Kion made his way back to the Pride Lands, thinking about Kovu. He was so nice to him. He gave Kion so many compliments which made him really happy. Kovu is such a good friend! he thought. Then he wondered if Kovu only was a friend. Kion was close friends with the members of his Guard, but his feelings for Kovu were more... intense. Do I like him? Am I falling in love with him? he asked himself.
The day passed really quickly. There wasn't much trouble today for the Lion Guard, so they had some more free time to spend with each other. Kion looked pretty absent as he was lost in his thoughts, but the Guard didn't pay much attention to it. Fuli however noticed Kion was more quiet than usual and wondered if there was something going on.
As the sun began to set, the Guard headed to their homes. Everyone except Fuli. She decided to take a walk with Kion while he was heading to Pride Rock.
"Kion, are you alright?" she asked.
Kion was a bit stunned she figured there was something going on. Yet they were close friends and know each other way too well. He decided to not talk about what's on his mind. "Yes I am, why do you ask?"
"You just seemed a bit absent today. Is there something going on?"
"No, there is none." He kept on walking, hoping Fuli wouldn't continue to talk about this.
"You know you can talk to me, right?" Fuli added.
Kion sighed. Normally he would tell his best friends everything, but this time was different. He felt ashamed liking a lion in the Outlands. She wouldn't understand. Kion thought. "I know. Thanks." he responded.
"Alright then. Good night Kion."
"Good night Fuli."
With that, both felines headed to their homes. Fuli wondered why Kion wouldn't tell her what's going on. Is it really that bad? she asked herself. Whatever is going on, I'm gonna keep an eye on him.
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Another night has passed and Kion and his Guard were done doing morning patrol. Another day to meet up with Kovu. Kion thought.
"Alright guys, you can go on a break now." Kion said.
"Hey Kion, wanna play Baobab ball?" Bunga asked.
"No thanks. I'm gonna check the borders again." he responded.
"Aww, but there weren't any trespassers the last time you went! Please?"
"No Bunga, maybe some other time."
"Alright then, but I'm coming with you!"
"No!"
Everyone, including Kion, was shocked at Kion's response. There was a long pause.
"I mean, I don't want to bore you checking the borders. I kinda wanna do it alone."
Everyone was still surprised at Kion's odd behavior.
"Why are you exactly checking the borders? You never did that before." Fuli asked.
"Well, uh... I just figured it's part of my job."
There was another pause. No one understood why he was doing this. It was awkwardly quiet. Kion decided to speak up again.
"I'll meet you at the watering hole, okay?"
"Okay then." Bunga answered.
The Guard headed to the watering hole while Kion was heading to the border of the Outlands.
"Don't you guys find it strange Kion wants to check the borders all by himself?" Ono asked.
"You tell me. This isn't something Kion would do." Fuli said.
"I don't know. Kion takes his role as leader pretty seriously." Bunga added.
"Plus, he's our leader. We can't just disobey him, can we?" Besthe asked.
Fuli sighed. She whispered Ono's name so only he could hear it. He flew nearer Fuli.
"Ono, if Kion doesn't come back soon, can you check the borders to see what Kion is doing?"
"You want me to spy on him?" Ono raised his eyebrow.
"He has been very quiet lately. I think something's going on."
"Well, I agree. I suppose I can fly around to check on him."
"Thank you, Ono."
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Kion made his way through the Outlands to the mice hole. It wasn't a surprise for him to see Kovu was already there.
"Hey Kovu!" he greeted.
"Hi Kion!"
Both lion cubs were smiling, happy to see each other.
"So, what am I gonna learn today?" Kovu asked.
Kion was so focused on just seeing and hanging out with Kovu, he almost forgot he was teaching him how to track animals.
"Right! Uh... Well, you could try to track mice by yourself." Kion suggested.
"Cool!" Kovu said in agreement. "I sure could practice that now. I'm really hungry."
"Why is that?"
"We're pretty low on termites right now. It happens every now and then, but there will be more again within a couple of days. I barely had anything yesterday."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay."
"Well, let's get started then. See if you can sense the scent of the mice near the mice hole."
Kovu approached the mice hole and sniffed. "All I smell is rocks."
"Let me try." Kion also sniffed the area of the mice hole, but he couldn't pick up a mice scent either.
"I guess it faded away completely." Kion said. "Let's search for some more holes then." he then suggested.
Kovu nodded and walked with Kion deeper into the Outlands, searching for mice again.
While they were walking, Kion was wondering something. "Can I ask you a question?" he asked.
"Of course."
"Since I only know the stories my dad told me, I was wondering something... What other good things did Scar do?"
"I'm glad you ask." Kovu said. "When he became king, he took care of the hyenas by allowing them into the Pride Lands. He let the lionesses hunt for food so the hyenas have more to eat."
"But don't the hyenas already eat the leftovers after the lions are done?"
