"Bitterness and saltiness... the smell of grass, the smell of soil, the smell of wind. All these meaningful flavors are concentrated into one complex flavor. Oh, I see now... this is the flavor of Life!"~
-Beaststars, Chapter 82
"Rise and shine, my little prince."
His mother's serene voice never before sounded so soothing. More than half a season away from her brought forth sharp, piercing pangs of homesickness.
"Come on sleepyhead, there's not much time before your grand adventure."
Kion's amber eyes fluttered open to regard the all-to-familiar den he shared with his family. Although the young lion frequently rested in the Lion Guard's cave beneath the base of Pride Rock, nothing compared to the security and comfort he felt sleeping with the rest of the pride in the cool, rock-walled den where he was born. And there, sitting regally before the prince, was the Queen of the Pride Lands. Nala observed him with luminescent turquoise eyes gleaming with the purest love only a mother could possess as her little prince shook sleepiness away from his blurry vision and arched his back in a luxuriant feline stretch.
"Today is a day I have anticipated ever since your sister and you were born… although I certainly had hoped under better circumstances." She glanced for a moment at him with slight trepidation. "Regardless, I know you're ready for this, little one."
Now alert and sitting on his haunches, Kion met his mother's gaze with apprehension, partially due to her reference to the fresh scar adorning his left eye, but mainly at what she had planned for today. However, if the Queen noticed any sign of his reluctance, she paid it no mind as the elegant lioness stood to all fours and strolled leisurely toward the shafts of radiant sunshine at the mouth of the cave. Nala paused to look over her shoulder, her eyes locking with his.
"Kion, you are ready. I know you can do this." With a flick of her tail beckoning him to follow, the Queen left the prince to his agonizing indecision.
Kion knew the journey would be long, possibly over a full season to the Tree of Life and back to the Pride Lands, if all went as planned. He and Fuli needed to eat meat and it would be quite unfair if she had to hunt for both during the trip. Most of all, this was a vital part of the Circle of Life. If he sought to understand it completely, he must experience one of its most sacred aspects; to end the life of another.
The young prince lived quite a privileged cubhood. For his whole life, the lionesses provided meat for the pride. He never witnessed the moment they caught prey, only the mouthwatering hunks of meat his mother delivered to him and his sister. That dissociation provided Kion with a measure of precious innocence.
Therefore, from his sheltered, well-intentioned naivety, he perceived almost every Pridelander as only a potential friend and ally. His closest companions were a mixture of meat and plant eaters. Most importantly, the Lion Guard's main purpose was to protect all Pridelanders from threats, usually devious Outlander predators.
But now he was expected to regard the Kingdom's subjects -those very same souls he vowed to shield from harm- as his prey.
Letting loose a nervous exhale, the prince faced the cave entrance before eventually mustering enough courage to pad into the blinding light and follow his mother down Pride Rock. His stomach rumbled loudly, irritated at the lack of food it had received recently. Nala made sure he did not eat at all yesterday. She said it would sharpen his instincts.
As they weaved down a rocky trail toward sun-kissed savanna plains, he noticed those enhanced senses as the alluring aroma of prey infiltrated his nose. Pausing and parting his jaws slightly to drink in the mouth-watering scent, information flooded his mind.
Two males, a warthog, and a meerkat. Came down this same path not long ago, perhaps just before dawn. Familiar scent-
It was Timon and Pumba.
Then, as quickly as a primal instinct to follow the trail took over, it vanished. He shook his head vigorously and guiltily glanced ahead to make sure his mother did not notice his behavior. Mentally chastising himself for thinking of his uncles in the same way a hungry predator would regard a potential meal, he broke into a lope to catch up to her.
Unaware of the uneasy chaos swirling around inside his head, his mother asked in a cheery tone, "So, Kion, are you excited to have your First Hunt before Kiara?"
The prince tried to sound eager as he answered, "Of course, Mom. I couldn't have asked for a better teacher."
"I can't wait to show you one of the most important parts of the Circle of Life! Plus let's not pretend as if 'his Royal Majesty' could give any advice about this! Let me tell you, your father is by far the lousiest hunter in all the Pride Lands, except for when it's tracking down caches of bugs to dine on," she mewed cheekily, mirth permeating her every word.
Kion was far too tense to reply. His mind once again diverted to the glaring ethical incongruencies of leading a guard meant to protect Pridelanders as he simultaneously prepared to kill one of them.
