Laini

Laini is a female galago. She is the leader of a group of galagos in the Pride Lands.
When Badili the leopard was forced out of his territory, he took up residence in the galagos' tree. Laini and her fellow galagos came to the Lion Guard for help, and Kion agreed to drive off the leopard. With the help of the Lion Guard, Badili was able to take back his own territory, and Laini and her friends returned home.
Later, when the spirit of Scar gathered an army of incensed Outlanders to wage war against the Pride Lands, Laini joined her fellow Pride Landers in fighting them off. Eventually, the Pride Landers defeated the Outlanders altogether with an invasion of the Outlands.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Laini lived in the Pride Lands. At some point in her life, she became the leader of a group of galagos who were based in Ndefu Grove.
===Rescued by Fuli===
Laini and two of her friends were hanging perilously from a tree branch in Ndefu Grove when their cries reached the Lion Guard. Just before the three galagos fell from the tree, Fuli swooped in to save them. After the rescue, they clung to her back, kneading her fur, and Bunga had to pry them off.
===Skirmish with Badili===
While the Lion Guard was lounging at Hakuna Matata Falls, Laini and her fellow galagos rushed up to them, yelling for help. When questioned by Beshte, Laini explained that a ferocious leopard had taken over their tree. Kion resolved to drive the leopard away, but before the team could leave, Ono announced that Shingo the giraffe had gotten stuck in an acacia tree. Though Laini begged Kion to chase off the leopard first, Kion told her that Shingo must be freed.
Laini and her fellow galagos remained at the falls until they were frightened away by Pumbaa's flatulence. They then met up with the Lion Guard, who explained that it had simply been Pumbaa and that the galagos were in no danger. As the team left to drive off the leopard, Laini insisted that they accompany them, and Kion patiently agreed.
Once there, Laini and her friends were continually frightened by the leopard, Badili, who unknowingly scared them with his sharp claws and teeth. Kion explained this to Badili and told him that he must return home. Badili complied, and Laini was allowed to enter her home once more.
The next day, the galagos rushed up to the Lion Guard in Embamba Canyon and informed them that Badili had returned. This time, the Lion Guard taught Badili to stand up for himself so that the leopard would no longer have to use another animal's territory. Shortly after Badili left, Laini came to the Lion Guard for help, crying that someone else was now in her tree. The Lion Guard followed her to the tree, where they found Bunga asleep in its branches. Upon waking, Bunga drew Laini into a hug, and Laini declared that perhaps Badili had not been so bad after all.
===Crossing the hippo lanes===
When Beshte made the hippo lanes, Laini got his attention and asked if he could take her to Ndefu Grove, to which he cheerfully agreed. When another animal joined them, they asked if they could be carried across the Flood Plains as well. Laini wondered if she could still be dropped off at Ndefu Grove, and Beshte assured her that she could. She asked if he minded, and Chura asserted that it would not be a problem for the strongest in the Pride Lands. Beshte then explained how the whole point of the hippo lanes was to help animals cross the Flood Plains.
===Traveling Baboon Show===
Laini watched the Traveling Baboon Show. At one point, the baboons used Laini as a prop for their show.
===Following Ma Tembo===
Janja and his clan were in the midst of attacking Laini when the Lion Guard intervened and drove the hyenas off. Later that day, Laini rode on Thurston's back as the animals waited for Ma Tembo to locate water.
===Disturbed by Chama, Furaha, and Mzaha===
When Chama, Furaha, and Mzaha stampeded through the Pride Lands, they startled Laini and her group, which prompted her to frown after the trio disapprovingly.
===Rescued by the Lion Guard===
When Laini and two of her fellow galagos got stuck under a tree, Beshte lifted the trunk, while Bunga grabbed the galagos from an opening in the trunk. Bunga also grabbed a grub, so Fuli saved Laini.
===Kumbuka celebration===
Laini attended Simba's Kumbuka celebration at Pride Rock.
===Sheltering Ma Tembo's herd===
After Ma Tembo's herd was ousted from Kilio Valley due to a fire, Kion requested that the herd temporarily stay with Laini and her galagos. At first, Laini was receptive to the elephants staying in her home, but once their heavy plods started making the ground shake and causing galagos to fall out of trees, she appealed to Kion to take them elsewhere.
