Kovu was quite unprepared for the assault. He never thought his mother would dare to attack out in the open, but he and Simba had wandered quite far into the Outlands.


Kovu found that for the first time, he was happy. Though Nala remained suspicious, he was welcomed. The lionesses were nothing like the hateful bunch his mother had made them out to be. But he had never trusted her opinion anyways.

He enjoyed Simba's company. He enjoyed their patrols through the Pridelands. He enjoyed joining the Hunts. And he also enjoyed being close to Kiara, although he had a feeling she was not terribly happy to have him around all the time. Nevertheless, he, Simba and Kiara seemed to get along splendidly as they discussed the ruling of the Pridelands, though Kiara often disagreed with her father. Nala joined them on these discussions sometimes, and would without fail take Kiara's side. Kovu discovered that he had quite the skills as an intermediary and was almost always successful at finding the middle ground. Although he had to admit Kiara often evaluated decisions in light of what was easiest for the Hunt, but she also starting to get a firm grasp on how to maintain sustainability in the Pridelands.

As they walked together, Simba spoke of Scar, and how he let his hatred bring ruination to the Pridelands. Kovu remained quiet. This was very different from Zira's version of the story, but Kovu had always sensed the blind devotion every time she spoke of his father. He hoped his countenance betrayed none of what he felt to Simba.

But the Lion King was expecting him to say something.

"It seems … Scar truly was a killer," he said finally.

"Fire is a killer," said Simba. They had walked into the part of the Outlands that was destroyed by one of the recent fires. "But sometimes what's left behind can grow better than the generation before." With his paw, he moved the dirt to find a tiny sapling.

He knows, thought Kovu. And then he heard the low growls.


There had been many fires recently. There were fires in the Pridelands, especially in areas where the lionesses liked to Hunt. And once in a while they could see the smoke rising from the Outlands. Kovu was certain that this was the work of Nuka and Vitani, just the fire that had almost killed Kiara had been. He couldn't tell Simba without betraying his parentage, so he had to find a way to tell Kiara. But he was afraid she would completely reject him and betray his secret if he did.

One day she asked him to walk with her and he was trying to make up his mind how to tell her.

"Kovu, why are you here?" she finally asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Why have you come here to join our Pride pretending to be someone you are not?"

Kovu walked silently for some time.

"I've visited many Prides. None of them wanted me. Here, I feel welcome."

"What about your mother?"

"What about her? I don't want to have much to do with her."

"Why not?"

"She's crazy, Kiara. She's full of hate and she would love to hurt Simba or Nala."

Kiara seemed to struggle with what she wanted to say.

"Just spit it out," he said, moving to face her and stopping her in her tracks.

Kiara trembled a little.

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"Kiara-"

"How do I know you won't try to overthrow me when I succeed my father?"

"Kiara I would never…" He took a step towards her; she took a step back. Kovu sighed. "Kiara there's something I need to tell you."

He took a deep breath and told her about the fires and who he suspected was behind them.

"I think they're trying to make trouble for you."

"What makes you think so?" She sounded worried.

Kovu shifted uncomfortably and sat down. "When I came back from across the desert, they were worse than when I had left them. Isolation is driving them mad. They… they were talking about trying to kill you in a fire."

Kiara was still with shock.

"Kiara, I couldn't let them hurt you, so I followed them. You did get caught in the fire and… and you know the rest."

She had still not moved. He took a step towards her. "Kiara, I won't let them hurt you." His face was very close to hers. "Kiara, I swear, I would never hurt you."

Kiara's knees buckled and she ran away. That was the last he saw her before the ambush.


"Why Simba," growled Zira, "What brings you so far out here?"

"It's none of your business," Simba snapped. "We were just leaving."

"And where do you think you are going with my son?" She sneered. "Well done Kovu. You have lured him into a trap."

"Liar!" roared Kovu, but Nuka and Vitani and Kaya had all pounced on Simba by now and Zira joined in.

"Get away from him!" Kovu yelled and tried to pry them off Simba.

They had managed to injure Simba, quite badly it seemed, but it was still hard to match his strength. He fought them off and Kovu managed to fend off Zira and Kaya. Vitani backed off, but Nuka bit hard into Simba neck.

With an angry roar, Simba pinned Nuka to the ground and snapped her neck with his paw. Then with one last look at Kovu, he ran.

"What have you done?" Zira screamed. "Traitor!" She hit him hard across the face.

Kovu's felt the blood trickle down his face.

"I want nothing to do with you," he shouted at his mother. And he ran too.

He ran to the watering hole to dip his stinging face into the soothing coldness. When he pulled his head out and looked at his reflection, he saw that had a visible scar on his left eye.


He knew it was crazy, but he still went back to Pride Rock.

Simba was badly injured and Rafiki was tending to him. The lionesses were gathered around him.

"How dare you show your face here?" Nala roared and confronted him.

She caught sight of his face and gasped.

"Scar!"

"You have to listen to me. Zira and the others are furious. I think they might attack here."

"Why should we believe a word you say? You're a liar!"

Kovu looked from one lioness to another, ones who had been so eager for his company only yesterday. But today, he saw no support on their faced.

Undeterred, he continued, "I know you would outnumber them, but they can be stealthy and they know this place. I think they might try to set fire to the place."

"Get out!" Nala's roar was terrifying. "Now!"

"No!" It was Kiara. "I think we need to hear what he has to say."

"Kiara, look at him! Look at his face!" her mother yelled at her.

Kiara looked at him but there was no hostility, only concern.

