Mheetu
"Mheetu, Mheetu!!"
I sleepily open one eye. "Yes, Haiba? You and the hunting party are back already??"
Haiba runs up and shake me fully awake. "Mheetu, get up! Zira and the outsiders are here in the Pride Lands. They want war with us. Simba is gathering the whole pride. We need to move out now!"
I got up with a yawn and stretch. "Where's Nala, Kion, and Kiara?"
"Nala is with Simba and the others. Kiara, we're all not so sure. Kion? He's with the Lion Guard team. He should be joining us soon. Enough talking, lets go!"
I follow Haiba outside the cave. We met up with Simba and the rest of the pride in a open field.
"Where are they?" I ask, Simba.
Simba wonder his eyes with a low growl. "We wait."
Loud roads echo across the field.
They're here...
Zira's pride close on the field of battle. Rain mats both Simba and my mane. Prey animals skitter away from between us. Buzzards circle overhead. Outsiders and Pride Landers face each other across the field. When all are assembled, Timon and Pumbaa moon the Outsiders.
"Nah nah nah nah nah nah!"
"It's over, Simba! I have dreamed of nothing else for years!" Said Zira.
"Boy... does she need a hobby." Said Timon.
"Last chance, Zira. Go home." Simba warns.
"I am home!"
Lightning flashes and thunder cracks.
"Attack!"
The two opposing lines advance toward each other, first walking, then picking up speed until we hit at a full run. Zira coaches her pride from a high rock.
"Go for the eyes! Break his jaw! Hit him low! Get them! Do what you must!"
A outsider lioness comes straight towards me running with full speed. I pounce in the air with claws and fangs. We grab each other stumbling on the wet ground.
"This is Zira's land!" She said.
I snarl and gave her a smack in the face. It left a small claw mark on the left cheek. She growls reaching low to bite my throat, but I kick her off me with my back legs.
"Arggggh!!" I hear someone yell.
I turn around for a quick second seeing Haiba struggling to fight off three lionesses. One behind her, one in front, and one on the side. All three biting, scratching, and kicking her.
"Haiba!"
I left my own battle to help rescue. One of the lionesses heard me coming and hissed. I roar and pushed her strongly over. The other two lionesses charged at me.
Two against one eh?
I grin. "Bring it on!"
The three of us fight, blood being dropped every where on the rainy, muddy ground. The third lioness joins helping her pride mates. I notice Haiba is laying lifeless on the ground. She's hurt.
Haiba...
My body boils with anger. Oh it's on for sure now!
One of the lionesses jumped on my back. I sling her off, causing her to fly and hit her head up against a rock. Now it's only two.
"Just give up already." One said.
"You've hurt my friend, now your going to pay!" I growl.
The second lioness roar at me and charged forward. I tackle her down before she could even pounce and went instantly for the throat. Now it's one lioness left. We circle each other around, staring with deadly eyes. Then there was a loud roar that interrupted us. A roar from someone that sounded like pain.
THUD!
Someone fell. The lioness and I pause our battle and turn seeing it was Simba.
"No, Simba!" I call.
He slowly stands up.
Good, he's still okay...
Zira is laughing as she views the battle turning in her favor.
"Simba..." She jumps down from the High rock. "you're mine!"
She and her two backup lionesses approach Simba. The lionesses part, making way for Zira and him to fight one-on-one. Just as they were about to land the first blows, Kiara and Kovu leap into the scene, and stand between the two enemies.
Kiara?!
"Kiara?" Simba asks.
"Kovu!" Zira growls. He stares at her, his eyes narrowing at her mention of his name. "Move."
"Stand aside."
"Daddy, this has to stop." Said Kiara.
"You're even weaker than I thought. Get out of the way!" Zira tells Kovu.
"You'll never hurt Kiara... or Simba. Not while I'm here." Kovu growls.
Zira gasp.
"Stay out of this!" Simba tells Kiara.
"A wise King once told me, We are one. I didn't understand what he meant... now I do." Kiara said.
"But... they..."
