The Lion King: Dawn of the Nations

Episode 52: Harmony

Kion, Kiara and the cubs walked under the moonlight, on their way to Ferezan. "Isn't she your old teammate? From the Lion Guard?" Emba inquired.

Kion smiled with nostalgia. "Yes, she is." They forded a little river that got in their way, walking through a brief forest. "And a good friend."

"And the other guy?" Zale inquired.

"His name is Azaad." Kion replied. "Fuli met him in our way to the Tree of life."

"Oh, now I remember the story." Ari said. "He helped you with your scar or something, right?"

"Mhm." Kion replied. "He's a good guy as well."

They continued walking until they finally arrived at Ferezan. "Woah." Ari expressed with amazement. "It's beautiful here." She looked around with her eyes widened, admiring the green of the intertwined trees and the tall caves on the sides.

Fuli, Azaad and Faeze approached them, with big welcoming smiles, specially Fuli. "Thank you for coming." Fuli said amicably.

"It's an honor." Kion bowed his head, same as Kiara and the cubs.

"Dinner was just hunted." Azaad said, raising an eyebrow after so. "Where's Kovu?"

Kiara lowered her gaze a bit. "He's…busy. I apologize."

"Oh, that's such a pity." Fuli said. "Maybe next time." She gestured at the back. "Come on."

The monarchs of Ferezan and the royal family of the Pride Lands walked together between the trees and caves over the soft and green grass, with the singing of the crickets accompanying them, as well as the dim light of the fireflies. Faeze walked among the four lion cubs. "We have a beautiful river near our lair, you will love it!"

"Lair?" Emba asked with great curiosity.

"Uhm, yes but…" Faeze looked away for a moment, then glared back at Emba. "…it's on maintenance, maybe you will see it in another occasion." Faeze smirked at him nervously.

"Oh, but what do you do in that lair?" Keru asked.

"It's the home of my clan, Karu-Karu. You will meet them soon." Faeze replied.

Zale was happy by seeing the treetops covering them, letting just some moonlight in. "Your land is beautiful, Faeze."

"Thanks!" Faeze smiled at him.

The cheetahs and the guests arrived at the clearing where the dinner was about to take place. Zebra, antelope and gazelle were served over the grass. "This is so generous of you." Kion expressed as he and Kiara sat down among Fuli, Azaad and the rest of the cheetahs. The cubs just walked around as Faeze wanted them to meet his friends.

"There they are!" Faeze approached thee tree cheetah cubs, Aozo, Tizei and Niri. "Hi guys!"

"Hey Fae…" Niri backed away instinctively as he recognized Emba. "Oh, about what happened the oth…"

"It's alright." Emba smiled at him. "We've talked things out."

"Oh cool." Niri responded with relief.

Keru looked at them with fascination. "You have your own clan? Being still cubs? That's so cool!"

"Well, we still live with our parents and technically w…" Niri got interrupted.

"Yes, very cool indeed." Faeze boasted, looking at Keru with an arrogant smile.

"Faeze! Kids!" Fuli yelled. "Come here!"

"Oh, let's go eat!" Faeze rushed towards the crowd, followed by his clan and the four lion cubs.

Fuli was sitting next to Kion, giving him a warm smile and gaze, then she looked at her subjects. "Cheetahs, tonight we have very special guests to serve, the royal family of the Pride Lands. King Kion has broken the barriers that divided us for so long, it is wise to respond for the mistakes of the past, thing he just did today, and I couldn't be more grateful with him, proud as well." Fuli looked into his eyes. "As he is not only the King of the Pride Lands, but also my best friend." She smiled at him with a tear in the corner of her eye.

Kion smirked back at her, then glanced at the rest of the ferezans. "We made an alliance to destroy Baturu, which was very fruitful as we all know, but it was not enough, you are part of the kingdom of my father as much as I am, as much as my family. Ferezan has earned its sovereignty, under the ruling of two extraordinary leaders." He looked at Fuli and Azaad briefly. "And also, friends that I hold dearly in my heart." Kion glanced at the rest again. "May this be the beginning of a new age between lions and cheetahs, beyond mere alliances, a fraternity that shall prevail until the end of times." The cheetahs chirruped in celebration and praise at Kion's words.

Fuli glared at Azaad with imperative eyes, then he just sighed and got onto his paws, taking a step to the front and looking at his subjects. He delayed quite a bit before starting to speak. "I hear no deception in the words of the king." He looked at Kion with a straight face. "The storm has passed and the sun has risen, and in his eyes I see a new light, one that I hadn't seen since the day I met him." Azaad switched his gaze to Kiara. "His sister is also a strong lioness, faithful and honorable." He smiled subtly. "And I'm sure that their children will be good animals as well, as tall and wise as their parents." Azaad looked at his fellow cheetahs once again. "A blessed future awaits us, and this is the first night of that future." He concluded, getting chirrups of praise right after so. Azaad went back to his previous spot, sitting next to his mate.

Fuli smiled and licked his cheek tenderly. "You did great."

"If you say so." Azaad chuckled and licked her back.

The dining time officially begun, the cheetahs and the lions ate abundantly until they were satisfied, with plenty of zebra, gazelle and antelope still left. Faeze, Niri, Tizei, Aozo and the cubs of the pridelanders laid on their backs with sleepy looks of complete satisfaction, patting their bellies with their front paws. "I…had too much zebra." Faeze burped.

"I think we all did." Zale burped as well, louder than Faeze did.

"Ew, stop it!" Ari said with annoyance.

Emba chuckled and turned on himself a bit to face her. "What is it Ari? Are you jealous?"

Ari raised an eyebrow. "Jealous of what?"

Emba burped towards her. "Ah, of our burping skills!" He chuckled along with the other boys.

Ari coughed when smelling his burp. "Ew! Emba!" Ari got onto her paws and began to walk away. "You males are all the same!"

Zale chuckled. "I think you crossed the line a little bit, Emba."

"Nah, she'll be fine." Emba said carelessly. "Why don't we just…" He yawned. "…nap a bit?"

Emba's yawn made the others do the same. Faeze laid on his side, among his cheetah friends. "I agree." He yawned again. "I'll show you the river later."

"Cool." Keru said half asleep, snuggling against his brother.

On the meantime, Kion and Fuli walked together under the cover of the trees. "It's great to have you here, Kion." Fuli rubbed her cheek on his tenderly.

Kion smirked, stroking her face briefly. "Thanks for inviting us." He looked around for a moment. "Ferezan is certainly one of the most beautiful places beyond the Pride Lands." He looked into her eyes. "And it couldn't ask for a better ruler than you."

Fuli chuckled. "I try my best."

Silence was present for a few moments before Kion broke it. "I'm sorry."

Fuli was about to ask why he was sorry, but the obvious answer came into her mind right away. "Kion, there's nothing you need to apologize for." She rested her head on his neck as they kept walking. "The past must be left behind, where it belongs." She began to stroke his neck, a tear formed in the corner of her eye.

Kion felt a lump in his throat. "Since I returned, everything I've gotten is just pain and…" He sobbed. "…tragedy."

"Things will change, Kion, for the better." Fuli said with a reassuring, yet broken voice. "We are a team again and… and I will always be here for you." She began to cry. "I missed you so much!" Fuli rested her head on his chest as they stopped walking, sitting down among the tall trees and leafy bushes.

Kion started to cry as well. "I missed you too…" He caressed her head with his lower jaw while sobbing with a great sense of love and relief. Kion licked her head with tenderness while she cried on his chest.