Kiara wanders off while they argue. She crosses a river on a log, and tumbles off-- directly into Kovu, bowling him over. He snarls at her confrontationally, and continues growling.} 

KOVU:Who are you, Pridelander? {Kiara does not answer, but keeps jumping from side to side, staying facing Kovu at all times. Kovu keeps growling menacingly, but eventually his curiosity gets the better of him.}

 KOVU:What are you doing? 

KIARA:My father says to never turn your back on an Outsider! 

KOVU:You always do what Daddy says? 

KIARA:No!

 KOVU:Bet you do. Bet you're Daddy's little girl! Ha ha! {he moves away, hopping on logs across the river}An Outsider doesn't need anybody. I take care of myself! 

KIARA:{awed, following him across}Really? Cool! {Kovu looks back at Kiara, and notices a huge crocodile rising up behind her with its mouth gaping} 

KOVU:Wuhh... waaaahh! 

KIARA:{turns and sees the crocodile}Aaaaahhh! Run! {The crocodile's teeth crunch just behind them}This way! {They narrowly escape, leaping from rock to rock across the river and out of the reach of the crocodiles' jaws as more and more rise up out of the water. They rest on two unmoving "stones" further down, and begin to pant and giggle.}

 KOVU:That was a close one. 

KIARA:Yeah... {The stones they are sitting on rise up and reveal themselves as more crocodile heads.} 

KOVU and KIARA:Whooaaahhh... {Kiara runs up a tree limb, getting out of reach; however, Kovu runs past her, leaping from crocodile to crocodile down the river.}

 KIARA:Hey.. what about me?

 KOVU:You gotta take care of yourself!
I'll distract them. Run! {Kovu slips off the last crocodile into the water; as he comes up, gasping for air, the crocodiles loom over him.} 

KIARA:{swiping at crocodiles from her branch} Look out! {Kovu is paralyzed by fright; the gaping mouth in front of him is suddenly clamped shut by Kiara leaping on top of it.} 

KIARA:Move it! {The two cubs scramble up a branch and up onto the bank, out of reach of danger. From the top, they pant and rest for a few moments, then move back to look over the edge. The crocodiles are massing below, furious at being cheated of their meal.} 

KIARA:I did it... I did it! {she "thhppbbts" the crocodiles below} 

KOVU:Hah! {The cubs move back from the edge and recount their adventure.}

 KIARA:Whoah, man-- did you see the size of those teeth? They were goin' "Rrrarrarrarr" .... {rolls over on her back and laughs} He was just totally eatin' you up right there, and I jumped on his head-- and I bopped him so good-- {The camera moves back so that we can see from next to Zira, crouching in the grass some distance away.} 

KIARA:We make such a good team! And you... you were really brave! 

KOVU:Yeah... you were pretty brave too. My name's Kovu. 

KIARA:I'm Kiara. {She crouches down playfully, waving her tail; she reaches out and bats him}

 KIARA:Tag! You're it! {She jumps back, laughing; instead of chasing, Kovu just looks at her silently. She tries again.} 

KIARA:Tag! You're it! You're it! {Still no response; he just stares at her.} 

KIARA:Hello? You run, I tag... get it? What's the matter? Don't you know how to play? {Getting an idea, she crouches down and goes back to playing his style, with bared teeth and growls. He gets the idea and mock-growls back, but suddenly he finds himself growling at Simba's leg. Simba roars, and Zira jumps out of the grass and roars back.} 

SIMBA:Zira. 

ZIRA:Simba! {Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa arrive behind Simba, with other lionesses.}

 ZIRA:Nala. 

NALA:Zira. 

TIMON:Timon, Pumbaa. Great. Now that we all know each other.. GET OUTTA OUR PRIDE LANDS! 

ZIRA:Your Pride Lands? {she snarls, making Timon leap backwards over Pumbaa's head in fear} These lands belonged to Scar. 

SIMBA:I banished you from the Pride Lands! Now you and your young cub... get out! 

