Author's Note: I apologize for the squished text. That was completely accidentally, though I have figured out why it happened, so if you guys prefer it one way or the other just let me know and I'll be sure to format it that way next time. Also, I'm going to work on sprucing up my text formatting a little in the future (adding paragraph indents, reducing comma splicing, etc.).

P.S. You can manually mend the squished text by using the handy "Line Spacing" tool just above this. Just click expand and thank !

Fuli ran at the head of the guard as they raced through a canyon, a flood of murky water chasing them over the dirt.
It had turned out that being a member of the Lion Guard was a lot of work. From plucking hyraxes from caving-in dens to fighting hyenas back into the Outlands.
But Fuli enjoyed working with the guard, she felt like she was making a difference in the Pridelands- and she obviously was. Her life was always a busy one- though not necessarily always fun.
Like when I had to check inside the porcupine den to see if they were okay after the flood, Fuli thought, making a face.
She'd really hated that.
And now she found herself running from a massive flood of mud.
She really hated that, too.
And the point of all this was to save a herd of buffalo who were stampeding away from the flood before it caught them, drowning them or sweeping them off a cliff or something awful like that.
Fuli actually didn't mind buffalo too much, they were generally okay to be around.
Then again, Fuli didn't mind hyraxes much, either, for while they were irritatingly clingy, they actually tasted pretty good.
Just then, Kion ran up alongside her, interrupting her train of thought.
"Lion Guard!" He called, "Ono's found dry land. We've got to round up the buffalo and guide them over there fast!"
Fuli grinned, "Nobody does fast better than me. Huwezi!" she cried, putting on a burst of speed and flanking the stampeding herd, "This way, everybody! Follow me!" she shouted over the sound of thundering hooves, steering the herd down a turn that led outside of the canyon, Ono leading her from the sky.
"This way! That's it." She said as the herd fled out of the canyon and into the open fields.
She heard a bellow of panic behind her and turned to see one of the buffalo stuck deep in the mud, struggling to escape.
"Beshte! Bunga!" Kion called back, "That last one's yours!"
"You got it, Kion!" Beshte replied, trundling over to the buffalo with Bunga running beside him.
"Come on, let's go, buffalo!" Bunga sang, trying to pull it out of the mud.
Fuli rolled her eyes and turned away, they seemed to have it under control- mostly.
A moment later, she heard Beshte's exclamation of "Twende Kiboko!" followed by a cry from Bunga.
"Woah!" The honey badger cried, and Fuli jolted in surprise when he sailed right over her and landed in a bush with a grunt.
Then there was a sudden hiss!
"Yowch!" Bunga screamed, jumping out of the bush and rubbing his hind-quarters.
The others quickly ran up to him, "Bunga, are you okay?" Kion asked immediately.
"Something bit me!" Bunga cried, sounded offended, "And it was him!"
A red and tan cobra slithered out from the bush, giving Bunga an irritated look
Ono dove down and landed beside Bunga, "We did it, Kion! The buffalo are all safe and... sound?" he stuttered to a stop when he saw the snake "Hapana! Egyptian Cobra! Whatever you do, don't let him bite you!"
Bunga twisted around to glance at his hind-side, "He already did."
Everyone gasped.
"Oh, no!" Ono cried.
Normally, Fuli wouldn't have been too worried. The members of the guard got hurt all the time, it kinda came with the job, also Bunga over-exaggerated things a lot, but when Ono was freaking out there was generally something very wrong.
"Hey, Ushari?" Beshte started, addressing the snake, "Why'd you do that?"
"He landed on my head, Besthe." Ushari hissed, glaring at Bunga, "He's lucky I only bit him once!"
"He's got a point." Bunga agreed, unfazed by the snake's irritation, "Wonder if he left a mark..."
He did, Fuli thought, the two tiny points where Ushari's fangs had stabbed were obvious.
"Bunga! Bunga!" Ono was flapping his wings in distress, "You don't understand! That snake, his bite is venomous!"
"You mean it did leave a mark?" Bunga asked, trying to see the bite-mark for himself.
Ono looked exasperated, "I mean, his bite is poison!"
Everyone gasped again.
Oh no, Fuli thought, this had just gone from annoying to really, really bad.
