AUTHOR'S NOTE: I would like everyone to know a couple things before we continue the story. 1) I will be moving this story to the "Lion Guard" category since it takes place in the spin-off series and not the movie franchise. 2) Originally this fanfic was to focus on Fuli and her depression, but, after receiving a comment from a person named "Westerhouse" who complained that everything is focused on nothing else but the aftermath of the "gorge incident" as I call it and realizing that the hyenas are a major element to the plot, I've decided that this story will be much more dramatic with the inclusion of Janja and his clan. By the way, if you believe you know what is going to happen next, please do me a favor and don't say anything (you might spoil the drama other people might anticipate later on). Until then, I've decided to reintroduce Kion into the story. How? Take a look.

"Honestly, Fuli, do you really think that you can stay quiet until the whole thing will blow over?"

Fuli cringed as the voice in her head upbraided her for the third time that morning. The two previous rebukes were nothing new, yet they still rejuvenated the acute regret that was now ten days old. Those ten days had been dreadful with Bunga, Beshte, and Ono frequently oppressing her in view of the fact that she had not made an apology to Kion or Simba for her ill-chosen endeavor that physical affected Kion and mentally affected her friends and Simba's Pride. She wasn't exactly sure how upset Nala and Kiara were because they were hardly seen roaming the Pride Lands. The cheetah was once acquainted with the remembrance of the lioness' reaction when she saw her carrying the crippled cub on her back; the potency of her remorse swelled as the recollection of Nala's sobs echoed in her wilted ears.

In a bid to clear her mind of the guilt, Fuli gazed far out in the direction of the rising sun. The hue of the sky altered from indigo to azure as the bright yellow orb ascended above the Pride Lands. There were light gray clouds floating over the savanna and the orange outer light of the sun casted a pink shadow under them. A beautiful scene it was.

Sadly, the sight of a gorgeous sunrise wasn't enough to force the chastising voice in Fuli's mind into silence.

"You ignore me, you ignore me, and then you ignore me! You know how to stop the pain, your friends even stopped bullying you and tried to help; but did you accept their offering? No; you just ignored them! You've turned into a great pain in the ass; you know that?"

Fuli cringed yet again at her inner voice's heartless words.

The malign voice the cheetah had been hearing made its presence known two days ago. On that day, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono kept their distance from her. Normally, Fuli would stay a few steps away from her former friends; now Bunga, Beshte, and Ono made sure they were farther away from her and twice as silent. They still had a firm belief that with the use of shunning and other intimidating tactics, Fuli would finally yield and apologize for her impetuous act that not only broke Kion's left leg but brought his mother to tears.

If she knew someone who could keep secrets and provide advice, Fuli would pour her heart out about how cruel the persecution was and that she constantly debated whether or not to come forward with her confession and apology. The cheetah could no longer fight the guilt and contain the truth regarding Kion's injury. No matter how hard she tried to push it to the side, it always came back to plague her day and night, demanding her to release it to the world. She didn't want to though. Whenever she pondered who would be the first to know the truth, she feared the consequences that would immediately follow if the animal in question would pass the information on to Simba in a dishonest manner. Time and time again, Fuli would assume that there was no one she could trust, and, for the most part, it was plausible since all her friends were around her age and they, just like everyone else in the Pride Lands, were sincerely loyal to Simba.

The possibility of exile entered her thoughts again as she tried to make sense of her situation. Fuli reimagined the scene of Simba banishing her to the Outlands for the rest of her life. Every character in her past visions were there- the lionesses who sharply glared at her and forced her away from Pride Rock, and the three young animals who she had been a friend to gleeful watching as she eventually fled from her homeland in a panic.

Just like her previous delusions, when she was about to enter the Outlands, Fuli snapped back into reality; and when she did, she surveyed the land before her. The sun was almost fully risen. It was time for her to start another day. The cheetah had little energy, and this fact stirred another debate that would constantly pop up: should she even continue her Lion Guard duties? Bunga, Beshte, and Ono didn't want her around, but they knew the truth about the incident, and with Simba filling in for his son, the likelihood that they would tell him was at an extremely high level.

Fuli's deliberation supplied the voice in her head with material for new taunts.

