Kion was done with yet another day of patrolling out in the Pride Lands with his closest cohorts. The young cub was heading back to Pride Rock after his usual patrol. Today, there was not really a problem that was so big to be called an emergency, just an injured secretary bird named Zoya with a broken leg from a rock-slide from catching a spitting cobra. Kion and his friends took the secretary bird to old Rafiki to be treated for her wound, and it would heal up like no time at all since the baboon will treat her right if he handled her properly. Secretary birds were strong-willed and Zoya is quite a tough bird of prey, so the wound should heal up in little time.
Still, the bird could still fly, as long as she stood off of her injured leg, and there would be nothing to worry about. It was home sweet home for Kion to be back in Pride Rock, and he was glad that Bunga was feeling better from his parent blues.
Heading down the main entrance, Kion rested himself on the ground after yet another day of duty and hard work while protecting these sacred lands. Letting out a yawn, He looked around at his surroundings, and saw a couple of lionesses resting on the boulder beds just outside of the large rock.
"Another long day of patrolling?" Said Kiara, coming into the room with her two friends; Tiifu and Zuri. These lionesses were Kiara's two best friends while growing up. "You oook a little tired."
"Hey Kiara." Said Kion. "Tiifu, Zuri." And he made a small yawn showing his teeth. "How you guys doing?"
"Oh. You know, Kion." Said Zuri, sounding like a stereotypical teenage girl. "I'm just trying to look as perfect and clean as possible."
Kiara rolled her eyes in irritation, for Zuri was known to be hire vain of herself at times, especially when it comes to her good looks. Tiifu was more of a carefree, and laid-back type of lioness who would also get annoyed with Zuri!s obsession for her beauty. Still, these trio were best of friends and nothing would ever change that.
"So Kion, I forgot to tell you that tomorrow, me, our parents, and Movu are going to visit the elephants, zebras, and rhinos for diplomatic practice since I am the future queen of the Pride Lands." Said Kiara. "We'll be gone for at least the whole days but don't worry, Vitani will take good care of you."
The cub's eyes perked up in horror. "Oh no." He complained. "That can't be good." Kion began thinking of how much of a nightmare it would be to have Vitani watch him while the rest of his family were away for a little while.
"Come on, Kion." Said Kiara. "It won't be that bad. I'm sure you and Vitani will have fun together."
"Yeah, she'll have fun in watching me suffer with pranks, or torture me somehow. She'll wait for me to fall asleep, and when she sees that, WHAM! She would do something humiliating or scary to me. I would be easy prey, Kiara."
"Oh, that's ridiculous." His sister scoffed. "Do you know how crazy that sounds?"
"Remember the time she put mud on my face while I was sleeping? Or when she scared me with that scary hyena mask?"
"Kion, please." Kiara begged. "Everything will be okay."
"Even though he would tease you to get a reaction from you." Said Zuri. "You l ow how tomboys like her can be."
"Yeah, Vitani is a fully changed lion now." Said Tiifu. "Never in a million years would she kill you or eat you."
"Besides, she is who she is." Kiara added.
"True." Kion admitted. "I know I shouldn't be worried about it too much. But she can be rough."
Trust me." Said Kiara. "Nothing bad will ever happen to you."
Kion was still a little unsure about this, but he ultimately said "Alright. It's not like you're gonna be gone for a whole week."
The three lionesses laughed with him. "Yeah, there you go. And besides, the other lionesses will be here, too." Said Tiifu.
"Gotcha. But wait. What about Timon and Pumbaa?" Kion asked curiously.
"I'm afraid they'll be coming with us, little brother." Said Kiara. "Am doing i', pretty sure you and Vitani will have a great time together."
"So when do you leave tomorrow?" Kion asked her.
"Around the early morning." The future queen replied. "And we won't be gone for the whole day, just until the evening probably.
"OK." While thinking in his head, he desperately said on his brain: "Mufasa, give me strength." And made another yawn.
