Fuli blinked open her eyes. She looked around for Kion, half expecting him to be sleeping next to her. Then she remembered, Kion is dead. She would never see him again.
"Oh Kion..." Fuli trailed off. "You deserved to know everything. You deserved to know about the past." She whispered. The wind blew through her fur, reminding her of the times her and Kion would race each other back in the Pride Lands. I'd always win. She thought to herself, amused. She then got up and stretched. Gozi was nearby.
"Hey Fuli. Do you feel better now?" He asked. Fuli thought for a moment. No, she didn't feel any better.
"No," she quietly mumbled. She dipped her head in sadness. Kion didn't deserve this. It's not fair!
"I miss him too..." Gozi said. He opened his mouth to speak again, but paused for a moment. "But some are destined to suffer," he told her darkly.
"He shouldn't have been," Fuli growled. "He was a great lion. Life wasn't fair to him."
[FLASHBACK]
Fuli walked through the open fields of the meadow. The stars were shining bright in the night sky. Fuli looked over to the spot she and the rest of the Lion Guard were staying that night. It was a small clearing thickly sheltered with trees and bushes. She heard pawsteps nearby. She looked around and saw that it was Kion. He was gazing up at the starlit sky.
Kion looked unaware of her presence, so she slowly approached him so she wouldn't suddenly scare him when she walked up next to him. She looked up for a brief moment and saw a shooting star fly across the sky. When she got in ear-shot of Kion, she heard him say something quietly.
"I wish that one day, when we get to the Tree of Life, me and Ono can be healed and we'll all be happy again." She heard him say to himself. Kion turned around to go back to the clearing the Guard were all sleeping in. Fuli then made her presence known.
"Fuli? H-how long have you been here?" He asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "I just got here," Fuli lied. Kion looked relieved. Fuli could see why - it would be embarrassing to be caught wishing on a star like a little cub would.
"So, let's go to sleep now. It's late," Kion said. Fuli nodded. "Yeah," she said through a yawn. They walked back to the small, sheltered clearing that they and the Guard were staying for the night.
"Goodnight Fuli," Kion said.
"Goodnight Kion," she replied. They then both laid their heads down to sleep.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Fuli stomped out of the small clearing. (Almost like the one in the flashback.) She motioned with her tail for Gozi to follow.
"We have to find the rest of the Guard," she told him. "And how exactly are you planning on doing that?" Gozi gave her a doubtful look.
"Um..." Fuli trailed off awkwardly. "We might be able to track them by scent."
"Then where exactly would we start?" He asked, almost sarcastically. Fuli didn't have a reply.
"Um... erm... We could start where I last saw them. Not far from here I think. Maybe we could pick up their scent from there."
"Even if we do find them, what next?" Gozi asked. "We keep going to the Tree of Life." Fuli answered. "Ono, an egret who was me and Kion's friend, needs healing too."
"OK," said Gozi. They then started walking towards the cave she and the Guard stayed in. When they got there, Fuli couldn't pick up a scent.
"Dangit," she said.
"Can you find anything?" Gozi asked.
"No," Fuli replied. "But, I do see some footprints." She and Gozi looked near the entrance and saw footprints of a big, hoofed animal, Beshte. the prints of a monkey, Makini. and smaller prints that could be any large rodent, Bunga.
"I think these are their tracks!" Fuli exclaimed. "Let's go!" She and Gozi then walked in the direction the footprints were leading to.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A few weeks passed. Fuli and Gozi kept walking.
"Fuli? Can we... rest for a... while?" Gozi asked her, the desperation clear in his voice. No. We have to find the rest of the Guard.
"No Gozi, we have to find the rest of the Lion Guard," she told him. She kept walking, ignoring how tired or hungry she was.
"Please," he begged after a few more hours. "I'm practically dying!"
"No," she growled. She turned around to face Gozi, just then she saw how much he overworked himself during their trip. His fur was ragged, his eyes were cloudy, his breathing was heavy, and his legs and paws were shaking. Gozi backed away from her, whimpering.
"G-Gozi I-I'm so sorry, you should rest," she ordered him. A wave of guilt swept over her. His condition right now reminded her of Kion. She didn't want Gozi to slowly suffer that same fate.
"Yes! Finally!" He exclaimed. He then laid down on a patch of soft grass nearby. Fuli sighed. Kion, I miss you so much. A tear of pain and despair rolled down her cheek. Then many more. Fuli was glad Gozi was asleep so he didn't see her crying. She began to remember all the times she and Kion had together, good and bad.
