Remember Who You Are

Chapter 11: A Tricky Situation

Kion and Kiara were walking through the Pride Lands, hoping something along the way would trigger a memory. But so far no luck. But Kion was enjoying the time he was spending with his big sister. But their alone time was short lived. To Kion's dismay he saw Tiifu and Zuri heading towards them. Kion really didn't have any problems with Tiifu but Zuri was the one he couldn't stand being around. The tan coated cub was always saying or doing something mean or snobby. "Hey guys," Tiifu said with a smile.
"Hey Tiifu," Kion said with a smile of his own. "Zuri," he said flatly.
"Kion," Zuri said curtly. "I see they let you out of the den."
"Yeah finally," Kion said with a smile.
"So what are you guys up to?" Tiifu asked.
"Oh not much," Kiara said. "Just taking a little walk to see if anything will jar Kion's memory."
"Yeah with no luck either," Kion grumbled. Zuri scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Got something to say Zuri?!" Kion snapped, glaring at the tan coated cub.
"Oh come on Kion give it up already," she said in a condescending tone.
"Give what up?" Kion asked, giving Zuri a look.
"The whole 'oh poor me I've got amnesia' thing," Zuri said, once again rolling her blue eyes. "Its really getting old."
"The only thing getting old here is your attitude Zuri!" Kiara snarled, glaring at her friend.
"Oh please Kiara you know I'm right," Zuri declared. "I'm just the only one that has the guts to say it. Everyone is tried of catering to Kion all the time!"
"That's not true!" Kiara shouted, getting in Zuri's face.
"Yes it is Kiara!" Zuri shouted back. "I heard Queen Nala talking to my mother about it the other day. She and King Simba were saying how they wished things would be like before Kion went and got himself hurt. That is was a lot less stressful. And how King Simba is already stressed enough as it is and that Queen Nala was worried that all the stress might cause him to get sick or worse."
"I don't want that to happen!" Kion cried out, his amber eyes wide with horror.
"Then stop being such a whiny baby!" Zuri shouted, getting in Kion's face. "And stop pretending that you don't remember anything!"
"I'm not pretending!" Kion shouted. "Do you think I'm actually enjoying this?! You must be even dumber than I thought! I'm not enjoying any of this! I hate every second of it! I'd give anything to remember my past!" With that Kion let out a sob and the tears ran down his face.
"I'm going to kill you Zuri!" Kiara shouted, tackling Zuri to the ground.
"Kiara no!" Tiifu shouted as she ran to separate her fighting friends. While this was happening Kion took the opportunity to run off, not wanting to be a burden anymore.

