Fuli yawned and blinked open her eyes. Another day, she thought to herself, seeing the faint sunrise begin to show through the Tree's entrance. She saw Nirmala was sorting herbs nearby and was walking outside, probably to get some more. She saw Kion next to her. They were huddled together in an embrace to keep each other warm and secure.

He was awake and was muttering to himself, a worried edge to his voice. The moment Fuli saw him, a certain thought came to her mind. The secret. 

However, she noticed he looked worried and on edge... scared, almost. "Kion?" Fuli asked. "You alright?"

"I guess.." Kion sighed. He responded faster than Fuli thought he would, her originally thinking he would say something like; 'I'm fine, Fuli!'

"Just wish these nightmares would go away," he added. He laid his head down and sighed, his voice sounding strained and hollow.

"Oh.." Fuli rested her head on his shoulder. "It's alright. Wanna talk about it?"

"Sure." His answer surprised Fuli. He's not hiding? He's not concealing his feelings like that anymore?

"So... what was it?" Fuli asked after a few moments of silence.

"Jua was in the nightmare.. again." Kion's strained voice sounded less scared and more tired. Tired of having to be scared. "She... she..." Kion sighed tiredly, his gaze hollow and he blinked a couple tears from his eyes. His gaze wavered up to something above him, something that Fuli did not see nor know. "She killed..."

"You?" Fuli asked after he went silent for a few long moments.

Kion shook his head. "Someone I care about."

Fuli sighed. A moment of silence spread between them. "I know how you feel," she finally said after a few long, long moments. The cheetah held nothing but sympathy for the young lion. "My worst nightmare is losing someone I love."

"Yeah. That's why I never wanted to tell you about her," he continued. "I was so scared that I'd hurt you that it made me keep quiet."

'I was so scared that I'd hurt you that it made me keep quiet.' The words echoed in Fuli's brain, making a certain thought return. Like how I'm keeping quiet about the secret...

"You shouldn'tve done that," Fuli told him, getting out of her distant thoughts. "You shouldn't have had to suffer out of fear of what would happen if you told anyone. Remember; if you tell us, we can all help. No matter what someone that threatens you might tell you."

Kion nodded in agreement. "I know. I just.... I was scared." He almost seemed to shrink into his own body. His ears flattened and his gaze flickered away from making eye contact with her. "I couldn't lose you Fuli."

"I know, Kion. I know. I know what it's like to be scared. I could never lose you either. But just.. please be more open from now on. You can talk to me about anything."

Though the same thought lingered in her mind: If we could talk to each other about anything... oh, the secret... what'll happen if I tell him... or if he somehow finds out?

"I will, I promise. Now is there anything you wanna talk about?" He tiled his head in curiosity. "If I can talk to you about anything, you can talk to me about anything," he added, his voice purposeful and meaningful.

The secret... the secret... the secret... now is the perfect time... he's finally getting more open, but... I can't. He's still trying to heal. I can't break him down right after we can finally begin to build him back up. 

But honestly, I could really use some advice right now.

"Kion, I know it might not be the best time to ask for this type of advice, but what should I do if.. say.. I need to tell someone something they need to know, that I've been keeping to myself, but think I'll hurt them if I do?"

Kion seemed to think for a moment. "I don't know, but I remember when my sister Kiara was having a fight with her friend Mbali. Don't get me wrong, Mbali is not the bad guy here. But she just wasn't fun to be friends with for Kiara because they just didn't click or ever get along. Kiara was honest about the whole situation and told Mbali that it wasn't fun for her to hang out anymore."

"And what happened?"

"Mbali was hurt and got upset, but she understood after a while and eventually even admired Kiara for being truthful. Mbali eventually found new friends and accepted the fact that Kiara didn't want to be her friend. They're still on good terms, just not hanging out with each other often."

Would being honest work with the secret too? Doubt it. That was just boring girl drama, not a dark secret that could change my best friend's life! He's gonna learn that he was adopted, that his real mother LEFT him! That his real mother didn't CARE enough about him.

Fuli didn't show it, but she was smart enough to piece together the fact that there was a reason Nirmala gave Kion up.

