Zuka Zama Part II: The Scourge of Kopa | The Lion Guard

27. The Useless Son

Nuka spat and cursed to himself as he staggered back where he came from. He had Kovu right where he wanted and of course he would have one of his brand new little Pride Lander friends come to his 'rescue'. It could have all been over, just like that but the little termite gets lucky once again.

Zira paced back and forth, feeling more and more distressed seeing the Outlanders being pushed back. The Pride Lands was winning by a clear advantage. The wicked lioness looked up to see both her son and daughter looking at her with defeat clear on their faces. 

"What are you two doing here?", she asked scornfully. She knew the answer already but she wanted to hear it from them for their own mouths. 

"Mother I--- Those Pride Landers are stronger than they look. But I'm finished with them yet, i promise you!", Vitani snarled and stamped her paw in frustration. 

"And you?", Zira snarled, turning to Nuka. 

"I had that traitor Kovu right in my claws, but I was jumped some of his new friends", Nuka grimaced. 

Zira roared at those words. "You had Kovu right there and you let him escape?!"

"Mother, I--", but his explanation was cut short by Zira scoring his claws against his face. Even Vitani looked on in silent surprise. Nuka said nothing as well, feeling blood running down his face, three deep claw slashes cut into his left cheek. 

"I don't want to hear your useless excuses, you had Kovu right there and you let him escape?! You have been nothing but a failure at every turn! Back then and even now!", Zira snarled in her son's face. Nuka said nothing, only turning away in shame. Zira let out another snarl of frustration and walked away to think of something else. Everything she worked and built up was falling apart all around her. And of course she could have had that traitor who she wasted all those years training taken out for turning his back on his own but Nuka failed her once again. 

Vitani said nothing, but looked to her brother who remained silent. She was beaten and forced to retreat just like Nuka. But his punishment was so....severe. And she herself was given no such punishment. She could only look at her brother's injuries thst continued to bleed.

Zira stormed off to find Janja only to find him yelling at his hyenas who were all beat up from the badgers.

"What is all this?", Zira snarled to the hyena who jumped in surprise.

"Oh, uh Zira! What are you doing here?", Janja whimpered.

"Don't you understand, you fool?! We are out there losing the battle! And here you are licking your wounds!", Zira spat.

"Hey! You wanted these furbrains to get out there and they did! Those Pride Landers are just on another level", Janja said firmly, standing up to Zira.

Zira let out another groan of frustration and began to think about how to make any of this work to their advantage. But nothing came to her mind.  She felt that everyone around her was completely useless. Would it be up to her to ensure victory and the takeover of the Pride Lands? Without saying anything else to the hyenas it came to her that she should see Kopa. He would surely have a solution to all of this.

Nuka and Vitani stood in silence, not even looking at one another. Both of them looked up to the return of their mother.

"Come!", was all she said. Nuka and Vitani looked to one another in confusion and stood up to assist their mother.

"Not you, Nuka!", Zira yelled, freezing the lion in his tracks. "You have disappointed me for the last time." With nothing else but those words she walked away with Vitani giving a glance to her brother before leaving as well.

There Nuka stood all alone with his thoughts. He tried, he really did. But of course and as usual: trying was never good enough. It was this way since he was a cub. But then even if he did not get it right he was still loved by everyone especially his mother. But as time went on and his sister came into  the world and even after that his younger brother things became different. But how exactly? What changed? It was them. He became the eldest quickly and suddenly all these new responsibilities were thrust upon him. Now when he made a mistake he was quickly punished for it. His mother would always tell him that his mistakes would rub off on the impressionable cubs and make them do the same. Very quickly his sister was raised collectively by the Pride and overnight his brother was suddenly hailed as some kind of future king. And where did that leave him? Nowhere. With Kovu and Vitani each making good progress they soon gave up on him entirely....

Nuka dug his claws into the earth beneath him and grit his teeth. His breathing turned heavy and tears fell from his eyes. The cuts along his face still stung as badly as when his mother doled out her latest punishment. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just get it right for once? Kovu is now fighting along side the Pride Lands and Vitani is walking with her head held alongside their mother. But what about him? His siblings seemed to receive everything they ever needed in life, but all Nuka ever received was pain. All he wanted was loved, especially from his mother. To be looked at the way he was when was young once again.

Nuka continued to sob to himself, there is chance was for it all to change. To finally return to his mother and proudly tell her he did it. And have her be so proud. But it didn't happen like that. It never happened like that. It all went wrong, it always does. And it only got worse everytime. In that moment the lion wished with all his heart that he could just disappear. But of course, like always his wish was ignored.

Now he stood on the plains wondering what he should do. Or if there was anything he could do. Was there even a point anymore? Of course not. Nuka dried his tears and came to the conclusion that no matter what he would always be Nuka: the weak and useless son.