"So, you're afraid of Simba finding out and banishing you to the Outlands, huh? That is scary, but that's exactly what'll happen if you don't come clean. I'm sure you know that by now. Surely you know right from wrong. You had a mother once, I'm sure of that too. She must've told you how to know right from wrong. I know you can figure that out; or maybe you want to spend the rest of your days as Janja's bitch!"

Fuli was so appalled that her jaw dropped. She thought that the voice was actually giving her some advice, but she was wrong and exceedingly shocked to hear the final retort. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono had said awful things to her over the past ten days; none of those insults could outmatch the unimaginable slur she heard from the voice in her head. Fuli didn't know exactly what a "bitch" was, but it was evident that it meant something particularly dreadful, something that would surely be considered a form of torture.

A mere two seconds after the voice said its scandalizing remark, Fuli could no longer contain her emotions. "No! I don't want to be Janja's bitch; not anyone's bitch!" she cried. "Please, leave me alone!"

Fuli realized that her pleas came out of her in a piercing scream. She immediately looked all around to see if anyone was staring at her in annoyance or concern. Not an animal in sight. Fuli was safe.

The embarrassed cheetah slumped back onto the ground and sighed. The voice returned.

"You know, I shouldn't be wasting your time. Come on, get up, go do your Lion Guard duties. That is, if you can start your day."

Fuli sighed again; only this time she was vexed. It was going to be difficult for her to hunt with little to no energy. She had an alternative source of food, and that was enough motivation for her to get up and search for an impala or gazelle. The size of the animal didn't matter; as long as Fuli had something to eat, she wasn't going to complain.

Unfortunately, her health wasn't as good as it used to be. It was yet another symptom of her depression, and it always inflicted agony on Fuli. Much like Bunga, Beshte, and Ono, her failing health showed no remorse or compassion whenever it struck.

Fuli struggled to bring air into her aching lungs to soothe her rapidly beating heart as she fiercely sped after a panicked impala. It seemed that all the air breathed in was immediately forced out, increasing the pain in her chest. Regardless of the possibility of death, the cheetah continued to pursue her prey. She had not eaten meat for the past two days, and the desire to chow down on the impala's muscle tissue overwhelmed her, commanded her to focus on the goal of catching and killing the animal ahead of her.

The phrase "without warning" would be an understatement. Because she drank from the watering hole once a day for the last three days and it was the start of another sultry day, Fuli felt her body temperature soar dramatically. The world around her began to spin and she couldn't focus on her target. Fuli didn't know what was happening to her; she tried to keep going, she tried to run after the impala. In the end, she collapsed onto the solid earth and blacked out.

As she regained consciousness, Fuli moaned when she felt someone's paw dab water on her forehead. She heard two familiar voices saying her name and asking her if she could hear them. When her vision was stable again, Fuli saw a cream-colored lioness and an elderly mandrill looking down at her. Their perturbed expressions indicted that they had witnessed her faint from exhaustion and rushed to her aid. She also noticed that she had been moved. Instead of waking up in the wide open savanna, bathing in the broiling hotness of the sun, she was now in the refreshing shade of a tree.

In an attempt to tone down the adults' anxiety, the cheetah gave a weak smile and said, "Hi, Nala. Hi, Rafiki."

"Are you alright, Fuli?" the mandrill, who was Rafiki, inquired.

"I guess so," Fuli replied as she tried to sit up.

Nala stopped her with a paw to the shoulder. "Fuli, you need to lay down," she advised. "We're not sure if it's safe for you to stand up just yet."

"But I feel fine," Fuli insisted. "All that happened was I got a little dizzy and I fell down."

"You also lost consciousness," said Rafiki. He lowered the end of his walking staff and the two large tree nuts tied to it skimmed the fur on top of Fuli's head. "From what Nala and I saw, you appeared to have trouble breathing before you fainted. Did you feel sick while you were running?"

"I did feel hot," Fuli admitted.

"So why didn't you stop?" Nala asked.

"I was trying to get my breakfast," Fuli replied with a small chuckle. "I need to eat too."

Nala and Rafiki stared soberly at Fuli. The smile on her face faded as she grasped the degree of trepidation her "illness" had caused. She couldn't blame the lioness and mandrill for being exceedingly concerned. Who on earth could watch someone faint and simply ignore that animal? Fuli was sure that a major source of Nala and Rafiki's apprehension came from Simba, who undoubtedly spoke his feelings about her sudden change in behavior and her refusal to talk. There was a high chance that they might continually ask her the same question as Simba had, and the thought alone agitated the cheetah.