Bunga looked startled, "Poison? That's not good- that's bad! That means... that means I'm a goner!"
He suddenly swayed unsteadily, a groan escaping him.
"The venom's hit his system!" Ono cried, "We need to suck the poison out!"
"Okay," Bunga agreed, "if you think it'll help!"
He promptly got onto four legs and offered them his rear-end.
"Really?" Fuli asked scathingly.
"Maybe not..." Ono grumbled.
"I have a better idea," Kion spoke up, "we'll take him to Rafiki. Ono, have Timon and Pumbaa meet us at Rafiki's tree."
"Affirmative!" Ono replied, swiftly flying off.
Bunga starting swaying again, Fuli watched him with concern.
"Hang in there, Bunga," Kion said, "Rafiki will know what to do."

Bunga's loud moans of pain from atop Beshte's back weren't the only loud sound as the guard arrived at Rafiki's tree, Timon, Pumbaa, and Ono already waiting for them.
Nope, there was also Pumbaa's very obnoxious crying, even though he hadn't seen Bunga yet.
"Bunga!" Timon said as soon as they stopped, "The bird said a snake bit ya on the bottom!"
"Oh! Say it isn't so!" Pumbaa practically begged.
"Oh, it's so." Bunga groaned, rolling off of Beshte's back.
Timon and Pumbaa both gasped before promptly breaking out into loud sobs, Fuli sighed.
"Timon, Pumbaa, calm down." Kion managed over the noise, "I'm sure Rafiki-"
"Rafiki?!" Timon interrupted him, "What's he gonna do?"
"Who, me?" A familiar voice interrupted. They all looked up to see Rafiki swinging down the branches of his tree to them, laughing easily before settling down with his bakora staff, "Nothing."
Fuli paused, What?
Pumbaa chuckled through his sobs, "Thanks, Rafiki! That's great-" he stopped once he registered what the royal mjuzi has just said, "Uh, nothing?"
Kion stepped forward, "Rafiki, Bunga was bitten by a poisonous snake." he explained.
"You gotta help me." Bunga said, stumbling to his feet, "I can't have much time left-" he teetered before falling onto his back,"I think this is the end. Goodbye, everyone. Hello, Circle of Life."
His eyes slid shut, then opened a moment later so he could grab a flower and hold it to his chest before going still.
"Bunga!" Kion cried, "Bunga!"
Timon and Pumbaa exploded into sobs, Fuli just watched skeptically.
"Eh, Bunga?" Rafiki hummed, hardly looking up as he mixed together some colorful juices, "Honey badgers like you, you're immune to snake bites."
"What?" Bunga bolted up, "'Immune'?"
All crying suddenly stopped.
"What?" Pumbaa asked.
"I thought I was a goner, but this is even worse!" Bunga cried, "I'm immune!" he paused, "What's immune?"
"If you're immune to something it can't hurt you," Ono explained dully.
"So if I'm immune to snakebites, they can't hurt me?" Bunga summed up, then jumped to his feet, "Great! Let's go, guys!"
"Are you kidding me?" Fuli snapped, "We were worried about you and you were faking it?"
"Uh..." Bunga scratched the back of his head, eyeing her worriedly, "Not exactly?"
Fuli got right into his face and bared her teeth, "I should bite you myself!"
"Easy, Fuli." Kion said calmingly, stepping between them, "Bunga, we just thought you were really hurt."
"Me, too!" Bunga agreed.
Fuli huffed.
"But he's not, he's fine!" Timon exclaimed, "So let's celebrate!"
"Yeah!" Pumbaa agreed enthusiastically, "A feast at Hakuna Matata Falls, and everyone's invited!"
Kion smiled, "Thanks, Pumbaa, sounds great. But I have to meet my family for dinner."
"Me too," Beshte added.
Ono hesitated, "Uh, the flock gets jittery when I don't show up for mealtime." he smoothly excused himself.
"How 'bout you, Fuli?" Pumbaa asked, "Are you meeting your cheetah family?"
Fuli felt a stab of pain, but it ebbed quickly.
"Nah, I'll just go hunt by myself." She said simply.
"By yourself? All alone?" Pumbaa whined, "That's the saddest thing I've ever heard..."
There was a moment of silence.
"Isn't that the saddest thing you've ever heard?" Pumbaa pressed.