Then, Simba stirred. He looked up at Kovu.

"I wanted to give you a chance," he said in a weak voice.

"You knew," screamed Nala. "You trusted Scar's son?" she demanded.

"Mother!"

But that was the last straw for Kovu. He was marked now. He would never be able to escape the image of Scar. So he ran. Behind him, he heard mother and daughter arguing.


Kovu ran for hours until he was in the desert. He roared in frustration. He kicked at the sand. He collapsed on the sand and tried to clear his mind. He tried to lose consciousness. He dreamt. He heard Kiara's voice. She was calling his name. And then he opened his eyes and he saw her. She was running towards him.

"Kiara, what are you doing here?"

"I came to find you," she said, looking up at him.

Kovu turned his scarred eye away from her.

"Kiara, I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I know," she said softly.

"You should go back."

"I'm not going back without you."

"I'm not wanted there anymore."

"No," she shook her head. "They will come around. We need you back… I need you back."

He looked at her in surprise and then without warning she put her head under his chin. Very slowly, he felt the anger and frustration recede as he brushed his face against hers.

"Only yesterday you didn't trust me," he said in her ear. "What happened?"

"I trust you, Kovu," she said, coming closer. "I was afraid to trust you, but I have always trusted you without knowing it."

Then she drew back and looked at him. "You wouldn't have come back to warn us if you had lured him into a trap."

He sighed and closed his eyes.

She put her face on his left eye and whispered, "You are not Scar. You are Kovu. And you are coming back with me whether my mother likes it or not."

Kovu smiled as he felt the warmth spread from his eye to the rest of his body.

"We should get back before Zira tries to do anything," he said. Kiara nodded.


They got back to Pride Rock just as it all started. The brush around the Rock lit up in flames. But the lionesses weren't completely caught off guard by the perpetrators. The Outlanders ran and the Pridelanders gave chase. Kiara and Kovu followed.

"I think they're heading for the gorge," shouted Kovu.

"I know a short cut," she motioned him to follow.

Just when the Pridelanders had them cornered and was about to pounce on them, Kiara jumped in between.

"Stop!"

"Kiara," Nala panted, breathless. But she was happy to see her daughter come back.

"In my father's absence, you answer to me," the young lioness declared regally addressing everyone, even the Outlanders. "And I demand we put an end to all this." She looked pointedly at Zira, Vitani and Kaya.

"Your father banished us," spat Kaya. "We do not have to answer to you."

Zira laughed derisively. "We will never recognize you as ruler," she exclaimed. "My son Kovu is the rightful ruler of the Pridelands and if you are wise you will step down."

"I have no wish to be king," Kovu announced, stepping forward. "I recognize Kiara as my Queen."

"But you're one of them," cried one of the younger lionesses in confusion.

"No," Kiara shook her head. "There is no them...Us." Everyone stared at her blankly. "My father once told me," she went on, "that we are all one. Look at us; we're all the same. It's time to stop fighting and start afresh."

"It's too late for that!" Zira screamed.

"No," Vitani cut in. "Kiara is right. Simba banished us because we would not cooperate. I will never forgive him for it, but I can't live like this anymore. I want to come home," she said, looking at Kiara, "if you will let me."

Kiara drew a sharp breath and smiled. She nodded. Vitani and Kaya slowly walked over to the other lionesses and Nyeri, Wamba and Arura approached them tentatively, ready to make peace.

"Kiara, I am so proud of you," said Nala, coming forward to her daughter and nudged her face affectionately.

Zira had stood still the whole time, seething.

"Zira," Nala said gently. "It's time to come home."

"No," the old lioness roared. "I will never recognize your daughter as the Queen." With that, she pounced on Kiara. But Nala threw herself in the way and felt the claws dig into her skin. But she shoved off Zira with all her might and sent the lioness toppling over the edge of the cliff.

Kovu jumped at once to the edge of the cliff and reached out.

Kiara knelt next to her mother, close to tears. "I'll be alright," Nala assured her.

"Mother, hold on," Kovu called. "Give me your paw."

"You betrayed me," Zira whispered and let go and fell into the gorge.

As he cried out in anguish, some of the lionesses came forward to comfort him.

"I'm so sorry, Kovu."

He sank to the ground and felt the tears well up in his eyes. "She couldn't let go of her hate," he said. "She let it kill her."


By the time they came back to Pride Rock, the fire had burned out, though the ground lay charred all around them. They found Simba asleep under Rafiki's watchful eye.

"He will be fine," he told Nala, as he took her aside to tend to her wounds. "But I am afraid he needs to rest now. He can't be King anymore." Everyone else was stood a little way off.

Simba stirred. "What happened?" he asked hoarsely.

Despite Rafiki's protests, Nala went over to him and caressed his face with hers.

"Kiara stopped the fighting," she said, her voice heavy with emotion. "Zira's gone, but Vitani and Kaya have come home." She looked up at the frail figures of the two lionesses.

They came forward slowly and greeted Simba a little stiffly.

"I'm sorry," Simba told them. "I'm glad you've come back."

"We're sorry too," they murmured.

"Kiara," Simba called his daughter. "I could not be prouder of you."

Kiara ran forward and muzzled her parents like she used to when she was a small cub.

"It's time you climbed the Rock," her mother nudged her.

With great anticipation, Kiara slowly made the climb.

"But if she will be Queen of the Pridelands, then who will be Queen of the Serengeti?" a young lioness wondered out loud.

Kovu chuckled. "It's a good thing I excel at the Hunt," he said.

Kiara roared. They all roared back.