Abandonment. What other reason could there be?

So that made her best friend an abandoned orphan. He was lucky Nala took him in. She knew there must be a reason Nirmala abandoned him, but it was still abandonment.

"Now if you don't mind me asking, what was that about? You know, the asking for advice?" Kion added, catching Fuli's attention and pulling her out of her thoughts. She flinched in shock that he'd asked this but quickly recovered.

"You sure you're alright? I saw you flinch," Kion asked.

"Oh yeah, I'm alright. Just I was thinking and you suddenly spoke and it shocked me," Fuli lied, quick as only a cheetah could be.

"Oh.. okay."

"But what if being honest won't help?" Fuli added, bringing to conversation back to Kion's story. "Then what?"

"I don't know... but it's kind of hypocritical for me to say that being honest always helps."

"You made a mistake. We all do," Fuli reassured.

"Maybe. But I should've known..." Kion sighed sadly and guiltily.

"Fear can blind us to our own senses," Fuli told him.

"Yeah but I let it blind me too much. I'm really sorry and I should have said something before it got so out of paw." When he looked at her, she saw his eyes were filled with honest guilt.

"There's nothing to be sorry for." She lifted his face up to look at her with her paw. "Even though you made mistakes, you cannot put all the blame on yourself when something goes wrong. It's not your fault Jua's here and it's not your fault that we don't know how to stop her."

"Kinda is. She went after me." Kion's ears drooped with shame.

"And you couldn't control that," Fuli countered, setting her paws down on the ground once more. "Now what you should focus on is healing. Then we can figure out a way to stop Jua. Besides you probably have another healing session due."

Fuli noticed he looked a bit tense. She looked down and noticed a wound on his shoulder was bleeding. She gasped. How did I not notice that before? "Those wounds just won't stop bleeding, will they?"

Kion just sighed in response, looking away.

She reached out and brushed her tongue along the wound, helping clean it. Kion immediately relaxed, sighing peacefully.

The lion must've felt he should do something for her in return, because he tried to massage her injured leg with his paws to help it feel better, but instead of making it feel better it made it feel worse. It sent extreme pain through her, even on the verge of making her cry.

She yelped very loudly, trying to move away but being unable to due to her injured leg. Kion flinched and pulled back quickly, stumbling. "I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright," she reassured him. "I'm fine now."

"You sure?" Kion asked, concerned.

"Yeah, don't worry."

"If it still hurts-"

"I told you I'm fine!" A little annoyance edged Fuli's louder voice, but it was overlapped with reassurance. She was touched that he was so concerned, but she was fine!

"I-I'm sorry... I was just worried." Kion fidgeted with his forepaws, looking down at his paws.

Fuli realized that she must have snapped harsher that she should have, by the defeated and apologetic look on his face. "Oh it's alright, I didn't mean to snap at you, Kion."

"It's okay Fuli! Guess I got a taste of my own medicine, huh?"

"Yeah." 

They both chuckled until a voice called out from outside the Tree. "Kion!"

It was Nirmala walking into the den, jaws full of herbs. "About time for another healing session, now that you can walk a little easier."

"Called it." Fuli smirked. Kion rolled his eyes playfully.

Nirmala walked over to some cupped vines in the Tree and gently dropped the herbs in there, quickly sorting them. She then walked over to Kion, who got up from the place he and Fuli were previously resting on a soft bedding made of moss, feathers, and leaves on the ground. "Come now, Kion. Your scar won't just heal itself!"

Kion flinched at the mention of his scar.

"Oh oh I'm sorry," Nirmala quickly apologized, stumbling and looking down. "I didn't know that triggered you.. I'm so sorry."

Kion shrugged. "It's fine," he told her with an underlying tone of hostility that only Fuli noticed. Probably for the other day when she shoved him. "Now lets go."

Kion looked back at Fuli for reassurance, his face worried and his tail ever-so-slightly tucked. Fuli smiled at him assuringly. "Go on," she urged.

"Yeah but what about-"

"I'll be alright. We can save the whole rehabilitating my leg thing for later. You need to heal," Fuli told him kindly.

