The Lion Guard were still on the journey to the Tree of Life. Now, they had to find a Moja Kwa Moja stone that's a rock with a painting of the sunrise on it. Fuli walked near Kion, concerned. Kion had been acting very unwell in the past few days. Tossing and turning in his sleep, never feeling hungry or thirsty, and always tired. Fuli knew what was wrong. His scar. It was affecting him more than Fuli thought it would. She saw Kion suddenly stop and bring his paw up to his scar briefly, whimpering. Fuli looked on with pity.

She walked up to Kion. "Kion, are you okay?" She asked concerned, even though she knew the answer. He wasn't okay. 

"I'm fine, Fuli." Kion replied, his voice raspy. He then turned to look up and Fuli. When he did she saw his eyes, no longer bright and joyful, but cloudy and miserable. She then saw Kion try to hide a yawn. 

Tired again... Fuli thought to herself. "We can rest here if you like," Fuli said, motioning to an empty cave nearby. Kion shook his head.

"N-no I-I'm fine. I c-can keep going," Kion stuttered.

"Rephrase: You will rest here," Fuli told him dominantly. She was worried about his health and well-being. Kion was pushing himself too hard.

"No!" Kion protested. "I already told you I'm fine!" He then tried to stand up tall to prove it, but when he did Fuli saw his paws shaking. "Let's keep going," Kion said firmly. He then walked to the head of the group.

Fuli walked over to Makini. "Makini?" She asked. By now Makini knew what she meant when she asked her in that tone.

"Okay, Fuli. Tuliza coming up." She then looked at the gourd that she stored the Tuliza in. She frowned when she looked inside. "Um... I think we're out." Makini told her. Makini really needs to do a better job keeping track of the Tuliza.

Fuli walked towards the head of the group near Kion. She frowned when she saw his condition. His fur and mane were dirty and tangled. His eyes were cloudy. His head hung low. Fuli wished she could do something about it, she cared for the lion more than she even knew.

She then remembered something, the secret Nala told her. Oh, what I wouldn't give to tell Kion the truth. He deserves to know... but he isn't ready. He's going through so much right now... and telling him now would make everything A LOT worse.

'Kion is not my son.' Fuli replayed the words Nala told her in her head. She felt bad that Kion had never known his real mother and father, whoever they were. She knew that Nala was wrong to never tell Kion that her and Simba weren't his real parents. And Simba didn't even know himself! Fuli looked at Kion, she knew she would tell him the truth when the right time came.

Kion suddenly stopped. He swayed for a moment, then shook his head and pawed at his scar. Fuli walked up to him. "Are you okay Kion?" She asked, worried. He didn't answer. She saw his chest rise and fall in deep, labored breaths. "Kion?" She asked again, louder this time.

"I—I'm f-fine." He replied through a breath. He then continued walking. "Let's just get to the next Moja Kwa Moja stone." They then continued on.

"Anga-" Kion spoke through deep, labored breaths. "Do you see the-... next.. Moja Kwa Moja-... stone..?"

Anga flew up to get a better view. "Yep," the eagle replied. "Just past those hills over there." She motioned with her claw to some steep hills nearby.

"Okay-" He paused for a breath, "great." They then followed Anga to the steep hills and began to climb them.

"You suuuurrrre this is just a hill?" Bunga asked while struggling to climb it. "Seems more like a mountain to me." He then hopped onto Beshte's back, the latter struggling to climb the hill as well.

"Never thought I'd say this, but Bunga's right," Fuli admitted.

"Yep, I'm right-" Bunga paused for a moment. "About what?"

"Uh, about this hill being like a mountain," Fuli bluntly reminded him.

"Oh yeah," Bunga remembered. "Ono, why is this hill so steep and tall anyway?" Fuli asked.

"Actually Fuli, Bunga could be right. Maybe it really is a mountain," Ono replied. "Anga might have confused this mountain with a hill, seeing as it would have looked much smaller from far away."

"Okay." Fuli was about to go rush up the mountain to get it over with, but Ono waved his wing in front of her to stop her.

"Wait, we should pace ourselves," Ono warned. "Climbing such a steep and tall mountain would consume a lot of our energy. Especially Kion, due to his scar weakening him." So I'm not the only one who noticed that.

"Got it. I'll tell the others-" Fuli cut herself off when she realized they were all standing next to her and within ear-shot of her, Bunga, and Ono's exchange. "Never mind then."

