Kufu Gets Sick
The sun rose over the Pride Lands and at Pride Rock, Kufu was sleeping peacefully, but when the sun shone in his eyes, waking him up, he stirred and stretched.
Kufu turned his head and saw his moms, Kula and Tama, sleeping. He smiled and quietly walked out of the den. He went towards the peak of Pride Rock and looked across the Pride Lands, watching the sunrise.
"Ah! Another peaceful morning in the Pride Lands, today is gonna be a good day," Kufu smiled and then he started to shiver, "Whoa! It's kinda cold today. Well, it is the wet season, so the weather is kinda weird around those times."
Kufu then walked down Pride Rock, but not before glancing back towards the cave, "I hope my moms won't be too upset that I left Pride Rock before they woke up," he said to himself, "Besides, it wouldn't hurt to get some exercise before I meet up with the rest of the Guard," the Slyest walked away from Pride Rock to get some exercise.
He arrived at a grazing ground not too far from Pride Rock and saw there were not many animals.
"Everyone's probably not awake yet," Kufu crouched down, ready to run, "Alright, time to start with some running in 3... 2... 1- ahh...ahh...ahh-choo!" the lion cub sneezed and sniffed.
He rubbed his nose with his paw and then he yawned which left him shocked, "What the heck? How can I be tired? I just woke up," the lion then started coughing, sniffling, and shivering, "What is going on with me?"
Kufu then noticed how nasally his voice was and realized what was going on, "Oh no! I'm sick, but I haven't been sick in a long time. How did I get sick?" He wondered.
He remembered something that happened at the Kupatana Celebration before Reirei and her jackals showed up: One of the lion cubs at the celebration was coughing, sneezing, and sniffling before his parents sent him back to Pride Rock to get him better.
"Oh, that's how," Kufu coughed, "Ack! But, I can't be sick now. Oh, why today of all days? Ah-choo! This sucks," he sniffed and rubbed his nose and then saw the sun almost fully over the horizon, "Oh, crap! It's almost time to meet up with the Guard. I can't let them know I'm sick. I'll just play it cool and not show any signs of sickness. Hopefully, it'll go away soon."
The young lion walked back towards Pride Rock, slowly, to meet up with the rest of the Lion Guard at the lair, but unbeknownst to him, Mzingo was sitting on a tree right above him and overheard everything.
"Hmm, a Lion Guard member feeling under the weather, huh?" The vulture snickered, evilly, "Well, this should be an interesting predicament," Mzingo started to follow the sick cub.
Kufu took his time to arrive at the Lion Guard's lair and when he did, he saw his friends already there: Kion and Full flirting with each other, Beshte in the water, Ono grooming his feathers, and Bunga eating some grubs crawling around the lair.
"OK, so far so good," Kufu said to himself, "Just play it cool and don't give them the hint that you're sick."
The honey badger noticed Kufu and smiled, "Hey, Kufu, it's about time you showed up!" Bunga exclaimed, alerting the rest of the Guard, "So, what took you so long?"
"Sorry, guys," Kufu told them, "I just thought that... Um, it's a nice day and I decided to take my time to enjoy it," he said, coming up with an explanation.
Fuli raised a brow and gave Kufu a quizzical look, "That doesn't sound like you."
"And what's that supposed to mean, Fuli?" Kufu challenged.
"You're usually like me," Fuli pointed out, "You arrive after I do and are ready for when someone needs help. What's going on with you today?"
"It's just, well... I can't do something different today for once?" Kufu questioned before he coughed.
"Actually, Kufu, I agree with Fuli," Beshte spoke up, looking concerned, "Because you sound a little off. Are you feeling okay?"
"Of course, I am, Beshte, why wouldn't I be?" Kufu told the hippo before he started shivering, "Jeez, it's really cold out today."
"Cold? It's like 75 degrees out today!" Bunga exclaimed.
Kion looked at Kufu and noticed him shivering, sniffling, and heard how he spoke. He walked toward him with a serious and concerned expression.
"Kufu, you're sick, aren't you?" Kion asked.
"What? No, Kion, I'm fine. I'm not sick, seriously," as soon as he said that, he started to sneeze and the Guard saw this. Kufu chuckled, nervously, "That was just a sneeze, probably because of allergies. It was nothing," none of the Guard believed him.
"Ono," Kion looked towards the egret, "Could you check his head for his temperature?"
"I'm on it," Ono saluted.
"That's not necessary. I'm okay," Kufu argued.
Ono flew onto Kufu's shoulders and pressed his wing against his head before quickly removing it, "No doubt about it, Kion, he's got a fever," the Keenest of Sight said before he flew onto Beshte's back.
"That's what I thought. He must have gotten it from Akira at the Kupatana Celebration," Kion frowned at his friend, "Kufu, you shouldn't be here if you're sick. I'm sorry, but I can't have you go on patrol with us today."
"What? But, Kion, I'm fine-" Kufu let out another sneeze which halted him.
"Kufu, you're clearly not fine," Kion argued, "If you go out there on patrol and we face hyenas, you could overexert yourself."
"Or, he could sneeze them all away," Bunga joked.
"Not the time, Little B," Beshte said.
"Kion has a point, Kufu," Fuli spoke up, ignoring Bunga's joke, "If we need to track someone, you won't be able to find the scent if you have a cold."
"But, guys-"
"No buts, Kufu," Kion cut him off, "You need to stay here and rest, and that's an order."
Kufu looked at him in shock, "But, Kion, I made an oath to help the Lion Guard when you made me the Slyest and I still wanna help the Guard."
"And you will still help the Guard, Kufu, but you need to help yourself get better," Kion told the sick cub, "How about this, me and the rest of the Guard will go get Rafiki and ask him to check on your condition while you wait here and get some rest."
Kufu sighed and lowered his head, "OK, fine, I'll wait, and hopefully I'll be back on the job soon."
"If Rafiki says that you can, then that's fine," Kion smiled as Kufu reluctantly nodded, "Don't worry, Kufu, we won't be long. Just get some rest and we'll be back before you know it."
"Yes, sir," Kufu nodded and smirked, "Now you're starting to sound like a leader."
Kion couldn't help but chuckle at that before he turned to face the rest of the Guard, "Alright, guys, let's go find Rafiki, and then we'll go on patrol."
