(A/N: I started off this idea as a comedy ... and then it kind of got more real as I wrote on. However, I think Simba and Nala are both great characters so I caution you to not take this too seriously. Enjoy!)

"Nala, you find my mother and rally the lionesses, I'll look for Scar," said Simba determinedly as the duo arrived back at Pride Rock.

Nala nodded in agreement, and wandered off towards the back den where she knew the lionesses would be … their goal was always to be as far from Scar as possible.

She was hoping that they'd be awake and ready to fight, and so it was quite an encouraging sound when she began to hear voices coming out from the cave. Nala let a small smile cross her face. They were going to love this.

"We head out two hours after moonlight, Scar will be sure to be sleeping…"

That was her mother!

Nala beamed. Within a few seconds she would enter the cave and be reunited with her again … it had been so difficult walking away.

The lioness headed around the turn and into the den.

"Mom!" she called, delighted at seeing her in the center of the den.

Sarafina and the rest of the lionesses looked over at her. Within moments, all of them were smiling back.

"Nala!" exclaimed Sarafina! "You're back!"

Sarafina walked over and embraced her daughter with a hug. Nala enjoyed it for a few seconds, but then remembered what she was here for.

"Mom," she said, taking a step back and looking her in the eye. "It's happening. I found help … it's time to dethrone Scar. I know we haven't had much time to plan this out but we've all just got to pull together on this one."

A bunch of the lionesses in the cave, including Sarafina, suddenly put on rather queasy expressions.

"I know … I know … it's going to be tough," Nala confessed, "but we can do it. Come on, we have to try."

"Yeah, no, we agree Nala," Sarafina finally replied. "It's just that … um …" she said, signaling over towards two of the other lionesses.

The two each took a step back revealing, to Nala's horror, another male lion.

"…we've already found help."

Nala took a deep sigh. It was time for the kicker …

"Okay … I was going to wait until we were on our way to say this, but here it is …"

Oh boy, I hope this lion doesn't mind being put down … or else this is about to get really awkward.

"… the lion I found … is Simba."

"S—Simba…?" Sarafina stammered, as the rest of the lionesses around her gasped. "Sarabi's son?"

"YES! Simba! He's alive – he's just been out living in a jungle all these years! But he's back, he's back Mom! And he's ready to fight Scar," Nala explained, enthused.

Sarafina bit her lip, rolling her eyes over towards where the other male lion was.

"Oh … right …" said Nala, acknowledging that she understood. She walked over towards the lion. "Um … excuse me, mister …?"

"Bahati."

"Bahati … look, we're willing to keep you on and in the pride and everything but … uh … Simba, Sarabi's son … you know Sarabi?"

"Yes, she used to be the queen."

"Correct," replied Nala, biting her lip. "And … so … I hope you can see what Simba's return means … he's the rightful heir to the Prideland throne. I hope this doesn't …"

"Nala," Sarafina interrupted. "Where is Simba?" she asked.

"Looking for Scar."

"You think you could stop him before he finds him?"

"Uh … maybe? Why though?"

"Well … we've actually had Bahati here for a few days now. We've been setting up an attack sequence, strategy, everything. From what it sounds like, you and Simba haven't put much thought into your attack tonight."

"Um … well … we've got a meerkat and a warthog."

Crickets chirped.

"Nala," continued one of the other lionesses, Julia, stepping towards Sarafina's daughter, "I think what she's trying to get at is that … um … Bahati has an impressive resume. He's been king of multiple prides and turned them all around. Simba, meanwhile, has no experience being ruler whatsoever and just seems to be running in here like a headless chicken thinking he can beat Scar on his own, and then isn't going to have a clue of how to run the kingdom."

Nala stared at her friend blankly.

"Are you serious?" she asked. "Please tell me you're not being serious."

"Nala," Sarafina called back, causing her daughter to turn back around. "Nala … she's got a point."

"MOM!"

"Simba was always a bit of a rascal and, from what Sarabi told me, never really paid much attention during Mufasa's training sessions. He didn't seem to…"

"Alright, alright, enough!" Nala finally snapped. "Look, he's changed, alright? He's a different lion now. And as for this 'he doesn't know how to rule thing,' surely you don't think he can be worse than Scar?"

"Nala, look hun, we know you're upset, but…"

"U—upset?" Nala stammered, laughing a bit. "I travel for three days across a waterless desert with sand trapped in my eyes, wind up reuniting with the love of my life, get in a big fight with him trying to get him to come home, finally win him over, reunite with you guys, and now you're telling me it was all for nothing.

"Do you understand why I might be a bit upset?"

"SARABI!" bellowed Scar.

All of the lionesses' ears fell.

"What?" asked Nala, looking around at their expressions.

"That's phase one of the plan," Sarafina explained. "We knew Scar would be looking for her. She's going to try and persuade Scar to leave. We know she'll fail and Scar, usually, will end up striking her. Once that happens, we move in to phase two."

"Problem is," continued Julia, "with which lion?"

Sarafina groaned. "Let's bring Bahati out on standby," she reasoned. "But with that call, Scar just gave away his position. Simba will have found him … there's nothing we can do now."

Secretly, Nala was very pleased to hear this. She believed in Simba's abilities … they'd be able to prove the rest wrong.

"Alright gang, let's move on out," said Julia. Before she left herself, however, she took a step up towards Nala. "Just to let you know, if we get any indication that Simba is still the selfish, snobbish little rascal that he used to be … we're backing down and going with Bahati."

That shouldn't be a problem.

Nala smiled back. "Sounds good."

Five minutes later:

"…tell them who is responsible for Mufasa's death!" exclaimed Scar, drawing everyone's attention towards Simba.

Simba took a moment, but then took a step forwards.

"I am," he replied.

Nala's ears fell.

Oh crap … he's done for.

"Unless anything changes, let Scar talk him out of this," Julia whispered to the others, "then we move in with Bahati."

Meanwhile, Sarabi had walked up to her son and was standing right in front of him.

"It's not true?" she asked. "Tell me it's not true."

Nala looked down at the ground. She prayed to the gods it wasn't. Only a dramatic turn in events would change the pride's mind now …

(A/N: Would pride members really be that disloyal to Simba? Probably not ... but it was just an idea that came to me once. Hope you enjoyed! Reviews appreciated!)