Kion and Fuli: Until the Pride Lands End (Completed)

Chapter 1: Just a dream

As Kion moved through the cave, he heard the cackling echo off the stone walls. Every step felt like an eternity as he crept, keeping his guard up. The cave was warm but dim, and it branched off into many smaller paths, but he remained on the main path. "Where are your friends Kion?" taunts a booming voice. Kion shakes his head attempting to push the words out of his mind. "You can't save them Kion" the voice taunts. Kion closes his eyes and grits his teeth, trying to shake off the taunts. He looks around himself, and tries to remember why he's alone, and why he's in the cave. "And Kion..?" He prepares himself for another barrage of insults and taunts as he sees a bright red and orange light as the cave opens up. "You can't save HER."

Kion wakes in his den, his heart beating out of his chest and his breathing out of control. He looks around the den, thankfully no one was disturbed. He catches his breath and tries to relax but to no avail. He creeps out the den to the edge of Pride Rock. He looks out over the Pride Lands, and looks up to the stars that illuminate the night sky. He looks back over the Pride Lands, he notices how the moonlight illuminates the Pride Lands in a way he has never seen before. He thinks to himself 'wonder what's next for me in the circle of life. He looks up to see if the great lions of the past had anything today, which they didn't. Kion decides the best way to calm his nerves would be a walk. Kion creeps down Pride Rock and follows the trail to the nearest watering hole, still a little on edge from his dream. As he gets to the watering hole, he looks at his reflection in the water, and takes a deep breath. "Everything will be alright, don't worry about it," Kion reassures himself.

"Kion? Ask a voice from behind.

Out of pure reaction, Kion swings around and pounces on the voice, ready for a fight. But quickly identifies whose voice it was.

"Fuli?" Fuli was Kion's second in command when it came to the lion guard. She was slim, even by cheetah standards, but has extremely powerful legs. She had spots that covered her body, but Kion only really noticed the heart shaped spot on her forehead. She was a very "to herself" kind of cheetah, preferring to be by herself then with other people. But she still hung with the lion on certain occasions.

"Yes Kion it's me. Now could please get off me?" Fuli snaps.

"Oh yea, sorry, you startled me" Kion replied. As he got off Fuli.

"You don't say?" She retorts "what are you doing up this late?"

"I could ask you the same thing," answers Kion.

"I'm just not tired, it was an easy day patrolling the Pride Lands. No stampeding herds, no annoying baboons, and Janja didn't even show up," remarked Fuli with a smile." Kion smiled back though his smile quickly faded. He couldn't shake his dream no matter how hard he tried. He turned and looked over the watering hole again, losing himself in thought.

Fuli looks concernedly at Kion, "is everything alright Kion?" Fuli questions.

Kion, still looking over the water, regained himself enough to respond to Fuli, "yea I'm fine" he softly replied back.

Fuli, not satisfied that Kion was telling the truth, begins to question him.

"Are you sure you're ok? You don't seem ok."

Being the leader of the lion guard, Kion does his best not to show any weakness. He thinks it'll inspire his team to show no weakness as well. He especially doesn't want to seem weak in front of his second in command, a cheetah who also doesn't like showing weakness.

Fuli moves next to Kion and puts her paw on his shoulder. Kion feels her warm and gentle touch and snaps out of thoughts. He turns and looks at Fuli. He notices her beautiful jade green eyes. Fuli begins again.

"Kion please talk to me, tell me what's wrong," Fuli insisted. Her word broke through Kion's defense.

"You better not be going soft on me," he jokes. He breaks eye contact and looks at the ground, slightly embarrassed. Kion closes eyes, "I uh... I had a nightmare" he confesses.

Fuli gets close to Kion and leans her head on his shoulder, taking Kion by surprise. "Everything is gonna be ok Kion, I promise." Fuli said in a calm soothing voice. Kion didn't know Fuli had a soft side like this, she was always so blunt, and a little up tight even. He closed his eyes and leaned the embrace, enjoying the moment, and feeling her soft fur against his own, and feeling the heat radiating from her small slender frame.

After a few minutes Kion breaks the silence. "Thank you Fuli....Fuli?" She was fast asleep on Kion's shoulder. Kion smiled and gently laid her down on the ground. Not wanting to leave her alone, he laid next to her, giving the cheetah her personal space, and dozed off into a blissful sleep.