[Discontinued] The Lioness ~~~ A Lion King x reader fanfiction~~~

Midnight escapes - Chapter 16

About three months had passed in mourning, and to (Y/n) it felt like just when she would go out of mourning then someone else would die that was close to her. The endless cycle of misery tired the lioness. More emotionally than physically.

The daunting tasks that mainly consisted of almost endless hunting trips to provide for the hyenas didn't help either. Fortunately (Y/n)'s trained body allowed to last longer than most other lionesses, but regardless she felt fatigue take over her body from time to time.

The skies progressively darkened under the clouds, signalling that the sun had started to set. (Y/n) just like the other lioness was resting for the day. Soon she would fall asleep and in a few hours continue on with her life.

However, (Y/n) felt a nagging sensation, something similar to an unrelenting and disturbing thought, that told the lioness to get up. And she recognised that feeling. It was just like on the day of Simba's and Mufasa's death as well as before that - in the Elephant Graveyard. Once (Y/n) had come to that revelation she immediately opened her (e/c) eyes to look around.

All of the lionesses were asleep. And by the steady rise and fall of their stomachs (Y/n) concluded that they were in a very deep sleep. But she noticed that her best friend was missing from the cave they all resided in.

"So that's why," (Y/n) thought to herself as she rose from the ground and quietly manoeuvred through the sleeping bodies.

Once she had made it to the entrance the lioness carefully looked around for any signs of hyenas that would be patrolling through the night. Some of them went by the entrance but didn't seem to notice (Y/n). She allowed her instincts to guide her and once she was sure the coast was clear (Y/n) swiftly but silently trotted through the shadows, from one to the next. And soon enough guided by her intuition (Y/n) saw Nala hiding behind one of the rocks seemingly waiting for the right moment to flee.

"What are you doing, Nala?" the lioness questioned her sternly but silently enough to not gain attention on them both.

Her best friend jumped slightly and turned her body slightly to see who had addressed her. Once Nala saw that it was (Y/n) the lioness sighed and whispered a reply.

"I'm going away."

"Why?"

"To get help."

"I can't let you do that."

"Scar needs to be stopped and you know it. He is not the rightful king-"

"Then who is?" (Y/n) growled out in frustration, "Simba is dead and has been dead for two years. The next in line automatically is Scar-"

"He is forcing us to overhunt!" Nala quietly exclaimed, her brows furrowed in frustration, "There is no food, no water and he doesn't do anything to help! He only cares about himself!"

"But if you go out there then the hyenas will chase after you and possibly kill you!" the golden furred lioness reasoned gesturing with her head to the entrance.

"Then so be it!" Nala stated back, "At least I won't be a coward and simply submit to his rule-"

"And you think I do?!" (Y/n) spat back, "After what he had done to my parents? Do you truly think I see him as a king?"

Nala's eyes were wide in shock. Of course, she couldn't forget. She watched her best friend suffer through loss that she could never imagine. But the lioness knew that she needed to get help.

"There is a desert some ways west," (Y/n) sighed quietly, "If you go there the hyenas won't be able to follow you."

"But what about you?" Nala asked worriedly.

"My duty is to the pride and my deceased king," she calmly replied, "If I go then there would be no one to protect the others."

(Y/n) then decided to rub affectionately against her best friend as a final goodbye, Nala eagerly returning the gesture before both of them drew away to look at each other, Nala worriedly while (Y/n) was calm and stoic.

"I will try to stop the hyenas from following you as much as I can," the (e/c) eyed lioness told her friend.

Nala jumped to rub her face against her friend's face in gratitude afterwards pulling away and nodding. Once they made sure the coast was clear they both ran side by side towards the desert.

Soon enough (Y/n) heard the cackle of the hyenas in the distance behind them and briefly turned to look back. There she saw a small pack of hyenas chasing them down. The golden furred lioness didn't waste any time to swiftly turn the other way and charge at the pack.

They all collided in one massive heap of claws and teeth that tried to end the other party. (Y/n) struggled since she had not had a fight like this in a long time, but the thought of her friend kept her going. It felt like forever when (Y/n) was finally allowed a moment of rest. The bloodied bodies of the hyenas laid next to her bloody, scratched and bitten paws. She panted heavily but knew that soon enough other hyenas would come after her.

(Y/n) once again allowed her instincts to guide her and after some painful running, she finally made it around the Pride Rock and into a secluded cave at the bottom. There she laid down and after a moment (Y/n) felt adrenaline leave her body and soon succumbed to slumber.