"Erm... Kion," Nala had said awkwardly. "Why don't you assemble the Guard outside so you can leave for The Tree of Life?"
"Um, okay?" Kion had replied, obviously feeling awkward too. "Lion Guard, let's go." Kion told his team.
The Lion Guard were outside now, Fuli was just about to follow them but then she was stopped. She turned around to see Nala grabbing Fuli's tail in her teeth.
"Hey!" Fuli hissed quietly at her. "What gives!"
"Fuli wait!" Nala whispered. What's going on with her lately? Fuli wondered. "There's something I have to tell you," Nala finished. Fuli silently groaned, making sure Nala couldn't hear, as she was talking to the Queen. "Why now?" Fuli asked, making the irritation very audible in her voice. "Never mind," Fuli said. "Just say whatever it is you have to say."
"We can't talk here, come with me to the back of Pride Rock." Nala whispered back.
"Fine," Fuli said annoyed. Couldn't she have picked any other time to talk to me? Fuli asked herself. They both made their way to the back of Pride Rock. When they got there, Nala sat down. "Fuli, you only have time for me to tell you this once, so please listen." Nala begged. Fuli then saw the tears that were starting to fall down the lioness's cheeks. Suddenly, all of her irritation disappeared, and was replaced with concern for Nala.
"Nala, it's okay," Fuli tried her best to comfort her, even though she had no idea what was going on. "You can tell me, okay?"
"O-ok," Nala replied, the nervousness evident in her voice. "Fuli, when Kion told me the Pride Lands were launching an attack on the Outlands, likely the final battle between them. "Kion might have never came back from that battle. I was scared, scared to lose another son. The though that I might never see Kion again..." Nala trailed off.
"Another son?" Fuli asked. What is she talking about? Nala started to sob, more tears rolling down her cheeks. Nevertheless, she continued. "Not long after when me and Simba were crowned King and Queen of the Pride Lands, we had a cub, not Kion or Kiara, but a different cub. That cub's name was Kopa." Fuli became very curious about this.
"Kopa was very special to me and Simba, and all of his friends too. But, one day, he was playing with one of his friends, and a lioness approached them. It was Zira."
"Zira?!" Fuli exclaimed. "But why was she in the Pride Lands?" She asked. "This was before she and her family were banished," Nala explained, then she continued her story.
"Zira approached him without him seeing her, and once she was close enough... she said this;
'Hello, little Kopa, and now... goodnight, sweet prince.'" Kopa tried to run, but Zira was too fast, and she... she..." Nala couldn't continue, instead she burst into tears. Fuli was horrified. She tried to comfort Nala as best as she could. "Nala, it's okay, eveyrthing's okay."
"Zira killed Kopa to make Simba feel the same pain she had felt when she lost a loved one." She said, tears streaming down her cheeks. "She did this because Simba killed her beloved, Scar."
"Sometimes I still blame myself," Nala said sadly. "I could have saved him. But Zira was faster and a better fighter than I was. I came home with many injuries, all which miraculously healed, thank the Great Kings and Queens." Nala then broke down sobbing hard.
Nala tried to recompose herself, and she finally spoke. "I can't lose another son, Fuli. Adopted or not." The last part had obviously slipped out unintentionally, as Nala covered her mouth with her paw just as she finished. Adopted? "Nala? What do you mean?" Fuli asked in a serious tone. "N-nothing!" Nala bursted out. But it was too late for that. "Nala," Fuli said in a commanding tone, she couldn't believe she was saying this to the Queen. "You will tell me what's going on." Nala looked back up at her, obviously surprised.
"Fine," Nala said, the reluctance very evident in her voice. "Kion is not my son."
"What?!" Fuli shouted loudly. Her heart almost stopped. She couldn't believe this. Kion isn't her son?! This must be some sort of misunderstanding! "You aren't serious?"
"I am..." Nala replied, trailing off. She lowered her head, guilt written all over her face. "No one in the Pride Lands ever suspected anything, and no one in the Pride Lands knew until now." Nala told her. "He doesn't know this. You can't tell him. You just can't!"
"So he's been living a lie his entire life?!" Fuli shouted. Nala looked down at her paws and nodded. "This isn't fair!" Fuli yelled at Nala. She couldn't believe she was yelling at the Queen, but it just wasn't fair to Kion! "He shouldn't live a lie like this his entire life and never know the truth." Fuli narrowed her eyes.
"I know but-" Nala was cut off by Fuli.
"If you loved him, you would tell him the truth." Fuli said through a growl. She then ran away from Nala and in front of Pride Rock where the rest of the Guard was waiting. She heard Nala's voice in the distance, saying quietly, "Wait! You haven't heard the whole-" Fuli didn't hear anymore then that, nor was she paying attention to what Nala did say.
