said in the face of the rainbow-maned pony.
“A drongo.” Ono said to the as Kion motioned Rainbow to let him go.
“Well, don't worry Tamaa. We won't let Janja hurt you.” Kion assured him.
“Why would Janja hurt me?” He asked before remembering with a gasp. “Oh, right! You heard him just now.”
“Yeah! And he sounded close.” Beshte added.
“Oh, they were. Very close indeed. But then he and his hyenas ran off. They went... eh... that way!” Tamaa explained while fumbling a little as Applejack looks on very suspiciously at him.
“Thanks Tamaa!” Kion thanked while buying it. “Till the Pride Lands and Equestria end’s...”
“Lion Guard defend!” The others finished as Fluttershy meets up with the Guard minus Applejack and Rainbow after the former pulled the latter by the tail before she could fly off to whisper to her of her suspicions to her to which she is quick and on board to keep an eye on the bird to see if the cow girl’s suspicions are correct.
“Hey everyone, what did I miss?” She asked as she flew beside them.
“You missed nothing.” Twilight replied. “Just came across a bird.”
“What kind of bird?” She asked.
“A drongo.” Beshte answered. “Good thing he actually saw where the hyenas went.”
“Yeah! He's the first one to see anything.” Fuli added.
“Oh my, that sounds interesting because usually they…” Fluttershy replied before suddenly thinking of a sudden thought at the same time as Ono. “Wait! A drongo!”
“That explains everything!” Ono figured out too. “Everyone, everyone! Follow me, quick!” Ono stopped everyone and lead them back to Tamaa.
“Ono?” Kion asked.
“We’ve figured it out! Come on!” He told them as he flew ahead leaving Kion confused.
And true to their suspicions, Tamaa was able to mimic Janja’s voice to scare a hydrax away from the food he was going to eat.
But just before he could eat it, Rainbow tackled him to the ground again.
“Gotcha!” She shouted.
“Not so fast.” Applejack added as she glared at him as Rainbow placed a hoof on his chest. “I knew you were lying from the start." She stated as the others surround the bird.
“Un-bunga-livable! You sounded just like Janja!” The honey badger commented in amazement.
“Cool!” Pinkie added with a grin.
“That's because he's a drongo.” Fluttershy told the others.
“And drongos can make their voice sound like other animals. Isn't that right?” Ono asked while wanting him to admit it.
“Yes, it's true.” He replied with pride. “I can make my voice sound like other animals, any other animal in the Pride Lands, really. It's my little talent.”
“Which you've been using to scare animals all over the Pride Lands.” Kion sternly scolded him.
“And that sir, is a very, very, bad thing to do!” Fluttershy angrily added.
“Admit it!” Fuli demanded as Tamaa tried to insist innocence.
“Who, me? No, I never.” He said in Janja’s voice. “I mean, it wasn't me who...” He said in Makuu’s voice. “I can explain.” He said in Goigoi’s voice but it was clear he was unable to lie straight in a panic as the others give him unconvinced looks.
“Give it up, you ain’t fooling nobody now!” Applejack pressed him.
“All right, kids. You got me.” He confessed. “I pretended to be Janja, and Makuu, and Goigoi. But so what? Is there any harm in that?”
“You would scare little animals so they'd run away!” Fluttershy scolded him while still upset but not as angry as before.
“Is it my fault that my performances are so convincing? It's a compliment, really.“ Tamaa tried to spin in around.
“But you did it to steal their food!” Beshte crossly added.
“Steal? No, no, no. It's an act, it's a show. It's all in fun. I do some voices, and if my audience happens to leave me a little food as a reward, well, is that so wrong?” Tamaa continued as he tried to correct them.
“Absolutely.” Fluttershy again firmly replied.
“Who do you think you are?” Ono asked him very disgusted with him.
“Who do I think I am?” Tamaa returned as if it was a trick question before breaking out into a song.
He sang as he flew around the area imitating the animals nearby before recalling a memory of himself when he was young which had him hatching from an egg while mimicking various animals noises non-stop. He then recalled his past after growing up with being denied food by various animals as he looked around.
