Resurrection and Return

Chapter 1: Arrival

"Anga! What do you see?" Kion called.

Anga circled high above them, scanning the land ahead. "I see it! I see the next Moja Kwo Moja stone! It's just a little farther. It has two mountains intertwined with a frozen lake in the middle."

"Okay, let's go!" Kion said. "Come on, Lion Guard."

Kion and the Lion Guard made their way through the dense, snowy forest until they reached a clearing. In front of them sat a frozen lake and two mountains, with a narrow passage leading between them and out the other side.

"There it is!" Makini exclaimed. "The last Moja Kwo Moja stone!"

"Ughhh, finally!" Bunga groaned. "We get to rest from this tiring journey from the Pride Lands."

"Bunga, stop complaining and let's go," Fuli said.

"I wasn't complaining!" Bunga protested.

They reached the ice-covered lake and halted. One wrong step could send them through the thin ice.

"So how do we cross the lake?" Beshte asked.

"We need to walk across it," Kion replied. "It's the fastest way."

"Kion, I'm not so sure about that," Fuli said. "It's very dangerous. We might fall through the thin ice. I say we go around it."

"But that will take too much time," Kion argued.

"It's the best way, Kion," the rest of the Guard said.

Kion sighed. "Fine. Let's go around it."

They walked around the frozen lake, which took longer than expected, mostly due to Bunga's constant complaints.

"Guys, are we there yet?" Bunga asked. "I'm hungry!"

"Bunga, can't you hold your hunger for just a while longer?" Anga said. "At least until we reach the Tree of Life?"

"Fine," Bunga muttered.

Kion growled under his breath, growing more and more irritated. Before he could say anything, a sharp pain shot through his scar.

"Agh! Agh!" he cried, rubbing it.

"Kion, are you okay?" Fuli asked.

"I'm fine, Fuli," Kion replied.

Makini stepped forward. "Here, why don't you have some tuliza?"

Kion slapped the tuliza out of her hand and growled. "Forget it, Makini! The tuliza isn't working anymore!"

Makini backed away in fear.

"Kion, are you feeling okay?" Fuli asked cautiously. "You seem very edgy."

"For the last time, I am okay!" Kion snapped. "Let's just get to the Tree of Life so I can get healed!"

They continued onward until they reached the last Moja Kwo Moja stone. Makini lifted her bakora staff and brought the painting to life, showing that they were extremely close to the Tree of Life.

"Hmmm," Makini said. "It says that we are very close to the Tree of Life. But which way do we go from here?"

"Nawaza... nawaza..." Ono muttered. "Oh! The path between the mountains. The Tree of Life must be through it and on the other side."

"Good insight, Ono," Bunga said. "Now let's head to the Tree of Life."

"You said it, Little B," Beshte added.

Bunga trotted ahead happily until they reached the mountain pass.

"I am feeling very hungry right now," Bunga said. "I can't hold it!"

He spotted a beehive high along the mountain slope. "Ohhhhh, bees!"

"Bunga, wait—!" someone shouted.

Before anyone could stop him, Bunga dashed upward and began devouring the hive. "Ya know, this is really good. I think I'll come down now."

Suddenly, rocks began to fall. A rockslide followed.

"Lion Guard, move back!" Kion shouted.

When the dust cleared, Bunga was trapped among the rocks.

"Guys! What are you just standing there for? Get me outta here!"

"Okay, Bunga," Fuli said. "Just calm down. We'll free you."

Beshte frowned. "Uh, guys... what do we do about the rockslide? It blocked the entrance to the Tree of Life."

"We need to clear the path," Ono said. "So other animals can enter too."

As they began clearing the rocks, Kion growled. "Ugh! These interruptions are just slowing us down! Let's just get to the Tree of Life already!"

"Kion, your scar hurts," Fuli said. "You need to calm down. Makini, get some tuliza."

Makini stepped forward. "Here, Kion. Take this."

Once again, Kion slapped it away. "The tuliza is useless, Makini! Why do you keep doing this? Let's just arrive at the Tree already!"

"Kion, calm down," Fuli said gently. "We'll clear the rocks as quickly as possible."

Kion took a breath. "Fine. But make it quick."

Tree of Life

A snowy owl perched above the mountain pass, watching the Lion Guard below.

"Who's there?" she muttered.

Hearing Kion's harsh tone, she spread her wings. "Hoohoo... better warn the Night Pride."

She flew through the pass into a vast land of many biomes, centered around the Tree of Life.

Mountain Pass

"Guys, hurry up!" Kion snapped. "We need to get to the Tree of Life so I can get healed!"

"Calm down, Kion," Fuli said. "We're almost done."

"And one more stone... and done!" Makini said.

"I'm free!" Bunga shouted. "And being stuck really builds up an appetite."

"Bunga!" everyone yelled.

"Oh...right!"

"Why do you have to be so foolish?" Kion snapped. "We could've been at the Tree of Life by now!"

As the Night Pride approached, a young lioness growled, "Who are you?!"

"My name is—agh!" Kion cried again.

Fuli stepped forward. "I'm Fuli. We're the Lion Guard."

"But you only got one lion?!" Baliyo inquired.

"Yeah, you'll get used to it," Bunga said.

The Night Pride relaxed slightly.

"Our leader was injured in battle," Fuli explained. "We came here to heal him."

Rani gasped at the sight of Kion's scar. "That mark is evil!"

"It's from a battle," Nirmala said calmly.

Reluctantly, Rani allowed them entry.

Halfway through the pass, Kion's scar flared violently.

He roared and pinned Rani to the ground.

"No. I will kill you!"

"Kion!" Fuli shouted.

Kion recoiled, horrified. "What just happened?"

"You tried to kill me!" Rani said.

"I'm sorry," Kion pleaded. "I couldn't control myself."

"It doesn't matter," Rani snapped. "You are not welcome at the Tree of Life."

"What?!" Kion cried.