The Lion Guard: A Dark Secret

Chapter 45

There Kion stood in front of the Night Pride, all of them longing for an answer. He hopped off of Beshte, his muscles recoiling in pain due to his wounds. Fuli gingerly followed him, the same painful reaction coursing through her.

"Well... I don't know how to explain..." Kion began, nervous and scared shivers rippling through his body. Scary thoughts flashed through him making him shudder.

"It's alright, young one. Take your time," Janna said calmly.

"It's... well... Jua's a spirit and-AAAHHHHHH!" Claws raked down Kion's side. Pain seared through him and he gasped in horror.

"I told you NEVER to tell ANYONE! Apparently you didn't listen... and you will face consequences..."

"I've actually been waiting for this moment..."

"Ah yes... let the FUN begin..."

"Kion?! Kion what's going on?!" Fuli's voice could barely cut through his thoughts. His heart pounded out of his chest as pain seared through him. Blood trickled onto the ground. He gasped and turned to look at his body. His eyes widened - so many new wounds littered his body, all from three lions.

Jua, Zira, and Scar.

*

What's going on?! "What's happening to him?! Why is he getting wounded?! Why are there cuts?!" Fear spiked inside of Fuli whenever she looked at Kion. "What's going on?!"

"Ah yangu... I think I may hold the answer..." Nirmala turned her head away, her face glum. 

Hold the answer? What does she mean? Fuli's mind wondered, trying not to panic. How is she not panicking like crazy right now?! Her mind screamed. 

Nirmala paused and sighed. Fuli looked at Kion, the lion struggling to breathe. Come on Nirmala, tell us! 

When the lioness didn't speak, Fuli snapped; "Then what is it?!" Though it might seem she was angry, she wasn't. Instead she was fearful.

Nirmala sighed. "Jua is the who I feared she was... Let me tell you a story..."

Who she feared? What does that mean?! Does she know anything about Jua that we don't?! Even if she did there's no time for that! We gotta help Kion... we have to help Kion...! Her gaze drifted to the struggling lion who was looking at her with fear in his eyes. He squeezed her paw tighter and squeezed his eyes shut.

Fuli turned back to Nirmala, fear pulsing through her. "Story?!" Fuli snapped, not angered but instead fearful. "We don't have time for a story! We need you to help Kion!" Each of the lion's ear piercing screams were horrible to listen to, to imagine his suffering... his pain...

"Fuli, I need you to listen." Nirmala's voice was stern yet calm. Firm yet reassuring.

"Why?!" Fuli snapped still out of fear.

"Do you trust me?" Nirmala asked innocently.

Fuli knew what Nirmala was trying to do. "Don't try to guilt trip me!" Fuli growled, frusturation bubbling up inside her as more of Kion's screams of agony rang through her ears.

"You have to hear this," Nirmala told her firmly. "To help him you have to know what's going on."

Fuli was about to protest, but found herself unable to. Nirmala had a good point. "Fine," she reluctantly agreed. Kion screamed loudly again as more blood poured from his skin and fur. "Here, hold my paw," Fuli told him, finding that as the only current way she knew of easing his pain. She reached out her paw in his direction.