[FLASHBACK]
Fuli was walking towards the Lair. Kion was in there, recovering from a severe injury that came from him trying to hunt a buffalo without proper training. He had recently recovered from the amnesia that came with the buffalo landing a strong blow to his head. But, nobody knew if he would ever walk again.
"Hey Kion," she greeted him as soon as she entered the Lair. Kion lifted his head up. He was trying to hide a frown, but it was noticeable.
"Look, I know you're upset about what happened a few days ago, but at least try to smile," Fuli told him. "I want to be able to hunt!" He told her, raising his voice. "I feel so useless having to rely on someone for a very simple thing - hunting my food!" Fuli stepped back. Kion must've realized that he was wrongly taking his anger out on Fuli, because he lowered his head and apologized. "Sorry, Fuli."
Fuli sighed. "It's alright Kion," she forgave him. They were then interrupted by Rafiki walking into the Lair.
"Ah, hello young Kion and Fuli. I have decided that today we shall try to get Kion back on his paws again," he said cheerfully. Though Fuli thought she'd heard him mutter 'hopefully.'
Kiom looked uncertain. "Are you sure Rafiki?" He asked. Rafiki nodded. "Yes, yes, I am sure."
"Okay," Kion replied, the uncertainty still lingering in his voice. Rafiki then tried to help him off of the rock and onto his paws. "I can't-" Kion said in pain but he was cut off by his legs suddenly buckling. He collapsed to the ground with a yelp of pain. Rafiki frowned.
"Oh no no no no. What will the Pride Lands do without him?" Fuli heard Rafiki mutter. "I'm sorry Kion, but judging by your current state, I don't think you will ever walk again," Rafiki told him solemnly. Kion gasped, his gasp was following by tears welling up in his eyes. Never walk again?!
"But... isn't there a way?" Kion asked, his eyes briefly filling with hope. It diminished when Rafiki shook his head.
"I'm sorry, young Kion." He then walked out of the Lair, leaving Kion and Fuli alone. Fuli looked at Kion and rested her paw on his shoulder, offering comfort to the now disabled lion.
"I'm so so sorry Kion," Fuli told him, meaning every word.
"Don't be," he said. "It's my fault I got hurt in the first place. It's all on me. I was too impatient and didn't wait until I knew how to hunt." Fuli tried to think of an argument, but there wasn't any. Everything Kion said was one hundred percent true.
"Fuli, can I ask you something?" He asked her. Fuli nodded. "Will you... will you be leader of the Lion Guard?" Fuli was
bewildered. She then realized that if Kion couldn't walk or run, he couldn't be a part of the Lion Guard anymore. "I can't anymore and... I can't think of anyone better for the job," he told her.
"I... I can't," Fuli told him. "We have to find a way to get you walking again." Kion's head lowered. "You heard Rafiki, he said I won't be able to," he said.
"Maybe that's what he thinks." Fuli said to him. "What if there really is another way? And I know just how to start..."
XXXXXXXXX
Many weeks passed after Fuli started to try to rehabilitate Kion. She had the idea of him walking in some sort of water, to make it easier to practice walking again. She had used many more methods too.
"Okay, Kion. Now we'll try walking on land," she told him. She helped him to his paws and helped balance him. He wobbled and Fuli had to support him with her side so he wouldn't fall over.
He was a bit wobbly at first, but his balance got better over the next couple of weeks of practice.
Eventually, after a few more weeks, he could run. She and Kion were running through the fields of the Pride Lands, Fuli keeping a close eye on Kion incase he lost his balance. But so far he was doing well. They then came to a stop near a lake to drink water.
"Fuli, I just wanted to say I'm really grateful for all you did for me," he told her. "Friends help friends," she responded. "That's what friends do."
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Fuli remembered back then. Over the course of many, many long weeks of exercise and rehabilitation she had gotten Kion back to his paws again. She also remembered when Kion had amnesia from the buffalo landing a serious blow to his head.
[FLASHBACK]
Fuli and the rest of the Lion Guard were walking towards the Lair. Kion was in there, he had recently gotten a severe injury that came from him trying to hunt a buffalo without proper training. But, nobody knew if he would ever walk again.
"Kion?" She asked, peering in through the entrance of the Lair.
"Come in," Rafiki said then motioned her to come in to the Lair. Fuli and the Guard walked in. They saw Kion laying down on the small ledge in the Lair. They saw him blink open his eyes.
