Mwenzi

Mwenzi is a male tickbird.
On their way to Tamasha, Mwenzi and his best friend, Kifaru, had a falling out and parted ways. The Lion Guard tracked Mwenzi down and convinced him to return to Kifaru, but Mwenzi mistakenly assumed that Ono had become Kifaru's new tickbird and so left again. Ono managed to convince him to return. However, before they could depart, Makuu the crocodile attacked Mwenzi, injuring his wing. Ono fetched Kifaru and the Lion Guard for help, and they arrived to fend off Makuu. After the attack, Mwenzi and Kifaru mended their friendship.
Later, when the spirit of Scar gathered an army against the Pride Lands, Mwenzi joined his fellow Pride Landers in fighting them off and eventually defeating them altogether with an invasion of the Outlands.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Mwenzi lived in the Pride Lands. At some point in his life, he befriended Kifaru and became his tickbird.
===Fall-out with Kifaru===
The Lion Guard questioned Kifaru on why he had been rampaging through the Pride Lands. Kifaru reacted obliviously, and the Lion Guard explained that he had shaken the baboons out of their tree and trampled every tree in his path. Bewildered, Kifaru admitted that he had wondered why there were so many trees on the path to Lake Matope. He then ambled off, and the Lion Guard realized that he was heading straight for another tree. Ono shouted that Kifaru did not know where he was going because he did not have his tickbird, then darted in front of the rhinoceros, warning him to keep back.
Ono asked Kifaru where his tickbird was, and Kifaru admitted that his tickbird, Mwenzi, had left him earlier that morning. Though the Lion Guard was confused, Ono explained that rhinoceroses had poor eyesight and used tickbirds to help with navigation. In exchange, the tickbirds ate the ticks off the rhinoceroses' backs. Kifaru then explained the partnership between the two species in more detail.
Afterward, Kifaru lamented being unable to reach Tamasha, an event in which rhinoceroses gathered near Lake Matope to spar together in the mud. The Lion Guard was touched by his sorrow, and Kion resolved to find Mwenzi for Kifaru. Bunga attempted to be Kifaru's tickbird, but Ono ended up saving the pair from destruction. Kion suggested that Ono become Kifaru's temporary tickbird. In the meantime, the rest of the Lion Guard would search for Mwenzi and convince him to return to Kifaru.
As Ono led Kifaru to Tamasha, Kifaru commented that Mwenzi had never shouted at him like Ono did. He then grew so emotional that he walked away, sobbing, and Ono was forced to apologize to him. Kifaru asked Ono if he would itch inside his ear, and Ono agreed, though he completed the job half-heartedly. Kifaru remarked that Mwenzi would never stop itching until he had been instructed to, but Ono reminded the rhinoceros that he was not Mwenzi. Kifaru agreed sorrowfully, then belched loudly, to which Ono muttered under his breath that he hoped the Lion Guard would find Mwenzi soon. Kifaru overheard him and chastised him for muttering under his breath, which Mwenzi had never done.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Lion Guard tracked Mwenzi's scent to a tree. Bunga climbed into the tree to search for Mwenzi but found it vacant. However, as he was skidding back down the trunk, he caught sight of a bird darting around nearby, and Beshte recognized him as Mwenzi. He called out to Mwenzi, but the bird did not reply. Kion then got an idea. Following Kion's instructions, Beshte lured Mwenzi into the open by pretending to be a rhinoceros in need of a tickbird.
When Mwenzi landed on Beshte's back, Bunga tackled him to the ground and held him hostage while the rest of the Lion Guard gathered around. Fuli explained that Kifaru was causing damage all over the Pride Lands without Mwenzi, and Kion encouraged Mwenzi to return to his duties. An indignant Mwenzi recounted how Kifaru had blamed him for running late to Tamasha and explained that every year, it was Kifaru's fault they were late, yet he continuously blamed Mwenzi for their tardiness.
Beshte reminded Mwenzi that Kifaru was his friend and explained that Kifaru was lost without his tickbird, to which Kion added that Mwenzi was not doing much better on his own. Mwenzi admitted that he was used to having a job to do, and Beshte encouraged him to talk to Kifaru about the situation. Reluctantly, Mwenzi conceded and left with the Lion Guard to speak to Kifaru.
Meanwhile, Ono brought jackalberry leaves to Kifaru, but the rhinoceros complained that he only liked dark green jackalberry leaves. He then compared Ono to Mwenzi, which infuriated Ono. After a moment of cold silence, Kifaru told Ono that he should thank him, for if Ono had not been so bad at being a tickbird, Kifaru would never have realized how good a tickbird Mwenzi was.
Kifaru started to amble off but collapsed on the ground, panting. He commented that the constant walking had gotten him overheated and added that Mwenzi would always make sure to keep them near a source of mud while they were traveling. Thinking quickly, Ono began to use his wings as a fan, much to Kifaru's delight. Kifaru commented that Mwenzi was too small to be able to use his wings as a fan, and Ono wondered if Kifaru had finally found something that Ono was better at than Mwenzi. Kifaru agreed, not knowing that Mwenzi and the Lion Guard were listening from nearby.
