The only reason that I've made After the Storm it's own story is because it's a short story that I thought was good enough to stand on it's own even though it will stay in Lion King collection as well. I may write a longer Lion King story, but I'm not sure yet. This is the conclusion chapter of the preview for After the Storm and I hope everyone will enjoy it.

Note: After the Storm will be made longer and I will update the story's description when needed. Lion King AU as Zira survives in this story and characters are OOC.

Kiara couldn't believe how cruel Zira was as she glared at Kovu with so much hate. Simba glared back at Zira, but his glare softened when he noticed how worried Kiara was looking. "Let it go, Zira. The past is in the past." Simba started to lecture to Zira and she snarled at him, not willing to hear him out.

"I will never let it go." When Simba noticed the logs creaking, his attention was taken away from the enemy. "This is for you, Scar." With a roar, Zira leaped in order to get Simba over the ledge of the cliff, but Kiara countered her by letting Zira grab her. Zira growled as she had missed her target. Kiara glared at Zira with such ferociousness that Zira was almost proud of Kovu's choice in mate, but because she was aiming for Simba, she was angered by the fact that the lioness had managed to stop her from getting Simba over the ledge of the cliff. Pesky little! Her train of thought was lost when she noticed that she was heading towards the very heavily flowing river and she flinched in fear. She still couldn't get over her fear of cliffs after almost tossed over by one by Scar in one of his madness moments despite the fact she thought that he did this in order to see if she would scream for him to save her, when in actuality, Scar was trying to kill her. When Kiara noticed her reaction to being over the ledge, she didn't know if she wanted to be comforting towards the lioness or shocked at Zira's reactions. I don't blame her for being scared, but this is too dangerous! Kiara thought as she helped herself up and she glanced to see Zira struggling with figuring out what to do. When Kiara noticed the look of fear on Zira's face, something awoken in her and she reached her paw down towards Zira and Zira seemed shock to see that the Princess was helping her out.

"Zira, give me your paw." Kiara's words made Zira remember that she was the enemy to her and she lashed out at her, but despite the older lioness lashing out at her, Kiara grabbed her paw and her sudden movement of grabbing Zira's paw made Zira have a flashback to Scar grabbed her and hurting her. Zira flinched and Kiara was shocked to see that the lioness had flinched at her. Why is she so afraid of me? I'm not going to hurt her. Don't tell me... Kiara stopped thinking as she pulled Zira up to safety. Damn it! Kiara thought as she pulled hard onto Zira to get her to safety. When Zira was on the rock beside her, she was frozen in fear and she was shaking. Kiara didn't try to speak to her as she didn't want to scare her even more.

When Simba noticed Zira, his face changed and he was met from an glare by his daughter and he backed off when he noticed the state that Zira was actually in. Did Scar hurt her before his death? Simba wondered as he noticed how Zira kept on flinching away when Kiara would gently tell her to go towards her father. "No. He'll hurt me." Zira had finally spoken, but her words was a shock to both Simba and Kiara. "Scar will hurt me if I come any closer." Zira whimpered as she tried to hide herself by curling into a ball. Simba was shocked and he didn't want to scare the lioness even more as he noticed how angry Kiara was getting.

"Daddy, go get Mom and tell her the situation." Kiara gave her first order as a young Queen and when Simba noticed it, he nodded his head and he started his passage back to his wife and mate. When he had finally arrived back, Nala was wondering why he was back alone.

"Kiara is fine, but Zira's is traumatized. Kiara asked me to come get you." Simba tells Nala and the Queen was shocked as she realized that her daughter had taken her first act as Queen, even if it meant ordering her father to do something for her. Nala felt proud of Kiara.

"Alright. I will go. You will watch us?" Nala asked to make sure. Simba grinned at Nala.

