Jack was laying motionless over the hospital bed, the upper half of his body covered with bandages following his surgery. He was surrounded by all sides by his friends and family, eager for him to wake up. The room was shrouded in silence. No one had said a word since the doctor came with news of the surgery. It was both a shock and relief when he told them that he was lucky to be alive. If it wasn't for the green mush that covered the entry points, he would have bled out long before they reached the hospital.

They had managed to remove the bullets from his back and stopped the bleeding. Now it was only a matter of time as to when he would wake up.

Anna was sitting next to the bed, staring down at her brother in sadness and contempt. Kristoff came up behind her, placing his and over her shoulder. She glanced back to him, placing her hand atop of his. She heard Jenna whimpering next to her. Glancing to her, she saw Jenna laying her head over the bed like how she usually did whenever Jack was sick. Anna reached out her hand and petted her head in an attempt to comfort her.

It was right at that moment they heard a faint groan escape from his lips. Jenna raised her head as she and Anna glanced up to him in anticipation. North and Tooth turned back to Jack as they came up to the side of the bed.

"Jack?" Anna said.

Jack turned his head, slightly over his pillow. His slowly began to open as he awakened from his unconscious state. Jenna wagged her tail as she barked excitedly. Anna stood up, tearfully. Kristoff and Tadashi came up next to her. Jack turned his head as he glanced to them.

"Anna...?" He moaned.

"Guys?"

Anna sobbed, cupping her hands over her mouth.

"Jack!" she exclaimed.

Jack stood up in his bed, groaning from the pain of the surgery he endured. Jenna came up next to the side of her bed and leaped up to him. Jack reached down and petted her head. He then glanced to his left, where he saw his Uncle and Aunt standing off to the side. Both of them holding each other in their arms, smiling in awe and relief that their nephew was awake.

"Uncle North," Jack said.

"Aunt Tooth?"

Tooth came up to Jack, wrapping her arms around him as she held him tightly.

"Oh, Jack." she said, tearfully.

Jack wrapped her arm around her, holding her close. He then glanced up at his Uncle North, who gazed down at him as he smiled. Tears seeping from his big eyes.

"Uncle North," He said, smiling.

"You were right. The city. it's real, I saw it."

Tooth leaned back from her nephew, glancing back at North. While at first he was surprised to say the least, he then shook his head as he came up to his nephew. It was then that he embraced his nephew into his arms, holding him close.

"It does not matter," he insisted to his nephew.

"I'm just glad your alright."

Jack was in awe at his Uncle's words. Though he then smiled, longing to hear those very words from him.

"What happened?" Jack asked, glancing to Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi.

"We found you near camp," Kristoff said.

"You got shot."

"We rushed you to the hospital," Tadashi insisted.

"They said you were lucky to be alive."

It was then he glanced around the room, noticing that there was someone missing.

"Where's Elsa?" He asked, glancing back at Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi.

There was a moment of silence as everyone glanced to each other, confusingly. Anna turned back to him.

"We didn't see her." Anna proclaimed to him.

Jack squinted her eyes at them. Only to then turn away, narrowing his gaze with the assumption that she might have gone back to the jungle. She must have brought him back to camp after they escaped the city. But it was all a blur. He could hardly remember what happened after they escaped the temple.

Anna glanced back at them curiously.

"Do you think we should go looking for her?" Anna asked, curiously.

"No." Jack said.

Everyone glanced to Jack, curiously.

"What?" Kristoff asked, curiously

"She's where she wants to be." Jack insisted to them.

Kristoff, Anna and Tadashi glanced to each other, sensing the from tone of his voice that he was upset. And while Jack was indeed a bit mad that she left without saying goodbye, he understood that her place was in the jungle with the animals. It was her home and they were his family. Much like her, he didn't have the heart to take her from that.

The love he had for her could not allow him to do that.


Elsa was sitting over a high ledge overlooking the jungle, staring sullenly out over at the sunset over the horizon. She the narrowed her eye, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling so heartbroken. Having to have been forced to let go of the one she had loved. Even though she knew it was the right. Jack did not belong in the jungle with her. She couldn't just subject him to the life of the jungle wilderness. He belonged with his own people, with his family and in the comforts of civilization.

If they were destined to be apart, she was at least happy that he would be with his family and friend.

But even with this small amount of happiness she felt for her mate, it could not take away the feeling of pain and heartbreak she felt. It was a feeling much worse then any she had felt before. To be forced to let go of the one she loved for his own sake. Unable to follow him to the world that had cast her out. She couldn't bear to feel this pain again. Nor would she ever involve herself with the affairs of man ever again.

She would instead returned to the jungle and to her own people, forget the outside world, the people who cast her out.

And of Jack as well.

As Elsa continued to stare out over the jungle, it was then that Diata emerged from the jungle behind her. She came up behind her adopted daughter.

"Elsa?" she said.

Elsa glanced back and saw her mother standing behind her.

"Mother." she said, tearfully.

Diata came up to Elsa, where she sat down behind. Elsa in turned leaned against her mother's soft white fur, wrapping her arm around her. The white lioness in turned leaned down her head, nuzzling her daughter.

"Oh, Elsa." she said so soothingly.

