Manipulated

1

Zira crouched in the grass, her eyes fixated on a gazelle she was stalking. A low growl escaped her throat, causing the gazelle's head to rise in a panic. Zira unsheathed her claws and lunged at the gazelle, sinking her teeth into its throat. The momentum of her leap caused both her and her prey to land further than she had expected, causing them to tumble down a small ledge. While they fell, Zira clung to the gazelle tightly and kept its neck in her mouth, until the creature's head slammed onto the ground, her having landed on top of it. Zira manoeuvred her body in such a way so that the gazelle couldn't move, her paws restraining it as she strangled her prey.

All of a sudden, there was a snarl. Zira's red eyes darted to the side, her hackles raising as she prepared to fight the lioness for her kill. But, instead, she saw none other than Kion, the king's vivacious and exuberant son, standing in front of her, his teeth bared. "Zira! What are you doing in the Pridelands?" the cub demanded, earning an irritated look from the lioness as she released her grip on the now dead gazelle's throat. "What does it look like I'm doing? Hunting," she replied tersely. Kion raised an eyebrow skeptically. "Are you sure that's all you're planning to do?"
"What do you think, cub?" Zira answered. "Am I going to..." Zira held her paws up in a mocking gesture. "...Take over the Pridelands?" Kion scowled. "Well, since you are an Outsider, I wouldn't put it past you!" he said, before unsheathing his claws. "Now, take your prey and go, or..."
"Or what?" Zira interrupted, before beginning to advance upon Kion in an intimidating manner. "Tell me, cub, what are you going to do?"
Kion's hackles began to raise as Zira cornered him against a rock. His tail began to twitch. "Get away from me."

Zira laughed scornfully, causing Kion to quickly swipe his claws across her face. The lioness instinctively raised her paw to her cheek with a growl of pain as Kion turned to run. But before he could, Zira clamped her now bloodstained paw down on his tail, trapping him.
"Argh!" Kion exclaimed. Zira bared her teeth, pulling at the new scratches on her cheek. "You little brat," she growled, before placing her other paw on Kion's back, shoving him to the ground.
"G...Get off!" Kion cried, sounding more frightened than demanding. Zira grinned devilishly. "No, I don't think I will," she replied. She tightened her grip on the cub's flesh, drawing both blood and a high-pitched squeal of pain from him.
"You think just because you're the son of the king you can order others around?" she growled. "I hear Simba was like that too when he was a cub. Arrogant, stuck-up, and cocky. You got that from him."
Tears of fear began to trickle down Kion's face as he closed his eyes tightly and grimaced, his body trembling as he prepared to feel Zira's claws tear him apart.

"Kion!"

Kion's eyes fluttered open, and he saw the paws of who could only be his father. Relief flooded through him, replacing his fear. Simba propelled himself forward, pinning Zira to the ground. Kion got to his feet and scampered a few feet away. Simba let out a growl. "How dare you attack my son!" he roared, his voice sending shivers down both Kion and Zira's spines. The lioness let out a whimper as she sunk deeper into the ground.

"Mother!"

All of the lions looked at Nuka, who stood a few metres above his mother, his expression that of both fear and defensiveness.
Simba scowled at Zira. "I won't kill you," he snarled. "That is, unless I see you near my son again."

With that, Simba turned and headed towards Kion, while Zira got to her feet and grabbed hold of the gazelle's corpse, which was now surrounded by flies.
Nuka glared at Simba as the older lion looked back at Zira to make sure she was leaving, before focusing his attention back to Zira.
"Mother, are you alright?"
Zira ignored Nuka as she walked past him, dragging her prey in her jaws. Of course she wasn't all right. She was humiliated, defeated, and angry.

Simba glanced down at his son as they walked home.
"Did she hurt you?"
Kion shook his head. "No. But I think she was definitely about to."
Simba sighed deeply. "I saw she had scratches on her face. Did you do that?"
Kion averted his eyes nervously. "I'm sorry, Dad. I know you said to only defend myself if they hurt me first, but I felt threatened, because she'd cornered me and was growling."
Simba frowned. "I told you, Kion. If you see Zira or any Outsider in the Pridelands, you come home and tell me immediately. You're still a cub. Don't try to take matters into your own paws."
Kion cringed. He hated being called a cub, but, for the sake of remaining polite, he nodded.

Zira dropped the gazelle onto the ground, before turning and heading towards the den. She could hear the hasty footsteps of her cubs and the rest of the pride as she slumped down on the ground, followed by the sound of them all wolfing down the prey. At least they were eating.
Zira let out a low sigh. She just wanted to be a good mother. But how could she supply her cubs with food, like a good mother should, when all of the prey was in the Pridelands, where she wasn't allowed to enter? Frustrated at the fact, she slammed her paw onto the ground, before rolling over onto her side.

"Mother?"

Zira let out a groan of annoyance as she turned to her eldest son. "What do you want?" she snapped.
"I'm sorry for bothering you. It's just... you look sad."
Zira let out a growl, making Nuka cower slightly. "Go away."
"But, Mother, I just wanted to make sure you're okay."
Zira growled again, slightly more aggressively this time. "I told you to go away."
"I know, and I will! But I just..."
"Go!" Zira roared, sending her paw flying towards Nuka. The young adolescent lion was shoved, landing on his back.
"If you had just listened to me, that wouldn't have happened!" Zira roared, before raising her paw.
Nuka flinched, expecting Zira to strike him again, but she didn't. Instead, she slowly lowered her paw with a scowl. Nuka shuddered, got up, and ran out of the den, leaving Zira alone once again, though this time, much more frustrated.

Kion lay in the den, beside Kiara, who was asleep. Nala approached her son.
"Kion, I'm very disappointed in you," she said as she sat down. Kion looked at the ground, sadly. "I'm sorry, Mom," he replied, his voice coming out in a plaintive whimper. "I was such an idiot today."
"You weren't an idiot, just naive," said Nala, her angry gaze softening, before she wrapped her paw around Kion and pulled him closer. "You need to listen to your father and I. If something happened to you or Kiara, we don't know what we'd do."
Kion looked up at his mother, tears beginning to fall. "I'm sorry," he repeated, before burying his face into Nala's foreleg and sobbing. "Don't cry, dear," said Nala, as she placed her paw on Kion's shoulder to comfort him. "I love you, no matter whether you make a mistake or not."
Kion glanced up at his mother and blinked away the rest of his tears, before smiling. "I love you too, Mom."
Nala returned her son's smile, before lying down beside him. "Now, get some rest," she said, warmly. Kion curled up against Nala's belly, and fell asleep. Soon after, Simba entered the den, accompanied by the rest of the pride. The sun was setting, and after such a long day, it was time for everyone to sleep.