think of names for your cub.”

 

Again, I felt as if I had been doused in ice water. Sarabi quickly sat down, but it was too late. The bulge in her belly was undoubtedly noticeable, and yet I had never noticed it before. Clearly, she was doing a good job of hiding her pregnancy.

 

Behind me, I heard a snap. I turned quickly. Scar was slinking past me, not even glancing in my direction, into the log. I stood up to lunge at him but another snap to my left drew my attention. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Zira’s paw, claws extended, swinging at my face.

 

 

 

o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

 

I awoke to an unbelievably painful throbbing in my face. Though I did not move to touch the painful area, I could feel the damage. Zira had clawed me hard, but she had only hit me with one of her claws. A long gash ran from over my right eyebrow, between my eyes, and to the bottom of my left cheek. It was a thin gash, but it was deep. I knew it would leave a scar.

Scar…

 

I sat up and opened my eyes. It was close to dawn. I had been unconscious for quite some time. I looked around, but saw nothing. Sarabi and Kala were nowhere to be found. I looked inside of the log, but there was nothing.

An unsettling feeling developed in me. I stood up and looked around for any sign of a lioness. Then, as I scanned the surrounding area, I saw a large mound lying in the dead grass.

Slowly, I approached the heap, scared for what I was about to see. It was early in the morning. Darkness was still around, for the sun had yet to rise, but the mound drew my attention as if it were shining with a glowing light. I reached the mass, and slowly circled it to see if I could make out what it was.

Kala, her eyes closed, lay motionless on the ground. All over her body were gashes where she had been clawed and bitten multiple times. Dried blood was clumped in her fur and the dirt around body was soaked with it.

All breath in my body was taken away as if I had been hit in the stomach. But it did not occur to me to allow sadness to overcome me now. Tears would not help the situation. Kala was gone, and Scar and Zira had mercilessly killed her.

I gritted my teeth and reached into my pocket. I closed my eyes as my hand gripped the handle of the knife. I withdrew it, unswitched it, and held it at my side. My entire body was shaking with anger.

I was tensing up. I clenched my fists, and ground my teeth to the point where it hurt. Then, with every ounce of strength that Mufasa had, I roared in fury. It was more of a scream of pain and hatred, but as far as I was concerned, I had roared as Mufasa used to.

Then I was sprinting with the speed that, under normal circumstances, I would not have possessed. Pride Rock was my destination. NOW was the time to carry out the task. My anger and determination sped me on. I no longer cared if I was tired or weak. My mind was focused on only one thing; Scar and Zira had to die, and it had to happen now. They had to pay for their actions, and I was going to make them do it. I was going to kill them now. No more waiting. No more putting it off. It had to be done now, or not at all.

As I ran, the sun began to rise. It cast a red light across the land, signifying that blood had been spilt the night before.

The Pride Lands were calm and silent. Not a breath of wind disturbed the grasslands. All that could be seen moving was a lone, figure, sprinting quickly, silhouetted against the scarlet sunrise.

I reached the base of Pride Rock and slowed to a stop. Silently, I snuck up the slope and to the entrance of the cave. I could hear Scar’s and Zira’s voices echoing quietly as I edged my way in. I moved against the wall until I came to the point where the path curved right, into the next chamber. The hatred was boiling over inside of me, but even through all of my loathing, I felt uncomfortably tense. This was the moment I had been building up to. It was the defining moment of my soon-to-be kingship.

I slowly peeked my head around the corner just enough so I could see where Scar and Zira were.

Zira lay against the wall on the left side of the cave, nuzzling onto Kovu who lay in her paws. Vitani crawled over and attempted to lay with her brother, but Zira’s face became very stern, and she pushed her away. She then went back to nuzzling and cooing at Kovu.

From the right side of the cave, just beyond my vision, Scar’s voice resonated.

“You are in charge of taking care of both cubs,” He said flatly. “Why did you push away the other?”

 

Zira stared at Vitani for a moment, and then she looked up at Scar. “Shouldn’t our focus be on Kovu, your heir and the future king?”

Scar snarled. “You sound just like my parents! Fawn over the next King and neglect the other! In my kingdom, my children will be treated with EQUAL respect! I don’t want Vitani treated with any less love and attention than Kovu would receive!”

