Aina woke up the sun shining in her eyes. Shaking off the layer of the dust on her fur she looked around and her heart dropped. She was in the middle of nowhere. she had no idea where on earth she was or how she got their. The lioness head hurt like crazy and she sat down trying to regain her thoughts.

"You okay?" She jumped and spun around, but their was no one is sight.

"Who are you? Show yourself." She growled. A sandy rock nearby began to move and unfold, she watched as if soon took the form of a pale sand coloured cub. He smiled at her. The lion cub was a little taller than her and the first few strands of his mane could be seen on the top of his head.

"The question is, who are you?" He cocked his head still grinning kindly.

"Aina." She said straightening up.

"I'm Oasis." He looked around. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"I got tangled up in a stampede. Now... I'm here. Wherever here is."

"This is the Lost Desert. I guess it really does live to its name." He smiled walking away. "Come. We'll find you some place to rest."

"We?"

"You'll see." The two began walking off together.

"So you're not alone out here?"

"I live with my Pride. The Wondering Pride to be exact." He grinned, his weirdly light pelt made him look like he was part of the sandy land himself.

"I didn't think anyone could live in a place like this." She guestered to the endless dry earth.

"We find ways, the pride lives near a small stream." Sure enough she saw the beginning of a small stream, a few trees decorated the edges. Lions slept in the shade a few raised their heads when they entered. All of them, like Oasis, had soft coloured fur ranging from pale brown to completely white.

"Oasis." Aina jumped as a large brown lion about four times her size stood before her. He seemed kind, and slightly old a few wisps of grey hair could been seen in his mane.  Over his fur he was decorated with what seemed like some sort or light beige coloured paint going up in a straight line up his legs, back and forhead. "Who is this?"

"Tamu, this is Aina. Aina this is Cheif Tamu." Oasis explained.

"Chief?" She mutted in confusion.

"Does your past pride not have a chief?" The large lion asked.

"Well... yes... kind of. We have a king, not a chief." She stumbled over her words.

"Interesting." He mumbled and Aina's ears went back in embarrasment. "Where exactly do you come from."

"Oh, I'm from Pride Rock."

"From where?" A lion, who was only a bit younger than her own older brother, stood forward curious.

"I've never heard of this... Pride Rock." Cheif Tamu cocked his head and Aina's heart sank. The fact that they didn't seem to know Pride Rock meant she must be miles away from home. "I need to get home. My brother's would be worried."

"Unfortunately we cannot point you in the right direction." The chief purred.

"How did you end up in the middle of the desert in the first place?" The smaller lion asked.

"I was caught in a stampede and woke up out here." She replied, the sun seemed to be burning into her back.

"How was the stampede caused." He pushed on and the Chief glared at him.

"Seri!" He growled.

"What? I was just asking." The lion said in defense leaving the Chief sighing and shaking his head.

"You must excuse my son's curiousity."

"It's okay. It was an... accident. Loud noise must've scared them." She replied remembering what happened though for some reason swallowing it.

"Once the sun goes down it will get cold. We offer you a place to stay for as long as you need." He walked off. "Oasis will show you around."

"Yes father." The lion cub grinned excited. "Follow me I know the best place to watch the sun go down."

Aina gave a quick look between the two, neither of them looked alike. Seri on the other hand was the spitting image of Cheif Tamu. She quickly followed Oasis to a small part of the pond, that stood out in the middle of the sandy desert, the sun was setting in the distance. "Wow." She breathed.

"Now there is no better place to watch the sun go down in the whole world." Oasis sighed happily.

Aina looked down. She could think of one. Pride Rock had been a great place to watch the sun set and rise each day. Though the sand and heat did add to the reddish colour of the sky. She looked up at the cloudless sky. It had been her fault that the stampede had started. She hardly ever used the roar, she hardly ever needed to. Now she felt as if it was dangerous.

Maybe it was best she was here. Where she could start over. The Lion Guard would be fine without her. Sighing she looked at Oasis. "Oasis."

"Yeah?" He said still looking at the sun.

"Do you think... that Chief Tamu... might allow me to stay?" She asked and he looked at her then smiled.

"I don't see why not!" He was excited. 

Both of their heads turned at a small roar from one of the lioness' of the pride.

 "Well, we better go to bed. The desert gets colder as night comes." She smiled and the two walked over to one of the few palm trees. Aina laid on top of the smooth, soft sand and looked up at the sound of scratching and shuffling.

Oasis was digging into the sand before sliding in and covering himself with more sand. "What are you doing?" Aina asked.

"Uhh... getting ready for bed?" He looked at her sleeping on top of the sand. "What are you doing?"

"Sleeping."

"How can you do it on top of the sand?" He asked as if it was the funniest thing in the world.

"Because this is the normal way to sleep."

"Maybe for you." He rested his head above the sand, his whole body was nearly under the sand. Looking around she noticed all the others doing the same and suddenly felt really embarrased. She herslef began to dig the sand though her paws slipped and the sand got under her claws making it feel annoyingly uncomfortable. Oasis was watching with a half confused, half amused expression.

"Here let me." He got up the sand sliding easily from his fur as he began digging a small hole in the soft sand and she hesitantly slide into it before he covered her body. It was heavy and the feeling of sand was everywhere and she wondered how she would ever fall asleep like this.

Oasis slid into his own hole and fell asleep easily. After a while she understood why the lions slept like this. The desert was terrifingly cold and dark. There was no light anywhere and every now and then a burst of cold wind would blow her face. Though her body was completely warm under the thick, heavy sand.

Finally after hours she was able to clsoe her eyes... and drift off...