"But Fuli-"

"No buts. You can't put me before your well-being and health. Go on, I'll be right here when you get back and then we can get back to helping my leg," Fuli told him sternly.

"Okay Fuli. I'll try my best to be back soon," he said quietly.

"Don't rush. Like Nirmala said; your healing will take time. Take all the time you need to finish the session," she assured. 

Kion smiled gratefully and walked out of the Tree with Nirmala. She then heard yawning. She looked to the side of the Tree. The rest of the Guard was waking up!

"Hey Fuli," Ono murmured drowsily, getting off of his resting spot on Beshte and flapping over to her.

"Hey!" Beshte greeted, getting to his feet. "Good morning!"

"Yep," Anga chirped, stretching her wings and closing her eyes momentarily.

"Where's Kion?" Bunga finally asked, walking over to her. "I thought he was still gonna be with you."

"He's at a healing session with Nirmala," Fuli informed him. "Why would he be with me?"

"Oh, I dunno, you're together SO MUCH!" Bunga blurted out, jumping up and down. "And the way you comfort him when he has scary nightmares! Soooo cuteeee!"

Fuli's face turned to shock and slightly embarrassment. "Wait, when do you see-"

"Eavesdropping, duh!" Bunga looked at her as if she was the most naive animal in the world. "And by the way, that nickname you gave him is SO ADORABLE!" He started chanting in a sing-song voice; "Ki-Ki! Ki-Ki! Ki-Ki!"

Fuli's pelt grew hot. Bunga continuously got louder and louder, even to the point where some of the Lion Guard had to cover their ears.

"What is that?" Rumbled an elderly voice. Fuli looked back and saw Queen Janna was beginning to wake. She turned her head back to Bunga, an annoyed look on her face. 

"Bunga!" The whole Lion Guard scolded in union. "You woke the Queen!"

Bunga's face lit up with a cheesy grin and threw his fists up in the air. "So she can join in the fun! Yay!"

"Ughhhhhhhhhhh...." Fuli groaned, lowering her head and flattening her ears, making an annoyed face.

Even the elderly queen Janna herself couldn't hold back a chuckle, and a knowing smirk on her face only grew.

**

"Where are we going?" Kion asked, tail twitching with slight annoyance. He still held a grudge towards Nirmala because of the other day. They were surrounded by bright fields. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, everything was beautiful that day. Kion felt soft grass under his paws. Some morning dew was still there and it felt good on his paw-pads, which had been cracked and scabbed a lot recently.

"You'll see," she replied simply.

Kion groaned. He should be back with Fuli helping her with rehabilitating her leg. She had helped him, he had to help her! He felt guilt building up inside him and he looked down a his paws as he walked. But he remembered Fuli's words to him; 'You can't put me before your well-being and health. Go on, I'll be right here when you get back and then we can get back to helping my leg.'

Nirmala looked back at him. "And I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" Kion was barely paying attention at the moment. I should be helping her... I'm being so selfish, not putting my own needs aside... But she said I had to take care of my health first.. 'cause this scar was bothering me a lot... but-

"Sorry for shoving you the other day. It was wrong of me to do just because I was stressed. I'm sorry, Kion. Were you alright after the fall? If I hurt you I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I'm a healer and I'm supposed to heal others, not harm them. I'm so sorry."

Kion snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at her, believing her apology was sincere. "It's fine. Just don't do it again."

"I would never," Nirmala assured him. "And we're you alright after the fall? Did I.. did I hurt you?

"Eh, just a little scrape on the shoulder." Kion shrugged. "Not anything bad."

"Let me see," Nirmala urged. Kion sat down and let Nirmala see the scrape on his shoulder. She touched it lightly with her paw. It caused pain and made Kion flinch back.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'll bandage it with mullein plant." Her gaze suddenly flickered over to his right. Kion looked where she was looking and saw a green circular plant that was low to the ground and had wide leaves. "And there's one over there!"

