The Lion Guard: A Dark Secret

Chapter 16

Kion opened his eyes. He saw the sun's light shining in the den. He looked around and Gozi, who was fast asleep next to him, and Fuli sitting just outside the den, watching the sunrise from inside the cave. Kion walked over to Fuli. Today was the day before the day Kion got executed. He was nervous and he knew Fuli was too. He was scared of his death, but he knew he couldn't change his fate. He then saw a feather blowing in the wind, the same one he played with the other day. Kion was just about to pounce, but he remembered that Fuli was right next to him. No acting like a cub! He told himself. Technically, he was still a cub, but he was an older cub now. A teenager. Fuli must have seen that he was looking at the feather with such intensity, because when the wind blew it towards her she leaped up and caught it.

"C'mon Kion," she said through a laugh. "There's no shame in having fun. Besides, we're not adults yet." 

Kion was uncertain. "But what if Mwepesi catches us?" He asked her.

"Don't you remember? Two days ago I persuaded Mwepesi to let us go out of the cave, Gozi too, provided there are cheetahs guarding the borders at that time and Mwepesi knows about it. And they are right now and I also asked Mwepesi right before you woke up," Fuli told him. 

Kion immediately brightened up. He wanted to spend every remaining moment of his life having fun. And you couldn't really run around or play tag together in the cave. "Ok, let's go!" The lion said. He and Fuli then rushed out of the cave, tackling each other as soon as they reached the fields that surrounded the cave.

"Pinned ya!" Fuli exclaimed as she pinned Kion to the ground. 

"Hey! Let me up," Kion told her playfully. As soon as she did, Kion tackled her and accidentally sent them rolling down a hill. Fuli emerged on top, immediately getting to her paws and pinning Kion.

"Pinned ya again!" She exclaimed. Kion rolled his eyes. He then tried to squirm out of the pin somehow, but failing miserably. Kion used to easily be able to escape a pin from Fuli, but now he couldn't do so. "What's wrong Kion? Can't get out yourself?" Fuli laughed. He then saw Gozi run towards them.

"Hey guys! What's up?" He asked. 

"Oh, nothing. It's just that little Kion here doesn't know how to escape a pin," she said, smirking. 

Kion let out a low growl. "Seriously?! I can escape a pin just fine!" He told them, then tried to wiggle out of the pin or throw Fuli off of him, but he failed miserably again. Seriously?! I used to be able to escape a pin from Fuli just fine!

"You were saying?" Fuli asked, smirking. Kion's pelt was hot with embarrassment. Fuli then got off of Kion and he sighed in defeat.

Gozi started to speak. "Kion, Fuli, I have something I want to ask you both," he said. 

"What is it?" Kion asked.

"Will we ever escape this place?" Gozi asked him. Kion heard a small whimper come from the cheetah. Some of Kion was mad at Gozi for ruining the good mood, but most of him was sympathetic for him. Gozi had lived his whole life under these conditions.

"I've been thinking," Kion began, "that you and Fuli could escape... somehow. But only if we follow this plan." Kion then shuttered. Kion knew Fuli was bewildered that he was going to give up and let himself die, but... there was no other choice.

"This is what the plan will be..."
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Kion explained his plan to Gozi and Fuli and she listened closely four days ago. He rose to his paws and walked outside the cave for some fresh air. Fuli had persuaded her father to let Kion come and go from the cave as he pleases. Kion was nervous for the the day. Today was the day the cheetahs would try to execute him. If the plan didn't work, Fuli and Gozi might die today. But if the plan did work, Fuli and Gozi would be free of Swift's Clan. He then heard Fuli approach him and sit next to him.