The next day soon came. Orum groaned once he woke up and stretched a bit, rubbing his eyes as he tried to shake off a dream that he had as he went to join the others in the brand new day. Nirmala was soon seen getting up just as Orum did to go check on Kion and when they arrived at the River of Patience they were surprised as they saw Kion already there.
"You're already here." Orum said out of surprise.
"I'm ready to try again." Kion smiled.
"Excellent," Nirmala smiled back before seeing an incoming log. "And it looks like we got here just in time."
Kion nodded before staring into the river. "Patience. Patience..." he then told himself calmly before he jumped out and soon landed on the log perfectly this time.
"Great job, Kion." Orum smiled.
Kion smiled back before looking down at the water and yelped as he fell off of the log.
"Oh, my." Orum then frowned as he felt worried that Kion would give up.
"Try again." Kion soon told himself as he climbed back up over the log and where this time, the younger lion didn't fall off before he pounced onto the other side after being patient for the perfect moment.
Orum smiled as he was glad that Kion was able to learn a very valuable lesson in patience.
"Good job, Kion!" Nirmala beamed at the young lion. "Now you're getting it!"
Ullu was soon heard hooting as she flew over.
"Ullu?" Orum spoke up to the white owl.
"Nirmala! Rani needs you!" Ullu called urgently.
"Are those predators back?" Kopa guessed.
"Yes, they're attacking!" Ullu nodded.
"Let me come with you! I lead them here let me kick them out." Kion told them.
"You're the one in need of help, Kion," Nirmala reminded. "Remember? Stay focused and finish your task. No matter what!"
"She really does care, I promise." Orum then said to Kion as Nirmala went off after Ullu.
"Stay focused..." Kion sighed before he stayed focused on his task. "Finish the task."
Orum decided to watch Kion again while he still could.
Rani, Surak, and Baliyo glared at the incoming predators before Nirmala came with Ullu after hearing the news.
"With strength and respect..." Rani started.
"Night Pride protect!" The others added before they came out to fight back the predators.
"Now! Hit them hard and hit them fast!" Ora told Makucha and Chuluun.
"I got a better idea," Makucha smirked. "Let's find another way in!"
"What?! No, I am in charge!" Ora glared. "Remember?!"
The two leopards kept going ahead which soon made Ora go after them since he couldn't make them listen to him.
"They're trying to go around us," Rani told the rest of The Night Pride before following after the three predators. "Come on."
The predators grinned as they got further away and ended up on a different path. Eventually, they all came to a very unfortunate stop.
"Dead end." Ora said in misfortune.
As if to make matters worse, the Night Pride soon caught up with them and surrounded them.
"Now we do it my way," Ora glared as he told the two leopards while glowering at the Night Pride. "We stand and fight!"
"You do it your way, I'll do it mine." Chuluun told Ora before climbing up a nearby tree.
Ora and Makucha watched her go before they pursued after the Night Pride. Rani and Baliyo soon went next as Nirmala and Surak followed behind them. Rani and Makucha were seen ready to fight before Niramala tackled the clouded leopard from behind. Ora soon suddenly went for Baliyo, though the lion proved to be a bit stronger. Chuluun hid away in the trees as Surak looked around for her. Unknown to Surak, Chuluun was looking right down at him, looking ready to lunge out and where Baliyo soon saw her ready to lunge after getting Ora off him.
"Surak! Watch out!" Baliyo told the older lion.
Surak didn't seem to move before ducking down as Chuluun pounced out and suddenly missed and crashed in the middle of the ground. Surak then jumped down and struck the female leopard once she got back up.
"Nice move!" Baliyo smiled before yelling out as he fell and Ora bit on his leg. "Guys, I'm done!" he then cried out.
"Hey! That's my little brother you just bit!" Rani glared as she headbutted Ora away from Baliyo and into Makucha.
Ora and Makucha grunted as they knocked into each other. Surak and Nirmala soon surrounded Baliyo as he was on the ground.
"Nice work, Ora," Makucha smirked at the komodo dragon. "Now it's three against three."
MEANWHILE WITH KION AND ORUM...
"You finally made it." Orum smiled.
"Glad to be here, but where is that flower?" Kion replied.
Orum soon stepped out of the way as the flower was soon shown. Kion went to get the flower, but soon went somewhere also as he heard Rani screaming. Orum soon joined Kion as he heard Rani's screaming as well.
