The sun rises as another day in the Pride Lands is beginning. Kion awakes after a long night of rest. He looks down at the cheetah that is held in his grasp, wrapped up close to him. He smiles, feeling her soft, smooth fur against his own. He slips out from the embrace, stretching out after a long night's sleep. He takes a quick drink from the watering hole before doing a few quick laps around the watering hole. As he finished his 5th lap, he heard a sleepy voice tease him.
"Those were pretty slow." Kion turns to face Fuli, who has a teasing look on her face.
"Why don't you get over here and show me how it's done?" Kion taunts back, making her roll her eyes. She stands and stretches, before walking over to Kion and lines up where left off. Kion begins to count down. "Three, two, one..."
"Go!" Fuli yells as she takes off, leaving a cloud of dust behind her. Kion covers his face to block the dust, as he uncovers his face, he sees a blur of yellow flash in front of him. He blinks and sees another blur of yellow streak by him again, and again, and again and again. The blur stops right in front of Kion, leaving another dust cloud. As the dust settles, he sees Fuli sitting there, just licking her fur. Kion had never seen Fuli run so fast, ever. Fuli walks over to him, and closes his mouth that was wide open.
"Don't act so surprised, I'm just the fastest in the Pride Lands." She leaves the lion just sitting there in awh, still trying to understand what he just saw. As he's about to follow Fuli, he feels a slight pain in his scar, it wasn't much, but It was enough to draw attention from Fuli.
"Kion your scar, are you ok?"
"Yea I'm fine, it hasn't hurt in awhile."
"Have you been eating your Tuliza?"
"Yes I have, every day since...well you remember." They both let out a quick laugh before returning to the conversation.
"We should probably make that journey to the tree of life soon," Fuli says.
"We can't, with Kovu taking over the watering hole, we still have to find a watering hole for the zebra and Antelope herds."
"You're right, and we still have to tell the guard about Ono," she says, her tone saddening. Kion looks down to the ground, knowing that he is the one that will have to break the news.
"Yea, it's about time we tell them, I hope they'll be ok."
"Me too Kion."
Kovu runs into the volcano, still mentally scarred from the fight with Kion. As he enters, Zira and Scar are already talking. They turn to look at him, Zira with a concerned face, Scar with a smile.
"Kovu, Scar told me what happened, are you ok?" Cries Zira. Kovu nods and is somewhat surprised, his mom has never shown any care or compassion for him. He looks up at Scar who has a somewhat smile.
"How did you know what happened?" Questions Kovu.
"When you choose to get the...changes to your mind...you gave me more control over you as well. I can see where you are at all times, I can feel your emotions, and can even send messages telepathically," explains Scar. Kovu looked a bit surprised, but he didn't really care right now.
"So then you saw what happened? With Kiara and Kion?" Ask Kovu. Scar nods yes with a smile. "Then you already have a plan for both I assume? I still love Kiara but I might've lost her." Scar nods once again, his grin growing.
"We can deal with Kiara when Zira's lion returns with the fruit from the Tree of Life, then I will have the power to...change her mind on how she feels about you, but honestly, you might still have her heart, I feel she may still have a soft spot for you. As for Kion, I saw everything, the red eyes, his unusual voice , and the seemingly invincibility he possessed. All these point to Kion being blessed, and cursed, with the Fury of the Ancients. I've already told Zira the story of Ukali, she can tell you about it later. But my plan for Kion is quite simple. The scar he obtained from Ushari has created a link between us, a link that continues to grow stronger the longer it's not dealt with. Even though he takes Tuliza, it's beginning to lose its potency, making it easier to connect with him. It's now possible for me to influence Kion's dreams, and with the power of the fruit from the Tree of Life, I might be able to go as far as influence his emotions negatively. But for now, I will begin to influence his dreams, making him scared of the power he possesses, and scared to be around people he loves and cares about. And when I get my upgraded powers, I have another plan. But for now, don't engage Kion's family and friends, especially Kiara or Fuli, for if he feels they are threatened, it may very well be the last thing you do. Otherwise, keep taking over watering holes, the crocs should be able to hold their own against the Lion Guard, so the next watering hole will be held by Zira's pride, as they have the numbers to hold off the Lion Guard. Zira, have a 2 lions or lionesses be designated runners, should Simba and Nala mobilize the lionesses, one group might have a problem holding their position, so the runner will get the other group to help defend. You both get everything?" Both Zira and Kovu nod. As Zira leaves the volcano, Kovu stays behind.