Mwenzi angrily accused the Lion Guard of having misled him, then confronted Kifaru in a fury. Though Kifaru begged him to stay, Mwenzi flew off across the savanna. Kifaru called after him despairingly. He then stated that Ono must serve as his tickbird from then on, and Ono took off after Mwenzi, leaving Kifaru in the care of the Lion Guard.
Mwenzi alighted near a swamp, and Ono warned him that Makuu and his float frequented the area. Despite Ono's warning, Mwenzi refused to trust him and accused him of having taken his place in Kifaru's life. Ono protested that throughout their time together, Kifaru had done nothing but complain about Ono and compare him to Mwenzi. Ono then questioned Mwenzi on how he had gotten Kifaru to make a right turn, and Mwenzi explained that he had simply told Kifaru to make three left turns.
Slowly, Mwenzi began to warm up to Ono and thought back wistfully on his time with Kifaru. He then reflected on the partnership between rhinoceroses and tickbirds. Afterward, Mwenzi agreed to reconcile with Kifaru. Just then, Makuu attacked, hurting Mwenzi's wing and knocking him into the branches of a tree. Ono managed to save him from Makuu, then left to fetch the Lion Guard for help.
In the meantime, the Lion Guard managed to lead Kifaru to Tamasha. Before the rhinoceros could take part in the activities, Ono arrived with news that Mwenzi was in trouble. In a panic, Kifaru took off to save his friend.
Across the savanna, Makuu continually knocked his tail against Mwenzi's tree in an attempt to dislodge him. The crocodile managed to jump up and bite Mwenzi's branch in half, leaving the tickbird with little room to maneuver. Before Makuu could try again, Kifaru arrived and charged at him. However, Kifaru misjudged Makuu's location and rammed into a tree stump, trapping his horn in bark. Makuu saw Kifaru's prone position as an opportunity for larger prey and rallied his float to take down the rhinoceros.
Just then, the Lion Guard arrived and fought Makuu off. During the commotion, Mwenzi hopped down from his tree and instructed Kifaru on how to free himself from the tree stump. Once free, Kifaru used the tree stump as a weapon and helped free the other Lion Guard members from their entanglements. He rammed Makuu last, knocking him and the tree stump into the swamp, and yelled after him that that was what he got for messing with Mwenzi.
After the fight, Kion thanked Mwenzi and Kifaru for their help, and the two attributed their victory to each other. They then reconciled their friendship. Kifaru informed Ono that he did not need him to serve as a tickbird anymore, and Ono happily obliged.
Back at Tamasha, Mwenzi helped Kifaru face in the right direction in order to watch the fight. As they surveyed the sparring, another tickbird questioned Mwenzi on his fight with Kifaru, and the two denied ever having fought. In the background, the Lion Guard watched contentedly, and Bunga asked Ono if he would serve as his tickbird. Ono reassured Bunga that they would always be friends but asserted that his days as a tickbird were over.
===Day off===
Kifaru gave Mwenzi the day off. Without his tickbird, he was unable to find the watering hole. Beshte and Shujaa ran into him in a canyon and helped him reach his destination.
===Scar's attacks===
Kifaru asked if anyone had seen his tickbird. Later, Mwenzi reunited with Kifaru.
===Battle for the Pride Lands===
Mwenzi and Kifaru trained for the upcoming battle with the Outlanders at Pride Rock. The next day, Mwenzi participated in the invasion of the Outlands, during which he attacked Mwoga. Eventually, the Pride Landers emerged victorious.
===Lion Guard's trip to the Tree of Life===
Mwenzi and Kifaru bid the Lion Guard farewell as they departed the Pride Lands for the Tree of Life.
==Physical appearance==
Mwenzi is a moderately sized tickbird. He has gray feathers, with black wingtips and a black tail. His chest is tan, his beak is bright red, and his eye rims are yellow. He has black eyes.
==Personality and traits==
Mwenzi is an excitable bird who frequently jumps to conclusions. He has a rather short fuse and can be petulant when offended. In dangerous situations, he keeps a brave face and thinks clearly in order to escape. At his core, Mwenzi is a loyal friend who will risk his own safety in order to help a friend in need.
==Appearances==
* The Lion Guard
** "Ono the Tickbird"
** "Beshte and the Beast" (mentioned)
** "Pride Landers Unite!"
** "Battle for the Pride Lands"
* Ono the Tickbird
==Trivia==
* Mwenzi was voiced by Rhys Darby.
* Mwenzi's name means "companion" or "friend" in Swahili.
==References==
Category:Canon articles
Category:Characters
Category:The Lion Guard characters
Category:Males
Category:Pride Landers