The Lion King Origins: Book One

49| Torn Apart Again

•Adia•

Tiny blades of grass burned near my tan paws as I ran to reach Badru's healing tree. Kion's heavy weight was causing my running pace to slow and even my breath to hitch in my throat. Some places that were set on fire was beginning to calm down and fade away, but majority of the air was still hot and smoky.

"Oh my, Prince Kion!" Badru called and came down quickly from one of his tall branches.

Kion laid down, his aching body thumping on the warm ground. His eyes closed as he winced in major pain. Badru gasp and hold his face in the palm of his hands.

"Don't worry, I already had a healing mixture ready for Ekon the elephant, but this should most definitely cure you up as well. Thank you Adia for sending him to me, I will get to work immediately." He nods and thanks me, and goes up to his tree to grab a tortoise shell and thick bandage like leaves.

I nod with a small smile and begin turning away, rushing to find Kibwe. Before I started to run..

"A-adia, wait." Kion called my name in a weak voice.

I fought back the sudden urge to cry and my eyes began to sting with fresh tears. I breathed a shaky breath and turned to face him.

"Yes?"

"About K-kibwe. You both have a deep connection that I will probably never understand. So I need you to tell me, what is he hiding? I know my boy more than anyone, something is holding him back. Could it be the hyenas?" He asks in a desperate and broken voice.

More guilt formed inside me, having to lie to the father of the lion whom I love more than anything. I turn my eyes away from his ruby red ones and look nervously at my paws.

"I'm sorry Kion, I can't. I know nothing of what Kibwe is going through. Each time I try to talk to him about it, he brushes me off." I sit and wonder if he can hear the lies in my voice.

"Adia, please. I am begging you." I gasp, never seeing this side of Kion before, but I can tell this is hurting him to the core, seeing his child like this. "You have to tell me what you know.."

Warm droplets slipped from my blue eyes, my emotions spilling over. I quickly wiped them away from with my paws. A tear slipped from Kion's as well. Just as quickly as I got him here, I stood on my four paws and ran as fast as my paws could take me.

I heard my name being called by both Kion and Badru, as he came back around with Kion's healing serum. I ignored them both and continued sprinting throughout the plains, avoiding everything that continued to remain in flames. The only thing on my mind right now, was Kibwe. He was probably in danger and I had to help.

I coughed up some thick smoke that had entered my body and struggled to catch my breath when I was fat enough that I couldn't hear their voices calling me anymore.

"How dare you!" I hear another voice yell.

My ears and eyes are in full alert when I look and see Kibwe face to face with Runa, the leader of her hyena clan. She pounce in the air ready to attack him, and he stands in a fighting position.

"I'm prepared to fight for my family, isn't that what we are both here to do, lion?!" Runa hissed angrily at Kibwe.

"I am here to fight for my family and loved ones, you are here to kill mine! That is something I will not stand for!" He roars loudly.