In three seconds flat I was running at full speed through the grasses, towards where Koda had come. My cousin scurried to catch up with me. When he was by my side, he turned his head to look into my eyes and said, "He's at Diamond peak!"

With a hopeful smile on my face and an excitement building inside me, I picked up my pace and ran full speed toward the bluff known as Diamond peak.

"Good luck!" Koda yelled as he watched me run farther ahead of him.

I ran as fast as I could towards the peak, racing past critters and swerving past herds. Everyone I brushed by scooted out of the way quickly and said "Hello, Kito!" Buy I didn't have time to respond. I had to see if my father was really at the peak.

Suddenly, a terrible feeling of doubt washed over me. A frown befell my face and I slowed down my gallop. When I thought that Koda could've seen someone else, not my father, I panicked.

Then I shook it off. No, it has to be him. It just has to. I thought to myself.

I resumed my running pace and continued going towards Diamond peak. As I neared the hippo pond (also know as "Big Springd"), I saw the peak in the distance. With a deep breath and a hard gulp, I pushed forward and ran right over the pond on top of the rocks. I could hear loud arguing and shouting from the peak, but one of them was definitely my father.

"Dad?" I inquired to no one.

I ran around the bluff to the base. I picked up my paws and ran over the lush green grass that covered the hillside. The soft grass felt good on my tired paws. As the top of the ridge came into my view, I saw a group of animals gathered. When my eyes landed on the candy red color of my father's large mane, I gasped.

"Daddy?" I said in a tearful whisper.

He turned around and the shouting ceased. He looked at me and tears started welling up in his amber brown eyes.

"Feisty!" He laughed softly when he saw me.

He smiled broadly and started walking over to me. I smiled too. I ran over to him and slid into his arms. His large form embraced me tenderly. I clutched his mane with my paws and dug my face into it, breathing in his scent, a scent I hadn't realized how much I'd missed. Until now.

"Oh, feisty!" He breathed gently.

"I missed you, daddy," I said.

"I know," Kion replied. "I missed you too, my feisty Kito."

He stood up and let me go. We both wore full smiles on our faces as we looked at each other. It was then that I noticed mom, Aunt Kiara, Uncle Kovu, grandpa, grandma, Asha, Tian, Amira, and all of the other lioness surrounding us on the large bluff.

"Mom," I said, joyful tears streaming down my face. "Dad's home!"

"Yes," my mother replied with a small smile.

I cocked my head and looked at everyone's expressions. No one except grandma and Aunt Kiara had tears in their eyes. Uncle Kovu wore a sour face, and Grandpa Simba looked worried. The others just looked mad.

"What's going on?" I asked, starting to worry.

But before anyone could answer me, Koda and 'Tani came galloping onto the bluff. They stopped before they got to us.

"Kion, it is you." 'Tani said, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Hello, Vitani," Dad greeted.

"Cubs," King Kovu said. "Why don't you go and play at the Big Springs,"

All of the cubs stared at him sadly and stood up. They knew it wasn't a suggestion, but a command.

"But, mom-" I started, looking at her in confusion.

"Go, Kito." She demanded, her smile was gone.

I stared for another moment, then turned to dad.

"Go on," he said with a wink.

All of us cubs left the bluff and slowly went down to the bottom of the cliff. We walked somberly to the pond. On our way, I asked the cubs what I had missed.

"Uncle Kion came up out of the blue and walked up to us," Asha said. "He said something odd, like trouble, was coming. He had had an issue with some other pride that he owed something too. He said they were searching for him, and that he couldn't take them on alone. That he needed our pride's help to defeat them. Your mother and my father got mad at him, and they started yelling and arguing. Mom scream 'Stop!' then asked why they couldn't just be happy that Kion had come home. But Grandpa Simba insisted that this was an urgent matter. They 'discussed' it a little more, then you came. Everyone stopped yelling when you ran up. So far, that's all we know."

"So. . .you guys aren't scared or mad at me anymore?" I asked sheepishly.

"No," Tian stepped up and said. "It was a petty fight, and I'm sorry. I realized how ridiculous I was being when Koda said you were picking flowers to apologize."

"Oh," I said, a smile growing on my face. I saw the ugly scar that stretched across his face. "I did. . .that?" I asked, horrified at the damage I'd done to my friend.

Tian raised his paw up to his face and touched the scar. "Yeah, but. . .it's not. . .that bad." He replied unconvincingly.

"Oh, man! I-I'm so sorry!" I said to him.

We walked the rest of the way to the pond and all stopped at the edge. The girls went off to the shade of a couple of trees. Tian, Koda and I stopped and glanced back at the bluff in the distance. Then, I remembered where we were.