I guess that's mullein plant. And she really doesn't have to! "No, no, you really don't have to. I'm alright-"

"Nonsense," Nirmala replied briskly after she had finished picking some of what she called 'mullein plant'. "It's my fault you're hurt. And I didn't even bother to check on you for days because I was busy resting myself! I get that I didn't get sleep for days but.."

"You're not the only one who feels guilty if you ever put yourself first," Kion mumbled lowly.

Nirmala finished wrapping Kion's shoulder with mullein plant and got back up. "What do you mean?"

"I'm feeling really guilty right now that I'm doing this healing session instead of helping Fuli with her leg. And that I said anything about Jua, putting her in danger... I felt so guilty if I ever told anyone so I kept quiet."

"I can relate about feeling the need to keep quiet. A long time ago, I lived in a different land with a different pride. Something... happened and I felt so guilty because I thought it was my fault. I kept quiet and only told a very close friend. I regretted my actions for life... and I put the ones I once loved in danger..."

"I'm so sorry that happened to you." Kion held nothing but sympathy for Nirmala. "I understand how you must've felt."

"Sisi ni sawa, Kion," Nirmala said. "It means-"

"We're the same," Kion finished. 

"How did you-"

"A friend taught me all about sisi ni sawa," Kion explained. "And that at the end of the day, we are all like water and rain."

"Right she is," Nirmala said, giving Kion a light nudge. "Now lets get to that healing session."

"Yeah." They continued walking, smiling at each other. 

"So.. what's it gonna be?" He asked as they walked.

"You will see. And after, you can help Fuli."

Suddenly they heard a voice crying out; "Help! Someone! Anyone!"

"What's that?!" Kion asked, alarmed.

"Oh, probably nothing." Nirmala shrugged. "Let's go." Nirmala began to walk away.

Kion still heard the animal's shouts; "Heeeellllppppppp! Someone hellllppppp!"

"What about the animal?..." 

"We don't have all day." Nirmala stopped, looked back, and motioned with her forepaw for him to come.

The animal's screams still echoed through his ears; "Help me! Someone, anyone! Hhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllpppppp!"

"But shouldn't we..."

Nirmala began to walk away

"But..." Kion sighed in defeat when Nirmala raised an eyebrow and gave him a stern glare. "Okay..."

Guilt squirmed inside him as he walked away, following Nirmala. He kept his head low, and his tail was slightly tucked.

They walked and walked and walked. Kion felt the sunshine warm his pelt and the soft grass soothe his aching paws. He saw the Tree of Life as they walked closer to it. Soon however, he began to feel thirsty.

"Can we stop for a drink or something? I'm really thirsty." He looked up at Nirmala.

"We're almost there. Do you see the little stream beside Tree of Life? You can drink from there," Nirmala told him curtly, not stopping to look at him or stop walking for a few moments to speak to him.

Kion picked up the pace. Although the hot sun felt good, it made him thirsty. He bounded towards the water and just when he was about to take a drink, a young deer popped out of the grass. It was about his age, had tan fur, and it's fawn spots that deer fawns used for camoflauge were almost faded - they were going away.

"Hey there, Nirmala! Did I do good?" The deer asked Nirmala, smiling proudly.

Kion was shocked when he heard the deer's voice. That's the same voice that was calling for help!

"Hello, Jaribu," Nirmala greeted. The deer who was apparently named Jaribu smiled.

Nirmala KNOWS this deer? And from their behavior around each other right now, it seems like they're friends. But if they are friends, why didn't Nirmala want me to help him when he was screaming for help?

"You know him? The animal that was screaming for help?" Kion asked, bewildered.

"Yes I do." Nirmala nodded. Before Kion could ask what the whole screaming for help and Nirmala dismissing it was about, Nirmala explained; "This healing session was a test to see if you could think for yourself, even when others pressured you. You failed."

Wait... the healing session was a test this time? To see if I could think for myself? And I failed?... Again, I failed at thinking for myself. Isn't anything new nowadays... ugh, all these bad guys keep messing up my brain... my abilities to think and do things... It's like my brain has been rewired... somehow...

"Really...?" Kion's ears flattened in disappointment. Disappointment in himself. What if that was an animal who REALLY needed help? What would have happened to them? I could've gotten them seriously hurt... if not worse.

