"Kion... join us. Then all your pain will be over..." A voice whispered.
"Join us. It is the only way to end your suffering," another whispered in agreement.
"No!" Kion shouted in protest. "No matter what you do to me, I WILL NEVER JOIN YOU!"
XX
Kion's eyes snapped open. Fear pulsed through his veins. He was afraid. Zira and Jua practically clutched his spirit in their very claws. Every time he went to sleep... he would end up in the Dark Shadows Below the Savanna with Zira and Jua. It made him afraid to sleep. He had no idea that Zira died until then, but 'that was that', he guessed.
Jua was working with Zira. Jua held the power of the Great Kings and Queens in her paws. She had somehow taken away Kion's Roar and given it to herself. Kion had no idea how she had done that. What kind of power does she have to do that?
Kion trudged on hopeless in the grasslands, trying to find the dessert. Lost in thought, he didn't pay any attention to his surroundings. He yelped as he fell into a small hole about one pawstep deep.
"Seriously?!" He exclaimed while getting to his paws. He continued on, ignoring the searing pain in his scar. He saw some vultures flying above him, eyeing him with a piercing glare. They know I'm close to dying...
Kion wanted nothing more than to be a small cub again curled up in his mother's paws with nothing more to worry about than when he would get his next meal. But those days are over. He was a teenager now. A teenager who's life was ruined.
When he thought about it, he realized that he was his own fault that his life was ruined.
"It's my own fault..." He mumured to himself. "I summoned Scar with the Roar because I lost control of my emotions. I caused myself and my friends to grow up in war. I ruined my life as well as my friends' lives too."
A single tear fell down his cheek out of guilt. "And it was my fault I got this scar. If I hadn't summoned Scar then I wouldn't have gotten my scar in the first place. My pain is my own fault."
He remembered Fuli. He saw how devastated she was after she thought he died. "And I caused her to suffer as well. She let her guard down and opened up to me. It's my fault she's sorrowful now. She let down her guard for me. I weakened her."
He wanted to slump down on the ground and cry, but he knew he couldn't. "I have to keep going," he told himself. "I've gotta find my friends."
Gotta find my friends. I've gotta find my friends, Kion told himself to try to motivate himself to get up.
I've gotta find Fuli.
For some reason, this thought motivated him more.
XX
Fuli walked alongside the rest of the Lion Guard, Makini, and Gozi. It was a beautiful day outside and everyone couldn't help but wear a smile - even Fuli.
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Gozi commented. Fuli nodded in reply. "Can't argue with you there."
"Yeah," Beshte agreed. "But the sun is kinda hot today. Maybe we can stop for a rest soon?"
"Sure Beshte. Anga! Do you see anywhere we can take a break?"
"Hang on." The eagle flew up and scanned the area. Soon she flew back down. "I've got it. A small watering hole not far from here."
"Great. Lead us there," Fuli told her. "Yep." The eagle then flew in the direction of the watering hole, leaving the rest of the group to follow her.
"Here," Anga declared as they approached a small watering hole surrounded by trees and plants.
Gozi's jaw dropped at the sight. "It's beautiful."
"Yeah," Fuli agreed. "This place reminds me of the time when me, Bunga, and-" She cut herself off for a moment, then took a deep breath and continued. "When me, Bunga, and Kion were playing at a watering hole in the Pride Lands. It kinda looked like this."
"Oh yeah! I remember that time," Bunga said wistfully. "I fell and crashed into Kion who crashed into you, sending us all sliding off a rock into the lake."
Fuli chuckled. "You were lucky you didn't lose your fur that day," she remarked. "Heh... yeah," Bunga said.
[FLASHBACK]
"Ah, this is nice," Fuli remarked as she basked on a flat rock above the watering hole. "It's so peaceful for once."
"Woo hoo!" She heard two voices call out. Well, almost peaceful, she silently added. It was Kion and Bunga playing baobab ball together.
"Betcha can't get the baobab, Kion!" Bunga taunted as he pranced around with a green fruit in his arms.
"That's what you think!" Kion told him as he pounced. Bunga quickly ducked and Kion flew over him onto a rock below Bunga.
"Ha!" Bunga taunted once more. "I still have the-" He was cut off when the loose rock he was standing on suddenly collapsed, sending Bunga sliding towards Kion.
"Ahh!" Kion exclaimed when Bunga crashed into him, sending him sliding down the rocks too. "Fuli look out!"
