A few days went by for Kion and he began to trust them but still wouldn't let them bathe him, or sleep with him, or tell them anymore about the Pride Lands but he would let them play with him, train with him, and go near him without him feeling uncomfortable but he was still healing though he was able to stand and walk but had to take it easy plus Nirmala wanted to make sure nothing became of the scar down his left eye. Kion was a fighter and was truly healing. Right now, he was helping Rani and Baliyo train near the Tree since they didn't want Kion going far in case something happened and Baliyo and Rani really wanted to train with him.
Baliyo: Who is up against who in the first round?
Kion: Um, let me see what you two really got but remember not to use claws on each other.
Rani: Alright.
Kion backed up as Baliyo and Rani began circling. He wasn't going to intervene this time unless it got intense but they don't seem to argue as much as him and his sister used to. He noticed them lunge at each other while making sure their claws didn't come out or they would hurt each other. Kion remembered when he play fought with his sister but he had to train to make sure Zira wouldn't overpower him again. He saw them pinning each other and Rani came out on top.
Rani: Got'tcha.
Baliyo: Get off.
Rani obeyed and got off. Then she smirked toward Kion.
Rani: Me against you. You fought a full grown lioness, I wanna see what you got.
Kion: If you say so but if I really wanted to. I would be able to defeat you both.
Baliyo: Then take both of us on.
Kion: Suite yourself but I warned you.
This is the first time that Kion actually participated then watching seeing how they can approve. The three cubs circled one another. It was one against two, that hardly seems fair but at least they weren't fully grown. Kion lunged at them both, making certain that he doesn't release the Roar, that would be cheating to them and he didn't want them to know more about him then they had to. Kion used his paws to bat them away without using his claws or full strength because he wasn't trying to beat them up. Kion had eventually knocked both cubs over. Kion got off of Baliyo and they both rose to their paws, panting but Kion wasn't out of breath.
Rani: You sure *gasp* lying about *gasp* you being able to *gasp* take us both *gasp* on.
Baliyo: No *gasp* kidding. How are *gasp* not out of *gasp* breath?
Kion: I've done it for a while. Play fighting with my sister, taking on hyenas, jackles, and crocs.
Baliyo: You're *gasp* kidding. Right?
Kion: No. But I used claws and had a team but I was just walking around by myself while my team was doing their own thing.
Rani: You're good in a fight. Maybe you could help us in the Night Pride once you're fully healed.
Kion looked at the Guard mark on his shoulder and remembered that it meant that he had a duty to the Pride Lands.
Kion: Maybe for a little while but I have to eventually go home to let my family know i'm okay.
Baliyo: Oh, come on. It'll be so much more fun.
Queen Janna came up because she wasn't that old yet.
Queen Janna: Time for your training, Rani.
Rani: Okay. Bye, guys.
Kion and Baliyo: Bye.
Kion found out the day after he woke up, which was a couple days ago, that Rani was training to be Queen and had been at it for a month now but she was allowed to take a break from it every now and then. Kion and Baliyo went to the watering hole to get a drink and settled down.
Kion: I'm sure glad that I ended up here and nowhere bad.
Baliyo: You're a pretty cool cub to be around. Also a very good fighter.
Kion: What do you expect? I was leader of my team.
Baliyo: You were a leader? How did you determine who was in charge?
Kion: Oh, ummm. There was this team thing that was disgraced by the leader before me but me and my team brought glory back to it but we never took any praise. Yes, credit was given but we were never praised. My dad had put me in charge of the team and I didn't even know about it until he told me. I assembled the team with my friends. My dad didn't approve at first because he thought it should be made up out of lions not a lion, cheetah, hippo, honey badger, and egret. We proved him wrong when we took out the hyenas, calmed the herd, and saved my sister for the first time.
Baliyo: Wow. That sounds incredible. I wish I could've seen you lead in action.
Kion: Maybe someday.
Baliyo: Maybe but at least your healing is coming around nicely.
Kion: That is good news. But knowing that lioness, she wouldn't give up once she finds out that i'm still alive which is why i'm gonna wait until I get stronger to return.
Baliyo: -Laughs- Don't forget bigger. I mean think about it, a full grown lioness vs a cub doesn't sound fair.
Kion: Neither is two vs one. I mean, I defeated the lioness before but I had a team to back me up, I didn't even have breathing room when I took her on last time and it didn't help with the commit I made to her.
Baliyo: Which was?
Kion: It was something against what she believed and she got angry about it. But I don't regret saying it because it was true.
Baliyo: You don't lie, do you?
Kion: No. But one thing for sure, me and my sister wasn't like you and Rani.
Baliyo: What do you mean?
Kion: Well, me and her used to argue a lot. Things never got physical but we did keep going against what the other one said unless it really counted, then we worked together. Things were like that until my mom took us on the trail to Udugu.