"Don't feel ashamed. You're still healing. You'll be better soon," Nirmala made an effort to reassure him, but it didn't work.

"I can't think right anymore! How am I gonna get better?" Kion asked, shame burning his pelt.

"You'll get better, don't worry little lion. Just listen to Nirmala - she knows what she's doing," Jaribu reassured. "Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta get back to my herd. Bye!" And just like that, Jaribu was gone, prancing off into the distance to go join his herd.

Kion and Nirmala were left alone in silence. Nirmala sat down beside Kion. Both felt a light breeze tug at their fur. Kion sighed and let his head hang low. Nirmala gently nudged his head back up with her own in a comforting gesture, though it didn't make Kion feel any better.

"I'm gonna go help Fuli with her leg now..." Kion began awkwardly after a few minutes of silence. He quickly bent down and lapped at the stream momentarily before standing up and starting walking the few dozen pawsteps to the Tree of Life. He took one glance over his shoulder. "Bye Nirmala. Thanks for.. trying to help."

If she had said goodbye too, he hadn't heard it, as immediately after he said goodbye he broke into a sprint to get back to the Tree of Life as soon as possible. He felt the sun on his pelt and the grass under his paws as he ran. A gentle breeze blew through his fur.

"Hello?" He called out once he got to the entrance  of the Tree of Life.

"Come inside, come inside," he heard Queen Janna's gentle voice say.

He obeyed, not that he'd have it any other way. As he walked through the Tree of Life's short chamber like area, he was once again amazed be the beauty of it all, especially the glowing green mushrooms. Whenever he entered, it never ever failed to astound him.

"Hey Fuli," he greeted, managing a smile once he saw her.

"Hey Kion. Why the sad face? Did something go wrong?" Fuli asked.

I have a sad face? Ughhh... I've seriously gotta get better at hiding my emotions sometime.

"I'll tell you on the way..."

"On the way to what?"

"Helping heal your leg, what else?" Kion told her. He offered his side for Fuli to lean on, and she did.

"Hey, ain't we coming?" Bunga's voice called out, along with the rest of the Guard following him.

Kion and Fuli both stopped and looked back at the Guard. Bunga, Beshte, Ono, Anga, and Makini were standing there. "Thanks for the offer, but..." Guilt squirmed inside Kion again. I shouldn't be keeping them from coming along just because I want to be alone.

Fuli must have seen the uncomfortable look on his face, because she answered for him; "I think Kion kinda wants to be a little more.. alone."

"Awwww, but can't we come?" Bunga begged. He walked a little closer to them and got on his knees. He looked up at them and made little cub eyes. "Pleeeeaaaassseeee?"

Makini joined in, doing exactly what Bunga was doing. "Pleaaaasssseeee?"

Kion sighed. He was about to give in and say yes, but Beshte suddenly swooped in and saved the day; "Makini, Little B, if Kion wants some time to himself, we should respect that. We don't want to invade on his privacy."

"But Big B-"

Beshte just gently shook his head. "We should stay. Just let Kion and Fuli go. We all know he's more comfortable around Fuli anyway."

"Beshte!" Fuli scolded. 

Beshte looked confused for a few moments, but then it appeared that his mistake finally dawned on him. "Oh, I'm so sorry Little B-"

"Oh n-no it's fine. I kinda knew one of you would say it out loud eventually... He doesn't really spend time with me anymore anyway..." Bunga ran out of the Tree of Life, leaving the Guard in shock.

Kion's jaw dropped in disbelief. He stood there and said nothing for a while, Fuli leaning against him for physical support.

He then sighed. "Another broken heart.. because of me."

Beshte walked over to him. "It's not your fault, Kion. I'm the one who said it."

"But I'm the one who hasn't been spending much time with him. Or any of you. I'm really sorry." The lion's ears folded flat in shame.

"Hey, it's okay." Makini walked next to him and patted him on the back. "You're going through a lot right now. We understand you accidentally isolating yourself and we don't blame you."

"But I should've known better," Kion protested, looking at her. "It's like my right mind... my brain just isn't working right."

