Journey To Kin

Chapter Three

A million things flooded Kion's mind. He gingerly stepped across the stones above the stream, yet barely registered his actions. He'd never seen his mother that upset, that forlorn...

"I'm so, so sorry..." Her shaky murmur, just after Fuli left, hung in his ears. "I don't know what came over me... It's just..."

"Shh, honey. It's okay," was Simba's attempt to comfort her. "What's going on?"

Kion stepped closer, ears flattened. The sight of his mother crying tore up his heart. "Mom..."

She stepped away a little, sky blue eyes boreing into his. "I'm okay, Kion. I really am... It's just... it's a lot to take in..."

"I know, honey." Simba nuzzled her, licking the tears from her face. "It's a lot for me too. But we have to let him go.

"I know." Nala took a deep, shuddering breath and shook her head. "Let's go back. We don't want to keep everyone waiting."

He didn't think he'd ever felt so much guilt in his life...

"Oh, no, you don't!" Bunga ran forward with all his might and tackled the cobra mid-leap. Kion ducked without thinking and they both flew off the edge, screaming. "AHHHHHH!"

Faster than anyone had ever seen him, Ono launched off of Beshte and dove down into the smoke towards the lava. "I've got you, Bunga!"

And he'd never thought he'd been so afraid in his life.

"You have the mark of evil. Just like me, Kion." More pain rushed through Kion's system as Scar's words distortedly echoed inside his ringing ears. "Accept your destiny. There is no other choice! At the end of the day, we all are fire and flame." More pain... Kion's world felt like the tide... He pawed at his eye again... "Sisi ni sawa! We are the same!"

"We've officially left the Pridelands."

Having been brought back to the present, Kion looked up at Beshte beside him, as did everyone else, and followed the hippopotamus' gaze back to the stream they'd just crossed; the lands' western border.

"Now we're looking for a waterfall surrounded by rocks," Ono said, still perched on Beshte's back with Bunga sitting beside him. "Anga, can you find it?"

Without words, Anga soared up into the blue sky. It reminded Kion of his mother's gaze, who he wouldn't see until he returned. How long would that be? Weeks? Moons? 

"Got it. Straight ahead."

Porcupine quills stabbed Kion's heart as they all continued to walk.

I've never seen my mom like that before...

If only I hadn't ducked, Ono would be okay!

Is Scar right? What'll the venom do?! It's already made me lose control! Will it get worse?!

Seemingly endless green plains stretched out before them, dotted with bigger trees than usually found in the Pridelands. It seemed to... move almost? His mind swirled a little and he fell into someone! Pained words moved faster than his mind. "What are you doing in my way?!" Rage flared up in his heart, but it was put out when his eyes registered again and he saw a gray furred and blue-eyed young mandrill below him. He scrambled dizzily to his paws. "Makini?!" It took a moment for him to realize what happened. "Oh my.. I'm so sorry Makini! You didn't do anything—"

"It's okay Kion!" She got to her feet, her usual cheerful tone not sounding exactly the same. What. The heck. Is happening?! I was the one who fell on her! She didn't do anything and I just snapped! My mind just blanked and it happened?! "You didn't mean to!"