Kovu lead Kion to a place full of ash.
"I had a coughing fit when Rafiki poured dust on my head, it's gonna be a lot worse here." Kion complained. "Why are we here?"
"Remember the story, and how Zira told Nuka and Vitani to start a fire?" Kovu asked, sounding a little upset at the memory.
"Yeah...oh..." Kion realized this was where his sister had been hunting, where the fire had been set, where the horrid plan of Zira's, begun. He felt a shudder shake his small body.
Kovu feared Kion might be uneasy here. He looked over to the cub and called him over. He then dusted away some ash reveling a small sprout, like Simba had shown him.
"This is where Simba was ambushed too." Kovu sighed, but then a small smile graced his lips. "And this is where Kiara and I reunited."
Kion looked around, stunned. This is the place his sister had called the most romantic place on earth?
Kovu lead him down the gorge. "This is the gorge of death."
Kion looked up in silent questioning.
"Nuka died here." Kovu sighed.
Kion felt his ears lower. Even though Nuka was very loyal to his mother Zira, it has hard to see him as bad. All he wanted to do was make his mother proud. The pain Kovu and Vitani felt about their fallen brother had left an impact on him... Kion wouldn't know what to do if he ever lost Kiara.
Kovu licked the top of his head in comfort. "Come on, lets head home."
Kion nodded slightly and followed him back to Pride Rock.
...
It was a normal day, and per usual Kion and his team were patrolling the Pride Lands, looking for conflicts to solve.
From a bush the hyena trio watched, waiting for a chance to jump out. Unlike other times, they didn't plan to harass him.
"Is he close enough yet?" Banzai asked, unable to wait.
"Shh! No! I'll tell you when he is!" Shenzi growled as she pawed him in the face.
"Hey, stop it!" Banzai barked.
Ed laughed.
"Stop it Ed!" They both yelled in unison.
Shenzi's eyes widened. "There he is, come on."
The three hyenas leapt out and circled around him. Kion was used to this and kept a straight face.
"Ooh look, it's the future king." Shenzi sneered.
"I guess he got the nerve to kill his sister!" Banzai laughed.
"Very funny." Kion spat. "She chose me as heir."
"Because she can't have cubs." Shenzi said in mock sadness. "You think she would've let you be king if she could have a kid?"
"No, and I'd be fine with that." Kion replied. "I love my sister and brother in law, and I would've loved my niece of nephew too!"
"Well, since you're the heir now..." Banzai said. "You're our target now."
"What?" Kion was puzzled. Wasn't he already their target? They teased him everyday.
His confusion was cleared when Shenzi lunged forward and snapped her jaws at him. Kion screamed and leaped out of the way, bumping into Ed.
Ed laughed in a rather frightening way. Something in Ono kicked in high gear, she flew fast paced and bit down on Ed's ear. She tugged until the ear slipped out of her grasp and Ed let a out a yelp of pain. She then pecked his head. Shenzi leapt forward and back pawed Ono away, causing the bird to call to the ground.
Bunga stepped protectively in front of Ono and growled as Shenzi.
"You think you scare me, pipsqueak?" Shenzi laughed. Suddenly she yelped, having experienced a great pressure on her tail.
Beshte had stepped on it. His eyes were now narrowed and his nostrils flared. Shenzi growled and bit at his heavy skin, unable to break it.
Fuli panicked and ran off, her breath heavy. Unfortunately as she was running she tripped over a warthog laying on his stomach, rump in the air.
"Hey Fuli!" Timon greeted her. "You here to join us for lunch?"
"Kion and the others are in trouble!"
"What kind of trouble? Beshte get his head stuck in a tree again?" Timon laughed.
"H-hyenas!"
Timon and Pumbaa looked at each other, eyes wide.
"Kid, go get Simba!" Timon commanded.
Fuli nodded and ran towards Pride Rock. This time she bumped into a lion instead of a warthog.
"Kovu!" She breathed out.
"Hey Fuli." Kovu smiled gently.
"K-kion's in danger!"
Kovu's eyes widened in fright then turned serious. "Take me to them, now!"
...