"Heyvi Kaibisa!" Kion gasped once he saw what was happening. "The Night Pride! And Baliyo's down!"
"I better handle this," Orum suggested. "You can go get that flower you came up here for."
"You're right. Nirmala said to finish the task," Kion said before going over to the flower and picking it up. "But now I can help."
Orum smiled proudly as Kion had learned some lessons during his time in the Night Pride. Soon, the two golden-furred lions raced down to help out the Night Pride from the predators.
Rani soon charged at Chuluun, but the snow leopard ducked down and she came right for Baliyo. Kion soon jumped out and brought down Chuluun in an instant before she could hit Baliyo.
"Kion!" Baliyo smiled as Orum jumped down next to him.
"Kion?" Makucha and Ora asked out of surprise.
"Use your Roar thingy!" Baliyo called out eagerly. "Send those guys flying!"
"The Roar? Forget it!" Ora complained as he took the coward's way out. "I do not wanna get hit with that Roar again!"
"Some 'leader' he turned out to be." Makucha smirked at Chuluun.
"Forget him. Forget attacking," Chuluun replied. "Kion and that other lion came down that hill. So the Tree of Life must be on the other side."
"Don't even think about it." Orum growled at the two leopards.
The two leopards soon ran off together.
"Surak, follow Ora," Rani began to command. "Make sure he doesn't double back."
"Understood." Surak nodded as he went off.
"Nirmala, take Baliyo to somewhere safe," Rani told the older lioness before facing Kion and Orum and taking off running after the two leopards. "Kion, Orum, you two are with me. We have to stop them from getting over that ridge!"
"Right." Kion smiled as he put the flower down about to follow after Rani.
"Kion, the path." Orum smiled back reminding the younger golden-furred lion.
Kion looked over and soon looked that way before smiling a bit. "Let Nirmala and Orum guide me." he then said to himself before he went a certain way.
"He's finally listening." Orum approved.
Kion and Orum began to go up the path that was like a shortcut.
"I hope I can make it in time." Kion said as he went to the top.
The two soon made it up to the top just as a paw was climbing up.
"I believe we have, Kion." Orum smirked.
Makucha smirked as he climbed up to the top before seeing the two golden-furred lions. "What?! You two!" he then glared.
"Hello, Makucha was it? I think you and Chuluun have overstayed your welcome." Orum smiled firmly.
"Is that right?" Makucha glared. "Perhaps you and I should talk this over our claws."
"I couldn't agree more." Orum glared back before charging at Makucha and headbutting him off the hill.
Chuluun soon made it to the top only to duck as Makucha was thrown right over her head. "Watch it!" the female leopard complained.
"Looks like you're next!" Kion said as he went to swat at Chuluun who soon avoided his claws.
"You missed!" Chuluun laughed as she dodged getting hit.
"I won't!" Rani glared as she tackled Chuluun before ending up getting pinned down and pushing her off herself and the hill.
Chuluun yelped as she fell and soon crashed to the ground.
"Nice." Kion smiled.
"You too," Rani smiled back. "Now let's make sure you keep going."
"Down we go." Orum added as they walked down from the top.
Makucha and Chuluun were seen making their way out before they encountered the rest of The Lion Guard.
"Ooh! Bad luck." Orum smirked.
"This way!" Fuli told the others as they ran.
"Don't tell me we missed the battle again!" Bunga complained.
"Nope. Look." Anga replied as Makucha and Chuluun soon ran into the Lion Guard.
"Lion Guard?!" Makucha glared.
"Hey, Makucha. Hey, Chuluun. Remember me? And my stink?" Bunga smirked as he turned around and let it rip, letting his honey badger stink over take the two leopards
"Oh, no!" Chuluun groaned in disgust before running away with Makucha.
"And don't come back!" Bunga called out to them.
"I guess we make a pretty good team after all." Rani said to Kion.
"How's Baliyo?" Orum asked Nirmala as he came over to check on the youngest member of the Night Pride.
"The venom will wear off eventually," Nirmala smiled. "He will be fine."
"You should be more careful, little brother." Rani told her brother before they gave each other a friendly nuzzle.
"Not my style." Baliyo replied.
"Yeah, we know, but at least try." Orum smiled.
Kion soon saw the flower he brought to Nirmala had gotten trampled over. "Nirmala? I did get the flower, but it got trampled in the battle." he said to the older, darker-furred lioness.
"You finished the task. Giving me the flower wasn't really the point," Nirmala smiled. "Though I would have liked to have a new flower to put behind my ear."