He then recalled of how he used his talents to further mimic voices of other animals while annoying some of them and being glared at by everyone expect for Pinkie and Bunga who happily dance to the tune as he recalls riding on warthog’s backs while imitating them while stealing from a mouse from behind his back leaving him crying when it happened.
He then sang as he marched in front of the Guard while mimicking Janja, Makuu, and Goigoi again during his song before flying up amongst the other birds in the sky even using their voices in his song as it comes to an end.
“Thank you, thank you very much.” Tamaa then said while bowing before everyone with standing ovation.
“Poa!” Beshte voiced his amazement with his talent and song.
“Can you do an imitation of me?” Bunga asked.
“And me?” Pinkie also asked.
“Sure.” Tamaa agreed as he cleared his throat to do so as Kion and Twilight stepped in before he could.
“Bunga!”
“Pinkie!”
They both said in somewhat stern voices.
“Right, right, right, you're the leaders of the Lion and Pony Guard.” Bunga replied as the two rolled their eyes as Pinkie speaks what Bunga’s thinking.
“Imitate Kion and Twilight first, then me and Pinkie.”
“Bunga, Pinkie, focus.” Fuli and Rainbow reminded them just as serious as the two leaders talk to him.
“Tamaa, tricking others and taking their food upsets the Circle of Life.“ Twilight reprimanded him.
“If I had an amazing talent like yours, I'd use it to do good.” Kion then gently added.
“You're right.” He responded as he sees to get the memo. “Of course you're right. Why? Oh why did I never think of that? The food I snatched from the beak snaps amounts of the innocent. the heartbreak, the pain.” He said rather dramatically as Ono and Rarity groaned with the later walking off in a huff in offense to that display. “I feel so ashamed.”
“Poor little guy.” Beshte took pity on him.
“It’s okay.” Fluttershy comforted him. “You just made a bad choice. You just need to correct yourself.”
“Tell you what.” He offered. “From this day forward, I'll only use my own voice. I promise. I promise.” He repeated as he ended up using Janja’s voice by accident the first time.
“Hmm. Better make it a Pinkie Promise.” Pinkie then seriously demanded of him. “Repeat after me.” She began repeating the motions of the rhyme and routine. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
“But…” Tamaa tried to insist a single promise is enough but upon seeing that the pink party pony is serious about this he relents. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.” He repeated as he then accidentally poked himself in the eye in the process.
“Hmmm. Okay.” Pinkie now happily replied as everyone laughed together. “You’ll get it. It just takes practice and learning to keep your promises.”
At that moment, Janja’s laugh is heard through the Pride Lands as Ono flies over to examine the commotion and this time it’s the real deal.
“Hapana! Janja and his crew! The're about to attack a herd of impalas! And this time I can see them!” Ono reported to everyone.
“And we're here wasting time talking to you! No more imitating!” Kion then firmly berated him while again warning him against pulling anymore tricks on others.
“Drongo's honor.” He returned with a wing on his chest as the Guard head’s off to head the hyenas off with Bunga and Pinkie sticking back for second for one last word.
“I still wish you would've done my voice. Now I'll never know how I sound like.” Bunga said in disappointment before catching up with the others.
“And remember, I’m watching you.” Pinkie ominously reminded him before leaving too.
Meanwhile the real hyenas are pursuing the impala herd as they lock their teeth and chomps ready for a meal.
“Hey, don't run away! We just wanna invite you to dinner!” The hyena leader commented to them.
“We do?” Cheezi asked looking confused as always.
“Sure. They're gonna be the main course.” He replied.
“Good one, Janja.” Chungu laughed along with Cheezi as they suddenly find themselves kicked in the face by Applejack along with being forced back by Beshte as he charges his back into them.
“What's so funny, hyena?” Fuli smugly taunted them.
“Yeah, who’s laughing now?” Rainbow added just as smugly as the cheetah.
“Uh... nothing and nobody.” Cheezi nervously replied.
