The Lion King: Dawn Of The Nations

Episode 54: Fraternity

The Lion King: Dawn of the Nations

Episode 54: Fraternity

The lions and the cheetahs walked over the grassy path between the caves, under the green cover of the trees. Faeze's friends had gone to sleep with their respective families. They got in a narrow path that led to a big and tall cave. "This one's very warm, you will have a pleasant night here, for sure." Fuli said as they entered.

"Asante, Fuli." Kion smirked at her.

"It's a pleasure." Fuli smiled back then looked at her son. "Come on, sweet. Time to go."

"Oh, mom can't I stay here? There's a lot of space." Faeze asked with pleading eyes.

"Son, th..." Fuli was interrupted.

"Yes, like a sleepover." Emba glared at his dad and aunt. "Can he?"

"They need their privacy son, com..." Azaad also couldn't finish the phrase.

"It's alright." Kion switched his gaze from Fuli and Azaad to Faeze's pleading eyes. "The Lion Guard is not only a team, it is a family and I'm happy to know you are already feeling that." He glanced back at his parents. "Let him stay."

Fuli sighed. "Just behave well, son, okay?"

"Of course, always! Thanks mom!" Faeze approached her and licked her cheek with gratefulness.

Fuli chuckled and licked his head. "Have fun, Faeze."

Azaad walked towards his son and nuzzled his head. "Sleep well." He licked his forehead and looked into his eyes with tenderness.

"You too, dad." Faeze nuzzled his father's chest with his head.

"If you need anything, just tell us." Fuli told Kion and Kiara while winking friendlily.

After Fuli and Azaad left, the lions and the cheetah cub began to rest, laying down over the rocky ground. Kion and Kiara were in a corner of the cave while the cubs were in the opposite one. They weren't asleep yet though, except for Ari.

"So, what does it feel like, Emba?" Keru inquired, he was resting his head on his brother's side. "To be a member of the guard?"

"Don't forget I'm the leader as well." Emba boasted while chuckling, as he laid between Ari and Zale. "I don't know, it just feels...awesome, I feel powerful and I just want to start already."

"It won't be easy to find our other teammates." Faeze opined. "Who's gonna be our strongest one? Or the keenest of sight?"

Emba yawned. "We'll have to see."

"Yeah." Faeze got closer to them to get warmer.

Zale had his eyes closed already, he was speaking very silently, his words were unintelligible for the ears of the rest. "Be with him wherever he goes, please. It's all I'm asking you tonight."

Emba's ear twitched. "Zale?" He raised an eyebrow. "Who are you talking to?"

Zale yawned while resting his head on his paws. "Mungu." He was now between dream and reality. "Sleep well...you all."

"Sleep well, brother." Keru responded quietly.

Emba got thoughtful for a moment, then his eyelids started to feel heavy. "Hm, I guess we should..." He yawned. "... get some sleep too." He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Goodnight."

"Night." Faeze responded, having his eyes closed already.

"I feel the heat of the sun again, sister." Kion said as he laid next to Kiara.

Kiara nuzzled his cheek. "I know, I can see it in your eyes, and I feel it as well."

Kion got silent for a moment. "Kovu, we must go to Ungari and bring him back." He let out a sigh. "Strong families stay together." A lump formed in his throat but he managed to fight it. "Tomorrow." He looked at Kiara. "We'll go tomorrow."

Kiara smiled at him with a tear on the corner of her eye. "Okay." She rested her head against his. "Thanks, Kion."

Kion and Kiara fell asleep quite rapidly, the warmth among them and the soft sounds of the crickets and the wind outside made everything in their mind vanish, putting them in deep and peaceful dreams.

In the middle of the night, Emba started to groan while rolling over constantly, waking up Faeze, who yawned and looked at Emba. "Emba." He yawned as he got up and patted Emba's side with his paw, looking at Emba's face of worry.

Emba gasped, opening his eyes widely and breathing in and out rapidly. "It's you." He said with relief as he closed his eyes and laid down his head on the ground again.

"Nightmares?" Faeze said as he laid down next to him.

"Yes." Emba was still calming himself down with deep breaths. "There was...blood and..." He sobbed. "...body parts everywhere, and a horrible lion submitting me, crushing my..." Emba kept sobbing as tears traveled the fur of his face. "...chest, and I also saw you and my family dead..." He started to cry louder, but not loud enough to wake up the others. "...in his red eyes."

"Hey, bud it was just a dream." Faeze placed his paw on Emba's forehead. "It was just a dream."

"What if it comes true?" Emba sighed. "What if...what if I shouldn't be the leader of the Guard? Maybe that way it won't hap..."

Faeze patted his forehead tenderly. "Emba, Emba calm down, it was just a dream, I have nightmares too, many times and they never come true."

"But..." Emba got interrupted once again by Faeze.

"Just try to sleep again, I'm here by your side so you won't be alone in your dreams, maybe I'll show up and help you kick that bad lion's tail, big time!" Faeze joked reassuringly as he rested his forehead on Emba's, with a sudden brotherly feeling.

Emba chuckled with a broken voice. "Maybe." He smiled and closed his eyes. "Okay, I...I will try."

"Good." Faeze smirked as well.

"Thank you." Emba said as tears kept forming in the corners of his eyes. "Thanks Faeze." He said with a lump in his throat.

"That's what..." Faeze yawned. "...friends are for." He closed his eyes, keeping his paw on his friend's head. After a couple of minutes, they both fell deeply asleep.

The next morning, the royal families of the Pride Lands and Ferezan were eating breakfast in the clearing where they had eaten dinner the night before. The breakfast consisted in a group of zebras that had been just hunted. "Your mother has always been a formidable huntress." Kion told Faeze.

"Mhm." Faeze swallowed the chunk of zebra he had been munching. "Yes, she's the best." He looked at his mom with prideful eyes.

Fuli chuckled. "Thanks sweet." She looked at Azaad with a smirk. "My love doesn't do so bad." Fuli winked at him.

"Not so bad'? I'm a great hunter and you know it." Azaad nuzzled her face gently.

Fuli purred. "You just look handsome when you stalk your preys." She chuckled while blushing and nuzzling him back. "That's it."

After they were finished, Ozel arrived, bowing his head as he approached them. "I am ready your majesties, it's an honor to help with the training of these younglings." He switched his gaze at Emba and Faeze.

Kion smiled and got onto his paws, then approached Fuli and Azaad. "Well, it's time for us to go home. Thank you so much for your hospitality." He bowed his head. "Honorable rulers of Ferezan."

Fuli bowed her head, followed by Azaad. "It was our pleasure, King of the Pride Lands."

The pridelanders left along with Ozel, Azaad and Faeze. "Azaad, could you and Ozel take Faeze and my son to Pride Rock?" Kion said after they passed by the last trees of Ferezan.

"For sure." Azaad said with a nod.

"Thanks. Ask for Koca, start training them. We'll return in brief." Kion said as he began to walk more to the left.

"Come on, kids." Kiara told Ari, Zale and Keru as she gestured at the direction they were now taking. "We're going to Ungari."