Lyrics

The words kept playing in Simba's head like an echo in a cave: I killed Mufasa...I killed Mufasa. When he looked up at the triumphant grin on Scar's face, he now knew that it was the truth. He wasn't guilty after all. He hadn't caused Mufasa's death. It was Scar who had done it. He had a chance to save his own brother from the fall, but instead, he let him fall...that, or shoved him down. Either way, it was Scar who killed Mufasa; all of this was on him. Despair was now replaced by a fiery rage, and he now felt hatred for the unclе whom he had once been friendly with. As Scar croonеd, "Goodnight, sweet prince!" and prepared to shove him down to the fire, Simba acted just in time. He roared loudly and surged upward to grab his uncle by the mane with his teeth, catching Scar off guard. The older lion awkwardly pulled backwards and ended up pulling Simba back up, which resulted in Simba lunging and pinning Scar to the rock, causing gasps of surprise to come from the lionesses. Hyenas swarmed over to protect their leader from the younger lion, waiting with the lionesses to see what would happen next. Suddenly, there was a tremendous terrible baying of jackals and a shrill crowing from the black cockerel. "Murderer!" Simba roared, his paws pinning Scar down. "He was my father, your flesh and blood! How could you?!" Scar gasped and struggled under Simba's weight. "There, you see?! First he kills Mufasa, and now he wants to kill me!" "MURDERER!" Simba screamed a second time. "TELL THEM THE TRUTH!" "Don't believe his lies!" Scar roared in anger. Then Sarabi stepped forward. Her disappointment in Scar for nearly flinging her son off of Pride Rock was now replaced by anger. "Scar, you told us that you didn't get to the gorge in time," she growled. Scar gulped. "Yes. That's true." "Then how did you see the fear in Mufasa's eyes?" Sarabi pressed on with a snarl. Something hadn't felt right to Sarabi; there was no way that Scar had seen the fear in Mufasa's eyes when he said that he hadn't gotten to the gorge in time. And when she overheard Scar saying 'saw the fear in his eyes', it had made her even more suspicious. "You heard her, Scar. Tell them the truth," Simba snarled. "Or should I do it?" "Truth?" Scar simpered with a sickening smarmy smile. "But truth is in the eye of the beho - " But he was cut off as Simba slammed a paw down hard on his throat, making him choke. "A-all right...all right! I did it. I admit it." "So they can hear you," spat Simba. With deep hatred burning in his eyes, Scar roared, "I KILLED MUFASA!" Simba got off of him, while the skinnier lion tried to slip away. But all that met him were the faces of angry lionesses. He was caught. Everything Scar had told them and Simba was a lie. He was the reason why Simba ran away from home, why the Pride Lands were in ruins, and why Mufasa was dead. "You traitor," Sarabi said in red anger, pure anger and sorrow on her face. "I guessed there was something behind Mufasa's death, but I never thought you were the actual one behind it. You were never fit to be king, let alone deserving of the title of king. Mufasa was always twice the king you were, and you murdered him for it." Scar backed away, watching as the lionesses and other animals started moving toward him. He and Simba glared at each other, Simba's body pulsing with rage and triumph. Near the Pridelands without fire, loud laughter and bursts of singing came from the Marriott hotel. And suddenly, at the sound of the mingled voices, the lionesses were stricken with curiosity. What could be happening in there, now that for the first time animals and human beings were meeting on terms of equality? With one accord they began to creep as quietly as possible into the savannah. At the gate, they paused, half frightened to go on but one of the lionesses led the way in. They tiptoed up to the hotel, and such lionesses as were tall enough like giraffes and cheetahs peered in at the hotel window. There, round the long table, sat half a dozen girls and half a dozen of the more eminent jackals, marabous, polar bears, and vultures, Serena herself occupying the seat of honor at the head of the table. The polar bears appeared completely at ease in their chairs. The company had been enjoying eating waffles, syrup, pancakes, and steak but had broken off for the moment, evidently in order to drink a toast. Iris had stood up, with her Sprite in her hand. "In a moment I would ask you girls, polar bears, marabous, jackals, and vultures to drink a toast." She announced. But before doing so, there were a few words that she felt it incumbent upon her to say. "There had been a time-not that we, or any of the present company, had shared such sentiments-but there had been a time when the respected proprietors of George's Wild Animal Kingdom had been regarded, I would not say with hostility, but perhaps with a certain measure of misgiving, by our penguins. Unfortunate incidents had occurred, and mistaken ideas had been current. It had been felt that the existence of a zoo owned and operated by construction builders was somehow abnormal and was liable to have an unsettling effect on the neighborhood. Too many polar bears had assumed, without due inquiry, that in such a zoo a spirit of license and indiscipline would prevail. They had been nervous about the effects upon our own animals including cheetahs, leopards, ostriches, and sea lions, and even