"See ya later, Kufu!" Bunga called out as he followed the Guard out of the lair.
"This is gonna be a long day for me," Kufu told himself before he went to get some rest, but then his stomach growled and he remembered that he hadn't eaten yet, but he made a promise to Kion to get some rest, "Hmm, I guess he won't mind if I at least get something to eat."
Kufu then walked out of the lair to see what could fill his empty stomach.
Far from the cave, Rafiki was inside of his tree mixing some herbs, fruits, and coconut shells.
"Asante sana squash banana wewe nugu mimi apana," Rafiki sang.
"Rafiki!" He heard a voice call and he placed the shells on the ground, grabbing his bakora staff before walking out of his tree to meet the Lion Guard coming toward him.
"Ah, Lion Guard, ha ha!" Rafiki greeted with a smile, "How nice to see you all. What brings you here?" His smile then faltered, "Wait a minute...2, 3," the mandrill counted with his staff, "There's only 5 of you today. Where is Kufu?"
"He's not feeling well today," Beshte explained, "He's sick and he's waiting back at the lair."
"And we're hoping you could take a look at him and see how bad his condition is," Kion added.
"I see," Rafiki nodded, "Well, don't you worry, old Rafiki will take a look at him, but first, I need my things and I only have two hands, so you will all help me. Come, come inside," he led the Guard inside his tree and looked around for the ingredients, "So, describe me his symptoms and I will see what I can do."
"Well," Ono explained, "He was coughing and sneezing and he said that he felt cold and was shivering even though he has a fever and his voice sounded nasally."
"And Kion said that he saw a lion cub who was sick at the Kupatana Celebration," Fuli added, "And Kufu was pretty close to him in the audience before Reirei and her family showed up."
"Ahh, I see. That explains it!" Rafiki exclaimed, "Sickness can be very contagious if not careful. You could catch that sickness and that's why distancing yourself or taking precautions from anyone who is sick is very important if you do not want to catch it."
"Hevi Kabisa!" Kion said in shock, "No wonder he got sick."
Rafiki laughed, "Do not worry, young ones, Rafiki knows what to do," he grabbed some bright orange fruit and some coconuts, and turned his head towards Ono, "Could you grab the leaves from the top shelf - the dark ones?"
"Sure thing, Rafiki," Ono replied before flying up to grab the leaves with his feet, handing them to Rafiki.
"Thank you, Ono," he took one coconut and turned towards Bunga, "Here you go," he said before handing it to Bunga.
"No problem, Rafiki," he told the mandrill, spinning the coconut with his finger, "I've got this completely under-WHOA!" He fumbled with the coconut, but eventually got a hold of it. Bunga smiled, meekly, at Rafiki who seemed unimpressed and Fuli rolled her eyes, "...Control."
"So I see," Rafiki turned to Beshte, "Would you mind carrying my staff?"
"Sure thing, Rafiki," Beshte said before grasping the item with his mouth.
Rafiki turned towards Kion, "OK, Kion let's get going."
Kion nodded, "OK, Lion Guard, let's go," the prince led Rafiki and the Guard out of the tree.
As Ono was flying ahead, he spotted something in the distance, "What the heck?" His eyes zoomed in and he saw Kufu sneaking up on an antelope, "Hapana! You gotta be kidding me!" The egret groaned.
Kion, hearing this, looked up at the bird, "What is it, Ono?"
"Kufu left the cave!" Ono reported, "And he's going after an antelope."
"What?" Kion said in shock, "Which way is he heading?"
"He's currently north of our position, Kion," Ono said.
"Seriously?" Fuli groaned with an eye roll.
"And I thought you were the stubborn one," Kion told Fuli, "Come on, Lion Guard, let's go."
Kufu was slowly sneaking up on an antelope, following the hunting lessons his moms taught him, and measured how tall the grass was and felt the earth on his paws so it didn't shift and make noise.
Kufu was about to pounce on it and have something to eat, but to his annoyance, he sneezed which scared the antelope away. He started to chase after it, but his legs started aching.
"You gotta be kidding me," he groaned, angrily, "First, I get sick; then, I can't even help the Guard; and now, I can't even catch a simple antelope to eat?" He huffed, "Can this day get any more worse?"
"Kufu!" He heard Kion call out to him.
"I spoke too soon," Kufu sighed.
The Lion Guard quickly caught up with him. Kion stepped toward him with an irritated look on his face.
"Kufu, what the heck are you doing out here?" He told him with a stern voice, "You promised that you would stay back at the lair."
"I'm sorry for disobeying your orders, Kion," Kufu replied, "I was just hungry. I haven't eaten anything at all today. You can't blame me for at least trying to get something to eat."
"He has a point there, Ki," Fuli agreed with the sick lion cub, "I would be irritable if I at least didn't get something to eat at this time."
"That's not the point, guys," Kion spoke up, "Kufu, not only did you disobey an order and break your promise to stay and rest, but you could've overexerted yourself or worsen your condition."
"Kion, you are making a big deal over nothing," Kufu said, starting to get annoyed, "It's just a cold. I can handle it and myself. It's not that big of a deal."
"Perhaps not yet," Rafiki spoke up, stepping forward with his usual grin, "But it could get worse if you do not rest. Tell me, when you were going after that antelope, did you feel your body quickly getting tired and achy?"
"... Maybe," Kufu said in embarrassment, knowing Rafiki had rumbled him.
"Jeez, and I thought Fuli was the stubborn one!" Bunga exclaimed.
"Watch it, Bunga," Fuli glared at the honey badger.
"OK, OK, fine, you win," Kufu groaned, "I'll stay at the lair."
"Actually, Kufu," Kion spoke up, "I have a better idea."
"And what's that?" Kufu asked with a raised brow.
"We're taking you back to your moms," Kion informed, "They can keep an eye on you and make sure you rest up and get better."
"Oh, great, my moms are gonna have a field day with this," Kufu said, sarcastically, with an eye roll, "Alright, let's head back to Pride Rock."
"Good," Kion smiled and turned towards the Guard's Strongest, "Beshte, you think you can carry Kufu back to Pride Rock?"
"Sure thing, Kion," Beshte nodded and lowered down for Kufu to get on his back, "Come on, Kufu, let's take you back to your moms."