In spite of her fears, Fuli gathered enough courage to speak to Nala and Rafiki. "I'm sorry I said that," she said. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"We're not upset, Fuli," Nala responded. "We're very concerned. Simba told me that you haven't been yourself since Kion was injured. I was worried myself, and now that this happened, I have more than one reason to be greatly concerned about you- so does Rafiki."

Rafiki nodded and said, "Remember, Fuli, there are more animals in the Pride Lands than your mind thinks there are. If you have anything that is bugging you, you will go to someone for help; is that right?"

"Yes," Fuli replied.

"Good," said Rafiki. "I must go now. Makini and I are going to Pride Rock to check on Kion. In the meantime, Fuli, you will stay here in the shade until you feel completely better. There is some water in this hollowed baobab fruit so you won't have to travel to the watering hole."

"Thanks, Rafiki," Fuli sighed.

Rafiki nodded once more before departing.

"And I must go to Pride Rock," Nala said. "Kion and Kiara need their breakfast and Simba needs to know you are unable to join the Guard today."

"No!" Fuli cried. She attempted to scramble to feet; almost instantly, her head suddenly throbbed and she flopped onto the ground. Nala rushed to the cheetah and helped her into a more comfortable position.

Fuli gazed up at Nala and said in a quiet, pleading voice: "Please don't tell Simba. I don't want him to see me like this."

Nala sighed. "I'm sorry, Fuli, but Simba must know about your condition. We don't want anything bad to happen to you. You've always been kindhearted, strong-willed, and, all in all, a wonderful friend to everyone. I hate to see you in this sort of depression, and it's just startling that someone like you would fall into one so quickly."

Fuli hung her head. The words Nala used to describe her touched her heart. Still, she wondered how fast the queen's demeanor would change once she learned who was truly responsible for Kion's injury.

"I understand that Kion means so much to you, but I can't understand why your depression is so strong," Nala continued. She lowered herself so her eyesight would be equal to Fuli's. "Please hear me, Fuli. When Rafiki said there are more animals in the Pride Lands than you think, he wanted you to do the same thing I want you to do. Tell me what's troubling you. I promise to listen. I promise to help."

Again, Fuli felt warmth and angst collide. Nala's choice of words proved to be uplifting in the sense that she could finally break free from her anguish. Yet the possibility of a lifelong punishment still loomed over the cheetah. She wanted to respond to the queen; however, a wave of emotion formed what felt like a lump in her throat, causing her to swallow her words and tears to spill from her eyes.

Nala watched as Fuli's head dropped to the ground. The lioness tried to console the young cheetah and ask her what was wrong, but the cub refused to lift her head up. When she heard Fuli struggle to quiet her sobs, Nala ceased repeating her question and wrapped an arm around the cheetah in a small hug.

When it sounded like Fuli had toned down her emotions, Nala spoke softly to her. "I'm not pressuring you to tell the truth, Fuli. I would never want to make you cry. Yes, we're all worried sick about you just as we are about Kion, but your silence isn't helping us understand why you're so miserable.

"Look, I'll leave you alone so you can relax. But, I need you to make me a promise. If you feel uncomfortable talking to Simba, that's alright; but whenever you feel like you're ready to talk, you'll come to me and we can talk in private. Promise?"

Fuli was quiet for a moment, her calmly breathing being the only sound she made. She kept her head down, but in a hoarse voice, the cheetah uttered, "I promise."

Nala bent down and kissed the top of Fuli's head. "Stay in the shade until you feel better," she said softly. "Rafiki left you some water and I left you a piece of meat, so you'll have something to eat. I'll visit you before sunset."

Nala gave Fuli another hug before walking in the direction of Pride Rock, carrying the carcass of an impala in her jaws. The wretched cheetah watched the lioness leave with the remains of the animal she tried to catch. It demeaned her. She managed to prevent herself from tearing up with a few deep breaths and a drink of water.