"Scar, do you know why I attacked Kiara?" he asked. Scar looks as if he's thinking, but quickly returns his gaze to the lion.
"There might be some side effects from the changes, physically and mentally. You will have to learn to try and control yourself, it will be better for everyone." he replies. Kovu nods and leaves the volcano, with a certain lioness still on his mind.
Kion and Fuli are waiting in the lair with the royal family, as the lion guard is on their way.
"Kion, why'd you call us here? Is there something you need to tell us?" Ask Simba.
"Yes dad, but I have to wait for the Lion Guard as well, it concerns them." Simba just nods, but by the tone of his son's voice, he could tell it was mostly like not good. Bunga and Beshte enter the same time, laughing and joking, they come to a stop in front of Kion and Fuli. Bunga is the first to speak.
"Hey Kion, why'd you call us all here? And where is Ono? He's never late." Bunga said with a smile.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you all about." He pauses and looks at Fuli, who gives him a reassuring nod. He takes a deep breath. "Guys, Fuli and I believe that Ono...has completed his journey in the circle of life." Everyone gasps and looks at Kion with disbelief.
"You're not serious, right?" Said Beshte. Kion shook his head and frowned. Nala stepped forward.
"How do you know Kion?"
"Trust me mom, I found blood and hyena tracks at Ono's feeding ground, and Janja had bones that were roughly his size. He also somehow knew we were looking for him, meaning he probably knew what happened."
"Then we will have a ceremony tomorrow in his honor, all of the Pride Lands will be invited to remember the fallen member of the lion guard," says Simba.
"Thanks dad, it means a lot to us, Lion Guard, we'll take tomorrow off to mourn, I'll see you all the ceremony." He watched as every member except Fuli left the lair. He saw Bungs had lost his energy, and Beshte lost his smile. The King and Queen seemed somewhat upset as it was the first time a lion guard member had been killed, not including Scars lion guard. Kion and Fuli leave the liar and walk away from Pride Rock.
"Fuli, you know you don't have to stay with me all the time, you can go hunt or hang out with other animals you know, I don't mind."
"Kion who else would I want to hang out with?" As if on queue, an animal jumps out the bushes.
"What if Azaad was here?" Both Kion and Fuli look over to see none other than Azaad standing In front of them.
"Azaad? What are you doing back in the Pride Lands?" Ask Kion.
" Azaad got bored, plus I missed a special cheetah." He looked at Fuli and winked, causing Fuli to
blush ever so slightly. "So Fuli, you down for a race or two?"
"I don't know, are you ready to lose a few more times?" Fuli taunts. She turns to Kion. "Mind if I go?" He could feel his jealousy begin to rise, but he didn't let it control his answer, as much as he wanted to say no.
"Nah, go have fun Fuli." He faked a smile causing her to smile back before taking off with Azaad. He sighs as he realizes he now has no one to hang out with. He would ask Beshte or Bunga, but he wanted to give them time. He just decides to head back to Pride Rock, as he enters the Den, he sees Kiara, Tiifu, and Zuri all huddled up in their usual corner, probably gossiping. He heads to his usual sleeping spot, and just decides to take a nap. When he wakes up, he stands up and stretches as he hears Tiifu begin to make her way over to him.
"Hey Kion, rare seeing you actually sleep here." She says.
"Yea, I guess right, so what are you doing?"
"Well, I was going to go on a walk...want to join?" Kion had always thought that Tiifu was cute, and they always had a good friendship, so Kion was more than glad to go on the walk with her.
