Title: Blue Lion Appleseed.

Zuba was too late. He stared at Makunga's lifeless body. He didn't know what to think, or to say. Alex and Florrie stood meters behind them, both with scared faces. Zuba fell to his knees and banged his fist on the ground in pain and frustration.

I try to make it through my life, in my way, there's you
I try to make it through these lies, and that's all I do

Zuba looked at Makunga's face. His eyes seemed to be closed, but Zuba saw the pained smile that was left on his chin. He, not even caring if Alex or Florrie saw, started to cry. The tears just fell from his eyes and hit the ground with such force. He didn't think Makunga would have died. It's been six months since he left. But oddly, Zuba noticed that his body looked as though it had never lost function. As if he was just sleeping. He didn't wither.

Just don't deny it,
Don't try to fight this ,and deal with it
and that's just part of it,

Alex reached his hand out to his father, but Florrie clutched and shook her head. Zuba just stared at his dead friend. He just couldn't believe this happened. He had never wanted this, especially not to him. He loved him. Even through all the pain and fighting, lies and plans, Zuba still felt surging unconditional love for Makunga. But he acted as if those feelings never existed.

If you were dead or still alive
I don't care, I don't care
Just go and leave this all behind
Cause i swear (i swear),i don't care

Zuba ran his paw over Makunga's jaw and bent low to deliver the thing he had been inching to do again since he did when they were young. He bent so low, he wondered why Makunga did not smell of the dead, instead he smelt of that of apples. Zuba's tears fell onto Makunga's handsome face and matted the fur. Zuba, though he didn't feel any warmth, he hoped wherever Makunga's spirit was, he could feel this. Cause he did care. He cared a lot. He knew he was too late. Zuba kissed his lifless lips.

I try to make you see my side
Always trying to stay in line
But your eyes see right through
That's all they do

Florrie bit her lip. She knew she would never be what Zuba wanted. She could never replace Makunga. The only thing that tied her and Zuba together was Alakay, Alakay's supposed death, and his return. If he was never in the picture, Florrie knew they wouldn't be together, but would that have been such a bad thing? Would it have ended a life if they weren't together? Would have Makunga been spared? Florrie knew all this, but decided to keep her maw shut. Even if that meant being unhappy with someone who would never love her truly.

If you were dead or still alive
I don't care(i don't care), I don't care(i don't care)
Just go ahead and leave this all behind
I don't care(i swaer), I don't care
At all...

Zuba lifted his face and stared up at the tree. there he saw something he hadn't seen in forever. The tree suddenly seem to be in bloom. There was the greenest of leaves, and reddest of apples. He smiled and felt the hot tears catch on his face. It was then he saw a blue apple. Zuba knew what it was. He lifted himself off the ground and turned around. His wife and son stood there with looks of amazment on their faces. Zuba walked up to them and hugged them both.

"Dad...?" Alex asked.

"Let's go home." Florrie muttered.

"Yeah." Zuba agreed. They walked away, but not before turning to look at the mysterious blue apple that only Zuba knew what it was. Zuba smiled sadly and thought of Makunga. Their embodiment of love and friendship were in that tree. In that apple to be more certain. Weeks passed and Makunga's body disappeared, but in it's place, the apple tree never wilted, nor grew ill, as if that blue apple was a cure for all it's aliments. A cure for pain itself.

A/N: Heh, had to do a follow up. Just had too. Also made it into a song fic. Apoctalyptica's "I Don't Care". Tell me what you think? Differ's slightly from the orignal.