The sense of acute indignity was washed away as Fuli ate her breakfast little by little. To her, the taste of meat was beyond euphoric. After a dozen failed attempts to catch a single animal to eat, she felt blessed to be reunited with the scent, texture, and flavor of fresh meat- it filled her with ecstasy. Because it had been two days since she ate her usual source of food, the cheetah was careful not to devour the whole chunk Nala had given her. She was unsure if filling her stomach would make her sick or not, and there was no way she wanted to find out whether or not it was true, so she ate at a slow taste, which helped her savor all three sensations the other predators felt when they dined on their prey.

Fuli spent the rest of the morning laying in the shade, occasionally taking a sip of water from the baobab fruit left for her. The meat she had eaten gratified her stomach and a warm sense of bliss coursed through her body. This sensation combined with the coolness of the shade to create a pleasant feeling, and this feeling contented Fuli in the sense that she would quickly recover and be able to walk without getting woozy.

Alas, guilt returned to haunt the cheetah. It struck her the moment she was about to fall asleep with her head resting on a tree root. Normally, being overwhelmed by the repeated demand to admit her wrongdoing from her oppressors served as the origin of her melancholic episodes. This time, penitence gave way to severe dread. Unlike the dozens of episodes before, the period of desolation Fuli was going through sprouted from the speculation that (perhaps) Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were acting like tormentors so she would do the right thing. True, she still debated if her role in the accident was true or not, but after spending the entire morning in deep contemplation, the cheetah discerned that- even if it was false -the best way to end her misery was to concede. The reason why she didn't come forward in the first place was completely understandable in her terms. Nonetheless, it was an explanation that would cause the entire pride (especially Simba and Nala) to dump tons of questions on her, mainly about the bullying she had to endure.

For the duration of her recuperation, Fuli did her best to relax and maybe enjoy a nice nap. She surmised that with good virtue, everyone would comprehend that she was sorry and forgive her. Sadly, this theory had a short lifespan.

Only seconds after her decision to confess to Kion and Simba was made, yet again, the fear of punishment showed its ugly face to her. Fuli wasn't scared for the first ten seconds- because of its frequency, the premonition of exile was beginning to lose its ability to bedevil her. Then, the voice in her head came back.

"Now you decide to tell the truth? Don't you think it's far past too late to admit it? It's true that I said you should come clean; then I thought of something, and you should consider this too. When you finally tell Simba and the rest of pride the truth, will they really forgive you?"

Almost immediately, the cheetah comprehended what the voice was telling her. It was confounding at first because the voice mocked her for staying silent; then Fuli realized exactly how dreadful the consequences would be once she confessed. Exile was still likely, but another familiar, horrifying punishment came to mind. The circumstances regarding Kion's injury made the possibility more relevant and she shivered in fear. No matter how abhorrent it would appear to a wise animal's eyes, it seemed just right for a criminal of her kind, and those who demanded justice would demand it and never relent.

Execution.

As previously mentioned, some if not a lot of Pride Landers would find the notion of sentencing an animal Fuli's age to death to be heinous and, if King Simba would passionately and stubbornly insist the sentence to be carried out, immensely detestable. Yet, one had to remember that Kion had his leg broken when a boulder tumbled onto him. The poor cub could've been killed if the large rock had fallen with a much stronger force. Fuli knew all-too well it was a crime against the Royal Family. If Simba was so enraged he could tear a hyena to shreds, he could literally do the execution himself.

Fuli rested her forehead on the tree root and, instead of crying, cursed herself for being quiet. The memory of denying the allegations replayed itself as she pondered why she considered silence as the solution to her problem. She already knew it wasn't worth, so why did she keep quiet? To avoid punishment- at least for a period of time.

Reality was mercilessly bashing the cheetah. It made her understand that she could not escape the eventual consequences for not only injuring Kion but failing to admit it. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono weren't scolding her for causing the accident; their harsh words were meant to save her. Fuli had a chance to evade the anguish when she was first told of her wrongdoing. Did she had to trust her denial? Of course she wouldn't be in such a solvable situation she was now if she yielded, and she would've gotten off easy with a temporary ban from the Lion Guard. But ten days had gone by, and she said nothing. A permanent ban from the Pride Lands or eternity in hell was the only outcome the cheetah saw; and she cursed herself for being so stupid.

For Fuli, it felt like an entire day had passed before she heard something in the distance. The sound grew and she recognized the voices of Simba, Bunga, Beshte, and Ono, and the volume of their voices were gradually increasing, indicating that they were approaching. Oh, great, Fuli thought.

