Fuli yawned and blinked open her eyes. The newborn sun's rays shone upon the lands. She rubbed her eyes with her paw and stretched - it was time to wake up. Kion appeared to be sleeping peacefully beside her. I hope he stays that way, she thought to herself.
Her wish was not granted. Kion suddenly flinched. He extended his claws and dug them into the dirt. His breathing became heavy, labored. His stomach suddenly started to jerk. Fuli gasped - it was just as swollen as before!
His eyes suddenly snapped open. A single tear fell onto the grass.
"Kion.. Kion..! Are you okay?" Fuli could barely so much as murmur.
Kion shook with fear and quickly got to his paws. He started to run but stopped. He brought his paw up to his stomach, grunting in pain.
He gagged.
Blood.
More and more blood flooded from his mouth. His stomach kept jerking involuntarily to him and he cried out in pain, only for that cry to be cut short by more blood.
She heard voices behind her. "Oh my Great Kings and Queens!" Makini breathed.
"Oh no!" Bunga cried.
"Hapana!" Ono gasped.
"What's going on?!" Beshte asked in fear. Meanwhile Anga just let out a quiet gasp.
"I don't know!" Fuli replied fearfully. "He just woke up and all of a sudden he started..-" She glanced back at Kion then looked back at the others, "you know!"
"I'll get Nirmala!" Anga took to the sky, searching for the healer lioness.
Fuli looked at Kion who was still coughing up blood. His eyes were wild and fearful. He tried to breath, but it was cut off by more blood. He and Fuli were both beginning to panic even more while Kion tried to catch his breath.
"Kion." Fuli rushed to him and placed her paw on his. "Calm down, okay?" She told him, trying her best to sound reassuring and soothing. "Just calm down. Don't panic." She was trying her best to not go into a panic attack herself.
Kion kept regurgitating. Blood poured everywhere.
Nothing but blood.
Blood.
And more blood.
"We're back!" A voice cut through the air. Fuli looked up and saw Anga flying towards them, carrying a sack of something wrapped in leaves. Nirmala followed with herbs in her jaws.
"Thank goodness!" Fuli sighed in relief. She stepped aside to let Nirmala see Kion.
"Oh no!" Nirmala mumbled through the herbs. She rushed quickly to Kion and dropped the herbs. Anga flew over to her and dropped the sack of leaves next to her.
"Kion take these fennel seeds," Nirmala ordered urgently. Kion closed his mouth to try to not regurgitate, but blood trickled down the edge of his lips anyway.
Kion shook his head. "I can't," he mumbled.
"Try," Nirmala told him firmly.
Kion shook his head.
"You have to." Nirmala's voice turned almost pleading.
Kion shook his head. His stomach suddenly jerked again and he was forced to open his mouth. He whipped his head to the side to avoid Nirmala. He gagged more and more.
"Okay, okay." Nirmala walked over to his side. She sat down and used her front paws to gently and tenderly flip him over on his side. She rubbed his stomach soothingly in circular motions.
Nirmala looked at her and motioned towards Kion's throat. "Massage his throat while I massage his stomach. Hopefully that will get rid of most of it."
Fuli nodded, and although in some doubt, walked closer to Kion. She sat down and extended a paw towards Kion's throat. She rubbed it gently in circles, hoping to ease his body's urge to regurgitate.
It seemed to ease Kion's pain, as his stomach jerked less often and when it did, he wasn't coughing up as much blood.
Kion looked up at her, uncertainty flashing in his gaze. Fuli saw why; his stomach jerked suddenly. Fuli kept her paw on his throat, massaging it gently.
He inhaled a deep breath and coughed. Surprisingly, little to no blood came out that time. He inhaled and exhaled, a relived small smile beginning to make its way onto his face.
"Here Kion, take these fennel seeds." Nirmala pawed the seeds from the sack of leaves over to Kion.
Kion hesitated for a moment but ate them anyway.
"They'll take effect in about an hour," Nirmala told him. She then took something else from the sack of leaves and pawed it over to Kion. Fuli recognized it. Ginger! "Gnaw on the ginger. It will help."
"Okay Nirmala." Kion pulled the ginger closer to him and began to gnaw on it.
Fuli looked at Nirmala. "Will he..." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Will he be alright?"
Nirmala sighed. "I am not one to lie, so I am not sure. Hopefully this won't continue."
Hopefully. The word echoed in Fuli's head. She made effort to quickly push the word out of her mind. No, not 'hopefully.' He WILL get better. He HAS to.
Fuli looked back at Kion, then looked back at Nirmala. "Nirmala.. can I ask you a favor?" Her voice was still soft and quiet.
"Of course," the lioness replied in a whisper.
"Can you stay here the night? You know.. just incase.." She motioned uneasily back at Kion who was still gnawing on the ginger.
"Of course." Nirmala smiled softly at her.
"Thank you," Fuli breathed.
Nirmala flashed her another soft smile. "Your welcome."
They turned back to Kion who let out a yawn.
"You should get some rest," Nirmala suggested.
"But-" Kion cut himself off. "Yeah.. okay." He tried to push himself up but failed. Fuli walked closer to him. "You can lean on me if you want."
Kion smiled gratefully. Fuli looked back to the old sleeping spot and wrinkled her muzzle in disgust. "Um.. no offense Kion.. but..."
"I know. We should find a new sleeping spot." Fuli could pick up a slight tone of... amusement in his voice?
She looked at Anga. "Anga, find us a new sleeping spot?"
"Yup." Anga flew into the air, scanning the sky. "Found one!" The eagle flew back down. "A short walk from here. Pretty open space, not much clutter."
"Perfect," Fuli said. "Let's go."