I honestly don't think they're going to crash into me, judging by the path they're taking while sliding down the rocks. It was soon proven that Fuli misjudged that, because they both crashed into her, sending them all sliding off the rock into the lake.
She felt cold water soak her pelt. Bunga's gonna get it now... She knew. She emerged from the water, coughing and spitting. A moment later Bunga did. Then Kion.
"BUNGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She yelled, furious. Bunga scratched the back of his head nervously.
"I. Am. Going. To. Rip. You. To. SHREDS." She threatened. Bunga's eyes widened as he quickly swam for shore. He got to land and started running. He clearly knew that this was a threat Fuli intended to keep.
[END OF FLASHBACK]
"Simpler times," Fuli commented. The others nodded their head in agreement. Simpler times... Before the Lion Guard. Before the war with Scar. Before Kion got his scar. Before I knew that Nala wasn't his mother. Before... before he died...
Fuli recalled the good old days... and she wished they were still here. Suddenly, she heard a voice whisper. "He's not gone..." It whispered. "He can still be saved..."
Who are you? And get out of my head! She silently told the voice angrily. Stop making me imagine hopeless things! Fuli knew that all she could do now was remember the good times with Kion... and slowly move on.
Meanwhile, Kion was remembering the good old days too... and wanted nothing more than to go back to them.
(Fuli)
I miss you
Too much to let you go
And I loved you
More than you could ever know
Now you're dead
Now I'm lost
(Kion)
And everything I've said
I'm sorry, I'd do anything to earn your forgiveness, no matter the cost
And now I'm trying to find my way
But I'm lost
And every day
I think of the costs
My actions have brought
(Fuli)
I promised myself I'd move on
But I can't without you to come along
On my journey
With me
(Kion and Fuli)
Now he/she's gone
Now I'm lost and I can't find my way
And everyday
I wish that things were different
(Fuli)
I think about you everyday
And I regret I never got to say
That I love you
Before you passed away...
(Kion and Fuli)
I think about how you're doing
If everything's going okay
And my greatest fear was losing
You
I feared that every day
(Fuli)
And I did lose you...
To
Them... and the scar
(Kion)
And I'm sorry for how far
I brought you on a pointless journey
(Kion and Fuli)
I miss you so
More than you know
You were like family and more
You were always there for me when I struggled during that war
(Fuli)
And now... you are no more
(Kion)
Now you're gone
Now I'm lost and I can't see the light of day
And in every way
I wish that things were different
(Fuli)
And the days
Before you died
Made me cry...
In grief and pain
And I regret I never got to say
That I love you
Before you passed away...
(Kion and Fuli)
I always thought about how you were doing
If everything was going okay
And my greatest fear was losing
You
I feared that every day
(Fuli)
And now everything's hopeless
I wish you were still here
Losing you was my greatest fear...
I loved you
And I loved you so much
And I lost you
To
Them..
(Kion)
And I'm sorry for how much
I weakened you
You opened up to me about all you've lost
And then I died too...
Whenever my scar gave me pain
You"d always be there for me
You'd help me again and again and again
(Fuli)
And it's now clear that because you're gone... we were never meant to be
(Kion and Fuli)
But I miss you so
More than you know
You were like family and more
You were always there for me when I struggled during that war/'cause of my scar
You'd always comfort me when I was hurting
And now you're gone, I don't know what I'll do
Without you
I've been trying to find my way
With every passing day
But it seems I can't do
This without you
(Fuli)
Gotta learn to live without you...
(Kion)
Gotta find you and my friends too...
XXXX
Fuli walked on with the Lion Guard once more, deep in thought. All day she'd been hearing strange voices whispering:
"Water..."
"Flames..."
"He can be saved..."
She shook her head to try and clear it. What is all this even supposed to mean anyway?!
"Get out of my head," she told the voice out loud, quietly though so her friends wouldn't hear. "There's nothing I can do. Kion's gone now and I'll just have to accept it."
"No..." The voice disagreed. "Let me show you something." The sightline in front of Fuli disappeared and was replaced by a brown furred lioness with blue eyes. Standing next to the lioness was a golden furred lion with a bright red mane.
"He can be brought back, but to permanently save him..." The voice's voice started to fade before she could finish her scentence.
"Wait!" Fuli called out. "Come back!"
She suddenly snapped back to reality and found that the group was staring at her.
"Uh, say wha?" Bunga asked. "Even thought you were lagging behind, we weren't that far ahead of you."
"Oh, um, well.." Fuli trailed off. "Never mind." She trotted ahead of the group, taking the lead. All she could think about was: What did that voice mean?