The cheetah unhurriedly sat up and pivoted her head to face her visitors. Simba noticed she was looking at him and the Guard, so he stopped and said, "Hello, Fuli. How are you doing?"

"I feel better than I did this morning," Fuli responded.

"Good," Simba stated. "Nala and I were afraid that you were severely ill."

Before Fuli spoke, she glanced at the three young animals accompanying him. They were murmuring to each other, suggesting that they were pretending to agree with the king. Simba didn't take note of it and awaited for the cheetah to speak.

"I...I kinda forgot what I was going to say," Fuli said; "but...oh, now I remember. I'm sorry if I caused a little panic among anyone the pride."

"You didn't cause any panic, Fuli," Simba told the cheetah. "It's that you've been a little...dispirited."

"Dispirited?"

"Yes. Ever since Kion was injured, you have changed. You're sad all the time, you refuse to take part in missions, and when you do, you act like you have no energy."

Simba was about to continue his rant when he remembered that Bunga, Beshte, and Ono were standing by his side. Fuli could see that they were smugly grinning, clearly enjoying the moment until Simba asked them to leave for a moment.

Once the trio were gone, Simba sighed as he stepped closer to the cheetah. "Fuli, when Nala told me you were sick, she brought up a conversation she had with you," he said; "and if I'm correct, you promised that you would talk to her about whatever's going on with you. Do you remember when I told you the same thing?"

"I do remember," Fuli replied quietly.

"We're not saying that to make you feel bad," Simba continued. "We know something is wrong and we want to help. Whatever's making you not want to tell anyone, Nala and I will understand how you feel. But no matter what, Fuli, once you explain everything to either of us, you won't be sad anymore. Understand?"

Fuli did understand; she knew what she had to do, yet the prospect of exile or execution forced her to resist. Though emotions were grappling inside her, the cheetah nodded and said, "Yes. I'll come and talk when I'm ready."

Simba beamed, very pleased to hear Fuli agree to what he and Nala asked, if not pleaded, for her to do. Fuli herself felt warm when the king smiled, and she smiled too.

Out of the corner of her eye, the cheetah instantly took note of a group of animals coming their way. Even from a distance, she was able to make out Nala, Rafiki, a younger mandrill, and two lion cubs, one of which appeared to be limping a little. The younger mandrill was Rafiki's apprentice Makini, a pleasant character in the Pride Lands who- while could be easy to fool -was good at heart and very easy to befriend. One of the lion cubs walking in between her and Nala was Kiara whom Fuli had not seen in days; the same went for the other lion cub, who no one not expect to see until he was fully recovered.

"Kion?" Simba gasped upon laying eyes on the group.

When one of the cubs replied "Hey, dad!" in a familiar voice, he and Fuli rushed to the group, as did Bunga, Beshte, and Ono. A joyful moment ensued with hugs and comments about how much Kion was missed.

"But your leg is broken," Ono said at one point. "How are able to stand up?"

A chuckle came from Rafiki. "It's simple," he explained. "Makini and I created a splint using sticks and leaves, and carefully applied it to Kion's leg. As you can see, he is able to walk around despite having a broken leg. We will still need to wait until it is fully healed, but at least Kion won't be inside all day, am I right?"

"You bet!" said Kion.

"You can say that again!" said Bunga, jumping up to his best friend. "For a minute there, I was sure we wouldn't see you again for another thirty-something sunsets. This is fantastic! We can do all the cool things we always do again!"

"Not quite, Bunga," Simba said from behind. "Kion still has a broken leg so he has to be careful not to hurt himself. That means he can't lead the Lion Guard just yet."

"Ah, man," Bunga groaned kicking the dirt.

"Don't worry, Bunga, we can still have fun," Kion reassured the honey badger. Then his gaze shifted to Fuli. "I heard you were sick, Fuli. You feeling alright."

"I feel good as new," the cheetah responded. "Probably because you showed up. I missed you just as much as Bunga, Beshte, and Ono did."

The three animals mentioned suddenly stared at Fuli with what could only be described as menacing looks. The cheetah noticed those looks but did her best to ignore them. She didn't want things to escalate so quickly.

"That's great to hear," said Kion. "You know, I think I really missed you the most. You got me home after my leg was broken. I owe you one for that."