"Them... us. Look at them... they are us. What differences do you see? Aren't we all part of the Circle of Life?"
Simba pause. The battle has stopped. As Kiara and Simba look at one another, the clouds part and the rain stops. Finally, they nuzzle each other. Nala, who stands beside Simba smiles.
Such a beautiful scene...
The lioness I was fighting and I both nod at each other. She walks away joining her pride. I rush over to Haiba hoping she is still alive. She's laying in a small pool of blood. I place my paw on her side. Thank the Great Kings that she is still breathing!
"Haiba?" I call.
She's just unconscious. The sun shines brightly down on her fur.
"Come on Haiba, wake up!"
I cry a tear.
"Hmm?"
I could've sworn I heard something. Her mouth moves.
"Haiba?!"
Haiba's eyes open slowly. She looks up at me.
"M-Mheetu?"
I lay my head on her side smiling. "Oh Haiba, I thought this was the end."
She looks confused. "The end of what?"
"Our friendship! You were out for a few minutes."
"I was? What happen??" Haiba tries to stand up, "Ouch!" She lays back down.
I jump alarmed. "Are you alright?"
"No, something hurts bad." She said.
"Where? Show me."
"My left paw. I think it's broke or have been twisted. When I move, pain shots really bad. I don't know if I'll be able to walk, Mheetu."
"When you were fighting, you probably injured it. It's okay I'll find help!" I said.
"Where did those lionesses go anyway?" She ask. "If I was that close to being dead, they should of just finished me off. I wonder what stopped them?"
"Me, I fought them off."
"You?"
"Yeah. I saw you laying here lifeless and it made me angry. So I fight them all one by one."
Haiba looks down. "You saved my life..."
I smile. "That's what friends are for."
Haiba looks up meeting her eyes with mines. She smiles, "Thanks."
"No problem."
"Vitani... now!" Zira order.
Vitani must be Zira's daughter, Kovu's sister I assume.
"No, Mother! Kiara's right." She he walks over to Simba's side, turning around to face Zira. "Enough."
Zira's other lionesses look shocked.
"If you will not fight... then you will die as well."
Some of Zira's lionesses begin to move over onto Simba's side. Zira's eyes begin to panic as her whole pride leaves her.
"Wh-wha... Where are you going? Get back here!" She demands.
"Let it go, Zira. It's time to put the past behind us." Said Simba.
"I'll never let it go!"
More logs pile up in the river, forming a dam.
"This is for you, Scar!"
Zira leaps at Simba, but Kiara catches her in mid-flight and rolls over with her. The two lionesses tumble down the embankment.
"Kiara!" Simba yells.
"Kiara!" Kovu yells.
Simba jumps down the slope, trying desperately to reach Kiara, but she and Zira have already fallen too far for him to catch up. Kiara manages to catch a hold on the ledge, slowing her descent enough for her to jump onto a small ledge. Zira clings to the rocks some distance below Kiara, hanging by her front paws.
I told Haiba I'll be back and quickly follow behind my sister Nala to the edge.
"Hold on, Kiara!" Nala says.
"What ever you do, do not look down." I said.
The dam of logs breaks. The river suddenly begins to swell to many times its normal flow.
"Simba! Simba the river!" Nala warns.
The river is rapidly rushing to fill the canyon. Simba leaps from rock face to rock face, trying to reach Kiara. Below, Zira hangs precariously from the rock face. Kiara is above on the ledge.
"Zira! Give me your paw!" Kiara asks.
Zira swipes at Kiara, growling. She slips further down the rock face. She glances at the tumbling water and logs below.
"Ahh... ahhh..."
"Zira, come on... I'll help you..."
She slides further down the rock wall, scrabbling for traction on the rock, but is unable to climb up. A change comes over Zira's face. She grins slowly up at Kiara.
"No. ...Never!"
She lets go, and falls back-first into the churning water below. The water and logs carry her under, and the flow in the canyon gradually subsides.
I notice Kovu looks down where his mother fell, closes his eyes, and lets out a sigh.