"You're right, Pumbaa, it is!" Timon agreed, "Friends don't let friends eat alone!"
"It's not like that." Fuli quickly argued, searching for a valid excuse, "Girl cheetahs hunt alone, it's what we do."
"Not this girl cheetah, not today!" Timon announced, "You're eating with us, and I'm not taking 'no' for an answer."
"But I-" Fuli started.
"Ah, ah, ah, not another word." Timon interrupted her, "I insist." he stood aside and gestured behind him, "After you."
Fuli hesitated, then heaved a sigh, "Okay..."
She followed Timon and Pumbaa as they led the way to Hakuna Matata Falls, Bunga following behind as he took his time to mess with any dangerous-looking things he saw along the way, singing some annoying tune about being immune.

Fuli sat down by a log, the crashing water of Hakuna Matata Falls behind her.
She actually really liked this spot, despite the obnoxious animals who lived here. The dirt was moist and covered in soft grass, sunlight dappled the forest floor as it filtered through the canopy of leaves above, and a pleasant breeze brushed her fur.
But the animals here were still gross.
"Dinner is served," Timon announced, holding up a large leaf covered in writhing bugs.
Fuli felt her lip curling in disgust.
"They're slimy, yet satisfying!" Pumbaa backed up his friend.
As if to prove his point, the warthog took a massive mouthful of critters and starting chewing them up enthusiastically,
"Ugh!" Fuli restrained a gag.
Bunga helped himself as well, "Mmm! The slime helps them go down smooth!"
"Uh, thanks," Fuli said, backing away, "but I'm not really hungry."
"Of course, how rude of me!" Timon said, giving himself a little slap on the forehead, "How can you dive into a meal without a little dinner conversation?"
Pumbaa took another bite of grubs and chewed loudly while Bunga wandered away. Meanwhile, Timon hopped onto the log beside Fuli, "So, how are things on your end of the food-chain?"
"Um... good?" Fuli tried.
"Good, good..." Timon said, idly patting Fuli's shoulder before abruptly stopping, "Oh, wow, you are so soft! Do you know how soft you are?"
His little meerkat hands began petting her fur on her right cheek and shoulder and atop her head, much to Fuli's displeasure.
"I, uh, don't really love having my fur touched." She growled through gritted teeth.
If Timon even heard her, he didn't show it, "Pumbaa, feel this fur. You could drown in fur like this!"
Oh, no, no, no, no... Fuli thought, trying to pull her head out of Timon's embrace.
"Oh, oh! I wanna feel!" Pumbaa agreed enthusiastically, and suddenly he was rubbing against Fuli's other side, "Mmm, cuddly!"
Fuli scowled.
"Bunga, you try!" Pumbaa called, then paused and looked around, "Uh, where'd he go?"
Timon waved him off without looking up, "Oh, I'm sure he's around somewhere."
"Right here!" Bunga replied, "Check it out!"
He turned to a crocodile who was dozing by the river and yanked open its mouth, much to its surprise, "Open wide!" the honey badger cheered before proceeding to jump up and down in the crocodile's mouth, "Look at me! I'm immune! Whoo!"
The crocodile's eyes narrowed.
"Bunga!" Fuli cried.
While Timon and Pumbaa gaped in shock, Fuli sprinted forward, grabbing the scruff of Bunga's neck and leaping away, she felt the rush of wind on her tail as the crocodile's mouth snapped shut behind her.
"What ya doing, Fuli?" Bunga asked bewilderedly.
He can't be this stupid... can he?
"Saving your life!" She growled around his fur.
"But you heard Rafiki, I'm immune!" Bunga complained, "I could've stayed in that croc's mouth all day-" he was interrupted by a loud grunt as Fuli unceremoniously dropped him.
This is unbelievable, She thought.
"Gah! Fine!" She snapped, "Go get eaten if you want! I'm outta here."
As she sprinted away she heard Timon behind her, "Bunga! Bubby! Want some more bugs? They're delicious!"
"Are they poisonous?" Bunga asked.
"Of course not!" Pumbaa answered.
"Where's the fun in that?"
Then she was out of earshot.
"I can't believe this..." Fuli muttered herself, "That was gross!
At least now she would be able to find some real food.