"I agree with Makini," Ono told him from his place on Beshte's back. Kion looked at him as he spoke. "It makes sense that you'd accidentally isolate yourself. All this stress has been taking a big toll on your brain and how it works. It's sort of like it's rewiring your brain to work in a way you don't want. A way based out of fear and uncertainty. Based on the trauma you've been through, it can make your brain react to situations in an irrational and irresponsible way and a way that your traumatized and rewired brain thinks can help you avoid more harm. It could even eventually lead to h-"

"Ono," Fuli hissed through clenched teeth. "Enough."

Ono looked confused for a moment but then looked down and saw that Kion's fur was bristling with what looked like fear. The lion was looking fearfully up at the egret. "Is... is all that gonna actually, definitely happen?" Uncertainty could be sensed all around Kion.

"Judging by-"

Ono was cut off by a glare and a clearing of the throat from Fuli.

"I mean... no!" The egret corrected himself quickly, giving a small shiver under Fuli's glare.

"So let's all go find Bunga and apologize-... I'll apologize," Kion said, beginning to walk out of the Tree with Fuli leaning against him. He looked at her. "Do you think you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine," she assured him with a smile.

"Okay. Remember; if your leg hurts, let us know and we'll stop."

"Will do."

So they walked out of the Tree of Life, feeling the sun on their pelts and the little cool breeze blowing against them. They walked through the fields near the Tree as they looked for Bunga.

"Nice weather today, isn't it?" Beshte remarked. 

"Yeah," Kion agreed, looking back at Beshte. During the few seconds he wasn't looking where he was going, he bumped into something. When he recovered, he saw that it wasn't a something, it was a someone. Multiple someones.

"Rani? Surak? Baliyo? What are you guys doing here?" Kion asked.

"Came to let you know that Bunga went running past us on patrol, sobbing. Was heading towards the River of Patience. Thought you might wanna know, since we overheard you looking for him," Rani told them briskly.

"Bunga? Crying?" Makini asked. "That must be bad. I've never seen him cry in my entire life. He's always so happy."

"Well c'mon, we gotta find him!" Kion told the Guard. They all nodded in agreement.

They walked through the fields and through a forest. Eventually they came upon the River of Patience. They saw Bunga sitting near the river, sighing.

"Bunga!" Kion shouted once they got close. He walked as fast as he could to him without jostling Fuli's leg. "I'm so so sorry!"

Bunga looked back at him. "Sorry?" The honey badger quickly wiped away his tears and forced a smile, obviously trying to hide that he'd been crying. "For what?"

"For not spending time with you. I'm sorry that I basically forgot about you guys ever since we've been here. I'm so sorry."

"And I'm sorry that you thought I replaced you," Fuli said, looking at Bunga with a friendliness and warmth in her eyes that was never there before when she was with him.

"And I'm sorry too for saying it that way," Beshte apologized. "I made it seem like Fuli had replaced you as Kion's best friend, when that's not what I meant at all."

Bunga looked up at them and smiled. He waved his paw. "Oh, Hakuna Matata guys. Besides, I couldn't stay mad at you, you're my best friends!

Kion sighed in relief. "Really?"

"Totally!" Bunga embraced Kion and Fuli into a hug. "And now that we're here.. we can help Fuli's leg too! See, the river?"

"Oh yeah." Kion's eyes lit up with happy realization. "We can go to a calmer area of the water and help her stand and walk in the water." Which is what they did, move to a calmer area. 

With Bunga riding on Kion's back, Kion waded into the water with Fuli leaning against him. "Easy.. easy..."

She began to stand, Kion slowly wading away from her so she could stand on her own.

"You're doing it!" Bunga chanted from his place on the lion's back. "Zuka Zama! Go Fuli!"

"Go Fuli! Go Fuli! Go Fuli!" Kion, Bunga, Beshte, Ono, Anga, and Makini chanted. Their joyful cheers brought light and hope for the trail ahead, and for once they weren't worrying about the bumps that trail might bring in the future. All they were focused on was Fuli recovering. Their friend was recovering from her injury, and they were here to cheer her on.