Kion and Rani

Abduction

Rani traced her claw around the Tree of Life's trunk. She and Baliyo had finished their patrol, and now it was time to wake the Day Pride. Her spine fur suddenly rose and she got the feeling she was being watched. Turning around, she fell into a battle stance, ready in case something happened. Then from the corner of her eye, she saw a dark figure move. As she turned around to meet it, something grabbed her from behind and knocked her out.  She got dragged into darkness. 

Kion heard the sound of a muffled scream coming from outside of the tree. He instantly began to race out of the Tree for he knew from who the scream had come. Rani. He felt his heart stop at the thought of something happening to her. As he burst out through the den, he saw a dark red stain on the ground. Kion instantly began to look around for clues to what had happened, but before he could do anything, he felt claws wrap around his body, and begin to drag him away. 

"Don't bother struggling if you want to see your queen again," His attacker hissed. 

"What have you done with Rani?" Kion choked out.

"The same thing that's about to happen to you," It snarled.

Suddenly Kion felt engulfed in never-ending darkness. 

"KION!" Bunga yelled into the Tree. "Oh where is he?" he asks Beshte.

"Don't know little B, but if he isn't here by now, I'm sure he had a good reason," 

"What are you two doing?" The honey badger and hippo turned around and came face to face with an irritated cheetah.

"We're supposed to be going on patrol and instead you just sitting around like ducks," She hissed. 

"Yep, and we're late to begin," Anga adds, with a hint of disapproval in her voice as she looked at both of them. 

"Indeed, what if Rani finds out? We would be in big trouble," Ono said looking nervous. 

"Oh, but we can't begin because KION isn't here yet!" Bunga said over Ono's fussing.

Fuli raised her eyebrow. "Have you tried going in the tree?" Before giving Bunga the chance to respond she pushed passed him and entered the tree. 

"Kion" She called looking around. "It's time for the patrol!" She saw that the tree was empty, except for Makini. 

"Makini!" Fuli called.

"Oh hey, Fuli! What are doing here?" The mandril asked.

 "Have you seen Kion?" Fuli demanded. 

"No, he left the tree before Rani got back and didn't come in after that," 

Fuli felt her blood go cold. "Makini follow me!" The two raced out of the tree and skidded to a halt in front of the Day Pride.

"Anga find the Night Pride, NOW" Fuli commanded. 

Anga nodded. "Anga len ge!" She flew up into the sky.

"Ono, go get Ullu. She needs to be part of this too," 

"Affirmative," Ono flew towards the Mountain Pass. 

Once everyone had arrived Fuli filled them in on what had happened. 

"The Day Pride and I were just about to start our patrol, but Kion was nowhere to be found. And so-" Fuli suddenly broke off. 

"Fuli? What's wrong?" Beshte asked

Fuli numbly walked over to a lop-sided bump next to the Tree's roots. She began to clear the debris. Right beneath it was the symbol that Kion and Rani had on their foreheads, written in blood. Fuli sat back to let the others see. 

"Oh my..." Nirmala said 

"It's clear what happened," Fuli said slowly.

The others turned to look at her. 

"Our new enemy, this tiger... Has taken our friends." She paused looking each of them in the eye. "The king and queen of the Tree of Life have been abducted!"