~Chapter 11~
Nuka's paws thundered across the savannah, his heart racing as he and Mila and the others charged to the border. Adrenaline raced through his veins and he felt ultimate resolve and desperation to not only get his family to safety, but all the Outsiders under Zira's cruel leadership. Though just as they neared the border, Nuka's ears stood up and stopped in his tracks seeing Simba, Nala, Kiara, and Kovu standing guard at the border. Simba looked infuriated, but Kovu and Kiara just held looks of confusion.
"What are you doing here?" Simba growled.
Nuka was caught off guard by their appearance, but his resolve helped maintain his courage. He and the others bowed their heads as a way to show no challenge or aggression.
"Simba, I humbly ask," Nuka muttered, "that you let us into your lands."
"And why should I do that?"
"My mother had lost herself and has gone mad. She had been murdering lions that I care about without just cause. I fear for many lives, but especially those of my cubs."
When Simba didn't answer right away, Mila came up beside Nuka.
"Please your majesty, if you won't take us, then at least let our two cubs into the safety of the Pride Lands. With our betrayal in Zira's eyes, our lives are forfeit, but our cubs are our priority. We humbly ask you to heed our request."
Simba started pacing and made a guttural growl echoing from his throat.
"Simba, there are cubs involved. Surely we can take them in…" Nala pressed.
"Please consider…" Kovu begged, "They're my family and I know I can trust them. You put your trust in me not that long ago, but now I ask that you do so again. There are so many lives at stake."
"Daddy, please listen to him." Kiara urged.
"Silence!' Simba growled.
Everyone held their breath and Nuka feared the worst. Simba crossed over the border and circled around the Outsiders once and then faced Nuka inches away.
"Zira knows nothing of your treachery?"
"Nothing." Nuka nodded.
Simba fell silent cocking his head trying to think.
"What is your plan?" Simba asked.
"We want a revolt and my mother won't see it coming. She plans to attack tonight and she doesn't know her entire pride is against her. She'll be outnumbered and won't see it coming."
Simba raised a brow intrigued by the idea, but he was hesitant to trust, for good reason.
"If I agree to ally myself with the Outsiders, I would like a sign of good faith that you bear no ill will against anyone in my family or the Pride Lands."
Nuka looked at him confused.
"A sign of good faith?" Nuka questioned.
"Bring your cubs here and I'll be sure that Kovu is the only one to greet you, not wanting to alarm the cubs. Do this and the Outsiders will be welcomed after Zira is brought down."
Nuka glanced at Mila and she urged him to accept. They had no reason to doubt Simba and the cubs loved Kovu.
"I'll go get them." Nuka nodded.
"Very well, we'll see you later then and don't do anything to spark Zira's suspicions."
The two groups parted ways except for Kovu who kept a lookout on the border for Nuka to return with his niece and nephew. Kovu breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the cubs a little while later running toward him. This was the easy part and the hardest part was about to begin.
Later that same night, rain began falling hard across the Pride Lands, but this didn't stop the plan. Zira and the Outsiders made their way across the border crossing the gorge near the river where a large pile of logs had made a dam on the one side. Zira led the Outsiders proudly and as they crossed over the river, Simba and the Pride Landers were already waiting for them poised and ready. Giraffes, elephants, and a small family of zebras made themselves scarce for they could sense the tension rising. Zira took a few steps toward Simba and glanced at the rest of his family with disdain.
"This is it, Simba. The end for you and your family."
"Stand down, Zira!" Simba growled, "Leave, this is your only warning."
"Nuka! Vitani! Attack!" Zira ordered.
Both Nuka and Vitani charged toward Simba and the others at first, but then promptly slowed down.
"What are you doing?"
"This has gone on long enough, mother!" Vitani said.
"We no longer wish to be a part of your family." Nuka added.
Zira held a sinister expression.
"Then today, you will lose your lives as well." She sneered, "Your cubs will become orphans."
Mila was the first to join the other side after Nuka and the other Outsiders soon followed. They all crossed over joining Simba and she stood there in shock, but in even more measurable anger.
"What is the meaning of this?" she growled.
"It's hard to follow someone who has no loyalty, even to her own blood." Kovu said.
Zira roared in an outrage and charged toward Kovu with her claws raised.
"You were the chosen one. You ruined everything!" She growled.
She lunged toward Kovu, but Kiara leapt between them defending Kovu. Kiara took a swipe to the back that Zira landed and the two rolled down the hill toward the ravine of the river.
"Kiara!" Kovu cried chasing after them with Simba right behind.
The two lionesses went at it and Kiara tried her best to slow down their descent down the hill toward the ravine. The rain and mud made it quite the slippery slope. Eventually, the two slowed down landing on a small rocky stoop beside the wall of logs of the dam. Kiara rose to her feet, but was injured. Zira also had snapped to attention trying to get up as well.
"This is all your fault! You turned Kovu against me!" Zira growled.
Zira leapt onto Kiara's back trying to injure her however she could manage. Kiara tried to buck her off and managed to slam Zira against the rock wall. This got Zira off her back, but Zira didn't stop her attack and didn't seem fazed by the impact. She pounced on Kiara pinning her trying to get at Kiara's neck, but Kiara quickly got her hind legs under Zira and launched her off with all her strength. Zira went flying down, hitting the wall of the dam of logs and finally landing on the lower stoop of rock landing with a thud. Kovu and Simba were just above calling out to Kiara in a panic. Kiara looked down below and Zira was unconscious. Her ears perked up to the sound of the logs from the dam beginning to give way. It could have been from the excess rainfall or Zira's impact, but Kiara knew what she had to do in that moment. She called down to Zira trying to get her attention. As Zira's vision came into focus, Kiara was reaching out her paw to her to pull her away from the dam. Logs went flying out from the dam as Kiara pushed herself closer, straining to try and reach her.
"Let me help you!" Kiara cried.
Zira refused the help and continued to swat at her. Moments later, the dam broke loose sending hundreds of logs and water right toward Zira. It hit her with a thud sending her into the depths of the water. She didn't resurface. Kiara had to climb to safety quickly and she staggered up to the next level of the cliff where Simba and Kovu helped her up. Kiara was a bit wounded, but with time, she would be just fine. With Zira gone, the relief felt among all the lions ran deep. The Outsiders and the Pride Landers all gathered around Simba.
"Let's go home, all of us." He smiled.