At last, Kion had awoken from his rather long sleep from the battle of Inuwa that saved all the Pride Lands. The poor boy had been through so much since he finally killed Inuwa, and he felt his body laying in something warm, wet, and soothing against him. It was like a hot spring or a jacuzzi made in the dirt, wherever he was. Slowly opening his eyes, and feeling the warmth coursing around his small body, he was hearing voices around him, very familiar voices that he knows all too well, and he had never felt better to hear them around himself. "Kion will be okay." said a voice that sounded a lot like his older sister. "I mean, he'll understand once we tell him that he defeated Inuwa and freed us from his control."
"He will, Kiara." said Kovu. "I know he will understand. My number one concern is if he is traumatized or not."
"Shh! don't mention it to him." said Simba. "He's been through so much from Inuwa. The least we can do is tell him that we are very sorry for scaring him and... I hope my father and mother are not infuriated with me for scaring him like this. It wasn't our fault. Inuwa was so powerful to overtake us like that. But, I would understand if my mom and dad are infuriated with us."
"Don't say that, Simba." Nala said gently. "What matters is that Kion had finally killed Inuwa, and your parents helped him."
"True, that's true." the king admitted flatly.
"You worry too much, Simba." said Rafiki's voice. "Mufasa and Sarabi both understand that you and everyone else here are not to blame."
At last, Kion slowly opened his eyes and looked around to see many friendly faces he knows too well. He wasn't so sure at first because; his vision was still a little blurry from the long slumber. Few seconds passed and he softly grunted to himself, and his vision was way more clear than ever now. "Guys?" Kion said. "Is that you?"
His voice made his entire family smile and gasp with joy, including Vitani. "Kion!" they all said with great joy.
"Guys!" Kion shouted with joy in return. He looked below him and saw that he was in the secret hot spring that he, Kovu, and Kiara like to go to every now and again. Unfortunately, this place was not really a secret anymore. "Is it really you?"
"Of course it is, you knucklehead." Vitani said.
The cub got out of the spring and he immediately felt his family hugging him in all corners, as if tbey were trying to all eat him up or squeeze him to death. His family had never been happy to see him again, and they all worried that the cub was long gone, but they were glad he was awake. "Kion, are you okay?" Simba asked him.
"Yeah. I think so." Kion replied. "A little sore, but I am fine. Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks to you." Kovu gave him a gentle pat on the back as congratulations. "You saved us, Kion."
"You saved us all." Nala added. She hugged her only son again and a few tears of joy escaped from her eyes. "I've never felt more proud of you than this before."
"Okay mom. Thank you." Kion chuckled. Then he immediately felt Nala let him go. "Is Inuwa really dead?"
"Yep. He is no more." said Beshte
"We'll never see him again. That's for sure." Rani said.
"Good."
"Kion," said Kiara, looking guilty and about to cry with a guilt-stricken face, "we're sorry Kion. We are all so sorry that we were going to kill you. But... it wasn't our fault. It was Inuwa with his magic. He was so strong and we tried to hard to resist him."
"And he easily overpowered us too." Fuli said. "We're very sorry too."
"Yeah, so am I." Simba said. "If you will never forgive us for unintentionally scaring you, we understand." He and the rest of the family bowed their heads in shame and in bugger guilt than ever before.
Kion smiled and said: "Guys, it's okay. I ckukd never hate you or be mad at you forever. You're my family, and i love you all so much. We all know it's Inuwa's fault for turning the whole Pride Lands upside down."
Everyone in his family smiled with relief and they were sure glad that they didn't scar Kion for life. "And it's okay if you're scared." Nala said
"I know. You guys probably don't remember, but... i admit it. I was afraid when you guys were brainwashed. I confessed that I was scared and afraid of what was happening to me. My biggest fear is losing any one of you guys. My friends, and my family."
Kiara hugged him and she comforted him. "Don't worry about that, Kion." she said, "even if I was brainwashsd into being evil, you're still my little brother and I will always love you." These kind of words made Kion smile warmly and he was glad to hear it.
"Yeah, we all love you, Kion." said Simba
"And we promise that Inuwa will never have his fave shown her again." Zira added. "You are a hero, Kion."
"A true hero." Simba added.
Kion smiled and he remembered the most powerful Roar of the Elders he had done, which was defeating Inuwa with the help of his grandparents, and tbe rulers from the past. If not for their help, Kion would have surely lost in the battle. "Thanks you guys. I'm glad you guys are all returned to normal."