Banzai had Kion held by his tail and grinned wickedly.
"Hey! You leave the kid alone!" Timon yelled.
"Hey look Shenzi, it's your fiance!" Banzai laughed.
"You here for the honeymoon?" Shenzi teased.
"I should've brought flowers.." Timon muttered. If he could distract them until Fuli got back with Simba...
Roar!
The hyenas whimpered and yelped in fear.
"Leave them alone." Kovu growled.
The trio turned to each other and mumbled.
"We're not scared of you!" Shenzi laughed.
Kovu felt his teeth tighten and claws extend.
"Yeah. If Shenzi batted her eyelashes at you, you'd betray your Pride and join us. That's how it works, right?" Banzai chuckled.
Ed burst out into full laughter.
Kovu roared again and this time they ran off.
"W-where's Fuli?" Kion asked.
"She went back to Pride Rock." Kovu panted out, then started to check him over. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"
"Nothing too bad." Kion said. "I'm fine."
Kovu looked at the others. "Are you guys alright."
Ono sat up and shook her feathers. "A little ruffled, but okay."
"My skin was too thick for them to hurt me." Beshte giggled, once again in his happy-go-lucky mood.
"Come on Kion, lets go home." Kovu gently picked up Kion and walked back to Pride Rock silently.
"Kion you're alright!" Nala nuzzled against her son and purred.
"Kion!" Simba was relived.
"Daddy, momma." Kion purred and nuzzled back. "Y-yeah...I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Nala and I have been face to face with those hyenas before." Simba growled.
"So have I." Kion pointed out
Simba shook his head. "Not like this. They've never attacked you before. Your mother and I were almost killed by them when we were younger!"
Simba sighed and looked Kion in the eyes. "I don't want you being lion guard anymore."
"What?!" Kion yelled.
"Simba!" Nala scolded.
"Daddy!" Kiara responded.
"It's too dangerous." Simba explained.
"Daddy, you promised you wouldn't be so protective of Kion like you were with me!"
"Kiara, I think he's right." Kovu said.
"Kovu..." Kion sounded hurt.
Kiara just gave him a look of disdain.
"He almost died, Kiara!" Kovu countered. "I've almost seen you get killed hundreds of times, and each time I was scared for your safety!"
"Kovu, I can take care of myself!" Kiara argued.
"Well I wouldn't really say-"
"KOVU!"
"Daddy, I love being the lion guard." Kion said, tears welling in his eyes. "I-it makes me feel g-good to help others."
"As king you'll be able to help so many more." Simba explained.
"M-mom..." Kion looked to Nala for aid.
"Simba, he's been doing this for a long time and is very passionate about it." Nala reasoned. "And he's stopped so many conflicts."
"Nala, I can't risk loosing him!"
"We're not gonna lose him!" Nala roared.
"I already lost Kopa, I don't wanna lose another cub!"
"You? WE both lost Kopa! Kiara lost Kopa!"
Kion's ears folded down. He always felt sad when he thought of Kopa. Not only because it made his family so upset, but he wished deeply that he could've met his older brother. From what he'd heard Kopa was a lot like him. They both enjoyed hearing stories, liked to help, and loved to explore.
"We can't let this happen again, Nala!"
"Simba...Kopa wouldn't want you to do this." Nala said gently.
Simba's eyes soften. Kovu still looked a bit tensed.
"Wouldn't Kopa want his little brother safe?" Kovu said.
Simba sighed. He needed the Great Kings to guide him. He felt a wind fluff his mane slightly, and as he looked around he noticed it ruffle the other lion's fur. Thank the Great Kings. "What if ... Kion has a chaperone?"
"A chaperone?" Kion asked. He looked disappointed. "Like... a babysitter?"
"Well...kind of."
"Great." Timon said in exasperation. "Looks like we have to be babysitters again, Pumbaa."
"I meant a lion baby-...Chaperon." Simba corrected himself. "Nala,Kiara,Kovu, and I will will switch off everyday and escort you while you patrol."
Kion sighed. He could argue all he wanted, but he knew it wouldn't do him any good.
Great Kings...what will this do to my place in the Circle of Life?