This comment was incredibly gratifying, so much so that Fuli actually blushed. "It was nothing, Kion," she replied. "I was only being a good friend."

"Well, it was still the greatest thing anyone could do at the time," Kion stated. "Thank you."

Detecting Fuli's reaction to her brother's comment, Kiara strolled up to Fuli and said, "You kinda look warm, Fuli. Are you getting sick, or are you just blushing?"

"Who, me?" Fuli blurted in surprise. "Why would I be blushing? I don't blush!"

"Well, you looked like you were," Kiara replied with an arch grin and narrowed eyes.

Kion laughed while Fuli pretended to be oblivious to what Kiara said about her blushing, almost as if to get her to confess that she loved Kion. Secretly, Fuli held strong emotions toward the brave lion cub, yet she found herself unready to release the secret to anyone, especially Kion.

With so much positive sentiments among the group, Fuli believed she was finally free from the mental torment she endured in the wake of the gorge incident. After all, Simba and Nala displayed signs of concern over her and their words were genuine when they promised to listen when she was ready to talk to them. True, the cheetah was still perturbed over the potential penalty she would have to deal with, but she was convinced that the lions would understand that she was trying to climb up the rocks to help Kion drive away the hyenas; as such, her punishment would be lightened to something more tolerable.

The happiness seemed to dissolve when Kiara said, "If you're up to it, Fuli, you can come to Pride Rock and talk to Kion in private. Believe me, no one's in the den unless mom isn't busy with the pride."

Fuli's original reply was a plain "Okay, thanks," but she swallowed it, sensing possible deception in the princess' offer. It did sound innocent; however, she was unsure if it was worth the risk.

Sure enough, the voice spoke to her. "You've been given a chance to apologize. Take it, if you're brave enough."

"Fuli? Fuli, are you alright? Fuli?!" Kion inquired.

The cheetah snapped back into reality, to find everyone staring at her. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono's expressions were obvious. Kion, Kiara, and Makini looked just as anxious as the adults were.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," Makini remarked. "Is there something on your mind?"

"Go on," the voice in Fuli's head hissed. "Tell them. They're waiting."

Fuli briefly hesitated until telling Makini: "It's personal, but I agreed with Simba and Nala to talk to them when I felt...emotionally stable."

Her explanation received mixed but unsurprising responses. Makini and Kion appeared to understand what that meant. Simba, Nala, and Rafiki smiled at Fuli, pleased to know she would one day reveal what was bothering her. Bunga, Beshte, and Ono didn't look a bit convinced and they frowned. Kiara on the other hand gave the cheetah a somewhat puzzled look, not to say she was skeptical, but somewhere along the lines of concern.

"Well, I think it's time for the Guard and I to continue patrol," Simba announced. "I wish you good health, Fuli."

After the Lion Guard departed, Rafiki and Makini left as well, not before advising Kion to be wise so he wouldn't damage the splint or his leg. Nala and Kion were the last ones to leave. Fuli thought Kiara would go with her mother and brother on a walk through the Pride Lands. Instead, the princess told the queen: "I'd like to talk with Fuli if you don't mind. It's been a long time since I've seen her."

Nala nodded her head and she and Kion strolled off. Fuli watched them fade in the distance until Kiara broke the silence. "Emotionally stable?" she inquired. "Why would you need to be emotionally stable to talk to my parents?"

"Like I said, it's personal," Fuli stated, looking down at the ground.

"As in, personal loss?" Kiara asked. "Like, someone you know has died?"

As far as they knew, no one in the Pride Lands had passed away; if there was a death, news would have traveled all over the savanna and a funeral would take place. Yet the thought of another's passing made Fuli think about her mother whom she lost at a very young age. Her fate was never made known but anguish still engulfed her when the other cheetahs informed her that she had to live on her own from that day on. She was use to it now, but back then it was intensely hard.

Fuli shook the recollection out of her head and told Kiara: "Not that. It's just, I'm stick in a big problem and I don't know what to do."

"Oh, I see," said Kiara. "What is this problem?"

"It's extremely bad," Fuli explained. "Something happened and a part of me says it's all my fault. I want someone to help me but I'm scared that I'll get punished; and I don't mean a punishment like a scolding or forced labor, I mean something more severe."

