AN: This here is my short version of an epilogue to Simba's Pride. Enjoy!
She'd failed. There was nothing more to say. These were the thoughts that filled her mind as she became possessed by the waves of the river that held her in their dead-cold embrace. She wanted them to erase her shame. She wanted to disappear.
She felt pain, but only for a while, and she didn't pay it much attention. The water was so soothing, despite the wild speed of the current… She didn't bother to fight it even though she couldn't catch her breath. It was no use. She knew she wouldn't survive. After all, she was the one whom other considered the villain- and villains just had to die. It was their destiny. So it had been with her beloved Scar, and so it would be with her.
Only after a while did she feel her back finally touching solid ground. Everything around silenced and she could no longer hear the raging river. All that surrounded her now was darkness, and even though she had her eyes closed shut, she didn't want to open them. This kind of an afterlife was acceptable. Finally, a moment of rest…
But the silence also did not last for long. To her discomfort, soon she felt somebody's presence, and what was even worse, she could also hear that someone as he called her name.
Zira…
She could not recognize who it was, the sound was too distant. And so, she responded just like she would answer a prematurely awaken cub that tried to get his sleeping mother's attention.
No… Go away… Leave me alone!
But the voice just kept on calling. She felt as if it's owner started to approach her…
Zira! Zira!
Now she knew. It was him. Finally, it was him! Now she just had to open her eyes. And what she saw… was exactly what she'd been waiting for. Those emerald eyes… Oh, how she'd missed them!
Scar! – she uttered with pure delight, maybe even… moved? Touched? With Zira, it was hard to tell.
He gazed at her passionlessly, just as he had when he was alive. To other, he would often show false and deceitful emotion, but never to her. This is what she valued in him. He was sincere. He showed her his true self. This was why she could also show him hers.
Welcome to the other shore – he explained shortly.
He had to say nothing more, she was fully satisfied- at last, free and reunited with her only true love. Raising from the ground, she looked at him from head to toe, noticing with joy that he hadn't changed a bit. He was still the same tall, dark and handsome king Scar- even death could not change that. Zira couldn't abstain anymore. She threw herself at him and embraced him, letting out a deep, painful sigh that indicated both her relief and her humiliation.
-Scar, my dearest… can you ever forgive me? I'm so happy to see you, but still… I'm afraid that I have failed you…
And what did he do? Did he reject her or scold her or in any ways accuse her of her faults, just like she feared he would? No. Scar just let go of his mate, looked her straight in the eyes, and smiled with satisfaction.
-Oh no, Zira. On the contrary. You did just what you should have done!
Surprising her, laughing aloud, Scar went away for a few paces. This gave Zira the chance to look around. The place she was now in looked much like a dried up, dead desert, kind of like the Outlands, only without all the termites.
-So this is where I get to spend my afterlife? Not exactly my vision of paradise… Well, but at least I have you to be here with me!
-We're not in paradise – he responded, sitting down beside something that looked like a small puddle. Then he encouraged her to come closer.
-What is this? – she asked, approaching.
The surface of the water seemed clear and still, and inside it she could see both her and her mate's reflections.
-This is where we can observe the consequences of our acts – Scar responded to her, touching the puddle with a claw, making it wave. – I want to show you that your death was actually for the good of what you've been fighting for. And what we've been fighting for.
Interested and excited by Scar's mysterious joy, Zira gazed into the water carefully. To her surprise, she saw the image of Pride Rock, her former home she never actually managed to regain. Atop of the sun-bathed stone formation there stood four lions- Simba, the king she hated, his mate Nala, Kiara, their daughter, and also… Kovu, Zira's son.
-Traitor… - she growled with her fangs clenched, but surprisingly it only made Scar laugh to see her anger.
-Look harder, Zira – he suggested.
Actually, taking another look, the female saw some more lions at Pride Rock. And not only Pridelanders. Also her pride, along with her daughter Vitani, standing alongside as if they were all members of one family. Just as it were during Scar's reign.
-Hm, so Simba decided to let them live in the Pridelands after all… - she muttered.
-Yes, but not only that. Observe!
Suddenly, the surrounding lionesses lowered their heads with respect. It was the time for the royal family to roar, expressing to everyone that they were the rulers of this land. But, to Zira's shock, not only Simba and Nala ascended the summit. Kiara and Kovu followed them, stood beside and joined their voices to the royal pair's roar.
-No… this can't be… - said the lioness, amazed. Turning her eyes at Scar, she saw him grinning happily. – You don't mean to tell me that after all that effort, after everything that happened… Simba let Kovu become his successor to the throne?
Even though Zira wondered how her mate did that, it was obvious to her that he knew these things. And that he greatly enjoyed them, as well.
-You see, my dear? All in all, we got what we wanted. Kovu, my heir, will become the king. And even though now he's married to that blond-furred little weakling… I kind of enjoy such a conclusion. Don't you?
But Zira was far from sharing Scar's enthusiasm.
-Oh, shut up! – she screamed, turning away from him. – How do you suppose I can feel satisfied if that old idiot is still breathing? And what if he changes his mind?
Scar, quite concerned, approached his mate from the side, trying to console her.
-Do cheer up, Zira! As you said yourself, my nephew is old. It won't be long now before he walks the same path we already had and joins his ancestors. And he won't change his mind about Kovu, you'll see! Your son's new mate, Kiara, just won't let her father do that. I believe she's smarter than him…
But this female would not let go of her anger so easily. Scar knew that, and that was why he decided to use the other thing he had in stock that could change her mood.
-Come on now, my dear – he said, cuddling up the back of her head. – There is someone else waiting here for you. Don't you want to see your oldest son again?
Zira gasped, turning her head to face him.
-Nuka? You mean he's… also here?
Scar waved his head.
-You did tell me to watch over him, didn't you?
The lion observing as sorrow replaced his mate's wrath. It almost seemed like Zira was feeling remorseful.
-Take me to him – she demanded. – I believe I have some… apologies to make.
She wanted to say something, but she didn't have a chance. When Zira and Nuka saw each other and fell into a true, loving embrace, tears took away all of their ability to speak, showing just how sorry each of them felt. Now there really was nothing more to say.
THE END