She slowed down once she'd left Hakuna Matata Falls behind her and found herself back in the plains of the savannah, the long, swaying brown grass felt much more natural to her.
Sniffing the air, she immediately picked up the scent of a gazelle and tracked it until it came into view, for some reason the dumb herd animal had strayed away from its group and was grazing alone.
All the better, Fuli thought, dropping into a crouch and stalking into pouncing range.
"Hey, Fuli!" She heard a familiar call, "Fuli!"
The gazelle bolted up, spotting Fuli before bounding away.
But Fuli couldn't care less, she gasped and looked skyward, "Ono! What's up?" she jumped around as he landed behind her, "Is there trouble?"
"Trouble? Oh..." Ono hesitated, "Uh, no."
"Ono," Fuli said frustratedly, "I was hunting."
"Hunting? That's perfect!" Ono replied abruptly, "I was on my way to hunt with the other egrets. You should join us."
Huh, Fuli thought simply, perking up a little.
"Okay. Nothing like a good hunt."
Moments later, she found herself trudging through mud as elephants trumpeting loudly all around her, their giant feet leaving deep holes in the muck while a flock of egrets hopped around said feet, screeching excitedly.
"And this is nothing like a good hunt," Fuli muttered.
"What?" Ono yelled over the noise, coming into view through a gap in the elephants prancing about, "A good hunt? Yeah, it's great!"
"Ugh. What are we doing here, Ono?" Fuli asked exasperatedly, "Do egrets eat elephants?"
"No!" Ono chuckled, "We eat the bugs kicked up by the elephants' feet!"
Are you kidding me?
She halted in her tracks, "Bugs? Again? What is with everyone and eating bugs?"
She was interrupted by an elephant stamping the ground beside her and splashing mud all over her right shoulder, "Ugh!"
"What's wrong, Fuli?" Ono asked, appearing in front of her, "Why'd you stop?"
"Ono!" Fuli snapped, "I'm covered in mud!"
Ono hopped forward and sniffed her shoulder, "Oh, that's not mud." he said casually, turning around and heading back towards the elephants, "Come on!"
Fuli gasped and glanced at her shoulder again, curling her lip, "Ugh. Gross."

Soon enough, Fuli was out in the open, finally on her own. Again.
And she was just about to land another catch. Again.
"Fuli!" Yet another familiar voice called, "Jambo!"
The gazelle she'd been stalking looked up before dashing away.
Fuli groaned and allowed her head to hang for a moment before straightening and turning around, "Beshte?"
"Hey!" Beshte greeted her again, "I couldn't help but notice you're all by yourself."
Fuli watched him with a dull expression, "So?" she pressed.
"So," Beshte started again, obviously thinking fast, "I thought you might wanna join me for a swim. You can meet my whole hippo pod."
He has to be joking? Right?
"It's okay." She excused herself, "I'm not a real fan of water."
"It's not that bad once you get used to it." Beshte insisted, "What do you say?"
Fuli glanced at the lake, where some of Beshte's pod were starting to glance her way, then back at Beshte, whose big baby-like face smiled at her, ears wagging hopefully.
How can I say no? She thought resignedly.
So she heaved a sigh and started towards the water, "Well, maybe just my paws."
"That's the way! Yeah!" Beshte cheered, following her.
Fuli stepped onto a boulder jutting out over the lake and stared down at the rippling surface nervously. She slowly reached out a paw to give it a tentative touch, but as Beshte walked by, one of his legs caught on the stone and broke it loose from its perch, sending it crashing down into the lake.
Fuli let out a cry of surprise a moment before the water hit her. Opening her eyes she found herself in a rush of water as rocks splashed into the lake all around her, the torrent created by it sent her spinning.
While she hated the water, Fuli was generally a strong swimmer, but the lake was dark and the splashing disorienting, and she had no idea which way was up or down as she ran out of breath. Suddenly, a large gray form ascended from under her, catching her and pulling her to the surface.
Fuli broke the water coughing up water and gasping for breath to find that a hippo had brought her to the surface. Beshte gasped as she came up from the lake and watched her anxiously.
Fuli heaved a sigh, "So I'm in the water." she said scathingly, "Just. Like. A hippo."
"Well, uh..." Beshte hesitated, looking mortified, "How do you like it?"
