Welcome everyone, to the story you all seemed to want. And as I promised, I'm writing it. Well….. here we go…. Cross your fingers that nothing bad will happen to Kion…..
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"What's the Guard for, Fuli?"
"What?"
Kion sighed, turning over to the cheetah. He and Fuli were sitting next to the water hole, staring down at their reflections as little waves rippled the reflection.
They had all grown up, Kion was now larger than Fuli, with a brilliant red mane and a firm, muscular body. Fuli was a fully grown cheetah, faster than ever. Beshte was the strongest he'd ever been, and Bunga had lost absolutely none of his vigor and energy. Still needed a few brains every now and then…
Ono had grown a healthy plumage, shining yellow and white. His eyesight was as clear as ever, if he flew high enough he could see the whole of the Pridelands, every problem that was going on, every animal that needed help.
But that was part of the problem.
"It's a rhetorical question." Replied Kion, as Fuli gazed questioningly at him. "What is the Gaurd for?"
"Uh…. you know, to serve and protect the Pridelands." Replied Fuli, raising an eyebrow. "It's in our motto. Till the Pridelands end… Lion Guard defend."
"I said it was a rhetorical question." Sighed Kion. "I know what's it's for, I was just…. trying to open conversation, that's all."
"About what?" Asked Fuli.
"About our purpose." Chuckled Kion, as he turned back to his reflection.
"What do you want to discuss about it?" Asked Fuli, shuffling up next to him.
"I'll give you a guess. Take a shot, what might I want to talk about concerning our job, our mission, here in the Pridelands? I'll give you a hint- it's got something to do with the fact that we're sitting here right now, doing absolutely nothing." Snorted Kion.
"Oh…. you're not still hung up about that, are you?" Asked Fuli, flicking her ears.
"Do you have a problem with that?"
"No… not really." She shrugged. "But you know the answer."
"Yeah, yeah…. I know what dad and Rafiki said." Mumbled Kion. "If the Pridelands aren't in danger anymore…. it means we've done a good job."
Kion was suffering from an acute sense of boredom. In the first few years of the Guard, they were nearly always busy- always helping someone who needed it. Whether it was chasing Janja and his friends off, helping a herd move to a safer location, or rescuing eggs in danger, they always had something to do. But as time had gone on, Kion had solved many of the problems that had come with rebuilding the land.
He had been born only shortly after the famous drought. Back then, it was as if the Pridelands were being born anew, and a new Pridelands had a lot of issues. Everyone was unsure of how things worked in the new Pridelands, and that obviously caused some problems.
But when Kion had become leader of the Guard, it was his job to solve all these issues, and he and his friends had been rather good at it. As the years went on, a solution for many of the problems had presented itself, and they had implemented any solution as soon as they had it. Janja and his small clan had been given hunting rights near the border. Nests and eggs were moved away from dangerous areas. Herds were given exact places to move, a safe route through the Pridelands, guaranteed.
And some issues had even solved themselves. Zira and her lionesses hadn't been seen in the Pridelands for years, and the last time Kion had seen her had been a little over thirteen months ago. It was as if she had disappeared or moved away, her plans of conquest in the Pridelands forgotten.
The Pridelands were safer than they had ever been, with Simba at the helm, Kiara as the soon to be Queen, and Kion as the Guard, it was as if they had entered a golden age.
A very boring golden age.
"Exactly." Smiled Fuli. "We've done our job. And it's not like we aren't still needed."
Kion huffed. "An emergency zebra birth doesn't count. Besides, that was a week ago."
"But we helped."
"All we did was go and get Rafiki. Literally, that was it. And you were the one who did the running, I just sorta stood there with Bunga, Besthe and Ono, trying to calm down a hysterical Zebra."
"But… we still helped."
"Puh. Whatever. How about you call me when there's a real problem." Snorted Kion, as he stood, and walked away, his tail dragging in the grass.
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Fuli watched Kion walk away, slowly padding around the water hole away from her. She let out a little sigh, and set her head down as her paws as she kept her eyes on her best friend, gazing at him across the water.
"Hey Fuli!"
"Ack!" Fuli shot up, standing on all fours as she whipped her head around, startled by the sudden noise.
