poor cub, who had not even had a chance at life. Scar looked up at the pride as we entered. His eyes shone with a fury and sadness I had never witnessed. Enraged at our intrusion on such a personal moment, he stared around at all of us. His eyes lay rested on me for only the briefest of moments, and a chill ran down my spine. Then he reared back and roared with an absolutely incredible and intense force. If I had not seen it with my own eyes and heard with my own ears, I would never have believed that Scar could make such a powerful sound. We all jumped at this sudden reaction, and sprinted out.

 

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o"MsoNormal">Sarafina gasped. “What? She’s way too early! She’s not due for several weeks!”

Kala lowered her voice, and she sounded concerned. “Perhaps last night’s squabble brought along the contractions…”

I looked at Sarabi. Her eyes were closed in a painful prayer. I knew that she was hoping beyond hope that the cub would survive the premature birth. I was praying the same thing. I had no idea what Scar would do if his heir died because of Sarabi’s intervention. And I did not wish to find out.

Sarabi ran into the cave, but I remained behind. I was sure that the last thing Zira wanted was the two people she hated the most to be present at her day of birth, and it was bad enough that one of them could have potentially killed her cub.

For several hours, Sarafina and I sat outside of the cave, listening to the sounds of Zira’s cries and screams. Some of the pride came and sat with us. The feeling among all of us was tension. We all knew what the birth of Scar’s heir would do to the Pride Lands. It would be the kiss of death. There would be no way to return them to their natural state if Scar’s legacy lived on past his generation.

With this thought came another, more unsettling thought. I knew that the only way to end Scar’s reign and save the Pride Lands would be to overthrow him, and the only one who could rightfully do that would be me. I knew the day would come when I would have to face Scar. I could not let his legacy live on. It needed to end, and it needed to end soon.

The loudest roar of all issued from the cave, a moment of silence, and then only the sounds of heavy breathing could be heard. Quiet voices could be heard from the cave, but as hard as I tried, I could not make out what they were saying. After a few moments of this, I stood up and took a step towards the cave. But as I did, Sarabi backed out of it, her face fearful.

I watched as she stopped momentarily, and then she looked up at me. The terror in her face alarmed me and made me dread what had happened and was going to happen. She stared into my eyes for a moment, then turned and ran down the slope off into the Pride Lands.

I watched her figure disappear around the corner of Pride rock, then turned back to the cave. The tension for what we were going to see was rising. Apprehensively, edged into the cave and slipped around the corner, the pride following close behind me.

Zira lay in the center of the cave, with Scar hovering over her. Their faces bore much grief, and their gaze was fixated on a small something cuddled in Zira’s paws. An unusually small brown cub lay unmoving there. He was dead, apparently a stillborn.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 

The next few days passed, and not one lion dared to mention the incident. The day following the death of Scar’s and Zira’s cub, who they named Taalib, a ceremony was held in the graveyard. Zira gave the eulogy, prophesizing the would-be rule of King Taalib. I felt my eyes wanting to roll as she delivered the eulogy, but with Scar watching, I did not dare express my feelings. I noticed, however, that whenever I glanced at him, he was staring fixedly on Sarabi. There was a malicious hunger and hatred in his eyes as he did, and I saw that Sarabi did everything she could to avoid meeting his eyes with her own.

Several days after the funeral, we decided that it was time for another hunt. Many of the lionesses were too weak and hot to hunt, so only one hunting party was sent out.

Sarabi and I were the only two hunting leaders to go. Sarafina felt well enough to accompany us, but she left Nala at home with Lesedi, a lioness whom she trusted. Nala was still too young and weak to hunt. But the three of us knew the time was upon them that she would have her first hunt.

Ayana, Zalika, Johari, and Sanjo were the final lionesses to complete the hunting party. All of these lionesses were still on good terms with me, so it started out as a pleasant hunt, despite the heat and hunger pains.

It felt good to get away from Scar and Zira. Putting more and more distance between us made me fear the two of them less and less. They could not touch me out here. I could not be harmed or fearful of something that was not near me.

For hours, we wandered well out of the border of the Pride Lands, searching and searching for a single animal. Fate was on our side, for when the sun was halfway between midday and sunset, we came across a lone and helpless wildebeest.