“Don't you remember? Janja made that great joke about eating the impalas.“ Chungu said while forgetting the joke itself. “Wait, how did it go again?”
“Stuff it, fur brain!” Janja responded with a paw on his mouth to get him to quit talking.
“I'm gonna give you hyenas to the count of three to get out of the Pride Lands.” Kion warned them as he and Twilight with her horn flared approach the three.
“You can count to three?” Chungu asked rather dumfoundedly.
“Ooh! I wanna hear it!” Cheezi eagerly and mindlessly asked as Janja pulled him away before he could approach Kion and Twilight as Twilight narrowly struck him with magic there.
“Nice seeing ya, Kion. You too, Twilight. Love to stay and chat but, uh, we were just leaving.”
“We were?” Chungu again asked.
“One, two...” Twilight began counting ready to use her magic on then until they started to retreat.
“We're going, we're going.” He told them in defeat as they ran off.
“The faster, the better.” Twilight commented feeling pleased seeing their temporary cooperation.
“That was a close call.” Fuli commented in slight relief.
“You said it.” The hippo couldn’t agree more. “We were so busy searching for phony crocs, jackals and hyenas, we almost missed the real hyenas attack.”
“Let's just hope Tamaa keeps his promise so we don't any more false alarms.” Kion hoped as Pinkie popped her head up next to the prince.
“Don’t you worry about that Kion. I’ll be watching him every step of the way.” Pinkie assured as she ran off to check up on him. “Because nobody breaks a Pinkie Promise.”
“Uh…” Kion could only say.
“You can definitely trust her with that.” Twilight told him with a knowing look.
Meanwhile a female mouse was eating grubs as Tamaa flew by at spotted the sight.
“Hi, How you doin'.” He greeted while eyeing her food. “Ooo that's a nice ice pile of grubs you got there.”
“Uh, thank you.“ She somewhat uncomfortably replied as he continued eating.
”So, uh, you think you're gonna eat 'em all?” He asked.
“Probably.” She again replied as she continued eating.
“'Cause I wouldn't mind eating a bite or two, if you got some to spare.” He said while adding a joke. “I'm feeling a little peck-ish. Ha, get it? Peck-ish. I've got a beak, see? I peck things with it. Pretty funny, right?”
“Uh, yeah.” She returned indifferent to what he is trying to ask of her.
“Seriously, do you have some food you can give me? I'm really hungry.” He pleaded with her.
“Sorry, but these are my grubs. You'll need to find your own.” She refused as she secured her goods and turned away.
“I bet you wouldn't say that to Janja.” Tamaa grumbled in response.
At the same time the hyena trio have managed to retreat to another part of Pride Lands far enough from the Guard they could stop and rest.
“You know, sometimes I think the Lion Guard doesn't like us.” The big dimwitted hyena commented.
“I know, right? So now what are we gonna eat, Janja?” Cheezi asked their leader.
“Mmm mm. You look tasty. I'm gonna eat you.” Tamaa’s disguised voice said as the hyenas ended up hearing it.
“Me?” Cheezi responded with shock and nervous laughter. “Did you just say you're gonna eat me?”
“No!” He honestly answered.
“Does that means you're gonna eat me?” Chungu then fearfully asked.
“No, fur brains, it means I didn't say anything! But somebody did.“ He corrected then.
“Uh, it sure sounded like you.” Chungu remarked.
“Yeah, he did.” He said in agreement as he turned to the source’s direction. “And he also sounded like he's over there.”
The trio approached him just as he sent the mouse running away after hearing his voice.
“Mmm mm. Did you hear me? I said I'm gonna eat you!”
“Yeah, I heard ya.” The real hyena said to the bird much to his startled surprise. “Grab that bird!”
Tamaa screeched like a monkey before attempting to flee before being caught before he could take off by Cheezi.
“Wait, don't eat me…” He pleaded with Janja’s voice before clearing his throat to return to his normal voice as Cheezi held him upside down. “I mean, wait, don't eat me.”
“He's a little small. Hardly enough to go around.” Chungu pointed out.