"Does this mean Kion's all better?" Bunga asked.
"Does it?" Rani added.
"I don't think so," Kion said, having a pretty big hunch. "There's more I have to do, isn't there?"
"Yes," Nirmala nodded. "You've taken the first step, but there's still a long way to go."
Kion still felt irked by his scar, but tried to calm himself down. "Guess I just need patience." he then said with a small smile.
"That's right." Orum nodded.
"I'm surprised you're even part of the Night Pride," Kion said to Orum. "I mean, you're very different from them. You almost look like my family."
"It's a long story," Orum replied. "I'll tell you about it sometime."
"But why not-" Kion started before remembering his lesson as he took a deep breath. "Okay, you can tell me when you feel like it."
"Thanks, Kion." Orum smiled.
"Sure thing, Orum," Kion replied. "I can tell that I have a lot to learn while visiting your pride."
"Yes, you do." Orum nodded, "You've already learned patience, but there are more steps to learn."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Kion nodded back.
"Is it just me or does Orum kinda look like Simba only with a different mane color and younger and has lots of scars on his body?" Bunga whispered to Fuli and the others.
"...Now that you mention it, he kinda does," Fuli replied. "He also seems like he has Queen Nala's eye color."
"You don't think that..." Ono spoke up.
"Orum could be another son from Simba and Nala?" Behste wondered.
"But if that were true then why hasn't King Simba and Queen Nala ever mentioned him?" Anga asked.
"I dunno..." Ono replied. "It just can't be a coincidence that Orum looks so much like them."
Bunga gasped as he suddenly thought of something. "Orum is a spy in the Night Pride." he then said with wide eyes.
"I doubt that's the reason, Bunga." Ono said.
"Besides, if that were true then how did he get those scars on his body?" Anga asked.
"I'unno," Bunga shrugged. "I just thought it'd help make things interesting."
"We'll need to find out more about him." Anga whispered to them.
"Sounds good to me," Fuli replied. "I'm sure there's more to Orum than he's saying."
The rest of the Lion Guard nodded in agreement to that.
MEANWHILE...
"Alright Orum, Nirmala, what next?" Kion asked.
"I think we should heal that scar for ya." Orum suggested.
The next thing Kion knew his face was covered in mud.
"That should take care of the venom." Orum remarked.
"You remember some scrapes." Nirmala nodded.
"Of course I do." Orum replied.
"Do I have to keep this on for a while?" Kion asked.
"Yes, it'll help with the venom in your scar." Orum nodded.
"Good to know." Kion said.
Meanwhile, back with Bunga and the others...
"Poa. Sure is nice to relax now that we're here at the Tree of Life." Behste smiled as he stood in the water.
"You gotta admit," Fuli smiled as she stretched with a small, serene sigh. "You're right, Beshte."
"Ooh, yeah! Nothing better than relaxing and munching on bugs." Bunga beamed as he grabbed a collection of bugs and began to eat them up.
"Ugh. Yeah. Nothing better." Fuli said in disgust.
"I'm glad you guys get to relax." Kion said as he, Orum, and Nirmala walked over.
"Uh, Kion? You okay?" Fuli called to her lion friend.
"He's fine," Nirmala replied with a soft chuckle. "The mud is helping to treat the venom in his scar."
"Can I-" Kion started as he faced Orum and Nirmala.
"Yes, you can wash it off now." Orum nodded while Nirmala smiled.
Kion soon went right to the water and washed the mud off his face and smiled in relief. "That's better!"
"So how's the healing going?" Beshte asked with a smile.
"Kion is making progress, but we still have a long way to go." Nirmala replied.
"Right. Long way to go." Kion sighed about that.
"I know it feels like a long time from now, but it'll get better sooner than you think." Orum reassured Kion.
"Speaking of healing..." Nirmala smiled as she faced Ono. "Ono, it's time for your healing to begin."
"Oh! Yes, yes, yes!" Ono beamed as he flew off of Behste's back and soon did a flip in the air.
"The remedy is ready," Nirmala told the young egret. "Queen Janna and Makini are waiting for you."
"Would you like to go to the Tree of Life?" Orum asked Ono.
"You... You mean right now?" Ono beamed before he went to go after Nirmala who began to lead the way. "Of course. Let's go!"
"Does that answer your question?" Bunga asked Orum.
"I suppose it does." Orum replied.
"Good luck, Ono!" Behste called out to the egret.
