When the Blood Runs Dry

Am I Dead... Who Are You?

The cool evening air blew gently through the golden fur of the young lion; his small red mane blowing with the wind as he stood humbly upon a small rock, watching the gazelles begin to graze in peace once again. His brown eyes look on as he scans the herd; starting from those exchanging friendly words with one another, to the resting gazelles treating their wounds. The lion's muscles and paws ache from the battle; his side stings as he feels the blood running down his right flank from a couple large open wounds and with another across his face. He sighs as the painful image of the dark furred lioness with scars that littered her body burrowed it's way into his mind. Never before had he encountered such a ruthless foe. "Could the lioness have been from Zira's pride?" No, she couldn't have been, she's far worse than Zira; or rather, was worse than Zira. However, that wasn't what bothered him. He shakes his head in confusion, concerned about what lay ahead.

"Kion..!" a soft voice calls out his name.

Kion winces in pain as he turns towards the owner of the voice; his friend and member of the Lion Guard. The cheetah locks eyes with him, her green eyes desperately trying to fight the urge to make contact with her leader's wounds.

"We... retrieved the body from the bottom of the Gorge. Beshte and Bunga are taking her to Pride Rock..." The cheetah hesitates slightly as her fighting urge fails her; finally resting her gaze on Kion's wounds. She gasps in shock and horror as the cheetah sees the full view of his gaping wounds.

Before she can say anything, an urgent voice calls out to the lion. "Kion! Those wounds on your side are bad... really bad. We need to get you to Rafiki!" Another member of the guard calls to the lion fearfully; an egret lands in front of him, watching him sternly.

"Fuli... Ono... I'm fine..." The lion is interrupted when the cheetah lashes out in protest.

"You're Fine!? Kion look at yourself; you're standing in a pool of your own blood and it's only growing bigger." Kion could hear Fuli's voice tremble and crack in fear as he looked at her in confusion.

Feeling the wind blowing past his side, he shuts his eyes tightly; grunting as he winces in pain again as it intensifies. Kion puts his left paw to the marks; gasping in shock as he feels the pads run along the deep gashes. Slowly he brings his paw away from his side, too afraid to look at what he may see. Instead, looking to the ground. He indeed stood in his own blood; staining the rock underneath him. The image made him feel queasy as he only looked on in shock; questions burning in his head.

"How? How did I survive this attack and how am I alive after losing so much blood...? Who was this ruthless lioness and are there more of them?" None of which he could answer himself.

The single line from the voice of the lioness echoes in Kion's thoughts. Her voice rough and cruel, like claws scraping against a stone; sending a cold shiver down his spine. The memory of her final and only words sending uncontrollable fear though his entire body. "Glory to Mauti and all who oppose him shall perish." Before she let herself fall to her death.

As Kion stands on the rock in thought, he could briefly hear Fuli giving Ono orders to get help from Pride Rock. He turns to the two when he hears his name called, but for some odd reason, they were distant. It was then he noticed how dizzy he had become as his vision began to blur and darken.

"I think I've lost too much blood." Kion tries telling them as he begins to sway. He could hardly hear his own voice, only a mumble present. "Why am I only feeling this now?"

Hearing their voices answer but not understanding, Kion tries taking a step forward but falls to the ground in agony. No longer was he standing on the boulder, but rolling on the ground clutching his side. Upon seeing the blurred silhouette of Fuli come close and tower over him, he does everything he possibly can to stay awake; trying to focus his attention on only her. But it was no use, fatigue and his fear conquered him as he fell into complete darkness.

—TLK—

Kion's lungs felt cold as he drew a breath; shivering in the darkness. Not a single ray of light to be seen as he looks around. Confusion sets in as he realizes he longer wanders the Pridelands, Fuli no longer towers over him. "Am I dead..? If I am, where are you grandfather Mufasa?" He feels the pain shoot through his side and face, placing his paw over his wounds. But to his surprise, he didn't feel any wounds; they were just gone. Shaking his head in puzzlement, he calls out, hoping to hear an answer.

"Hello!?" Nothing, only silence. Taking a step forward, he feels something soft underneath his paw. Gasping in shock as it moves quickly away, Kion takes several steps back; lifting his paw up and holding it close to his chest. His heart races as he scans the dark void. Only silence followed yet again. A distant roar of a lion caught his attention, but he stayed still, not daring to investigate the noise.

After several minutes, a glowing blue mist slowly sets in, illuminating the floor; only coming up as far as his chest. This mysterious fog felt oddly comforting to the young lion, calming him down as the rocky floor became visible. The mist swirled and began to shine brighter, revealing a large unstable cave, twice as big as the Lion Guard lair. In the center of this cave, a large murky puddle being the only source of life as grass grew around it. Some of the mist dispersed from Kion and continued to do so; revealing a path to this puddle.

"Wade into the center of the pool, cub" A cold voice calls out to him.

Kion gasps in shock, desperately whipping his head around, trying to identify the voice. "Who are you?" He calls out, trying his best to be brave in this unfamiliar place.

"Step into the puddle." The voice demands again.

As Kion fails to meet the owner of the voice, he gulps and turns to the pool. Slowly he creeps forward until he's just a paw away from it. Setting one paw in the puddle, it comes at a surprise to him as the ripples become a thick red paste, surrounding his paw. He stops and brings his paw in front of him with puzzlement. Giving the red paste imprinted on his paw a sniff, his eyes widened in shock; the smell of blood lingers in his nose.

Suddenly his fur became wet as Kion found himself in the center of the pool of the puddle; the whole body of water filled with the same thick red paste. An eerie chuckle caught his attention as he looked around in confusion.

"Are you Mauti?" Kion calls out, his voice breaking in fear.

"No. There are things even he does not know." The voice chuckles louder. "You and I shall become better acquainted very soon."

"What are you saying... who are you if you're not this Mauti?"

"I am Tendaji... this is where my torment began...." the voice pauses for a second before continuing. "Where our torment began."

Kion shakes his head in confusion, never seeing this place before in his life and not at all sure what was happening. His question was soon answered as he listens in shock.

"I went by another name... a name you are most familiar with." The voice answers Kion mysteriously. "I am you."

"What?" Kion asks in shock, stepping back in astonishment. Suddenly a gust of rogue wind blew through the cave; making the mist come alive. It starts to gather in a single spot in front of Kion, taking the shape of a lion. He stares in shock as the lion of mist takes the form of an adult version of himself; brighter outlines of the mist litter his form. He could very clearly see they represented scars, the amount similar to the lion he encountered near the gorge.

Seeing this scarred lion in front of him, it frightens Kion; the lion of mist locks eyes with him. "You will be the one to change our fate; at a cost." The lion spoke deviously.

"The cost of what?" Kion asks.

"The cost of the blood running dry." Tendaji spoke as the pool of blood surrounding them begins to drain. "You will have help from another soon. Now, wake up...."

Kion suddenly feels the pain in his side once again. Clenching his eyes shut, Kion falls to the floor on the side opposite of the wounds. His vision became blurred and distant yet again. Then falls back into darkness.

To Be Continued...

This is as far as I got into the competition.