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

Part 2-Chapter 4: Demons

Fuli stirs as she begins to wake from her slumber. It was another rough night for her. She keeps seeing him in her dreams. She tried not to say his name anymore, it only brought her pain. That didn't mean she didn't miss him, because she did more than anything. Her dreams continued to torment her in her sleep, showing what could've been if he was still here.

The Outlanders have been silent since their major battle where Scar had revealed himself. It scared her to think about what the Outlanders could be planning, and while she thought it best to take the offensive and attempt to take the enemy by surprise, and Simba agreed with her, the Pride Landers thought it best to not trek uncharted territories, and rely on the home field advantage. They all agreed, especially with him, a major offensive is risky at best.

She shook her head, she couldn't think those thoughts, not anymore. She told herself he was never coming back, but deep down, she held on hope he'd return. She and Kiara made their daily trip to the edge of the Back Lands, looking out over the horizon. They were silent the entire trip for reasons neither one of them completely understood.

She's seen him leave her in her dreams at least a dozen times, each time harder than the last until eventually she went numb. Fuli had transformed from a fiery, fierce, cheetah to a cold, dark, and almost heartless animal. She blamed herself for Kion's sudden and panicked departure. If she had done more, she could've prevented it, and she would've never fallen into the darkness of her own creation.

"Fuli?" Kiara said very softly. She looked at the princess whose eyes were filled with concern. "We need to talk, I don't know what changed in you, but whatever it, it needs to stop. Nobody has ever blamed you for Kion running away. So why do you blame yourself?" She looked at the cheetah and she thought maybe for a second, she could see the old Fuli's eyes flicker before being quickly extinguished by Fuli's new cold and dark ones.

"If I had done something more, maybe make him feel more comfortable or talk to him more, he'd still be here," she replied quietly, breaking eye contact with the princess.

"Do you really believe that Fuli? Or is it just what you tell yourself?" Kiara replied almost as coldly as Fuli had.

"I...I," Fuli struggled to find the answers to what she thought was a simple question. But when she really thought about it, she felt the internal conflict that started the day Kion left push itself to the forefront of her mind.

"You'll have to confront your demons Fuli, only then will you find the peace you so desperately seek," a voice from behind speaks. They both recognize the voice to be Makini. They turn to the young mandrill standing behind them with an unusually serious expression on her face. "Rafiki wants to see you both, it's important." They both follow the mandrill to Rafiki's tree, which normally had a good amount of Pride Landers protecting the old shaman, but the surrounding area was empty of an animal. As they reached the top, they observed the old mandrill meditating with his staff on his lap. The wind swirled around the mandril as he was listening to the great lions of the past. He eventually opened his eyes and smiled, as he made his way over.

"Ha ha, welcome, welcome. It has been some time no? Makini, the great lions, they are very pleased with your progress, you will soon be a full fledged royal mjuzi," he says in his usual over the top and flamboyant manor. He then turns to the two large cats in the entrance. "As for you two, I have some very important news to tell you. Jasiri was able to pose a hyena in Janja's clan and was able to steal this." He pulls out a large golden fruit and holds it out in front of them. "It is a fruit from the tree of life, it contains great power and is able to bestow healing powers to certain animals, and it is even rumored to be able to bring animals back from the brink of death." The two marvel at the fruit held out in front of them. They could feel the aura of sheer power that emanated from the fruit.