"Got it Ono," Beshte said.

"Will do," Bunga agreed.

"Okay Ono," Makini replied.

"Yup," came Anga's simple reply.

Fuli realized that Kion wasn't there - he was up ahead of them climbing the mountain. "I'll go tell Kion," she told them. The other nodded in response. She climbed up the part of the mountain where Kion was while the others continued climbing as well. "Kion?" She said.

"Huh?" Kion replied.

"Ono said we should pace ourselves," Fuli told him. "Because climbing such a steep and tall mountain will use a lot of our energy." Kion seemed to be listening.  "Especially you Kion, 'cause of your scar." Kion didn't seem to be listening anymore and instead let out a low growl. "I'm fine Fuli. I don't need you all to fuss over me just because of a small cut on my eye!"

Fuli mentally sighed. Gotta deal with this patiently again... "Kion, you and I both know it's more than just a cut. It's hurting you. It's clouding your mind and impacting both your physical and mental health. That cut is breaking you."

Fuli knew her own words weren't completely true. In a way, Kion was right without even realizing it. His scar was just a simple cut over his eye... yet it was enough to break him. 

It shouldn't be enough to break him. It would take much more than just a scar to break the Kion I know... But this Kion wasn't the Kion she knew. The Kion that she knew was happy, uplifting, and full of life. However... this Kion was not. This Kion was cold, distant, emotionless...

 She turned her attention back to Kion who was still struggling to climb the mountain. She looked to the sky, it's now orange, red, and purple colors putting on a beautiful display that would take one's breath away. Fuli realized with a shock how much time had passed.

"It's already sunset," Makini also realized. "Yeah, I'm beat," Bunga yawned. "Me too Little B," Beshte agreed.

"How about we rest there?" Fuli motioned to a cave nearby. "It doesn't look like anybody's living there, I can go check."

"That'd be poa, Fuli," Beshte said. The others except Kion nodded in agreement.

"No," Kion protested. "We gotta keep going."

"Kion, everyone's been walking all day. We're tired and it's sunset. We could use a break," Fuli told him. Kion started to paw at his scar again. "We all could," she added.

Kion started at her for a few moments, his expression unreadable. He then sighed. "Fine, we can rest."

Fuli sighed in relief. "Okay guys, let's go to that cave I mentioned before." She started to lead the others to the cave but stopped when she noticed Kion wasn't following.

"What cave you mentioned before?" He asked. 

"You don't remember?-" She cut herself off once more when a realization hit her. His scar... it might be affecting his senses too.

"Just... follow me," she told him. Kion stared at her with a confused expression on his face for a few moments before following her. She led him and the rest of the Lion Guard to the cave she mentioned earlier. She paced around in it, checking for any scents.  "No new scents," she informed the group. "No one's been here for a long while."

The Guard then settled in the cave, each choosing sleeping spots in it. Kion eyed the cave with wariness in his eyes before stepping inside and choosing a sleeping spot away from the others. He and the rest of the group soon drifted off to sleep.

**

Kion walked at the head of the group. The Lion Guard now needed to find another Moja Kwa Moja stone, this time it was one that had a crystal clear lake. He turned back to face the Guard. Apparently Anga couldn't find it from the air, as there were too many trees and plants.

"Okay guys, let's split up," Kion told them. "Ono with Makini, Fuli with Anga, and Bunga with Beshte. I'll go alone."

"Yep." 

"Got it!" 

"Affirmative." 

"Okay." 

"Yeah." 

"Okay!" Came their replies. Kion though they would find the Moja Kwa Moja stone faster if they split up.

"If you find the Moja Kwa Moja stone, go back here and call for the rest of us." Kion told them. 

"Got it!" Bunga said enthusiastically. 

Then the rest of the Guard walked away in their assigned pairs to find the Moja Kwa Moja stone. Kion walked along a stone path, a warm breeze blowing at his fur despite the area being covered thickly with trees. Then suddenly he saw something glowing in the distance. He decided to go see what it was. He ran over to the glowing thing he saw.

When he got there, he saw that the glowing thing he saw wasn't what he thought it was at all. It was fire. Kion was alarmed. He started to run - in a forest like this one, thickly planted with trees, then a fire would spread very quickly. He looked behind him. He saw the fire wasn't spreading uncontrollably, in fact the only direction it was going in was in his direction. Kion was alarmed. He started running a different direction, but the fire followed him. He then heard a voice.

