It had been months since Scar had taken over the Pridelands. The beautiful, green, healthy lands that had existed when Mufasa ruled were slowly dying. His henchmen, the hyenas, have changed the food chain and have become more dominant over the lions. The herds started seeing the changes that were happening and decided to do what the lionesses couldn’t—leave.

Food became scarce.

In the past, the lionesses got even portions of food. Now, however, it’s every lioness for herself. They’re lucky to get a piece of meat. After the death of Mufasa, Sarafina began struggling. She didn’t care what happened to herself.

It was Nala.

If her daughter didn’t get food, then the future of the pride would be in jeopardy.

“Mom,” began Nala, “How come you don’t eat anymore?” She was still young and couldn’t hunt for herself, but she wasn’t stupid, and Sarafina knew that. The problem was, though, she didn’t have the heart to tell Nala that she needed the food. If she did that, Nala wouldn’t eat either.

Sarafina smiled. “I’m just not feeling good,” she said, “I’m not hungry.”

Nala sighed as she ate. Her mother chuckled, “You need to grow up big and strong!”

“But you never eat, mom!” Nala exclaimed.

Her mother frowned. “I promise that I’ll eat, OK? Next time we hunt, I promise,” she told Nala.

Just then, Sarabi came in their home, a cave. As soon as the hyenas came, Sarafina began living in a cave. Nala’s safety wasn’t guaranteed with Scar’s reign and the hyenas taking over. With the herds moving, the hyenas wouldn’t hesitate on eating her daughter.

“Sarafina, I must speak with you,” said the former queen. It pained her to see her best friend getting skinnier and skinnier. “It’s rather urgent,” she added, trying to get her friend out.

The lioness reluctantly got up. “Stay here and eat your dinner, Nala. I’ll be right back. Hide if you hear hyenas,” she ordered. As she stepped out, Sarafina could see the sadness in her friend’s face.

“I have a surprise for you,” Sarabi said happily, “I saved some of my portions. I figured you need the food more than me.”

Sarafina refused. “Sarabi,” she began, “I can’t accept this!”

“Please, you need this!” cried the lioness, “I hate seeing you like this! You get sicker and sicker each day. You hardly eat anymore! I know you want Nala to be well off, but what will she do without her mother?”

The blue-eyed huntress sighed. “I know food is scarce now so I need to do what’s right for Nala,” Sarafina explained.

Sarabi began to tear up, “I’m not asking much Sarafina, please, take this food! I’m no longer your queen, so I can’t order you, but I’m begging you as your friend. Nala would simply be lost without you!”

Sarafina pushed the lump of meat back to her friend. “I can’t accept this Sarabi, I’m sorry.” When her friend went speechless, she continued, “Regardless of what Scar is now and what you may not be, to me, you’re still the queen. The same with the others. You’ve lost everything, yet you remain so strong for all of us. Nala tells me all the time that you cheer her up when she cries about Simba and that you taught her some hunting tricks. She said you’re like her second mother.”

The former queen didn’t respond and frowned.

“If the pride lost you, Sarabi, then we’d all be lost, including Nala. She can stand to live without me as long as you’re here!” She continued, “Besides, the future of the pride depends on Nala. If something happens to her, then there would be no future! Scar doesn’t want anything to do with us and we want nothing to do with him! Even if we did, there’s no way any of us want to bring cubs into this kind of pride, right?”

Sarabi cried. “Even so,” she said, “I’d give anything to see Simba again.”

Sarafina saw that her friend was still in a lot of pain. It was understandable, of course. Nala was her world. If anything happened to her, she’d be lost. “Sarabi,” she began to ask, “If something ever happens to me, will you take care of Nala?”

“You... You don’t plan on dying, do you?!” Sarabi exclaimed.

“I don’t have much time left,” said the light lioness, “The way things are going, I have a while left, but not much. My days are definitely numbered. She’s still young and can’t fight off the hyenas yet.”

Sarabi stated, “The hyenas haven’t attacked us yet, though!”