Now amongst the tall, golden grasses of the savanna, the sleek, tawny-furred lioness and her red-maned cub sought refuge in the cool shade of a flat-topped acacia tree to observe potential prey in comfort.
As the prince sat on his haunches, muscles coiled in anxiety, Nala met his gaze.
"What's troubling you, Kion?" She saw right through his poor attempt at feigning excitement.
His eyes shot to the dry grass at his forepaws, ashamed by his hesitancy. The cub stammered out with a tremor in his voice, "I… I want to learn, Mom, I really do. And I know how valuable it will be for the journey, but... I don't know if I can do this. The Lion Guard is meant to protect the Pride Lands. The idea that I'm supposed to go out there and k-kill someone," Kion paused, tail lashing, then blurted out plaintively, "I mean, what if they know me? What if I've saved them before?"
"Oh my sweet little prince, you should have told me earlier." Nala padded over to embrace the stressed lion in the comforting warmth of her chest fur. "There's nothing wrong with showing compassion, Kion. I couldn't be more proud of you for defending our home. But at the same time, we cannot change what we are.
"We are lions. Lions must eat meat, so inevitably there will be those who become our prey. The most important thing is to honor those who become your next meal. Their lives enable us to sustain ourselves and feed our young. Their lifeblood gives you the vital energy you need to protect us all from threats to the Pride Lands."
"I know we have to eat meat, Mom." The cub's tone turned somber. "It's just… anyone I kill will have a herd, a family, maybe a mate. How could the rest not hate me after that?" His throat threatened to close up from prospective guilt. "How could any prey animal trust me or the Lion Guard ever again?" His rounded, splayed-back ears burned with shame at such misgivings, but he could only be honest with his mother.
"Then let me ask you, do the herds hate me and the rest of the lionesses? Or perhaps you, Kiara, or your father for dining on the carcasses we bring back to Pride Rock?"
"Well… no, I suppose they don't." The prince's gaze remained on the dirt and his fiery-red tail-tuft twitched wildly with apprehension.
"The reason the herds respect us is because of our commitment to the Circle of Life, Kion. We hunt only as much as we need and keep out those who wish to bring greater harm to them. Wherever they go, predators will always be a threat. Under our protection, the herds grow strong but not too large to overpopulate the land and drain precious resources. And just as the herds respect their King and Queen, so too will they respect you. I know you are hungry, little one, and they know that you will only take what is necessary. In fact, that reluctance you feel is precisely why I know you will be an amazing hunter, Kion."
Her son looked up to lock eyes with her, at first confused.
"Most would say the greatest trait a hunter can possess is being the fastest, the strongest, or perhaps the sneakiest. However, the most important quality to have when hunting your prey is that you respect them. That you understand the life you take is not for sport or pleasure but is instead vital to you and your pride's survival."
The red-maned prince took a moment to fully absorb his mother's sage advice. Closing his eyes before letting out a deep exhale to settle his frayed nerves and clear his clouded mind, Kion met Nala's sparkling turquoise eyes with a fierce nod.
"I'm ready."
With the blazing morning sun burning overhead, two near-silent predators slunk between tall stalks of golden savanna grass, their ears pinned to their skulls while they kept downwind of the inviting scent of a potential meal. They halted just before their cover gave way to an open plain, peering between wavering stalks at a sizable herd of gazelle a short distance away.
Kion's stomach growled in anticipation, yet still his mind swirled with lingering misgivings. He regarded the herd with a queer combination of hunger and guilt.
"Look there," his mother whispered, gesturing with a slight nod of her head to the portion of the crowd closest to them. "Tell me which one will be your target and why."
As he focused on the area she designated, sudden movement distracted him from his task. Two rowdy calves gamboled between the legs of the adults, their squeaks and squeals of joy carrying over to the ears of both lions.
"Focus, Kion."
Shaking his head to rid himself of a vision of horrified baby gazelles bearing witness to a ferocious lion pouncing on a member of their herd, Kion reprioritized.
The horde of gazelle drifted a bit closer, ambling slowly toward their concealed position, grazing peacefully. However, amongst the shifting sea of legs, a single set broke the pattern.
"Did you see it?" came his mother's guiding murmur.
Zeroing in on that misstep, ravenous amber eyes sized up a young buck amongst the crowd, observing how one hind leg remained delicately placed, unlike the other three.
"One of them is injured," he rumbled stoically.
"And so you have found your prey."