Kion ran until his front paw began to throb. Collapsing to the ground Kion caught his breath. Then he heard something rustle in the bushes. "Wh-whose there?" Kion stammered, getting to his feet.
"Don't be afraid young one," Reirei said emerging from the bushes along with her mate Goigoi. "We won't hurt you." Janja had informed the others in the Outlands of Kion's amnesia so Reirei was taking advantage of the situation.
"Who are you?" Kion demanded, glaring at Reirei.
"Why Kion is that anyway to treat an old friend?" Reirei said, pretending to be hurt.
"We're friends?" Kion asked, giving Reirei a suspicious look.
"Of course we are," Reirei said. "You're friends with our son Dogo. Dogo dear come out here please." Within seconds Reirei and Goigoi's son, Dogo came running out of the bushes.
"Hey Kion!" Dogo said with a smile. "I'm so glad you're ok. I've missed you!" With that Dogo ran up to Kion and embraced him.
"Dogo dear remember I told you Kion has amnesia?" Reirei said.
"Yeah I know," Dogo said. "But I though maybe if he saw me it would trigger something."
"Wait hold on here," Kion said, holding up his paw. "If your my friend then how come you never came and visited me when I couldn't leave the cave?"
"Well Kion Simba doesn't exactly like us," Reirei said. "All over a silly misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" Kion said with confusion.
"Oh he's convinced we're associated with Jasiri and her awful hyenas," Reirei said, knowing full well that Kion and Jasiri were in fact friends.
"Whose Jasiri?" Kion asked.
"Oh she's Janja's mate," Reirei lied.
"Yeah Janja I remember," Kion said with a shudder. "He attacked me a couple of weeks ago."
"Then you know how awful those hyenas really are," Reirei said. "And Simba thinks we associate with those scum just because we felt pity on a poor hyena pup and gave him food. Simba saw that, assumed the worst and banished us to those horrible Outlands. You know the dark area just beyond the Pride Lands. You and Dogo are secretly friends for fear of what your father my do if he found out."
"That's terrible," Kion said, an angry look going across his face. "I knew he could get mean sometimes but that's going to far!"
"Oh you made the mistake of telling him that before," Reirei said, continuing her lie. "And lets just say the results weren't pleasant."
"Yeah I can see that happening," Kion said softly. "But still..."
"But still what dear?" Reirei asked.
"Its just that well Simba doesn't seam like the type of lion who would hurt me or Kiara," Kion pointed out.
"Well usually he's not," Reirei said, thinking quickly. "But Simba has quite the temper."
"Yeah," Kion said with a nod. "I know. I've seen it. He seams to get mad whenever someones disagrees with him."
"Then you can see my point then?" Reirei asked. Kion nodded so Reirei continued. "Anyways as I was saying you and Dogo are secretly friends so here we are. It is so good to see you again my dear."
"Thanks," Kion said with a smile. "I just wish I could remember you all."
"Don't worry buddy I'm sure that once we do our usual stuff then your memories will come flooding back," Dogo said, making sure he put it on extra thick.
"What's our usual stuff?" Kion asked.
"You know things like uh scavenging," Dogo said.
"Scavenging?" Kion repeated with confusion.
"Yeah we scavenge," Dogo said. "C'mon I'll show you. Is that ok Mom and Dad?" Dogo looked at Reirei and Goigoi when he said this part.
"Just be careful about being seen," Reirei said.
"I will!" Dogo called out as he and Kion left.
"This is perfect," Reirei cackled, her brown eyes gleaming. "Everything is going according to plan."
"Yeah lets just hope that Kion don't get his memory back anytime soon," Goigoi said. "Otherwise we'll be screwed."
"Oh don't worry about that," Reirei said. "I know just what to do to make sure that doesn't happen."
"You do?" Goigoi asked with surprise. "What's that?"
"You'll see," Reirei said with an evil smile. "Come with me." With that the two jackals left to fulfill their evil plan.

Meanwhile Kion and Dogo had arrived at their destination. And this was the area near Big Springs. "See that over there," Dogo whispered, pointing to small group of squirrels that were gathering their food, which consisted of berries and nuts. "We like to trade food," Dogo explained. "They took some spare food from us last week and now we take some food from them."
"Are you sure that's ok?' Kion asked, feeling uneasy about the situation. "I mean it seams wrong to take food from other animals."
"Like I told you we trade food all the time," Dogo said, acting like it was no big thing.
"I don't know," Kion said, still feeling uneasy.
"Just ask their leader, Chindi, she'll give it to you," Dogo said, pointing to a slightly larger female squirrel.
"If you say so," Kion said, going over to the leader. "Chindi?" he asked with caution.
"Prince Kion!" Chindi said with surprise. "So nice to see you up and about!"
"Thanks," Kion said with a smile. "But I'm going to need to take your berries and nuts. Is that ok?"
"You need our food?" Chindi asked with surprise.
"Yeah," Kion said with a nod. "That's ok isn't it?"
"Well I suppose," Chindi began.
"But Chindi we spent all day collecting," another squirrel protested.
"Hush Sikitika," Chindi scolded. Then she turned towards Kion and said, "Please take as much as you need."
"Thanks," Kion said. With that he scooped up all the berries and nuts and took off towards where Dogo was.
"He took all our food!" Sikitika said with outrage. "Why would Prince Kion need berries and nuts anyways?! Lions are strictly meat eaters."
"Yes I admit that was odd, Chindi said. "But knowing Prince Kion he had to have had a good reason for it." With that the two squirrels began to once again gather their much needed food.

Kion had dropped the food off to Dogo, who quickly gobbled it up. "See," he said with a mouthful. "I told you so."
"Sorry I doubted you," Kion said with a smile.
"No problem," Dogo said with a smile. Then he noticed Fuli and Bunga heading towards him. "Uh I gotta go Kion," Dogo said quickly. "But I'll see you tomorrow ok?"
"Sure Dogo," Kion said with a smile as the jackal pup took off.
"Kion!" Fuli said as she and Bunga ran towards their friend. "Kiara came home and said you had run off!"
"Yeah where were you?!" Bunga cried out.
"Sorry guys," Kion said, lowering his eyes in shame. "I didn't mean to worry everyone. I just needed some air that's all."
"Well we're just glad you're ok," Bunga said with a smile.
"I'd better get home," Kion said. "I'm sure Mom and Simba are worried." With that Kion quickly took off towards Pride Rock with a confused Fuli and Bunga behind him.