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.

car’s face turned from anger to terror as the knife soared towards his mate. It was heading straight for her face. Quickly, she turned her head to avoid it, but she was not quick enough for my strong arm. The knife pierced her right ear, and stuck into a crevice in the cavern wall.

Zira roared in pain as her ear began to drip blood onto the wall. The knife had fixed in her ear and was holding her against the wall. She struggled for a moment, roaring in anguish, and then pulled herself free. The knife still remained in the wall, a large piece of bloody flesh embedded in the knife.

Scar roared in absolute rage, and he charged at me. Without any thought for my safety, I ran into the cave, completely exposing myself to the ruthless and bloodthirsty tyrant.

With reserve energy that I had been holding onto, I turned and skidded swiftly to the left where Zira was. Scar’s open mouth missed my head by inches. He slid out of sight into the pathway that led out of the cave. I heard him slam into the wall with a crunch, and I smiled inside.

“Ayden!” cried Sarabi, and I whirled around in time to see Zira, the right side of her face coated with fresh blood, lunging at me to bite at me. I rolled to the right as she too, missed her mark and skidded into the wall. I wrenched my knife from the crevice, the chunk of Zira’s mangled ear still dangling from its blade. I slipped it off, and turned to see where my opponents were.

“Sarabi!” I called as I examined the room, “Do nothing! This is my task and mine alone.”

Grabbing Nuka by the scruff of his neck, Sarabi ran out of the cave with a worried glance at me. She passed Scar, who was stirring. I looked around and spotted Zira.

 She was unconscious from her impact with the wall. I heard a loud roar, and looked to see that Scar had gotten to his feet. He was roaring, not at me, but to the entrance of the cave. Then he turned towards me and sprinted, hatred etched into his face.

Instinctively, I flung my knife at him, and landed a blow in his lower chest. He staggered, and fell to the ground several feet to the left of me. Growling in pain, he stood up, claws unsheathed.

In that moment, I knew that I had failed. I was now without a weapon, and had nowhere to go. Scar was still alive, and he was readying himself to kill me.

I backed against the wall as Scar got to his feet and stalked to me, his body low to the ground. My knife still protruded from his chest, which was heaving heavily. A small trickle of blood was oozing slowly down from his black mane.

“For too long I allowed you to live because you were the most capable of hunters.” He breathed intensely. “Now I see the error of my ways.”

He smiled evilly, his blazing green eyes narrow slits. His face was inches from mine. I glanced down briefly, and saw he had extended his claws.

“I am going to enjoy this.” He raised his paw high over his head.

I closed my eyes, welcoming death. In that instant, I pictured all of thp>

Zira roared in pain as her ear began to drip blood onto the wall. The knife had fixed in her ear and was holding her against the wall. She struggled for a moment, roaring in anguish, and then pulled herself free. The knife still remained in the wall, a large piece of bloody flesh embedded in the knife.

Scar roared in absolute rage, and he charged at me. Without any thought for my safety, I ran into the cave, completely exposing myself to the ruthless and bloodthirsty tyrant.

With reserve energy that I had been holding onto, I turned and skidded swiftly to the left where Zira was. Scar’s open mouth missed my head by inches. He slid out of sight into the pathway that led out of the cave. I heard him slam into the wall with a crunch, and I smiled inside.

“Ayden!” cried Sarabi, and I whirled around in time to see Zira, the right side of her face coated with fresh blood, lunging at me to bite at me. I rolled to the right as she too, missed her mark and skidded into the wall. I wrenched my knife from the crevice, the chunk of Zira’s mangled ear still dangling from its blade. I slipped it off, and turned to see where my opponents were.

“Sarabi!” I called as I examined the room, “Do nothing! This is my task and mine alone.”

Grabbing Nuka by the scruff of his neck, Sarabi ran out of the cave with a worried glance at me. She passed Scar, who was stirring. I looked around and spotted Zira.

 She was unconscious from her impact with the wall. I heard a loud roar, and looked to see that Scar had gotten to his feet. He was roaring, not at me, but to the entrance of the cave. Then he turned towards me and sprinted, hatred etched into his face.

Instinctively, I flung my knife at him, and landed a blow in his lower chest. He staggered, and fell to the ground several feet to the left of me. Growling in pain, he stood up, claws unsheathed.

In that moment, I knew that I had failed. I was now without a weapon, and had nowhere to go. Scar was still alive, and he was readying himself to kill me.

I backed against the wall as Scar got to his feet and stalked to me, his body low to the ground. My knife still protruded from his chest, which was heaving heavily. A small trickle of blood was oozing slowly down from his black mane.

“For too long I allowed you to live because you were the most capable of hunters.” He breathed intensely. “Now I see the error of my ways.”

He smiled evilly, his blazing green eyes narrow slits. His face was inches from mine. I glanced down briefly, and saw he had extended his claws.

e people I had let down; Sarabi, Nala, my parents, Mufasa, Simba… Now the Pride Lands last hope would be gone forever. Death stood in front of me, its arms outstretched, ready to grasp me.

But it never came.

Instead, I heard a loud grunt and something heavy collide with another large object. Then together, they fell to the ground with a thud. I opened my eyes, and saw that Sarabi had pinned Scar to the ground. She had come back to rescue me. Scar had hit his head against a rock, for his eyes were closed. He was unconscious.

“Sarabi…” I whispered, shaking slightly. “Thank you.”

“Ayden, do you know what’s happened?” she said urgently. “Scar has called the hyenas! He roared for them to come while you were dealing with Zira!”

            The elation that I felt for being alive disappeared instantly. An image of a group of hyenas overtaking Sekou came to my mind, and then the image of Sekou was replaced with that of myself.

            “Ayden, you have to go!”

            “But…” I looked down at Scar. He was right there, just waiting for me to pull the knife from his chest and finish the job. I longed to slit his throat and spill his blood here. It could end with that one simple act.

            “AYDEN! It is too late!” Sarabi cried, “It will make no difference now! Even if you kill him, you are dead if you remain here! The hyenas will not leave and they will not serve you as King. Leave now, before it is too late!”

            I hesitated for a moment. I did not want to leave Sarabi in this situation, but her face was stern and she would not budge in her decision. I rushed at her, flung my arms around her neck and put my face close to her ear.

            “I will return Sarabi. I’m going to find help.” I promised, “I will not abandon my pride. I WILL return.”

            She put her paw around me briefly, grasping tightly onto me. Then she released and cried, “Now go!”

            I reached down, wrenched the knife from Scar’s chest, and turned to the entrance of the cavern. In an instant, I was already out of the cave and sprinting down to ground level. Across the distance to the east, I heard the barks and growls of the hyenas. They were heading for Pride Rock. I had to get away

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