“If he help us with my new plan, maybe we won't eat him at all.” Janja sinisterly said as he looked the drongo in the eye expecting his cooperation.
“What you need me to do?” He asked terrified as he looks at him with a teeth-sported smile would kill upon first sight.
“Oh you'll see.” He said as he drags him to where the impala are at their grazing grounds while they duck under the nearby rock as their hiding spot while Pinkie Pie watches out of eye sight.
“Now just say what I told you to say. But make it sound like you're Kion. Got it?” He then told him.
“Uh, I don't think I can. I've never done Kion's voice before.” The distressed bird responded uncertain if he has heard him long enough to get a good feel for the cub’s voice.
“Oh, it's that so. That's okay. I got ya. No problem.” He nonchalantly replied before delivering a ultimatum to compel him into doing so. “How about you say something in your own voice?”
“Sure, I can do that. What you want me to say?” He eagerly replied until he spoke what he had to say next.
“Say goodbye. 'Cause if I'm not eating impala today, I'm eating drongo!”
“You know, now that I think about it, maybe I can do Kion's voice.” He nervously relented as he then imitated the young lion’s voice. “Hey, impalas. “ He began as they got startled for a second. “It's me, Kion, leader of the Lion Guard. The hyenas are back in the Pridelands. So you better run to the Outlands.”
Nothing happened and it took Janja’s glare to get him to keep pushing.
“Impalas, what are you waiting for? Hyenas are coming. Escape to the Outlands. Right now!” He then demanded in Kion’s voice.
“You don't have to tell me twice.” Thurston reacted as he led the frantic running. “Panic and run! Panic and run!”
“Shoo! Scat! Run!” He shouted as the impala ran directly into the Outlands while the hyenas follow after them as they cross the border.
“Let's go boys, our dinner is being delivered!” Janja told his clan as Tamaa spoke up.
“I sounded good, didn't I? Would you believe I've never done Kion's voice before?” He commented while attempting to bargain with him while flying up to his eye level. “You gotta love it! Right? So, can I go now? I did what ya asked.”
“Mmmm, not yet.” He wisely refused as the bird is still forced back upside down. “You still might come in handy. I think I'll keep you around for a while.”
As Janja leads the way Cheezi giggles.
“Could you at least stop breathing on me? I've got sensitive feathers.” He at least asked of the hyena as he dragged him away.
“Sensitive feathers.” Cheezi grumbled in response as he follows after the others.
Back at the Pride Lands, the Guard is currently watching over the Pride Lands which is now quiet ever since they chased off the hyenas earlier.
“Pretty quiet. Guess Tamaa really is keeping his promise.” Kion figured.
“Maybe a little too quiet?” Fluttershy suggested.
“No sign of Janja, Cheezi and Chungu either.” Ono added as he flew over and landed on Beshte’s back.
“Panic and run! Panic and run! Head for the Outlands! They're the only safe place to be!” Thurston exclaimed as he trotted in place before turning to the Guard.
“Whoa, what? No!” Bunga responded in disbelief as he pushed the zebra away from his breathing space.
“What in tarnation are you talking about?” Applejack asked as if he was crazy.
“Where'd you get such a crazy idea?” Fuli asked wondering the same question.
“From Kion.” He answered.
“I never said that.” He honestly replied in surprise.
“Yes, you did.” He responded. “I heard you say it to the impalas. And everyone knows zebras have the best hearing in the Pridelands.”
“So, if you heard Kion say, "Go to the Outlands", why didn't you go?” Rarity asked.
“I am going! I just don't know where the Outlands are.” He replied.
“Of course you don’t.” Twilight said not surprised there.
“Hold on. You say you heard me, but you didn't see me.” Kion asked.
“So, hearing is believing.” He indifferently replied.
“Not with Tamaa the drongo around.” Ono figured what really happened.
“But why would Tamaa fool the impalas into going to the Outlands?” Beshte asked trying to make sense of it.
“Sounds more like Janja to me.” Fuli scoffed.
