The next morning, Russell and Andy woke up, only to discover that all the leopard leap is gone and that not even one single leopard from the leap can be seen anywhere, and when the two friends saw that even Azaad and Feliks are gone as well and are also nowhere to be seen, Russell asked "Where's all the leap?", and then Andy added and asked "Where did they all go?", and then the toddler centaur asked his much older red leopard best friend "What do you think just happened to all of them?", but before Russell could say something to him so to answer his little friend's question, one of the leopards who is a member of the leap, an adult male, suddenly came out of the hollow tree and then he quickly approached Andy and Russell, and once he stopped right in front of them, the male leopard said to the both of them "Russell, Andy, you both must come with me now!".

When the two friends heard what he said, Andy asked "Come with you? Where are we going?", and then the male leopard answered "To see Askari! He sent me here to retrieve you! He wants to see you both now! It's very important!", and when Andy and Russell both heard what he said, the two stood up on their feet and hooves and then Russell said to the other male leopard who was sent to take both him and Andy to see Askari again "Alright, take us to see Azaad. If you say that he needs to see us and that he wants us to be in his layer too, then that's where we're going.", and then Andy added "Please, take us to him. Take us to see Askari.", and with these words being said, the male leopard said to both Andy and Russell "Follow me!", and then he started leading the two to the hollow tree which leads down to Askari's lit underground layer.

Once Russell and Andy entered Askari's lit underground and went to see him, they something that shook their eyes - all the leopards of the leap, and even Azaad and his young son Feliks are seen crowding around together and talking to each other with extremely worried looks can be seen on their faces, right where Askari would be, and when Andy and Russell saw all the leopards crowding around and talking to each other with extremely worried looks on their faces, the two friends clearly noticed that something's bad is going on, and then the male leopard who called for the two to come to Askari's layer told some of the other leopards to move to the sides so to give Andy and Russell some space and also to let them go forward to see Askari, and with some of the leopards moving to the sides to let both Russell and Andy come through, the two friends slowly approached and made their way to Askari's rock bed to see him.

However, when the two reached close enough to Askari's rock bed, they saw the elderly leopard king lying down on his side and is barely unable to move, and then one of the leopards from the leap, a female, made her way to Askari from a different direction and then she gently and very carefully gave and placed a bowl made out of wood with some water in it next to Askari, who barely moved his head and neck to the side and then he started drinking slowly from the water which were given to him to drink, and once he was done drinking, he said to the leopardess who gave him the water to drink "Thank you, Cassie.", and then the leopardess (whose name is Cassie) said to him back "No problem, your majesty.", and then she went to the side as Russell, Andy, Feliks and Azaad all came to see him and meet him face-to-face, although it would soon prove to them to be the very last time they're ever going to see him alive again, as right now, Askari is slowly dying of old age, and so for the old leopard king of the grassy savannah plains, the end is near.

When Askari barely saw his son, his grandson and their two newest friends looking at him with worried looks on their faces alongside the rest of the leopard leap, the elderly leopard king said "Thank you all for coming here to watch me.", but then Feliks asked him "Grandpa, what's wrong?", and then Askari said as he barely looked at him in the eyes "Feliks, my time to go is here.", and when they all heard what he said, the leopards and centaur all gasped in shock and there was also some horror growing bigger within each moment behind their eyes, before Andy then asked "What do you mean, Askari? I-I mean, your majesty?", and then Askari said "For me, the time has come. The end is near, and I don't have much time left to live in this world.".

However, when the leopards and centaur all heard what he just said, Russell said to him "No! You can't be serious! Everything's going to be fine! You'll see!", but then Askari said back "I'm so sorry I have to say this to all of you here, but I almost finished my journey in the circle of life.", but when they heard what he said, Cassie said and muttered "No.", and then Azaad said "Please, don't say that, Father! I'm begging you! I don't want you to die, Father! I don't want you to die!", but then Askari said back "I'm so sorry, but my time to go has come.", and when he said that, all the leopards and the centaur are shocked and horrified to realize that Askari is really dying of old age (and of natural causes).

Then, Askari said to Azaad "Azaad, my boy, there's something I have to tell you before I go.", and when he heard what his father said, Azaad asked him "Yes, Father?", and then Askari said "From now on, you're the king of our homeland.", but when Azaad heard him saying that, he said "No. I can't be the king. You're the king, Father. Please don't say these things to me.", but then Askari said to him "Azaad, you already have everything you need to be king. Now you're ready to do this.", but then Azaad said with tears in his eyes "No, Father! I'm not ready!", but then Askari said to him back with a reassuring smile "You are, son. And I know you will be a good king.".

With these words being said, Askari said last words to each and every single leopard who came to watch him in the final moments of his life, and once he was done with all of them, it was now Russell, Andy, Feliks and Azaad's turns to receive last words from Askari before he passes away. Then, Askari said "Feliks.", and then the young male leopard cub asked him with tears in his eyes "Yes, grandpa?", and then Askari said to him "I know that you'll also be a good king after your father one day in the far future. Your father will teach you everything you'll need and will have to know in order to be king.", and when he heard his grandfather said, Feliks sniffled and said to Askari with tears rolling down his eyes "Yes, grandpa!", and then he nuzzled the dying elderly leopard king on the side of the face to show him that he'll miss him after he (Askari) dies.