Later, a fire broke out at Ndefu Grove. The Lion Guard rushed to the grove, where Laini begged them to save her galagos. Bunga, Fuli, and Kion quickly pinpointed the galagos, who were trapped in a tree, and saved them from the flames. However, as they were delivering them safely back to Laini, Beshte informed them that the fire was not being put out fast enough. Kion resolved to find help, while the rest of the Lion Guard stayed behind to combat the fire.
Kion raced across the Pride Lands to where Ma Tembo and her herd were still en route to another kingdom. He explained the situation to her, and she agreed to help the galagos, as she considered the other Pride Landers to be her family. The elephants arrived in Ndefu Grove, where they promptly put out the fire.
After the fire was put out, Laini thanked the elephants for their help and offered them a place in Ndefu Grove.
===Encounter with Shujaa===
Beshte and Shujaa encountered Laini and her fellow galagos in a tree, where they were suspicious of a serval on the opposite branch. The serval admitted to being stuck, and Beshte questioned Shujaa as to what they should do. Shujaa suggested uprooting the tree, but Beshte urged him to think more closely about the problem. This led Shujaa to bend the branch of the tree down to the ground so the serval could clamber to safety. The plan worked, until Shujaa let go of the branch, catapulting Laini and the galagos into another tree.
===Training with the Pride Landers===
When Bupu's herd claimed to have seen jackals, the galagos panicked and started stampeding. In the chaos, Bunga saved them from being trampled by the sable antelope. After the incident, the Lion Guard concluded that the Pride Landers must unite against the threat of the Outlanders. Consequently, they gathered Laini's group, Bupu's herd, Ma Tembo's herd, and Mbeya's crash.
When the Pride Landers had gathered, Laini took charge and chose to ride atop Bupu. Fuli asked Kion if the galagos were a necessary addition to the army, but Kion and Bunga argued that they were Pride Landers and had been incredibly eager to join. In order to diffuse the tension between the various animal factions, Kion instructed them to race toward Bunga. However, the event soon got out of hand, for the large animals tripped over the galagos and ended up in a heap. Despite this, the galagos reached Bunga safely and celebrated their victory. After the disastrous training exercise, Kion got the idea to call Makuu the crocodile for help. Makuu begrudgingly agreed to assist Kion, but his training proved to be too rigorous and ruthless for the other Pride Landers to master, and so he left in a huff.
Later, the Army of Scar besieged Makuu's watering hole, and Ono reported on the situation to Kion. Though Kion was uncertain of the Pride Landers' ability to fight, they resolved to help Makuu nonetheless. Together, the Lion Guard and their Pride Lander allies stormed the watering hole and fought off the Army of Scar. During the battle, the galagos struggled to join in on the action, so Bupu allowed them to ride on top of him. With his help, the galagos joined the elephants in fighting off the jackals. After the fight, Makuu thanked Laini and her group for their help and vowed to do the same for them should the need ever arise.
===Dhahabu's visit===
Laini was present when Dhahabu arrived at Pride Rock to discuss a water treaty with Simba.
===Attack at Mizimu Grove===
Laini attended Makini's mpando mpaya at Mizimu Grove. In the midst of the celebration, the Army of Scar attacked, and the Pride Landers rose up to defend themselves. As a battle broke out, Kion instructed the antelope and the galagos to stay with Fuli, and they did as commanded. As Fuli fought Kiburi, Laini warned her to watch out, and she dodged out of the way in time for Bupu to attack Kiburi himself. Before long, fiery embers began to fall from the sky, and Scar emerged from the flames. Horrified, Laini hid behind Bupu's horns and watched as the evil spirit threatened to overtake the entirety of the Pride Lands. After Scar disappeared, Laini asked what they should do, and Thurston fled the grove in a panic. The rest of the Pride Landers fled as well, and Kion used the Roar of the Elders to expel Scar's army from Mizimu Grove.