“Maybe it was Janja. And Tamaa.” Twilight pieced together.
“I know Tamaa is a trouble-maker but, you really think he'd help Janja?” Fuli asked.
“Maybe he didn't have a choice.” Kion replied as he pieced it together too.
“That’s true!” Pinkie said to them as she suddenly appeared. “He captured him and forced him to imitate Kion to trick the impala into going into the Outlands!”
“C'mon Lion Guard! To the Outlands!” Kion led the team there so they can save them all.
“Just a minute. I thought we weren't supposed to go to the Outlands.” He asked everyone especially Twilight ignored him seeing no point in talking to him.
Back in the outlands, the hyenas follow after the impala as they scale the pathway on the hills
“Come on, fellas!” He told his crew as Tamaa groaned from the repeated bouncing as they followed the herd until they reached a dead end at the end of the path they were running on.
“This was so easy!” Janja chuckled at the success at their cornered prey. “I shoulda got myself a drongo a long time ago! You better get used to us, birdie. 'Cause I'm never lettin' you go.” He then said in the bird’s direction before running off ahead.
“Hear that? You're never getting away from us.” Chungu smugly repeated.
“W-why would I want to get away? This is a great setup!” Tamaa replied.
“Yeah! Huh?” He then returned now confused again.
“I've always worked alone. But it's going to be a lot easier now that I have a partner.” He explained to them.
“Partner?” Cheezi asked.
“Sure! Didn't you hear what Janja said? From now on, it's just going to be me and him.” He reminded them.
“Just you and Janja? But what about us?” He asked feeling hurt by what he had interpreted.
“Oh. I hadn't thought of that. With me helping Janja, I don't know if he'll need you two anymore.” He further attempted to manipulate the dimwits.
“He won't?” Cheezi asked.
“Not with me around.” He replied as he shot at his escape angle. “But if you were to let me go...”
“Uh-uh.” He immediately refused to be fooled there as he roughly shook him around.
“Ah! Ah-oh! Ey, ey, easy.”
“Nice try, birdie. But we ain't letting you go until Janja says so.” Chungu said to him in a way that tells him he’s not fooling them there.
“Is that a fact?” Tamaa asked.
“Yeah.”
“Uh-huh.”
The two answered as another yet simple idea comes in the bird’s mind.
“I see.” He then said in Janja’s voice. “Cheezi, let the bird go.”
“Uh, okay, Janja!” He took the bait as Tamaa immediately flew away while cheering at his newfound freedom.
“I don't think it was really Janja who said that.” Chungu began to slowly realize.
“No kidding!” Cheezi suddenly realized the mistake too. “Janja's gonna be super mad!”
“What're we gonna tell him?” He asked.
“How about... nothing?” He suggested to which he quickly agreed on before catching up with their leader.
“Phew! My little talent sure got me out of that mess...” The drongo said in relief before seeing what it got others into. “…but it got those impalas into a mess! I've gotta try and help 'em!” He then went back to do something about it.
As the impala all walk around helplessly with no sense of direction of where to got to get out of here the hyenas approach the herd while ducking from behind the rocks.
“Let the impalas go, Janja!” Tamaa called out in Kion’s voice.
“You hear that?” Chungu fearfully asked as the drongo then ducked behind another rock.
“We've got you surrounded, hyenas!” He called out in Bunga’s voice as he ducked behind another rock behind Chungu.
“There is no way out!”
“You better... run away while you can.”
”Or be prepared to fight the Lion Guard!“
“And the Pony Guard!”
He then called out in Fuli, Beshte, Ono, and Twilight’s voices while flying behind Janja and Cheezi with the latter nervously gulping as he and Chungu cower and huddle onto the head hyena.
“They're everywhere!” Cheezi quivered.
At the Pridelands and Outlands border the Guard approaches it as Ono and Rainbow fly ahead.
“Any sign of the hyenas, Ono and Rainbow?” Kion asked.
“Negative. We don't see them.” Ono returned as he used his keen sight to look down in the Outlands pathway.
