Lion Fates: Prologue

If you want an explanation for this, you can visit my tumblr (queencrazyships) and find the post I made about my 'Lion Fates AU'. Though it's rather hard to explain it, and I'm pretty sure the way I did it on there was confusing, especially if you're not familiar with Fire Emblem Fates... Sorry about that, by the way.

Essentially I'm going to post two different stories after this, showing two different timelines set after this story. I'll explain them at the end of this fic.

Kion doesn't really like to be left alone for very long. He's a social creature, he thrives on interaction and communication. He's usually fine if there's some sort of noise going on around him, but tonight, it's completely silent. He wonders for a moment why he had agreed to do a night patrol, but there's nothing to be done about it now.

Fuli agreed to do it with him, too, but the problem with that is that she's not with him. She's all the way on the other side of the Pridelands, so he has no one to even talk to right now. He sighs.

There's another reason he doesn't like to be alone, in a quiet atmosphere. It makes his thoughts run rampant, especially if he doesn't have one specific, important thought to focus on. There's a part of him that thinks things that he's ashamed of, a part that often wonders if being the leader of the Guard is really worth it.

Not for the first time, he hates to admit, he contemplates what protecting the Pridelands, and protecting the Circle of Life really means. In the daytime, when he has people to talk to and there's noises and he's able to distract himself, he likes to think that it's pretty obvious. Keep the animals safe, and keep the hyenas and jackals and other Outlanders away. But when it's quiet like this and there's nothing to distract him, he starts to wonder.

Would the Guard even be needed if there would be a truce between the lands? A part of him, the part of him that wants to be noticed by his dad, wants his dad to be proud of him, scoffs at the very idea. But the other part of him, the part that knows the long-term happiness and well being of the Pridelands and its inhabitants is what really matters, that part thinks that it just might be possible.

He's scared of that part of him, he wants it to go away before he does something he'll regret.

A truce, any sort of peaceful agreement between the Outlanders and the Pridelanders would need a pretty big event to set it into motion. In the back of his mind he knows what he could do, but he's not sure he's ready to take that step.

"Kion? What's wrong?"

He jumps, looks up, and sees his best friend Bunga looking at him with the same goofy smile he always has.

He would ask why his friend is awake, but Bunga knows him. Bunga knows he doesn't like being alone with his thoughts. Sure enough he can feel himself pushing away the ridiculous thoughts he'd just been having as Bunga just laughs at his stunned expression, which he feels slowly melting into a smile.

"I knew you and Fuli were on patrol. I thought you'd like some company!"

I know you don't like being on your own, I know you have thoughts that you don't like having. That's what he means, but he also knows that Kion doesn't like to talk about the thoughts. Kion's the only one who knows how intelligent Bunga really is, and it's times like this that he feels privileged to know it. He thanks Bunga, feeling himself relax for the first time that night.

Bunga walks alongside him then, and starts to talk about something his uncles told him. It's a good distraction from the thoughts, and Kion is grateful to have something else he can focus on.

But suddenly, Bunga stops laughing in the midst of a story, and is looking at him curiously. Kion worries, wondering what Bunga's thinking, wondering if maybe Bunga has been thinking about Kion's thoughts too.

"You know, no matter what, I'll be your best friend."

He says it quietly, and Kion's somewhat shocked by it.

Of course he knows that. He also knows why Bunga said it. Kion doesn't want to admit it, but if he's honest with himself, he might have to do something about that truce he thought of earlier. But then, things are just fine now, so he could also just leave everything as it is. Nonetheless, Bunga just said it himself, that no matter what, he'd be by his side. He's glad he can always count on his best friend.

Right now, though, he's also really tired.

"You can go home, if you want. I'll finish the patrol for you."

Kion smiles and thanks Bunga again. He goes home, and Bunga calls a good night behind him, and then the silence sets in, and he starts to think again.

Okay so about the two stories. One, 'Lion Fates: Pride' will have Kion continuing to side with the Pridelands, but he will still attempt to convince everyone in both the Pridelands and the Outlands that a truce is needed. The other, 'Lion Fates: Power' will have Kion go and live in the Outlands, and will try and convince everyone to form a truce using his absence from the Pridelands (and therefore the Guard) as leverage.

Also I'm putting up a vote on my profile on which one I should write first. You can also tell me on my tumblr if you want.