"Back then there were like a hundred hyenas and only a few lions. Now there are only, what? 20 hyenas left since Simba became king? The rest probably starved to death."
"But the hyenas destroyed everything in the Pride Lands."
"Not exactly. It was fine in the beginning when Scar became king, but in the end a lot of animals have left the Pride Lands because the last Savannah Summit was a disaster. No one could agree with each other because everyone still looked down to the hyenas. The dry season is always hard for everyone, but is that really Scar's fault?"
Kion was stunned. This is not the story he was told. He doubted himself and even his father if this was true or not. Or was Kovu maybe lying himself?
"You sure know a lot about Scar." he said, a bit with disbelieve in his tone.
"Mother would never shut up about it." Kovu chuckled. "She really loves Scar and tells me all kinds of things about him."
Kion stayed quiet for a bit, processing what he'd just heard. Both cubs took a different direction since they couldn't find a mouse hole or scent.
"So, do you think Scar was good?" Kion asked.
Kovu sighed. "I just wished he was taken seriously when he got bitten by a cobra, turning him evil. Then he wouldn't have turned against his Guard and wouldn't have killed Mufasa. I think that's pretty bad."
"It really is." Kion added.
They went quiet again. Kion thought about what Kovu just told him and figured that maybe Scar actually did some good things too in his life. He was still convinced Scar was evil, since he killed his own brother to gain power. But he was glad he could hear the other side of the story.
Kion glanced at Kovu, admiring him. He was glad that the brown cub didn't want to convince Kion that Scar was good and just simply tell his side of the story. It was one of the many things he liked about him. His looks, his personality, his sweet smile... Kion was just happy that he can hang out with him.
After a while, they were heading back to the border of the Pride Lands without even knowing they were heading that direction. Kovu then spotted a young antelope crossing the border into the Outlands.
"Wow, an antelope in the Outlands, all by himself..." Kovu said.
Kion looked up and saw the animal as well. "Hey yeah, it's the same antelope me and the Guard helped to get back into the Pride Lands a couple of days ago. Looks like he's very stubborn."
Kovu's stomach began to ramble. He stared at the antelope and even drooled a bit.
"Too bad no one is around to safe him..." he said. But shortly after, he snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh, sorry. I guess you need to bring him back, huh?"
Kion widened his eyes as he stared at Kovu.
"Were you thinking of eating him?" Kion asked.
Kovu's ears flattened. "Sorry, it's just that I'm so hungry. I could use a good meal. But you should bring him back."
Kion thought for a second. He knew Kovu was very hungry and that they're low on termites. This antelope is right now in the Outlands, so technically it's not his territory. Besides, if he's getting into the Outlands all the time, then he'll get eaten by hyenas anyway. Plus, it's only one antelope. Kion knew Kovu wouldn't hunt everything he wants. He knew Kovu would respect the Circle of Life.
"...right?" Kovu asked.
Kion wasn't sure about what he was thinking, but eventually decided to help Kovu. "No, I think you need a good meal, especially since you're hungry."
"Are you gonna let me hunt him?" Kovu was really surprised hearing this from the Leader of the Lion Guard.
Kion thought for a second. "Actually, I'm gonna help you. Because if we do this, we have to do it right."
Kovu smiled. "Thank you, thank you so much!"
"No problem! Now, hear me out."
Kion told Kovu a plan he had in mind. Even though he had never hunted before, Kiara would tell him all about her queen and hunting lessons. She told him a strategy lions use when they go in groups. Even though Kion and Kovu were only with two, Kion still thought this strategy would work.
As Kion made his way towards the antelope from one direction, he started running and roaring, scaring the antelope away. The animal ran away from Kion, but what he didn't know, is that he was going straight to Kovu's direction. Within seconds, Kovu jumped towards the antelope, biting him in his throat. The animal collapsed onto the ground, where Kovu finished him off.
Kion made his way towards Kovu and the now dead animal. He was in shock. Hevi Kabisa... What have I done... he asked himself. It felt wrong for Kion to help an Outlander kill an animal from the Pride Lands. Yet he was just helping a friend, just like he helped Jasiri. But it still didn't feel right. Kion didn't know what to think.
"Thanks for your help." Kovu said.
"Uh, yeah, no problem."
Kovu noticed Kion didn't feel well about this situation. He approached the yellow cub and tried to cheer him up. "You really helped me and my family. I will never forget this." he said, before giving a lick on Kion's cheek.
It really did help. Kion felt amazing when Kovu licked his cheek. As if he were in a trans. Both cubs were chuckling.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Enjoy your dinner." Kion said.
"Not yet. I'm taking him back to the Termite Grounds."
Kion was surprised. He really puts others before himself. he thought.
"I think that's a great idea."
Kovu put the antelope on his back. "See you tomorrow?"
"You got it!" Kion replied.
Kion made his way towards the border. He climbed up a wall which would lead to the Pride Lands. But when he finally crossed the border, he was faced by Ono and Fuli already waiting for him.