It has been a long time since I've worked on TLK3:TNG... and yes, I know I must get to work on it quite badly. ...so in my spare time, I have written a little something to keep you TLK fans occupied... I hope you'll like it. Also, please forgive me for any mistakes. Most of this is done from memory, except for the speech which was taken from the script located at . And, yes, this story is probably just a huge piece of crap, but... I still wanted to write it.

This fic was inspired by a beautiful work of art by Shema of The Lion King Fanart Archive. The link to the picture is http/fanart. .

No flames, please. I already know it's bad. If you don't like, don't review...

And one last thing before we get on with it... the Disclaimer: I do not own the Lion King. All of the characters mentioned in this story are all property of Disney, and were only ysed as part of this story.

My time had come.

I advanced with the coming battle fully on my mind as I and my lionesses waded through the muddy river. We were ready. It was time to reclaim what was rightfully ours. We are silent, aside from the occasional growl from one amongst the ranks, which I dismiss with a flick of my ear. It would all be coming to an end soon. I, Zira, would finally kill him. Simba. The very name makes my heart harden like a stone that cannot be broken. He killed my precious Scar, the only lion I was loyal to. And now, I will kill him, that pathetic excuse for a king!

As we approach a field that rests near the gorge, I lift my head a little more, pulling myself up onto a rock that juts cleanly out of the otherwise smooth ground, which was made of hard stone. This was the kind of position I was meant to have: standing above all others on a majestic throne, such as Pride Rock. But, for now, my dream can wait a little longer.

As I glare down upon the Pridelanders, I see their friends, a fat warthog and a stupid meerkat, waving their rears in the air. They tempt me. I want to sink my fangs into their flesh. What sort of pride pretends that their food is a part of them? A pride of fools! My glare hardens, then I look at Simba. His pathetic excuse for a queen --Nala --stands by his side.

"It's over, Simba!" I cry out to him, hate burning within me. "I have dreamed of nothing else for years!"

"Last chance, Zira: Go home." he told me firmly.

What did he take me for? I didn't come all this way for nothing! Someone would die tonight, and I would make certain that it was Simba! ...and besides. Didn't he see? I was born in the Pridelands. He could never separate me from them, no matter how far he forced me to go. "I am home!" I said defiantly, allowing my fangs to show clearly.

At that moment, lightning flashed and thunder roared around me, as if to urge me on. The rain began to fall.

"Attack!"

My lionesses advanced at a walk, but in no time at all, they were at a full gallop. They met the Pridelanders with teeth and claws flashing. I, standing on my rock, could see the fight clearly. Trained to kill by the best -- me -- my lionesses could not fail. They had the edge, they had to win.

"Go for the eyes! Break his jaw! Hit him low! Get them! Do what you must!" I cheered my lionesses on. I grinned a vicious grin. Blood was already being spilt.

As I laughed, I noticed that the battle was turning in my favor. Then I saw him. "Simba..." My heart hardens again, and I glare coldly before I leap fluidly from the rock I had been standing on. "You're mine!"

Two of my lionesses padded along behind me. Several lionesses were fighting against Simba, weakening him for me. As the lionesses saw me approaching, they moved. They knew I wanted to kill him. ...if they even thought of it, I would tear their throats out! And they knew it.

I was ready. I rocked my shoulders, ready to leap...

Then they came in. That brat of Simba's, and... Kovu?

I glared harder.

"Kiara?"

"Kovu!" I nearly echoed Simba. "...Move!" I commanded as I saw Kovu's eyes narrow as he looked at my defiantly. I knew he would not move...

How could he? How could he show such weakness now? The Pridelands were within our grasp, and he had to do this!

"Stand aside." Spoke Simba pathetically.

"Daddy, this has to stop!" His daughter countered.

But I didn't care. I glared at Kovu. I didn't want to believe he'd betray me like this, but clearly, he would, and he was. "You're even weaker than I thought. Get out of my way!" My icy glare backed up my words.

"You'll never hurt Kiara... or Simba. Not while I'm here."

I gasped, unable to believe it. How could he side with those... those pieces of elephant dung?

While I glared at the lion in front of me, Kovu, I listened to Kiara and Simba.

"Stay out of this!"

"A wise king once told me, 'We are one.' I didn't understand what he meant... now I do."