 

            I found his statement to be entirely hypocritical, and my eyes were drawn to the brown cub sitting quietly in the furthest point of the cave. Nuka was Scar’s own legitimate son, and yet Scar had shunned Nuka just as Ahadi had done so to him.

 

I shook my head in disgust and stared back at Zira and Scar. Focusing on the task at hand was my main priority. I scanned for the spot on Scar’s neck. For a moment, I felt like I was back in time to the day when Scar had killed all of the cubs. I was in exactly the same position. His life was in my hands, and I was about to do away with it. I silently raised my knife.

Suddenly a roar erupted from outside of the cave, and I quickly moved back around the corner, out of sight and into the shadows. Swearing under my breath, I looked up to see who had disturbed me at the least opportune moment. Sarabi sprinted into the cave and around the corner, apparently not seeing me.

The following conversation was heated and created an even greater air of tension through the cave. I paid only minor attention to it. I was more focused on calming myself. I needed to keep a cool head, or else risk an already high chance of failure.

Sarabi’s angry outbursts drew my attention away, and I lost my focus.

“You murderer…” she hissed icily. “You filthy, blood spilling murderer!”

 

Unsure of what was happening, I crept from the shadows and chanced a glance around the corner.

 

Scar was encircling Sarabi, a malicious glee glinting in his eyes, while Zira and Nuka watched intently.

 

“Murderer eh? Oh Sarabi, I couldn’t have done it without your help! Johari, Zalika, Sanjo, and Sarafina are dead because you rebelled against me. They are dead because you killed Taalib. Kala is dead because you inspired her to escape and fight back!” His voice began to rise and it became angrier. “The many lionesses of this pride are dead because you gave them a renewed hope that ‘big bad Scar’ could be defeated. YOU INSPIRED REBELLION!”

 

Sarabi roared in response, and then whispered through gritted teeth, “I inspired hope. I encouraged the lionesses of this pride that you discouraged. I saved who you condemned! The lionesses of this pride died fighting for what they believed in! And what I continue to believe in!”

 

Scar stopped in front of her, and I drew back a little bit into the shadows. He couldn’t know of my presence.

 

In a snake-like tone, he hissed, “And what would that be?”

 

I could not see Sarabi’s face, but her voice reflected the smug smile that I was sure was stretched across her face. “That evil, no matter what form it’s in, can be defeated with a little hope and determination.”

 

Scar’s face became furious, and he rose on his hind paws, raised his front paws with his claws extended. He was about to attack Sarabi, to kill her. I could see it in his eyes. He had more than enough of her attitude towards him, his rule, his queen, and his kingdom. He was going to kill Sarabi.

 

Sarabi roared intensely and lowered herself in response. The hair on her back stood up, and she was growling as I had never heard her before.

 

Before I could act on my first impulse, a small, yet loud voice broke through the roars.

 

“NO!!!”

From the corner where he sat, Nuka swiftly darted between Scar and Sarabi, stopping both of them where they stood. Sarabi stopped growling and Scar fell to his paws again. Nuka gazed up at Scar.

“Please father, no more fighting!” he begged pleadingly, “It only makes things worse and Sarabi is gonna have a cub-”

 

“SILENCE FILTH!” roared Scar, and he raised his paw, claws unfurled, to strike Nuka.

“ENOUGH!” I screamed as I flung myself from around the corner. All attention diverted from Nuka to me as every head turned to see me appear out of nowhere. Without even looking where I was throwing, I felt my arm fling around in a circle and the knife left my hand. It flew in a direction, not at Scar, but at Zira. I saw in slow motion as SMsoNormal">“Murderer eh? Oh Sarabi, I couldn’t have done it without your help! Johari, Zalika, Sanjo, and Sarafina are dead because you rebelled against me. They are dead because you killed Taalib. Kala is dead because you inspired her to escape and fight back!” His voice began to rise and it became angrier. “The many lionesses of this pride are dead because you gave them a renewed hope that ‘big bad Scar’ could be defeated. YOU INSPIRED REBELLION!”

 

Sarabi roared in response, and then whispered through gritted teeth, “I inspired hope. I encouraged the lionesses of this

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