Excitement flooded me as I silently approached the creature, slightly ahead of the party. I surprised myself at how silent I stayed, considering I was my body was shaking from lack of nutrition. I quietly grabbed my knife from my pocket and unswitched it, revealing the dirty, jagged blade. I stared at my prey, seeing not a helpless creature, but a meal fit for a king.

The thought echoed in my mind for a moment…king? I instantly flashed back to when Rafiki had called me “my king.” I stared around at the lionesses who still trusted me and placed hope in me. They followed me willingly during this hunt. A burning question came to my mind…would they follow me so willingly on other occasions? Would they rebel against Scar with me, and help restore the Pride Lands to their rightful state?

I shook out the thoughts. I wasn’t ready for that yet. I was too weak now to try taking the throne. I needed to at least be well-fed before I could even attempt to take on Scar. I stared back at my prey, poising my arm to send the knife flying. I examined the wildebeest again. He was very thin and appeared weak. He had not been alerted to our presence, nor did he have any inkling at what was about to happen to him.

As keen as they ever were, my eyes easily found the jugular on the creature. I took aim, and raised my hand. My body was shaking from both weakness and excitement, and it cost me dearly. As my hand fell and my knife flew, my knees buckled from the combined feelings of weakness and excitement. The knife hit the wildebeest in the back of its neck with a dull thunk, way off of the initial mark.

The wildebeest bucked and thrashed around in pain as it took off at to the west. As one, the hunting party rushed forward at the creature. I stayed rooted to the spot, a feeling of failure building in my heart. I had failed the who they named Taalib, a ceremony was held in the graveyard. Zira gave the eulogy, prophesizing the would-be rule of King Taalib. I felt my eyes wanting to roll as she delivered the eulogy, but with Scar watching, I did not dare express my feelings. I noticed, however, that whenever I glanced at him, he was staring fixedly on Sarabi. There was a malicious hunger and hatred in his eyes as he did, and I saw that Sarabi did everything she could to avoid meeting his eyes with her own.

Several days after the funeral, we decided that it was time for another hunt. Many of the lionesses were too weak and hot to hunt, so only one hunting party was sent out.

Sarabi and I were the only two hunting leaders to go. Sarafina felt well enough to accompany us, but she left Nala at home with Lesedi, a lioness whom she trusted. Nala was still too young and weak to hunt. But the three of us knew the time was upon them that she would have her first hunt.

Ayana, Zalika, Johari, and Sanjo were the final lionesses to complete the hunting party. All of these lionesses were still on good terms with me, so it started out as a pleasant hunt, despite the heat and hunger pains.

It felt good to get away from Scar and Zira. Putting more and more distance between us made me fear the two of them less and less. They could not touch me out here. I could not be harmed or fearful of something that was not near me.

For hours, we wandered well out of the border of the Pride Lands, searching and searching for a single animal. Fate was on our side, for when the sun was halfway between midday and sunset, we came across a lone and helpless wildebeest.

Excitement flooded me as I silently approached the creature, slightly ahead of the party. I surprised myself at how silent I stayed, considering I was my body was shaking from lack of nutrition. I quietly grabbed my knife from my pocket and unswitched it, revealing the dirty, jagged blade. I stared at my prey, seeing not a helpless creature, but a meal fit for a king.

The thought echoed in my mind for a moment…king? I instantly flashed back to when Rafiki had called me “my king.” I stared around at the lionesses who still trusted me and placed hope in me. They followed me willingly during this hunt. A burning question came to my mind…would they follow me so willingly on other occasions? Would they rebel against Scar with me, and help restore the Pride Lands to their rightful state?

I shook out the thoughts. I wasn’t ready for that yet. I was too weak now to try taking the throne. I needed to at least be well-fed before I could even attempt to take on Scar. I stared back at my prey, poising my arm to send the knife flying. I examined the wildebeest again. He was very thin and appeared weak. He had not been alerted to our presence, nor did he have any inkling at what was about to happen to him.

hunt. It was the first time that my knife had missed its mark. Not once had I ever missed a mark, yet now, I had done

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