"This is gonna be a long day for me," Kufu sighed.
The Lion Guard escorted Kufu back to Pride Rock, but unbeknownst to them, Mzingo was flying above them and saw the whole thing.
"Heh, heh, heh, oh, this is very interesting," Mzingo smirked, evilly, "I better let Janja know about this."
Mzingo flew back towards the Outlands to inform Janja about the sick Lion Guard member.
When the Lion Guard arrived at Pride Rock, they made their way into the cave and saw one of Kufu's moms, Kula, and she had a stern and worried look on her face.
"Kufu!" Kula exclaimed as she saw the Lion Guard enter the den, "Kufu, you know better than to leave the den without letting me or your mother know," she noticed her son on Beshte's back not looking good, "Kufu, are feeling OK, sweetie?"
"Kufu has a cold and he couldn't help us today," Beshte informed as he let Kufu off his back, "We thought he could rest up in the lair while we went to get Rafiki to see how sick he is."
"But he's too stubborn to stay in the lair," Kion spoke up, "So we decided to bring him to you and Aunt Tama to make sure he rests up and gets better."
"Kufu, you are exactly like your mother," Kula sighed and shook her head, "Don't worry, Lion Guard, I'll make sure he rests up and gets better."
"Where is Miss Tama anyway?" Ono asked.
"She went out with the hunting party training the newbies," Kula informed, "And King Simba is with them, so it's just me here."
"I can't believe that you guys are so desperate to make me rest," Kufu grumbled.
"I'm sorry, Kufu, I just want you to feel better," Kion apologized and Kufu rolled his eyes, "Come on, Kufu, don't be like that. It's just for one day. You heard what Rafiki said."
"Yeah, yeah, I heard what he said," Kufu groaned, "But I can take care of myself. I don't need to be watched over," as soon as he said that, he started sneezing.
Rafiki laughed as he went toward Kufu, "There is nothing wrong with someone watching over you when you're sick," he cracked open a coconut and poured the water in one half into the other and then placed it in front of Kufu, "Now, drink this."
Kufu gave it a sniff before he took a sip and then cringed at the test, "Ack! That's disgusting."
Rafiki nodded, "Yes, coconut water is an acquired taste, but it will make your cold go away quicker."
"Yeah, but it still tastes horrible," Kufu coughed, "Do you have something to make the taste go away?"
Rafiki smiled at him, "As a matter of fact, I do. Allow me to prepare it."
"Ki, we need to get going on our patrol," Fuli told her leader.
"Got it, Fuli," Kion turned towards Kufu, "Just stay here and get some rest and you'll be fine in no time. We'll check on you later, OK?"
"OK," Kufu sighed.
Kion turned towards the rest of the Guard, "All right, Lion Guard, let's get to our patrol."
"See ya, Kufu!" Bunga called out, "And get well soon."
"Yeah, yeah," Kufu groaned as his friends left the den to go on their patrol.
"There, all done," Rafiki said as he placed another coconut shell mixed with fruits and leaves in front of Kufu.
Kufu sniffed the shell and then looked at the mandrill, "What is this, Rafiki?"
"A small concoction of oranges and leaves," Rafiki answered, "The vitamins and minerals will restore your energy and help fight the illness. Now, drink."
Kufu was reluctant because of how the coconut water tasted. After lapping up a small amount, he savored the taste before swallowing it, "Hmm, not bad," he admitted, "Kinda sweet, a lot better than that coconut water," Kufu then continued drinking, knowing that he was OK with the taste.
"There you go," Rafiki grabbed his staff, "I need to be returning. I will come back later to see how you are feeling."
"Thank you, Rafiki," Kula thanked the Mjuzi.
"It is my pleasure, Kula," Rafiki bowed, "Good day to you both."
With that, Rafiki left the cave.
"So, Kufu," Kula turned her attention to her son, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, Mom," Kufu told his mother.
Kula looked at him with a knowing smile, not believing the response in the slightest.
"Kufu, I am your mother and I know when you're lying," she said, "Come on, it's just you and me. Your friends aren't here and we won't have to tell them."
"Well... It's just... I don't know what..." Kufu sighed, knowing there's no point in hiding it, "Not good, I feel hot and cold at the same time."
"That'll be the fever," Kula informed, "But it should go away soon."
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Ugh, this sucks," he realized what he said and quickly tried to take it back, "Not being here with you, Mom. I love you, I just-"
"Relax, sweetie, I know what you mean," Kula cut him off, "No one likes being sick, but it's just something we have to deal with whether you're a cub or an adult."
"Have you ever been sick before, Mom," Kufu asked.
Kula nodded, "I have, especially when I was pregnant with you."
"Huh... Well, I guess I don't feel so bad then."
Kula smiled, "I'm glad to hear that. I know you didn't expect this to happen today but-" she was interrupted by a low rumbling sound, glancing over, she saw her son blushing and smiling, nervously, "I take it that you didn't eat this morning?"
"Y-yeah," he replied, embarrassed, "I tried to hunt for something, but they sorta...got away from me."
Kula laughed, lightly, "Well, we still have some leftovers from last night if you want some."
Kufu nodded, "Yes, please."
"OK, I'll go fetch them," her expression then turned slightly serious, "But you have to promise me that you'll stay here and not leave the cave. Are we understood?"
"Yes, Mom," Kula nodded before leaving Kufu alone in the cave. The lion cub sighed to himself, "Well, might as well get comfortable."
Kufu lay down close enough to the entrance so that he could look outside. The breeze that flew into the entrance caused him to shiver followed by a sneeze so he backed away from the entrance to avoid the breeze, but unfortunately, the floor was even colder at the back of the cave.
"Oh, for the love of Mufasa, this cold sucks big time!" Kufu groaned.
Fortunately for Kufu, Kula returned, quickly, carrying what was left of a zebra leg which she placed in front of her son, "Here you go, Kufu, I know it's not much, but hopefully, it'll hold you over for now."
"It's more than enough, Mom," Kufu told his mother, smiling, "Thank you."
"You're welcome, sweetie," Kula smiled back, "Now, dig in."
Kufu didn't need her to tell him twice as he began to almost voraciously eat away at the leg, getting him filled up until his appetite was satisfied. He sat back sighing, happily, now that he was full.