All his churning emotions fell away as his mind cleared and thought only of the hunt. Jaws parted to take in every scent and their relative position, soon saliva slid from his tongue to blot the soil below as the hunter remained as still as stone.
Closer and closer they came, unaware of the two dangerous predators. Then, one near the edge of the mass eventually glanced up from his grazing upon noticing a small red smudge amongst the sea of golden grass. Unable to discern what it was, he sniffed the air cautiously and flicked his ears, rotating them to-and-fro for signs of possible danger. A heartbeat before the sentry could voice any kind of alarm, wavering yellow stalks blurred with sudden movement.
Blood pumping in his ears and with a surge of adrenaline, the red-maned lion hurled himself into the clearing, charging straight for his target. Already as he left his cover, the herd was streaking away. Rumbling hooves kicked up a cloud of dust that permeated the air, but nothing deterred the fearsome predator from his prey. Limping and bleating in panic, his target made an admirable effort, but one that would ultimately be in vain.
Pelting through the dust cloud at top speed, Kion dodged a sharp hind hoof kick from his quarry with the intent of knocking him away. Bunching his haunches, he sprang at the gazelle's tan back with a guttural snarl and forelegs fully outstretched. For a heartbeat, it seemed as if he would miss when the buck made a sharp turn, but razor-sharp claws on his right forepaw hooked firmly into flesh, causing both lion and gazelle to tumble together in a spray of dust and earth.
The lion ended up on top of his quarry. Time nearly stopped as the gazelle turned his head to regard his killer. Doleful dark orbs met savage amber, but as slavering fangs flashed, the gazelle managed to utter a single, terrified exclamation.
"Kion-?!"
The cry abruptly cut off into a wheezing gurgle as powerful jaws snapped shut. Large fangs pierced through the gazelle's fragile neck, severing the jugular and crushing his windpipe. The red-maned lion remained stoically dug into his quarry, both forepaws latched into flesh and completely still as shock overtook the dying gazelle. For a few morbid heartbeats, the prey's limbs thrashed and churned at the air frantically, until, with one final death throe, they stiffened and stilled forever.
Blood flooded his senses. Its intoxicating scent overwhelmed his flaring nostrils. Hot and with a sickly sweet taste, lifeblood slithered down his gullet as his jaws remained firmly locked into succulent, warm gazelle meat. Yet while his stomach sang with victory, the young lion's mind registered the sting of fresh tears and the sensation of one leaving a streak down the side of his muzzle.
"Yes, you did it! That was perfect, Kion! Although at this point, it's okay to let go of the throat-"
Nala came around from behind to praise her son, only to immediately cut herself off. Brow furiously furrowed, lips curled in a snarl and bright-hued blood staining his whole mouth, the savage appearance was offset by red, puffy eyes shining with unshed tears.
"Kion… are you alright?"
Still in a trance, the bloody-muzzled prince, slowly and with deliberate care, delicately unlatched his teeth from flesh.
"H-he said my name." It came out as a husky half-growl. The prince met his mother's gaze with a haggard stare that could reach all the way to the horizon.
Nala could not find any immediate words of comfort to assuage the distraught lion, but that need was swiftly alleviated when Kion lurched into her embrace. He burrowed his face into her thick, enveloping chest ruff, inadvertently staining it with the blood on his muzzle. However, Nala couldn't care less and brought her forepaws around him.
Kion's mind regressed to that of a frightened newborn cub. Only his mother's soothing embrace could bring any measure of reassurance.
The dream -the memory of Kion's First Hunt- should have ended there, but it was not to be.
"Kion, could you tell me how she tasted?"
Dark amber eyes pressed tightly shut in search of solace snapped open at the bizarre question. He lifted his head from his mother's chest, only to notice shadows elongating and a twilight sky above rapidly darkening. Kion was certain his First Hunt took place just after dawn.
"W-What do you mean, Mom? That gazelle was a buck."
She let out a strange giggle, before turning her head towards the corpse. "Silly cub! You caught a female cheetah. Look."
Bewildered, the prince glanced behind him, only to do a double-take. The corpse of a lean cheetah occupied the exact spot where before a gazelle lay. Leaving his mother's side, he trudged toward the body in a dumbstruck, dazed manner. Even the limbs seemed to be in the exact same place, as was the neck wound. So too was her expression of pure terror, her hauntingly familiar forest-green eyes wide in shock and already glazed over. Then, Kion noticed the spot patterns. There was a small heart shape right between the eyebrows, just like….
