Back in the outlands, Zira paced back and forth. She snarled at anyone who dared approach her, and she did say she wanted to take down Simba and his pride.
While Nuka was gloating to Vitani, "I told you," he said, "Kovu was going to fail, but no one listened to me." He said, "That little termite got what he deserved; I told my mother so; I distinctly told her Kovu was going to."
"Nuka," Vitani snapped at him, causing the lion to stop in his tracks. His sister approached him, snarling, "If it wasn't for Kovu, you would be dead," she told him.
The nuka ear dropped. It was true that Kovu did save him from the logs, but he did wonder what would happen if he got crushed. Would anyone even try to dig him out, or would he have died alone?
Vitani shook her head. "This is pointless," she snarled. "Just don't get distracted and wait for Mother to call for us," she stated, and she left her brother's side.
Nuka stuck his tongue out at her when she turned her back to him. Turning his back to her, he stubbornly refused to listen to his sister. Thinking of Kovu saving his life, he had to admit that Kovu did risk it all just to save him. Kovu could have ignored him and taken out Simba, thinking of Kovu being crushed by the logs and how pride would probably be mourning the loss.
He took a walk near the border and the murky swamp water that had crocodiles in it. He looked into the water, touching his left cheek with his paw. He was imagining himself getting that scar from his own mother if Kovu were left to die like that.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Zira, which startled him. He tried to smile, but she was not having any of it.
"I'm warning you," she snarled. "Don't get in the way, and don't you ever do anything reckless or you'll get a matching scar just like your brother?" she threatened. He nodded, understanding her threat. With that, Zira growled at her lionesses to march forward. Vitani, among the lionesses, just rolled her eyes. Nuka waited until he took his place behind the lionesses. Following his mother's lead, he just kept his head down as the group walked into murky water. On the other side of the river, the lions emerged soaking wet, but mud was covering them from their muzzles to their legs. For Nuka, the mud felt super heavy due to his mane absorbing more moisture than his mother and sisters, along with the other lionesses.
As they marched, thunder rumbled in the air, echoing all over the land. Then, drops of water started to fall.
In an open space of nothing but rocks and dirt, Zira had her lionesses lined up while she took her place on top of a rock. On the other side, Simba stood firmly with his pride, and Nala was next to him.
Timon the meerkat and Pumbaa the warthog turn their backs to taunt Zira.
"It's over, Simba." Zira snarled. "I've waited for this moment for years."
"Last chance, Zira," Simba called out. "Go home."
"I am home." She replied, and a flash of lightning lit up the sky. "Attack!" She commanded.
lioness of both sides roars, and what started as a light trot turned into a full sprint as Simba's pride and Zira clashed into claws and teeth, snarling, biting, and smacking.
Part 2, Nuka reflecting on his action.