Then, it was Andy's turn to receive last words from Askari, and then he stepped forward so Askari can look at him right in the eyes, and then the dying leopard king said to the toddler centaur "Andy, it was been my pleasure to meet such a good and kind young centaur as you. I'm also glad to hear that you and Russell saved my precious little grandson and even fought the ferocious Hyenataurs in the Great Animal Graveyard to save his life from harm.", and then he barely reached his forepaw to touch at Andy's upper human chest again (and for the last time) and then he added "I'm proud to have you as my grandson's new special friend, even if you're not a leopard yourself.", and these words touched Andy's two small hearts (since centaurs have two hearts instead of only one), before he then moved both of his arms and touched the elderly leopard's forepaw with both of his small human hands and then he said to him "Thank you, Askari. Your majesty.", and with these words being said, Askari smiled at him before he moved his forepaw away from Andy's upper human chest and then he moved it back to himself, as the toddler centaur started sniffling with tears starting to form and roll down his eyes.

Then, it was Russell's turn to receive last words from Askari, and then he stepped forward so Askari can look at him right in the eyes, and then the dying leopard king said to the red leopard "Russell, it was been my pleasure to meet such a rare and extraordinary leopard as you, and I also want to say thank you for saving my grandson's life from the Hyenataurs back in the Great Animal Graveyard.", and then he reached out his foreleg and touched Russell on the shoulder once again (and for the last time) and then he added and said "To me, you're more than just a friend, Russell. You're one of our family now, and it is my honor to call you my son, just like my Azaad who is really my own, but even though you're not really my son, Russell, Azaad will still need you to help him succeed in his life as a good king of our beautiful homeland.", and when he heard what the dying leopard king said to him about staying and helping Azaad in the leopards' homeland, Russell said back with tears forming in his own eyes "Thank you for accepting me into the leap as an official member, Askari.", and with these words being said, Askari smiled before he slowly moved his forepaw off Russell's shoulder and then he moved it back to himself once again.

And then, it was Azaad's turn to receive last words from his dying father, and then he stepped forward so Askari can look at him right in the eyes, and then the dying leopard king said to his son "Azaad, your time to become the new king of our homeland has come, and I hope that you'll rule our homeland with good and strong paws and that you will also help other animals and creatures who need your help in order to survive in our grassy savannah plains.", and when he heard what his father said, Azaad said to him with tears in his own eyes "Yes, Father. I promise I will succeed you as the new king of our homeland.", and then Askari said back with a smile on his face "I know you will, Azaad. I know you will.", and with these last words being said, Askari slowly closed his eyes and his smile slowly faded away from his face as his head slowly fell down to the side where it rested on the rock bed, motionlessly.

When they all saw this happening before their eyes, the leopards and the centaur soon realized the bitter truth - Askari has just finished his journey in the circle of life, and therefore he's now dead and gone, and with all of them are now crying and shedding tears over the old leopard king's death, it is now Azaad's time to become the next king of the grassy savannah plains, and after taking out and burying Askari's dead body with and under lots of flowers to show him respect one last time, as well as calling all the herds who lives in the grassy savannah plains to come and meet with the leopard leap near Askari's layer, Russell, on behalf of Azaad announced Askari's death, but then he also announced that Azaad will become the next king after him and that his coronation will happen and will occur at sunset, and all the animals were sad and happy to hear what he said - they were all so sad to hear about Askari's death, but then they were all also very happy to hear that they're going to have his son Azaad as their homeland's new king, who is soon going to succeed his late father's place, and later on, at sunset, Azaad's coronation took place and Azaad became the new king of the grassy savannah plains, and Russell was there to announce that Azaad is now the new king of the grassy savannah plains, and all the animals (especially all the leopards in the leopard leap) were all so happy to meet, adore and respect their new king, all except for one leopardess who wanted to kill both him and his son Feliks, alongside both Russell and Andy and become the new queen instead - Chuluun.

Back in the Great Animal Graveyard, Chuluun and the Hyenataurs clan made another deal as they all came up with a new plan to get rid of Azaad, Feliks, Russell and Andy once and for all, and when (or if) all four of them will be destroyed all together, Chuluun will not only become the grassy savannah plains' new queen, but she will also become the new leader and commander of the Hyenataurs clan, who will do as she'll say and will work for her and under her orders, thus Chuluun will be receiving a new army of ferocious centaurid beasts who will help her destroy and crush down all her enemies whom she hates for the most, and with her new plan to get rid of her own brother, her little nephew and their two newest friends being settled and will be put into action tomorrow, Chuluun said wickedly "Be prepared, Azaad. Be prepared!" and then she started laughing evilly with all the Hyenataurs clan joining in and laughing evilly right behind her, as tomorrow, Chuluun and her soon-to-be future army will be doing their best to try and get rid of Russell, Andy, Feliks and Azaad once and for all.