For a terrible, horrendously awful heartbeat that lasted an eternity, the prince realized he was staring at his friend's dead body. As if physically stricken, Kion let loose a gut-wrenching roar of agony. It was incomprehensible that this was Fuli.
He whipped around in a blind haze only to find that his mother had vanished. A sob wracked his whole body upon turning back to the cheetah, and he laid down close to the body. The tearful lion checked for her scent, still in utter disbelief, only to confirm what he already knew. Everything around him all seemed so wrong, with the sky transitioning to night, Fuli's cooling body before him, and Nala vanishing into thin air.
A chilling growl brought dreadful clarity to the devastated cub.
"Now, now, Grandnephew. Rather rude to deny your mother a straight answer, so I'll ask in her stead." A leering smirk seeped into every syllable. "How did she taste?"
Bone-tired from yesterday's ordeals, the prince could only muster three hoarse words in a broken voice.
"Leave me alone."
Kion heard a scoff of disdain, "Ugh, such a boring and utterly unimaginative response. Come on now, killer to killer, how was the flavor? I'd bet sweet and tangy with a rich texture. And the fragrance of prime cheetah meat is just to die for, let me tell you," the silky-smooth, accented speaker goaded on, a toothy grin evident with every word.
Enraged, Kion wheeled around to the source of the voice, only to see nothing but shadowy savanna grass. Night befell his corrupted dream, casting the young prince in near total darkness. A toxic black smog began to fill the clearing. Suddenly, a sinister, gleaming pair of neon green eyes stared back at him from the haze. Wisps of black smoke coalesced together to form a feline outline. The face carried a crooked smile, which only widened as the murky form gained color, aside from a slicked-back mane that remained as shadowy as everything around them. With a dark-orange pelt and lighter colored paws and underbelly, the tyrant of the Pride Lands stood before Kion, just as he would have appeared in the flesh.
Although tear streaks still stained his muzzle, the young lion summoned his last dregs of courage befitting the Fiercest in all the Pride Lands. Kion uttered a throaty growl in reaction to the lithe, black-maned lion before him, a returning rage fueling his hatred for the dead villain.
"I don't know what in the Great Kings is going on, but if you're some manifestation of the venom trying to make me go crazy, it won't work!"
A sinister chuckle was rebuked by a savage snarl from Kion as his rationality slowly ebbed away to boiling infuriation.
"Temper, temper, little prince," Scar crooned in a sarcastic attempt to calm the smaller lion. "Such an affinity with rage would seem to make you fit the profile of a remorseless killer… oh wait, I spoke too soon." A black-furred tail-tip guided Kion's gaze back to the harrowing sight of his fallen friend.
"No- no that wasn't me." Desperation tinged his tone as outrage gave way to grief. "I would never h-hurt- would never kill her."
"Wholesale denial only prolongs the inevitable conclusion you must reach, Kion," the tyrant tutted, as if mentoring an obstinate pupil.
"Killing is as integral to us lions as scavenging to a vulture. Earlier today, you pounced on that same cheetah as if she were mere prey. Think back to that moment when her life was a single strike away from being extinguished forever."
Kion shrank back, eyes unfocused as he recalled Fuli's terrified face.
"I-I wouldn't have done it."
He despised how small and uncertain his voice sounded, like a young cub attempting to pronounce a new word for the first time.
"And yet, I can't help but notice how ruthless you can be with your prey. Even crying out your name did nothing to deter you from the kill. Who's to say -especially with that awful venom coursing through your veins- that Fuli or another of your guard wouldn't be next?"
"That will never happen! I'll be at the Tree of Life soon enough and through with these ridiculous nightmares-!"
"And if the Tree can't save you? What then, little one?" The villain possessed a knowing glint within his devious, neon green gaze.
The red-maned prince only stared back in silence. A secondary plan had not yet crossed his mind, but he remained unwilling to reply. Kion wouldn't give his evil granduncle any satisfaction in hearing him voice any uncertainty.
"I truly wonder, Kion -if you would so kindly entertain my query- who first succumbs to your madness?" Scar drawled on with a honey-smooth purr that slithered into the young lion's splayed ears. "Perhaps it'd be the mandrill. That piercing voice of hers seems quite grating on the nerves. I can picture it now. A checkup on your condition goes wrong and you'd finally become fed up with those utterly useless doses of tuliza. One quick snap of the neck would be all that's required, very basic for an adept killer like you-"
"Shut up, Scar! Don't talk about her like that," Kion warned with a deep growl. His rage returned upon hearing more incitement from the tyrant.
