Zira couldn't help but wonder, how had things gone so wrong? The plan was very simple; Kovu would 'pretend' to fall in love with Kiara and once Simba and his pride trusted the lion, he would alert the outlanders and they would strike. Instead, what had happened? He oldest son, Nuka, was dead. Her little prince had actually fallen for the prissy princess Kiara. Her children had turned against her. Her whole pride had turned against her.
Washing up on a riverbank a ways away, the fallen lioness dragged herself out of the water, coughing, and laid down. She felt… defeated. At first, her mind screamed at the very idea, but the longer she laid there, unable and unwilling to move, she realized that she was correct in her assumption; she had been defeated. She had lost.
She remembered a long time ago, when she first fell in love with an adolescent Scar… or, as he had been known, Taka. She remembered consoling him when his older brother began spending more time with their father, and when the only lion in the world who had loves him still was his mother. Her mind ran through the different events, all the times she had spent with the lion, and she realized that at some point, Taka's need for revenge over his brother had taken him over. It had corrupted him, and it had turned him evil. And, slowly… he had turned Zira evil.
When she had adopted Kovu, she had seen Scar smile for the first time in many years. He had seen himself in the little cub.
His time with Kovu was limited, though, when he and his hyena army had tried to take over Pride Rock. They had succeeded, even. But, when Simba returned with Nala, all that had changed. Scar had been killed, thrown to the hyenas by his nephew. And when the battle was finished, Simba had banished Zira and her pride to the Outlands.
Scar's last words to her had been "Complete what I couldn't. Make Kovu king." He had said nothing endearing, nothing to show that he still felt love for his mate.
If she was to be honest with herself, Zira should have been angry with Scar, not Simba or Kiara or Nala… or any of them.
Her cubs had not betrayed her. Her children had not turned against her. They had simply fought for what they believed was right. Even Vitani's conscience had gotten the best of her. Kovu… his love. And the rest of her pride seemed to follow Vitani's lead now, and, in a roundabout way, Kovu's.
She had succeeded. She had made Kovu king. It might not have been by murdering Simba and his pride, but she had still done it.
A small smile appeared on Zira's face as she thought about it. It gave her a bit of strength, a small will to move on.
Pawsteps behind her made her lift her head to see who it was. She met the hesitant blue eyes of a lion somewhere around her age, with light tan fur and a cream mane. He eyed her hesitantly for a moment, then stepped closer.
"You seem to be a bit injured," he murmured. He moved to grasp her scruff in her neck and drag her up, but she swiped at him. He simply shook his head. "You need help. I have a friend who specializes in herbs and healing."
And for some reason, Zira let him help. She didn't know why, but she knew that he wasn't going to hurt her and that was good enough.
A few months later, two twin cubs were born; a male and a female. As Zira looked out over the horizon a few days later, she could make out Pride Rock, and atop it, Kovu, Kiara, and the baboon who presented the royal family's children.
Maybe one day Zira would go back, and see how they were doing. Maybe she would apologize, possibly even beg forgiveness from her children and Simba. Maybe one day…
But, for the moment, she was happy knowing that her two oldest cubs were safe and happy.
With a small, contented sigh, she rested her head on her newfound love's back, and together with their brand-new cubs, the family watched the sun go down together.