"Hey Fuli," she was welcomed by Kion. "Where were you?" He asked her. "Nowhere important," she replied simply. Kion had a confused look on his face, but it returned to normal quickly. Fuli saw Nala rush over to where they were standing. She stopped and stood by Simba.
"Safe travels, Lion Guard." Simba said. "Thanks Dad." Kion replied warmly.
"You know how to get there?" Nala checked, acting like her talk with Fuli never happened. "Don't worry, Your Majesty." Ono reassured her. "I've memorized the landmarks that point the way to the Tree of Life."
"And I'll keep watch from the sky," Anga added.
"But we should probably get going," Fuli told Kion as well as Simba and Nala. Fuli tried to look at Nala as if their argument never happened, now would be a bad time to bring that up.
"Like my dad always says, 'the sooner you go, the sooner you get there.'" Beshte quoted his father's wise words. "That's right, so let's go already!" Bunga exclaimed. Typical Bunga, Fuli thought to herself as she watched. She turned around at Simba's voice.
"Bring Kion home safe," he told her. "Of course," she replied. "Your Majesty." She finished with a slight dip of her head in respect to the King. She then remembered that Kopa was Simba's son too. She knew Simba was scared, scared of losing his son. Adopted son. She corrected herself. Then she remembered Nala's words; 'No one in the whole Pride Lands suspected anything, and no one in the whole Pride Lands knew until now.' This mean't Simba had no idea that Kion wasn't his son! She would tell him, but now would be a really bad time to do so, especially since she saw that most of the Pride Landers were there, likely gathering to wish them luck on their journey.
"Wait for me!" She heard a voice exclaim. It was Makini "Makini?" Kion asked, obviously puzzled at what she was doing here. Rafiki seemed to be able to read Kion's mind, because he explained. "I have agreed to let Makini go with you," said Rafiki. "I've already been to the Tree of Life, remember?" Makini reminded them. "When I was little!"
"Poa!" Beshte was obviously pleasantly surprised at the idea. "I'm sure we could use the help. Right Ono?"
"Uh... I guess?" Ono replied, an awkward tone in his voice.
"And I can give you Tuliza whenever you need it." Makini told Kion. "Oh! That'd be great Makini." Kion replied gratefully. Fuli knew Kion was trying to be polite, because the way he looked when Rafiki gave him the Tuliza for the first time, the look on his face told her that he did not like it.
"Good luck, Kion," Kiara told Kion "Thanks Kiara," Kion replied warmly. "Keep Tiifu and Zuri out of trouble while we're gone." Kion said, amusement very audible in his voice. "I will." Kiara replied. Fuli watched as the siblings said their goodbyes.
"Hopefully you'll be back in time for Kiara's first hunt." Nala said hopefully. "I hope so." Kion replied.
"We'll miss you, son." Simba told Kion, it was obvious Simba was trying to hold back tears. Fuli pitied him, he had already lost Kopa, and now he had to say goodbye to his son, and maybe never see him again. No! Don't think like that! We will get to the Tree of Life and Kion will be healed.
"Everyone ready?" Kion asked the Guard.
Rafiki laughed and said; "It seems other Pride Landers want to wish you luck as well!" I already noticed that, Rafiki.
"Lion Guard, let's go." Kion told the team. They then started walking into the line of Pride Landers. Fuli glaced back for one second and saw Simba and Nala nuzzling, both obviously trying to hold back tears. The Lion Guard then walked into the line of Pride Landers, beaming with pride.
Fuli matched her pace to Kion's, he gave her a grateful glance, probably for coming with him on this journey. She smiled back. They continued walking through the line of Pride Landers. Gazelles, elephants, crocodiles, antelopes, giraffes, rhinos, tick birds, galagos, egrets, baboons, zebras, most of them bowed or saluted the Lion Guard on their way out of the Pride Lands. When they passed the zebras, one of them, a zebra named Thurston, spoke. "Don't worry Kion, we zebras will protect the Pride Lands while you're away," he said.
"Okay. Thanks Thurston." Kion replied. Fuli knew he wasn't serious, but he was being polite. Then, the Guard continued on their way. Fuli heard Thurston laugh and say, "I told you he knew my name!" Fuli glanced back at Kion. She saw him with a sad expression on his face, looking back at Pride Rock. Fuli felt sorry for him, he was leaving everything he knew behind, his family, his home, everything. Well, not everything. Fuli thought to herself. He still has me, Bunga, Beshte, Ono, Makini, and Anga. Till the Pride Lands end.
"Till the Pride Lands end." Fuli heard Kion say to himself, then he continued on with the rest of the Guard.