upon their human employees. But all such doubts were now dispelled. Today I and my friends already met Simba visited George's Wild Animal Kingdom and inspected every inch of it with our own eyes, and what did we find? Not only the most up-to-date methods but a discipline and an orderliness which should be an example to all of you in our hotel." Iris, Serena, Valerie, and Kyururu, got many ideas in which order to drink a toast, during which the polar bear's various chins turned white, but she managed to get it out: "If you have your lower animals to contend with," she said, "we have our lower classes!" This bon mot set the table in a roar of laughter; and Iris once again congratulated the girls, polar bears, marabous, vultures, the black cockerel, and jackals on the low rations, the long working hours, and the general absence of pampering which she had observed on George's Wild Animal Kingdom. "And now," Iris said finally, "I would like you to rise to your feet and make certain that your glasses were full. Guys!" concluded Iris, "Guys, I give you a toast: To the prosperity of George's Wild Animal Kingdom!" But then, a sickening smile came across Scar's face. Scar heard Iris's speech from the hotel. Looking behind him, he turned to his hyena army and roared, "KILL THEM ALL!" That was when it all erupted into chaos. There was enthusiastic cheering and stamping of feet coming from the girls, polar bears, jackals, marabous, the black cockerel, and vultures in the entire hotel. Serena was so gratified that she left her place and came round the table to clink her Sprite against Iris's before emptying it. When the cheering had died down, Serena, who had remained on her feet, intimated that she too had a few words to say. Meanwhile, Scar's hyena army surged forward, charging at Simba while Scar slipped away. With a roar, Simba swiped his claws at a few hyenas coming his way, catching a few on their muzzles. Two had gotten around him and crunched down on his hind legs, making him roar in pain, and the rest of the hyenas charged and knocked Simba down. The lionesses - now boldened and enraged by the truth - lunged into battle, biting and scratching as much hyenas as they could to make them release Simba. In moments, all of Pride Rock was alive with the roars and cackles of battling lions and hyenas. Simba dove into the battle, slashing at hyenas left and right to reach Nala and Sarabi, who were back-to-back and holding their own; they were going to pay the hyenas back for making their lives as hellish as possible. The smoke from the fire filled the air and burned their lungs, threatening to further weaken the lionesses, but they had gotten their spirit and resolve back. A small swarm of hyenas managed to dogpile Simba, trying to tear at his ears and throat. Simba was roaring in pure fury when a familiar stick swung down and swatted a hyena away. When Simba looked up, he saw teenage Tamino standing on a ledge, screeching a battle cry and jumping down to join the battle. She stared down the hyenas before kicking and chopping any that got close to her, even backhanding one. "They shall not pass," Tamino told Simba with a manic grin. "Now go help your pride, my king." With a nod, Simba raced off to find more hyenas to fight. As he ran, he spotted Nala biting into the spine of one hyena when another came rushing at her. She realized that she was staring into the eyes of Shenzi, the leader of the entire hyena clan. Said the hyena ran over and sank her fangs into Nala's shoulder, while Nala roared and kicked at Shenzi's belly, using her claws to strike back. Once the hyena let go, Nala sat down, protecting the base of her spine in case the hyenas decided to paralyze her. "Well, lookie here! Looks like you've come a long way, girlie!" Shenzi snickered, stalking around Nala. "This is a meal I've been waitin' years for." "You can try all you'd like," Nala snarled back. "I've waited for this moment too. And I'm not a cub anymore!" Thus, both the lioness and hyena rushed at each other. Simba realized that Nala was indeed a superior fighter and let her fight, knowing that she was very capable of defending herself. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, Serena made a speech. "I had only one criticism," she said, to make of Iris's excellent and neighborly speech. Iris had referred throughout to George's Wild Animal Kingdom. "I could not of course know-for I, myself, was only now for the first time announcing that the name George's Wild Animal Kingdom had been abolished. Henceforward the animal theme park, aviary, aquarium, and zoo was to be known as Serena's Wild Animal Kingdom -which, I believe, was the zoo's correct and new name." "Guys," concluded Serena, "I will give you the same toast as before George's Wild Animal Kingdom, but in a newer form. Fill your glasses to the brim. Guys, here is my toast: To the prosperity of my name of the zoo, Serena's Wild Animal Kingdom!" There was the loudest roar of cheering like Iris's speech from the polar bears, the black cockerel. marabous, vultures, jackals, and the girls, and the Sprite were emptied to the dregs. But as the lionesses outside gazed at the scene, it seemed to them that some strange thing was happening. What was it that had altered the faces of the polar bears? One of the lioness's sharp keen eyes flitted from one face to another. Some of them had one chin, some had two, some had three, some