Nala took a last look at the jungle before she turned away with a heavy heart. It had been a miracle, seeing Simba alive again, only to have that hope ripped away. She walked back to the Pridelands with her head hung low. She didn't know how she could face her pride sisters again.
Simba's words echoed in her ears.
"I can't go back, I'm not suited to rule." His eyes were cast downward, not looking at her.
Nala scoffed, "You can't do worse than Scar."
"I can't." His eyes begged her to understand. But she didn't understand.
"Simba, what aren't you telling me?"
He didn't reply. Nala growled in annoyance and turned away from him.
"Stay with me here." He asked quietly.
"That's something I can't do."
"If you go back, please. Please don't tell anyone. About me, I mean."
"What about your mother?"
"Especially not her. I'm not who she wanted It would hurt her worse I think to find out I didn't live up to her idea of me. Better that she keeps her good memories of me. "
"Fine." She glanced back at him, "So this is it?"
"Looks like it. If you change your mind, you know where to find me."
"Same goes for me, Simba." He wouldn't go with her, obviously his pride didn't mean as much to him as she thought. Obviously she didn't mean as much to him as she thought.
She tried to push him out of her mind. Last night with him had been magical, but everything had come crashing down. She had to focus on what they were going to do. Desperate times and all, the lionesses would have to take matters in their own paws. As she loped across the plains, a plan formed in her mind. The land here was scarce, but she managed to find a meal before she reached home. The dark clouds loomed over the land like a bad omen. Home, sweet home. It's easy enough to slink back through the borders, no one tries to sneak into the Pride Lands anymore. The hyenas keep the lions in, but they no longer bother to watch for lions trying to enter. After all, who wants these cursed lands?
Nala knew she had to be careful, Scar couldn't know she was back. She climbed up onto a ledge and waited for a familiar face. It was Mbali who she saw first, the lioness was surveying, probably looking for prey that wasn't there.
"Mbali." Nala called softly. Mbali could be trusted, Nala had known the older lioness her whole life.
Mbali turned, startled, but her eyes lit up in recognition when she saw Nala. "Oh my, you've returned. Have you found help?"
Frowning slightly, Nala simply replied, "I need you to gather the lionesses you know to be loyal to Mufasa. Say you're going on a hunt or something, anything to keep Scar from noticing. Bring them here. We have a lot to talk about."
"Of course, Nala." Mbali looked ready to jump for joy.
"Please, don't look so excited. You have to sell this as an ordinary hunt." Nala didn't want to tell her quite yet that help wasn't coming.
"Got it." Mbali nodded and trotted off towards Pride Rock."
Nala curled up on the ledge, trying to get comfortable. She struggled to stay awake, it had been such a long run and she hadn't been getting enough sleep. She didn't know how much time had passed when a voice woke her up.
"Nala, dear. Wake up." It was her mother's voice.
Nala blinked sleepily and saw lionesses staring back at her. Oh right, Mbali had succeeded. "Sorry." She said sheepishly.
"You have nothing to be sorry about, I'm sure these past weeks have been tiring." Sarabi said kindly.
Nala jumped down from the ledge so she was equal ground with the others. They were looking at Nala with such eager faces, it made Nala's chest hurt.
"There is no one to help us." At the lionesses gasps, Nala shushed them and they fell silent. "We have to help ourselves." She started pacing. "The way I see it, we have two options. Leave and find a new home or overthrow Scar.
Murmurs rippled through the group. "We can't just overthrow him, he's the king. There's no one to take his place."
"Mom told me about the old laws when I was a cub. Whoever overthrows the king can become king."
"It's been generations since the old laws applied. And you said you didn't find anyone who could help."
"We'll do it ourselves. All of us against Scar. We'll have to catch him when the hyenas are busy." The lionesses murmured nervously.
"Nala is right. We can't do nothing. Scar won't let us leave, and even if he did, where would we go? Our kingdom is surrounded by desert." Sarabi's head was held high.
Nala nodded appreciatively at Sarabi. "Which brings me to my next point, if we win, I say Sarabi should rule. She was a great Queen when Mufasa ruled."
Sarabi looked shocked, but the other lionesses murmured their agreement.
Nala smiled, "Let's go. I have a plan to distract the hyenas."
"Sire!" Ebele raced to Scar, panting heavily. "There's a band of males on the borders. They say they want to challenge you."
"What?! Go teach those mangy lions a lesson." Scar barked at the hyenas. He watched as the hyenas raced off then turned his attention to Ebele. "Have you girls caught anything?"
Ebele hung her head. "I'm afraid we could only catch a small hare. But the lionesses have brought it to Pride Rock. Why don't I take you to them?"
Scar scowled, "I bet they're keeping prey from me again. I'll have a talk with them. Thank you Ebele, you've been helpful." Scar climbed out of his den only to find the lionesses where waiting for him. "Where's my food?"
"Later Scar, first we need to talk about something." Sarabi said.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Your time as king has ended." Nala called down from her ledge and pounced at Scar.
They rolled over, Nala scratched and bit, trying to find purchase while Scar struggled to push her off. He was weak for a lion, but still larger than a lioness and he shoved her off of him and took in a gasping breath. That's when the other lionesses rushed at him. He snarled and tried to hold back the wave of angry lionesses. Nala took the chance to jump on his back again. He howled in pain and tried to slam her into the surrounding rocks. Sarabi stopped him by going for his face. He used Sarabi's attack against her and pinned her to the ground, his claws digging into her throat.
"Stop!" He roared, "Unless you want to see your precious queen's throat ripped out."
The lionesses froze.
"Good." He smiled. "Now did you really think you could take me down? I am the King, it's my birth right. I killed Mufasa, king of the beasts, to claim my rightful throne and I won't let some bitches mess.."
His words were interrupted by Sarabi kicking him hard with her hind legs. She righted herself and advanced on him with a new rigor.
"You killed Mufasa?! You killed my son?! You're the cause of all of my pain!" She snarled, more fang showing with each step forward she took.
Scar tried to block her attack, but Sarabi was backed by her pride sisters. They all bit and tore at him and he screamed with each new injury.
"Please, it as the hyenas! They threatened me, they made me do it!" He begged.
"Bullshit." Sarabi said coldly before delivering the final strike. She backed away from the corpse, her eyes cold and her muzzle stained with blood. She turned to the hyenas that had gotten there in time to hear Scar put the blame on them, and see Sarabi's vengeance.
She looked down on them and they shuddered in fear. "You saw what your King was. A liar and a coward. Leave and never return to the Pridelands. And if you do return, well... you saw what happens to those who cross me."
It wasn't until the last hyena had scampered off that Sarabi collapsed with a sob.