(Meanwhile)

Fuli looked up anxiously at Anga as the martial eagle continued to soar through the air, the herbs that Makini had given her earlier really did help keep her strength up from her and Kion's unexpected tussle. The stinging from her wounds had longed stopped, though they occasionally throbbed a little when Fuli put pressure on it. But other than that, Fuli could've cared less about her wounds, for she was too focused on finding Kion. Makini and the rest of the Lion Guard were right behind her. Fuli turned towards the setting sun, worry crept inside her belly. It's been almost a day, and we still haven't found another way into the tunnels! Kion could be dead by then... She quickly pushed the dark thought away. We need to keep looking. We have to get Kion out before it's too late.

"Anything, Anga?" Fuli asked.

"Nothing yet, sorry," Anga called out.

Fuli sighed exasperatedly. Great Kings of the Past, help us please...

"You think Kion will be happy to see us?" Bunga asked.

"What do you mean? Of course he would," Beshte replied. "He must've been worried about us just as much as we are worried about him?"

"Even after earlier?" Bunga pressed. "How can we be sure?"

"Kion's our friend," Beshte said. "He'll be glad to see us, he'll especially be overjoyed to know that Fuli is alive and that he didn't kill her."

Fuli glanced at Beshte gratefully, hoping that his reassurance would help convince Bunga.

"Fuli!" Anga cried. Everyone looked up at Anga. Her eyes flashed bright violet as she took another look at what she had found. "I think I found another way into the tunnels!"

"Great!" Fuli said, a wave of relief swept through her. "Come on, everyone!" The Guard rushed after Anga as she led them towards the other entrance. Anga landed beside it as everyone caught up.

"There," Anga pointed at the entrance, which Fuli could now clearly see it was a den. Little trinkets including some small pebbles, shiny rocks, feathers, shells, and twigs were scattered neatly inside the entrance and around the corners. Fuli took a step forward and peeked inside, she spotted a small nest and more objects decorated inside. This is someone's den...

"This looks like someone lives here," Beshte said, as if reading Fuli's thoughts. "Maybe we should look for a different way in?"

Bunga peeked inside and stepped right in, he looked around as if to admire the den.

"Bunga, get back here!" Fuli hissed.

"Hmm, kinda nice," Bunga commented, nodding his head. "Whoever lives here sure knows how to make a den." Fuli rolled her eyes and was about to step into the den to grab Bunga out, but then she caught a familiar whiff of something, or someone. Fuli backed away and sniffed around the entrance, her eyes widened and she gasped. Kion!?

She sniffed the den again. "Guys, Kion was here!"

"Really?" Bunga asked. "So he made this den?"

"No! I mean Kion went through here!" Fuli said.

"He did?"Makini gasped.

"Are you sure?" Beshte asked. Fuli padded around the area, hoping to catch Kion's scent again. Then she found it, her heart fluttered with joy. That means he's alive somewhere! Kion's scent was mingled with another scent she didn't recognized, but whoever it was, she and the Guard will make sure he or she doesn't lay a claw on Kion.

"This way!" Fuli commanded. "Anga, see if you can spot anything!"

Anga nodded. "Yep. Anga Len-"

Bunga then tugged on one of the martial eagle's wing just as she was about to take off. "Hey, hey, hey, look for signs of evil roars. Trees knocked down, terrified animals, exploding volcanoes, that kind of thing." Everyone glared at the honey badger.

Ono shook his head. "Bunga, if Kion roared, I think we would have heard it."

"Good point." Bunga said.

"Yep. Anga Lenga!" Anga shook Bunga's paw off her wing and took off. Bunga stumbled a little from Anga's unexpected take off.

"Let's go!" Fuli said, she and the Guard rushed after Anga.

The martial eagle flew far ahead. So far, she didn't see anything besides trees and the canyon. "Nothing. Nothing." Then she saw something move frantically. She squinted to get a better look and saw Kion clinging onto a branch below the cliff's ledge, struggling to hold on. "Oh no! Kion!" She flew down until she was beside Kion, that's when she noticed a bengal fox gripping onto him.

"Who's that!?" the fox yelped.

"Anga!" Kion exclaimed, slipping a little. "Are we glad to see you!"

"Who's your friend?" Anga asked.