XXXX
"Here," Anga told them.
"Great." Fuli smiled and looked back at her teammates and Nirmala. Kion just flopped down on the soft and cool grass, sighing. He smiled. Fuli chuckled.
"Well everyone, let's settle down for the night," Fuli told the group. They all nodded and picked their chosen spots. Kion just stayed where he was, not moving. He appeared to be too comfortable for that.
Fuli settled down in a sleeping spot next to Nirmala.
"So Nirmala," Fuli began, trying to spark a conversation and but more importantly find out more about Kion's birth. "Can I get to know you?"
Nirmala looked at Fuli, her eyes flashing with emotion. "I'm not sure you'd want to do that, Fuli."
Fuli fell silent. What? "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said." Nirmala stared at Fuli for a moment then looked away, sighing sadly. She shifted away and picked another sleeping spot further from Fuli.
Fuli didn't press and sighed in defeat. She laid down in her chosen sleeping spot and started to slowly drift into sleep.
XX
Fuli ran through the lands, the wind blowing through her fur. It was good to be like this again. No worries. No responsibilities. Freedom was coursing through her veins. This was what freedom felt like. Her paws flew through the wind, having no limits. The wind blew through her fur, making her feel free.
"Hi Fuli!" A lion her age bounded up to her. It was Kion. He had the widest smile on his face and held a Baobab fruit in his mouth. "Wanna play Baobab Ball?"
Fuli smiled. She was too happy to decline any game at the moment. "Oh it's on!" She challenged. He raced off, his giggling muffed due to the fruit in his mouth, but he was still giggling all the same.
Suddenly, the scene switched. Kion was gone. All there was was Janna standing in front of her. Then the elderly lioness began to speak;
"When water and flames meet, scars and secrets will bleed, and the trees will blaze with fire."
XXXX (Two days later btw)
Fuli yawned and blinked open her eyes at the piercing new sunshine. It was another day. She looked at Kion who was sleeping beside her.
She gasped - he was constantly flinching. His breathing was intense and labored. He tore the dirt and grass with his claws. He suddenly started thrashing.
"Kion! Kion wake up!" She started shaking him, fear pulsing through her veins. "WAKE UP!"
His eyes snapped open. His breathing was still intense and labored.
"Kion," she said, her voice much softer. "Are you.. are you okay?" She quietly asked even though she already knew the answer.
Kion immediately got to his paws and started running. "Leave me alone," was the last words he said before starting to run off. He stopped for a moment and clutched his still aching stomach in pain, then continued running.
"Kion..." The word barely escaped her mouth.
She heard drowsy voices behind her; "Hi Fuli... G'morning."
"Oh." She turned back to see the Guard just waking up. "Hey guys. Good morning."
Bunga yawned and looked around. "Where's Kion?" A hint of worry was in his voice.
Fuli sighed. "He went off to think." She turned around. "I'm going for a run."
Beshte exchanged an uncertain glance with Anga, then they both turned to look at Fuli.
"Kay. See ya!" Bunga waved, oblivious to Beshte and Anga's silent exchange.
"Bye Fuli!" Makini waved her hand as well.
"Bye!" She said half heartedly. She then ran off. In truth, she wasn't just going for a run. She was going to find Kion. She quickly tasted the air in search of his scent. Suddenly she found it. She ran faster, determination coursing through her veins. This had been going on for way too long. She had to help. No matter what he'd say, she would help. Whether he liked it or not.
She ran, feeling the wind blow through her fur. She tasted the air once more and picked up Kion's scent.
She suddenly heard a cry of pain. Then another. Fuli's heart jumped in alarm. Kion! The sound was coming from some caves to her right. She abruptly turned and raced towards them. The cries got louder and louder.
Suddenly, the cries stopped. Fuli's heart nearly stopped. No! She ran faster and faster towards the cave, pushing herself harder.
She burst through the entrance of the cave. Her eyes widened in shock. It was Kion laying on the floor of the den, pinned by the Night Pride. Surak had his paws over Kion's mouth to prevent him from screaming. Kion struggled in their grip, panicking and swerving his head around wildly in obvious hopes to break free.
"What are you doing?!" Fuli shouted, fury building up inside her. She felt herself glaring at the Night Pride. "Why are you hurting Kion?!"
Rani swiftly turned to face her and walked over to her. "We're not. We heard him screaming wildly so we came to help. But when we got here, Kion was alone. He was running around this cave crazily, begging for.. mercy?"
"Begging for mercy?" Fuli echoed in surprise, her hostility fading away. "From what?"
"How should I know?" Rani asked. She then turned to Surak and Baliyo. "Let him up."
Surak nodded and Baliyo sighed reluctantly. Baliyo and Surak got off of Kion and Surak released his paw from his mouth.
Kion didn't say a word. He didn't move a muscle. He stared at them all, breathing heavily. Tears streamed freely down his face as he took shaky breaths. He buried his face in his paws, sniffling.
Rani's face softened. "Night Pride, let's go," she ordered her team. "Let's leave them alone for a bit." Her team obeyed, all except Nirmala.
"Nirmala, you coming?" Rani glanced back at her teammate.
"Rani, I'd like to stay here," she murmured. "Maybe I can help."
"Okay," Rani said, confusion audible in her voice. "If you say so." She then walked out of the cave, the Night Pride -except Nirmala- following her back to the Tree of Life.
Nirmala and Fuli walked closer to Kion. Nirmala sat down. "Kion, tell us what's wrong."
Kion didn't look up. Nirmala picked Kion's head up with her paw. "You can tell us."
Kion looked up at her for a moment then sighed. He narrowed his eyes. "No."