"Gotta love our days off," Bunga said as he began to climb up a tree.
"It's just nice to relax sometimes," Beshte said as he lay in the water below a small waterfall.
"You said it Beshte," Bunga called back as he reached the top of the tree. "Zuka Zama," he yelled as he jumped off the tree, doing a triple flip into the water below .
"Nice flip Bunga," says Kion relaxing on the shore.
"Thanks Kion."
"Anyti…" A sharp pain surged through his scar again. He winced and he tried to brush off the inexpiable irritation, but to little success. Kion could feel his heart beating out of his chest, feeling every movement it made, and it drove him crazy. He did his best to keep his mouth shut, he remembered what happened last time.
"Sorry I'm late guys," Fuli yelled as she came to a stop near the small body of water. Kion felt his pain go away as his heart beat returned to normal. His scar always seemed to stop acting up when Fuli was around.
"Don't worry Fuli, it's just our day off," Kion replied. Fuli smiled and laid down next to him. The guard spent the rest of the day together, laughing, and really enjoying the time off. As the sun began to set, everyone decided it was time to go home. Fuli and Kion were the last two remaining, and as Fuli is about to leave, she is interrupted by Kion.
"Hey Fuli, before you go, I was wondering if you'd like to go to the top Hakuna Matata Falls with me? I'm spending the night there and was wondering if you'd like to join?" he says as he shoots Fuli his signature smile, but Fuli had other ideas.
"Sorry Kion, I was planning on going hunting." His ears dropped a bit as his smile began to fade, but he quickly replaced it with a small grin. He figured that she would say no, he had hope that she would've said yes, sadly, looks like he was right.
"Oh, ok, well I'll be near the top of the falls if you change your mind, good luck." Fuli watched as Kion left the clearing near the bottom of the waterfall. She felt bad knowing that Kion would've said yes to her if the roles were reversed, and she was being completely honest, she kind of liked Kion's company. Someone who genuinely understands her, who she can tell enjoys her company, and was always willing to compromise on what to do. Maybe that's what made him a good leader, his willingness to sacrifice for those around him.
"Kion wait!" Kion pops his head through some bushes.
"What's up, Fuli?"
"I think I'll take you up on your offer." A big smile grew on the prince's face as he motioned for her to follow.
"Great! And I know where we can stop and get some food on the way up." The two walk out of the clearing, and towards a long winding path that leads towards the top of the falls.
It's late at night, and the two are on the top of the falls, watching the stars, making jokes and laughing, enjoying the company of each other.
"You know I could get used to this day off stuff," Kion said with a sigh of relief.
"You know what, I think I could too." Fuli replied in agreement. The two lay in silence, looking up at the stars that shower the Pride Lands with light during the night. They occasionally point out a constellation or a certain prominent star that shines brighter than all the other stars.
"Do you believe in love, Fuli?" Kion out of the blue. Kion shook his head and frowned, not knowing why the question that escaped him did. Fuli didn't notice as she was lost in the stars, and in the question that the lion cub had just asked her.
"You know I honestly don't know, but keep my hopes up," the cheetah replied. Kion smiled and looked over at her as she smiled back as she looked over at him. The moonlight illuminating his red mane which looked groomed and well kept, which was rare for Kion whose main was normally somewhat messy from a long days work.
A cold breeze began to blow through the Pride Lands, cooling the female cheetah down to an uncomfortable temperature. Kion noticed that Fuli was beginning to shiver due to the wind cutting through her thinner fur, she was trying to hide it but wast doing a very good job, so he decided to shift closer to his friend. He knew she didn't like to be in close proximity to other animals, but he wanted to keep her warm.
"What are you doing," she asked in her usual 'what are you doing' tone.
"You looked cold , so I decided to help keep you warm," he said while scratching his head nervously.
"I wasn't cold," she practically pouted. "But thanks," she relied shortly and softly after with a defeated tone.
'That's Fuli for ya' he said as he laughed mentally. There was a long moment of silence before someone spoke again.
"What about you Kion, think you'll find love?" Fuli asked.
He had never thought of an answer to the question head asked her, or even pondered it for a second. He looked up to the stars and thought to himself, but for some reason, his dad's story of how he and Kion's mother fell in love kept popping in his. The song his mother used to sing to him every night when he was younger, "Can you feel the love tonight," kept playing over and over again in his mind...but why?
