The Lion King: Dawn of the Nations

Episode 53: Legacy

The lion cubs and the little cheetahs walked by the narrow river, the sound of the rapidly running water eased the hearts of the younglings, specially Keru's. "I wish I could get in there and swim."

"Uhm, that wouldn't be a good idea, Keru." Ari said.

"I know that's why I said 'I wish'." Keru replied.

"Hm, maybe you could swim in the Maji Safi." Faeze looked at the lion cubs with an inviting gaze.

"What's a Maji Safi?" Emba inquired.

"It's a big pool, with some cascades and stuff." Faeze said as they walked up a tall rocky mound. "It's not too far away from here."

"Oh, like Ungari." Keru commented.

"If you swim we'll watch you from a…considerable distance." Tizei said.

"Why? Don't you guys like to swim?" Zale asked.

"No, we hate water." Aozo said. "At least being in it."

"For real? That's strange." Keru opined.

On the meantime, Kion, Fuli and their respective mates also walked by the river, following their cubs with a stealthy and distant supervision. "Your kid looks like a good leader." Kion told Fuli.

"Because he is a good leader." Azaad said arrogantly.

Fuli chuckled. "Faeze has always been smart and curious, his friends follow him in every crazy adventure he thinks of."

"Wonderful." Kion said with a smile. "Emba has grown so much, he's also got that special light inside." He looked at the front with a thoughtful glare. "Our kinds need leaders like them, protecting and fighting just as we did."

Fuli looked at him briefly after his statement, seeing a new conviction in his eyes, one that surely included her son. Distant memories came into her mind as the singing of the river continued and they kept walking on the soft grass. Kiara saw the faces of doubt of Fuli and Azaad, also noticing some hostility in the latter's eyes. "You all should come visit us soon, to Pride Rock." Kiara changed the still early topic abruptly. "You have been excellent hosts and we must return the favor."

"There's no favor to return, Kiara." Fuli replied amicably. "This is what friends do." She smiled at her, and Kiara smirked back.

"We are a family, all of us." Kion said, still looking at the front. "We're of the same pride."

The fireflies pleased the sight of the little cubs as they arrived at the Maji Safi, their light reflected beautifully on the calm water of the pool, and the sound of the small cascades gave bliss to their little ears. "Woah!" Keru didn't hesitate to run towards the edge of the pool.

"Wait! It's…!" Faeze warned, but not soon enough.

"Yahoo!" Keru jumped and dived in the pool, then he rapidly got his head out of the water. "Cold! It's so cold!"

Zale chuckled along with the rest. "You'll get used to it, brother!" He exclaimed mockingly as they walked towards the edge.

"Just as you!" Emba pushed Zale with his front paws, making him fall in the cold water. Zale got his head out of the water while looking at Emba with a brief gaze of annoyance. "E…Em…b…ba!" He said while trembling.

"You'll get used it to it…cousin!" Emba started to laugh and then Ari tackled him, making both of them fall into the water.

Faeze looked at his new friends with a smile. "That spot looks dry enough." Faeze gestured at a flat elevation that was next to the pool, it was partially covered by lianas and other long plants that made a natural curtain.

"Let's hope so." Tizei said, following Faeze and the others.

Kion, Fuli, Kiara and Azaad arrived a few minutes later, looking at their children having fun in the Maji Safi. Kion chuckled blissfully. "What a wonderful night." He said while they approached the edge of the pool.

"It can be even better." Kiara said while looking at Kion with a playful glare.

"How?" Kion asked innocently, then his sister pushed him with her front paws, then she jumped into the water body between chuckles.

Fuli grunted and shivered as some water had splashed over her and Azaad. "I didn't expect that."

Azaad chuckled while shaking to get the water off him. "Let's go with the kids." He had spotted Faeze and his friends. "Let them have their fun."

"Sounds like a good idea." Fuli purred as she stroked Azaad's neck with her head.

"Hey dad!" Emba threw water at Kion's face a couple of times. "Dad! Water fight!"

Kion chuckled. "I have a better idea." Kion dived in and got under his son, then he swam to the surface again and got his head and back out, with his son laying over it, laughing and biting his dad's neck playfully.

"Ouch! You really want to fight, huh?" Kion turned on himself, making Emba fall over. They both got their heads out of the water after a brief moment, chuckling. Emba got closer to his father and nuzzled him, gesture he returned lovingly.

Zale, Keru and Ari swam casually with Kiara. "I wish dad was here, he would like this." Zale said.