had four, some had five, some had six, some had seven, some have eight and some have nine. But what was it that seemed to be melting and changing? It was an uproar of voices and they were coming from the hotel! The sea lions in their dolphin pool looked at the hotel. Yes, a violent quarrel was in progress. There were shoutings, bangings on the table, sharp suspicious glances, and furious denials. The source of the trouble appeared to be that Serena, Iris, Kyururu, Dawn, Valerie, and the polar bears had each fought against the Sprite and other food as well. Twelve or more voices were shouting in anger, and they were all alike. No question, now, what had happened to the faces of the polar bears. The sea lions in the dolphin pool looked from follower to minister and from minister to follower, and from follower to minister again. The sea lions heard a loud squawk coming from the sky. It was Zazu and the guineafowl! "For king and country!" Zazu squawked in the air near the outside of the hotel, swooping down on hyenas led by Shenzi's minions. He pecked furiously at Azizi's head, making him yelp and whine as he tried snapping at the hornbill. Next to him, the Guinea fowl divebombed any hyenas they could, staying close to the rocks so that they wouldn't get eaten. But Kamari managed to finally swat Zazu down until he hit the ground pretty hard, earning him a cackle from Azizi. The Guinea fowl squawked in alarm and fluttered down to assist the hornbill. In doing that, however, they ended up being surrounded by the hyenas too. "Gentlemen, please!" Zazu squawked, backing into a corner with the guinea fowl. "Can't we just talk this out like civilized animals?" Soon after Serena's speech, the loudest ovation of clapping having come to an end as a reply to Zazu, the girls, polar bears, jackals, marabous, and vultures went outside of the hotel and started the blending-in game that had been interrupted, and the lionesses continued the fighting. Just before Kamari could get his jaws on Zazu, Bunga barreled into him, knocking him away from Zazu. In spite of being outnumbered and smaller than them, the honey badger kept snapping and biting at any hyenas that came closer. He even slashed at a hyena's head with his claws before grabbing it and dropping down to the ground in a sitting position, leaving the hyena reeling. He wasn't alone. Bhati, Daabi, and the antelope came running forward, scratching and biting and butting anywhere they could. Even the elephant shrew and the galago jumped on their backs, biting their ears and stomping on their heads. "We'll hold 'em off, old timer!" Bunga called to Zazu. "You get to safety! What I'm gonna say is stupid, but this battle is un-Bunga-lievable!" "What about you, honey badger?" Zazu asked. "Will you be all right? There are more hyenas than you!" Bunga gave him a grin. "Well, I don't care," he chuckled. "I don't give a darn. We'll handle it from here." So Zazu and the fowl flapped away, and the jungle animals continued their battle. This was not relaxing at all to them, but they had felt a fire in their hearts when they fought for the first time ever. And once Kamari and Azizi had gotten enough pecked enough, they ran off to find their leader and fight beside her. Another battle took place not far away from them. Timon was trying to keep out of biting range of pursuing hyenas, led by Banzai and Ed. He tried throwing rocks at them, kicking dirt in their eyes, and even tried insulting them with corny jokes. The hyenas managed to chase him into a cave until he was backing up against a wildebeest ribcage. "I'm begging ya," Timon gasped dramatically, dropping to his knees, "please don't eat me!" "Problem?" a voice spoke from the cave entrance, and everyone turned. It was Pumbaa. "Hey, who's the pig?" Banzai chuckled. Suddenly, Pumbaa glared intensely at the hyenas, unnerving them. "Are you talkin' to me?" "Uh-oh, you called him a pig," Timon muttered to the hyenas. "Are you talkin' to me?" "Shouldn't have done that." "ARE YOU TALKIN' TO ME?!" "Now you're in for it." "THEY CALL ME..." Iris interrupted Pumbaa and screamed like her toast before joining the girls, polar bears, marabous, jackals, and vultures together in one gigantic voice, "THE NEW OVERCOMERS!" Then they charged with an ear-splitting "YAAAAAAAAAAHH!" What happened next was mayhem. Pumbaa was tossing around hyenas with his tusks, grunting and stabbing angrily. Timon was not far behind, jumping up and grabbing one of Banzai's ears with his teeth, and he bit down until the hyena thrashed and tore away from him. Together, the two friends chased the hyenas out of the cave and towards where the battle took place. "Sheesh! Slow down, will ya, fatso?" Banzai snapped, panting. Again, Pumbaa seemed to bristle. "Did he call me fat?" he asked Timon. Timon nodded, adding a very annoyed "Oi vey!" as he face-palmed. "Yeah, I heard him, Timon! He called me fat, which is a big mistake!" Pumbaa snorted, pawing the ground. "Let me tell you right now, hyenas, that only my friends can call me fat! And only they can call me a pig! I might run from hyenas, but I'll always fight a bully!" With a yell, he charged at the remaining hyenas, tossing Banzai and Ed aside with his tusks and making the other hyenas retreat. Once those hyenas were backed into a corner, the ground opened up with a crack, and the hyenas went sliding down a tunnel created by the crumbling dirt. "Thanks, Ma," Timon