The Lion King: Dawn Of The Nations

Episode 1: Decisions

The Lion King: Dawn Of The Nations

Episode 1: Decisions

"I remember, Kion. I remember when our Kingdom wasn't a silent, beautiful land. There were voices, sounds of life, that was what your father gave you, as well as Kovu and Kiara." Rani was contemplating the stars over the edge of the Pride Rock, next to Kion, who was also looking at the dark blue sky.

"Isn't this what we fought for?" Kion replied, the wind of the night gently moved his long mane, red as his father's. "Peace, Rani." He glanced at her. "Peace."

Rani was still focused on the sky above them and the Pride Lands. "Are peace and exile the same?" She glared at him.

Kion placed his forehead on hers. "How many times do I have to tell you?" He closed his eyes. "I did what I had to." He looked directly into her eyes again. "And you were part of that council." He turned and walked away from her, standing on the opposite side. "You very well know what your vote was, Rani." Kion spoke with a deep, firm voice that created an echo in the cave beyond the Rock.

Rani sighed and lowered her head, remembering the event that Kion was talking about, closing her eyes, the past getting before her as a vivid image.

"This is madness, Kion! What could Simba think about this?!" Kovu confronted Kion, breaking the circle the four lions were forming over the Pride Rock.

Kion grunted. "My father is dead! Kovu!" He looked at his sister, Kiara, who glanced down by the statement, then Kion frowned and glared at Kovu again. "That's the truth, and also one of the many reasons we're here in the first place." He growled at him and Kovu went back to his spot. "Now, it's time to take a decision."

"Kion, maybe it's too soon to d..." Rani was interrupted by Kion's growl of warning, same as his stare.

Kion sighed and shook his head. "I know this is drastic, but, there's more land beyond the Kingdom, they'll survive, I know it." Kion lifted his gaze and looked at them. "Do you want more death? More violence? Simba..." Kion turned and locked his gaze on the cold rock under his paws. "My dad...he tried to fix this." A tear fell from the corner of his eye. "And he was killed just because he wanted order." Kion frowned and approached the Council again, sitting on his spot and patting the rock with his paw, firmly and decidedly. "I express my vote, to exile the half of the families of each species, to keep our land rich and preserve our survival..." He looked at each member of the Council of Kings, Rani, Kiara and Kovu. "As well as our brothers' and sisters', who will establish new domains outside of my father's Kingdom and will rule the exiled. Only the ones loyal to my father and my grandfather will stay."

Rani, with a bit of hesitation, also patted the rocky ground with her paw. "I express my vote, in favor."

Kiara did the same, looking at Kovu for a moment, then she lowered her head. "I express my vote..." She thought about her decision again, then just confirmed it. "...in favor."

Kovu gasped when knowing the decision had been made. "This is..." He looked at Kion, frowning. "This is unfair!" He exclaimed after a growl. "They won't make it out there, they need our help!"

Kion growled and rapidly approached him, confronting him with daring eyes. "You mean our rulership! Your rulership!" He stated while starting to walk around him. "Once again, Scar's heir shows his benevolence..."

"Kion!" Kiara growled at him.

Kion ignored his sister. "You care for them, you say, the zebras, the cheetahs, the elephants, the other lions." Kion's gaze was locked on his. "But you don't deceive me, Kovu. You are not Scar, that I know well." He sat down in front of him with confidence. "You've proven to be worthy of my family, and yet, you can't stand others to have power."

Kovu raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? This is a council, in case you didn..!"

"I know, I know, Kovu. But you don't really fear the danger that the exiled will live without us...you fear the leaders that will rise beyond these lands." Kion argued.

Kovu gasped and backed away a bit. "That's..." He tried to make up an answer, but he knew that Kion was speaking with the truth. "Well, who ruled before you? Who ruled before Simba?" He got into his paws. "There has always been only one Kingdom! And you want to divide it! This is a treason to your past!"

"The past is gone! And the council has spoken! To let our Kingdom survive, the exile must go on! For the good of all!" Kion exclaimed.

"And what kind of Kingdom will your children reign? An empty land with war surrounding it! That's what you are proposing!" Kovu argued.

"Who has talked about war, Kovu?" Rani intervened. "That's only your perception!"

Kovu let out a chuckle of mockery. "Come on, Rani, lions are always thirsty of power, of dominance! We couldn't even deal with the Battle of the Clans and now you want to give them lands of their own!"

"I'm giving them nothing, if they want to fight themselves to claim the ones outside of the Kingdom, that's not our business." Kion stated. "What is our business, is our family, your family, Kovu."

"For you, I was never truly a part of it." Kovu put a straight face, lowering down his tone a bit.

"But you were for my father, and you are my sister's." Kion said. "And my nephews'." He backed away from him then turned and began to walk towards the cave. "The exile starts tomorrow." He looked back at them, Rani went with him after so. "The decision is clear."

Rani opened her eyes and then looked at Kion, who was still facing the horizon, she then walked towards him and laid next to him. "Maybe I was...wrong."

Kion glanced at her then laid down, getting his neck over her head. "Wrong or not...it's too late."