"You can't run, you can't run from me," the voice echoed in his ears. "You can't run from your greatest fear." Kion panicked. He started running as fast as he could. But the fire caught up to him. It was so close it could practically burn his tail.

The fire surrounded him. Kion was scared. "Guys! Help!" He called for the Guard, but nobody answered. "Help! Guys help me!" He called again. Still no reply.

"Your 'friends' won't come for you. They know who you are inside and they are smart to stay away from you." The voice told him. Then, a figure appeared in the fire. It was Scar. Kion was terrified now.

"Kion... Poor poor Kion, alone and scared." Scar mocked him. "And defenseless without the Guard." Kion tried to use the Roar, but it came out as no more than a squeak. Scar cackled with an amused look on his face. Kion tried again, but the same thing happened.

"Little, little Kion. So helpless without his Roar," Scar said menacingly. "Too bad you'll end up killing everyone you love with it." 

No!

Scar suddenly detached from the fire, and Kion saw what he actually looked like before he died. Kion tried to run, but Scar slashed him across the face. Kion felt his scar give him more pain than he's ever felt before.

"Let me show you something..." Scar told him. Kion no longer saw the forest or the raging fire anymore, but he was back in the Pride Lands standing on Pride Rock. He saw everything was barren, dead bodies lying everywhere. But worst of all, he saw his family. He ran down to them.

They were lying in pools of their own blood. His father growled at him. "You're just like Scar," he snarled. "You never should have been born." Kion was horrified at his father's words.

Nala was sobbing. "My son... I can't believe it."

"Why did you do this?" Kiara asked him through tears. "You're my brother!" She shouted. "I loved you! And I thought you loved me back." 

Kion was once again horrified. I-I did this?! He took a step back. He then saw the Guard, lying in pools of their own blood just like his family.

When he rushed over to them, Fuli growled. "Stay away from us! You monster!" Fuli and the rest of the Guard narrowed their eyes.

 Bunga was crying as Beshte tried his best to comfort him. "My best friend..." Bunga said through tears. "Why..."

Fuli managed to stand up on all four paws. She began to speak again. "Don't you get it? I loved you! I believed in you! I never thought you would turn evil, no matter what Rafiki said." Kion took a couple steps back. "And he was right," Fuli finished. She then lowered her voice. "If I could turn back time, I would have let myself take Ushari's hit instead of you, Kion." Fuli told him sincerely. 

Kion felt a huge amount of guilt sweep over him. He felt hot tears rolling down his face. "I-I'm sorry Fuli," the lion said and ran away from the Guard as fast as he could. He then tripped over something. When he got back up, he saw what it was, and he was horrified. 

It was Makini splayed out on the ground, dead. She had a deep gash in her throat. No! "M-Makini?" He asked, hoping for an answer even though he knew she was dead.

"This is all truth, Kion." Scar told him. "You cannot escape it." 

"No Scar! This isn't true! It can't be true!"

"Oh but it can, and it is," Scar replied slyly. "Just you wait. You have the Mark of Evil just like me Kion." Suddenly Kion felt a burning pain in his scar, worse than any he had ever felt before. Scar then started running towards Kion, claws unsheathed. Kion tried to run, but Scar was too fast. Scar pinned him down. Kion heart was pounding out of his chest.

Scar started slashing Kion. It was worse than when Kion was tortured by the wolves. Scar slashed him on his face, back, underbelly, legs, paws, everywhere. Kion screamed in pain. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Blood poured onto the ground. Kion tried to defend himself, but he couldn't move.

"Make it stop!" He screamed. "Make it stop!" Scar grinned evilly, he was clearly enjoying this. Kion dug his claws into the ground. Scar put his claws on Kion's throat.

"Time to end this slowly and painfully."

**

"NO!" Kion woke up screaming. Kion didn't know where he was. He tried to run, but stumbled. He ran into something, though he didn't know what it was. He shook his head, trying to clear it. The Lion Guard and Makini were all safe, sleeping in the cave Fuli decided they should rest in earlier that day. He looked down at where he had been sleeping. Claw marks and torn up grass littered that spot. He realized he had pieces of grass in between his claws. Did I do that? He wondered to himself, nervous. He then saw Fuli approach him.