Fuli jumped back onto dry land beside him, "It's great." she stated sarcastically, shaking out her fur with a dry chuckle, "Maybe we can do it again. Some other time."
"Uh, okay, Fuli." Beshte mumbled as she sped away, "Some other time..."

It wasn't long before Fuli was stalking yet another gazelle, she was downwind and completely concealed in the tall grass, there was no way this one was getting away from her.
"Fuli!" She heard Kion call.
No way!
She didn't even bother watching for the gazelle's reaction but heard it bounding away a moment later.
She let out a low groan before turning around and looking up to see Kion and Bunga atop a small slope, she padded towards them, "Hi, guys." she greeted unenthusiastically.
"Hey." Kion said, "Sorry about the gazelle."
Well, at least he apologized for it, Fuli thought, feeling a flicker of gratitude towards her best friend and forcing herself to perk up a bit.
"But if you're up for a hunt," Kion continued, "you could hunt with me and my family."
Fuli paused and glanced at him in surprise. One thing she had to give lions was that they were amazing hunters! With precision and cooperation that Fuli often wished the guard shared.
"Hunting? With the royal family?" Fuli asked just to make sure he was serious before breaking into a smile, "Yeah! Thanks, Kion, asante!"
"Hakuna Matata!" Kion brushed it off with a smile, "You in, Bunga?"
Fuli didn't see how Bunga would be interested in hunting with lions and a cheetah, though she supposed the invitation was polite seeing as Kion had been hanging out with him.
"Nah," Bunga replied, "I'm gonna stay here and enjoy bein' immune!"
Fuli assumed that his being 'immune' had something to do with the porcupine lying on the ground beside him.
"Okay, see you later," Kion said, leading the way over the hill.
"Bye, Bunga," Fuli added before starting after him.
Atop the hill but at the opposite end were Queen Nala, Princess Kiara, Tiifu, and another young lioness whom Fuli identified a moment later as Zuri.
Fuli had never liked Zuri that much, she was far too vain and lazy for her standards. Tiifu was better, being loyal and optimistic, but was way too excitable and overenthusiastic about everything.
At least, anything to do with the royal family.
Nala and Kiara greeted Fuli with a simple nod before the queen turned to her daughter, "Okay, Kiara, you lead the hunt."
Kiara smiled and glanced at the other lionesses, "You girls ready?"
"I'm ready if you are, Kiara!" Tiifu immediately answered, "You're our leader!" she giggled.
Zuri sighed dramatically, "Can we just get this over with?"
Fuli furrowed a brow, Seriously?
"Come on, Zuri," Kiara said encouragingly, "focus."
Kiara turned away to have a word with her mother, and Tiifu immediately began hopping in excitement, "Ooh, Kiara's gonna be so impressed with how I hunt those gazelles!"
Zuri yawned boredly, "Uh-huh."
"Just wait till she sees what a tracky tracker and pouncy pouncer I can be!" Tiifu continued eagerly, dropping into a hunting crouch that Fuli decided was actually pretty good.
"Yeah, that ought to wow her." Zuri laughed, "Ooh, Queen Nala's looking. Act all excited and hunter-ish."
Tiifu gasped, glancing at Nala to find her watching, she dropped back into a crouch and let out a rumbling, "Growl!" Nala just smiled.
"Ugh," Fuli murmured to Kion, "do I seriously have to hunt with those two?"
"Tiifu and Zuri?" Kion asked, obviously having gotten used to the two lionesses behavior a long time ago, "Sure. They're my sister's best friends, they're like family."
Fuli sighed, but if it made Kion happy she'd keep any complaints to herself. Besides, she and Kiara actually had some mutual respect for each other as intelligent and capable females, that should be good enough.
"Ladies," Kiara addressed them, "follow me."
But Fuli was really hungry at this point and decided that she wasn't gonna let two silly lionesses get in between her and a good meal.
Taking off at a run, Fuli left Kion's little mane fluttering as she sped past him and Tiifu and Zuri to catch up with Kiara before anyone else could even take a step.
Tiifu gasped, "Who does she think she is? Hunting right beside the future queen?"
How about the fastest animal in the Pridelands, member of the Lion Guard, and one of the sole survivors of my species in the Pridelands?
Okay, that last one hurt. Best not to think about that.