"Anga, this is Lomri," Kion said, Lomri glanced at Anga desperately. "She was the one who helped me-"

"Whatever, just help us not die, please?" Lomri whimpered.

"Uh, Yeah, that would be great," Kion chuckled a little.

"Okay." Anga smiled, she flew under the ledge, but there wasn't enough space for Anga, which caused her to bump her head. "Can't get close enough." she said, grunting.

Kion forced one of his paws to let go of the branch. "Maybe I can reach you." He tried to reach for Anga's talons, but then the branch shook, and Kion quickly grabbed it again. Lomri squeaked and she hugged Kion tighter.

Anga stared helplessly at the two. "No use, but don't worry. I'll be back with the rest of the guard, soon." She then quickly flew off, leaving Kion and Lomri.

"Yeah," Kion replied. "Just, uh, don't be to long!"

"Hurry back please!" Lomri pleaded. The branch creaked and Lomri tucked in her tail fearfully. "Please don't let us die! I don't wanna die!"

"Don't worry, Lomri. We're not going to die," Kion said, though he wasn't too sure himself. I have to trust that my friends will get here in time...

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"Guys! I found him!" Anga informed the Lion Guard as she returned from the cliff.

Fuli smiled. "Great!"

"Not really. Come on." Without waiting for a reply, Anga took off again.

"Let's go." Fuli commanded the group, and they all followed Anga, all the way back to the canyon where Kion and Lomri were.

"Over here!" Anga called out to the group. Fuli stopped in front of her.

"Is Kion okay?" she asked.

Kion's eyes widened when he recognized the voice. "Fuli?" he called out from below. "Is that you?"

"We are all here." Beshte replied. Kion looked up and saw Makini, Bunga, Ono, Beshte, all standing over the edge of the cliff. And beside Bunga was... Fuli!

"You're alive!" Kion cried. He then noticed the bits of dried that caked the edges of her wounds, wads of cobwebs covered it. So many scars. All from me... Instantly, he felt guilty. Fuli. My friends. They all came. Even after I was so mean to them, they still came to help me... Scar was wrong, my friends haven't lost faith in me after all...

"Hi, Kion!" Makini called out, cheerfully, then she gasped happily when she spotted Lomri. "Ooooohhh, a fox! You look so cute! I remember seeing some foxes around the Tree of Life when I was little! You kinda look like them, only their fur is more darker and bluish looking."

"Cute? " Lomri echoed softly. Kion let out a small chuckle, despite his situation.

"Hey, was that your den back there?" Bunga asked. "The one with all the little pebbles and shells and stuff?"

"Um, yeah?" Lomri answered nervously.

"It's really nice!" Bunga said. "You could've made it a little bigger though, it was a kinda hard to move around in there."

"Yeah, well- Wait, you went inside my den!?" Lomri shouted.

"Uhhh..." Bunga's voice trailed off and he scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well..."

"Oh, wait till I get up there!" Lomri growled. "I'll skin you and turn your into a floor rug!"

"Can we leave her?" Bunga whispered. Fuli simply rolled her eyes and stifled a chuckle.

"No one's getting left behind," Beshte said. He turned back to Kion and Lomri. " Don't worry! We'll help you!"

Fuli nodded. "Just hang in there!" Suddenly, Bunga pulled her back.

"But, Fuli, what if this is an evil trap?" Bunga whispered.

"Ah, Bunga." Fuli rolled her eyes, irritated as she chastised the honey badger.

Bunga shrugged. "Just sayin'."

Fuli remained silent, by her glare said plenty.

"Thanks, guys," Kion called out from below, the words choked out. I don't deserve this, not after what I did. "Listen, about what happened back there, I really didn't mean to-"

"Kion, don't think about that now," Fuli cut him off. "Let's just get you and your new friend off that branch."

"Sounds good," he agreed. "Thanks."

"Please hurry!" Lomri pleaded. "I don't think we can hang on like this for any longer!" As if on cue, Lomri slipped a little and the vixen squeaked. Kion winced as he felt her claws scrape against his back.

"They're too close to the overhang, I can't reach him," Anga informed.

"I could get close enough," Ono suggested. "But I can't carry him."

