I may or may not have developed a sudden obsession with Lomri and I may or may not have deemed her as my new favorite TLG OC...

"So scars are apparently bad luck from where you come from, huh?" Lomri asked, continuing her way in the tunnels.

"Yeah," Kion replied, staying right behind her and near the wall. He didn't feel so blind anymore, now that he had Lomri as a guide. Her tip on staying near the walls was very helpful too. Soon I'll be free. Then I can go find my friends and apologize to them for what I did.

"Seems kinda dumb if you ask me," Lomri admitted. "What's so wrong with having a few scars? Scars mean you went through something tough in the past, survived it, and came out stronger. Others shouldn't have to fear that, they should respect that. I respect that, more so admire."

Kion stared at Lomri, surprised. Huh... I've... never really thought of it that way... 

For a long time, he and his family had always viewed scars as bad luck. In fact, everyone from the Pride Lands saw and taught that scars were a bad omen and a sign of evil. I guess not everyone thinks that way out here. Apparently, some think that they're "cool."

For once in his entire life since he got it, the scar didn't seem like a big deal anymore. It didn't embarrass him made him feel uncomfortably self-conscious. In fact, he almost felt a bit proud, now. I mean, which other lion in history had managed to defeat an evil spirit of one of the most evil lions from the past, and still managed to make it out alive?  

"Why do you make such a big deal about that one scar on your eye anyway?" Lomri went on. "I don't make a big deal with my eye and ear scar." She cracked a proud smirk. "Quick story, got these bad boys from a fight trying to chase an intruder who entered my den one time."

"My great uncle Scar had a scar like mine," Kion began hesitantly.

"Huh, you don't say," Lomri chuckled sarcastically.

"Scar was an evil lion," Kion continued. Now Lomri fell silent. "He killed my grandfather, tricked my dad into exiling himself as a cub, and he had taken over the role as King of my home. His reign was terrible, he forced the Pride to overhunt, he had the whole place overrun with hyenas. Everything and everyone was dying, there were terrible sicknesses that almost couldn't be cured and most of the herds had all moved on, leaving the place barren."

"Really?" Lomri asked, interested with the story. "What happened next?"

"My mom brought my dad back many years later and they rebelled against Scar and the hyenas, along with the rest of the Pride," Kion continued on. "My dad killed Scar and the hyenas fled to the Outlands, and my dad then became the King with my mom as Queen. But then, Scar's hyenas' descendants, Janja, his clan, and a bunch of other Outlanders summoned Scar's spirit in a volcano. Ever since, he has been ordering the Outlanders to destroy me, my dad, my friends, and the Pride Lands. Then, as we were battling for the final time, Scar ordered a snake to bite me, giving me this scar. I eventually destroyed Scar, and all the Outlanders surrendered."

"And the rest is history," Lomri finished off for him.

"Yeah," Kion agreed. "That's why this scar is a big deal, it symbolizes evil. The Royal Majuzi told me the only way to cure my scar is to go to the Tree of Life. Another one of my friends needed healing there, too. He lost his sight during the final battle against Scar."

"Oh, poor thing," Lomri whispered. "Must be really hard for him."

"Yeah, life has gotten a little hard for him..."

"I'm sure he'll get his sight back when you reach the Tree of Life."

"I hope so. Ever since he went blind, he's been pretty bummed up."

"He'll get his sight back. The Tree of Life is known for healing the weak, sick, and injured, it'll bring your friend's sight back."

"It'll make him very happy, for sure."

The two chuckled for a bit, then continued on their way.

"We're almost out," Lomri said, her pace quickened a little. Kion quickened his pace too, his tail quivered with excitement. He felt the trail go a little higher, the darkness was now starting to fade away. His throat didn't feel tight anymore, he felt like he could breathe freely again. Kion watched Lomri turn right and slip through a hole in the wall. Kion followed her through, his back legs scrabbled a little as he struggled to get through. Great Mohatu's Star, this hole is really tiny!

Finally, Kion made it through, he stumbled onto the other side, gasping a little. Lomri gazed at him, her muzzle twitched with amusement.

"You gotta make that hole bigger," Kion sighed jokingly.

"I guess that's why lions don't live underground," Lomri giggled. Kion shook his head, chuckling as he stood back up. He looked around and noticed that they were in some sort of den, bright sunlight shown from outside the entrance. There was a small nest in a corner, both the nest and entrance were decorated with small pebbles, shiny rocks, feathers, shells, and twigs.

"Is this your den?" Kion asked.

"Yeah," Lomri replied, her chest puffed out with pride. "Like it? I worked pretty hard to get it right. It's simple, comfortable, and quite fashionable, too."