In the wake of Scar's attack, Kion sent the Lion Guard to calm down the herds. As the team chased the Pride Landers down, Ono reported that the antelope and the galagos were headed straight for Poromoko Crevasse, so Fuli opted to help them. Though she appealed to Bupu to stop, he replied that he did not take orders from her. Laini frantically asked that Bupu take her orders, and Fuli revealed that they were about to run off a cliff. She then asked Bupu to stop again, this time using the word "please," and the antelope pulled to a halt in the nick of time.
Once all the animals had reconvened at Mizimu Grove, Beshte commented that everyone was all right, but Bupu retorted that they were not all right, and Laini asked if Scar had actually appeared in the fire. Simba approached and admitted that he had had knowledge of Scar's return for some time but had ordered the Lion Guard to keep it a secret out of fear that the Pride Landers would flee the Pride Lands. Laini disapproved of Simba's dishonesty, but Ma Tembo noted that she understood why he had kept it a secret. Bupu pointed out that they would naturally want to leave, and Laini questioned why anyone would stay. The herds then deliberated whether they should leave the Pride Lands, and Simba told them to inform him of their decisions the following morning at Pride Rock.
The next day, the Pride Landers journeyed to Pride Rock to inform Simba of their decisions. However, at Kion's request, they went to Mizimu Grove, where they saw that Makini's baobab seed had survived the fire. Inspired by the seed's survival, the Pride Landers decided to remain in the kingdom and work together to defeat Scar. Bupu was initially hesitant to remain in the Pride Lands with the others, but with some encouragement from Laini, he relented. As the various animal herds looked on, Makini planted her baobab seed.
===Battle for the Pride Lands===
Laini trained with the other Pride Landers at Pride Rock in anticipation of a fight against Scar and his army. The next day, she assembled with the Pride Landers to invade the Outlands. During the battle, she rode on Bupu's head and attacked Goigoi the jackal. In the midst of the battle, Dogo's brothers threw stones at Bupu's herd, which caused them to stumble, but Shujaa arrived and saved them. The Pride Landers ended up winning the battle, and Laini looked on with her fellow Pride Landers as Jasiri was appointed the queen of the Outlands.
===Lion Guard's trip to the Tree of Life===
When the Lion Guard departed the Pride Lands for the Tree of Life, Laini and her fellow galagos bid them farewell, saluting Beshte and Ono.
===Battle of the Lion Guards===
Laini rushed into the Lair of the Lion Guard, crying for help, only to hesitate when she realized that both Kion's and Vitani's Lion Guards were present. After a beat, she bid them to follow her to Mbali Fields to handle an emergency, but the two Lion Guards began to argue over who should go with her. Eventually, Azaad suggested that both teams go, and Laini ushered the two Lion Guards out of the Lair.
Once at Mbali Fields, Laini pointed to Thurston, who was trapped in a hole, but the two Lion Guards bickered over who should save him. In the meantime, Azaad guided Thurston out of the hole himself. As Laini looked on, the two Lion Guards decided to hold a competition to see which of them was superior.
Laini attended the Battle of the Lion Guards, witnessing both Beshte's and Bunga's individual challenges. During Anga and Tazama's challenge, Laini hid inside a dark cave while the two tried to find her. Tazama eventually located her and bore her out of the cave, thus winning the competition. Finally, Laini watched the mashindano between Kion and Vitani. She marveled at the power of the Roar of the Elders when Kion used it to lift Pride Rock.
==Physical appearance==
Laini is a moderately sized galago. She has tannish-brown fur, with a cream chest, arms, legs, and tail. She has huge black eyes with orange sclerae.
==Personality and traits==
Laini is skittish and easily frightened. She trusts the Lion Guard completely and often relies on their strength to protect her. Even so, she is a fierce fighter and will unite with her fellow Pride Landers to defend her home.
==Appearances==
==Trivia==
* Laini was voiced by the following:
** In "The Search for Utamu", she was voiced by Kari Wahlgren.
*** Wahlgren also voiced Boboka's son, Chura, Muhimu, and the young rhino.
** In every other episode of The Lion Guard, she was voiced by Meghan Strange.
*** Strange also voiced Astuto, Kiazi, Kinyonga, and Shupavu.
* Laini's name means "delicate, soft, tender, smooth" in Swahili.
==References==
Category:Canon articles
Category:Characters
Category:Females
Category:The Lion Guard characters
Category:Pride Landers