Morning came to Pride Rock. Kovu got up and paced back in forth in front of the den. He was in love with Kiara. He did not want to kill Simba. He had to tell her about Zira's plot. "I have to tell her today. Where do I start? Kiara, Zira has this plot. I am a part of it but I don't want to be because I love you. What if she doesn't believe me? But I have got to try."
Kiara woke up and called to him. Kovu went to approach her. He was so nervous, but he had to start.
"Kiara, I've got to talk to you, " he started.
Then a loud regal voice interrupted him. "Kiara, I do not want you talking to him! I will talk to him!"
Simba proud and majestic stood before them and smiled at them both. Kovu's nervousness increased. How could he get away from Simba and talk to Kiara?
"Come on Kovu!" Simba said. "This will not take long. I want to tell you about Scar. I will have you back in time to have breakfast with the family.!" Kiara stared at both of them with a smile on her face. She watched the two lions that she loved most in the world leave the den together.
Kovu walked with Simba down the steps of Pride Rock. Everyone was happy but him. Simba was going to accept him into the Pride but what would happen next. He had to tell someone about Zira's plot. He thought he had seen at Outsider lioness staring at him last night when Simba coaxed him into entering the den. Even now the Zira might be massing her army of lionesses to invade the Pridelands .
What would Simba do or say to him when he found out the truth? Would he believe him? But he had to try because time was running out. If they wandered too far from Pride Rock, Zira would ambush them and kill Simba. As painful as it was, Kovu had to tell Simba about Zira's plot. To keep silent would sign Simba's death warrant.
Simba began the story about how Mufasa was chosen King over Scar. The two started walking away from Pride Rock. Kovu stopped walking and faced Simba. It was now or never.
"Simba, "Kovu began. "We should not wander too far way from Pride Rock. It is not safe for you to be all alone. Can we just stay here?"
" All right, Kovu," Simba answered. "We will stay here if you wish. But why are you so concerned for my safety? Is there something going on with the Outsiders? Is my daughter in danger?" As Simba uttered these words, his voice began to take an angry edge.
Kovu stared straight into Simba's angry brown eyes. He had no choice but to tell the truth.
"First of all, Simba I love Kiara. But Zira has this plot and I am part of it. But I don't want to be part of it because I love Kiara. The plan was for me to get close to Kiara so I could get you alone and kill you. After that Zira was going to seize the Pridelands and make me King. She wants to kill you to avenge Scar's death. All of our lives she raised my brother and sister and me to do this. She raised us with hate and revenge. But I don't want to do this, Simba. At first, I went along with it and then I fell in love with Kiara. I just want to be a part of this pride because I love Kiara. I am warning you about this now because I want to prevent your death. Last night I might have seen one of the Outsider lionesses wandering around here, but I was not sure. So even now Zira and the Outsider lionesses might be on their way to kill you because I failed to do so last night. I do not want to kill you, Simba."
Kovu looked at Simba after he finished. Simba's eyes glittered with fury over every word that spilled from Kovu's mouth. Simba drew himself up and gave a thundering roar. He growled at Kovu. "Why should I believe you? YOU TRIED TO USE MY DAUGHTER TO GET TO ME! Everything you have ever told me up until now has been a lie! So why don't you kill me now?" Simba began to circle around Kovu with a menacing look in his eyes. "What are you waiting for? Maybe I should rip you apart for using my daughter!"
Kovu stood his ground and roared back at Simba. "I am not going to kill you, Simba. I love Kiara and your death would hurt her. I do not want to hurt her. Kill me if you wish. I am not going to defend myself. I am sick of all this violence. I just want to live my life in peace with Kiara. I LOVE HER."
Kovu waited for Simba to strike a death blow.
Simba looked at the courageous young lion standing before him. A ray of the sun broke through the clouds and shined on both of them. Simba stopped circling Kovu and his face assumed a more sober expression. "You asked me before to pass judgment and I pass it now!" the King declared. "Because you told me about this plot and refused to engage in violence when I provoked you, I believe that the love you have for my daughter is real. I grant your request to become a member of my pride. You are a brave young lion for telling me the truth. And that makes you worthy to be my daughter's consort and prince of the Pride-lands." Then Simba smiled, closed the distance between himself and Kovu and used one of his forelegs to wrap the young lion in a warm hug.
The two of them walked back to Pride Rock. Simba then continued the story about Scar. Simba told Kovu that Scar could not let go of his hatred like Kovu had and in the end it had killed Scar. Kovu said to Simba , "No one has ever told me the story of Scar that way before. He truly was a killer."
By the time Kovu had stated this one fact, the two lions were back at the foot of Pride Rock. "Simba, what are we going to do about Zira? Even though you have made me prince, she is still a threat." Kovu pointed out.
"We will send someone to offer the Outsiders a place in our Pride if they swear allegiance to us and promise to do any duties that the royal family assigns to them.." Simba replied. "If they take an oath of allegiance everyone including Zira will be allowed to join. If they do not come over to our side then they will continue to stay in the Outlands, but they must promise never to make war on these lands or come into them on pain of death. If anyone in the Outsiders does not agree to these terms, then they will be exiled to the desert kingdoms."
"I will go and tell the Outsiders of your peace proposal," Kovu said. "let's get it done now."
"That is a good idea, Kovu. We will go and tell Kiara and Nala about this. But let's have some breakfast first."
After munching on hippo, Simba and Kovu told about Zira's plot and his plan to make it fail. Kiara was really upset that her father was allowing Kovu to go to the Outlands alone. "Daddy, what ifZira and her lionesses maim or kill Kovu for betraying them? It is dangerous for him to the Outlands without an escort?"
"Then we will escort Kovu to the Pride lands but we will do it secretly, "Simba replied. "Besides I will also take my Secret Weapon."