"It's really nice," Kion said. "Maybe I can make my den look something like this if I ever decide to live underground."

"Pfft, as if!" Lomri laughed. She nodded towards the entrance. "Go through there and you'll be free."

"Thank you, Lomri," Kion said, dipping his head gratefully. "Or as we say at my homelands, asante."

"Your welcome," Lomri replied. Kion then padded towards the entrance, then stopped.

"I'm sorry, but I was thinking that maybe you could help me find my friends?" Kion asked. "I understand if you're busy, but I kinda don't want to face them... Alone..."

"Oh no! I'll gladly help!" Lomri assured, her tail waved excitedly. "Besides, I was about to go out to look for more shells anyway. I hope I find a purple one, they're really rare!"

Kion gazed at Lomri's trinkets scattered around in her den. "Don't you have enough things in your den already?"

"There's never enough!" the bengal fox declared. "Besides, I really want to find a purple shell, I've been looking for one for moons!"

"Alright then," chuckled Kion. 

He and Lomri then emerged from the den and began to look around. Kion took a deep breath and sighed happily, he thought he'd never breath fresh air again. It felt like I was in those tunnels for forever... 

It felt really good to breath normally again, without gazing blindly into the darkness or feeling choked.

🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾🐾

Kion and Lomri continued their search for the Lion Guard along a cliff, he couldn't help but purr a little from being able to see and feel the sun shining and warming on his pelt, the rays even turned Lomri's white-gray coat into a beautiful pale, golden-tan shade. Kion felt his heart begin to race as a million thoughts on how his friends would greet him flashed through his mind.

 Would they be glad? Or will they be angry and wished that I was still trapped in the tunnels, or dead? And what about Fuli? How would she feel to see that I'm alive when I had almost killed her? Would she be overjoyed, or would she be mad like how Scar said...? Kion looked down at the scar Fuli's fire spirit gave him and shuddered. What if that part is true? What if Fuli IS mad at me...?

"You okay?" Lomri asked, noticing his worried look.

"Uh, yeah. I'm okay," Kion replied hastily. Lomri gave him a look, indicating that she obviously knew that he was lying. "No, I'm not... I'm actually worried, scared even... What if my friends still hate me?"

"They won't," Lomri assured.

"How do you know?" Kion asked. "They all saw me almost kill our friend. One of them is named Bunga, he's my best friend. He said that he had been suspecting that I was turning evil, and now he's even more convinced because I attacked our friend. What if he's mad at me? What if he still thinks I'm evil? What if they all do?"

"Kion, they'll forgive you for what you've done," Lomri said, her voice suddenly grew stern. "You need to have faith in your friends, from what I hear, you seemed to have known them for a long time. You all have a special bond no other friend shares, and especially can never be broken. They understand why you did what you did, they'll forgive you. Now stop doubting yourself and them or I'll thump you."

Lomri cracked a reassuring smile and Kion managed to smile as well. Then he looked up at the sky, sighing. I should really talk to Grandfather Mufasa about this. Then Kion frowned as he remembered his scar. Oh right, my scar. I can't let Grandfather see me like this. I look just like Scar.

Suddenly, the ground seemed a little slippery and Kion skidded down a little. "Woooaaahh!!!"

"Kion!" Lomri gasped, quickly grabbing the lion's scruff. Lomri tried to pull Kion back, but then she missed a step and she too slipped down the cliff's steep edge with Kion. Kion dug his claws into the dirt as he tried to stop himself and Lomri from sliding, but it was no use. He and the vixen continued to slide all the way to the edge, it was then Kion quickly grabbed a branch that was clinging onto the side. But the branch quickly broke off as soon as Kion grabbed it. Kion dug his claws into the edge and spotted another branch underneath it. He reached for it and grabbed onto it. Lomri yelped as she tried to grab the branch, but she missed.

"Lomri!" Kion cried, and he quickly let go of the branch with one paw and grabbed Lomri's tail before she could fall. Lomri made the mistake to look down and she immediately shrieked. Kion let go of Lomri's tail as the fox quickly scrabbled onto him. He felt her tremble and whimper softly as she tightened her grip on him, her small claws stuck onto his pelt, pricking him a little but Kion could've cared less. He watched, panting steadily as he watched the first branch plummet to the ground and breaking as it landed with a loud crash. Great, just great...

"We're going to die!" Lomri squeaked fearfully, tightening her grip to the point where Kion could feel her claws touch his skin.

"No, we're not," Kion promised, though Lomri's tight grip didn't slack. "Don't worry, we'll get out of this mess. I hope..." This is worse than being trapped in the tunnels...

Welp, I guess they're screwed.