"Kion, what happened?" She asked softly. "You woke up screaming and you're crying." Kion realized he had tears streaming down his face. "Kion, you can tell me," she reassured him. 

"N-n-no I-I'm f-f-fine," Kion told her, though he could barely get those words out through his tears. 

Fuli must have seen that, because she asked again, firmer this time. "Kion, you can tell me what's wrong." 

Kion looked at his paws, still crying. He was embarrassed about what he was about to tell Fuli. What would she think of him being so frightened about a little nightmare?

"I... had a nightmare," he admitted. To his surprise, Fuli didn't laugh or tease him. Instead she looked calm.

"Kion, do you want to talk about it?" Fuli asked him. Kion nodded. Fuli sat down, ready to listen. Kion shivered at the very thought of the nightmare.

"There was a big fire and Scar appeared. The fire surrounded me and the Guard wouldn't come to help me. Scar told me that my friends wouldn't come for me, they know who I am inside and they are smart to stay away from me. Then I was standing on Pride Rock and my family were dying, you and the Guard too." He shivered at the memory of what they all said to him. "You all were lying in pools of your own blood. My dad told me I was like Scar and that I... never should have been born. My mom said she couldn't believe what I had done. My sister.... she said... 'You're my brother, I loved you! And I thought you loved me back.'" Kion said while sobbing. Fuli looked sympathetic. "And..." Kion continued. "You told me I was a monster. You said Rafiki was right about me turning evil if I didn't get to the Tree of Life in time." Fuli looked shocked as Kion sobbed. "Then Scar approached me. He told me everything was true and that I had the Mark of Evil just like him. He started slashing and clawing me everywhere. He put his claws up to my throat and he, he..." Kion started sobbing uncontrollably. Then, he felt Fuli pull him into another hug.

"Shh, it's okay. Everything's okay." Fuli soothed him like a mother would to her cub. "It's all over now. Let's go back to sleep." Kion looked up at her, eyes filled with tears. 

"O-okay." He then walked back to his sleeping spot in the den and laid down. To his surprise, Fuli laid down next to him.

"I'll sleep with you," she told him. "Just in case you have any more nightmares." They both were about to fall asleep, but then Kion remembered something he wanted to ask someone, but never had the chance to do so.

"Fuli?" He asked.

"Yes?" She replied.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Do you... do you think I'll turn evil?"

"Never, not in a million years."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Kion. I believe in you."

"W-why?" He asked, his voice shaking. "And how do you know I won't turn evil? How do you know I won't be like Scar?"

"I know because I know you. I know that you will never be like Scar. Ever," Fuli told him, her voice strong. "And I'll always be here for you, no matter what challenges your scar might bring."

(Fuli)

When you walk into the unknown

I can assure you, you won't be alone

When you are sad or scared

Know that I'll always be there

For you (for you)

When you think you're alone in the dark (in the dark)

Know I'll always be here in your heart

When you feel you are lost

I'll always be by your side, no matter what the cost

When you feel in pain

Like you're standing out alone in the rain

Now and forever

We'll always stick together

When you're sad or blue

Know I'll always be here for you

Every step of the way

Starting today

No matter where we are

No matter how far

We are

Away from home

Wherever we might roam

I'll always be here

And I know you will too

You should know I'll always be here

For you

When the rain pours down

And you're standing out alone

When the lightning flashes

And you're out on you're own

When you're walking through a blizzard

And you're cold to the bone (Oh oh)

You won't be alone

We all have our scars

And we all went through pain

But I know by far

We all recover again

And know what I'm saying is true

I'll always be here for you (for you)

With every step you take

Know I'm walking with you

With every choice you make

I'll help you stay true

To you

When you feel alone

When you feel sad

When you feel lonely 

When you feel bad

When you feel sorrow

When you feel pain

Know that you'll recover again

And I know that this is true

I say this from my heart to you

Believe me this is true  

No matter what your scar might do

I'll always be here for you                                                                                                                                                       

Fuli looked down at Kion, he was sound asleep. She smiled, she truly meant every word she said to him. I'll always be here for you, Kion. No matter what happens. I promise. Guilt squirmed inside her as she remembered the secret Nala told her again. She couldn't believe this secret was being kept from her best friend. Kion, you deserve to know about this... She looked at the sleeping lion beside her, his scar deteriorating him throughout the journey. But you're going through so much... But don't worry, I'll tell you about this when the time comes... I promise.