The Lion Guard: A Dark Secret

Chapter 66

"I'm sorry."

Kion laid there, trembling, barely able to get the words out of his mouth as he blinked open his eyes weakly. 

"I'm sorry that you're going through this. I'm sorry Jua is hurting you like this. I'm sorry you are so upset that you can't control yourself. I'm sorry for all of this."

Fuli stood there next to him, her expression unreadable. She narrowed her eyes, anger visibly rising inside of her as her emerald green eyes turned yellow once more. "Go," she spat. "Go. Never come back."

"But you need me here right now! To fight Jua!" Was the only protest Kion could think of or speak out loud.

Fuli shook her head sharply. "I think you're the one who needs me." 

Her tone bit down on Kion's heart. His gaze wavered away from her. He was speechless. It was true. He did need her. And he felt so guilty for it. For no one ever saw him for who he was before his trauma and dependence on others so recently. All they saw was the him that they had to deal with. His story was only told from his despair, not any light and hope that was before.

He noticed Fuli's eyes begin to get more green. "Kion..." Her gaze wavered to his injuries and she let out a small gasp. "I...I..."

"I'm so sorry!" Kion blurted out. "I'm so so sorry! I...I...it's my fault... I'm so sorry Fuli! I'm so sorry for everything I did!" His thoughts and emotions started to collide and confuse him like they always did since the trauma started.

Lion blood pooled out onto the rocks and into the small stream. The red substance mixed into the water as it rushed down with the water, making it's way along the current of the stream.

But Kion didn't care. Not about his pain. Not anymore. He knew it would never cease. He was forever cursed...because of his real parents' decisions.

Though for some reason, even though he was almost used to all the pain, the images flashing through his head of his best friend hurting him made him want to wail like a newborn cub.

But he knew it wasn't his best friend. It was Jua.

More blood trickled from his wounds. The blood almost seemed like his pain, trickling from him non-stop until there was no energy left in him to go on.

"You don't need to be sorry." It was Fuli's voice that snapped him out of his thoughts. The real Fuli.

He turned his head around to face her. "I.." Before he could speak anymore, Fuli beat him to it.

"I knew you before all this happened. I knew you before your trauma, before your anger, before your...unstableness. I'm sorry no one else knew that you, but I do."

"Fuli... stop. Stop doing this. You might be able to escape...I just can't. Can't keep going. Can't..." He groaned as he strained his tired legs, but ended up falling back down into a pool of water and his own blood. "...get up."

Fuli looked at the pool of blood he lay in. She walked a step closer and grabbed him by the scruff, trying to help him to his paws. "You will get up."

Kion nodded reluctantly and leaned into her support, blood trickling from his underbelly into the pool below. "What now?"

The question Fuli seemed to dread because she likely didn't have an answer for it came tumbling out of Kion's mouth. She sighed, seeming to think for a few moments. "We'll find the rest of the Lion Guard, the Night Pride, and the royal family and stop Mwepesi."

"The royal 'family'? And the Night Pride?" He said through narrowed eyes. "Do we have to?"

"Yes," came the firm reply. "Now let's go."