"You need to take a nap, sweetie?" Asked Zuri with an amused look on her face.
"No. I just need to rest my body from all that patrolling. Zoya kinda had a broken wing while trying to kill a spitting cobra and eat it for lunch."
"Zoya got hurt?" Asked Kiara. "Is she alright?"
"Yep, we just took her to Rafiki and he will heal her up like no time at all, but I'm pretty sure that the least she can do is stay off her hurt leg."
"I thought so." Said Tiifu. "And is Bunga doing alright?"
"Yep, he's doing much better since he was thinking about his parents." Said Kion. "Timon and Pumbaa have been good parental figures like they did with dad."
"You got that right." Said Kiara. "Well come on, why don't we go out on a little hunt together?"
"Okay. My treat." Said the cub. "You guys wanna come with us?"
"no. That's fine. We already ate." Said Zuri. "You guys go on ahead. I got to make sure I still look beautiful and got the dirt off of me from out there."
Both brother and sister went out for a small hunt, like for a small zebra or duiker antelope to eat from.
The Next Morning
Today was the day where Simba, Nala, Kovu, And Kiara go out in the savanna for a little diplomatic practices. Kiara was a little nervous about this, but her mate was giving her all the comfort she needed.
Kion on the other paw, was worried about being watched by Vitani, and tried to figure something to avoid her so,show someone he wouldn't have to deal with her roughhousing or teasing personality.
"Alright, son." Said Simba humbly. "I know you will, but please behave here while we're gone. And if you had an emergency, do come find us out here if there is something really wrong."
"Okay dad." And he gulped. "What could possibly go wrong?" He thought in his head.
Vitani was standing right next to him. "Don't you guys worry, Kion will be in good paws with me.
"Yeah right." Kion muttered,
"What's that, buddy?"
"Nothing! Nothing."
"Have you you guys." Said Nala. "And don't worry. It will not be all day."
"Will I do Okay over at the practicing with the speeches?" Asked Kiara. Kovu put a paw over hers for comfort.
"Don't worry, Kiara. Everything will be just fine." It made Kiara gain more confidence. "See you later today." He Said before he and the rest of the family went out to the rhino fields.
Kion was alone and Vitani was with him. He was definitely feeling nervous because of her teasing nature towards him. "So Kion, how about we play-"
"Oh, i'm Thirsty." Kion blurted out. "We should probably go out into the water hole to get some water."
Vitani had a confused look on her face, "oookay? Sure. I could use a drink, too." And she escorted him to the water hole.
"This is not going to end well." The cub thought to himself. While walking, Kion was worried about what this tomboyish lioness would do to him. She might do something very horrible like pull a mean prank to him, or rough house with him too much that he would get injured by accident.
"You know it looks so bright out here." Vitani said. "I mean, I don't really see mornings like this, since I kinda grew up in the outlands, and the sky was always a little too orange and not blue."
"Really?" Kion said with a fake smile, trying to sound as interested as possible to not show how scared he was. "Well, the least you can do is let go of the past." He suggested.
Vitamin made a small chuckle, and replied "I know that, squirt. I was just trying to make a point." And she made a small yawn. The water hoke was only a couple yards from the now, they could tell because it was starting to get a little cooler. Boy were Kion and Vitani parched from the walk, he could hardly wait to get a nice, long drink of water.
When they arrived, Kion and Vitani promptly picked their tongues on television liquid surface of the lake. There, a couple of Saddle-billed storks were walking along the shorelines, minding their own businesses.
Vitani was finished and Lion was still drinking. "Geez, you must feel pretty thirsty." She remarked with am amused look. The cub decided to try and be as brave around her as possible, especially since she scared him when he was only a tiny cub.
He continued drinking for a few minutes, and finally stopped. "Okay Vitani." He said. "Let's go."
"Nice." And they both walked back to Pride Rock together. It was just then, he saw Fuli hunting for small animals, and stopped for a moment. She looked back and noticed Kion looming at his cheetah friend. "You okay, slowpoke?" She asked him
"Yeah, I just see Fuli over there."