"I'm sure I'll find it eventually, I'm sure we all will," he finally replied. "But we should probably get some sleep, we have patrol tomorrow."
The next morning, Kion and Fuli were the first to be at the lair, but it wasn't long before the other two members of the guard showed up, Ono was doing his morning sweep like always. "Everyone ready for patrol?" Kion asked.
"We are, I hope it's an easy day," said Beshte, but immediately after Beshte finished, Ono came flying back in hurry.
"Kion Kion!" Ono yelled. "We have a fire in Urembo Meadows."
"Hevi Kabisa, let's go team. Till the Pride Lands end!"
"Lion guard defend!"
The lion guard rushed to the meadow to find the fire already raging. The dry season made it very easy for fire to spread, which of course made it harder to stop.
"Ono, sweep the fields and trees and check for other animals, Bunga go with him. Beshte you work on the fire break over there, Fuli and I will work on another over here," Kion commanded. Everyone nodded and got to work.
As Kion and Fuli are trying to dig the fire break, some of the vultures flying overhead decide to "help" the lion gaurd out. They grab some sticks, set them on fire, and dropped them on a nearby tree without Fuli and Kion noticing.
"It's getting kind of hot, isn't it?" Fuli asked.
"It is a fire Fuli, they are normally pretty hot," laughed Kion.
Fuli decided to turn around, just to check, and saw a tree that was set a blaze begin to collapse, falling towards them, towards her. She froze up, her legs wouldn't wouldn't move no matter how much she wanted them too.
"Fuli watch out!" she heard someone yell, and yet she still couldn't move.
Out of nowhere, she was violently pushed out of the way of the falling tree. She looked up see Kion was the one who had pushed her, but in the process, he was struck by the tree. The tree broke her sight line as she lost Kion in the blazing inferno. She tried her best to fight the fire and make her way back to him, but ultimately, her efforts were futile.
"Kion!" She called out, but no response. She yelled once more, but all she could hear was the crackling and popping of the flames burning the wood. And for the first time in her life she felt helpless, she couldn't do anything to help her friend, and began to fear the worst.
"Someone help," she whispered in a moment of desperation. As if the lions of the past were listening to her, she looked behind her to see Ono leading a large group of elephants toward the fire. They began to fight the fire, pushing towards Kion. When they reached him, he was unconscious on the ground, barely breathing, with huge, deep burn marks all over his body.
"Kion?" Fuli asked as tears began to sting her eyes, tears that she never never showed, but ones that she definitely felt No matter how many times she or Bunga or Ono asked, Kion's body remained motionless, unresponsive.
"We have to get him to Rafiki," Ono suggested. "I'll go find Beshte."
Fuli nodded, appearing calm on the outside, but on the inside, she was panicking, hoping she wouldn't lose her best friend. The moments before it all went wrong replaying over and over in her mind, taunting her, torturing her. She froze, she was the one who needed saving. This was all her fault.
Everyone gathered round Kion as he lay in Rafiki's Tree as he held on to what little life he had left
"Is he going to be ok?" Ask Nala.
"Of course he is, Rafiki knows what to do," replies Simba as he looks over at Rafiki, who doesn't give a confident look.
"I am afraid der is nothin more I can do Simba, we just have to wait and see. I can heal his burns, but I cannot do anything for de smoke that he has inhaled, I am sorry" the mandrill replied. At this moment Fuli turns around to face the royal family.
"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault," Fuli admitted. "I just...couldn't move, and Kion saved, but i should have never froze like that in the first place, if i didn't he would still be ok."
Kiara came out from behind Nala and Simba, with tears in her eyes. "Don't blame yourself, Kion would've done that for any of his friends. I bet he's more than happy that you're safe," the princess said as she nuzzled Fuli.
"Thank you princess Kiara." Even with the comforting from the royal family, the situation still ate away at her. it wasn't like her to freeze like that, so why did she? If she was being honest with herself, it was that feeling that she trained so hard to never feel again, the one that cost her so much pain in her life, the emotion of fear.
(I know the book is slow now but it's just beginning to...heat up…. it gets better I promise. Also, this book is rated T because later the book get much more graphic and mature. Also I cant reply to some of your reviews/ comments and i'm not completely sure why. Sorry for any mistakes and spelling errors and I hope you enjoyed.)