"Yes." Keru said with a sad tone.

"Your father needs to spend some time with himself." Kiara said reassuringly. "That always helps him."

"Has he become evil? Keru asked with great worry.

"No, son, your father is a good lion. But as you and I, he makes mistakes." Kiara explained.

Zale wanted to stop talking about the matter. "Guys, would you like to go play with Emba and uncle Kion?"

"Not me, he's been so annoying." Ari said while shaking her head. "I'm gonna stay with my aunt."

"As you wish." Zale looked at Keru and gestured towards his uncle and cousin. "Come on." He started to swim towards them, followed closely by his little brother.

Ari sighed. "Sometimes it's so hard to be surrounded by so many boys."

Kiara let out a brief laugh. "You can say that again." She looked away with nostalgia. "Your dad was very good at getting on my nerves."

"But you still loved him, even in those moments, right?" Ari inquired.

"Of course I did, Ari. That had nothing to do with him being excessively annoying." Kiara chuckled.

Ari laughed a bit as well. "Yeah, I think it's the same with my brother and I. Well, with my cousins too. I…I don't know what I would do without them, honestly." A tear ran down her face as she kept herself afloat by moving her legs constantly.

"You okay?" Kiara inquired while getting closer to her.

"Since my…mom left." Ari sobbed. "I've felt so fragile, I try to look strong and…well, normal when they are around but it's so hard, I want to cry all the time." Ari cried bitterly. "I don't want anyone to leave me again, not you, not them…dad…" She sobbed while Kiara got her lower jaw over her head. "…what will I do when you leave too?" Ari cried on her aunt's neck.

"Shh, shh." Kiara expressed reassuringly and lovingly. "My sweet, I'm not leaving anytime soon." She licked her head gently. "I'm here with you."

Ari sobbed. "Thanks, aunt." She kept crying.

On the meantime, Fuli, Azaad and the cheetah cubs watched the lions having fun from the dry safety of the rocky elevation next to the pool. "Sweet." Azaad told Fuli.

"Yes?" Fuli glared at him.

"About what Kion said, do you really think he wants t…?" Azaad got interrupted by his mate.

"I'm not sure, dear, probably." Fuli replied coldly. "I will ask him later."

Azaad kept looking at her for a moment then nodded and gazed at his son, who was laying next to him, narrowing his eyes as he was starting to get sleepy again. "Okay."

After a couple of hours of swimming and playing, the lions got out of the water, reuniting with the cheetahs. The cubs stayed on the area next to the pool, napping while the adults walked around the place, resuming their previous conversation. "Fuli." Kion said, Fuli got closer to him. Azaad just kept his ear attentive to his words. "This new path I've chosen for the Pride Lands will bring turmoil." He looked down, reflecting deeply. "It's inevitable."

"You made the right choice." Fuli said reassuringly.

"I know, that's not the matter." Kion replied as they walked up a brief sloping path that led to the top of a rocky mound that faced the pool. "There will be times of chaos, new threats will arise." They stopped walking as they reached the top, sitting down after Kion did so, looking at his sister, Fuli and Azaad with eyes of certainty. "We need The Lion Guard."

Fuli's eyes widened, even if she was already suspecting that Kion would bring that up. "I…I agree, Kion." She received a glare of confusion from her mate. "It's the only way we can keep our lands protected, safe from any danger."

"And why are you telling us this, Kion?" Azaad inquired with hostility, standing up and walking towards him. "You don't need our consent."

"Actually, I do." Kion glanced at the sleeping cubs, who were visible from the top of that mound, focusing his gaze on Faeze. "Because I know what your son is capable of, by only seeing him, I can see strength in him." He looked back at Azaad. "Strength that the Lion Guard needs."

"And you think think we'll just be okay with that? With you risking the life of our son?" Azaad inquired with a frown. "Faeze will never be part of y…"

"Azaad! Let me have a say in this." Fuli scolded, walking past him and looking at Kion with a decided gaze. "I wasn't older than him when I joined the guard." She looked at her sleeping son, with fear in her eyes but also with pride and hope. "He is strong indeed, a born leader. There's a lot for him to learn, but I was just as naive and innocent as him, and he deserves a chance to prove himself."

"My dear pl…" Azaad stopped talking just by receiving Fuli's imperative look.

Fuli sighed and looked back at Kion, nodding at him. "Alright, Kion." She turned and began to walk away. "I'll bring him."

"Bring Emba too." Kion asked.

