Peace for the Soul ~ A Lion King Fanfiction

Chapter 11: The Truth

"That all you got, Kion?" Bunga shouts to me as he races passed me. "Not quite!" I shout back and pull ahead of him and my other friends at the last second, winning our little race. "How do you keep doing that?" Ono asked out of breath. "I don't know, I just do." I smirk back at him. "Well, however you do it, you'll win the games if you keep it up!" Ono cheerfully perked up. Sudden series of loud rhythmic thuds quickly pounded our ears, "That's enough for today, we've been training since sun up and is nearly sun down." Beshte said in exhaustion trotting up to us. "I guess I'll head back to the den then." I say as I walk off.

I begin walking back to Fuli's den, "How is she?" Bunga asks out of the blue.

"I don't know, she refuses to talk to me unless doing something to help me recover. She always seems so sad. I don't know why, or what I did, but I don't know why I'm the reason she feels this way." Bunga and Ono look to Beshte with a nervous look...

"Did you not tell him?"

"I figured he would learn it sooner or later."

They exchanged in a short argument. Finally, it broke and they spoke to me, Bunga stepped forward, "Kion, Duma, the cheetah you killed, was more that a key leader and champion of the coalition, he was Fuli's mate." I tense up, suddenly understanding what pain she is going through. "W-What?" Beshte stepped forward, "They were only together for a few months, before..."

They continue speaking, but it's not their voice I am hearing.

'Just like me, Kion!'

No,

'Accept your destiny, there is no other choice!'

No,

'One way or another, I always get what I want.'

"No!" I shout out loud accidentally, muscles from my paws to my neck rapidly tensing up. "You ok, Kion?" My friends ask, I turn to see their shocked faces, my eyes drop, "yeah I'll be fine." I turn to run away, until...

"Outsider!" Called a voice,

I turn to see Azaad and some of the other warriors, side by side. "If you think you can train near our grounds, you've got another thing coming, Lion!" I remain still, glaring right through the cheetah. "Do you not listen? Leave now!" I turn my body his direction, getting into a fighting stance.

Azaad was quick to react, quickly hitting all of my vulnerable spots from previous conflicts, knocking me to the ground in seconds. I slowly pull my face from the ground, unwilling to accept defeat, I face my challenger again, "Stay down!" He strikes my neck and muzzle, almost instantly grounding me again. The ache in my ribs and head, feels almost like they have caught fire, but I can't back down.

I slowly rise, trembling all the way up, feeling every strain in my body as I resume my stance. He begins to charge me again, but is sloppy, and leaves himself open, I strike his face, pushing him back, leaving a few scratches on his cheek. "Your the first one I'll kill, you stupid outsider!!" I hear him scream, and we turn our separate ways.

I began walking to Fuli's den, little did I know, she had watched the whole thing from the entrance. I walk past her and collapse to the ground, unable to sleep, but desperately craving rest. I just shut my eyes and let my thoughts drift away.

The days had become a blur while I trained for the game of tears. Wake up, run, wrestle other contenders, eat, run some more, go back to the den and try to fall asleep and repeat. I somehow made a few new friends while we were training up. Beshte, the hippo who carried me, made sure we weren't going in alone.

Bunga was a honey badger, and he lives up to his name, being a wild and free spirited guy with bravery to exceed that bordered complete foolishness.

Ono, was an egret, hard to believe he would compete. But he was smarter and had a better eye than anybody gave him credit for. He wasn't quite as smart on his feet as he was upstairs.

Azaad was the only real threat to be concerned with, every other competitor was a stray outsider that tried to go solo, but it would hurt them in the games. He just wanted an excuse to get full of his own power, I couldn't help but wonder what a more fitting motivation than to 'Bring glory to his name.' But not all Cheetahs were like that, in fact quite the opposite.

What did it mean to be a part of the Cheetah Coalition? To commit yourself physically and spiritually to a common goal of survival, to know how to be strong and intimate in the face of struggle, and to accept death courageously. I learned while training that a cheetah symbolizes commitment to life, and it couldn't be more right. I thought Scar did away with them before my Father returned to the Pridelands, I guess my father was mistaken in believing they had been wiped out.

As the days grew closer however, we couldn't help but wonder what the games would consist of. We only knew that there was rarely more than one victor, but what does that even mean? Would my new friends all die? Would I die?

"Kion..." I hear Fuli's soft voice calling me, "Yes, Fuli?" She walked up to me and sits by my side, "It's time for your next healing session." I walk to my normal sleeping spot in her den and lay down. She proceeds to give a deep massage from my lower to upper back. I swear I could feel drops of something wet on my back, and just barely, hear a sniffle come from her maw, but I choose to say nothing.

As she finishes, I slowly sit up onto my paws, and summon all the courage I have to look in her eyes, grabbing her attention instantly, "Fuli, I'm sorry." She stumbles, clearly not knowing how to react. She looks down, and her breathing begins to hitch, "I'm sorry, for Duma, your mate." She chokes on her breath, not knowing what to say. I pull her into a hug, this time she doesn't fight it, but rather, she surrenders herself to me. "H-he... My Father told me how he died, and I am proud he died as he served, with the honor in fighting..."

She separates herself from me, clearly distraught. "No one will know about this." She said as she grasps me again, only tighter this time, I chuckle slightly, "Hey it's ok, I won't say anything." She sighs into my shoulder, and I can't help but blush, I don't know if it's her soft fur, or the fact that it's been so long since I've held someone, or something else.

It wasn't long before she relaxed in my arms and our rhythmic breathing and purrs lulled us both into a deep slumber. Not leaving anything to concern ourselves, at least at the moment.