called down the tunnel. "Thanks, Uncle Max." His mother and uncle climbed out, Ma giving him a rather bone-crushing hug. "I'm just glad we got to see you again, Timmy," she replied with a smile. "I love you so much!" Timon smiled weakly. "Love ya too, Ma...not breathing..." Ma released her son, and Uncle Max clapped a paw on Timon's back, a proud look on his face. "Well, Tee-moan," he declared as he and Timon exchanged smiles, "that stupid idea of yours wasn't stupid after all. It really worked! I'm proud of you!" Pumbaa walked over and let Timon climb onto his back. As he did, Timon declared, "You know, I love the smell of Pumbaa in the morning. Smells like victory. Got that out of your system, buddy?" "Yep," said Pumbaa. "I feel a lot better." "Good," replied Timon. "This is never gonna get old. Now let's go kick some bad-pested hyenas!" With a double yell, they charged toward the crowd of hyenas, bowling and knocking more out of the way. On that day, they decided that Bowling For Hyenas was a much better game than Catching the Vultures. The girls, polar bears, jackals, marabous, and vultures led by Iris with her penguin and the black cockerel began forming a giant Pteranodon flying around Pride Rock. When the lionesses saw the giant Pteranodon, Nala had left to fight alongside Simba, leaving Sarabi briefly alone. Fortunately, Sarafina had noticed this and ran to help her friend in fighting some more hyenas. They slashed and bit some more, but just when Sarafina was about to finish one off, Zira suddenly lunged out of the crowd and grabbed a hold of Sarafina's pelt with her claws. Sarabi was not surprised at all that Zira sided with Scar during this fight. Even when her old friends were in danger, Zira still chose to be disloyal and side with a tyrant like Scar. With a roar, she spun around on the younger lioness, slamming her to the ground. The older lionesses stood side-by-side while Zira spun around on the ground until she got to her paws. "Traitors!" Zira screeched when the Pteranodon screeched and soared above them, her eyes mad and her claws sliding out followed by the terrible baying sound of dogs and the screeching of vultures when Zira's anger with the baying and screeching growing louder and louder. "You've ruined everything! You've betrayed Scar!" "Scar was the one who betrayed us all," Sarabi snapped. "He was the one who ruined the Pride Lands. He murdered Mufasa and drove Simba into exile!" Zira scoffed and curled her lip. "I knew that he killed Mufasa; Scar told me so on the day that he did it," she sneered. "Mufasa was weak compared to Scar, and Simba was too much of a coward to actually stay. Scar was the one who united the lions and hyenas like no king has ever done before. How dare you try to dismantle his legacy?" Sarafina waited for her to rush, her paws planted firmly on the rock. "If you mean by forcing the lionesses to go hungry while the hyenas steal our food, then yes, he did unite them. He forced them together when a thing like that should never be done." "And he blamed my mate's death on my son, my innocent son!" Sarabi added ferociously. "How dare you justify everything Scar has done!" With a ferocious snarl, Zira lunged at the older lioness. Sarabi reared up and caught her, the two lionesses now biting and clawing. Zira swatted towards Sarabi's eyes in an attempt to blind her, but Sarafina was already on the scene. She crunched down on Zira's tail, making Zira roar in pain, before Sarafina launched herself on top of her back, raking at her flanks with her front claws. As Zira staggered back, ready for more blood, a mew made all three lionesses stop fighting. Nuka, who was only a few months old, looked up at them with scared amber eyes. He looked almost like a younger Scar except with a more innocent look. Sarabi's heart gave out to her nephew, who had to put up with lions like Scar and Zira as parents. "Come, Nuka! We're leaving!" Zira snapped at her son. "We're obviously not wanted here anymore." "But Mama, I don't wanna go..." Nuka pleaded, his eyes wide as Zira towered over him. "They were nice to me, and..." But Zira scratched his ear, making Nuka yelp. "They're trying to overthrow Scar! But you would like to see your father fall, wouldn't you?!" she snarled, and Nuka began to sniffle. "Now quit your crying and let's go!" As Sarabi watched this, she felt a motherly fury wash over her. Poor Nuka didn't deserve all this; he was just a cub. It was Zira and Scar who had deprived her of raising her own cub, and now it seemed like their cub was doomed to a life of misery with them. So she stalked forward and gently rested a paw on her nephew's shoulder. "He's not going with you," she retorted. "Nuka's staying with us, where you can't harm him anymore." "You have no right!" roared Zira, and she was frothing at the mouth. "You can't take my cub from me!" "No," Nuka mewled. "I wanna stay with them. Don't make me leave." Zira looked absolutely furious and was ready to pounce on them, to kill them. But her paws already ached from fighting against more experiences to lionesses, and she had no time for arguing. Plus, she reckoned, Nuka would not survive a few months with the Pride Lands lions anyway. Not that she cared about him surviving; she could have other cubs with Scar or another lion, healthier cubs that she would be more proud of. "Fine. Keep that little termite, you old hags," she finally