"Kion?" Fuli asked quietly, trying not to disturb him. He looked up at her, pain glimmering in his eyes. He tried to back away, but his body wouldn't allow him to move.
"Kion?" She asked again. "Are you okay?" Kion's ears flattened against his head and he whimpered. "W-who are you!? Who's Kion?! D-don't hurt me!" Kion's voice was thick with fear. Fuli was shocked. The Guard had shocked faces on them too.
"Rafiki? What happened to him?" Fuli asked him. "The buffalo landed a serious blow to Kion's head. He appears to have amnesia now,"
"Oh no! He has amnesia!" Bunga exclaimed in horror. He then leaned over to Ono. "What's amnesia?" He asked him. "Amnesia is when somebody injures their head very badly, and damages part of the brain that remembers and forms memories. Common knowledge, really," Ono told him.
A pang of sadness struck Fuli when she realized Kion didn't remember her. "Calm down, young Kion. These here are your friends," Rafiki told him. Kion looked wary.
"A-are you sure?" He asked. Rafiki nodded. "Well than why can't I remember you guys?" He asked them. "Young Kion, you have amnesia. It means you can't remember anything. But you will probably recover," Rafiki told him. Probably? The word echoed in Fuli's head.
"Um, okay," Kion replied. He tried to get to his paws but Rafiki stopped him. "Easy Kion. You must rest for your body to heal," he told him. "Fine," Kion groaned, the annoyance clear in his voice. Rafiki then walked out of the Lair.
"So Kion, do you wanna talk to us or anything?" Bunga asked. "Who's Kion?" Kion asked him. "Your nickname, silly," Bunga told him. At first Fuli was confused, then she remembered that Kiongozi was actually Kion's real name. It was shortened to Kion because everyone thought the name 'Kiongozi' was too long of a name.
"Okay," Kion responded. "So what now?" Bunga asked.
"Well, can I get to know you? All of you?" Kion asked. They all nodded. "Yeah!" "Yes." "Totally." "Affirmative." Came their replies.
"Well I'm Bunga," Bunga introduced himself. "And I'm Fuli." "I'm Beshte." "And I'm Ono."
"Okay. Nice to meet you," Kion said. "Yeah! How about we go play some Baobab Ball?" Bunga said. "Bunga!" Fuli hissed in his ear. "You know he can't."
"Oh," Bunga replied while scratching the back of his head. "Forgot that." Fuli gave him a glare saying: 'Shut up.' Then they heard a noise coming from the outside of the Lair. It was Simba, Nala, and Kiara walking into the Lair to check on Kion. Rafiki was with them.
"He's awake!" Kiara exclaimed and ran over to him. "Little brother!" She went to hug him but Kion gave a warning growl. Kiara backed away.
"Rafiki? What's happened to him?!" Kiara asked, her voice thick with fear. "I'm afraid he has amnesia," Rafiki replied. "But he will recover." Fuli noticed Rafiki had left the word 'probably' out of the sentence this time. She guessed he didn't want to worry or upset the royal family.
"Rafiki, is there any way we can help him remember?" Kiara asked. Rafiki shook his head. "I have not heard of a remedy for this. It just takes time," he replied.
"Well we can try to help him remember, right guys?" Kiara said. Everyone nodded. The others help Kion up onto Beshte and they all start walking around the Pride Lands.
[Kiara]
I know you don't think that you know us
I know that you have no clue
But just listen to us
And we'll help you remember too!
[Fuli]
Look at us standing here now
All of your family and friends
We'll help you remember
Even if it takes till the end
[Beshte (rapping)]
Hey check out Big Springs
When we defeated the crocodiles!
And you've gotta admit
That we did it in style!
Remember Kilo Valley?
Scar's army burned it down
We had to find the elephants a new home
Three times around
One time Simba fell in a hole
And we had to save him
Meanwhile he was stuck with Bunga
Who drove him crazy
I recall the time when we found a cave
Filled with challenges and tests
We made it through
'Cause we're the best of the best
I remember a hyena named Jasiri
That we met
She's very very brave
As brave as Bunga, I bet!
Look at the Outlands
Over to the left!
That's where we fight Scar a lot
And we barely ever get rest
A while back Jasiri built
Her hyena resistance
Her job was to figure out
All of Scar's evil business
Once we met a drongo
Tamaa was his name
Stealing food from other animals
Was his game
Remember those gorillas that were lost
That we found?
It was a struggle to take them home
'Cause they were messing around
And a long time ago
Me and Bunga thought
Paintings could predict the future
Oh we were so wrong!