"It's getting late, so we should probably make it fast." Tiffu smiles, and Kion couldn't help but smile back. They exit the cave and head down the path from Pride Rock. As the two cubs walked, they chatted about Kion's lion guard doing, the passing of Ono, and how Kiara is getting new duties to get ready to be queen one day. They finally reach a small hill, and decide to lay down and watch the stars. As they lay, Kion couldn't help to notice Tiifu's very well kept fur, and the pleasant scent that she emitted. He must have been sniffing a bit too loud because Tiffu noticed.
"Are you smelling me Kion?" She half asked, half teased.
"Uh...yea I was, you smell really good, sorry," replied somewhat embarrassed.
"It's ok Kion, I smell good so other animals will notice, I'm glad you did." She smiles after getting that compliment from Kion, but the moment was cut short.
"Well it's getting late, I should probably get some rest. We do have the ceremony tomorrow." Tiifu frowns but doesn't want to argue. "But thanks for inviting me on your walk, I enjoyed it." Her heart fluttered hearing those words, especially from Kion, making her blush.
"Anytime Kion, see you later." She gives him a quick lick on the cheek before leaving the hill and heading toward Pride Rock. He smiled, she was kind of cute after all. As he headed back to the watering hole, he heard some rustling in the bushes on the path. He was about to get into an attack position, but was quickly pounced on. He was about to counterattack but realized who pounced on him.
"Fuli?"
"Gotcha Kion, you're too easy," She teased. Kion couldn't help but smile, Fuli was probably one of the best hunters he knew, so he wasn't surprised that she snuck up on him so easily.
"You just got lucky Fuli, you won't get me next time."
"You said that last time." She winks as she gets off him. As he gets up, he can hear Fuli sniffing the air. "Why do I smell Tiifu?" She looks at Kion, and puts two and two together. "Were you hanging with Tiifu?"
"Yea, after you went with Azaad, I decided to head back to the den, I took a nap, and when I woke up, she asked me to go on a walk, and watched the stars for a bit," Kion explained. Fuli felt a bit of jealousy build up in her, and she didn't completely know why.
"Oh, I hope you had fun," she said.
"It was nice, surprisingly. Come on, let's head back." He mentions toward the watering hole and begins to move in that direction, with Fuli not far behind.
"Do you think she's cute?" Ask Fuli out of the blue. Kion was surprised by the question, it was not Fuli to ask questions like that, but regardless, he still answers.
"You know, yea, I do," he replies. Fuli can feel her jealousy begin to grow, and it makes her ask a question she thought she'd never ask.
"What about me, do you think I'm cute?" She blushed a little as she asked the question, feeling slightly embarrassed for asking it, but something in her had to know. Kion stopped walking, completely shocked by Fuli's question, but he answered the question almost instantly.
"Of course Fuli, ever since we were cubs, since the day we met. Ever since you pounced on me in that field or flowers, and I looked into your emerald green eyes. I always have and always will have a soft spot for you." Fuli couldn't help but blush, which became visible to Kion, who couldn't help but blush as well. He didn't mean to answer the question like that, but something made him. They finally reach the watering hole, and hop up on the rock they normally sleep on. As Fuli lays down, she is quickly and abruptly pulled toward Kion, catching her by surprise. As she feels her slender body rub up against Kion's toned and muscular body, she can't help but smile and feel safe while wrapped up in Kion's hold. She begins purring, she knows Kion loves it when she purrs. As she's purring, she can hear Kion humming a song, a song she hasn't heard yet.
"New song Kion?" She asked.
"Yea, though I only have a few lines of it done." Replies Kion
"Let me hear it," He smiles as he takes a deep breath and begins to sing.
Ooh girl you're shining
Like a big Pride Land diamond
And they don't make you like they used to
You're never going out of style
Ooh pretty baby
This world might have gone crazy
The way you saved me,
Who could blame me
When I just wanna make you smile
"That's all I got so far." Fuli is still amazed by Kion's voice, and his ability to make music.
"I loved it Kion, can't wait to hear it when it's completed," said Fuli. Kion loves hearing that, he always got a little self conscious when he sang, so he loved the compliments.