Kiara and Nala insisted on playing a part in the battle and Simba g ave in to their demands.
Kovu went to the Outlands. After, he crossed the river with the crocodiles, he heard some rustling in the bushes. He stood still and was surrounded by Zira and her army of skinny lionesses. Nuka and Vitani stood on either side of Zira.
"Why are you back here, Kovu? You did not complete your mission." Zira yelled. "That tyrant Simba is still alive. Vitani saw you going into his den with him last night."
Kovu drew himself up and stared at his psychotic mother.
Kovu made this announcement."Simba is a wise king. He does not deserve to be killed. I told Simba about your plot, mother. And you know what he did? He made a most generous offer. He will allow all of you back into the Pride-lands as full members of his pride if you make an oath of allegiance to him as the King and you accept whatever tasks the royal family gives you, and you do not make war against him. If you will not do this, then you stay in the Outlands and never return and if you do you will be put to death."
"You traitor! You betrayed your pride and Scar!" Zira yelled back. She took her paw and swiped at Kovu's face. Then she knocked him down to the ground and pinned him there. She stood over him ready to slash his throat with her claws.
The army of Zira heard a thunderous roar. Simba leapt at Zira and knocked her down and stood protectively over Kovu growling. Kovu got up and stood beside him. Then the other pridelander lionessess came and stood around their King and Prince. Pumbaa, the warthog also stood beside them and Timon the meerkat sat on top of the warthog's head.
Zira got up and moved back. Simba stood and faced the Outsiders. "I repeat my offer to you all. If you promise to swear an oath of allegiance to me as your king, do not make war against me and do whatever tasks the royal family assigns you, you will be allowed to become full members of my pride and the Pridelands will be your new home. I have made Kovu as my Prince and heir to the throne along with my daughter, Kiara. Kovu is a member of my Pride. I make this offer to you all. It is time for us to live in peace."
Kovu stepped forward "Mother, you have what you want. I will be a ruler of the Pridelands in the future. It is time to live in peace and put the past behind us. We should become one pride now mother. We are all lions. What differences do you see? Please let your hatred go."
"I will never let my hatred go you sniveling coward. Vitani, Nuka you are my only hope. Attack Simba and Kovu and kill them both.!" Zira commanded.
Vitani looked at her mother and at Simba and Kovu. "No, mother" she said. " Enough. Kovu is right. Simba is not the tyrant. You are. Simba offers us a better life in his kingdom after you wanted to kill him. All you have taught us is how to fight and kill. And if we did not obey you, you abused now , Simba protected your own son from you trying to kill him. I am going to pledge my allegiance to Simba and serve him as my king. That is if you will allow me to, Simba."
Simba smiled to Vitani and nodded. Vitani bowed to Simba then moved over to stand next her brother, Kovu. "Nuka, please join us," Vitani coaxed. "I am sorry, Mother but Simba is right. He offers us a better life., Nuka replied. "Simba, I pledge my allegiance to you." Nuka walked over and stood next to Vitani."
"If you both will not fight, then both of you will die as well. Attack!" Zira told her army of lionesses. The lionesses looked at each other. Then they looked at the dictator who was willing to kill her own children. This lioness was a monster and they were better off with out her. The lionesses moved over and stood around the Pridelanders.
"Where are you going, you traitors?" Zira yelled.
"Let it go, Zira!" Simba said. "It is time to put the past behind us."
"I will never let it go! This is for you , Scar!" Zira rushed forward to attack Simba, but two lionesses leapt into the air and brought Zira down with a flying tackle. Kiara pinned Zira down to the ground and Vitani grabbed her right paw in her mouth to prevent Zira from slashing Kiara.
Simba looked down at the monster that was pinned to the ground by his daughter and his cousin. "Zira, " he said. "I exile you from both the Outlands and the Pridelands. You will be taken to the desert kingdoms by my Secret Weapon! Beulah and Brutus, come here please!" Two large menacing African Buffalo stepped out from behind the Pridelander lionesses and appeared before the King. "Take the lioness, Zira to the Desert Kingdoms! If she resists you, kill her!" Vitani and Kiara backed away as the two buffalo came close to Zira. Beulah grabbed Zira in her mouth and threw her in the air. She landed on Brutus's back as the large bull stepped forward to catch her. Then the two buffalo left with the monstrous lioness.
Kovu hugged Kiara and Vitani. "Kiara, you were brave!" Pumbaa said. Simba hugged Nuka and nuzzled his daughter. "Let's go home," Simba said. "All of us" he added when the Outsider lionessess appeared before him. Everyone walked back to the Pridelands.
Kovu asked his prospective father-in-law. "How did you get those buffalo to work for you? " "I promised the two of them, I would not hunt them after they trespassed here. They in turn promised they would help the cheetahs guard the Pridelands and act as my secret weapon."Simba replied.
The lionesses and Nuka formed a circle around the King, Queen, Prince and Princess. Vitani sat to the right of Kiara. Nuka sat to the left of Kovu. Rafiki shook his stick over Kiara and Kovu as the two nuzzled each other. Simba and Nala walked between the circle of lionesses as they bowed. Kiara and Kovu followed them. Kovu nudged Nuka and Vitani and they followed behind Kovu and Kiara.
Simba, Nala, Kovu, and Kiara walked for to the end of pride rock. Nuka and Vitani stood behind the four lions. Simba roared first, then Kovu roared, and finally Nuka roared. After that Nala, Kiara, and Vitani roared. Then the whole royal family roared together. The lionesses answered them back with roars of their own. The elephants, zebra, and monkeys cheered. Mufasa's voice thundered from the sky "Well done, son. We are one." Peace had been restored to the Pridelands.