"Big Springs," I mused quietly.

"Huh?" Koda asked, tilting his head.

"Oh-uh, nothing, just talking to myself," I replied. I looked at the pond where the hippos were all lazing. "I have to do something, would you forgive me if I left?"

"Of course," Koda said.

"Go ahead," Tian replied.

"Thanks, guys," I said with a smile.

I trotted over to the muddy banks of the river where a couple hippos were resting in the water. I took a deep breath and walked a little farther.

"Hello, there," I said to them. "Would you be so kind as to point me to Beshte?"

One of the hippos lifted her head and looked at me.

"Certainly," she said. "Beshte is right over there,"

"Thanks a ton!" I called to her, already sprinting towards where she had pointed.

With haste, I made my way over to were the kind hippo had told me where Beshte was. I slowed my speed when I saw a young adult male hippo splashing in the water along with several hippo calves. I saw the faded mark of The Guard on his shoulder.

"Beshte?" I asked quietly. Surprisingly the hippo heard me through all the ruckus. He turned around and looked me in the eye.

His bright blue eyes went wide and his jaw dropped when he saw me. The noise and movement around us faded, and everyone watched to see what would happen next. A smile spread across my face.

"Kito?" Beshte asked with a wide smile swiping across his face.

"It is me, Beshte!" I cried. I leaped into the water, letting a wave of water splash the other hippos nearby. "Oh! It's been so long! How are you?"

"Just grand, as always!" Beshte happily replied, his eyes glimmered with excitement.

"Umm. . .Beshte. . ." I hesitated. I was going to tell him about dad being home, but what if mom doesn't want everyone to know yet? Then I decided, even if no one else was happy, I was, and Beshte deserves to know.

"Yes, Kito?" he asked, his little gray ears flicking.

"Did you hear about dad?" I ask.

"What about him?" he asked, tilting his head and frowning in wonder.

"He's back."

A smile grew on Beshte's face and I couldn't help but smile as well.

"Really? Where's he at? I can't wait to see him again!" Beshte cried.

"He and the adult's in our Pride are discussing something. It sounds like it could be bad." I reply.

"Oh, wow," Beshte said, then he turned around and called out towards the bank, "Hey, Ono!"

A white egret lifted his head from the banks of the pond. He let his eyes wander until they landed on Beshte. The bird yelled back, "Yeah, Beshte?"

"Can you spare a moment?"

"Of course! Be there in a minute!" the bird replied.

The large hippo turned back to me.

"If you don't mind," Beshte began. "Kito, I'm going to ask Ono to find Fuli and Bunga so they can know too. I feel like they should get to see him and if Kion is in trouble, then maybe we can help."

"Great idea, I'm sure mom and dad will be glad to have help," I told him, smiling ever brighter at the thought of the Lion Guard getting back together again!

"I'm going to talk to my best friend, Tian," I said. 

"Aww, Tian's still only your best friend?" another voice said suddenly. 

I swiveled around, with wide eyes. My amber eyes landed on a young adult honey badger. 

"Bunga!" I called, surging forward and embracing him.

"Hey, Kito," he greeted, hugging me back.

We all shared wide smiles.

"Wait, what did you mean by that, Bunga?" I asked, tilting my head and dawning a small smile.

"What I mean is, you two aren't together yet? I figured Tian wouldn't be such a fool and wait soooo long! I mean, look at you! You're the definition of the perfect lioness!" Bunga said, smiling, throwing an arm around my shoulders in a friendly way.

I blushed and turned my head away.

"Oh, Tian and I are just friends, he doesn't think about me that way." I shrugged.

"That's what they all say," Bunga groaned, rolling his eyes.

"Did you call me Beshte?" Ono asked as he landed next to me. Then he seems to notice me and Bunga. "Kito, Bunga! It's been so long!"

"It sure has, dude!" Bunga called out, jumping towards him and locking the bird in a headlock. "Noogie!"

Bunga proceeded to noogie Ono until Beshte called out, "Okay, Bunga, that's enough!"

Bunga released Ono and the bird took a step back, shaking off. I looked at Beshte and decided he should tell them.

"What was it that you needed, Beshte?" Ono asked, sending Bunga a glare.

"I was going to ask if you could find Fuli, and ask her to join us here." The hippo told him.

"Of course, I'll be back." He replied, beginning to take off in flight. 

"Thank, Ono!" Beshte happily called as we sat and watched him fly into the sky, diving down to find our cheetah friend.

I smiled when I imagined the smile on my father's face when he laid eyes on his old friends, back together once more.