"Or maybe the honey badger would be your first victim. He thinks you're absolutely evil, after all. I suppose the honeymoon phase of being 'best friends' has long since passed. Such a pity. With all the seeds of doubt sown into the minds of your guard, it's quite a miracle you haven't acted sooner against such provocation. A swift slash across the throat could forever silence such dissent-"
"I swear by the Great Kings, if you keep talking…." His sentence trailed off into a guttural snarl. The red-maned prince adopted a hunter's crouch toward his granduncle, coiling his haunches to pounce on this delusion and end the torment.
"But, inevitably as we all witnessed today, the cheetah will be the first to fall. Truly such a remarkable transformation from loyal, trustworthy friend to deceitful usurper, wouldn't you agree?"
Scar never waited for any response.
"Hmm, I wonder… before or after you learn that no cure exists at that accursed tree? When the moment arrives that all hope for your condition is lost, well I'd imagine almost anyone would be caught in harm's way of that boiling rage. That insolent cheetah will ask to 'take charge' again, but this time she'll be met by your claws crisscrossing their way down her ribcage and bringing out a brilliant crimson hue to complement her spotty complexion-!"
"Shut your muzzle, Scar!" With a mighty leap, Kion brought his claws surging toward his granduncle. The torment would end, here and now. This old tyrant of the past would trouble him no longer-
Long, intimidating claws swished through nothing but air. The prince stumbled forward from the lack of any resistance.
"Foolish cub! Hoping to hurt me, were you? Sink your claws in and let out all that rage? Too bad little one, you'll have to save that for the waking world. But while you're here, let me give you some parting advice."
In the blink of an eye, Kion recoiled in absolute shock from a lance of pain as feline claws raked down his side. Stunned, the lion was helpless as he was slammed on his back by a pouncing Scar, whose claws sunk into both sides of his pelt as he stared down at the cub.
A sinister growl sent a shiver up Kion's spine. The young lion's gaze was arrested within the glare of a pair of malevolent, glowing neon green eyes. "I control this domain now. Your dreams belong to me." Claws sunk deeper into Kion's side, drawing out a pained whimper. "And eventually, if you'll so kindly allow me, this is where I will train your mind to fight the effects of the venom."
"I-I will never-!" He broke off into another whine when Scar's claws redoubled their efforts to slash down his sides.
"If you insist on such petty intransigence, I will force you to face reality, you daft cub! I am not a mere delusion of your madness. I am a spirit, just as real as that accursed grandfather in the clouds you communed with routinely until that scar marred your body and mind. And if it wasn't quite obvious, I suffered until my death with the same venom that afflicts you now. I am your true salvation, Kion, not some mystical tree in the mountains. However…" he continued with a contemptible sigh, as if disappointed, "it appears that you do not yet welcome your savior. I'll return you to your damnation, but do let me know when you've changed your mind."
"Wait,-" But before the lion prince could formulate a response, Scar let out a bone-chilling growl, and with a snarl curling his muzzle, lunged forward like a striking viper. Gleaming, yellow fangs shot straight for Kion's exposed throat, but he could only scream in terror as cruel jaws came closer and closer….
Amongst the faint burble of a serene stream and the melodic chirps of countless crickets in the dead of night, a sharp feline yowl cleaved through the forest's placid ambience.
Kion convulsed out of his nightmare. His heart racing, fear danced within panicked amber irises that darted around wildly as the young lion took in his surroundings.
It's okay, I'm okay. It was just a dream….
But as he took a deep breath to calm himself down, the prince suddenly felt a sharp sting along his side, near his ribcage. Rising to a sit on trembling paws, Kion inspected his pelt. Ribbons of angry red marred both sides of his abdomen, clearly made by the claws of a large feline. A dawning horror gradually crept over the entirety of his mind. He touched his nose to one of the claw marks, checking if in fact they were real, and winced as the action elicited another twinge of pain.
H-how… by the Great Kings, that's impossible! What kind of nightmare was that?!
His thoughts churned and spiraled into incoherence until a point that he shut them all down and forced his tremulous legs to move toward the soothing sound of the small stream a few tail-lengths from where the group chose to rest for the night. Kion desperately needed a drink. Anything to take his mind off of his present circumstances. The lion afforded a single glance toward his companions, before sighing deeply in relief as it seemed that, miraculously, none had stirred awake due to his outburst.