snarled. "He's no son of mine anyways. And if Scar burns, then may all of you burn with him!" With one more spiteful glare at Nuka and the others, she limped away to the Outlands. Nuka huddled closer to Sarabi and Sarafina, sniffling, and the lionesses gave each other a firm nod. They would do their best to raise the young sickly cub as part of the pride. So Sarafina picked up Nuka to carry him away from the battle, while Sarabi charged back to help her son fight. Simba sliced his claws against a hyena's face before leaping away, panting heavily. Before him, the battle had started to turn in favor of his side. The hyenas may have had the numbers, but the spirit of the lionesses and the jungle animals were what kept them from falling to the hyenas' jaws. As Simba saw the hyenas start retreating, he joined the lionesses in chasing them away from Pride Rock, past the flames and fleeing across the Pride Lands. But Simba had no time to celebrate now, running back towards Pride Rock. He had to find Scar, fast, and finish him off for good. The smoke from the fire was settling in fast over Pride Rock, making visibility hard. If he couldn't find Scar, then the traitorous lion would get away with all his schemes and sins. Then, when the lightning flashed against the face of the rock, he finally spotted Scar. The older lion was trying to slink away towards the incline that led to the top of Pride Rock, hoping to flee. With a furious roar, Simba sprung forth. Scar noticed him and took off running, climbing higher and higher up Pride Rock. This almost took Simba back to his cubhood days, when Mufasa had taken Simba up to the top of Pride Rock to show him the kingdom. Now there was another event that was going to take place, which anyone with keen eyes could observe from far away. Finally, after minutes of running and leaping and climbing, Simba had caught up with Scar. The older lion was at the edge of the top of Pride Rock, where he and Mufasa used to watch the sun rise. Simba leaped through the flames and landed on the other side, where no one would interfere. "Murderer..." Simba growled, stalking closer and closer to Scar. "It's over, Scar." "Simba, please...let me explain..." Scar pleaded. "Have mercy on me." Simba ignored the pleading. "Mercy? After what you did? You don't deserve to live." Scar backed up a little bit more. "But Simba...I...am...family!" he chuckled nervously. "I-It's the hyenas who are the real enemy! It's those revolting scavengers' fault, it was their idea! I was planning on killing them all anyway." Unknowingly to them, Shenzi and her main minions (Banzai, Ed, Kamari, and Azizi) followed Simba and Scar up Pride Rock, to defend their ruler from Simba. But when they heard Scar blaming them for all his problems and heard him call them 'revolting scavengers', they backed away, snarling in anger. Scar had promised to not show bigotry towards any hyenas during his reign as king, but he was just as bad as plenty of lions. "That double-crosser! He's a little rat!" Banzai snapped. "I can't believe we trusted him!" "I kept saying we shouldn't have trusted him, didn't I?" Kamari snarled, while Azizi and Ed snarled and bared their teeth as well. "He's gonna pay for going back on our deal." "Oh, we're gonna make him pay," growled Shenzi. "Follow me, boys. Let's let him deal with Simba alone." So they left the fighting to the two lions. They would be back to pick up whatever scraps were left of either lion. Whichever one lost, it was no skin off their nose if they tore that lion apart. In the meantime, Simba was backing Scar up against the edge of Pride Rock. Several images flashed in his mind: him and Nala going to the elephant graveyard, him and Scar going to the gorge, the stampede. Those were not by accident. Scar had deliberately set those scenarios up to kill him and Mufasa, and even put Nala in danger. "Why should I believe you?" he asked furiously, meeting Scar's frightened eyes with his glare. All the respect he had for his uncle was completely gone. "Everything you ever told me was a lie. You tried setting me and Nala up to be killed. You made me believe that I was the one who killed my father when it was you. You've lied to me, to the pride, and even to the hyenas. You've destroyed everything my father tried to uphold, a king better than a son of hell that you are." "He's a dead king!" Scar snapped back, some of his old defiant fire returning. "He was just an arrogant, pompous, and overrated fool! He was admired by all of his loyal subjects while I rotted in his shadow! But I showed him! I could have anything he had that I couldn't have: loyal subjects, a devoted queen - " With a roar, Simba ran over and knocked Scar to the ground. There was true terror in his uncle's green eyes, as if he was Mufasa coming back to life to judge him. "You think that because you killed my father, you're better than him?" Simba snarled, his claws itching to swipe at Scar. "All the time since you revealed your crimes, I've wondered what kind of lion would do such a thing. There's nothing inside you, Scar, nothing at all. You're pathetic, you're sad, you're weak...and above all, you're nothing but a coward." "What are you going to do?" pleaded Scar as his nephew towered over him. "You wouldn't kill your own uncle!" Simba stared coldly down at Scar. His uncle really had to play that card, even after he had murdered Mufasa to get what he wanted. He