New Angles

Return To The Pridelands pt. 8

~Episode twenty: Return To The Pridelands~

~Part Eight~

(AU; no Lion Guard competition; continued)

A growing light appeared above him and he hardly noticed it till it began to speak.

"What troubles you, Kion?" Mufasa asked, as his youngest grandchild turned his way.

"Grandfather,.. I've done something I can't take back.." Kion confessed, smearing the drying blood of his wound across his face in one single sweep. "And.. I'm afraid it'll change the way everyone thinks of me.. I know I'm healed, but.. somehow.. I don't feel like I have.."

"Because of what you have done." Mufasa implied.

"Yeah.." Kion confirmed, his tone lightening. "I've said some things I already regret.. and.. allowed someone else's words get to me. I know that's not who I am,.. or.. who I'm supposed to be.."

"Your heart can't take insults, even if they aren't true." Mufasa added thoughtfully. "You know you must learn not to allow yourself to be drawn in by things that hurt.. even if they aren't true.."

"I know.." Kion confirmed with a nod. "And I wanna work on that.. I'm just having a hard time of figuring out how to do that I guess."

"I believe you have plenty of ways to do that.. and they all have names, you know.." the former Lion King reminded him.

"I'm not so sure I wanna talk to them just yet.." Kion sighed hesitantly. "Not sure they'd even want to right now.."

"I think you'll find they're not as malcontented about this as you think.." Mufasa reasoned.

"Yeah but,.. how could they think any higher of me than what I've just given them?" His eyes flashed. "What if I'm not as healed as everyone thought?.." then an even deeper thought came to mind. "Could I be,..- reverting back to what I was with my scar?" He paused.

"When will it end?" He sighed after a while.

"Kion, stop." Mufasa raised his tone slightly, and it made his grandson look up at him, the tenderness of his firm tone giving him a security that kept him at ease.

"You are thinking way farther into this than is needed." His grandfather told him. "You worry far too much about a curse that is not a curse.. Remember what you have learned,.. remember who you are,.. and who you are is worthy. And don't forget to surround yourself with the ones who have always believed the best in you.. as well as make amends with them in any way you can."

"But what do I say?" Kion wondered, feeling the heaviest weight of doubt than ever. "Where do I even start?"

"I think you'll find that when faced with a challenge, you'll find the words to speak.. and the actions to back it up." Mufasa answered, making Kion try to think of any other question that might excuse what he must do.

"I guess, maybe I could try.." Kion sighed finally, though his tone wavered. Then Grandfather Mufasa nodded his satisfaction as he faded away.

xxxx

"I can't believe it.." Beshte murmured to the group.

"I don't believe it.." Ono added.

"I've never seen Kion actually lash out like that before.." Fuli reasoned lightly, a haunted look in her eyes. "To anyone other than our enemies of course."