Alright, so the battle was just getting intense and then the unexpected happened.
I don't own the Lion King. I'd have made like eight more sequels and prequels if I owned it.
"Alright Scar, leave Nala in peace." Zira said as the skies opened up and began to pour rain. Then several lionesses made their way up and over the crest and came to behind Scar, their king. They regarded the others with suspicion and scorn, and they glared at Simba and Zira with hostility. Zira's brown eyes were wide with desperation as she pleaded with Scar. "Let us help her."
"Oh no, Zira, I can't let you take my queen." Scar said with the shake of his head. "You will be the ones to leave."
"I'm not leaving without Nala." Zira snarled. "You're an idiot if you think I will."
"Then Nala will die." Scar responded, enraged. Scar's mood seemed to spread to those lionesses who had just arrived, who now stood by his side, ready to fight. "You will stand down and back off. Nala will be given the necessary care by all lionesses remaining loyal to me."
"And what about the rest?" Zira asked, glancing at the lionesses who had assembled behind herself and Simba.
"They will be given their chance to leave with you and Simba." Scar answered. "And the rest will be executed."
"Yes, rid us of the traitors." One lioness nodded in agreement, earning her a face full of claws from the chocolate-pelted lioness, Kula, who was standing next to her.
"What? She's right." Another lioness said, a look of scorn upon her face as she observed those of her pride-sisters who had turned in support of the usurper.
"You've got to be kidding." Mheetu snarled.
Within moments, the lionesses were battling once more. But this time, instead of claws, they were fighting with their words. But this time, instead of fighting the hyenas, they were fighting one another. Simba was looking back and forth between the lionesses in panic.
And then Zira silenced them with a roar. "Unless all of you shut up, Nala is going to die."
"So what? Scar's the king, he can find another queen." One lioness retorted.
Zira lunged forward, her claws out. She slashed the lioness across the face. "If Nala dies, so too does every lion, hyena and king who caused it. I promise."
"Zira-" Nala's protest was cut off by another grunt of discomfort.
"Sarafina, you may stay with your daughter." Scar said decisively. "But anyone in support of Simba as king is hereby exiled." He used a flick of his tail to summon the hyenas. "Drive them out."
"Just try it." Simba and Zira snarled in unison as the mass of hyenas began to move closer.
"Simba, Zira, go." Nala said with a wince. "Mheetu as well. I need you away from here – safe. I'll be fine."
"But Nala-" Zira began to protest, but Nala cut her off.
"Fine Scar, I'll be your queen." A unified gasp came from the lionesses as well as Simba and Mheetu at Nala's words. "But only if you give them time to leave."
"Very well, my queen." Scar said with a nod. "One hour."
"Nala-" Zira began again.
"Just go." Nala answered coldly. "You're trespassing."
"Scar, you're going to give your new queen hypothermia if you don't get her out of this rain!" Sarabi replied, giving Nala a sympathetic look before turning her back and beginning to move away from Priderock.
"Come on!" Zira called to the lionesses, nudging Simba as she turned her back to Scar and his hyena clan.
Simba stared at Nala questioningly, until the blue-eyed lioness regarded him coldly, then turned her back to him and began to make her way to the cavern where the pride slept. Then, he shook himself once to rid some of the water from his mane before turning to follow Zira and his mother.
Within moments, the pride had divided itself into two groups, and the smaller of the groups began to follow Simba and Zira, who walked side-by-side as they made their way away from Priderock.
As they stood at the edge of the gorge, about to make their way down in order to cross it, the group heard groaning. Pausing for a moment, they soon spotted the source of the groaning. One edge of the gorge had built up a log damn, which was now groaning under the pressure of the water that pushed against it.
Zira stepped close enough to look down into the gorge, and suddenly the earth beneath her gave way and the lioness found herself sliding down the edge of the gorge. Her claws were fighting to get a good grip in the mud, but she was failing and sliding further down the side of the gorge.
Simba, suddenly recalling very painful memories, charged forward, reaching down over the edge of the gorge with no regard for himself. His hind paws slipping in the mud, he fought to reach the tawny-furred lioness.
It seemed forever that Simba was leaning over the edge of the gorge, reaching as far as he could. But as the rain turned the earth softer and softer, Zira seemed destined to slide to the bottom of the gorge. Her tawny paws were brown with mud.
"Just a little further!" Simba called in desperation, stretching his body as far as it would go. "Come on, I'm not going to lose you too!"
"Simba, I love you!" Zira called up to him, clearly exhausted as she attempted once more to pull herself further up the side of the gorge.
And then, the dam broke, pouring the full rage of the river into the gorge below them.
Sorry, another cliffhanger!
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