really did feel like tearing the older lion's throat out, to see his life bleed out on the rock. He even wanted to walk over to Scar and push him over the edge of Pride Rock, to see him die from the fall, just as he had done to Mufasa years ago. All in all, he just wanted Scar gone. But something held him back: mercy. Simba knew that downright killing Scar would not bring his father back, nor would it grant him any peace. He would be no better than his uncle if he decided to kill him especially if he were to push him just as his uncle had done to Mufasa. Just seeing Scar pay for his crimes once and for all would bring him peace. "No, Scar," he finally declared, stepping away from Scar. "I'm not like you. As much as I hate you, I can't do it. I won't kill you. So I'll let you live." "Oh Simba, thank you," Scar exclaimed, sounding relieved as he stood up. "You are truly noble. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Now how can I prove myself to you? Tell me anything. Tell me what you want me to do." Simba paused, recalling when Scar had told him to run away from the Pride Lands, to never return. Then, with no hesitation, he growled the same words that Scar told him years ago: "Run. Run away, Scar, and never return." Scar stood there, shocked and unblinking. For a moment, the two lions stood face-to-face, neither moving. The embers from the raging fire twirled around them like burning bits of leaves, and the battle between the lionesses and the hyenas fell deaf to their ears. "Yes...of course," Scar finally said, slinking around Simba. But then, out of Simba's angry eyesight, he noticed a pile of burning ashes and started walking slowly toward them. "As you wish...your MAJESTY!" Blinded, however, Simba yelled out in pain and recoiled trying to clear his eyes. As Nala watched Simba, her eyes widened in shock. "SIMBA!" she cried out, "LOOK OUT!" Simba regained his bearings as he saw Scar lunge towards him, teeth bared and claws unsheathed. Fortunately, Nala pushed him away and began to grapple with him. Despite being smaller and older than Nala, Scar managed to gain the advantage and pinned her down, preparing to bite her neck until Simba pushed him off. "Get away from my future wife!" he declared, which made Nala's heart flutter as she smiled lovingly to him, with Simba returning the smile. Unfortunately, Scar chose that moment to knock him down as he attempted to choke his nephew whilst he smiled maliciously. Nala instantly got back up and swiped her claws at Scar's face, glaring at the tyrant. "Don't you dare hurt my future husband!" she roared out. Shaking his head, Scar roared at the two lions with Simba and Nala roaring back as they began biting and clawing at each other to decide the fate of the Pride Lands. Scar pawed them off and they began to circle around each other, waiting for their opponent to make the next move. "YOU CAN'T WIN SCAR!" Simba and Nala both yelled. "THIS IS MY KINGDOM!" Scar screamed defiantly at them, "MY DESTINY!" Scar lunged back with a roar while Simba and Nala did the same as the three lions continued to fight two-on-one. Using teamwork, Simba and Nala were able to lay down some hits on Scar as he attempted to do the same to no avail. Growling, Scar threw some dust up to blind them and knocked them on the ground before he leapt towards them, intent on finishing them off for good. Scar ended up falling a long way with a roar, tumbling down the side of Pride Rock until he landed with a thud heavy thud. Simba ran over to the edge to see what had happened to his uncle. There, at the bottom of the rock near his old den, was Scar, gravely injured but still alive. The dethroned lion was staggering as he struggled to get up, limping all the way, just as the hyenas came to greet him. He noticed how they were approaching him, as if he were prey instead of a friend. "Ah, my friends. So glad to see you!" he greeted them with a grin, limping to them. He was half-blinded now, the scratch from Simba having damaged most of his eye. "It will take some time, but together, we can rebuild our army and retake Pride Rock." But the hyenas didn't smile or even return the greetings. Shenzi scoffed, "Friends? Oh. Friends! I thought he said we were the enemy!" "Yeah, that's what I heard," Kamari replied, and Scar's smile instantly turned to horror. "We heard you call us 'revolting scavengers'." "Yeah! And that you wanted to kill us!" growled Azizi. Next to him, the usually goofy Ed bared his teeth angrily at their former employer. "No," Scar lied, trying to keep his army under control. He needed to lie to them some more, to regain their support so that they would help him. "Let me explain. I was trying to fool him, to get his guard down! We can rule together!" But Shenzi stood in his way, blocking off his chance of escape. "Scar, you ain't nothin' but a filthy liar and a hypocrite," she snarled. "You said you would treat us right, yet you called us scavengers to save your greasy little hide. That's why you fought Simba alone. At least lions and hyenas hate each other naturally, yet you used us not being in the Pride Lands to make us support you. In fact," she added, a sneer in her tone, "you ain't no lion. You're nothin' but a snake." Scar was backing away from her now, no longer able to escape. His lies had all been used up. He had no more tricks up his sleeve, and the hyenas had seen his true colors at last. "There's only