"You know that I will always keep my family safe." Simba reassured Nala and the lioness went off to find Kiara and Zira. When she had found Kiara and Zira, Nala was surprised to see that Zira had curled up into a ball. Only her birthmark on her head and her still tail was visible and she was glad that Kiara was comforting the lioness the best way she knew how: by nuzzling her. When Kiara noticed her mother, she was already increasingly protective and she growled slightly. When Nala heard the growl, she wanted to get angry, but she couldn't. She had known how much Kiara had cared about Kovu's entire family and if it meant trying to prove to Zira that she wouldn't hurt her, then Kiara would do exactly that.

"How is she?" Nala thread lightly when her question and Kiara opened her eyes to see that her mother was in a nonthreatening pose and she smiled softly as she gently pushed Zira's head.

"Help is here." She whispered to the broken lioness. Zira raised her head to see Nala peering down at her with nothing but worry and she sighed in relief to see another lioness. Nala was shocked by her reaction to male lions, but due to her interactions with Scar, she knew that fear had to be deep within her for the evil black-maned lion. As Nala and Kiara helped Zira up the rocks of the cliff, they made sure that she wasn't hurting herself. When she had reached the top of the cliff, Simba's paw was raised towards hers and Simba made no sharp movement when he realized that she was still terrified of him. However when Zira looked over him, she didn't see anything of Scar on him. Not his piercing green eyes, black mane, dark skin and sharp claws made to kill. All she saw was Simba, the rightful King of Priderock and she reached out to give her paw to his. As Simba helped her help, Kovu and Vitani approached their mother. When Zira saw Kovu, she had remembered Scar and not her gentle son that she had raised after she had properly adopted while she was in Sarabi's care. Kiara approached Kovu and told him of his mother's unfortunate situation and he sighed, feeling sad that he couldn't just approach her simply because he looks like the lion that ruined his mother's life. "Don't worry, Kovu. She will come around. Give her time." Kiara tells Kovu and the young male lion nodded at his mate's wise words.

"Thank you for saving her and me." Kovu tells Kiara, very grateful for her actions. Kiara merely grinned. When she had thought up of a proper response, she spoke.

"You're my mate and I care about your family, Kovu." Kiara tells Kovu and he smiled at how caring and loving Kiara was. As Nala and Vitani was tending to Zira, Simba was watching and listening to the interaction of Kiara and Kovu. Oh, how foolish he felt when he didn't listen to Kovu and now that he was looking at Zira's condition, he knew that she was actually deeply traumatized by the actions of Scar. Can she made docile again? My mother would always talk about how docile and loving she was whens she was a young cub. Simba thought as he wanted Zira to be back to her old self again.

"Kovu." Simba called out and when Kovu stepped up to him, Simba was smiling at him. "I was wrong. You belong here." He spoke, knowing that he was in the wrong. Kiara approached her father and she gave him an guilty look. Simba noticed the look, but he had already forgiven her.

"I'm sorry too, Daddy. I was out of line." Kiara tells Simba and his smile became even warmer if that was possible.

"It's fine. I know you were only acting out of love and concern." Simba tells Kiara and she went back to Kovu to nuzzle him and Kovu nuzzled her back in affection. Simba grinned at how happy they were. He turned when he noticed that the lionesses were gathering around. He noticed that Vitani was now with the lionesses and he turned to see Nala walking with Zira and when they stopped in front of them, Zira had flattened her ears.

"I'm sorry about my actions toward you." Zira was very embarrassed and horrified by her murderous actions. She couldn't believe that she had acted like that towards the royal family. With her guility expression on her face, both Simba and Nala knew that Zira would have a rough time forgiving herself over her actions. When all of the lionesses had lined up, Simba looked at Rafiki and the male mandrill smirked and he raised his stick at Kovu and Kiara, who were nuzzling each other.

Simba and Nala approached the ends of Priderock and Kovu and Kiara followed from behind as they made a line of the royal family with Kovu serving as Kiara's prince consort. They all roared as the manes was being blown gently by the wind and Simba's hears the soft whispers of his father. "Well done, my son. We are one." Mufasa's words sounded in Simba's ears and Simba was glad that he didn't fail his father.