A/N:I know the Lion Guard ended more than a year ago, and I've never written for this fandom before, but bear with me, my fellow cartoon-lovers! This story takes place after the last episode of season three, so, just a warning, there are spoilers for those who haven't seen it.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lion Guard. I'm just building castles in Disney's sandbox.
The sinking sun cast dappled light on the ground, alternating between mild gray and bright orange as it stole through the pine forest that lay just beyond the Tree of Life. A lone figure appeared among the trees, threading silently through the trunks.
Fuli inhaled deeply, letting the rich, tangy scent of pine flood her senses. Her surroundings were still with the tranquility of late afternoon; the far-off sounds of cheering and celebration had faded to a comfortable hum.
Fuli paused to cast a glance over her shoulder. The forest blocked the Tree of Life from her view, but she knew that a crowd of animals stood around it, congratulating the newly-wed couple of Queen Rani, leader at the Tree of Life, and Kion, Fuli's best friend from cubhood.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Fuli's mouth as she recalled the joyful expression on her lion friend's face as he and his new mate stood side-by-side, looking out over the large crowd of animals: the Tree of Life residents, Kion's family, and the Lion Guard.
Well, ex-Lion Guard, now.
Fuli resumed her walk, letting her mind float away from the celebration behind her; there would be plenty of time later to congratulate Kion and Rani. Right now she needed to clear her head.
I can't believe I'm not going back to the Pridelands, she thought, gazing at her foreign surroundings.
The forest wasn't unwelcoming, just different. It had been the Pridelands that ended up being unwelcoming. Fuli bit back a growl, walking faster. The Lion Guard left for only a few weeks, and what happened? They were replaced.
It's not like we were going to stay away for good, Fuli silently grumbled. We were only traveling here so Kion's scar could be healed!
But while they were gone, the Outlander lions had joined King Simba's pride, and Vitani, the late Zira's daughter, had formed a Lion Guard of her own.
Fuli glanced down at her shoulder where, up until recently, the symbol of a roaring lion, the Mark of the Guard, had distinguished her as a member of the Lion Guard. It was gone now, as were the marks that had adorned the shoulders of all her friends and fellow guard-members: Beshte, Bunga, Ono, Anga, and Kion, too.
Now, she had a new symbol that marked her opposite shoulder: a tree that grew in the shape of a lion's head.
I'm not a member of the Lion Guard anymore, Fuli thought. I'm part of the Night Pride. We all are.
She was so focused on the symbols, missing and current, that she didn't see the pine tree in front of her until she walked directly into it.
"Oof," Fuli grunted, glaring at the tree as she backed up.
"Ah, you have discovered one of the many reasons why cheetahs do not live among trees."
A smile leapt involuntarily to Fuli's face as she recognized the voice behind her.
"Hi, Azaad," she said, turning to face the lanky cheetah. "Just taking a quick walk."
"Forests don't tend to allow quick walking," Azaad observed, striding toward her. "I am wondering if you came here to escape the noise."
Fuli stifled a laugh. "Yeah, between Bunga and Binga, I couldn't hear myself think," she replied, starting forward again.
Azaad half-smiled, trotting after her and falling in step beside her. As they threaded through the trees, Fuli's eyes unconsciously flicked to the spot on her shoulder where the Mark of the Guard used to be.
"And that is what you came out here to do?" Azaad asked; his olive green eyes had followed her gaze to the missing symbol. "To think?"
"You could say that," Fuli replied, suddenly uncomfortable.
"You are disappointed to be staying at the Tree of Life?" he asked, flicking his ears calmly, though not before Fuli noticed a disappointment of his own flash across his face.
"Not disappointed, really," she explained slowly, trying to find the best way to voice her previous irritation. "It's just…I don't know."
She let out a sigh, looking up at the treetops swaying far above their heads.
"I am certain your lion friend would understand should you decide to leave."
Fuli fell silent, turning his words over in her mind. Did she really want to go back? No, there was nothing in the Pridelands for her anymore; all her friends were here, the Tree of Life needed protectors, and…it would be much easier to visit Azaad.
She cast him a sideways glance; he was eyeing her warily, as if expecting her to agree with his previous words. She flashed him a reassuring smile, giving him a friendly nudge as they walked.
"I feel at home here," she said, indicating their surroundings with a nod. "At the Tree of Life; all my friends are here, and I want to stay…" She trailed off.
"But?" Azaad prompted.
Fuli's ears flicked back. "But I wish we could've left on different terms," she admitted, biting back a growl of irritation as she thought of Vitani's replacement Lion Guard.
"I do not understand," Azaad replied. "You are still friends with the Pridelanders, yes?"
"I mean I wish we hadn't been replaced," she explained, lashing her tail to emphasize the statement. "By Vitani and her Lion Guard."
"Ah, I see. You believe the Pridelanders no longer have need of you?"
Fuli paused, twitching her tail back and forth as his words sunk in. They perfectly reflected the thoughts that had been swirling in her subconscious for several days.
"That's what it feels like, anyway," she replied, fixing her eyes on the pine needles that dusted the ground.
"And this troubles you?"
"More like makes me angry," she growled. "The moment we leave for more than a few days, they forget everything we've sacrificed for them! They replaced us just like that!"