one true thing you ever said, Scar," Shenzi went on, a sadistic grin on her muzzle as she stood before Scar with the fire around them. "A hyena's belly is never full." "Yeah, that's what I heard," Banzai repeated what Kamari had said. He, Kamari, Azizi, and Shenzi turned their heads to Ed one more time asking, "ED!?!?" Ed, usually the stupid one, actually had a cruel smirk on his face. Then he let out a low and frightening giggle, and the hyenas started to creep toward the lion they once called ally. It was Ed's call that ultimately rallied the hyenas into a feeding frenzy. Scar kept backing away, trying more to justify himself, but it was too late. All of the hyenas launched their attack at once, biting and ripping at Scar with sheer brutality. Scar swatted his claws at several hyenas, briefly earning him reprieve as he killed one, but he ended up getting pushed back. Then, as if one creature, the hyenas rushed in, knocking Scar down and tearing at his flesh with their fangs. In a few moments, Scar was dead - done in by his own army - and the hyenas were now filling their bellies. Simba had watched them all with wide eyes. He knew hyenas weren't the smartest animals from Africa but in North America, and they certainly knew how to hold a grudge. Once they had started to kill Scar, Simba turned away to go back to the lionesses, his late uncle's screams rattling his ears. In the end, Scar ended up paying for his wrongdoing, with a lesson he would never forget. Watching Scar's death was Strom, a griffon vulture. Strom had no choice but to follow his sidekick Zira and her cub Kovu to the Outlands. At last, as Simba climbed his way down Pride Rock, the rains had finally come to the Pride Lands. The heavy downpour put out the fire ravaging Pride Rock, leaving behind blackened logs and shriveled bushes. When Simba made it down, he couldn't help but open his mouth to catch the raindrops on his tongue. It tasted of salvation, of faith and hope, of a blessing finally replacing a curse. Scar's terrible reign had finally come to an end. Simba smiled at those who had come by after the battle. Zazu was perched on a rock as he passed, bowing low and murmuring, "Your Majesty." He was approached and nodded to by several lionesses, even getting to meet his new cousin: Scar's son Nuka, who stared up in awe at the lion that defeated his evil father. After gently nuzzling the timid little cub, he counted how many had survived the battle, and how many were in the hotel. He was excited to hear the announcement of one of the Guinea fowl and one of the three antelope - returning to the hotel after the fight - but he would make sure that they were honored. The girls, polar bears, jackals, marabous, vultures, and the black cockerel led by Iris and her pet penguin returned to the pride. Nala and Sarabi approached Simba with looks of pride and joy on their muzzles. Simba padded over to his mother, sharing a nuzzle with her, before looking at Nala. He really couldn't have done this without her. There was a lot to say to her that he wanted to say, to thank her for helping him, to say that he loved her. Instead, he padded to her and nuzzled her, which she happily returned. Sarabi watched them with joy, happy indeed to see her son has returned at long last. Then Timon and Pumbaa approached him, along with their jungle friends and Timon's Ma and Uncle Max. They were a little nervous to be standing beside a huge group of carnivores, but when the lionesses smiled warmly at them, they saw that there was nothing to fear. When Timon and Pumbaa stood before their younger friend, they bowed, as did everyone else. In return, Simba gave Timon and Pumbaa a hug instead. I couldn't have done it without you guys as well, he thought. Timon and Pumbaa backed up to let him by, the former sharing smiles with his mother and uncle. A rattling sound dragged their attention to Tamino. The red-crowned peacock was sitting on a nearby rock, pointing with her staff and falconry to the edge of Pride Rock's balcony. Simba knew what that meant. With a nod to his family and friends, he left their side to approach Tamino, who bowed low to him. While he himself did not bow back, Simba hugged her as well, initially surprising the red-crowned peacock before he returned the affection. Tamino joyfully said, "Now do your best in there!" Thus, Simba began his ascent up toward the edge of Pride Rock. Below him were the others gazing up in awe: Nala, Sarabi, Zazu, Timon, Pumbaa, Bunga, and all the rest. It felt like he was being born again by rain, his spirit becoming renewed, the more he climbed up and up. Was this how Mufasa felt when he became king of Pride Rock? When he reached the edge of Pride Rock, he looked back up to the rainy sky. Some of the storm clouds had moved away, revealing stars twinkling on the night sky. Simba felt the cooling wind swirl past him as Mufasa's voice resounded in his ears: "Remember..." I will always remember, Dad. Always, Simba thought. He would never forget all who had helped him get here. He would never forget the wisdom his father and others had taught him over the years. And he would spend the rest of his life upholding the traditions his father and many others had carried out. Then, lifting his head, Simba let out a roar, a roar that echoed across the land and reached the heavens above. The lionesses answered his roar with their own roars, all the roars louder than