"Who cares?" Zuri scoffed, "Hunting is so over-rated. Let the cheetah hunt for us."
As if! Fuli thought.
She and Kiara quickly zig-zagged down the side of the hill, tracking the fresh scent of gazelle before spotting it grazing at the bottom of the slope.
"Don't cheetahs like to hunt alone?" Tiifu asked as she, Zuri, Kion, and Nala followed from a distance.
At least someone gets it, Fuli thought, Tiifu wasn't all bad.
At least, sometimes she wasn't.
"Why's Fuli all like, 'Look at me, I'm Kiara's new bestie!.'" Tiifu continued in a whiny, terrible mimicking tone,
"I don't even like gazelle." Zuri just scoffed again, "Hyena food."
Tiifu gave her a weird look.
Fuli rolled her eyes and pointedly ignored them, focusing on the gazelle that was now just ahead.
She and Kiara parted the long grass just behind the grazing animal and exchanged grins.
"Ready?" Kiara whispered.
Fuli gave a firm nod.
Three... two... one...
Fuli lunged at the gazelle while Kiara jumped out of her hiding place with a loud growl.
"And stop!" Nala called.
Fuli halted, hitting the ground with a harsh "Oof!" The gazelle spun its head around and bounded off the moment it saw her. Fuli just groaned.
"Excellent tracking skills, Kiara!" Nala praised as the rest of the lions joined them, "Really fantastic!"
"Thanks, mom." Kiara smiled.
"But the gazelle got away!" Fuli cried, jumping to her paws and shaking out her fur.
"Of course it did." Nala said, "We're still training for Kiara's first hunt."
Fuli stilled, What?!
"Come on, girls," Nala said, leading them away.
"Bye, Fuli!" Tiifu said just smugly enough that Fuli wanted to give her a scratch to remember her by before she sped up to walk with the rest of the lions.
"Hold up!" Fuli said firmly, grabbing the tip of Kion's tail lightly with her teeth to stop him, "You mean I don't get to eat? What's the point of hunting if I don't get to eat?"
"You got to hang out with us." Kion said, his smile slowly falling and being replaced by confusion, "Isn't that better than hunting alone?"
"When I hunt alone I get to eat. Except for today, when someone in the guard keeps stopping me!" Fuli snapped, "What's going on with you guys?"
"We just thought you'd be happier with company..." Kion explained.
They decided to do this together?! Fuli realized, her temper flaring.
"Do I look happier?" She demanded, making a sour expression.
Kion hesitated, a grimace slowly forming over his face, "Not... really."
Fuli let out a frustrated sigh, which was more like a hiss, "I like being alone, Kion. I enjoy it. And you know what?" she subconsciously looked away from him, "I've never wanted to be more alone than I do right now!"
Without giving herself a chance at a second thought, she turned around and sped away, kicking up dust in her wake.
"Fuli!" Kion called after her, then sighed, "Sorry."
Fuli almost stopped. She almost turned around and came back to him. She almost apologized for snapping at him and told him it wasn't his fault.
But she didn't, she just kept running, feeling the wind rush through her pelt until Kion was just a speck in the distance, and then he was gone.

Yo, quick break right here to let you guys know that, in the episode, this is song time... and no, I'm not putting in Fuli's song here.
I'll go ahead and post her song, 'My Own Way' and the lyrics in the comments section, you can check them out there if you'd like.
In the meantime, we're gonna be skipping that section and taking off from there, and I personally do recommend watching it before you continue reading.
Enjoy!

Fuli groomed her fur as she basked in the afternoon sunlight, she was near the edge of the Pridelands, as far away from anyone as she could be.
Now that she was alone, no longer hungry, and it was finally quiet, she could think, and so she had thought a lot, and she'd decided on a few things.
Most importantly among them, she'd be too hard on Kion. He had just thought she was lonely and was trying to be a good friend.
"I shouldn't have snapped at him." She murmured to herself, resting her chin on her paws.
She paused as a sound floated across the wind from the direction of the Outlands.
She flicked an ear, What could that be?
Getting into a crouch, Fuli stalked closer towards the border, her ears straining to pick up the sound again.
There! It was an echo.
"Immune! Immune! Immune... Immune..."
Fuli immediately bolted up, "Bunga?! In the Outlands?!"