Bunga waved a paw. "Ooh, maybe I can reach him!" Without waiting for a protest, he jumped off the side and slid down the canyon side. As he neared the end, he grabbed hold onto a remaining piece of the first branch. He reached out a paw to grab Kion, but they were still too far away.
"Just out of reach." Bunga gazed sadly at his friend. "Sorry, Kion."

Lomri narrowed her eyes at Bunga, clearly still a little miffed at him for wandering into her home, while Kion smiled. "Hey, Bunga, it's okay." Both of them stared at each other a bit before looking away.

Bunga frowned a little. "You know what I said before about you turning evil and stuff..." he asked, looking back at Kion once more.

Kion looked back at Bunga. "Yeah?"

Bunga cocked his head sideways. "Are you?"

"I don't think so." Kion answered, looking down, then looked back up, smiling sheepishly. "Even if I was kind acting like it."

"Just checking," Bunga smiled back. He was about to climb back up, but he looked back at Kion again. "And just so you know, I didn't really mean it when I said you were turning evil. Maybe I did before, but I was just getting worried, and I'm really sorry that I thought you were and called you that. I'm sorry about punching you too."

"It's fine," Kion mewed. "I deserved that punch anyway."

"But listen, just so you know, if you ever do turn evil, I'll still be your best friend."

Smiling, Bunga climbed back up the ledge, leaving Kion to stare after at him.

"Hm, what'd I tell ya?" Lomri asked, giving Kion a knowing smile.

Kion nodded. "Thanks, Bunga," he whispered gratefully. "And I'll always be your best friend..."

"Okay, Fuli," Bunga said as he came back up. "What's the plan?"

Fuli turned to the Guard. "Someone's gotta climb down and help pull him back up."

Beshte's face then lit up. "Oh! maybe I can-"

Fuli turned to Beshte. "You're definitely strong enough, Beshte, but you're not much of a climber." she told him, kindly.

"I wasn't thinking about me, Fuli," Beshte grinned. "I had someone else in mind."

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Yun Mibu stopped along the edge of the ledge, peering warily down at Kion and Lomri. "Uh, I can climb down there." He then groaned. "But, you didn't tell me it was the scary guy who needed to be rescued..."

"Don't worry, Yun Mibu. Kion's really a nice guy," Besthe assured the clouded leopard.

"He was just feeling kind of evil today," Bunga put in. "But, he's over that now," he quickly added when Fuli and Beshte gave him a look.

"Please help him!" Makini pleaded. "Please?" Yun Mibu thought about it for a heartbeat, eventually, he peered over the ledge to get a better look at Kion's situation.

"Hmm," he thought out loud. "Kion, is it?"

Kion turned his head to look at the clouded leopard. "Yeah, that's me, and I think I owe you an apology."

"Uh, how about a promise, instead?" Yun Mibu suggested.

"A promise?"

"Yes. No more growling."

Kion smiled. "No more growling. I promise."

Yun Mibu smiled back. "Then, let's get you up from there."

"Yes! Thank you!" Lomri sighed gratefully.

Kion looked warily at the leopard. "Are you sure you can do this?"

"Oh, yeah." Yun Mibu assured.

"Clouded leopards are about the best climbers in the world," Ono informed, flapping next to Anga to observe the scene. "Common knowledge, really." As if to prove the egret's point, Yun Mibu wrapped his tail on the first branch's stump and gracefully hung upside down off the ledge, using his back feet for extra support. 

Lomri and Kion's eyes widened with amazement at the leopard's flawless ability to hang upside down.

"Oooooohhhh," Lomri breathed.

"Wow, I see what you mean, Ono," Kion said. "Yun Mibu, take Lomri first."

Lomri stared at Kion "Are you sure?"

"Yes, go," Kion insisted. He nodded to Yun Mibu. "Take her."

"Okay," Yun Mibu agreed.

Lomri looked at the clouded leopard, then back at Kion, smiling. "Asante..."

"No problem," Kion said, smiling back.

"Reach out," Yun Mibu grunted, his claws unsheathed a little as he reached out his front paws towards Lomri. "I've got you."