the rain. All the animals and girls that couldn't roar watched on with looks of awe or pride. Simba smiled as he gazed out over the kingdom that he was to rule before roaring again. It was indeed time. He was now king of the Pride Lands at last. Months passed, and slowly but very surely, the Pride Lands were finally restored to their former glory. Where there had been dry dirt and empty watering holes, there was now plenty of greenery and water; the rains had come and gone, revitalizing the land. There were no remnants of Scar's tyrannical rule left, and everyone couldn't have been happier. The word George's Wild Animal Kingdom has been turned into Serena's Wild Animal Kingdom on the entrance sign. Indeed, the herds and other animals had heard of King Simba's triumphant victory over Scar and had returned home, celebrating and rejoicing in having come back. The black cockerel appeared as a trumpeter when Simba was the rightful king. The fourteen dolphins have returned to their pool and joined the sea lions for the first time in Serena's Wild Animal Kingdom. The grizzly bears, wolves, secretary birds, otters, deer, foxes, badgers, frogs, macaws, parrots, leopards, and every worldwide animal had remained untouched in the exhibits. At Pride Rock, a special event was taking place. King Simba himself looked down with joy at the animals in his kingdom, watching them gather one by one. Antelope and zebras joined as one herd, elephants trumpeted, giraffes stood tall, and monkeys hooted and hollered from the larger animals. He even saw some of his jungle friends from the hotel, having moved from the jungle to the Pride Lands and residing behind the lionesses of their own. Timon's colony - led by his mother and uncle - was also invited to stay in the Pride Lands as they wished, where they never had to worry about hyenas again. Speaking of hyenas, Simba had come to realize that not all hyenas were like Shenzi's clan, and any hyena willing to respect the Circle of Life was more than welcome to visit the Pride Lands. He headed back into the cave and saw Queen Nala sitting near the entrance, laying down and smiling. Nestled in the nook of her forelegs were two cubs - a female and a male, born a week ago and hours apart - with Timon, Pumbaa, and Bunga standing guard. The girls and jungle animals watch the animals in excitement. Simba smiled down at his mate and cubs, whom they had named Kiara and Kion. He had been excited to be a father, especially when he thought of them playing with Nuka. Nuka looked like Scar, but Simba knew to judge him by his character, and that character was completely opposite of Scar's. While his father was traitorous and bitter, Nuka was friendly and eager to be with others, shown when he happily met Kiara and Kion on the day of their birth. The unmistakable tap of Tamino's staff on the cave wall turned their heads. Tamino herself hobbled into the cave, gazing down at the two cubs with joy; it was the day that she was to present both Kiara and Kion to the kingdom and the world. She plucked a fruit off of the end of her staff, broke it into two, and gently smeared the juice onto each of the cubs' foreheads. "Hey, Tamino," Simba rumbled, sharing a hug with the teenage red-crowned peacock. "I'm glad you came." "Of course, I came. It is time," replied Tamino, chuckling. "Are you ready, my friend?" Simba nodded. "I'm always ready. Ready until the day I survive." Tamino bowed low before turning her attention to the two cubs cuddling with Nala. She gently picked Kiara up, heading to the entrance of the cave. Sarabi padded over and gently picked Kion up, bringing her grandson to where Nuka was practicing pouncing on a beetle; they would stay inside after presenting Kiara to the kingdom to also introduce Kion. Bunga walked over and placed himself at the cave entrance, as if ready to fight off any intruder that would invade his new home. As for Tamino, Simba and Nala followed her as she stood at the edge of Pride Rock, waiting for them. Timon and Pumbaa followed them out, watching the birds flying around the king and queen in celebration, as Timon cheered and posed. When they got to the edge of Pride Rock (after greeting Zazu, who had arrived and bowed low to them), Simba and Nala shared a loving nuzzle before letting Tamino come between them, carrying Kiara in her arms and lifting her up into the air. The animals below them cheered, bellowed, roared, and trumpeted in greetings, welcoming the new and rather confused cub into the world. The girls, polar bears, marabous, jackals, vultures, the galago, the antelope, Iris's pet penguin, the aardvark, the guineafowl, the bongo, and the bat-eared fox watched the new beginning of Kiara's presentation. Simba watched with fatherly pride welling up in his heart as his daughter received this welcome. Kiara was sure to be a great queen one day, and he would help her follow in the same pawprints that Mufasa had set out for him. As for Kion, he could become the head of the Lion Guard, to help protect the Pride Lands and the animals within. No matter what path his cubs would take, he would be there for them. He would also be there for Nala, Sarabi, Timon, Pumbaa, Nuka, and all the others he would love and protect for all time. And he promised, with all his heart, to respect and remember the lessons he had learned on the way. Simba - the Lion King - had finally found his place in the Circle of Life.