The Lion Guard: A Dark Secret

Chapter 64

"Come...."

"Come...."

"You will die in the end.... No escape.... You're in this mess too deep...." Jua's voice echoed in his head. He shook it off.

It's all a dream, the lion told himself firmly. You'll wake soon.

He continued walking through the field. The sky was red and the ground was... blue?

Suddenly when he realized it wasn't solid ground, he collapsed into the rapids. He held his breath, not daring to choke and lose his ability to breathe-

**

Kion's eyes snapped open. Just a dream. He yawned and stretched.

"Fuli?" He yawned and was taken by surprise when he turned to his side and found she wasn't there.

He shrugged it off. She's probably outside thinking, he reassured himself. The lion stretched again, trying to wake his muscles before slinking out of the tiny den.

Fuli wasn't there.

Don't worry. She's probably on a walk to clear her mind, Kion told himself. And so he waited patiently for her to return.

She did not.

Maybe I should go look for her. She's been having a hard time recently. 

"Fuli! Fuli!" He trotted off into the brush. He tried to catch her scent, but all he smelled was the morning dew and strange plants. It didn't help that his airway was still healing either. "Fuli!"

He lit up when he spotted pawprints in the mud after the rain, about Fuli's size. If he followed those, he'd find Fuli!

He followed the prints, being careful not to step on them. He kept his nose low to the ground to best pick up any scent.

Fuli... Fuli... Where are you?... He followed the pawprints and only looked at the ground, not caring where they took him. Suddenly, he tripped and fell face first into...

A marsh? He spit mud out of his mouth in disgust. Then he came to another realization. The pawprints were gone! Lost in the marsh!

Oh no! "Fuli! FULIIIIII!" He called out, knowing calling out for her was his last possible resort. He ran through the marsh, not caring about the mud that splashing onto his face and body as he ran. He had to find Fuli!

What could have happened? He silently asked himself as he shouted, straining his voice. What could have happened to her? Why would she... Kion stopped in his tracks and his rattling breath caught in his throat as a terrible memory along with a realization hit him.

[FLASHBACK]

"You know what's wrong." Her voice cracked and trembled. "You saw what I did to you. You felt what I did to you. I should just leave."

[END OF FLASHBACK]

She left... She's gone... She actually left...

The weight of the realization weighted down on him so much that he collapsed into the muddy marshy ground. Mud soaked his pelt but he didn't care. The energy he used and his injuries were catching up to him and he stayed on the ground, sides heaving for air and breath trembling.

He had no one now. She left. She was gone. He wouldn't see her or hear her beautiful voice or feel her pelt beside him.

She was the only one he had left. The rest of the Lion Guard were who knew where. He didn't know how his 'parents' felt about him anymore. Did Simba regret him now? Did Nirmala regret bringing him into the world? Did Nala regret raising him?

Did Fuli regret loving him?

He choked back tears at the last thought. Of course she did. Everything that happened was his fault. It was because of him they journeyed to the Tree of Life in the first place! Maybe, just maybe if he didn't exist, Fuli and their friends would still be happy in the Pride Lands...

The thought of Fuli brought more tears to his eyes.

She was gone.

More tears of shame fell down his cheeks. It was because of him she left. He was dragging her down. He broke the vow he made to Jua. Because of that, she was trying to take over Fuli.

It was his fault.

He trembled and shook on the ground. Who knew what Jua was doing to Fuli?!... And all because of him.

Fuli... please be safe.

But he knew she wouldn't be.

Who would be able to help her? Who would be able to protect her from Jua? Who would be able to comfort her when fear of Jua took over her senses?

No one.

But as soon as he thought that, he tried to get up.

Get up, Kion. You can't be like this forever, he told himself. Get up. You have to find her and help her.

He shakily rose to his paws, trying to steady both them and his shaky, sobbing breath.

Now walk.

He took one step in the direction he was originally running.

Go find her and help her.

He took another step, and those steps soon changed into a light trot. He tried his best to breathe steadily as he trotted.

He was going to find her and help her get through it.

No, he told himself and shook his head. He was going to find her and stop her from going through it.