A Friend In Need....
Everyone was shocked. Something like this only happened rarely to a young cub like Maliki. So young and innocent...
Kovu and Kiara were the ones to suffer the most, of course, but Simba, Nala, Vitani and everyone else in the pride mourned as well.
Kim was still shaking after all this. He hadn't stopped all night, no matter how much Kiara tried to comfort him. Of course it was hard to her at the moment, she was in pretty bad shape herself, but she could understand the pain Kim was going through at the moment, losing his own brother that he had loved so much. That's what she thought, at least. Kim was feeling sick both physically and emotionally. He just couldn't forget Mali's scream when he fell. He had a fear of heights, for gods' sake! And Kim had did the most horrible thing one could imagine to do to his own big brother.
Simba saw how tired and sad Kiara was, so he took Kim with him and said: "Kim, maybe you should take a nap." Kim nodded, though he knew perfectly well he couldn't get to sleep. Simba took him to the corner of the cave and whispered: "Kim, I know very well what you're going through, I've lost members from my family too. I know how you feels You shouldn't blame yourself for anything."
"Oh, I shouldn't?" Kim thought.
"I know it'll hurt for a long time, but were all here for you." Simba smiled encouragingly and Kim felt like crying. He couldn't face Simba's eyes. "Now, Kim, I have to ask something important from you." "What?" Kim sniffled. "Take care of your mother, she needs you now." "Doesn't Dad take care of her?" Simba smiled a little. "Of course he does, but she is in a very difficult moment right now, like we all are and you have to remember she cares for you a lot and..." Simba paused for a moment, then continued. "Well, I guess what I'm trying to say is, please don't get her upset in any way. Don't run away without telling her where you are and when she wants to be alone, let her be. Do you understand?" Kim nodded again. "Good," Simba nuzzled him and let him sleep. Of course Kim couldn't sleep. He made sure nobody was watching and sneaked out of the cave.
He was feeling so low. He was sad and ashamed, he was confused and sick and he didn't know what to think. He walked to the top of Pride Rock. He was pretty sure no-one would come looking for him for a while. He looked down and suddenly saw it all again; Maliki falling to the depths, his screaming and the sickening sound of his body bumping to the ground. THUMP!
Kim groaned and turned away. He was tired but still couldn't sleep. He lay himself on the ground and started to weep. How could he be so stupid? So selfish? Of course Mali had been nasty at him in the graveyard but it was no excuse for killing him.
Kim was shivering from the sobs, tears streaming down his face, when he heard someone behind him. He quickly turned around and saw Shani. Oh no, not her, he couldn't tell her what he had done...
Shani walked to Kim and nuzzled him comfortingly. "I'm so sorry, Kim," she said tearfully. Of course she was, she had loved Mali like her own brother. Love like a brother...Kim burst into tears again. Shani lay herself next to him and licked him. "Shani, I...I..." Kim sobbed, he didn't know how to explain everything to her. "You don't have to say anything, I know how you feel," Shani whispered. "No, you don't. You can't..." "I know he was your brother Kim, of course you loved him." Shani nuzzled him again and Kim couldn't bare it anymore. He had to tell her.
"Shani, it...Mali...It-it was all my fault," he cried. "Kim, I know it's hard for you but you can't blame yourself for this." "But I do! You-you have to understand, I..." "I understand, Kim. I really do. But I know he wouldn't want you blaming yourself." "Shani, you don't know..."
Shani hushed Kim, nuzzled him and comforted him until he wasn't shaking anymore. "Are you feeling better now?" she asked and tried to smile a little. Kim wasn't feeling better, but she had tried so hard to help him and she was hurting too, so Kim just nodded. "Yeah, I-I guess I am." He smiled half-heartedly and she returned the smile. "Come on, I think we better go down. I don't like being up here."
Mali didn't either, Kim thought to himself and sighed. Before he got up to leave, Shani licked his cheek and whispered: "Don't worry, I'm your friend, I'm here for you." Kim felt himself blushing and looked at Shani who was already walking ahead.
Yes, he thought. She really is my friend, isn't she? MY friend, not Mali's. MINE.
Now that he started to think about it, he felt better about the idea Maliki wasn't around anymore. Shani would now trust Kim and Kim alone, no-one would tell lies about him anymore to her. And no-one could steal her away anymore.
Kim smiled to himself. If he only would have seen his own face right now, he would have noticed he had changed. For a quick moment he had green eyes instead of red and his fur was darker.
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