Stalking up to the edge of the stream, Kion scanned the bushes on the opposite side intently as fear still gripped his pounding heart. Finding nothing save for lurking shadows, he bent his head down and lapped up ice-cold, crisp mountain water. Immediately, his chaotic mind began to unwind and relax. His thoughts no longer as muddled, the young prince took stock of what occurred within his awful dream.
He said he was a spirit, just as real as Mufasa. He held me down, while I couldn't even touch him… if he can draw blood, could he kill me in my own dream?
Dread pooled in Kion's gut as he stared absently at his wavering reflection in the fast-moving stream.
And before Scar, my first kill changing from that poor gazelle to her….
A shudder rippled across his moonlit pelt.
"Hey, Kion." A quiet greeting came from right behind him.
Startled out of his wits, the lion yelped and instinctively leapt into the air. His tufted tail stuck straight up, as rigid as a tree branch, while his golden fur fluffed out in fright. Whirling around to face the speaker only furthered his sense of panic.
It was Fuli.
Ears pinned to his skull and eyes as large as twin amber moons, the prince felt like a startled antelope cornered by a dangerous predator.
"Uh, Kion?" the cheetah asked with a raised eyebrow, before adding, "you alright?"
A fleeting image of shocked forest-green eyes glazed over, blood forever staining a savanna-hued spotted pelt, and the acrid stench of death left Kion utterly speechless.
Ignorant to his morbid thoughts, the cheetah mewed with a wince, "Sorry about that, should've known that even the Fiercest in the Pride Lands could get startled."
Her remark fell with a heavy thud. The prince remained mute.
Fuli tried again. "So… um, couldn't sleep?"
"Y-yeah," the red-maned lion finally managed to rasp in a hollow tone. "You?"
"Well as it turns out, I was sound asleep until a certain prince cried out and rustled around the clearing. Are you okay?"
Trying, but thoroughly failing to recompose himself, the lion mumbled, "B-bad dream… I-I'll be fine."
Ducking his head away from Fuli's piercing stare, he slid his gaze over to his wavy reflection within the burbling stream.
The cheetah pressed, "You sure? You look… well, afraid, which is an odd sight for the supposedly Fiercest in the Pride Lands. We could talk about it, if you want."
Though initially considering a stoic rebuttal, a glance at Fuli's imploring expression made clear to the prince that she was intent on getting something out of him.
Brooding for a couple dozen heartbeats, he eventually mewed, "What do you remember about your First Hunt?"
If she was surprised by his question, she took it in stride. "Well… hmm, it was so long ago. I'm sure only a moon or two after your dad reclaimed his throne. I learned mostly by instinct, since Mom had been gone for a while by that point…."
Fuli trailed off into silence, deep sorrow edging her mew.
She told that story before. How her mom died saving her from Scar's hyenas when she was really young. She must've scavenged off of carcasses for moons just to survive….
The young lion suddenly felt very grateful that he grew up in a pride.
"My first prey was a hare, if you can believe it." Broken from her fleeting spell of grief, Fuli's whiskers twitched with amusement.
"A hare?" Kion nearly scoffed.
"Yeah, yeah I know. Not a lot of meat on those tiny bones, but I was too small to hunt anything else. There was this moment when I was stalking it that my instincts suddenly… clicked. I sprang from the grass, and although it was a good chase, of course I got it in the end."
She flashed a boastful smirk and struck a confident pose, cocking her head jauntily. "Even then, I knew I was the Fastest in the Pride Lands."
Kion rolled his eyes, his own whiskers twitching. "I wonder, did past Lion Guards have a Most Arrogant in the Pride Lands?"
"Hey!" she chided lightly. "Besides, if anything, that title should go to Bunga. It's not arrogant if I back up what I claim." The cheetah's voice lost its mirth as she inquired, "So, is that what your dream was about? Your First Hunt?"
"Some of it was…" A flash of scarlet staining spotted yellow fur flitted through his mind, causing an involuntary shiver to crawl down his spine.
Steering his thoughts back to her question, he mewed softly, "Did I ever tell you how it went?"
Fuli pondered for a moment. "I… remember it was just before we left and that it was a gazelle. The Queen was over the moon." A faint smile graced her features, perhaps also missing Nala's presence. Then the cheetah added, "But you didn't seem too happy about it."