She hesitated, glancing back towards the Pridelands, Should I get the others?
But she shook her head, she had no idea where they were, by the time she rounded them up it would probably be too late.
Taking off at a run, Fuli jumped over the border and dashed through the Outlands towards the source of the sound.
In the wet season- which they were in right now- the river that made up most of the border between the Pridelands and the Outlands was often swollen and flooded, with on way to get across.
Luckily, the border here was dry ground, so Fuli was able to simple rush across, dodging jutting rocks and stink carcasses.
The Outlands was almost unnaturally gray and lifeless, where only the most despicable of animals were banished to. Fuli had no idea how anything at all lived out here.
Rounding a bend, Fuli found herself on a ledge overlooking a river of lava pouring down from a volcano.
And at the lava rivers edge was Bunga, surrounded by Janja and his hyenas... but they seemed to be talking.
"You're what?" Janja asked, looking confused.
"Immune," Bunga stated irritably.
You stupid honey badger! Fuli thought incredulously.
"What's immune?" The big, dumb hyena- Fuli was pretty sure his name was Chungu- asked.
"I hope it's not contagious!" Said the small one who was always biting his own tongue, and if the other was Chungu than that would make him Cheezi.
"Stuff it, fur-brains! It doesn't matter." Janja snapped, "Let's just eat him!"
Oh, no you don't.
"Huwezi!" She cried, dashing in, scooping up Bunga, and kicking away the nearest hyena as she leaped onto a rock at the riverbank.
Suddenly the rock broke and starting floating on the lava river, Fuli tensed up, spreading out her paws to keep her balance.
"Again?" Bunga cried, "You always jump in just when things are getting fun!"
"Fun?!" Fuli spat.
"Woah!" Bunga cried, jumping back from the edge of the rock as part of it broke off into the lava.
Oh no, Fuli thought. Their platform was breaking apart!
"Come on, boys!" Janja growled, running along the riverbank, "After that rock!"
"Why do we always have to work for our food?" Chungu asked.
"Ain't no such thing as a free meal," Cheezi added, starting after Janja.
You have no idea...
"I take it back, this is even more fun!" Bunga cheered, but was abruptly cut off as more of the rock broke off, "Woah!" he jumped back into Fuli, then suddenly paused, "Hey, Timon was right, you really are soft."
"Ugh." Fuli groaned, rolling her eyes.
Bunga sniffed, "Do you smell something burning?" he turned around to find a magma pebble on his tail, "Ow!"
Fuli gasped, "I got it!" she quickly swiped the pebble off him and into the river, but even that heartbeat of exposure left her paw burning, and she shook it to try to cool it off.
"That lava's hot." Bunga stated, then recoiled, "And it hurts!"
"Calm down." Fuli said firmly, "It's gone now."
"But... but this means-" Bunga grabbed her chest and shook her, "I'm not immune! Woah!" he let out a cry as the bit of the rock he was standing on broke off and he clambered on to Fuli's back- much to her displeasure, though it was better than the alternative.
Up ahead, the hyenas had reached a narrow point in the river, Janja, Chungu, and Cheezi on one side and two other opposite of them, meaning they'd be able to reach Fuli and Bunga from the riverbank.
"A little bit further and they're ours for the eatin'." Janja announced with a feral grin, "Honey badger, with a side of cheetah."
Fuli glanced around frantically, but couldn't see a way out.
Guess I'll go down fighting...
But the owner of a familiar voice had other ideas.
"Till the Pridelands end..." Kion's call sounded from nearby.
"Lion Guard defend!" Kion, Beshte, and Ono all shouted, appearing from an opening in a nearby cliff-face and charging onto the scene, the two hyenas in their way yelped and fled.
Fuli allowed herself a sigh of relief, "Are we glad to see you guys!" she managed while trying to keep her balance with Bunga shifting around on her head
"Yeah!" Bunga put in, "You won't believe it, but I'm not immune to lava! Or fire!"
"I believe it." Ono grumbled from where he was hovering above them.
Kion quickly glanced around before spotting a dead tree on the riverbank just ahead of Fuli and Bunga, "Beshte! The dead tree!"
"You got it, Kion!" Beshte said, trundling up to the tree and pressing his head against it, "Twende Kiboko!"