"Oh. I see."
Kion suddenly had an idea. "Say, why don't you go on ahead. I'm suddenly feeling hungry."
"Really?" Vitani asked with and raised eyebrow. "But I was tasked to keep an eye on you. I'm determined to watch you with a close eye."
"I am the leader of the Lion Guard." Kion boasted. "You know I have the roar of the elders."
"Yes, but you're still a cub." She corrected him. "Besides, your parents kinda gave me strict orders to keep an eye on you."
"Oh dad." Kion complained in his head. "Why did you have to order her to watch over me?" Back to Vitani, he said: "Okay, I understand, trying to sound as happy as possible.
"You kinda sound a little weird, buddy. You feeling alright?"
"Oh yes. Just fine."
Then Vitani went to find some food while Kion went to talk to Fuli for some help. "Kion, fancy meeting you here." the cheetah said, happy to see her friend. "What brings you here."
"Well," Kion chuckled. "Mom, dad, Kiara, and Kovu are out on a royal duty, and asked Vitani to be my guardian until they return." he made a chuckle, and in a more desperate voice, he said "Help."
Fuli was a little confused by this and said "Why? why is that a bad thing?"
"It's Vitani." Kion explained. "You know how rough she can be with me? She picks on me, she bullies me whenever possible, not to mention makes fun of me because I'm a cub and all that."
"She's cool."
"Cool, yet cruel and mean sometimes. Not to mention that Zira was her mother, one of Scar's most loyal followers when he was still alive." and he looked to see how fierce she was eating a small buffalo calf quite savagely. "See what I mean?"
"Come on." Fuli doubted him. "She's nothing like Zira, or Scar. She's a changed Lion, and she's very fun."
"You don't know Vitani like I do." Kion chortled. "She likes to mess with me, and remember the time she scared me with that mask when I was very little?"
Fuli held in a laugh inside of her, and snickered. "That was kinda funny." Kion just glared at her, feeling like growling at her. "Sorry, But would you please let that go? That would as in the past, and your dad said you can't change it."
"You're right. But anyway, I have a feeling that Vitani is trying to plan something so mean to me, it would make me wish I would have gone with the rest of my family."
"That's ridiculous." Said Fuli. "Kion, you really need to loosen up, Vitani loves you very much, even though she doesn't want to admit it."
"How would you know that?" Kion asked her
"Because, she said that to my face one time."
Should the cub take her advice about Vitani admitting something like that? He looked back at Vitani, who already wolfed down the buffalo calf like she had a mouth like a hippo and gulped it down in one bite. The bovine's bones and skull were showing, and a small flock of vultures came swooping down on the carcass to eat the remains of it.
Next came up to three marabou storks, squaking and eating at the skin and flesh.
"Don't worry. Everything will be just fine." Fuli Said.
"Yeah, Maybe you're right." Kion admitted. "Perhaps I am acting a little crazy saying this."
"Kion,"
Vitani accidentally spooked the cub, making him jump as high as a serval would do. He looked back, and saw Vitani behind him.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." She Said. "I just found a big stork for you to try and catch Kion. Do you think you can catch it?"
"Oh, let's see." The cub began crawling on the grass up to a large saddle-bill stork, who was completely clueless that Kion was stalking him. The bun held in his breath, and suddenly jumped on the large bird before he could fly away.
The stork was struggling with all it's might, but Kion sunk his teeth into her neck long enough to suffocate her, and eventually died.
Kion was already eating a small amount of the stork. "Wow, Kion, That was a very smart move you did back there." Vita I admitted.
"Thanks. I learned it from my dad with one of my pouncing lessons with Zazu."
"You got it just in the neck of time." Fuli Said. "It could have flew off if failed to catch it in time."
"Here, you want me to carry it back to the rock?" Vitani offered him
"Sure, That would be nice." Kion Said. After Vitani was moving the stork carcass on her back all the way to Pride Rock, Kion said to Fuli "I'm still a little worried about how she would treat me for the rest of the day."