"Yeah, good-" Bunga added before he got distracted by something delicious. "Ooh, water bugs! They're better than regular bugs 'cuz they're a lot crunchier." he then beamed as he crunched down one of the bugs.
"Ugh!" Fuli complained. "Bunga! Could you be any noisier when you eat?"
"I can try. Like this?" Bunga asked before chomping louder as Fuli looked like she was about to lose it.
"I think Bunga's chewing is kinda quiet for a honey badger." Baliyo remarked.
"Yeah. Compared to Binga's chewing, Bunga's chewing is quiet." Orum agreed.
"You know other honey badgers?" Bunga asked out of excitement and interest.
"Oh, yeah," Baliyo smiled. "Binga lives just over there in the marshes."
"Ooh, I've never met another honey badger!" Bunga beamed hopefully. "I gotta meet Binga!"
"Okay, let's go." Orum smiled.
"Zuka Zama!" Bunga smiled back in excitement.
"Huh. Another honey badger." Fuli commented on the coincidence.
"Sounds nice." Behste smiled.
"Sounds stinky." Anga muttered.
As they made their way into the marshes, Orum and Bunga heard loud chewing.
"Yep, that's Binga." Orum smiled.
"Wow! She does chew loud..." Bunga remarked as he pulled back the blades of grass to meet the other honey badger.
A young female honey badger was shown to be chewing loudly on some grubs by herself.
"Well, go on," Orum smiled. "Go say hello."
"Whoa! You're a honey badger!" Bunga beamed as he came to see the female honey badger up close.
"You're a honey badger!" Binga smiled at him.
"We're honey badgers!" The two then cheered together.
"Bunga meet Binga. Binga, Bunga." Orum introduced.
"Bunga! Binga! Bunga! Binga!" The two honey badgers beamed.
"Bug eating contest, Bunga?" Binga challenged.
"You're on, Binga!" Bunga smirked.
"Ready? Set... Go!" Binga smiled before running off ahead of him before finishing.
And so Bunga and Binga began to start eating every bug they could find in the marshes. Orum smiled at the bonding between the two honey badgers. Binga ran right into Bunga to get a bug away from him so that she could eat it, only for him to run right into her to eat the bug.
"I can tell these two are gonna get along just fine." Orum said to himself.
There was soon one bug left and Bunga and Binga looked at each other from across. The two honey badgers narrowed their eyes before Bunga lunged out and Binga caught the bug since she was closer and ate it as Bunga crashed on the ground right in front of her.
"And the winner is Binga." Orum smiled.
"What? No way!" Bunga complained to the female honey badger. "I want a rematch!"
"We can't have a bug-eating rematch," Binga told him. "We ate all the bugs."
"I'm afraid she's right." Orum remarked.
"Oh. Yeah," Bunga replied. "Maybe something else then."
"You're on!" Binga smiled. "Like what?"
"Uh... I don't know," Bunga said before suddenly running off. "But I'll be back as soon as I think of something. "
"Okay, Bunga," Binga smiled and waved at her new friend. "See you then."
"Well, this is the start of a great friendship between the two of you." Orum smiled at the female honey badger.
"You really think so?" Binga smiled back. "He does seem pretty cool."
"I'm sure you two are gonna have a blast together during the Lion Guard's visit." Orum nodded.
"I think so too." Binga smiled.
"They get along okay?" Baliyo asked Orum as he came by.
"Yeah, it's cool," Orum replied. "I think I just made two best friends for life meet each other."
"That's good." Baliyo smiled.
"Hey Orum, mind if we talk with you in private?" Fuli asked, referring to herself, Beshte, and Anga.
"Huh? Oh, sure," Orum replied. "Baliyo, Binga, this seems important."
"Sure, you go on ahead," Baliyo said. "Maybe Bunga will be back soon to play with Binga some more."
Orum nodded and soon came to see Fuli, Behste, and Anga. "What's up, guys?" he then asked. "I hope you're liking the Night Pride okay."
"We are." Anga smiled.
"But we wanted to talk to you in private because we want to know more about you," Fuli told Orum. "Starting with how you look like King Simba only younger and with a different mane color while also having the same eye color as Queen Nala."
"I was wondering when one of you would notice that." Orum replied.
"Yes, so care to explain?" Fuli asked.
"Well, I'll tell you, just don't freak out," Orum said before he heaved a sharp sigh. "You see... I'm Simba and Nala's long-lost son."