"Seems like you were really hungry," Kula chuckled.
Kufu looked back at the bone and blushed again as he saw that he stripped it clean, "Oops, I guess that I, uh... didn't realize that."
"It's fine, just as long as you eat," Kula noticed Kufu letting out a small yawn, "Sounds like you're tired."
"Huh? But I slept fine last night," Kufu said, "I shouldn't be tired."
"Yes, but your body needs more energy than usual to fight the illness," Kula informed, "Maybe you should take a little nap."
"Mom, I'm fine, really, I don't need to take a... Achoo!" Kufu sneezed, causing a soft laugh from Kula.
"Kufu, sleep is the best thing for when you are sick," she told her son, "You'll see. Time will just fly past. It's time for some quiet time."
"But, Mom I-" Kufu was cut off when he started coughing. Kula shook her head and started singing softly.
Kula:
When you're tired and feeling kinda low
Just close your eyes and take it slow
It's time for quiet time
"But, Mom!" Kufu groaned.
Kula:
Time for some quiet time
"But I really don't wanna sleep," Kufu complained, "I mean, look, Mom..."
Kufu:
I really don't wanna be sick right now
I wanna help the Guard but I don't know how
Kula:
Just take some quiet time
"Mom..."
Kula:
Time for some quiet time
"But how am I supposed to take some quiet time?" Kufu asked before he started coughing.
Kula:
I can see you're feeling bad
You barely dragged yourself along
"But, Mom..." Kufu coughed.
Kula:
If you just take some quiet time
I know you'll soon be feeling strong
Kufu then started to yawn and laid down next to his mom.
Kufu:
Now that you mentioned it, Mom, I think that I'll
Just close my eyes for a little while
And take some quiet time
Kula:
Quiet time
Kufu:
Time for some quiet time
Kula:
Quiet time
Kufu:
Time for some...
Kufu then started to fall asleep and Kula smiled, pulling him closer with her paw, and her son cuddled close to his mom and he was soon sound asleep.
Kula:
Quiet time
Kula looked at her cub sleeping, peacefully. She smiled and gave a small lick on his head which caused him to nuzzle closer to her, making her smile grow.
"Sleep tight, Kufu," she whispered to him.
At the Outlands volcano, Janja was laying down on his rock, trying to take a nap, but couldn't because his clan was fighting over a bone which caused him to shake his head and roll his eyes. He then saw Cheezi and Chungu heading toward him.
"What do you two fur-brains want?" Janja groaned, "I'm trying to take a nap here."
"Sorry, Janja, we're just hungry," Chungu said.
"Yeah," Cheezi agreed, "And we were wondering if you have a plan yet, Janja?"
"Yeah, tell us the new plan," Chungu urged.
"Ugh, I don't have a plan yet, fur-brains!" Janja exclaimed, rolling his eyes, "I'll let you know what the plan is when I think of one."
"Perhaps that plan might come to you sooner than you think," the three hyenas turned to see Mzingo landing near the entrance of the volcano, "Apologies for intruding, Janja, but I have some information you might wanna know."
Janja sighed in annoyance, "Well, so much for a peaceful nap," he got up and went towards the vulture, "Alright, Mzingo, what do you got for me?"
"Well, apparently, the Slyest member of the Lion Guard, Kufu, is feeling under the weather today," Mzingo informed, "And the Lion Guard gave him the day off so, that way, he can get better," the vulture then smirked, evilly, "Which means he's too weak and vulnerable to fight back."
That got Janja's attention, "So, a member of the Lion Guard is feeling sick, huh? This could work perfectly, ha, ha, ha!" He laughed.
"Yeah, that is pretty good," Cheezi laughed and then he got confused, "Uh, how is that good for us?"
Janja rolled his eyes, "Because, fur-brain, if Kufu is feeling sick and too weak to fight us, we can take him out while his guard is down," the hyena leader explained, "And without the Lion Guard's Slyest member, the Guard won't be able to stop us from taking whatever we want as food."
"I hate to interrupt, Janja, but I need to point out something," Mzingo spoke up, "The Lion Guard is gonna be going back to Pride Rock pretty soon to see how he's feeling, and not only that, one of his two mothers is keeping an eye on him as well," the vulture pointed out, "What do you plan to do about that?"
Janja turned to his vulture ally with a smirk on his face, "Relax, Mzingo, I have an idea to make sure that the Lion Guard won't interfere with what I have planned, and as for his mother, well it would be a shame if I were to keep a mother and son away from each other," he turned towards his crew, "Gather around, boys, I have a plan."
"OK, everyone," Kion spoke to the Lion Guard as they arrived at the watering hole, "Let's take a quick break before we continue our patrol."
The Guard has been on patrol for a couple of hours since they left Pride Rock and, fortunately, there has been no trouble at all, so they stopped to get some rest and drink some water.
"Hey, guys," they all heard a voice and turned to see Kiara with her friends, Tiifu and Zuri, heading towards them, "What are you guys up to today?"
"Hey, Kiara," Kion greeted his sister, "We're just taking a break to cool off before we head back on patrol. What are you girls doing?"
"Tiifu, Zuri, and I were just gonna relax in the watering hole for a while," Kiara explained, "How have things been so far with you guys?"
"Quite peaceful, actually" Ono answered, "No hyenas, no quarrels, no one in need of help, and no trouble at all today."
"Then why are you taking a break if you haven't done anything?" Zuri blurted out.
"Zuri!" Kiara snapped at her friend.
"It's OK, Kiara," Beshte spoke up, stopping any animosity, "Besides, it's better we rest up now in case anything does happen, so we'll be ready for it."
"Nicely put there, Big B," Bunga complimented his friend. The hippo smiled, happily, and his ears wiggled at the compliment.
"Hey, isn't there usually six of you on patrol?" Tiifu pointed out, "where's Kufu at?"
"Yeah, where is Kufu? How come he's not with you guys?" Kiara asked.
"Kufu's feeling under the weather today," Fuli explained, "Rafiki thinks he caught it yesterday at the Kupatana Celebration from a lion cub who was sick."
"Oh man, I remember seeing Akira there and he was sick as well," Kiara pointed out, "That sucks for Kufu. I hate getting sick."
"Me too," Tiifu agreed.