She swatted at a pinecone that sat nearby, sending it skidding across the forest floor. Fighting the urge to pounce on it and send it flying again, she turned to Azaad, ears flat against her head.
"We've spent years protecting them!" she exclaimed, probably with more force than was necessary. "Then Kion gets injured so we have to leave, temporarily, and they replace us!"
Azaad's ears rolled back, his eyes flashing with concern. "Your Pridelander friends do not seem like the type to forget favors," he reminded her. "I do not believe they meant to cause you anger."
Fuli dropped her gaze. "I know," she replied, shoulders drooping as the anger suddenly drained from her. "They weren't trying to be ungrateful…and I guess they needed someone to keep an eye on things while we were gone."
It was a logical decision, she tried to reason with herself. The Pridelands need protected, even when the Guard isn't there to do it.
But we came back…
Fuli dropped her gaze to her paws, uncertain of what to feel. She could sense Azaad studying her carefully as a momentary silence stretched out between them. He suddenly straightened, and Fuli glanced up expectantly.
"When Azaad is upset, he runs to clear his head," Azaad said, lifting his chin with a confident expression. "Come, Fuli; race me to the other side of the lake."
He gestured ahead with one paw. Through the trees, the glittering surface of a lake was visible, glowing like fire as the setting sun reflected off its surface. Fuli allowed a smile to spread across her face. A good, hard run sounded perfect.
"Alright," she replied, shaking out each of her paws in turn. "But I'm warning you, I haven't run at all today, so I've got the energy for this."
"Azaad is never afraid of a challenge," Azaad playfully bragged, prancing up beside her and dropping into a crouch.
Fuli lowered herself to the ground, energy pulsing through her. Her muscles tensed almost of their own accord, and she gripped the ground with her claws.
"On your mark," Azaad rumbled, wriggling his shoulders as if he was about to pounce. "Get set…RUN!"
Fuli launched herself forward, paws drumming the ground as she weaved tightly through the remaining trees and leapt over the final line of bushes.
"Huwezi!" she shouted, landing neatly on the lake shore and charging down the stretch of pebble-strew dirt.
"Mibinamet!" Azaad called, swerving to come up beside her.
The wind roared in Fuli's ears, rushing through her spotted pelt until it felt almost as if she was flying. Her paws thundered across the ground, sending up a spray of rocks and dirt behind her. Azaad matched her pace stride for stride, his paws creating a thumping rhythm that seemed to match Fuli's own heartbeat.
As they charged around the lake, legs pumping and tails streaming out behind them, Fuli felt a subtle shift in her heart. There was no one to race with back in the Pridelands; she could outrun them all. And the circular trek around the lake created the perfect racetrack. Not to mention it was close enough to the Tree of Life that she would know if something was wrong.
She could get used to this…
By that point, she and Azaad had nearly made it to the other side of the lake. A large boulder reared up ahead of them, and Fuli put on an extra burst of speed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Azaad half-smile before lunging forward to equal her stride.
As the boulder came within reach, Fuli bunched her muscles and sprang, grasping it with her claws and bringing herself to a skidding halt on top of it. Azaad soared up alongside her, landing with a scrabbling thud of his own at exactly the same moment.
Without the wind in her ears, the area around the lake grew still, the only sounds being the gentle lapping of the lake and the satisfied pants of her and Azaad.
"You—were right—Azaad," Fuli gasped as soon as she had enough breath to speak. "Running—does clear my head."
"Running—is the way—of the cheetah," Azaad replied between pants. "And you are—the fastest cheetah—Azaad has ever raced."
"I should hope so," she puffed. "I was the Pridelands' fastest."
"And now you are the Tree of Life's fastest."
Fuli took a few deep breaths, trying to slow her thundering heartbeat. "Yeah," she echoed. "The Tree of Life…"
She raised her head, looking out across the lake. The dying sun had just barely dipped below the horizon, casting a bright orange light across the water's surface. The sky was dotted with clouds, which soaked up the sun's rays and reflected them in the sky like flecks of fire.
She had watched the sun set over the Pridelands a countless number of times. Would she ever see it again? Fuli was certain she would, but not like before. It wouldn't be her home anymore; this was her home now.
And, she suddenly realized, she was happy with that.
Azaad seemed to sense she was deep in thought, for he took a step closer, his fur just barely brushing hers. Fuli cast him a sideways glance.
"You know," she said, "I think I could get used to the view up here."
Azaad's ears pricked hopefully. "So you are not thinking of returning to the Pridelands?"
Fuli gazed out over the water again. "I never was," she replied honestly. "But now, when I think about it, I'm okay with that." A sort of peaceful confidence swept through her as she spoke, cool and refreshing like an autumn breeze.
Azaad stood up straighter, sweeping his tail behind him. "I am pleased by your decision," he said. "Leaving the past behind can be a difficult thing." His olive green eyes grew momentarily distant. "But leave it behind we must." He turned to Fuli, a sudden smile tugging the corners of his mouth. "After all, that is why it is called the past, is it not?"
Fuli smiled back, her heart flooding with affection. She intended to reply in a moment, but right then the air was so still and quiet. Besides, she had days, months, and years ahead of her to talk and watch sunsets with Azaad.
And that was what the Tree of Life seemed to be. A sunset, signaling the close of her life in the Pridelands…
But sunset always promised the dawn of a new day.