The Lion Guard from one of my AUs about the sons of Kovu and Kiara - Enzi and Kidari. Giraffe Jua (Strongest), dune cat Namiri (Sharp-sighted), meerkat Tao (Brave) and hyena Asante (Fastest).

Kidari was devoured by mixed feelings, and he guiltily lowered his eyes, unable to withstand the gaze of those whose feelings and hopes he played so cruelly. He knew it was wrong, but some part of him screamed desperately that everyone around him was to blame. All this would not have happened if it had not been for Enzi, if he had not then fallen into the abyss, if only he had not become a cripple ... Was it just the decision of the Kings of the Past to grant him the mark in such a state? He hardly gets up on his paws in the morning. Whom can he protect if he himself is, by and large, helpless? Kidari only played along with the decision of the Kings of the Past - he took into the Guard those who did not meet its standards in any way, and after all, the marks on their shoulders lit up, which means they were accepted. It seemed like a good mockery, but exactly until the realization came that now he had a huge responsibility on his shoulders, and his resentment could cost someone his life. Yes, they were able to deal with the first problems, but ... How long can this last? Kidari didn't really know these guys before, but this month brought them together. He finally made friends. But now he was ready to lose them. For their own safety and for the safety of Prideland.
“I’m sorry that I did this to you,” the Lion Guard leader said quietly but clearly. “But you shouldn't suffer just because I was hurt and angry. Sorry.
"You are sorry?" - Askari, a young hyena with an amazing ashy mane and the closest to him, suddenly smiled, softly looking at him. “You have nothing to apologize for."
“I used you,” the lion cub shook his head gloomily.
“And so you gave us more than anyone else could give,” Kidari looked at her in bewilderment, and Askari explained, “Nobody ever believed in us. You gave us a chance ... to become something big. Significant. My parents love me, but before I became Fastest, they didn't believe that I could be independent.
“Askari is right,” the young giraffe, Jua, agreed quietly. - Kidari, thanks to you I am no longer in my sister's shadow. Someone was seen in me, and my opinion began to weigh. I felt like I was in second place, unnecessary and unimportant, because my sister would become the leader of the herd, and I? Now I am the protector of the Prideland lands. The strongest. And even though I am not yet so strong physically, thanks to you my spirit has become stronger.
"Pfft! Kidari, if you want to get rid of us like that, it won't work, boy! It's late", - Tao put his hands on his hips, and looked defiantly at the lion cub. - "You cannot erase the mark back, and you cannot easily get rid of us! We, meerkats, are greatly underestimated, and after Uncle Timon, no one has yet been able to defend our honor. You gave this right to me - the most cowardly of the tribe, to make me the Bravest. And I feel like I'm becoming that way. I face fear every day, but now I have a much stronger desire to help others".
“And you gave me not only the meaning of life,” Namiri said quietly, “but you also gave me a family. And I will do everything in my power to prove that you can see not only with your eyes".
"See? Maybe you did it for other reasons ..."
"I didn't really know you then ..."
"... but you know, you gave us the opportunity to prove that we can be useful"
"And you don't want to leave? Even after what I told you?"
"Is it important now? We are the Lion Guard, and you are our leader. And our friend", - Askari's disarming smile left no choice, and Kidari just looked at his friends in shock.
“But I'm not a hero!"
"We too. But we will try to be them. And together we can definitely do it!"
The young prince smiled back with emotion, and for the first time in a long time, a glimmer of hope and former determination flashed in his eyes.
"Then, Lion Guard, go ahead!"

And a few words about the characters:
Asante is the daughter of Jasiri and Janja. The marriage of her parents was based on the calculation, but in the end it was able to become very prosperous. They had seven puppies, but the last was Asante. They did not think that she would survive - weak, light, fragile and without a left hind leg. But she survived, and in gratitude to Heaven, Jasiri named her daughter Asante. She turned gray almost from birth, and because of the white-ash color of her mane, she is immediately visible in the flock. Asante learned to move quite dexterously on three legs. A certain similarity of trouble made her akin to Kidari, but unlike him, she never knew what it was like to move on four legs. She grew up with six brothers, and therefore she had to be strong, to prove that she was no worse than them, but the brothers still did not see her as equal, and her parents considered her vulnerable and defenseless. When Keon brought his nephew to his friend to meet Asante, it was the beginning of an amazing and strong friendship. Kidari gave her the opportunity to open up, and Asante, with her optimism and cheerfulness, gradually brought him back to life. She is the Fastest, and although she cannot use a full-fledged run, she perfectly calculates the trajectory of the enemy's run, and knows how to come up with various traps. She is also someone who eliminates conflicts in the community and can be supportive.
Jua is a giraffe, son of Juhudi and grandson of Twigi. Since matriarchy reigns in their flock, all attention was paid to his older sister. He grew up in her shadow, timid, shy, polite and gentle. No one paid attention to him, no one saw in him a defender or support, only the one on whom one could shove unwanted work. Having become the Strongest, Jua suddenly found himself strong and tough enough. With the help of his neck and head, he is able to reach high branches or push and push stones. Of course, he cannot boast of such strength as Beshti or lions, but Jua is a good defender, who has learned to kick well with his hooves, and he also turned out to be surprisingly flexible and agile, which he actively uses. So, he is able, like a mountain goat, to climb almost impossible rocks or climb trees.
Tao is a meerkat who, like all members of his species, is very cowardly. Admires Timon, who has become a legend among the tribe, and also wants to become a new hero. When they accidentally ran into Kidari, the prince invited him to the Guard, and Tao saw his chance in this and agreed. And what if he was not particularly drawn to the Brave? This he hoped to fix over time. Indeed, he could. Tao is still afraid of many appearances and enemies, but now he primarily thinks about protecting and saving others. Tao is a popular meerkat, and he has a huge family, which he often asks for help in times of need. He is a first-class excavator, but if he needs to quickly dig a hole or make traps or tunnels, he boldly asks his relatives. He himself is well versed in the condition of the soil, and can predict when there will be some kind of trouble - drought, flood, mudflows, etc. he also senses vibrations in the ground and can tell when someone is approaching. Small and nimble, he crawls into any place, and often acted as a spy.
Namiri is a dune cat, blind from birth. She lived in the desert with her family for a while, but one day she got lost. It was difficult to navigate the sand, but she miraculously managed to get out onto solid ground. Grass, stones, paths - all this opened up to her a new world of vibrations and sensations, and the sounds and smells of the savannah and jungle filled her with vivid impressions. Relying only on hearing and the sensitivity of the pads, she learned to survive on her own. Namiri is the oldest in the Guard, and therefore other guys often listen to her. Her experience and developed senses made her an irreplaceable member of the guard. Yes, she is not the Sharp-sighed in the usual sense, but with the help of sounds, smells and vibrations, she sees the world even more than her sighted friends.