“Yet. With food scarce, I’m sure they’d eat Nala. In order for her to grow and be healthy like a normal cub, she needs all the food she can get, even if it kills me in the end!” Before Sarabi could say anything, Sarafina added, “Nala is destined to do great things for this pride, I can feel it! In order for her to do that, I need to make sure she grows up big and strong like you and the others. You can’t change my mind on this, Sarabi, so don’t try.”

Sarabi smiled, but teared up. She didn’t like watching her friend slowly die. “I just want you to know that I’ll make sure Nala’s safe.”

Before the two split up, Sarabi grabbed that piece of meat they argued about. “If you won’t accept this for yourself, then will you at least accept for the three of us?”

Sarafina chuckled. “Sure, I can do that,” she said happily.

The two began walking to Sarafina’s home and was greeted by Nala. “Hi, Sarabi!” she cheered, “Are you having dinner with us?”

Sarabi nodded, “Yes, and I won’t leave until your mother eats!” Nala smiled when she said that. It made her feel like her mother would be alright. Sarafina was more than happy to have a portion of food. It reminded her of a better time in their lives when they weren’t so desperate. Maybe there was a way for her to see her daughter grow after all?

Months passed since that evening. Nala was now a young lioness, almost ready for her first hunt. Although her first time would be hard because of the lack of herds, Sarafina was proud. Nala was big enough to protect herself from the hyenas and strong enough to fight them if need be.

“Where are we going, Mom?” Nala asked.

Sarafina answered, “You’re going to visit Sarabi for a while. She likes company!”

As they began walking to where Sarabi lived, Nala could see the hyenas eye her and her mother. They were jealous of Nala’s size, but they also laughed at her mom. She was practically skin and bone. It scared her.

Sarabi approached the two with tears in her eyes. Nala knew something was wrong. “It’s so good to see you again, Nala! Look at how much you’ve grown!” The young lioness smiled. Sarabi then looked at Sarafina. “I’ll give her some final lessons before her big first hunt.”

Sarafina chuckled. “I’m going to patrol the border to see if there’s any herd nearby,” she explained. “Nala,” she began, “I’m so proud of you. You’ve grown to become strong young lioness!”

Nala smiled, but something still bothered her about her mother, although she wasn’t sure.

“Sarabi will teach you anything else you need to know, OK?” Sarafina said. “I love you, Nala. You make me so proud to be your mother!”

Nala nuzzled her mother. “I love you, too, Mom,” she said. Something about her mother wasn’t right.

Sarabi smiled faintly, “Be safe, old friend.”

Sarafina turned to leave and looked back. She saw her queen with her daughter and couldn’t be more proud to have known them both in her lifetime. It made her at peace.

Before Sarabi could even say anything, Nala stated point blank, “My mother isn’t coming back, is she?”

The former queen nodded slowly and nuzzled the young huntress. “Your mother is one of the greatest lionesses this pride has ever had. I’m honored to have known her so well.” Nala couldn’t help but cry. She knew it was coming, but she never wanted it to happen. She’s lost so much already, she didn’t want to lose more.

“I’ll make this pride to be alright again,” she managed to say through her tears, “I don’t want anyone else to end up like my mother!”

Sarabi then saw what Sarafina always did: A strong, determined lioness who was indeed going to do great things for the pride.

Sarafina managed to find a spot with some grass on it. It was a good sized patch and still green. She laid on it and yawned. “I can’t believe how happy I am right now,” she whispered to herself. She felt her body grow heavy and her breathing got slower. She was cold. “Nala,” she whispered, “Be strong.” Sarafina’s eyes finally closed and she fell asleep, knowing that her daughter will somehow find a way to end Scar’s tyranny.

This story is based on the assumption that Sarafina doesn’t appear later in the original Lion King and in the sequel, Simba’s Pride. I strongly believe that she somehow didn’t survive Scar’s reign. Death by starvation seemed most likely to me because Nala and the other lionesses were all (appearance wise) healthy and strong even though