Kion opened his eyes. Today was the first day after the coronation. He turned and saw Rani next to him, still asleep. He got up slowly so he wouldn't wake her and stepped off the rock they were sleeping on.
This is home now, he thought as he stared at the dark cave-like inside of the Tree of Life, complete with red vines and glowing green mushrooms which dimly lit the Tree's interior.
He walked up the zigzagging path to the exit. Once he arrived, he had to blink as his eyes adjusted to the light. The sky was blue and bright, dotted with a few clouds.
I should probably get Rani. We have royal duties after all.
He walked back only to get halfway before meeting Rani as she walked upwards. "Oh."
"Where were you?" Rani asked.
"I just got up. I saw it was day and I was coming back to get you," Kion answered.
Rani narrowed her eyes. "Okay... Anyway, we should get to patrol."
"Yeah." The two walked out of the Tree of Life. Kion took in his surroundings for the millionth time. He gazed out onto the grassy plains that stretched all the way towards the mountain pass that served as the entrance to the kingdom. This was his new home now. Not only his home, but his kingdom. He had to do a good job of protecting it.
They walked towards the spot in the tall grass where the rest of the Night Pride slept. While Baliyo, Surak, and Nirmala were fast asleep, the newest members of the Night Pride; Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, Ono, and Anga were beginning to stir.
"Wake up, guys," Kion said gently as, one by one, they each blinked open their eyes and stretched. "It's time for patrol."
Bunga sat up rubbed his eyes his eyes suddenly widened with realization. He jumped up and down. "UN-BUNGA-LIEVEABLE!"
Fuli's ears went down due to the sudden noise. "Seriously?"
"Guys, guys!" Bunga continued, paying no mind to Fuli's agitation. "Today is Kion's first day as king!"
"And?" Anga blinked, her usual deadpan expression taking on no change.
"And we gotta make the most of it! C'mon everyone, up!" He beckoned with his paws for everyone to get to their feet. "Let's go!"
Everyone did get to their feet. Kion started off towards the plains. "Now c'mon everyone, let's go." Kion could hear his own voice echoing with confidence. It was so much different then when he was healing from his scar - until his friends came to remind him to remember what makes him himself, he was doubting himself to no end.
They walked through the plains. No trouble there. Next they walked through the tundra, same thing. Then the desert, then the jungle. Kion had to admit; it was astounding that so many vastly different habitats from all around could be clustered so close together in a relatively small place.
Everything was quiet and peaceful.
Once they made their way out of the jungle and back to the plains again, Kion announced, "I think we should be good."
"Zuka zama!" Bunga cheered. "That took a long time though...it took shorter then that to defeat Scar!
Kion took another step, but suddenly felt a strange sensation. He looked at Bunga and remembered when he had pinned Ushari after Kion was bit. He took notice of Bunga's claws, recalling as they held Ushari's head to the ground.
The sensation grew stronger, mostly in his chest. He found it getting harder to breathe. "Uh...guys." He sat down. "I..." He heaved for another breath, but found that his chest had trouble expanding to its full capacity, "getting kinda lightheaded." He focused at the one of the suddenly very interesting blades of grass near his forepaws. He thought and thought, not only about his sudden shortness of breath but also about the events of the past. He saw and felt Ushari's bite all over again... He abruptly turned back to his friends, hoping to shake the feeling off, but it didn't suffice.
Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, Ono, and Anga all immediately came to Kion's side. Bunga laid his paws on Kion's back. "You okay, bud?"
"I'm..." Even talking seemed to take the breath out of him, for the duration he was talking he knew he couldn't take another breath, "I don't know."
"Ono, you have any idea what's going on?" Fuli asked, turning to the egret as he flew off of Beshte's back to land next to Kion, feeling his side with his wingtips. He then hopped around him and did the same with the other side.
"I don't see anything outwardly wrong with him... I have no idea." This was a surprising and also worrying response from the egret who always had the answer to everything.
"Maybe we should get you back to the Tree," Fuli said. "Have Makini look at you."
Kion would have normally brushed it off, gently assuring them that he was alright, but now the increasing numbness of his muzzle and paws began to worry him along with his shortness of breath. "Yeah, good idea." He twitched his tail; it was getting kind of hard to feel the tip. Every breath made him feel a mixture of worse and better, half his body being relived that this breath was taken and the other half being worried about when it would be next taken.
They started off back to the Tree. Fuli and Bunga supported Kion on each side, and Beshte followed very close behind, ready to help support Kion if needed. Kion swayed a bit, but hadn't fallen over yet. Ono flew back to his usual perch on Beshte's head, leaning as forward as possible, ready to spring into action incase anything happened. Anga flew close overhead incase her assistance was needed.
Rani was close by too, though not as close as the rest of his friends. She was about five pawsteps from his side, gazing worriedly and awkwardly as him as if not knowing what to say or do.
As they walked, Kion zoned out. The feel of Bunga's paw on his shoulder and the light brush of Fuli's fur against his side seemed to bring him back. For some reason, the silence made it easier for him to gather his thoughts. As they continued on, step after step, the Tree of Life in the distance growing bigger and closer, Kion felt his chest loosen. For some reason he focused a little more than usual on the grass he felt beneath his paws. It felt… soothing in a way. He began to stare blankly at the ground and let his mind drift…
He blinked and noticed the grass changed to dirt. He looked up again and there they were, at the entrance to the mystical Tree.
"Makini!" Rani called inside, peering into the dark space.
"Yes?" Makini appeared out of the Tree, a mixture of a questioning and excitable look on her face complete with her signature cheerful smile. "What is it, Your Majesty?"
"There's something wrong with Kion."
As soon as this was said, Kion's thoughts went back to his breathing. He began to feel that icky locked up feeling he had felt before. He dug his claws into the dirt - he needed something to ground himself. His gaze darted back up and around the area anxiously, first to Rani, then Makini, Bunga, Fuli, Beshte, Ono, and Anga all within a second.
"Oh! Let me see." Makini bounced up to Kion. She bent down ran her fingers through the fur on his chest and side. The feeling of touch helped ground him, though the knowledge of why this contact was taking place brought his thoughts back to every breath he took in a spiral of worries.
Then she got back up and took his face in her hands, examining if there might be any clues there. The way she placed them and the way she looked into his eyes brought a picture to Kion's mind. There Rafiki stood, examining his eye in the Lion Guard Lair after he had been bitten by Ushari.
The locked up feeling got worse as he shook the image out of his mind and . He moved back from Makini's touch, gasping. The next thing he knew, he was leaning against Fuli's side for support. Everything swirled around him until he finally lost all thought.