“This is your last chance, hyenas!” Tamaa’s Bunga impersonation is heard from afar.
“But we do hear something!” Rainbow reported.
“Leave now, or we're gonna come get ya!” Tamaa’s Pinkie voice called out to the hyenas.
“Hey, that was me!” Bunga pointed out.
“And me!” Pinkie cheerifully added. “But we’re right here.”
“That’s because it’s not you it's Tamaa!” Kion told them as he lead the way into the Outlands.
“C'mon girls and boys!” Twilights told them as she joined by Kion’s side.
“Wow! I really sounded heroic.” Bunga felt pleased with himself until Pinkie dragged him so they can catch up with them.
“You asked for it! We are coming in!” Rainbow’s voice by Tamaa called out to them as they look ready and could use pairs of brown pants right now.
“Unless you leave now!” Applejack’s voice added courtesy of the drongo.
“Which way are we gonna run? They're all around us!” Cheezi asked like he was on the verge of tears.
“I don't know. Uh, maybe we can...” He began to think before seeing the bird isn’t in his mouth. “Hey, why isn't there a bird in your mouth?” He questioned as his subordinate could only nervously laugh in the face of his boss’s anger.
“You are running out of time, Janja! Better scattle why you still can.” Rarity’s voice called out to them courtesy of Tamaa before finding himself face to face with the hyena leader again who and his clan’s shock worn off about learning the deception.
“Nice try. But we know the Lion Guard ain't here.” He returned to the now frightened bird.
“That's what you think!” The real Kion voiced to them.
“Oh, he's really good. That time he didn't even move his mouth.” Chungu said very impressed as Janja realizes what that truly means as he along with the Guard appeared overhead.
“Get away from the bird, Janja! Now!” He demanded as Twilight blasted him away with her magic as Kion tackles and pins him to the ground while they scowled at him with the unicorn’s horn still flaring at him threateningly.
“K-K-K-Kion! Twilight! It's not what you two think.” He tried to play innocent to then. “See, um, we, we were just helping out these poor lost impalas, you know, we thought we'd show 'em the way home.”
“We'll take care of the impalas. Why don't you find your own way home?” Twilight ordered them to leave not fooled by the attempted act as Kion got off of him to give him the chance to do so.
“We'll do that. Let's go fellas.” He immediately complied without hesitation while leading his companions away from the scene.
“That’s right! You better run you big meanies picking on those poor helpless animals like that!” Tamaa called out to the cowering trio in Fluttershy’s voice before changing back into his normal voice. ”Sorry, I was on a roll!”
Afterwards, the Guard then guided the herd back into the Pride Lands with Tamaa helping out too.
“That was a brave thing you did back there, Tamaa.” Applejack commended him while tipping her hat towards him.
“You helped save the impalas.” Ono added.
“Thanks, guys. It felt great to use my talent for good.” Tamaa thought nothing of it while seeing the joys of what can be done if done right.
“It sure must be a good feeling.” Fluttershy sweetly added. “Although just so you know, I don’t cheer like that.” She then shyly said.
“Nor do I growl like that.” Fuli also advised.
“Ah, good tip.” He took it into consideration. “And this time I really have learned my lesson. From now on I'm sticking to my promise. No more imitating others, unless it's for good.” He vowed as he performed the Pinkie Promise routine again. “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye.”
“And that’s a promise I know you can keep this time.” Pinkie happily took it in.
“Sorry.” He apologized for earlier.
“It’s okay.” She told him not to sweat it. “What you went through with the hyenas is punishment enough.”
“Well I think that's great.” Bunga said while asking of him one more favor. “But couldn't you imitate me just one last time?”
“And me?” Pinkie asked as they clasped hooves and claws with eager smiles.
“Okay.” He agreed no problem as he flew off and away. “Zuka Zama! See you all later, I going to go celebrate! Woo hoo!”
“I really do have a great voice.” Bunga thought highly of himself before noticing everyone else has already left. “Hey, wait for me!” He called out to them as he caught up with them as they all conclude their job protecting the Pride Lands for the day.