Baliyo: Huh?
Kion: Udugu is another word for kinship. Every royal siblings where i'm from goes on it. It was especially important for us because of me being leader of the team that protected my home and her being future Queen.
Baliyo: Still don't trust us enough to say where you are from or names?
Kion: I've only known you all for a few days.
Baliyo: True. How you feeling?
Kion: Not as sore as when I first got here.
Baliyo: I guess that's not bad.
Kion and Baliyo noticed Ullu fly above their heads and this is only the 2nd or 3rd time he's seen Ullu but in this case, there was trouble.
Baliyo: Must be something at the pass or somewhere else.
Kion: Lets take a listen.
Ullu: Surak, Nirmala, there's 3 leopards approaching the pass.
Surak: Lets go.
Nirmala and Surak rushed passed the two cubs and went for the pass.
Kion: Leopards?
Baliyo: Have you never seen a leopard before?
Kion: Of course I have. I met 3 of them but there's no way that one of those 3 can be there.
Baliyo: How did you meet leopards? And what do you mean that it can't be all 3?
Kion: First off, I fought 2 leopards named Makucha but I didn't really fight the second one, Mapigano pretty much coward and ran away. But the third actually surprised me.
Baliyo: How?
Kion: I met him the same day I met Mapigano because Mapigano took over his turf and the 3rd ended up going up the Galagos tree. They were so freaked out that they thought the leopard was going to eat them. It was the strangest day. Badili, the third leopard, was actually a friendly leopard that didn't want to fight. We taught him how to stand up for himself without fighting. Then that same day, a giraffe got stuck in a tree.
Baliyo: That all does sound- wait. Did you say a giraffe stuck in a tree?
Kion: I know. Even me and my team didn't believe it at first. We actually saw a giraffe stuck in a tree. You had to see it to believe it.
Baliyo: Wow. Lets go to the pass. I wanna see who those leopards are.
Kion: If they weren't driven off already.
Baliyo took off and Kion followed him to the pass. Kion spotted Makucha up front but didn't recognize the other two. He also noticed Nirmala and Surak getting exhausted. Kion knew he had no choice but to use the Roar because Surak and Nirmala are getting exhausted, Baliyo and Rani aren't ready to fight bad guys if only him can take them down, and he can't fight 3 fully grown leopards by himself, it's pure luck that he isn't dead.
Kion: That one up front is Makucha, I don't know the other two. You can come closer if you want but you better stay behind me, I mean it.
Baliyo: Why?
Kion: You'll see and you'll be glad that none of you are my enemy.
Baliyo: Huh?
Kion raced forward and Baliyo followed as quickly as possible wanting to see what he was going to do. Kion ran in front of Nirmala and Surak before coming to a stop. He looked at them the 3 lions behind him.
Kion: Whatever happens, stay behind me. I'm serious. Even if they lunge, stay behind me.
The 3 nodded and Kion turned back in time to see Makucha's paw move toward him, he ducked and head-butted him away.
Baliyo: Kion. You can't take on 3 grown leopards by yourself.
Kion: I'm not.
This left all 3 confused.
Makucha: Kion, so it is you. Thought so. Everyone around the Pride Lands says that you're dead.
Kion: I'll be heading there when i'm ready but you either leave now or face the consequences.
Leopard 1: Or what? You'll roar at us.
The 3 lions got even more confused on what they were talking about.
Leopard 2: We're not going anywhere until we get inside.
Kion: Then you must face the consequences.
The wind around them began to pick up and the clouds started rolling in. The lions were confused but the leopards started backing up. Kion let loose the Roar as the lions of the past roared with him and sent them flying away. The lions were very surprised as the roar came to a stop. Kion took a moment to catch his breath, having not used it in a while.
Baliyo: That was amazing. How did you do that?
Kion: Apparently whenever I use the Roar of the Elders, the lions of the past Roar with me. That's how my dad determined I was ready to lead.
Rani came running up with Queen Janna walking up behind.
Rani: What was that?
Nirmala: It was Kion.
Rani: What? How can a cub roar that loud?
Baliyo: Something called the what?
Kion: Roar of the Elders. When I use it, the lions of the past roar with me but, uh, I can't use it in anger.
Rani: Why?
Kion: Uh, because if I did that it can cause damage. A lot of damage. One time the hyenas were attacking my mom and I used the Roar in anger. The Roar caused a lot of destruction and even backfired. The ground opened up and my mom fell in but I helped her out again.
Baliyo: How can we tell if you're about to use it in anger?
Kion: It's actually a huge give away. When i'm not using it an anger, the Roar isn't that strong and the clouds are white. But if I do use it in anger or about to, the clouds turn dark and it is really powerful that I would lose control.
Surak: Best not do that here.
Kion: I know.
Queen Janna: Come on, lets head back in.
They all followed Queen Janna back in where they relaxed.