Azaad grunted and turned his back on Kion and Kiara, sitting down and shaking his head while glaring at the grassy ground. Kiara approached Azaad, sitting next to him. "I can see the strength in your cub as well, my nephew and him will make a great team which is what our lands need to remain secure. I know it's terrifying to even think on what dangers await them, but Faeze will be an adult some day and this can help you understand that better."

"I know there's nothing I can do to prevent him from doing this, but I really hope he declines." Azaad looked at Kion. "You won't make him do it if he says no." He said while looking at Kion.

"I wouldn't even consider that, Azaad." Kion replied.

"Thanks, Kion!" Faeze said as he, Emba and Fuli arrived. "I want to be part of The Lion Guard!"

Azaad sighed while shaking his head. "Son, loo…"

"I know you'll do great, Faeze." Fuli said while nuzzling his head.

Kion walked towards his son, then sat down before him with a big smile of pride on his face. "Emba, you have grown so much, enough to be the fiercest of the Guard."

"Oh, that makes me the leader, right?" Emba said with excitement.

Kion chuckled briefly. "Yes, son. Faeze will be the fastest as you may have guessed already, you both have the task to recruit the rest." He looked into Emba's eyes with nostalgia. "And I will respect your choices"

"So, it's like…official?" Faeze inquired, wagging his tail by the excitement, approaching Kion and Emba.

Kion smiled at them both, then he placed his paw on Emba's shoulder, which started to glow like a small sun, making Emba gasp with astonishment. Kion got his paw away from him, revealing the mark of The Lion Guard on his fur. "Woah!" Emba exclaimed, then he looked at his father with gratefulness. "Thanks, dad!" Kion gave him a firm nod, then gestured at Faeze.

Emba looked at Faeze and placed his paw on his shoulder, the same shine of light appeared and revealed the same legendary mark. Faeze let out a chuckle of excitement, looking at Emba with a big smile on his face, switching his gaze to Kion. "I will do my best."

"That's my son." Fuli said, then she looked at Azaad, putting a pleading expression. Azaad then looked at his son with eyes of great worry, he closed his eyes while approaching him. "I believe in you, son." Azaad opened his eyes and smirked at Faeze, nuzzling his head tenderly.

Kion approached Emba, nuzzling him as well. Fuli and Kiara looked at the scene with glares of hope, but with uncertainty in their hearts as well. "I really hope this is the right call." Kiara said.

"It has to be." Fuli replied while focusing her gaze on her cub.

"Emba!" Ari exclaimed with excitement, rushing towards him from behind a pair of bushes and nuzzling his chest. "I'm so proud of you!"

"This is so cool, Faeze! Member of The Lion Guard, that will make you a living legend!" Aozo had come from those pair of bushes as well.

"Yes, like your mom!" Niri added with a smile.

"Kids, didn't I tell you to stay down there?" Fuli said while raising an eyebrow, with a playful smirk, as the rest of the cubs exited their hideouts.

"Sorry, we really wanted to hear." Zale said. "My apologies, Queen Fuli."

Fuli chuckled. "That I can tell, and there's no need to apologize, Zale."

"When do we start?" Emba asked Kion.

"Yes! I wanna kick tail already!" Faeze expressed.

"Son…" Fuli said warningly.

"Oh, sorry. I…I wanna fight bad guys already." Faeze corrected.

Kion smiled at the two cubs. "Tomorrow, Koca and I will give you your first training session."

"Awesome!" Faeze exclaimed.

"Ozel will help, same as I." Azaad proposed.

Kion nodded at him. "Thanks, Azaad." He looked back at the cubs. "They will need all our help and support."

"Be careful, cousin." Keru approached Emba, looking into his eyes with true worry.

Emba smiled at him, patting his head tenderly. "Don't worry, Keru, I´ll be fine."

Zale approached Emba, hesitantly. "Can I go to the lair from time to time? Well, now that it will be yours. I mean...it has just become a special place to me."

"Uhm, sure, why not?" Emba said with some doubt. "I guess you could be of help."

"Yes!" Zale smiled at him gratefully. "Thank you, I will be of help, you can be sure about it."

Fuli walked towards Kion and Kiara. "You should all spend the night here, it's quite late."

"Oh, thanks Fuli, but we don't want to bother you more." Kion replied.

"Bother us? This is your home as well, Kion." Fuli looked into his eyes with tender feelings in her heart, same feelings Kion was having. "Please, stay."

Kion thought for a moment, looking at his sister, then he glanced back at Fuli. "Alright, if you insist." He smirked back at her.