Cheka and his army flew away to the Outlands after hearing Kion's roar and landed hard on the ground. As they touched down, Cheka let out a loud groan, "Aaaaaaahhhhh, Oooff!" He struggled to regain his balance, rubbing his sore back.
Curious, Cheka turned to Makucha and asked, "Who's that lion with the red mane?"
Makucha responded, "It's Kion, son of Simba and King of the Tree of Life... Wait a minute! If Kion is at the Pridelands, then the Tree of Life is powerless without him!" A sudden idea sparked in Makucha's mind.
Grinning with cunning, Cheka exclaimed, "Good idea, Makucha! Everyone, gather up! Tomorrow, we'll go to the Tree of Life and launch our attack! But for now, rest up." Cheka commanded his army, settling down to sleep.
The following morning, the sun began to rise, casting its warm light upon the Pridelands. Simba winced as he got up, feeling the lingering pain from his wounds. Nala woke up from her slumber and noticed his discomfort, asking, "What's wrong?"
Simba replied, "It's just that the wound still hurts." They nuzzled each other, finding solace in their shared affection.
Kion, Kovu, Rani, and Kiara started to wake up, greeted by the golden morning. Kion turned to Rani and greeted her, "Good morning, my queen."
Rani smiled and replied, "Good morning, my lovely king." Kovu and Kiara awoke, their attention quickly drawn to their little cubs nestled in their paws. They lovingly licked their cubs, basking in the joy of parenthood.
Kovu watched his daughter with a smile and said, "Rise and shine, darlings." He then turned to Kiara and greeted her, "Good morning, Kiara."
Kiara blushed and asked playfully, "How was your sleep, Kovu?"
"Just like usual, dreaming about you," Kovu replied, causing Kiara's cheeks to flush even more. Suddenly, the cubs started crying, signaling their hunger.
Kovu, concerned, inquired, "Hey, what's the problem? Are you hungry?" He gently licked his daughter and carried her to Kiara's belly, where both cubs eagerly suckled as if they hadn't eaten in a week. Kovu remarked, "Wow, they look like they're starving."
As the family greeted the morning, Simba addressed them with a warm greeting, "Good morning, everyone."
In unison, they replied, "Good morning."
Concerned about his son and son-in-law's well-being, Simba asked, "Kion, Kovu, are you okay?"
Kion responded, "Yeah, I'm okay, just my chest feels sore."
Kovu added, "Yeah, I'm okay too, just my arms are stiff." He then turned to his father-in-law and asked, "How about you, Dad? Are you okay?"
Simba winced in pain and admitted, "My back left leg is hurt, and it's hard to get up... Arrgh." Realizing he needed assistance, he added, "I'll go get Rafiki." Nala walked outside the den and swiftly ran toward Rafiki's tree.
Meanwhile, in the Outlands, Cheka and his army were prepared to head for the Tree of Life. Cheka bellowed, "Roar We're going in 5 minutes!"
As the countdown ended, Cheka commanded his army to follow Makucha, and they set off toward the Tree of Life.
At the Tree of Life, the former Lion Guard, now known as the "Day Pride," had a new member—Azaad. They patrolled around the Tree of Life kingdom, keeping a watchful eye for any signs of trouble.
Bunga sighed, "It's been a week since Kion left the Tree of Life. It feels less exciting."
Fuli nodded in agreement and responded, "Yeah, and thanks to the kings of the past, the Tree of Life is safe without him."
The Day Pride completed their patrol and found a moment to rest under the protective shade of the Tree of Life. Fuli, visibly exhausted due to her pregnancy with Azaad's cub, lay down and expressed her fatigue, "Sigh... I'm very tired."
Azaad, always attentive, offered his support, "Do you want some water? I can bring it for you if you want."
Fuli gratefully accepted, "Yes, please! I'm thirsty too." Azaad swiftly ran along the riverbank, using his paw to scoop up water with a large leaf. While Azaad was scooping the water, he looked across the river and spotted a large group of hyenas approaching.
"Oh no!" Azaad's heart raced with concern. Realizing the urgency, he sprinted back toward the Tree to alert Fuli and the others. Gasping for breath, he exclaimed, "Fuli! Everyone! I've got bad news!"
Curious, Fuli inquired, "What is it, Azaad?"
Struggling to catch his breath, Azaad managed to explain, "Across the river, there's a large group of leopards and other predator animals heading this way!"
Alarmed, Fuli swiftly took charge, "Anga, tell the Night Pride!" She ordered Anga to wake the Night Pride and relay the urgent message.
"Okay, Anga, Lenga," Fuli commanded, as Anga took flight, soaring toward Surak and the Night Pride.
Startled by the sudden arrival of Anga, Surak groaned and asked, still half-awake, "Groan... What's going on?"
Anga landed in front of Surak and delivered the urgent news, "There's a large group of hyenas coming towards the Tree of Life!"
Surak quickly snapped into action, realizing the gravity of the situation. He commanded Nirmala, Kijani, and Arafa, "Nirmala, you, Kijani, and Arafa, go to the Tree. Baliyo, you're with me!"
Nirmala swiftly gathered the cubs by their scruffs, assuring them, "Okay, c'mon, kids." She carried the cubs, providing comfort and protection as they made their way towards the safety of the Tree.
Concerned for their father's safety, Arafa spoke up, "Mom, what's happening? Is Dad going to be alright?"
Nirmala reassured them with a gentle tone, "Your Dad will be fine. We must trust in the Night Pride's strength and the unity of the pride."
With Fuli, Nirmala, and the cubs safely seeking refuge in the Tree, both the Day Pride and the Night Pride prepared to face the hyenas head-on, united in their determination to protect the Tree of Life from harm.