"So, if he's too sick to go on patrol, where is he?" Zuri asked.
"We sent him back to Pride Rock and Aunt Kula is keeping an eye on him," Kion informed, "Because we can't trust him to stay in the lair."
"Why?" Kiara asked.
Kion laughed, dryly, "Because when we went to get Rafiki, we caught him sneaking out trying to hunt an antelope."
"Yeah, that sounds about right," Kiara giggled, "Because Kufu is the third stubbornness animal I know with the first two being Fuli and Kopa," she then turned towards Fuli, "No offense, Fuli."
"None taken," Fuli said.
"But I take offense," everyone groaned in annoyance because they knew who that voice belonged to as Kopa headed towards them, "So, Kufu is sick today, huh? Now, tell me, Scar Jr, how did you poison him?"
"My point taken on the most stubbornness animal I know," Kiara groaned.
"I didn't poison him, Kopa," Kion glared at his rival.
"Sure you didn't," Kopa snarked.
"He's telling the truth, Kopa," they all turned and saw Dalia heading towards the watering hole, "There was a sick lion cub yesterday and Kufu got his cold from him."
"Whatever, Dalia," Kopa rolled his eyes, "That doesn't prove that Kion will not be like Scar."
"I honestly don't know why I'm related to you anymore," Dalia shook her head, and then she went towards Kion, "When you get back to Pride Rock after your patrol, tell him that I hope he gets better soon."
"I will, Dal," Kion nodded.
"Kion!" He heard Ono squawk, flying down from the air, "I just did a check of the nearby areas and the hyenas are chasing after the zebras."
"What?" Kion exclaimed in shock, "Where are they now?"
"They are heading eastward towards the Outlands," Ono informed.
"We need to get moving, Ki," Fuli said.
"Right, Lion Guard, let's go!" Kion ordered.
"Till the Pride Lands end... Lion Guard defend!" Kion led the Guard in the direction of the zebras, leaving Kiara, Tiifu, Zuri, Kopa, and Dalia behind.
"Yeah, see you too," Zuri spoke, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Knock it off, Zuri," Kiara told her friend, "You know they didn't mean anything by that. It's just their job," Zuri knew she was right, but would never admit it.
"I bet Kion is gonna betray the Guard and help the hyenas take the zebras," Kopa snarked.
Dalia glared at her older brother with annoyance, "Oh, just shut up, you mouse-brained idiot!"
Back at Pride Rock, Kula was laying down and looking at her son cuddling up close to her peacefully asleep. She smiled, giving him a small lick on his forehead.
"It seems like only yesterday when you were just a little cub. You looked just like your father. Where did those days go?" Kula said to herself and looked down in sadness at the thought of her fallen friend, "Oh, Chumvi, if only you were still around to see this. Tama and I are still thankful for you helping us start a family."
Kula felt Kufu starting to stir in his sleep, opening his eyes still cuddling against her and she smiled, warmly.
"Well, good morning, sleepy head," she jested.
"Hey, Mom," Kufu yawned, "Oh man, how long was I asleep?"
Kula looked outside, looking at how high the sun was in the sky, "Not much more than two hours less to three hours for a certain," she responded.
"Well, that's good to know," Kufu stretched, "I guess you were right, having some quiet time does help."
"How are you feeling? Any better?" Kula asked.
"A little bit better, yeah, not as bad as I was before, but a little bit OK," he opened his eyes, blinking the sleep out of them. When he turned, he saw that he was cuddling up against his mother's fur. His eyes shot wide open and he blushed in embarrassment, "I'm sorry for cuddling against you. I didn't mean to- I mean you do have a warm hug, but I, uhh, oh great kings, this is embarrassing."
Kula chuckled, gently, "Kufu, sweetie, you don't need to be embarrassed," she explained, calming her son down, "There's nothing wrong with a cub cuddling with their own mother."
"I-I guess it's not," Kufu stuttered, "But it's just, well, I used to cuddle with you when I was little, but I'm growing up and uhh..."
Kula stood up and stepped in front of her son, "Kufu, it's OK, really. You were cold and like you said: I have warm hugs. There's nothing to be ashamed about," she reassured.
Kufu had to admit that his mom did have warm hugs and always liked them and it kept him warm from the cold, "I... I guess you're right, Mom."
Kula's smile grew, "You see, there's nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about," she said, giving Kufu a nuzzle, "Besides, you seemed like you were enjoying it."
The brown lion cub's cheeks blushed red accompanied by a sheepish smile, "Yeah, m-maybe just a little bit," Kula laughed again in a motherly way, "Just please don't tell my friends about this. They would never let me live this down, especially Kion and Fuli."
"Of course not, sweetie. It'll be our little secret," Kula whispered.
Before Kufu could say anything else, he felt a small headache coming up, "Hey, Mom, is it okay if we go to the watering hole?" he asked, "Because I need to stretch my legs and my head still hurts a little."
Kula nodded right away, "Of course, we can. Let's go."
The two of them left the cave and began to walk down Pride Rock towards the watering hole, but unbeknownst to them, hiding in a bush was Janja and a couple of hyenas watching them leave.
"Come on, fellas, let's head to the watering hole and take care of the poor sick cub," he laughed as he and his hyenas followed the mother and son to their destination.
"That's right, Janja, get out of here!" Bunga taunted, watching the hyenas run away.
"Ono, watch them as they head back to the Outlands," Kion ordered, "And make sure they don't come back."
"I'm on it," Ono saluted before flying off in the direction the hyenas went.
Kion turned towards the stocky zebra leader with blue eyes and a black diamond-like marking in the middle of her snout, "Muhimu, is everyone OK?"
"We're fine now, Kion," she told the Lion Guard leader, "Just a little bit spooked, but we're calm now. Thank you."
"Can you tell us what happened?" Beshte asked.
"We were just minding our own business, grazing away at the grass, when all of a sudden my mate yelled, 'Panic and Run' and we all did," Muhimu explained, "I didn't even realize we were running from the hyenas at first."
"Well, where is your mate now?" Fuli asked.
"Right here," a male zebra the same size as Muhimu with a small tuff on his head stepped forward, "My name is Mbaku, Muhimu's mate. thank you for saving us, Lion Guard."
"No problem, Mbaku, can you tell us how you spotted the hyenas?" Kion asked.
