Zuri

"I don't even like gazelle... Hyena food."

- Zuri, Fuli's New Family

Zuri is a lioness cub in The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar and The Lion Guard.

Appearance
Zuri is a tawny-orange cub with paler orange chest fur. She has a small tuft of fur on her head, light brown ear rims and softly-rimmed inner ears. On each ear is a pale marking in the shape of an oval. Her eyes are a distinct blue, and just underneath each of her eyes is a small pale brown marking in a banana-like shape. Her nose is maroon, and her claws are gray and shiny.

Personality
Madison Pettis describes Zuri as sassy, fashionable lioness who is always grooming herself. She is easily upset, melodramatic, and sensitive. Kiara is shown to be rather skeptical of Zuri's obsessive claw sharpening, while Tiifu is shown to care for and reassure Zuri when she is upset. Zuri is sensitive, with a low pain tolerance; she also won't hesitate to voice her complaints. . However, Zuri is shown to be supportive of Kiara when Kiara becomes the queen of the Pride Lands during Simba and Nala's absence. She's excited that her friend is going to be queen. .

Zuri has a distaste for insects and mud, and despite being a predator, she doesn't like to hunt, preferring others to hunt for her. / She has a considerably poor memory. Zuri has also displayed a complimentary and appreciative side after being saved by Kion. However, she also was snobby and ungrateful when, in an alternate ending, Kion saved her but got mud all over her fur.

The Lion Guard: Return of the Roar
Zuri is set to go tracking gazelles along with Kiara and Tiifu. However, after getting her paw stuck in a log, (which came as a direct result of her sharpening her claws on every other tree that they had passed), Timon and Pumbaa attempt to help her. However, she falls off the log and wounds her paw. Although Timon and Pumbaa are appreciative of her breaking the log open to reveal bugs, Zuri is repulsed, especially when Timon pulls a grub from behind her ear. After Bunga comes along and explains about Kion's new job as leader of the Lion Guard and explains what Zuka Zama is, Kiara sends Zuri back to the Pride Lands to rest up.

The Rise of Makuu
Zuri witnesses Makuu defeat Pua in the Mashindano, alongside her friends Kiara and Tiifu.

Can't Wait to be Queen
Zuri is very enthusiastic about Kiara becoming temporary queen of the Pride Lands. She and Tiifu dramatically announce Kiara's approach, and both she and Tiifu approve of Bunga's respectful behavior towards their friend.

After Ono gives Kiara the morning report, Kiara says that the bees that are building hives along the path of the eland herd might sting the eland and cause chaos. When Kion says that he didn't think of that, Tiifu makes a snarky remark, causing Zuri to giggle, and both she and Tiifu bump paws in front of Kiara. Upon hearing that Kiara asked Kion to have the Lion Guard stop the eland herd from moving along their current path, Zuri expresses great excitement, saying that it is Queen Kiara's first official decree.

Zuri is later seen in Pride Rock after the Lion Guard is attacked by bees. She declares herself and Tiifu advisors to the queen. When Kiara leaves the Pride Lands to meet Janja for a supposed peace meeting, Kion tries to stop her, knowing Janja can't be trusted. However, when Kion enters Pride Rock, he finds only Tiifu and Zuri. Zuri explains that Kiara went somewhere, saying it was important. Kion replies angrily and charges away, intent on saving his sister. Tiifu wonders aloud what's wrong with him, and Zuri scornfully replies "Who cares?" and points out that he isn't the queen.

Fuli's New Family
Zuri is part of the royal 'hunt'. Unlike Tiifu, however, she shows no interest in hunting, and doesn't care that Fuli shows more promise than herself and Tiifu. When her friend complains to her, she barely listens, and is happy when the tracking event is finally over. She leaves with the rest of them with a smile on her face.

The Day of the Crocodiles
The Pride Lands have a storm which causes a flood. Unfortunately, Zuri is trapped on a rock, with Makuu's Fleet lurking just beneath her, waiting to pounce. After Kion hears of this, he is torn on what to do next. Fuli suggests saving her directly. Beshte suggests to remove the crocodiles.

When Kion chooses Fuli's idea, he locates several tree branches, and chooses the one that leans over to her. He climbs up and manages to reach Zuri, and encourages her to follow him. Together they bound away, using the tree branch to reach shore as Zuri comments that she was worried that she'd be stuck there forever. With Zuri by his side, Kion uses the Roar of the Elders to get rid of the crocodiles, and subsequently blocks up the broken dam. Later, Zuri approaches Kion. Much to his surprise, she compliments and nuzzles him, telling him that someday he'll be a brave, strong lion. Despite her enthusiasm, Kion is somewhat disgusted by it, saying that he preferred it when he went unnoticed.

When Kion chooses Beshte's idea, he unblocks the river, which sweeps the crocodiles away. Zuri is also swept away by the current. She emerges from the water covered in mud and leaves, but safe nonetheless. Later, she approaches Kion and expresses her disgust in his handling of the situation, since her fur was ruined by the mud. She further states that they can tell Kiara that her clumsy brother did a terrible job. Kion announces that even though he can be a hero, Zuri will never change.

Friends

 * Tiifu
 * Kiara