"Did I scare ya?" Smirked Bunga, as he jumped down from the tree he had been sitting on.
"What? Nooo….."
"You jumped. I scared ya!" Grinned the honey badger, leaning up against the cheetah as she sat back down.
"I don't think that counts as being 'scared'." Huffed Fuli, glaring back at Bunga.
"Woah now! Don't go into denial!" Grinned Bunga.
"It's not denail if I'm right." Snapped Fuli playfully, pushing Bunga away from her with one of her paws.
"Well, you'll just go on on believing the wrong thing then…."
"We'll see about that." Fuli rolled her eyes as she turned away from Bunga. She looked back at Kion, who was sitting on the other side of the water hole. He was stating down at his reflection, sitting completely still as if in thought. Fuli stopd silent for a moment, staring at him.
"So whatchya thinking about anyways?" Asked the honey badger, as he trotted back in front of Fuli, looking up at her.
"Oh? Uh…. about Kion." Said Fuli, nodding at the lion across the water.
"About Kion? What about him?"
"Have you noticed he's been…. sorta…. down in the dumps, lately?"
"He has?" Asked Bunga, crinkling his nose. Fuli rolled her eyes again.
"Jeez Bunga, I swear you're the thickest animal I've ever met!" Grumbled Fuli, shaking her head.
"What?" Exclaimed Bunga, as if this information was new to him.
"Yeah, how could you not have noticed? You hang around him every day, and he's been sorta depressed for the last two weeks! How could you not have noticed?" She demanded.
"Fuli, I'm Kion's best friend! I know everything about him!"
"Then what's wrong with him?" Asked Fuli.
"Uh…. well…. he's down in the dumps!" Tried Bunga, with a cheesy smile.
"You only know that because I told you he wasn't feeling very happy lately. And you used the same exact words I did!"
"Okay, okay, so maybe I don't know why Kion's feeling down." Admitted Bunga, shrugging. "But it's a one-time occurrence. And if you know so much, why don't you just tell me why he's depressed?" Asked Bunga. Fuli took a deep breath.
"He said we aren't needed anymore."
"What?" Bunga's jaw dropped open in confusion as he narrowed his eyes. "Why would he say that?"
"Because we really don't do a whole awful lot anymore." Sighed Fuli, setting her head down on her paws.
"What's that supposed to mean? We still help around here! Just last week, we helped that zebra-"
"You know that was mostly Rafiki anyways."
"Two and a half weeks ago, there was that nest that almost fell out of a tree!" Tried Bunga. Fuli stared at him, nonplussed.
"Really Bunga? A nest that almost fell out a tree? It doesn't get lamer than that!" She snapped.
"Oh phooey then. I guess we don't do very much then….."
"Not anymore." She shrugged, rolling over onto her back. "And I think it's affecting Kion. I think all this boredom is getting to his head."
"How so?" Asked Bunga, looking down at the relaxed Cheetah.
"Well…. he's the leader of the Gaurd, right?" She asked. Bunga nodded. "Well…. all his life, he's been told he needs to serve and protect other animals. To defend the Pridelands, sure, but also to help any animal who needs it. Why do you think he's the only lion we know who's friends with a hyena? Because she needed his help, and he looked past the hatred just because he felt it was his purpose to help animals. That's what his purpose is, his purpose is to help animals."
"And what's your point?" Asked Bunga.
"My point? Well… it's his purpose. And his purpose is now being taken away from him, he just…. it's like he can't handle it. He just can't face his entire livelihood being taken away from him, it's eating him from the inside out. I guess he just can't take boredom….."
"Wow Fuli…. that's kinda deep." Said Bunga, his eyebrows raised as he looked back down at the cheetah.
"Deep or shallow, it's why he's depressed." Mumbled Fuli. "And if we don't give him something to do, he might only get worse."
"But what could we do to keep him busy and… uh…. you mentioned purposeful…. or something like that?"
"I don't know." She replied, shaking her head. "I just…. don't know."
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A few days later…
"Kion, get up!"
"No….."
"Come on!"