Kiara's facial appearance hadn't altered, making Fuli believe the princess wasn't told anything relating to her brother's injury. "Sounds like you're over-reacting to me," she replied. "But tell me, what exactly happened that makes you think you're in big trouble?"

"I...I..." Fuli faltered, afraid of the possibility of a violent outburst from Kiara. "I was trying to help someone and...and it all went wrong."

"What did you do?"

"I...I...I accidently-"

Fuli paused. She took note of how Kiara was hunched over and a faint growling noise became audible. A pair of green eyes expanded as the cheetah attempted to escape without making a sound. Before Fuli could break out in a sprint, Kiara pounced from behind and pinned her to the earth. "Bunga was right!" Kiara snarled into Fuli's ear.

"No, what Bunga said isn't true!" Fuli cried, struggling to free herself.

Kiara jumped up and all four of her legs came down on the cheetah's back and hind legs, immobilizing her. The force of the fall drove her claws into Fuli's skin causing her to roar in pain.

"You monster!" roared the princess. "Kion's your friend! He's my brother! He's everything to us! How could you do this to him, to us?! TELL ME!"

"It was an accident, Kiara!" Fuli wailed. "I was trying to get to Janja and the rocks gave way!"

Fuli felt Kiara pull her right paw off her back and slam it down on the side of her head. There was nothing but dirt on the ground so the cheetah suffered no harm to the left side of her face. Her right eye focused on the enraged lion cub standing over her.

"Were you helping Janja?!" Kiara snarled.

Fuli practically screamed her response. "NO! I WOULD NEVER HELP JANJA! HE CAUSED THE ROCK-SLIDE, NOT ME!"

"That's what they all say!" Kiara hissed as she clinched her paws, squeezing Fuli's fur and skin and causing her to scream once more.

The next moment, Fuli felt the agony and weight of Kiara diminish. To her relief, the lion cub had stepped off of her. Without thinking, she made another attempt to escape. The instant she climbed to her feet, a hard object was driven into her stomach. Whatever it was, it was not meant to stab her, but to weaken her a second time; and weaken her it did.

Fuli collapsed on her side, clutching her stomach and gasping for air, coughing occasionally. After some perfunctory thinking, she concluded that Kiara had kicked her, an impossible feat since the princess had her tail facing Fuli's side when it happened. Even if she was hit on her left flank there would still be pain, and the motive for such inflictions were profoundly apparent.

Kiara approached Fuli at a leisurely pace, seemingly enjoying the sight before her, then stood menacingly over the cheetah. Following several seconds of silence, the lion cub bent down and asked in a hiss-like whisper: "Tell me, Fuli; are you still planning to hide the truth forever?"

The only reply she got from Fuli were short gasps and small coughs.

"I guess not," Kiara continued. "Know this, Fuli: I know what you did, and so does Tiifu and Zuri. Bunga told us everything and we don't blame him, Beshte, or Ono wanting you to admit what you've done. Take my advice, you swine: confess, 'cause we're not gonna! You wanna tell all of your crime? Good. You're afraid of getting kicked out of the Lion Guard or the Pride Lands? Great! A traitor like you deserves it!"

Kiara stepped over Fuli a second time, this time managing to step on her upper leg, and headed home. The cheetah curled into a ball and wept as quietly as possible. She felt more than the intense kick to her stomach. Fuli was overwhelmed with demoralization and dismay. One moment she was confident in resolving her emotional problem, the next she knew, she was physically assaulted by another character who was once a good friend. All of her friends were now enemies and the likelihood of being banished or killed returned with a vengeance, reducing Simba and Nala's kind words to nothing.

"I don't understand," Fuli sobbed. "I was going to do what they want me to do, but they still treat me like I tried to kill Kion. I didn't mean to do anything wrong! Why can't they just stop?! Why won't they let me end it?! WHY?!"

Fuli laid on the ground crying loudly, begging for forgiveness, pleading for help in an empty part of the savanna. Hope seemed lost and a way out of the torment was no where in sight. She hated herself for not telling the truth when she had the chance. She criticized herself for the actions she took to keep others from inquiring about the alteration of her character. And all the while, the voice in her head cackled maniacally, signifying a longer, brutal war loomed ahead, and her life would either carry on in the Outlands or come to a barbaric end.