you at the gorge.” He said, smiling with pleasure at his nephew.

            “Does he now?” came another voice from behind Scar. Sarabi stood there, with a look of uncertainty. Standing nearby was Sarafina, the same look etched into her kind face.

            Scar turned to her, still smiling in his way. “As a matter of fact, he does. He has only just discovered something there, and wished to share it with Simba.” His smooth voice remained unwaivered, but I was uneasy Simba going off alone with Scar.

            Sarabi stared at Scar for a moment, clearly searching his face for any sign of deceit. When she could not find any, she smiled and said, “Alright, Taka. When you see Mufasa, tell him I would like to have the two of them home before sunset.”

take Simba with him?

            Simba looked at me and said, “Do you wanna go with us, Ayden?”

            I quickly stood up and opened my mouth to say ‘yes’, but Scar cut me off before I could utter one syllable.

            “I’m sorry, but Mufasa insisted that he only show you, Simba. He wanted Ayden to stay behind with Sarabi.”

            I narrowed my eyes at him. Something was afoot. Scar clearly did not want me to go with them. But unfortunately, he had won over Sarabi, and there was no point in arguing. I looked at Simba.

            “Sorry bud, but you heard your uncle.” I told him reluctantly, not daring to glance in Scar’s direction. “But we can hang out when you guys get back.”

            Simba ran up to me and nuzzled against my leg. As he did, I was overwhelmed with the same feeling I had when Mufasa had left us earlier that day. I suddenly did not want him to leave my sight. It took every fiber in my body and mind to stop myself from following them when they disappeared over the slope. I watched their silhouettes slowly shrink off into the distance as they headed to the gorge that lay several miles to the east.

            I turned to Sarabi, and asked her, “Why did you let Simba go with him?”

            Sarabi looked surprised. “Why wouldn’t I? He’s family!”

            I looked back at where their silhouettes once were. “I don’t trust him.”

            Sarabi looked over at Sarafina, then back to me. There was a smile on her face, and it horrified me that she did not feel the way I did.

            “You did not know him as we did.” Sarafina said.

            I glanced back at Sarabi. Still incredulous to the smile across her lips, I asked, “You called him ‘Taka’. Why?”

            Sarabi sighed. “It is a long story.”

            “I have nowhere to go.” I replied seriously, and I sat down. Maybe I could obtain some understanding of Scar if I heard the story of his past.

            Sarabi settled down herself, and Sarafina followed suit. Then Sarabi began the story.

 t">            I quickly stood up and opened my mouth to say ‘yes’, but Scar cut me off before I could utter one syllable.

            “I’m sorry, but Mufasa insisted that he only show you, Simba. He wanted Ayden to stay behind with Sarabi.”

            I narrowed my eyes at him. Something was afoot. Scar clearly did not want me to go with them. But unfortunately, he had won over Sarabi, and there was no point in arguing. I looked at Simba.

            “Sorry bud, but you heard your uncle.” I told him reluctantly, not daring to glance in Scar’s direction. “But we can hang out when you guys get back.”

            Simba ran up to me and nuzzled against my leg. As he did, I was overwhelmed with the same feeling I had when Mufasa had left us earlier that day. I suddenly did not want him to leave my sight. It took every fiber in my body and mind to stop myself from following them when they disappeared over the slope. I watched their silhouettes slowly shrink off into the distance as they headed to the gorge that lay several miles to the east.

            I turned to Sarabi, and asked her, “Why did you let Simba go with him?”

            Sarabi looked surprised. “Why wouldn’t I? He’s family!”

            I looked back at where their silhouettes once were. “I don’t trust him.”

            Sarabi looked over at Sarafina, then back to me. There was a smile on her face, and it horrified me that she did not feel the way I did.

            “You did not know him as we did.” Sarafina said.

            I glanced back at Sarabi. Still incredulous to the smile across her lips, I asked, “You called him ‘Taka’. Why?”

            Sarabi sighed. “It is a long story.”

            “I have nowhere to go.” I replied seriously, and I sat down. Maybe I could obtain some understanding of Scar if I heard the story of his past.

;           “You know well, that Scar and Mufasa are twin brothers. You also know that Mufasa, being firstborn, instantly became the heir to the kingdom upon his birth. Scar was always resentful of this decision. Their father, Ahadi, always played favorites with them, always focusing on Mufasa, and leaving no time for Scar. But Scar’s true name is not Scar. When he was born, he was christened Taka. Taka was one of the nicest lions I had ever met. He was such a true friend, a great hunter, and was always the happiest of our group.”

            Sarafina chimed in, “When we grew up, we were all the best of friends; me, Sarabi, Mufasa, Taka, and…”she paused for a moment. “…Kito.”

            I looked up from my knees at her. “Who?” I asked.

            Sarabi answered me, for Sarafina had turned her head away. “Kito was Sarafina’s mate, and the father of Nala. He was also Taka’s best friend.”

            I furrowed my brow. “Where is Kito?” I asked, looking around, almost expecting another lion to appear.

            Sarabi lowered her head. “He has moved on. Many, many months before you came to us, when both Sarafina and I were pregnant with Simba and Nala, there was an incident. Mufasa had only recently ascended to the throne. Three rogue lions came into the Pride Lands, trying to take the throne for themselves. Mufasa, Taka, and Kito all went out to confront them. The following battle that ensued resulted in the mutilation of Taka. He was severely injured in many places, including his left eye. That is how he got his scar. When one of the rogues attempted to finish Taka while he was down, Kito took the blow for him, saving Taka’s life. After Taka and Mufasa finished off the rogues, they went to Kito, but…” her voice shuddered a little bit. “…it was too late for him. The damage had been done.”

            Sarafina shuddered for a moment, her face still turned from me.

            Sarabi continued, her voice shaking slightly.

“In Kito’s dying words, he did two things. One, he told Taka of his cub that was to be born, and asked him to give Sarafina two names for the cub, one male, and one female. The second thing he did was give Taka a new nickname. That is when Taka became Scar.”

            I had never before heard this story, not from anybody, not even from Mufasa during all of Simba’s and my lessons. I looked up at both of the lionesses. Sarabi’s eyes shone with sadness, but Sarafina was an even more heartbreaking sight. Tears streamed silently down her face, and she made no effort to stem the flow. Sarabi went and sat next to her, nuzzling her.

            Feeling even worse than I had before, I stood up and took a step towards the downward slope.

            “I’m soAhadi, always played favorites with them, always focusing on Mufasa, and leaving no time for Scar. But Scar’s true name is not Scar. When he was born, he was christened

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