"Well, it's like Muhimu said," Mbaku answered, "We were at the grazing ground, minding our own business, when suddenly I spotted a couple of hyenas jump out of the bushes a few distance from the herd which was when I alerted them."
"Well, you did the right thing," Kion said, "We hope you get back to your grazing ground safely."
Kion and the Lion Guard were about to leave until Mbaku called out.
"Lion Guard, wait!" The Guard turned their attention back to him, "Before you go, I need to tell you something. It might just be a feeling, but I feel like while we were running, that the hyenas weren't trying to hunt us."
"What do you mean?" Fuli asked with a raised brow.
"I'm not sure," Mbaku shrugged, "But it could be nothing, so I'd be careful if I were you, Kion."
Kion nodded, "We will. In the meantime, be careful when returning to your home."
"We will, Kion," Muhimu told him, "And thank you once again for everything you do," she turned to her herd, "Alright, everyone, let's go home."
"See ya later, guys!" Bunga shouted, waving as the zebra herd returned to their grazing ground, "So where to next, Kion?"
"Hold on, Bunga, we need to wait for Ono to come back," Kion told the honey badger.
As if on cue, Ono was spotted flying towards them. He flew down to them, landing on Beshte's shoulder.
"They went straight back, Kion," Ono reported, "That was... Easy."
"A little too easy," Kion pondered aloud, "I don't like this. First, what Mbaku said, and now this. Something seems off here."
"Come to think of it, I didn't see Janja, Cheezi, and Chungu among those hyenas," Fuli pointed out, "What's Janja up to?"
"Maybe it's not Janja's clan," Beshte suggested, "We already know Jasiri's clan is not connected with Janja's. Perhaps, there are others."
"I hate to shoot your idea down, Beshte, but I recognized some of those hyenas chasing after the zebras, and I'm pretty sure they are part of Janja's clan," Ono explained.
"Well, whatever it is, we need to stay aware," Kion told his team, "Let's resume patrol for now and when we're finished, we can see how Kufu's doing," he turned towards the Keenest of Sight, "Ono, keep an eye out for any hyenas while we do."
"You got it, Kion," Ono saluted, taking to the sky as the Lion Guard continued their patrol.
Kufu and his mother, Kula, eventually arrived at the watering hole. The sun was still high in the sky as they neared the water. Kufu didn't hesitate to start drinking the water, gently lapping up the water. Kula watched for a moment before joining him in drinking from the water.
As she drank the water, she thought back to the times when Kufu was a little curious cub laughing and playing with her and her mate, and she was wondering where those times went.
"Ahh, that hit the spot and helps a lot," Kufu said in satisfaction, lifting his head from the water. He then looked over towards his mother who also finished drinking and he noticed she was deep in thought, "Hey, Mom, is everything OK?"
The caramel brown lioness looked towards her son, "Oh, I'm just thinking, sweetie, nothing to be concerned about."
"What are you thinking about?" Kufu asked.
"I was thinking about the times when you were just a small little cub," Kula answered, "You would spend time with me and your mother and play together and have fun and you were such a curious little trouble-maker which you get from your mother," she and Kufu shared a chuckle, and then her smile faded into a small frown, "Where did those times go?"
Kufu frowned a little bit, and then he gave his mom a small nuzzle, "Mom, even though I'm growing up, I'll always be the small curious cub you and Mom love," he explained, "And that will never ever change. I love you."
"I love you too, sweetie," Kula nuzzled her son back, smiling, "Thanks, Kufu, I needed that."
"My pleasure, Mom," Kufu nodded, "Though I can already hear the teasing from my friends if they saw this."
They both laughed and Kufu was about to suggest heading back to Pride Rock until he heard something. Instinctively, he crouched down on the ground getting ready to pounce.
"Kufu, what is it?" Kula asked in concern.
"I think someone's nearby," Kufu told her, "Mom, I think you need to get behind me."
Kula did so whilst Kufu watched in the direction he heard the sound from, cautious of approaching whoever it was. However, Kula caught movement from out of the corner of her eye heading towards...her son.
"Kufu, look out!"
Kula jumped in the way as a hyena prepared to pounce on Kufu, swiping it away with her paws. Kufu saw another hyena about to attack his mom and he leaped towards it, tackling it and sending it flying against a rock. The Slyest did stumble a bit, but Kula helped him keep his balance as the mother and son were surrounded by hyenas. Kufu spotted the hyena who was behind this.
"Janja," he snarled, "What are you doing here?"
The hyena leader cackled back, "What does it look like we're doing, huh, lion cub?" Janja snarked, "Well, a little birdie told me that you weren't feeling well..."
"Mzingo," Kufu growled.
"... And so, what better opportunity for us to deal with a little pest problem we've been having, right, boys?" The other hyenas, including Cheezi and Chungu, all started laughing together, "And since one of your mothers ate here, we thought we'd take her out first and have you watch, and then we'll do the same to you, Kufu. It's like Christmas came early for us."
"Oh yeah, and what makes you think that crappy plans gonna work, huh?" Kufu fired back a snark, "Pretty soon, the rest of the Guard will show up and kick your sorry a-" he was cut off when Janja started laughing again, "What's so funny?"
"Other than your sick voice?" Kufu growled, angrily seething, "We know that the Lion Guard won't be joining us anytime soon. They got a little, uh, zebra problem to deal with," Janja laughed. Kufu's eyes widened at the fact Janja tricked the Guard, which meant it was just them, "Hey, remind me again, boys, what was it zebras always say?"
"Panic and Run! Panic and Run! Panic and Run!" They all chanted as Janja's boisterous cackle echoed over it.
"Enough!" Kula roared, silencing the hyenas' cackles, "I might not be the king or queen, or much of a fighter, but you are trespassing on our kingdom. So leave now, or you're all gonna pay the price."
The silence remaining in the air was tense as Kula stood tall and stared down the hyena leader, and Kufu felt much respect for his mom even more than ever, and then the hyenas erupted with laughter.
"You really thought we would give in to your demands," Janja laughed, "Wow! And I thought these guys are fur brains. This is gonna be fun."
Kufu and Kula looked back and forth between the hyenas, watching to see who would strike first.
