New Angles

Episode Sixteen: The Lake Of Reflection

~Episode seventeen: The Lake Of Reflection~

(Fuli and Guard's patrol)

"Everything ok, Fuli?" Beshte asked, as the cheetah finally caught up to them.

"Yeah.." Fuli lied, sighing. "I just hope we're not missing something important."

"Like what?" the hippo wondered. And her distracted gaze came up to his, concernedly.

"Never mind that now.." she decided, pushing past her clouded thoughts of Kion. "Rani says to trust Nirmala.. So for now.. Let's get this patrol done so we can move on to other things. Ok?"

"Yeah.. o..okay.." Beshte complied flatly, as they kept walking to where the high walls fell away to the open plains. "Sure."

XXXX

(Rani's choice; after fight mishap)

"Is everything ok?" Surak wondered, when Rani finally came to join them.

"Fuli.. doesn't think Kion's getting better.." Rani sighed, walking on passed him as he turned with her. "And.. I think she might be right.." she had to admit, when she paused.

"*yawn* so what are you gonna do?" Baliyo yawned. "I'm too tired to think."

"I think.. maybe I should talk to him." Rani stated, pausing for a second time. "Find out why he's not progressing."

"You must remember, Rani." Surak spoke up wisely. "You can't make someone heal by just telling them to do it."

"I know." Rani nodded. "But.. maybe I can at least see where his head's at,.. And.. help give him something new to think about."

"Sounds like a plan." Surak smiled. "You go ahead." He told her. "Baliyo and I will go get some rest."

"Of course, I'll catch up to you later then." Rani agreed.

"Alright." Surak replied. And the new queen took off on her own.

XXXX

(Kion's therapy)

"I've done everything I can do, Kion." Nirmala's words stung into him more than he realized they would. "To complete your healing.. You need to look inside yourself."

"Look inside myself?" He echoed at hearing this.

"Yes." Nirmala nodded. "Reflect,.. about what you've done.. and what you have left.. to do.." And the lowering feeling that weighed him down,.. leaving him lost in how to respond.

Turning to face the water, he only stared for a short time; before he couldn't take it and he slashed the water again, turning away from it with the refusal to look again.

What could possibly be worth reflecting on? He asked himself. And as he thought about this.. the memory of Ushari's painful bite,.. the scatter of his thoughts,.. The fuzz of his own mind,.. the anger from Scar's taunts.. and the suffering that followed all swirled around his head.. All the way up to his mistake this morning. And the roundabout claims that arose in his mind kept running him in circles that it almost made him dizzy to think about it all. But knowing he had nothing left to do, he stayed put even though he knew, deep down, he'd rather be anywhere else.

XXXX

(More reflecting)

How can I be leader of the Lion Guard.. Kion's thoughts wondered, as hopelessly as he thought he could. If I can't even live up to the reason I became leader in the first place? Trusting myself.. was so much easier back then.. when I got the roar.. But now?..