Epic Kri/Ksiv Battles of History!!!

[mordy]

In the 3rd Perek of Eicha we have the following kri/ksiv,  אריה (אֲרִי) בְּמִסְתָּרִים  While throughtout Tanach we find both Ari and Aryeh the latter is far more common. Was hoping someone (maybe even someone named Aryeh or Ari...*iChabura is clearly my preffered means of communicating with Sova and Spiegler) could shed light on the difference between an Ari and an Aryeh, if there is one at all, and what the change indicates in the pasuk in Eichah