"Nonsense!" Said Fuli. "Everything will be fine. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta look for food of my own." Then she ran off with great speed. Kion then headed back to Pride Rock.
Vitani promptly placed the stork on the ground to save it for later. She knew it was Kion's breakfast today, and knew better not to just scarf the whole thing down by herself. In the far corner of ten center of the rock, Kion was still a little anxious about being alone with Vitani in this part of Pride Rock. He hoped that Vitani wouldn't pick on him or belittle him in shame.
"Hey Kion," She called to him. "Come sit with me."
"No thanks I gotta... talk to Malofa with her cub and give her some advice." He lied to her, and hurriedly zipped his way outside. Vitani was certainly confused, and decided to go after him to see if he was alright.
"Kion, Wait!" She called.
The cub saw her coming and immediately went up to the top of the rock, walking a little faster than before. "Crud, crud, crud!" He exclaimed.
reaching the top of the rock, he realized there was no other way down, for Vitani was obviously climbing up the only way up or down from there. Panicking, he looked around for a possible way down Besides that one, but that there, was the only one.
Walking up to him, Kion tried to escape her, but she caught him with her paw just in time before he could escape her grasp. "Shhh, Shh, calm down!" She urged him. "Kion!"
realizng That escaping her was futile, Kion immediately took a breath and calmed down.
"What's wrong?"
Unable to lie to her anymore, or create any more excuses, Kion finally admitted "Vitani. This is hard for me to say, but..."
"What is it?"
"I'm not sure if I should trust you to be my babysitter." The cub admitted. "I'm afraid you will just pick on me or starve me to death while you take all my food for yourself until the others get back."
"What?" Vitani Said with a raised eyebrow in confusion. "Kion, why would you think that?"
"Well, you tend to... make fun of me, or scare me sometimes. Remember,her what happened when I was a little cub with the mask you had on your face?"
"Oh, will you please let that go?" She Said. "That was a long time ago, and i'm Sorry. I've said that to you like a million times already."
"I know."
"And, i'm just messing with you when I do that. All I try to do is have some fun with you, that's all."
"Okay, but I was just worried that you would pick on me and bully me all day."
"No, that's stupid." Vitani Said. "I'm just keeping an eye on your like your family told me to do. And I am your sister-in-law."
"That's true." Kion admitted.
"Look. I'm not going to hurt you or go crazy on you. I'm not my mother, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." And Kion Said "Okay, i'm Sorry if I was being doubtful of you."
"Nah, it's Fine. And i'm kinda to blame too, small fry." Vitani admitted. "I tease you so much that it made you scare of me a little, but I would never mean to intentionally hurt you."
The cub smiled hearing that. He thought about Fuli being right about being a little to paranoid over Vitani as his babysitter.
"Now, come on, wouldn't want to let that stork go to waste, would we?"
"Right." Kion went downstairs to finish eating his kill and already felt full for breakfast today. After he was finished, he was suddenly stopped by Vitani, who had a mischievous smile on her face. "Uhh, What are you doing?"
"I got you right where I want you, now." She bared her teeth menacingly in an evil smile at him. The cub backed away very slowly as she made small growling at him. He stopped when he hit a wall, and was trapped by her.
"Vitani. Please. Don't hurt me!" Kion begged, cowering in fear.
"It's okay, Kion. This won't hurt you. But you might feel something." She slowly closed in on him, very close to his face and moved her right paw upward very slowly.
Kion closed his eyes and looked away, but then something he did not expect happened. Vitani was tickling him with her claws. "Tickle, tickle, tickle!" She said playfully.
"Oh ho ho! Not tickling!" Kion cackled. He was laughing hysterically from Vitani's tickle attack. "This is torture!" And he was lying on his back helplessly as Vitani continued tickling him mercilessly.
meanwhile, the other lionesses looked on at this adorable sight, finding this funny and amusing for them.