See that clearing over there?
That's where we fought
Very much fire that's from the sky
And I mean a lot!
I recall a golden zebra
That agreed
To share her territory's water
When the Pride Lands were in need.
A while ago
Lions and elephants had a tradition
Putting on a performance for that tradition
Was our mission!
Look over there!
That's where we became
The Pride Land's Lion Guard
Our claim to fame
[Fuli, Kiara, Beshte, Ono, Bunga]
Look I know you don't remember now
But just wait you'll see
Eventually you'll
Remember me
Look around you
Your family and friends
We'll help you remember
Even if it takes till the end
Remember (remember, remember)
A few weeks go by. Kion's memory slowly comes back.
Remember
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Fuli remembered a lot of things. She smiled at all the memories she made with Kion. I remember. She thought to herself. I'll always remember you. She looked around next to her, Gozi was sleeping peacefully next to her. She laid down and reflected on the past again.
Fuli could feel her mind slowly drifting from reality into sleep. Her sleep was peaceful that night, uninterrupted by a single sound.
XXXX
Fuli opened her eyes. A bright, newborn sun shone in her face. She looked around. Gozi! He was nowhere in sight. She then saw him talking to a badger nearby. Bunga! She rushed over to them.
"You're funny," she head Gozi say.
"Hoo-hoo-ha! I sure am!" Bunga exclaimed and did a somersault.
"Bunga!" She exclaimed. Bunga quickly turned around. "Fuli?!" He yelled, surprised. "I thought you were dead!" Bunga ran over to her and hugged her tight. Fuli almost choked. "Can't... breath." She gasped for air.
"Where's the rest of the Guard?!" Fuli asked him, yelling. Bunga pointed. "Over there." Sure enough, the rest of the Lion Guard was on the other side of the clearing. They looked up, the shock on their faces as soon as they saw her. They ran over to her.
"Fuli! Oh my Great Kings and Queens it's you!" "Fuli?! Is this real?!" "Fuli! You're back!" "Fuli!" Came their shouts. They all hugged her a hundred times tighter than Bunga had. Fuli gasped for air. They then broke the hug.
"Fuli?! How are you alive?!" Beshte asked. "Kion told us you were dead!" Fuli knew Beshte was bewildered. "And have you seen Kion?" He added. Fuli fell silent.
"Kion is dead."
The Guard had shocked and devastated looks on their faces. "Swift's Clan killed him."
"Swift's Clan?" Bunga asked. "I'll explain..." Fuli began to explain.
"You see, after I saved Kion from the flood and you all thought I was dead, I wasn't. The cheetahs from a clan of cheetahs called Swift's Clan found me and saved me. And my father was the leader, with my mother at his side."
"Your family?" Makini asked. "But you told us that they were dead."
"That's what I had thought, but they're not. At first I thought they were nice, kind-hearted cheetahs. But I was soon proven wrong when I met Gozi." She motioned with her paw to the younger cheetah standing next to her. There was a dead silence after she introduced Gozi. Fuli knew that they were thinking of Kion, his full name was Kiongozi, but everyone used to just refer to him as Kion. It was Bunga who started the nickname. He had said 'Kiongozi? That's too long. Let's just call him Kion!' And everyone else agreed.
"Gozi told me the story about my father and mother. Before my father, Mwepesi, arrived in Swift's Clan, the clan wasn't named 'Swift's Clan.' It was named 'Cheetah's Clan,' because all opinions and voices were heard and everyone in the clan was equal. No cheetah was above another. Then, one day, my father and mother arrived in the clan with a few other cheetahs with them. They told the cheetahs in Cheetah's Clan that decisions would be made quicker and easier if a single cheetah decided it, instead of the arguing that would happen amongst making a group decision." Fuli paused to make sure the Guard were listening. Sure enough, they were staring at her, silently urging her to continue.
"The cheetahs in Cheetah's Clan were hesitant at first because they thought it was better to be equal, even though they would fight sometimes. In the end, with all the group making the decision, they turned Mwepesi's proposal down. But Mwepesi, my mother Endesha, and all of their followers, which were all very well trained at fighting and veryskilled at it, instead of accepting that Cheetah's Clan refused to live under one single leader making all the decisions for them, they attacked Cheetah's Clan. They were much better trained in fighting then the cheetahs in Cheetah's Clan, so in the end they won. Mwepesi, his name meaning 'Swift,' changed the clan's name to 'Swift's Clan,' making sure to emphasize that the clan belonged to him now. He then ordered his followers to keep a very strong grip on the clan. There are laws about who can hunt, and when. There are laws about when someone can play freely in the fields, if they ever get to play at all. There are even laws about what trespassers on the territory live or die. And even the ones who didn't mean to trespass." The Guard's eyes widened.
