The Lion King: Dawn Of The Nations

Episode 61: Outbreak

The Lion King: Dawn of the Nations

Episode 61: Outbreak

After they finished their meal, Kion and Emba took a walk around Pride Rock. "What happened, son?" Kion patted Emba's head briefly.

Emba delayed a bit to reply. "I..." He shook his head and sighed with frustration and doubt. "You will hate me if I tell you."

"Woah, Emba..." Kion nuzzled his head tenderly. "That won't happen, I promise."

"I..." Emba sighed and just let out what he needed to say. "I almost killed Sekani."

Kion let out a gasp of surprise as his eyes widened. "You what?"

"What you just heard!" Emba looked at him with frustration and embarrassment, with a tear in the corner of his eye.

"Don't yell at me!" Kion took a step towards him, standing before his son, imposing and serious, making him step back while glaring down, starting to cry. Kion took a deep breath and sighed with repentance. "I'm sorry." Kion got closer to Emba and patted his head caringly, laying down next to him, making him lay down as well. "We can lose control sometimes, you and I." He shook his head. "This rage you have inside...you got it from me."

"If Faeze hadn't stopped me...Sekani..." Emba cleaned a tear off his face with his paw, as he tried to speak with great effort as the sadness overcame him. He took a couple of deep breaths. "I wanted to end with..." He growled. "...with his life, dad." Emba continued crying, resting his face on his father's chest. "...he had s..." Emba sobbed. "...surrendered."

Kion nuzzled his head tenderly with his lower jaw. "I remember a time where I felt that...untamed rage as well, against one of my best friends." Kion pictured the memory of the conflict he had with Fuli back when they were in their journey to the Tree of Life. "I wanted to make her suffer..." He felt a phantom pain on his scar, thanks to the vivid remembrance. "I felt this enormous pride and anger that made me see others as stones in my path."

"Maybe I'm not ready, dad." Emba's crying had calmed down a bit.

"You are ready, son." Kion spoke with certainty.

"Dad, you would see me differently if you had been there." Emba sobbed. "How will I keep the pridelanders safe if I'm a menace to them?"

"I'll never see you differently." Kion licked his head. "I love you and I believe in you." Emba looked at him with disbelief. "Do you want to be the leader of the Guard? Do you want to defend the Pride Lands?"

Emba nodded. "I really do." He shook his head. "What I don't know is if I can."

Kion took a moment to think, to find a way to help his son overcome that anger as he did back then. "Hmm...tuliza could help."

"Who's Tuliza?" Emba inquired.

"Oh..." Kion chuckled birefly. "No one, it's a flower. Makini gave it to me when I felt stressed and angry during difficult times."

Emba raised an eyebrow. "And, did it work?"

Kion nodded. "For short periods of time, but yeah..." He patted him. "...It worked." Kion looked away for a moment. "But I think you will need something else as well."

"What?" Emba looked at his father with confusion.

"It was called 'The River of Patience', it helped me stay calm, focus on myself and the things around me, learn to wait." Kion looked around, pensive. "Urembo River could work."

"Oh, so...I just have to take a bath there and it's done?" Emba inquired.

"Not exactly." Kion smiled at him and licked his forehead. "We should get you tuliza first and see how you react, okay?"