Kellan's POV:
Run. Run. Run. It's what I keep telling my body to do, yet it doesn't seem to want to. Figures. The time I most need my body to do something, and it just quits on me. Guess that's what a lack of decent nutrition can do for you. The Outlands was a barren, rocky landscape, unable to house many species, or hold much water. Yet there still is so many of us left out here. Yeah, I'd totally want to live there.
The cut below my mouth continued to slowly lose blood. It was actually close enough to where I could lick it. So, naturally, I did. I don't recommend it.
The world was starting to seem blurry, everything was spinning. The combination of exhaustion and blood loss was finally taking its toll. I look up at the starry night and think, If this is the last thing I look at before I join the Great Kings of the past, well, at least I know that's not where I belong. My whole life I was raised to be an Outsider, a Killer! and I started at a very young age, well not that young seeing as I'm still a cub, Still, would've been nice to know, though, where I belong. Guess it wasn't meant to be.
As my legs finally grew to weak to support the weight of my body, I collapse onto the grass and dirt that will presumingly serve as my final resting place.
I look up at the stars and think, There wasn't any way to cheat death. No scheme, no trick, no nothing. If there was one part of the Circle of Life the Outlanders did believe in, it was death. It was their way of survival. It was my way of survival. However, even though I know everyone faces death eventually, I just never thought this would be the way the conniving Kellan would go out. Bloody, exhausted, alone. As I close my eyes one final time, I saw what looked to be four paws.
"Tau?" I managed to whisper before darkness overtook me.
Kali's POV:
Run. Run. Run. That's all I wanted my body to do. Unfortunately, right when I absolutely NEED my body to do something, it's to exhausted to do anything. Curse these tiny legs.
I heard footsteps coming near my hiding place. This is it. I'm done. This is how Princess Kali was going to get out.
"Finally," I heard the figure outside say, who I knew all too well.
"Tag," the figure tagged me on my back, which changed the roles between my Uncle Kion and myself. He finally had a day off from the Lion Guard today, and I was going to make the most of it.
Before Uncle Kion could run off, since he was no longer it, he noticed my condition.
"You look exhausted. Come on. Let's take a break and get a drink," my uncle suggested.
"Alright," I said, saddened that we stopped playing. I attempted to make my way out of the crevice I hid myself in. Unfortunately, I was unable to do so. So, I had to admit what was probably more embarrassing than tripping over your own two feet.
"I'm stuck." I said trying to wiggle myself out of what I thought was the best hiding spot.
Uncle Kion walked over to me with a slight grin on his face, I knew what he was about to say, so I said it before the words even reached his lips.
"Yes, I know, it's funny now can you help me out before I tell my Daddy on you." I said thinking that stupid look he had would fly off.
"Ok ok Kali calm down, let's get you out of here and back to Pride Rock" Uncle Kion said with that smirk of his.
He grabbed me by the scruff on my neck and pulled me out like it was nothing.
"Are you sure you were stuck Kali?" Uncle Kion said with a serious tone.
"It sure felt like it, can we go home now please" I said with a toothy grin, he just looked at me and shook his head saying No.
"Kali look at you, you're all muddy, I don't want your mother mad at me because I left you all dirty, come on let's go get you cleaned up" he said smiling.
"Ughhh... do we have to Uncle Kion" I said with my head hung low, I really hate baths.
"Yes Kali, now, let's go" he said walking away from me.
I picked my head up and began to run to catch up to my Uncle. As we made our way into the tall grass I noticed that the grass almost hid me completely, so I took this as my chance to pounce on Uncle Kion.
I made my way around him without being seen, he was in my sights, he was just sitting there, I dug my claws into the earth so I could get better traction, I slowly moved closer to my Uncle, taking steady breaths, making sure I was not heard.
On three I was going to jump on his body and scare him half to death, this is going to be great, 3… 2…..1.
I leapt from the earth towards Uncle Kion, but before I could even blink, he ducked and I fell into a pool of water.
I sat there waiting for something to happen, I slowly opened my eyes and look up to see my Uncle with a full on smile looking down at me.
"Let me guess, taking pouncing lessons from your mother… Right?" He said trying to hold back the laughter.
"Who else...Uncle" I said defending my mother.
"Well at least you're all clean, let's get you home" he said waiting for me to get out of the water.
I quickly ran up to him and walked along his side, after we had walked in silence for a bit I decided to say something.
"Uncle Kion how do you feel about my Daddy being your sister's mate?" I said looking up to him while we walked.
"First off, aren't you a little too young to be asking those kind of question, but just so you know, I respect Kovu and I feel like he will raise you perfectly and he will take care of us all" he said looking down at me.