"And if someone ever breaks one rule, or they follow all the rules but don't meet all of Mwepesi's expectations, then they get punished. Or sometimes he'll punish them for fun. It happened to Gozi many times." Fuli motioned with her paw to all of Gozi's scars. The Guard all let out a gasp of shock and horror.
"One day, when I was out teaching Gozi how to hunt for the clan, we were attacked by lions. They took us to a cave, where I found Kion again. We soon escaped and reunited with Gozi. We stayed in a den near Swift's Clan territory for a few days, until they captured us. They announced that they would kill Kion in ten days, because of the simple fact that he was a lion," Fuli told them. "I tried to protect him. But I couldn't. He died saving me and Gozi from Swift's Clan, distracting all of them while me and Gozi ran. I heard him screaming in terror before they killed him right then and there."
"Fuli, please tell us this isn't true," Bunga told her. She shook her head solemnly. "It's true." Fuli could see that the Guard were all trying to hold back tears, and they were failing miserably.
"I'm so so sorry. I tried to protect-" She was cut off by Anga. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Fuli," she told her. The others nodded their head in agreement.
"Guys, I know this is a little soon, but we should resume the journey to the Tree of Life. We still need to get Ono healed." The Guard -including Ono- shook their heads. Fuli could understand why - they all needed proper time to mourn for Kion.
[FLASHBACK]
Fuli ran through the vast fields of the Pride Lands. Well, she WAS running. Just a few moments ago she'd tripped on a rock and injured her paw. Fuli sighed.
"Nobody's ever gonna find me," she muttered to herself, annoyed. She'd probably be stuck here all day.
"Need help?" A teasing voice asked. She looked up and saw Kion with a smirk on his face. Fuli was embarrassed. Why him? Out of anyone in the Pride Lands it just had to be him, didn't it?
"Seriously?!" Fuli said. Kion laughed and lowered himself down. "Climb onto my back. I'll take you to your den," he told her. Fuli reluctanly agreed, and Kion carried her the whole way home.
By the time they got to Fuli's den, it had started to rain very heavily. Fuli got off of Kion and laid down in her den.
"So, I guess I'll be heading home," Kion told her. He stared out into the raging storm outside, a nervous look on his face. Thunder suddenly boomed, catching Kion off guard. Fuli could see the fur on his neck rise. Lightning striked, luckily not setting anything on fire.
"Kion," Fuli began. "It's very stormy outside. You can stay here for the night, if you want."
"Are you sure?" Kion asked her. "Of course," Fuli replied. "Besides, it's not that you'll actually enjoy getting your fur soaked while walking all they way back to Pride Rock," she added.
"O-okay, if you say so Fuli," Kion replied, the reluctance evident in his voice. He laid down at the opposite side of the den and curled up.
Soon, the winds from the raging storm blew into the den, making both of them very cold. Kion began to shiver due to him being used to the warmth that comes with cuddling together in a pride when it gets cold. Fuli was cold too, but she was more used to enduring it.
"Kion, are you alright?" She asked him. By now she could hear the very loud chattering of his teeth.
"Y-y-yeah," he replied. "I-I'm f-f-fine." His reply wasn't convincing at all. Fuli sighed. He'd become sick if he slept the entire night in this cold. She limped over to him and laid down next to him, pressing her soft fur against his.
"W-w-what a-are y-you d-doing?" Kion asked her, still shivering. "Keeping you from freezing to death," she replied. Kion gave her a grateful glance. "And thanks for helping me get back home," Fuli thanked him.
"Hakuna Matata, Fuli," he replied. "And thanks for... well... not letting me freeze to death," he added awkwardly. Fuli let out a good humored chuckle.
"Hakuna Matata, Kion," she replied. They then both fell asleep soon, the stormy winds somehow lulling them to sleep.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Fuli remembered the warmth and comfort that came with sleeping together with someone. She had experienced it many times now when she and the rest of the Guard had to cuddle together when they traveled through naturally cold places on their way to the Tree of Life. She saw the rest of the Guard already sleeping. She looked up at the sky. It was nighttime! Fuli didn't even realize how much time had passed. She laid down near the rest of the Guard.
"I hope that someday, I can move on from this," she whispered to herself, then fell asleep.