"Okay, here it goes..." Lomri said hesitantly. She held her breath as she unhooked one of her paws off of Kion and reached out towards Yun Mibu. Yun Mibu stretched out a little and took Lomri's paw, Lomri then unhooked her other paw and Yun Mibu grabbed that one too. Grunting, he pushed himself up with his back legs, pulling Lomri up too. He gently dragged Lomri over to the Guard, Lomri sprang up and hugged Un Mibu tightly.

"Oh, thank you!" she sighed gratefully. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"No problem," Yun Mibu chuckled. Lomri let go of him and the clouded leopard hung back upside down again. "Now your turn. Reach out, Kion!"

"Okay," Kion said, letting go of the branch with one paw and reaching out to Yun Mibu. Then the branch creaked and went loose. "Hevi kabisa!" Kion gasped, grabbing onto the branch again. The branch was now dangerously loose, it could break off any second now!"

"Uh-oh," whispered Anga.

"'Uh-oh' what?" Ono echoed frantically. "'Uh-oh' what!?" Yun Mibu, Lomri, Fuli, Makini, Bunga, and Beshte gasped, Fuli bit her lip. Oh sky and stone, no!

"Jump, Kion!" both Behste and Bunga called out. "Jump!"

As the weak branch slipped out from its place, Kion used the side of the cliff as a launching pad and pushed himself upward. He leapt towards Yun Mibu, his paws spread out and the branch fell towards the ground with a crash.

"Got you!" Yun Mibu exclaimed, grabbing Kion just in time. But then his tail began to lose its grip due to the added weight. "I think..."

"Anga lenga!" Anga cried, swooping down and quickly grabbing Kion's scruff with her talons. She lifted Kion away from the ledge as Yun Mibu pulled himself back up. She flew over and dropped Kion near Lomri and the Guard and

"Phew," Kion panted. He then nodded gratefully to Yun Mibu as he and the Guard padded towards him. "Thank you."

"Ha ha ha!" Lomri giggled, leaping towards Kion and giving him a friendly head butt. "We're alive!"

"Nice save, Anga!" Makini praised.

"Way to go, Yun Mibu!" Beshte cheered. "I knew you could do it."

"You gotta teach me how to use my tail like that!" Bunga said.

Yun Mibu observed Bunga briefly and shook his head. "Ah, you're going to need a bigger tail."

"Thanks, again," Kion said, rising to his paws. "Is there anything I can do for you in return?"

"Just remember to never growl at a clouded leopard," Yun Mibu reminded sternly. "We don't like it."

"I'll remember," Kion promised, nodding.

"Bye, everybody," Yun Mibu said, padding away. "See you, Beshte."

"Bye, Yun Mibu," Beshte called back.

"Thanks again!" Lomri added. Everyone watched Yun Mibu leave, then Kion turned to Lomri.

"I really don't know how to thank you for helping me get out of those tunnels," Kion admitted.

"Oh, you don't have to do anything," Lomri assured. "I better get going though and look for some purple shells."

Then Kion's face lit up. "Anga! Quick, can you give me one of your feathers?"

"What?" Anga asked, raising a brow.

"Just do it," Kion said. Anga narrowed her eyes but she eventually raised her wing and shook it, a lose feather fell off one of them. Kion gently nudged the feather towards Lomri, the vixen stared at it with wonder.

"Here, I know it's not a shell, but it's still purple," Kion said. "Consider it a gift from me for all your help."

"It's beautiful!" Lomri whispered. "This is better than a shell, I love it! Thank you Kion!" Lomri gave Kion a friendly nuzzle. "I'll find a special place in my den for this!"

"Hey, uh, you still going to turn me into a rug?" Bunga asked, chuckling nervously. "No hard feelings, right?"

Lomri narrowed her eyes at Bunga, then shrugged. "I guess I'll make an acception this once, considering you are a good friend of Kion's." She then turned back to Kion and gave him an encouraging smile. "Well, I've done my part," she said in a low voice. "Now, you do yours."

"Huh?" Kion asked.

"See ya!" Lomri barked, picking up Anga's feather. "And thanks for the feather!"

"Thanks for helping Kion out of the tunnels," Fuli said.

"Anytime," Lomri assured. She gave her, Kion, and the Guard a farewell nod before trotting back home. They all watched Lomri leave, then they turned back to Kion. Kion suddenly lost his voice and he looked down at his paws. I guess this is my part...