The Lion Guard: A Dark Secret

Chapter 58

Fuli stared after Kion as he ran, trying to catch her shaky breath. I did it. I finally told him. The secret's finally out.

She looked back at the others. Resting her gaze on Simba, fury built up inside her. "How could you say that to the lion you raised?" She growled.

"He is the son of my mother's murderer," Simba hissed, his strained voice thick with grief.

"Simba, don't you remember you once thought he was your son?" Nala walked up to him on shaky paws.

"His father killed my mother." His voice thickened with grief. "I can't live with that."

Nirmala walked closer to them. "Simba, King of the Pride Lands, Your Majesty." She bowed her head respectfully. "I am so sorry about what happened to Sarabi, but none of this was Kion's fault."

"Roho was easily broken, easily manipulated. This is the father of the cub I raised."

"D-daddy," a voice cut through their exchange. They turned to see Kiara trudging over to them, shaking. "Is Kion really not my brother?"

Simba looked at Kiara with an expression holding nothing but pain and regret. "He's not, daughter."

Everyone flinched back and said nothing until Simba realized his poor choice of words. "Oh, I didn't mean to-"

"How could you be so insensitive and clueness?!" Nala snapped.

"How could YOU indirectly cause ROHO TO LEAVE?!" Nirmala screamed, turning Nala and Simba's attention to her.

"YOU KNOW WHAT EVERYONE?!?!" Fuli screamed at the top of her lungs until everyone turned to her. "I think we all need to be alone," she finished, lowering her voice a lot compared to her previous screaming.

When she was just about to walk away without looking back, something caught her eye. Something utterly horrifying and sickening.

Rani's body was splayed out on the ground, motionless. Her eyes were glazed over and her neck was twisted in a direction it definitely shouldn't be. Everyone else followed her gaze and gasped.

Nala staggered back. "I.. I did that?" She looked down at her paws and her eyes widened in horror. Her claws were still unsheathed and covered in blood, also staining the fur on her paws.

Nirmala gasped and stared at her old friend in disbelief. "Nala... she was..."

"I.. I didn't mean to!" Nala said quickly. "Fuli told me Jua was possessing Rani... I only meant to attack Jua."

"SHE WAS MY NIECE IN LAW!" Nirmala screamed. 

Nala staggered back. "I.. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to!" She ran off Royal's Rock and in the direction of the Pass, not looking back.

Suddenly, something knocked into her, knocking the breath out of her. She looked up and a wave of shock shot through her at the cheetah she saw.

"Hello, daughter."

XXXX

Kion kept running, not bothering to brush away the tears that raced down his cheeks. Why did it have to be this way? Why... why was I abandoned? Didn't Nirmala want me? Did anyone want me... or was Nala adopting me just out of pity?

If Nala wasn't there.... would I have died?

A scream cut through his thoughts. Kion froze in his tracks. Fuli!

"KION RUN! THEY'RE AFTER US!" Fuli's shouts got louder.

What?! Who's after me?! Kion swerved around, trying to pin point where her voice was coming from.