ZIRA:Oh... haven't you met my son, Kovu? He was hand-chosen by Scar to follow in his pawprints... and become King! 

TIMON:Pbbb! That's not a king... that's a fuzzy maraca! 

ZIRA:Kovu was the last born before you exiled us to the Outlands, where we have little food, less water... 

SIMBA:You know the penalty for returning to the Pride Lands!

 ZIRA:But the child does not! However... if you need your pound of flesh... here. {She nudges Kovu toward Simba, daring him to show either ruthlessness or cowardice.} 

SIMBA:Take him and get out. We're finished here. {Simba picks up Kiara in his teeth. Zira walks over to Simba and looks down at a terrified Kiara.} 

ZIRA:Oh no, Simba... we have barely begun. {She glares wickedly at Kiara, then turns and picks up Kovu in her jaws. He and Kiara watch each other dangle as they move apart.}

 KIARA:Bye... 

KOVU:Bye... {Simba and the lionesses move off over the ridge, back toward the Pride Lands, while Zira takes Kovu back to the Outlands. Once within sight of Pride Rock, Nala looks back at Simba.} NALA:Simba? 
SIMBA:{clears his throat, with Kiara still in his mouth}

 {Nala smiles back at him, understanding that it's time for The Talk. She and the rest of the pride move off back home. Simba drops Kiara, who grins ingratiatingly up at him; he glares sternly back. She looks at the ground, sighing.} 

SIMBA:Kiara, what did you think you were doing? You could have been killed today. 

KIARA:But Daddy, I-- I didn't mean to disobey-- 

SIMBA:I'm telling you this because I love you. I don't wanna lose you. 

KIARA:I know...

 SIMBA:If something happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. One day I won't be here... and I need you to carry on in my place. You are part of the great Circle of--

 KIARA:Circle of Life. I know.

 SIMBA:Exactly. And you need to be careful. As future Queen--

 KIARA:But what if I don't wanna be Queen? It's no fun. 

SIMBA:That's like saying you don't want to be a lion. It's in your blood... as I am. We are part of each other. {He smiles and playfully shoves her off the rock.}

 [ We Are One ] {Simba grins back down at her, and they nuzzle as Simba begins singing.}

 SIMBA:As you go through life you'll see
There is so much that we
Don't understand 

{A mother bird sternly prevents one of her chicks from trying to fly; a wildebeest calf gets up for the first time as they watch.} 

And the only thing we know
Is things don't always go
The way we planned But you'll see every day
That we'll never turn away
When it seems all your dreams come undone 
{Monkeys grooming each other, hippos jumping and playing.}

 We will stand by your side
Filled with hope and filled with pride
We are more than we are
We are one

 {Kiara sings to her reflection in the river during her verse. A fish jumps out of the water and into her reflection at "The way I am?"} 

KIARA:If there's so much I must be
Can I still just be me
The way I am? Can I trust in my own heart
Or am I just one part
Of some big plan? {Wind blows during this verse by Simba, underscoring the reference to Mufasa's spirit.} 

SIMBA:Even those who are gone
Are with us as we go on
Your journey has only begun Tears of pain, tears of joy
One thing nothing can destroy
Is our pride, deep inside
We are one

 {They run through groups of curiously unafraid animals, many with their young, as they approach Pride Rock.} We are one, you and I
We are like the earth and sky
One family under the sun {Running back up Pride Rock. He indicates it to her.} All the wisdom to lead
All the courage that you need
You will find when you see
We are one 

SIMBA:As long as you live here, it's who you are. {he hugs her and licks her side, lifting her body off the ground. She seems unconvinced}You'll understand someday. A bird flutters by her, circles, and flies off over the Pride Lands into the sun. Kiara looks sadly thoughtful for a second, and then turns to face the sun. Sitting down, she looks at the ground for a second, ears flat, but then looks towards the sun, ears erect. Fade to black.}