Besthe, Ono and Fuli were standing in Kion's den, and Fuli was getting frustrated. It was time for their usual morning patrol, which Kion lead around the west end of the Pridelands. The west end of the Pridelands was the part that bordered the outlands, the last place Zira had been sighted. And therefore, the part that needed patrol.
Of course, by now it had devolved into almost painful monotony, with absolutely nothing happening on the patrol. The same sights, the same path, the same border, and same nothingness. Just boring. And just another reason Kion kept getting depressed.
"Come on Kion, get up!" Cried Fuli, extending her claws in frustration.
"I don't feel like it." Muttered the red lion, covering his eyes with his paws.
"But we have to get on patrol, it's our job!" Chimed Beshte, stepping forward.
"I said I don't feel like it." He murmured.
"Besthe is right, it's our job!" Growled Fuli, stamping her paw.
"It doesn't matter, I don't care."
"Why!? Come on, we do this every day! Just get up, and come on!"
"I don't care!" Growled Kion, not looking up at his group. "You don't need me, the patrol is pointless. It's the same old thing every day, the same boring patrol that accomplishes absolutely nothing!"
"So what are you going to be doing if you won't be on patrol?" Asked Ono, fluttering his wings.
"I don't know. Thinking, I guess."
"You're just going to sit here and think all alone? That's it?" Demanded Bunga. "That sounds boring! Why would you ever want to do that?"
"I need time to think, just won't all of you leave me alone already?!" Snarled Kion, getting angry. The Guard stared at him for a moment, dismayed at his pessimistic attitude. Then Fuli gave a sigh, and turned around to walk out. The rest of the Gaurd followed her out, leaving Kion behind in his den, alone.
"Well… he wasn't very happy." Remarked Besthe, as they headed out for their patrol.
"No kidding." Grumbled Fuli, as Ono fluttered down to land on the hippo's back.
"How much longer do you think he's going to stay like this?" Asked Ono, flapping his wings.
"I don't know, but he'd better snap out of it quick." Muttered the Cheetah. "He's starting to drag all of us down with his stupid sad attitude."
"Hey Fuli, you know what we talked about a few days ago?" Asked Bunga, as he jogged along sides Fuli's quicker strides.
"What about it?"
"Well…. have you thought of anything that could keep Kion busy and… you know, give him something to do?
"No." She sighed, shaking her head. "I got nothing."
"But you're working on it…. right?"
"Yeah." She nodded, rolling her eyes. "I'm just stumped, is all."
"Do you need help?" Aked Ono.
"If I'm still stumped by tomorrow…. yeah, I'm going to need help. Let's just finish this patrol and get home, Kion is right about one thing."
"What?"
"That this patrol is boring." She replied, as they walked towards the border.
As she had prophesied, the patrol had indeed turned out to be absolutely pointless. As per the usual, no enemies were sighted, and nothing strange was to be reported. They spoke with Janja and reaffirmed his hunting right near the border, they checked the edge of the outlands for sights or scents of Zira and her lionesses, and they made sure the river was clear.
When they came back that afternoon, Beshte and Ono had waved goodbye, heading off to the water hole to relax. Bunga had left to go see Timon and Pumbaa, to check on how they were doing. All that was left was Fuli, and she decided to go see Kion, and see how he himself was doing.
She walked up to his den, bracing herself for more groaning and complaining. She hopped up onto the stones, and walked inside to find Kion staring back at her. After a pause, Kion suddenly broke out into a grin.
"Hey Fuli!" He called, padding forward to greet her.
"Uh, yeah…. hi Kion-"
"That's great, that's great… anyways, come on Fuli!" Cried Kion, as he ran out of the den. Raising an eyebrow in confusion at his sudden energy, Fuli turned around and padded after him.
"What's up?"
"We gotta go see my dad!" Grinned Kion, glancing back at her as they descended back to the grass.
"Well…. why?" Asked Fuli.
"Why? Because…. we're leaving the Pridelands!
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Chapter one! Tell me what you all think of course, but I think this was a great chapter!
Also, a huge thanks to Decrosse, he helped out a little bit, and he'll be helping out more later! So maybe, check him out.
Also, speaking of checking things out, I wrote the first chapter of another story, and it's a lion king/ zootopia crossover. So if you would like that, go check it out….