Lion gazed apathetically at the sand.
Three days had passed since he'd left his bug.
His routine hadn't been very active. He would lie on a comfortable spot in the sand and cover his bug with his mane.
When the bug wanted to walk, he'd support it.
And at night, he would run with the bug on his back.
But since it had gone, Lion had done nothing but sleep all day.
Just as before, it was comfortable and peaceful.
There was no one crying in his arms or burdening him with worries.
That was what he'd wished for most, and finally, he was having it.
"..."
Lion curled his body into the sand and closed his eyes.
As always, he decided to sleep for another day.
*
Night arrived, and Lion still felt a numb sensation in his body.
Usually, no matter how long he stayed still, he'd feel nothing.
But for some reason, this uncomfortable sensation lingered.
Suddenly, sleeping felt boring.
Lion felt the cold air touching his fur and skin, washing over his lazy mood.
Maybe a little walk wouldn't be so bad.
Tap. Tap.
He walked slowly through the desert. Since he was alone, there was no reason to jump or run as he did with his bug.
He simply enjoyed a slow, peaceful walk in the empty desert.
No matter where he looked, there was no variety.
Feeling this emptiness within, a green image flashed in his mind.
Before, everything had been so monotonous; the bug that once seemed irritating was surprisingly tolerable.
Lion admitted he'd enjoyed its company.
"..."
His steps halted at this thought.
How was the bug feeling right now? Was it lonely?
Of course, Lion wasn't asking himself because he felt lonely.
There was no way that could be the case.
He'd lived alone for years since his master had left—nothing could break his heart anymore.
But when he considered that there was no one to share a walk with him, he began to wonder if the bug would feel lonely without him.
His bug, like his master, was different from typical monkeys.
It radiated energy. It was an energy Lion couldn't see directly, but he could somehow feel it.
In nature, there was a clear rule: those born differently met an early end.
It was natural that defective cubs should be sacrificed.
The monkeys were different but still animals. Would they accept his cub?
And if they couldn't accept it, would they kill it?
"Ruwar..."
A dangerous rumble escaped his mouth. His eyes sharpened as he looked into the distance.
Lion was different from others; he wouldn't kill a cub for such a reason.
He, too, was different, so he understood what it meant to be excluded.
Yet, despite his differences, any lion could pose a threat to him; he was strong.
But the same wasn't true for his bug.
It was a fragile crybaby who could barely walk without him.
His bug was very sick, and Lion didn't have many options.
But that didn't mean he should leave his bug completely alone, as he had.
In theory, he shouldn't interfere with the bug's growth.
But wouldn't everything be okay as long as he wasn't found?
"Ruwar!"
At his roar, a magical portal appeared before him.
It was late at night; most monkeys would be asleep by now.
But even if he was discovered, Lion wasn't too worried, as long as the bug didn't notice his presence.
His master had also told him to stay here until the "time" arrived, but it didn't mean he had to stay there all day.
He could watch over his bug at night and return by morning.
This way, he could still obey his master's orders and ensure the safety of his bug.
His mind was resolved, and he had a plan.
There was no need to linger here any longer.
Without looking back at the monotonous desert, Lion stepped through the portal.
*
Four days passed since Lion had started to watch over his bug.
Compared to before, his routine had become more active.
In the morning, he would nap in the desert and hunt some magical creatures.
In the afternoon and at night, he would watch over his bug.
Originally, it was just at night, but as Lion grew bored of the desert, he began lingering longer to be near his bug.
Unlike before, his bug seemed healthier.
Lion could sense the energy inside it becoming more stable, though still weak.
The bug's appearance had also changed recently, making it resemble other monkeys more closely, but Lion didn't care about such changes.
Because, in essence, it was still the same—the same energy, smell, and presence.
If there was something Lion didn't like, it was the lack of variety.
His bug would stay locked up for a long time.
Compared to when it was with him, it had far less freedom.
His worries had eased slightly because of the white-suited female who kept his bug company outside.
After watching his bug for a few hours, Lion would roam the city.
Sometimes, strange humans would approach him with rectangular objects.
Lion didn't like the excessive attention, so he would move to a new place.
After many attempts, he finally found a spot to rest.
A water park.
"Sister, look! A pink lion!"
"Oh, it seems so realistic!"
"A lion? Oh...!"
Sometimes children approached and touched his mane.
Their hands were intrusive, and some even tried to hug him.
So, finding the perfect resting spot was still hard since children were always after him.
Even so, Lion never gave up on finding the best place to rest.
"Ah... I found him!"
"Here, he's here!!"
Most of his efforts were in vain, though.
*
More days passed since Lion started hiding in the park.
For the first time, he saw the bug smile.
It was with the white-suited female monkey.
Lion was reflective; in the desert, all his bug had ever done was draw in the sand and cry from pain.
But now, living among its kind, the bug was smiling.
Lion was happy because now it was building its own group and becoming healthier.
But at the same time, he was sad, knowing he couldn't stay by its side.
Perhaps the colored monkeys, like his master, could accept him, but Lion wasn't interested in forming a group at his age.
Instead, he preferred staying alone—and, if possible, alone with his bug.
Lion took another nap at the water park.
The children came again in the afternoon and played until nightfall.
At night, they would leave with their families.
It had become a routine that repeated every single day.
Lion watched as the children left with their parents, one by one.
For a moment, the faces of those children were replaced by his bug's face.
Would his bug ever be as energetic as they were?
There was no reason for Lion to keep watching it. The bug was happy with its new friends.
That was a natural process, one all cubs had to experience eventually.
Lion, too, should move on and let go.
Lion stood up, gazing into the distance. It was time to go. The bug didn't need his protection anymore.
"Bye-bye, Mr. Lion!" called one of the children from afar. "See you tomorrow!"
"..."
Hearing the kid's shout, Lion couldn't bring himself to leave.
The child was smiling widely, held on his father's shoulders.
Lion, too, used to carry the bug on his back, but it had been too sick to react.
He had never seen it smile like that.
If he left now, he would never see the bug again. He would never see it smile.
Even so, should he go?
All that remained in his soul were his master's orders.
He should stay in the desert and wait.
And that was exactly what he did, year after year.
There was no other reason left for him to live.
He had convinced himself that the desert was comfortable and peaceful, but honestly, he was bored.
After spending time with his bug, everything he'd done since letting it go felt meaningless.
His instincts told him it was time to go.
But his heart told him to stay.
If he were like any other lion, he would surrender to his primal instincts.
But perhaps he'd spent so much time with those monkeys that he'd become a little strange himself.
He decided to stay, just a little longer.
At least until the bug smiled once again.
Even if it wasn't directed at him.
*
Writing in Lion's POV is so HARD! I also need to rewrite the Garnet's part in the previous chapter, but I'm not in the mood at all (～￣▽￣)～.
*Don't write the remake fills you with determination.
Now begins a 20-day break. See you in the next volume. Probably I'm back on 11/17/2024 (mm/dd/YYYY).