"There's too many of them," Kula said, quietly, to her son, "I don't know how we're gonna get out of this."
"Don't worry, Mom, we will," Kufu told his mom to reassure her, "All we need is a plan."
"What we need is help," Kula's eyes widened as she had an idea, "Kufu, I need you to listen to me and do exactly as I say."
"What do you have in mind, Mom?" Kufu asked.
"I'm gonna pin one of them down," Kula explained, "And when I do, you run and get help."
"What?" Kufu said in shock, "No way, I'm not leaving you."
"We don't have a choice," Kula told her son, "I might not be a fighter, but I can defend myself."
"But what about you?" Kufu said, worriedly, "You can't face all of them. You said there's too many of them."
"I know I did," Kula nodded, "But I'm also trying to protect you. You're my son after all."
"But I promised Kion that I would stay with you," Kufu exclaimed, "When he chose me to be part of the Guard, I made an oath to protect everyone in the Pride Lands including you, Mom."
"I know, sweetie, that's why I need you to do this," Kula said.
"But-"
"Kufu..." The cub heard his mother speak in a motherly tone, "Do you trust me?"
"I..." He nodded, "I always trust you."
"Good, because I'm counting on you, ready?" Kufu nodded again, "OK, now go!"
Kula pounced straight away at one of Janja's goons, pinning him down while the rest began to attack her, and Kufu used the opportunity to dive at another hyena, pinning him to the ground before running off.
"Janja, he's getting away!" Cheezi shouted.
"Eh, let him run," Janja ordered, "He may have gotten away, but he'll be back for his precious mommy because she ain't going nowhere. Now, focus your attack on her."
"Kufu, I know you're not as fast as Fuli," Kula stopped in mid-sentence as she started swiping her paws to hold back the hyenas, "But please hurry."
The Lion Guard was still on patrol after they saved a hyrax from Ushari. As Ono flew up high, he continued to watch over the Pride Lands still on edge after the hyena attack earlier. As he scanned the land, he spotted someone heading in their direction, and when he focused his vision, he saw who it was.
"Hapana, not again!" Ono groaned and he flew down, landing on Beshte's shoulder, "Kion, we have a problem."
"What is it, Ono?" He asked.
"Kufu is heading straight towards us," Ono said.
"Seriously, Kufu again," Fuli said with an eye roll, "Kiara was right. He is stubborn."
"Don't worry, guys, I'll deal with this," Kion said, frowning in disappointment that his friend wasn't resting as he should. It didn't take long before Kufu reached them.
"Guys, thank Mufasa I found you all," Kufu said as he started panting to catch his breath.
"Kufu, what are you doing here?" Kion asked, sternly, "You were supposed to be resting and getting better."
"I know, I know I should," Kufu nodded, "But there's a problem."
"The problem is that you need to rest," Kion scolded.
"But, Kion, you don't understand-"
"Kufu, you are my friend," Kion cut him off, "And the health and safety of my friends and family are important."
"Kion, would you just listen to me," Kufu said, starting to get annoyed.
"I don't wanna hear it, Kufu," Kion said, sternly, "I want you to please go back to Pride Rock and get some-"
"Kion, would you shut the hell up and listen to me?!" Kufu snapped, causing the rest of the Guard to gasp in shock, "I didn't run all this way here with my legs shaking just so you could lecture me. My mom and I were ambushed by Janja and his hyenas at the watering hole."
"What?" The others all shouted.
"Where's your mom now?" Kion asked.
"I think she's still there holding them all off, and I don't know if she can for long," Kufu explained, "I wanted to stay and help her, but she told me to get help so we need to go now."
"You're right Kufu," Kion nodded, "And I'm sorry for-"
"Apologize later. My mom is in trouble. We gotta move now," Kufu turned around and started running back in the direction he came from but not before shouting, "Huwezi Kuniona!"
"You heard him, guys, let's go!" Kion ordered as he and the Guard rushed towards the watering hole, "'Till the Pride Lands end..."
"Lion Guard defend!"
Kula fought as best she could against the hyenas, knocking them down left and right, but they wouldn't stay down and the numbers game soon caught up to her. She was swiping away one hyena when two more caught her from behind, causing her to fall to the ground and the rest of the hyenas surrounded her. She then saw Janja in front of her laughing.
"Say goodnight, lion mama," Janja taunted, "It's been fun, but sadly our dance had to end and there's nobody to save you now."
"Think again, Janja!" Kufu shouted as he pounced on Janja, pinning him to the ground away from his mom, "Did ya miss me?"
"Kufu?" Janja looked up in shock, "What are you doing here and where did you come from?"
Kufu smirked at the hyena, "Did you really think that I would be a cowardly lion and leave my own mother behind?"
Janja noticed that Kufu's chest was moving up and down, rapidly showing that he was trying to catch his breath and was too tired.
He then smirked at him, "No, I guess not, lion cub," Janja pushed Kufu off him before pinning him to the ground, surprising the Guards Slyest member, "The little sick lion cub was foolish enough to challenge me. Well, that's a big mistake," the hyena laughed, evilly, "Now, how about you and me watch as my crew feast on your mother, and then it's your turn?"
Kufu's eyes grew, fearfully, as he knew he used up all of his energy to get back and get help, and then he saw Janja's clan surrounding his mom, getting ready to attack her and his eyes started watering, seeing this and he tried to break free from Janja's grasp, but no luck and he thought it was over.
"Zuka Zama!" They all heard as Bunga cannonballed onto Janja, knocking him away from Kufu, "Alright, come on, you dumb hyenas, who's next to get some of this?"
"Huwezi!" Fuli exclaimed as she sped up and kicked away a hyena that was about to pounce on Kula, "And this is why I'm the fastest."
Kufu smiled as his friends arrived on time and he wanted to help, but his legs got wobbly, so he just laid down and tried to catch his breath, knowing that his friends got this.
"Twinde Kiboko!" Beshte exclaimed, bulldozing through three hyenas, knocking them into a pile with the others.
As Kion pounced on Janja and, knocking him into the pile as well, he and the rest of the Lion Guard - minus Kufu and Kula - stared down at them as Janja got to his feet.
"When are you hyenas gonna learn?" Bunga told him, smugly, with his arms crossed, "You're never gonna beat us. The good guys win and the bad guys lose."