Kion looked down to his paws.
"Yeah, I didn't want to say why at the time." The lion brought his head up to lock an earnest stare with her. "Right as I pounced… he called out my name. " Kion glanced away guiltily. "He knew me, Fuli. Maybe I had saved him before, or maybe he just knew of me because of the Guard… I don't know. All I know is that I couldn't eat a single bite after we brought the body back to Pride Rock. It felt like I was betraying everything that we do to protect the Pride Lands."
His tone became even more hesitant. He swallowed past a sudden lump in his throat. "But at the same time, I, uh, get what you mean about your instincts clicking. K-killing that gazelle, tasting his blood, it felt… satisfying. It felt right, but also... scary just how easy he was to kill. And even worse, when I dreamt of pouncing on him, it- well, it reminded me of w-when I pounced on you."
"Kion…." Fuli's eyes were wide with a mix of sympathy and concern.
"Wait, Fuli. I just, I need you to make me a promise."
She nodded seriously.
"Promise me that if I act like I did earlier, or even worse… if I totally lose control of myself, you'll keep the rest safe."
"You mean like yesterday? Take over and lead until you're alright again?"
Kion shook his head, a grave glint within his amber irises. "No, Fuli. Promise that if I lose control you'll keep them all safe and far away from me." He stared intently into her wide emerald eyes.
Alarm rang through her response. "What do you mean? We're on this journey together to stop exactly that from happening! I'm not going to let some stupid venom get in the way of us making it to the Tree of Life."
Kion mewed softly, "And if there's no cure?"
Her ears shot straight up in shock at the question. "Then… then we'd keep trying! Because that's what friends do. We would never just give up on you!" the cheetah hissed with passionate conviction.
"Please, Fuli. Please just promise that if everything else fails, you'll keep yourself and the others safe from me." The lion looked away toward the dirt, not daring to meet her gaze.
"I promise," the cheetah vowed after a moment's pause, before adding, "But I also promise to do everything I can to help you stop yourself from losing control, and I know the rest of the Guard would promise that too. Besides, it will never get to that point because I have faith that the Tree of Life will heal you." The cheetah took a step forward to pad closer to the young lion and comfort him. Instead of staying, Kion backed away and sat on his haunches, again averting his gaze down to his paws.
"I already lost control once. I just need you to know that there might be a point where I can't stop myself in time-"
"Stop it, Kion." Fuli cut him off, her spotted tail-tip reaching out to drape over one of his forepaws.
She soothed softly, "There's no point in agonizing over something you didn't do. You didn't hurt me. I, along with the others, will help you get through this. No matter what."
Her tail rose from his paw and she gestured with it toward where the rest of the guard was sleeping. "Now come on back to the group and try to get some rest. We've got a long day's journey ahead before the next mountain range."
Kion let out a weary sigh at the prospect of attempting any sleep with Scar stalking his dreams.
"Alright, I'll try, Fuli. I just hope we're real close at this point-" The prince cut himself off with a pained growl as he stood up to pad alongside her.
"You okay?" Fuli observed the young lion before eyeing his side. "How'd you get those wounds? I thought you were fine despite nearly falling off of that cliff today."
"Oh, that?" came an anxious mew, "just some scratches I got going through some thorny bushes before that happened. I guess they just reopened since, but they'll heal… and before you say it, yes I'll lick them clean in case of any infection."
"Alright, talk with Makini if that continues to hurt, but for now I think we both could really use some more sleep."
Kion breathed a heavy exhale in relief, before adorning a sheepish grin. "I'll, uh, try not to wake you up again."
"You better not!" The cheetah snarled playfully, flicking her tail-tip across his twitching nose. Fuli led the young Lion Guard leader back to his slumbering companions before both settled down on respective beds of soft meadow grass. For the remainder of the night, only the watery murmur of the shallow stream and the soothing symphony of singing crickets graced the ears of the unconscious Pridelanders.
AN:
First off, Nala's eye color seems to shift between blue-green, to green, to light blue, depending on each piece of Lion King media. For my story her eyes are turquoise, if you don't like it, sue me. (Please don't, that includes you too, Disney, thank you). Second off, Rest in Pieces unnamed gazelle buck that appeared in episode 11 of the Lion Guard's first season. Turns out Kion did in fact save his First Prey's life back as a young cub. Third off, feel free to leave a review. Let me know what works and what needs improvement.