You have no idea how happy we are to be free of Inuwa and uis cruddy magic."
"I know. And I know it's not your guys' fault. I knew you were all really suffering on the inside."
"We were," said Bunga. "It was horrible!"
"Where's Janja?"
"Ah, they went back into the Outlands." said Zira
"Yeah, they said they would still call you their greatest enemy." Kovu added.
"Well, I'll be waiting for them to come back and attack us." Kion said. Then he made a slight grunt, and he realized that his limbs were still rather sore and tired from the running and the fighting. The run from before didn't make it any better for him. "Gah! But I hope they don't come back here soon. I'm very tired."
"Don't worry, Kion." said Simba. "I don't think they will be back in a little while. You deserve some time off from being the leader of the Lion Guard."
"Yeah, and I can be the temporary leader again," Kovu offered, "save you the trouble from hurting yourself any further."
"That's a good idea." Kion said.
"You gave us a scare, Kion." said Kifaru
"Indeed, even in the darkest of the battle, you still tried to fight and didn't give up." Chikelu added. "You were still very brave
"Well... I wouldn't be so sure about that," the young cub sounded modest with himself. "I admitted I was scared. Really scared. I was about to give up hope and be ready for Inuwa to kill me already. But i'm glad my grandparents and all the other kings and queens of the past came to help me. If they didn't, i would have been a goner."
"Yes, you admitted it." said Kiara, "But admitting that you are scared makes you brave, even if you are fighting your enemies and if you are still scared, then that is being brave."
"Your sister's right, Kion." said Nala, "as we said: everyone's afraid of something. And admitting that you were scared was one of the bravest things you have ever said before. It's what makes you a true leader of the Lion Guard."
"Even I am afraid of a few things." Adewale added. "Losing my family and my son is one of them. Or my entire species becoming extinct is another example."
"Can you still walk?" asked Zira
"Yeah, but i'm still a little sore." Kion admitted. "I think I'll sit in the spring a little longer."
"No worries." said Imari. "You deserve all the relaxation after all that has happened to you."
"But if you ever have any more problems, please let us know, Kion." Kiara said. "and we'll help you. No matter what." then she gave him a hug, along with the rest of the family. The young cub was ever so grateful to have a loving and caring family like this. He wondered what more adventures there will be for him and his friends. Still, he didn't want to do all of that just yet, and he slowly dipped himself back in the hot tub to calm his senses. "We'll come see if you are doing okay if that's alright with you." Kiara added
"Okay. That's fine."
"Hey, why don't I join you, Kion?" Rani asked. "I am your girlfriend after all and maybe it can be a little more... romantic if I joined you."
The cub smiled, and said: "sure Rani. I would like that." his lover smiled and slowly took a dip in the hot tub too, and they looked so adorable together.
"Will you be okay out here, Kion?" asked Vitani
"I will."
The royal family and Kion's friends exited the small jungle to leave the two lovebirds alone and Simba looked back at Khemu, a peregrine falcon named Falco, and Ono. "Guys," he said to them, staying behind for a few moments, "can you please go out there and make sure that the Lion's Bane don't come looking for him and make sure Kion doesn't get hurt?"
"Well, it sounds like you would worry too much, your highness." said Ono, "but after all that just happened, I'll say yes."
"The poor boy." Khemu said
"yeah, and it was quite a battle last night." Falco added.
Simba smiled gratefully. "Thanks guys. I know Kion can take care of himself, but there could be a sneak attack."
Meanwhile, Kion and Rani were alone together in the spring. "So, are you okay?" Rani asked
"Yeah, I'm okay, Rani. And... I know it wasn't successful before, but thanks for trying to break me out of Pride Rock to get away from Inuwa."
"You're welcome, Kion. I didn't want my boyfriend to get hurt." then she gave him a kiss. "Everyone else in my Pride is worried about you."
"Well, maybe after we're done here, we can go see them and tell them that I'm alright."
"Good idea. And my parents are probably worried sick about me too. They can get a little overprotective of me because I am their precious little daughter and that i'm going to be the ruler of the pride one day."
"Well, do you know who the king will be?"
"I.. don't actually know." she admitted flatly, sounding a little embarrassed.
"Oh. And when you were knocked out, does your face hurt?"
"Little bit, but i suffered worse pain, Kion. So don't worry about me. If i was bitten by a puff adder, a cobra, or a poisonous spider, then that would be a problem." then they both had a good laugh together.