Janja growled in anger, "Just you wait. You'll see. One day, we'll be running this kingdom and you'll be nothing."
"Unfortunately for you, Janja, that day is not today," Kion replied, stepping in front of his comrades, "Time to send you back to the Outlands."
Before anyone could say anything, Kion got in a firm stance, digging his claws into the ground as the wind blew around him. He summoned all of his strength before using the Roar of the Elders. The power of the Roar blew the hyenas all the way back to the Outlands. The wind then settled down and Kion regained his composure.
"And stay out!" Bunga shouted.
"That takes care of them," Ono smirked.
"Hopefully," Fuli said.
"But they'll be back," Beshte pointed out.
"And we'll be ready for them," Kion said before turning towards the caramel brown lioness, "Aunt Kula, are you OK?"
"I'm OK, Kion," she told him, smiling at him, "Thanks to you and the Guard, especially you, Kufu," she turned towards her son and saw he was still on the ground and she and the Guard got concerned as they went towards him, "Kufu, are you alright, sweetie?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, Mom," he replied, "I'm just...Tired is all."
"He must have used too much energy when running back to get help," Ono explained to everyone, "Giving how he was feeling sick today, his energy reserve must be lower. How do you feel right now?"
"My legs are burning and if I try to stand up, I'll just fall down again," Kufu answered.
Kion stepped forward, "Kufu, I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier when you were trying to tell me something," he apologized, "I always put my friends and family's health and safety before my own and I was just looking out for you and I should have listened to you."
"Hey, it's all good, buddy, I forgive ya," Kufu told him, "I should be the one to apologize for not listening to you earlier, and now I know that if I get sick next time, just stay back at home so I don't spread it to anyone and risk their health and safety."
"Kufu," Kufu looked towards his mother, "I don't know how to thank you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here."
"It wasn't just me, Mom," Kufu points out, "It was everyone who beat the hyenas, not me."
"Actually, Kufu," Beshte spoke up, "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have known the hyenas were attacking."
"Beshte's right," Fuli agreed, "Plus without you, we might not have been fast enough to stop Janja and that's coming from me."
"Yeah, Kufu," Bunga cheered, "You were un-Bunga-livable!"
Kufu chuckled at the enthusiasm from the honey badger, "Thanks, guys, that means a lot."
"No, Kufu," Kula spoke up, "Thank you and one thing's for sure, I'm so proud of you," before Kufu could respond, Kula started nuzzling him and her son nuzzled back, "Now let's get you to see Rafiki."
Kufu tried to stand up, but Kula used this to lift her son onto her back. Kufu couldn't do anything about it, instead, he allowed his mom to carry him to Rafiki with the rest of the Guard following behind.
The sun rose, signaling that it was the start of a new day and the Lion Guard was all gathered around the lair, getting ready to start their patrol for the day.
"Alright, guys, it's a new day and we're ready for our patrol," Kion stated, "So we're gonna split up. Ono will take to the skies to see if there's any trouble, Bunga and Beshte will patrol near the Flood Plains and Big Springs, and Fuli will be with me patrolling the canyons and near Flat Ridge Rock, got it?"
"Affirmative," Ono saluted.
"I'm cool with it," Fuli said.
"We're ready, Kion," Beshte smiled.
"Let's get going!" Bunga exclaimed.
"Hey, what about me?" The Guard turned around and, to their surprise, they saw Kufu heading towards them with a smirk on his face, "You really don't think that I'm not gonna help you guys today?"
"Kufu!" They all exclaimed happy to see their friend.
"It's good to see you, Kufu," Kion told him, "How are you feeling today?"
"I'm feeling great today!" Kufu exclaimed, "My cold is gone and I'm ready to get back to what I do best and help my friends."
"Then you can join me and Fuli on our patrol if you're OK with that?" Kion said.
"No, it's fine," Kufu had a teasing smirk on his face, "But are you and Fuli OK with me being the third wheel on your date together?" He teased, causing the others - minus Bunga - to laugh and Kion and Fuli blushed.
"Can we just get to our patrol already?" Fuli grumbled still red in the face.
"Yeah, let's go," Kion agreed, "'Till the Pride Lands end..."
"Lion Guard defend!"
The Guard split off to their assigned patrol routes and, unbeknownst to them, Kula was sitting at the peak of Pride Rock, watching the Guard leave and smiling glad that her son was feeling better.
"Hey, Kula," the caramel brown lioness turned to see her mate, Tama, walking towards her, sitting beside her, "Are you doing OK?"
"Yeah I am, Tama, I'm doing alright," Kula told her mate, "I'm just watching our son head off with his friends."
"Our boy always knows how to make us proud of him," Tama said, nuzzling Kula.
"Yeah, he does," Kula agreed, nuzzling her back as they both watched their son help the Lion Guard defend the Pride Lands.
A/N: And that's the Kufu-based episode based on the fanfiction Fuli Gets Sick by Just4Funfiction. Sorry, it took so long, but 2022 has not been a good year for me. That's too personal to explain and it's pretty hard writing an original episode. Anyway, this is pretty much a lesson on how to deal with sickness and what you should do, especially around these times and I figured Kufu should have a bond with one of his moms and the song for the episode is from Bear in the Big Blue House: "Quiet Time" and the explanation for what happened to Chumvi will be in a future chapter. I'll give you a hint: "Lions Over All". I hope you enjoyed reading this, everyone!
Next up: The Guard tries to make sure Fuli doesn't feel alone and Bunga will think he's immune to everything.
Here's the cast list
Max Charles as Kion, Caleel Harris as Kufu, Joshua Rush as Bunga, Diamond White as Fuli, Dustin Brown as Beshte, Atticus Shaffer as Ono, Mae Whitman as Kula, Vanessa Marshall as Tama, Isabela Moner as Dalia, Rider Strong as Kopa, Eden Reigel as Kiara, Madison Pettis as Zuri, Sarah Hyland as Tiifu, Khary Payton as Rafiki, Andrew Kishino as Janja, Kevin Schon as Chungu, Vargus Mason as Cheezi, Greg Ellis as Mzingo, Kari Wahlgren as Muhimu, Bill Fagerbakke as Mbaku.
This chapter was written by marvelomac1010 and beta-read/edited by DemonGirl123.