"Thanks Fuli." They continue to cuddle and look up at the stars before they both slowly drift off into a peaceful sleep. Well, peaceful for one of them...
Kion looks around the field of grass, and is horrified at what he sees. He sees dead hyenas, jackals, vultures, even some dead lionesses...from his own pride. He quickly identifies his mom, dad, and sister lying on the ground, not moving. As he runs toward them, he sees Bunga and Beshte around them, not moving as well. As he reaches his family, he sees Kiara's chest slowly rise and fall, she is covered in cuts, bites, and starch marks, all dripping blood. As he runs over to her, he does his best to comfort her, even though he knows her fate is sealed. He sees her eyes slowly open, as she looks at him.
"Why Kion..?" she weakly asks with the look of betrayal and sadness in her eyes. After she finishes, her chest no longer rises and falls, and her body goes completely limp. Tears begin to form in his eyes, as he realizes she is no longer with him. His parents and the Guard had already suffered the same fate. He looks around and finds Janja, who's breathing is very quick but shallow. He runs over to him, but Janja realizesKion running toward him and tries to get up to efend himself.
"Stay back," he says weakly. "You're a... a monster." He growls and he gets low, ready to attack. As he finishes, he falls to the ground again. Kion knows there is nothing he can do for him. Now he's panicking, trying to figure out why everyone is dead or dying, as he runs through the field or fallen friends and foes, some animals even mutilated, he stumbles across someone, someone he wishes he hadn't.
"Fuli! He yells as he quickly runs to her side and supports her head with one of his front legs, he uses the other to pull her closer. As she opens her eyes, she coughs before and as she speaks.
"Kion?" She says weakly. "I knew about the stories..but I'd never thought you'd actually..." she's cut off by her own coughing. Kion can tell her tell time is nearing an end, as tears begin to fall down his cheeks.
"Please don't go Fuli...there's so much we didn't do, so much I haven't told you." Fuli's eyes open again. She puts her paw on Kion's cheek and wipes away a tear as she forces a smile. She then falls lifeless in Kion's grasp.
"No..." he whispers through his tears. But what he sees next truly terrified him. He notices his paws and legs are covered in a large amount of blood. As he makes his way to a nearby puddle of water, he notices the blood around his mouth, and all over his face and body. Rafiki's story is swirling in his mind, but he tries to convince himself that it wasn't him that did this, but then a mysterious and sinister voice confirms his worst fears.
"This was your doing Kion. THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT," the voice booms. Kion covers ears and closes his eyes, trying to block out the voice.
"No, it wasn't me, go away!" He yelled back.
"You should be ashamed of yourself Kion. You killed everyone you cared about...even Fuli."
"No!" Kion yelled as he woke from his nightmare, scaring Fuli half to death. He quickly slips out from the embrace he had with Fuli, and falls off the rock. He's gasping for air as his world spins around him. As he tries to stand, his legs begin to shake. His breathing sounded like he hadn't taken a breath in forever, and like he couldn't breath, but at the same time, like he needed the oxygen, but couldn't get it.
"Kion relax!" Yelled Fuli. But Kion couldn't hear her, all he could hear was the pounding of his heart, and a voice saying "it will be all your fault, you will kill them, you're a monster," playing on repeat in his head. As he tried to run, he stumbled and fell over due to his dizziness and shaky legs. He tries to get up and run again, but the same thing happens. The third time he tries to get up, he is quickly pinned down to the ground. This only causes him to freak out more, as he tries to get out from the weight on top of him, but couldn't.
"Kion, just relax, breath. Everything is ok," a calm soothing voice whispers to him, Fuli's voice. He gives up trying to escape the pin, but his stressed breath and shaking continue on for a few minutes before he stops shaking, and he regains control of his breathing. Fuli stays on top of him, no longer holding him down, but embracing him and purring, trying to help calm him down. After a few moments she can hear sobbing coming from the lion.
"Kion, tell me what's wrong," she frantically asks. As she flips Kion over, she can see his eyes are red. Not from a lust for blood, but from tears.
"I can't live like this Fuli... I just can't."