The tree groaned before snapping out of the ground and falling in the lava, making a bridge, but it was quickly being burnt away.
Fuli twisted around and grabbed Bunga's scruff to swing him off her back before leaping on to the tree, digging her claws in to climb up while it swayed in the river.
"Aw, there goes dinner," Chungu whined.
"Oh, they're not gone yet!" Janja snarled, "After them!"
He leaped onto the log, Chungu and Cheezi right behind him, making it sway and dip deeper into the lava, disintegrating quickly.
Fuli stumbled before catching herself, she glanced back to see Janja bearing his teeth, a maniacal laugh escaping him.
Fuli grinned around Bunga's fur, "Can't catch me!" she called, bracing her powerful hind legs on the log and leaping clear over the roots onto solid ground just before they disconnected from the soil and floating into the lava.
The hyena's paused for a moment, looking lost as the log quickly burned away.
Then Cheezi sniffed the air, "Mmm!"
"Something smells delicious!" Chungu announced.
"That's us fur-brains!" Janja snapped.
The other two hyenas quickly realized this and let out yelps of panic, clambering all over their leader in the hopes that he'd somehow protect them.
"Get off of me!" Janja snarled.
"Should we help them?" Beshte suggested uncertainly.
"Nah, I'm sure they'll be fine." Bunga waved it off.
"If anyone knows how to survive in the Outlands, it's them." Kion stated, "Come on, we should be heading back to our home."
"Heh." Fuli smiled, "I couldn't agree more."

Fuli walked ahead of Beshte and behind Kion as the guard returned to the Pridelands. She was grateful to see green grass and clear blue skies again.
"Thanks, guys." She said sincerely, "I don't know what we would've done without you."
Kion stopped and turned to her with a smile, "We're the Lion Guard. We come through for each other. Always."
Fuli smiled back, then glanced back at Bunga, who was still laying on her back, "Uh, Bunga? You can get off me now. We're safe."
"Yeah, I know." Bunga said, reaching up a hand to pet her cheek, "You're just so soft."
Fuli scowled and abruptly sat down, sending the honey badger tumbling away with a loud 'Woah!' before he landed flat on his back.
"On the outside, at least." He muttered, rubbing his head, but his irritation was short lived as he jumped up with an enthusiastic smile, "Hey, anyone else wanna cool off at the watering hole?"
After taking a ride in lava? Fuli smiled, That actually sounds like a good idea.
"For sure!" Beshte agreed.
"I'm in," Ono added.
"Let's go!" Kion said, then stopped, turning back to Fuli, "But if you'd rather be alone, Fuli, then that's okay too." he added with understanding.
Fuli smiled, "Thanks, Kion. I do like being alone, especially when I'm hunting." his face fell a little at that, but she continued, "But I really like hanging out with you guys, too."
Kion's expression lit up like the sun at that, nearly making Fuli laugh, "You do?"
"Well, yeah." Fuli replied slowly, "It's like you're my..." she hesitated, then took a quick breath, "My family."
Beshte sniffled, "That's a beautiful thing to say, Fuli."
"Ugh," Fuli snorted, but couldn't stop the smile on her face, "you all want a hug, don't you?"
Bunga, Beshte, and Ono all made sad dog eyes and nodded.
Fuli sighed, "Alright." she rolled her eyes, "This once."
"Poa!" Beshte said, ears wagging.
They all beamed at that and cuddled up against her, Bunga wrapping his arms around her and Ono his wings. Fuli smiled.
Then she paused and glanced at Kion, who was standing back with a proud yet semi-content smile.
Fuli chuckled, "Yeah, you too."
Kion looked surprised for a moment, then a big half-smile appeared on his face that Fuli thought was adorable before he pressed against her other side, humming a little.
"You were right, little B!" Beshte murmured, "She really is soft!"
Bunga grinned, "Told ya."
Fuli closed her eyes and smiled to herself.
Whether they always got along her not, she really did love everyone in the guard, admittedly some more than others, but she supposed that's just how a family was.
At least almost, she knew she'd still oftentimes want to claw Bunga's snout, her feelings towards him were complicated. And Kion... her feelings towards him were complicated as well.
She didn't know exactly what all the emotions she felt entailed in the future, but for now, she was happy, and could finally sincerely say that she really did have a family again.