"Yeah my Daddy is pretty cool" I said jumping around.
We approached the steps of Pride Rock and were about to go up to see my Mom and Dad, but just as if it was supposed to happen my Dad comes running down and stops right before he hits Uncle Kion and I.
My Dad looked at me for a second, then looked at Kion, and then turned his head back to me.
"Kali I need to speak with Kion alone for a little bit, can you go find your mother". He said with a concerned look.
"Fine" I said pouting, I made my way up the steps but turned around a corner so I could listen to what Dad and Kion where talking about, but I could not see them.
"Kovu, what's wrong… you looked worried"
"Kion, I need you to summon The Lion Guard"
"Why what's wrong"
"Kion… Do you remember about a year ago, we banished some lions and lionesses for trying to kill Kiara"
"Yes she's my sister, if I recall those traitors tried to avenge Zira or something"
"Yes, we just got word that a few Lions have been spotted fighting on the border of the Pride Lands, take your Guard and solve this problem"
"I will take care of it Kovu, See ya later"
I heard Uncle Kion paws fade off into the distance, which means I better run to the den before daddy finds out I was eavesdropping.
I quickly made my way up to the den and ran inside. Once I got inside I seen my mother lying down, looking worried, I had to play it cool.
"Hi Mom, how was patrol today" I said trying to sound as casual as possible.
"It went fine, why do you ask Kali?"
"Ummmm no reason" I said stretching my legs out.
My mother smiled and released a small laugh before she sighed and stretched out her paw. I raised a brow not knowing what her actions were, but, when she placed her paw on me and dragged me to her fluffy chest, I knew I would be forced to nuzzle my mother.
"Mommy...y-you're crushing me." I groaned trying to pull away from her only to fail miserably causing her to laugh at me. I struggled to move. I rolled my eyes but gave into her warm hug. A purr escaped me. I pressed my forehead against hers and she did the same.
"Kali don't get into much trouble ok" she said rubbing the top of my head.
"Mom you know I don't get into trouble" I said trying to make her not worry about me.
As our touch lingered, the sound of someone clearing their throat made my ears twitch and for my eyes to flutter open only to land on my beautiful Aunt Vitani.
"Hello Vitani." My mother's voice was soft and welcoming.
"We're not interrupting are we?" Vitani quickly asked, her tawny cheeks turning a soft pink color.
"Of course not," my mother assured causing Vitani to smile and turn her head towards her hind legs.
"Come on out, Mzuri." She said and slowly my lovely cousin creeped out from behind her mom. She was always the shy type. Never getting into trouble, unless i'm around.
"Hey, Mzuri!" I practically yelled standing from my mother's embrace. She smiled and mumbled "H-hello".
"Why don't you two go on and play? We have important things to discuss." My mother said glancing between us and Vitani. We agreed and quickly took off.
Mzuri and I made our way out of Pride Rock, little did my cousin know I was leading her to the place my father said never to go.
"Um Kali, where exactly are we headed" Mzuri asked while walking besides me. I did not want to freak her out so I told her a little lie.
"Ughhh my Father said that there was something I should check on outside the Pride Lands" I assured. I looked over at Mzuri and she still looked scared.
Once we were clear of the watchful eye of the Pride Lands we began to walk to where my father had said there was a group of outsider lions fighting.
"Do you hear something" Mzuri asked under her breath.
"Yeah it sounds like, heavy breathing" I stated as my ears began to twitch in the direction of the breathing.
"Come on Mzuri, it's coming from over here" I whispered, moving towards the breathing even more.
"Maybe it's the outsider!" Mzuri stated, wait, how did she know where I was taking her?. I'm so confused.
As we moved closer to the breathing, I tripped over something…
"Umph ow what the he-"
Before I could finish my sentence, I look over to see what I tripped on, and it's not what I was expecting, it was a lion cub!, just like me, well he looked different, he had scratches all over his body and was bleeding on his mouth, he had brown fur and a darker shade of brown for his truff atop his head, what I did not notice was that he was passed out on the dirt.
"Kali, that looks like an outsider I think w-we should go before he wakes up" Mzuri stumbled to talk.
"We can't just leave him here" I said worryingly,
I got up and walked over to him and put my paw on his chest and nudged him.
I tapped on his chest and to no avail, nothing happened.
"Kali I think he's dead… Can we please go now".
I stared at the poor cub, but right before I was about to leave with Mzuri, his cold, ice blue eyes shoot open like lighting and his eyes stared deep into mine.
It left me frozen with fear...
Hey guys, I hope you like my story, I have a lot of help and I hope to continue to keep writing it, thanks guys, PEACE!