"Look at them," Nala said with a smile. "They're adorable."
Simba nodded, approving his mate. They were watching Kopa, Nuka and Vitani playing. Since Zira had vanished, they were taking care of her cubs while she was gone. Nala didn't know what was going on with Zira; she wouldn't ask, but she'd never let her babies be in trouble. She'd look after them as long as she needed to. Simba, on the other hand, believed that he could make the cubs better by spending time with them. His darkest fear was that they turn out to be just like their father. But Simba didn't want the cubs to know what he was afraid of. So he tried to act normally when they were around, but he knew that it wasn't really working.
"Don't look at Zira's cubs that way," Nala said. "They didn't choose their father."
Simba sighed. He knew that Nala was right, but he had trouble to actually accept that. Indeed, the kids hadn't chosen their father, but Scar was still their father. His blood was running in their veins, and maybe the darkness that had been consuming his heart was too. Simba didn't want to find that out when it would be too late. He needed to know, now. But, truly, he couldn't know. There was no way that he could know. They were just cubs! They were just babies! If he showed them what he thought was the right way, maybe they'd turn out to be good like his uncle once was. But it was a very long time ago. Simba couldn't remember—or maybe he didn't want to—one single moment where his uncle had been good. Yes, so many times Simba actually thought that Scar was good, but as a matter of fact, it always turned out that he had been lying or using his nephew to finally rule the Kingdom on his own.
"Simba," Nala said again. "You're doing it again."
He sighed. "I ... Every time I look at them, I see him. What if they turned out to be just like him?"
Nala shook her head. "Just show them the right way."
And Simba knew that she was right. That's what he would do. He would show them the right way. He would help them see that there were other paths to walk on than Scar's. He'd tell them about his own father, Mufasa. They would love him, right? Who wouldn't? Every single lion in the Kingdom had loved Mufasa. He had been a great King. Sometimes, Simba was afraid that he couldn't be as good, as just, as loved, as admired. But he never told anyone, although Nala just knew in her bones. She never brought it up either; she knew how much pain Mufasa's death had caused Simba and talking about that always upset him.
Simba walked to the three cubs playing. "Hey," he said.
They didn't stop playing for him though, but Kopa looked up at him. It was amazing how he looked like Simba although his mane was a little darker. But he wasn't like his father. He was more like his mother. He wouldn't have stupid and reckless ideas on his own. That would be up to his friends, but he would definitely follow.
"Hi, Dad," Kopa said.
Simba looked at them, smiling, thinking that maybe it wasn't too late to save all of them. "Do you guys want to see the whole Kingdom from up there?" he asked.
Nuka's head shot straight up. He had always dreamt big, so he was the first one to agree. "Indeed! That's possible? I thought only the rightful heir could."
Simba shook his head. "Not today. Come on."
Vitani got up on her paws, too. She didn't really care about the Kingdom like her older brother. For her, it was just a playground, the place where she would spend her whole life.
As they went through the Kingdom, and as Simba explained them stuff and told them stories, he realized that their hearts were pure. Nala was right. They were just cubs. If someone showed them the right way, that's where they would walk. Noticing that, he didn't feel as afraid of what they could turn out to be. As long as he was there, they'd be all right. Everything would.
Zira was walking in circles, waiting. She was outside of the Pride Lands. She wasn't waiting for someone, but for something. Inspiration, anything that could help her. She hated to wait. She hated that she had to wait. But every time she thought that she was losing it, she would look up to the sky, thinking of her one true love. He'd always won her over. And he still did. Wait. She needed to wait or nothing would work out the way she had planned it. Scar had been patient, he had been dreadfully patient. And everything, it worked. That's what Zira needed. But Scar had made one single mistake. He had had some of his job done by someone else. That's something Zira wouldn't do. She saw how it failed, and she couldn't fail. She had no right to, and she wouldn't get a second chance. This would be her only shot, and she couldn't miss. She wouldn't.
What she needed were allies. She needed lionesses to stand by her side. She couldn't go to war alone. And she needed to win Simba over, too. He had never really ... paid attention to her, but every time he did, she saw in his eyes how he despised her. She hoped that he didn't see how she hated him in her own eyes. But he always looked away so quickly; it was impossible for him to know. Zira needed Simba to believe that she had only been Scar's mate, that she didn't share his projects, that she wasn't like him. She needed to get close to him, close enough for him to trust her—enough to let her be alone with all the cubs. That would require time. So much time. Zira didn't know if she could wait that long, but she had to. She owed it to Scar, she thought.
Allies. Who would be ... Who could she talk to? She needed to be sure to talk to the right lion, otherwise the whole thing would blow up in her face. Think, Zira, think, she told herself. What she needed were lions that felt like they could relate to Scar. She needed to think of those who had always been second. When Scar had been King, he had had a little fan club, if that could be called like that, and Zira needed to remember which lionesses were in. She had hated that fan club so much, but it was time to put her hate behind her and to team up with them. They were the only one she could trust. They wouldn't fail her or Scar.
And her cubs. She needed to do something about that, too. Hanging out with Kopa. What an idea. Knowing Nala, Zira knew that her cubs were safe when she was gone. Maybe that was the way to have Simba and Nala trust her again. She could try and be friends with Nala again. Zira knew Nala's weak spot. She was just too nice. That was too bad for her. Nala would understand, better than anyone, the pain that Zira was going through. If she could just try to open up to her, she would let her in. Nala wasn't bitter; she forgave easily. She wouldn't be mad at Zira for wanting to be alone while graving on her mate. That was the way in for Simba's heart. He trusted Nala's judgement over anything else in the world. Winning Nala over meant winning Simba over, too.
That was easy, Zira thought. But still, she couldn't go to war alone. At first, she had thought of the hyenas, but ... they kind of hated Scar, and they only thought with their stomach which wouldn't be any help because Zira wouldn't promise them any food. The lionesses were the best option. No one would suspect anything because ... they weren't outsiders! That was genius. But Zira needed to be careful. If she got caught, everything would fall apart and she'd never get what she wanted.
Patient. She needed to be.
So she walked slowly back to the Pride Lands after only one day. It would have been her shortest "trip." She got herself together, and thought about what she'd say to Nala.
Step one was in motion.
Hello, hello! I'm so glad that so many of you actually reviewed! I hope that you have liked that one. I can't wait to hear what you thought!
MapleDaisy: Thank you for the review! Hope you liked that!
The Ablazing Arrow: Hello! Oh, wow, thank you so much! That was really sweet. I'm feeling revenge-y so ... I hope that I did an okay job with Zira, and everything. Wow, every time I read your review, I just have the biggest smile on my face. Thank you a lot!
csinumberstlk lover: Hi! Thanks for the review! Hahaha, you're funny. Indeed, she wants her kids to think like her. And I hope that you liked that chapter!
I will try to update soon. Maybe once a week. Hopefully!