Elsa in turn pressed her head against her chest, tears continuing to seep from her tightly shut eyes. Both of them having to have longed for this very moment, to be in each other's loving embrace.

"I'm sorry, mother," Elsa said, glancing up to her.

"I never should have left you. I never should have run away."

Diata only smiled down at her daughter, lovingly. She was not mad at her daughter for what she had done. Only relieved that she was here with her now.

"Shh, it's alright, my daughter," she insisted to her.

"You don't need to apologies. I'm just thankful that you are alright."

Elsa in turn smiled up at her mother. Only to then narrow her gaze as she frown. She then turned and gazed back at the horizon, staring with the same look of heartbreak. Something that had not gone unnoticed by Diata, who knew what her daughter was thinking of. She came up to her, nudging her side.

"I'm sorry, Elsa," she said.

"I know that you loved him."

Elsa narrowed her eyes.

"I do," she claimed to her mother.

"I do love him. But my place is here with you and the pride. He belongs with his own people."

"Love means knowing when the let go." Diata insisted to her daughter.

Elsa in turn glanced to the side, knowing that her mother was right. As sad as it was that she had to let Jack go, it proved that she did truly love him.

"But that does not mean that you will never feel love again," Diata insisted to her.

"Nor must you feel like you are the only one of your people. You have always belonged to the jungle and to the pride. They are your people and you will always be one of us."

Diata's words brought tears of joy to the eyes of her adopted daughter, who stared up at her with a look of hope. The feelings she had before had misguided her from the answer of which she had longed for. She did not need someone of her own people to feel like she wasn't the only of her kind. It was just as Kaa had said long ago.

Her people have been the jungle's all along.

"Elsa!"

Elsa and Diata turned to the jungle, where they saw Kion and Kovu running toward them. Elsa turned to the two brothers as they came up to her. Kion leaped into her lap as she stood up and nuzzled her. Elsa in turned nuzzled her little brother. She then turned to Kovu who came up and snuggled into her. Elsa held him close, enjoying the feeling of his touch.

Elsa then glanced up to the jungle. It was there she saw Bagheera, Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa standing at the jungle's edge. Elsa in turned stood up, seeing them all here.

"Simba?" Elsa then said.

"Nala?"

It was then Simba approached the wild woman.

"Father has asked for you at the meeting rock." Simba insisted to her.

Elsa glanced back at her mother, curiously. Diata in turn smiled up and nodded to her daughter.

"It's time to come home, Elsa." she proclaimed to her.


Nala, Simba, Nala and Diata came up over the path of the meeting Rock. It was there they saw the pride all gathered before the ledge, who glanced backed back at her. Over the ledge stood Mufasa, who glanced up at her. To his side was Rafiki, who smiled with glee upon seeing that Elsa had come.

"Elsa, come before me." Mufasa decreed to her.

She glanced back at Diata, who in turn nodded her. Elsa then turned forward and approached the ledge where Mufasa stood. The lioness in turned stepped aside, making way for Elsa as she passed them. She came up before Mufasa, who stood up to her. Elsa in turn narrowed down before the king, knowing that she had much to answer for.

"Mufasa, forgive me." she pleaded to the king.

Mufasa in turn smiled down at her.

"You do not need to ask for my forgiveness, Elsa," The king insisted to her.

"What you have done for the jungle is enough to atone for your mistakes. It's me who should be thanking you for protecting the jungle."

Elsa in turn glanced up at the king with a look of awe and surprise.

"The Kings were wise as to chose you to be the jungle's Guardian," Mufasa proclaimed to her.

"And that is why I've called you here. It's time for you to take your place in the circle of life."

Rafiki in turned nodded her head to her.

"Bow before me, Elsa." The King said.

Elsa in turn took a knee before the lion king.

"Elsa, do you promise to protect the jungle and all it's people?" Mufasa asked of her.

The wild woman nodded her head to the king.

"I do." she proclaimed to the king.

"Do you promise to uphold the protect the jungle and uphold it's laws?" Mufasa once more asked of her.

"I do!" Elsa proclaimed to him.

Mufasa then raised his right paw and placed it atop Elsa's shoulder.

"Then from this day forward, you shall be the jungle's Guardian!" The king proclaimed to her.

"Now rise, Elsa of the Jungle, protector of the free people!"

Elsa then stood up before the king. She then glanced back at the rest of the pride, who all came forth and bowed to her. Simba, Nala, Diata, Bagheera, Timon and Pumbaa each bowed before the new guardian of the jungle. There was then the sound of elephant trampettes from below. She then turned and saw the elephants below, raising their trunks, showing that they supported the word of the Lion King.

It was then Elsa turned forward with a look of determination. Now handed a great responsibility by the kings themselves to protect the jungle and it's people. It was a promise that she intended to keep. Never again would she allow danger to befall the jungle and those she loved. She would protect this land and all who thrive within it. For she would be the Guardian of the jungle.

And her legend had now begun...


Wandering through the blackened jungle, far from the site of camp, Ingrid came to a large tree. She came up before it, where she glanced to the branches above. It was then that she saw a large rock python slowly descend from above. She glanced down at the woman, who in turn looked back up at her.

"It hassss been ssssso long." Kaa hissed to her.

Ingrid smiled up at the snake.

"Kaa, my old friend," she said.

"It's good to be home."

(Author note next chapter)