"But... they"

"Them... us. Look at them... they are us! What differences do you see?"

I blinked. What did she mean? We most certainly were not a part of them! I refused to believe that! ...or were we? A part of me understood as much as it did not.

I watched them stare at one another. Simba was weak. He was giving in to her?

The clouds suddenly parted, the rain stopping. I watched coldly as they nuzzled. ...they were suddenly defenseless. This was my chance!

"Vitani! Now!" I ordered my daughter.

She started to move. I expected her to be obedient, as she always was...

"No, Mother!"

Defied again? I couldn't believe it! My eyes widened in disbelief.

"Kiara's right." She walked over to Simba and his group of morons. "Enough."

Though I didn't turn to look, I sensed the other lionesses' shocked stares. My... my children! So weak. ...I'll make my mind up now. They are not mine. They cannot be. Not these traitors! "If you will not fight..." I lowered my head, snarling. "Then you will die as well!"

I tensed. The time was now. Then I glimpsed something moving from either corner of my eyes. ...my lionesses! My pride! What were they doing? All of them moved to join Simba's ranks. My heart fluttered, and all at once, I felt panic surge through me.

"Wha-wha... Where are you going! Get back here!" I ordered, noticing the glares I recieved in turn. Why did they look at me so? Why did they betray me? I'd lead them this far! The Pridelands! It could've been our's! But they turned their back on me. They turned their back on Scar.

"Let it go, Zira. It's time to put the past behind us."

I glared at Simba. I was alone now. This was his doing. He would pay. "I'll never let it go!" How could I? How could I forget Scar? I heard the sound of hollow wood meeting more hollow wood. ...a dam was forming on the river. But what did it matter? This was my last chance! I had to take it! "This is for you, Scar!"

With all my strength to back it, I leapt as Simba, my claws unsheathed, my fangs bared. I was going to kill him! Then none of these traitors, or his foolish lionesses, could do anything! They would have to follow me! They'd realize the mistake they'd made by choosing to follow Simba.

But my paws did not meet Simba. I found myself intercepted by that brat of his! Kiara! And as I met her, we rolled down the slope that lead directly back toward the river, which was rushing wildly now from the rain.

We fell, down, down, down... and it seemed like an eternity before we slowed. For once, I was very afraid for my life. But, then, I also realized that, even if I could not kill Simba, I could take something very dear from him... I kept tumbling until my claws met the side of a ledge. But I could only get my foreclaws in. The rest of my body dangled. I felt like a helpless cub as I dug my hindclawsinto the stone in an attempt to pull myself up, but I failed.

Somehow, that brat had managed to get on the small ledge directly above me.

I looked up, expecting to see her ready to send me to my death. I heard the dam break, and knew the river was suddenly fives times more dangerous than it already was. But, again on this day, I was suprised. She looked on me with a willingness to help that I'd never seen in anyone's eyes before.

"Zira, give me your paw!"

No, I had to be seeing things! Hearing things, even. Kiara was the enemy. I daringly released the ledge's side with one paw and swiped at her outstretched paw. But she pulled it up too quickly for me to reach it. Maybe my actions were a little foolish, for, to my horror, I felt my body sliding a little further. I grasped the edge of the cliff tighter, my heart pounding in my ears. I grunted, trying with all my might to stay up as I glance fearfully at the river below.

"Zira, come on... I'll help you..."

Again, I looked up at Kiara. It was there. She really wanted to help me. Maybe she was right... I glanced nervously at the river below, my hind paws scraping for traction on the rock, but always sliding again. Maybe... I could just... I was going to reach up, I want to live. But my claws slide... and this time, they don't stop.

I screamed as I began falling back-first towards the water below. The world above was shrinking quickly. ...this was the end of me.

I remember being told that one's life flashes before their eyes when they're about to die. ...well, mine did. I remembered standing on Pride Rock as a queen, then being banished, with my son, Nuka, and Vitani and Kovu... oh, I wish I had treated them better now. Especially Nuka... I see now that he was more loyal to me than either Kovu or Vitani ever were.

I saw everything, right up until the moment where I fell.

Then a stinging pain went up my spine. Something sharp hit my head... then... everything, my vision, it's going hazy...

The end has come, and I regret... the end has come, and I wish I had just... 'put the past behind me,' like Simba had said... but it's too late now. ...much too late.

The End