Enjoy!

~[Start]~

As the leader of the Lion Guard, Kion took his role quite seriously. He would gather the guards, go on patrol, and chase off some certain tresspassing hyenas if there were any, and that was his routine. But of course, as a cub, this disturbed his rest and caused a lack of sleeping on his part, but he continued his duty anyway. His stubborness finally bit him on the back one day when the other members found him asleep in the middle their meeting.

"Um, Kion?" Bunga waved his paw in front of his face. He had saliva dangling at the corned of his mouth. "Well, I tried," he returned to his position with the others.

It was clear it had been sometime the lion cub had been in this state. And clearly the others had undoubtly tried and failed to wake him up. "This is getting nowhere," Fuli complained, but smiled when she saw him talking in his sleep, something about chasing stubborn hyenas. "Aww... look at him. Isn't that cute," she had to hold herself back from hiding her face after realizing she said that.

"I did not just say that outloud!" She turned and threteaned the others.

"You didn't," Beshte ran his paw along his lips, zipping them.

"Never happened," Bunga happily said.

"Thank you," Fuli gratefully smiled. She, along with the others, turned back to look at the still sleeping Kion, who had changed position by somehow having a struggling Ono in his paws acting as a hugging toy.

The egret awkwardly chuckled. "But you've got to admit. Nobody could resist squeeling at his cuteness in this state. Zuri would surely agree with me," Bunga and Fuli helped him free himself from those suffocating paws.

They now had all gathered around Kion and watched him, still unaware of everything around him.

"He really beat himself up, didn't he?" Beshte commented. Even if a storm were to happen, the hippo didn't think the lion would even notice.

"He did get himself lost in the Outlands not a few days ago,"

"And made a friend with a hyena," they recalled him introducing them to Jasiri.

"King Simba would certainly be proud," They all nodded at Fuli's words.

After some more watching their leader and saying their concerns, the guards decided to let him rest for the day. Bunga took a last minute to say his goodbye. "Sleep well, Kion." The honey badger left some bugs for him just in case he woke up with empty stomach.

While the Lion Guards continued their patrol around the Pridelands, Kion dreamed of something that made him smile. They all thought he was tired because of working so hard, when in fact that had little to do with his condition. It was actually the promise he made on the day he got lost, the one he made with Jasiri. They promised to see each other again, and they did.

(Line Break)

"You came," Kion moved to give more space to Jasiri.

"Of course. Though, you didn't specify the time. Good thing I happen to come by," She took her spot.

"Janja's clan didn't give you any trouble?" He had thought that the hyena would somehow get into her way.

"Hardly. They have fur for brains," She turned and smirked to her friend. "If anything, only Janja would notice anything wrong. Even then, nobody would care,"

The two spent their evening talking about stuffs that happened since they parted way until the present time, laughing and smiling. After a while, they decided to calm down and just enjoy the soft moonlight they were blessed with. A cool breeze passed by and ruffled the grass and their fur. Kion looked at Jasiri. "So, how is it going?" His tone turned serious.

She shook her head, a frown marring her face. "It's harder than I though it would be to convince my clan I am friend with you. I'll need more time before we can continue this plan of ours," Their plan, a plan to end the feud between the lions and the hyenas once and for all. As soon as Kion understood how he and Jasiri weren't that much different, and that both of them played a significant role in the Circle of Life, he knew the prejudice towards the hyenas was a one-sided resentment from the adult lions, due to the death of their rightfully former king Mufasa... especially from his father. Jasiri gave Kion a worried look. "Kion, I doubt this plan's going to work. Are you sure your father will be okay with this?"

Kion gave his most assuring smile. "My dad will understand. He's a wise king. You just have to trust me,"

Jasiri did just that. "Thank you, Kion. Your dad might not like it once you tell him, but I am grateful to be part of the plan. I promise I'll do my best,"

"Kiara used to tell me that dad kept singing to her how we live under the same sun, we are one, all that. Kind of like your Sisi Ni Sawa. I just thought if dad thinks that way, maybe we do have hope after all. He understands, just doesn't realize it. Who knows? Maybe he'll take a liking to you once all this is over,"

"Friends with the king? I'd like that. Give me more excuse to tell 'bout our adventure in front of the whole pride!" The first time they met, Jasiri tricked him into being trapped in a thorn bush. It was embarrassing enough that it was a female who did that, more so the fact it was the same female who helped him out.

"Jasiri, we promised to not talk about that!" The leader of the Lion Guard, who was also a prince, having himself laughed at because of that wasn't quite fond on the idea. He hid his face to avoid further embarrassment. They sat there, one red all over his face and one blue due to the lack of air because of laughing so much.

Kion turned to the hyena and glared. "Yeah, yeah, laugh all you want. Just warning ya, if somehow my dad heard your laugh, I'm going to step aside and tell him you're a crazy hyena who somehow believes she is friend with the prince,"

Jasiri managed to ease down her laughing, letting out occasional chuckle which soon became only a breath in the endless waves of breeze of the silent night. She looked at Kion in the eyes. "Who said I want to be friend with the prince. All he knows is whining around, complaining how his father still couldn't see in his way,"

Kion was taken aback at the insult and had no time to react offensively, never having any thought that the hyena in front of him dared to do so. "I want to be friend with you, Kion, someone who tries to prove that even the wisest can sometimes be wrong... and someone who sees past my nature and his hatred..." Jasiri gave her warmest and most genuine smile. "Someone who understands me,"

Up above them, the clouds shaped themselves into a head of an adult lion. It had its gaze fixated upon Kion, giving him an encouraging look it always gave to him in time of needs. It nodded. Only he noticed it though.

"What are you looking at?" Jasiri raised her head upwards to see a sky filled with stars that watched over the Pridelands-No, Kion thought-Everything and every creature that rested under their light.

"Nothing. Just admiring the sky is all,"

They didn't talk anymore, and decided to enjoy the rest of their time stargazing. After having said their farewell, Kion and Jasiri stood and began making their way for their families. Before truly ending their meeting, they had the similar thought of stopping and saying to each other one last parting words.

"I promise you Jasiri. I won't give up until every one of your clan is accepted into the Pridelands, then the whole Outlands,"

"I'll hold onto that," Jasiri readied herself to jump below.

"Till we meet again?" Kion asked.

"You don't have to ask." And so, they parted ways, the lion in the sky smiled upon the bright future of his once beloved home.

~[End]~

In this fic, Kion is under the impression that only Janja and his clans are disrespectful towards the Circle of Life. He hasn't met Reirei yet. He was convinced it is only his father who sees the bad things in the hyenas and believes the residents of the Outlands should be given a second chance.