Re: Lion Guard Redux [Private]
(YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS)
Kion sighed as he padded through the Pridelands, trailing along behind Bunga as the honey badger leaped ahead, chattering on and on about no particular subject, commenting on and on about the sky or the birds or the grass or the trees or fighting or the hyenas or the Outlands while Kion nodded along absently, padding behind him quietly. Normally he'd be leading, but he was kind of distracted today. Mostly because lastnight he'd had a nightmare. And it wasn't about Lucifer, surprisingly. No, the tiger was absent from his dreams much to his delight and confusion. Instead there was fire. Everywhere, all over the Pridelands, burning down everything. And everybody was dead. Everybody except Kion. Thing was, it wasn't the fire that killed them. While the flames lapped at everything, burning everything to the ground, surrounding Pride Rock, Kion stood over his family, claws unsheathed, blood staining his fur--
The cub visibly shuddered, his fur prickling uneasily. It wasn't rare for him to have dreams like this, but the Lucifer-nightmares had made him forget all about them. So when this one hit, it was unexpected and downright terrifying. But it was just a nightmare. And it didn't mean anything. But still.... It unnerved him. Why would he have such vivid, horrifying dreams anyway? The golden cub sighed and shook his head, forcing himself to at least try to focus on Bunga, who was still chatting about nonsense.
##
Claire didn't think she'd ever been so angry in her life, but right then? Right then Claire was beyond furious. Within a day her whole life, her job, everything she'd worked for, it was all gone. All of it. Destroyed. Thrown away. Killed along with Lucifer. The brown lioness cub snarled to herself, tail whipping back and forth as she stalked through the desert toward the border. She hardly noticed she was crossing into the Pridelands, but honestly she didn't even care. She wanted to yell. Shout. Claw something. Bite something. Set something on fire. Blow something up.
Back in the desert she could've handled the anger by building, adding onto the Sabers camp, or yelling at a few incompetent, ignorant, arrogant slaves who thought fighting back was a way to go. Some of them reminded her of Kion. Kion, who had done just as much, if not more, for the Sabers as Claire had. And for a second, a split second, she wondered what he'd think, how he'd feel about knowing Lucifer was dead. Knowing everything they'd worked for was gone.
Narrowing her eyes, Claire straightened and forced her fur to flatten, finally focusing ahead. Man, she needed to break something.
##
Kila sighed to herself as she padded through the Outlands, flicking dust and pebbles up as she went, her head tilting and her amber eyes narrowing down toward the ground. The golden cub's nose twitched as she lowered her head, pressing her nose to the ground and giving a quick sniff, wanting to see if she could scent any hyenas. Bad idea. Dust flew up into her nose instantly, and with a surprised yelp, she jerked her head up and gave a loud, powerful sneeze that sent her stumbling back, falling back onto her rump. She shook her head, eyes going wide as she rubbed at her nose, grumbling. "Stupid Outlands..."
There was a low chuckle and suddenly a tail was wrapped around her shoulders, a nose pressed to her head, and Kila instantly pushed herself up, a low purr beginning to rumble in her chest. There was a louder purr in response, and a soft voice that cooed; "Sweetheart, it's just nature. It's just the earth, how it is. Besides," The voice took on a playful tone. "You should know better than to breathe in dust."
"I wanted to see if I could scent any hyenas, my bad," Kila said musingly, tipping her head back to look up. A white-furred lioness with jet black paws and ears stood there, bright green eyes filled with pure affection staring down into hers. Kila just smiled, but it wavered, turning into a frown as her gaze fixed onto the lionesses shoulder. There was a wound where a bullet had grazed her, with dried blood around it, but it didn't seem to be bleeding anymore. It wasn't deep, but it was bad. "Are you okay, Kiyu?"
"I'm quite alright, dear." Kiyu paused, her green gaze shifting toward her shoulder for a moment. Then she shrugged, ignoring the sting, and lowered her head to rasp her tongue over Kila's ears gently. "Are you okay, Angel? You were very brave back there."
"I'm fine." Kila's gaze stayed fixed intently on the wound for a very long time before she reluctantly looked back up at Kiyu, shuffling a little closer to rub her head against the older lionesses chest. "I wasn't that brave. I was terrified.."
"Being brave doesn't mean you don't get scared, my sweet," Kiyu let out a soft chuckle, shaking her head affectionately as she smiled down at the cub, her bright green eyes glowing with warmth. "It just means you have the courage to face whatever it is you are afraid of. And you," Her tail tip flicked under Kila's chin, causing the cub to giggle. "Are very brave, darling."
Kila responded with a purr, closing her eyes in content for a while, inhaling the older lionesses sweet scent before finally pulling away with a shrug. Her gaze turned toward the Pridelands briefly, and a small ache went through her chest. "Well," She murmured, looking uncertain, but her gaze didn't move from the Pridelands. "Let's keep going."
(Yep. I went a different route with Kiyu this time ;3)
(So whoooooooooooooo's ready to meet the new side of Kila?!)
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