***************DISCLAIMERS*************
Sarabi, Sarafina, Mufasa, Scar, Simba, Nala, Ahadi, Pride Rock, and the Pridelands are copyright © the Walt Disney Company. The character Immue is property Chris Boyce and was used with his permission. Thanks Chris! All dialogue extracted from 'The Lion King' is © The Walt Disney Company. Fana and Flexara are copyright me, myself and I, and may be used in other fanfic with my permission.
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Chapter One:
The Hunt

Sarabi lay among her friends, basking in the coolness of the cloudy afternoon. Her forepaws draped lifelessly over the ledge where she lay; her head tilted one side. She exhaled deeply in her rest and turned a little further on to her side. Sarafina lay below the great queen on the lower portion of the rock with her eyes wide and her head resting on her paws, staring. Sarabi felt her friend's eyes on her back and turned, opening her eyelids slowly.

"Sarafina, are you all right?" she asked. Sarafina averted her eyes from Sarabi and she planted them on the grazing antelope in the field beyond. Saffi said nothing. "Sarafina?" She repeated in a more concerned tone. Sarafina was never like this before....

"Hmm?" she answered, raising her head. "Oh, I'm sorry, Sassi. I was just- thinking," she changed her voice to a whisper tone, "Do you think Mufasa will find out?" Her head remained fixed ahead, staring through wide eyes at the antelope. "About Scar and I? I mean, Mufasa would never let Scar mate with the other lionesses. Don't get me wrong, he is a great king, and he reminds me a lot of his father, but I'm afraid that he'll hurt Scar."

"Oh, come now. Taka-I mean, Scar... is his brother. There's nothing he won't do for him, and I'm sure he wouldn't hurt him." Sarafina wasn't so sure. She could just picture the small, scrawny lion cowering before his fearless and muscular brother. The thought of it scared her. Sarabi's eyes diverted from Sarafina and noticed Fana, a young, dainty lioness, approaching. "Quiet now." This was not a subject to be discussed before the naive lioness.

"Good afternoon, ladies," greeted Fana. She was beautiful; golden-blond like the tall grass in the fields; her ice blue eyes accenting her tone. Her paws were small, graceful and light, and each step was more lithe than the last. Sarabi, one of the greatest of the huntresses, was training her. She said Fana was to be, when she was fully adult, "The Most Perfect Lioness."

"You might be a lady, Fana, but I'm not sure the zebra would agree with you," answered Sarafina. Fana smiled and lay herself comfortably next to Sarabi and looked up at the gathering clouds, sniffing the moldy air. "Smells as if the rains are going to come. The herds will probably be moving to shelter soon," she said. She looked pained, as if the thought of not being able to hunt with Sarabi again soon hurt her.

Before she could reply, Sarabi's ears pricked as she heard the familiar pawfall of another lioness approaching. In their wake came a voice, "Fana, let's not be too pushy." Fana turned towards the sound to see her mother, Flexara; seemingly an older duplicate of Fana.

"Oh, now, what do you mean, mother?" retorted Fana.

"You know exactly what I mean. Sarabi isn't going to hunt with you every second of the day." Yet Sarabi knew Fana wished she could. Somehow, Sarabi felt as if Flexara were jealous of her daughter-yet still proud. It was a confusing thought; Flexara was angry because her daughter could hunt and she had never brought anything down yet. It was her foolish pride.

"Don't worry about it," answered Sarabi. She raised and stretched, then leapt down from her ledge. She faced the field for a moment, looking for what would be simplest for Fana and Flexara; their skills were not yet fully developed; especially Flexara. Her tail twitched in thought as she studied the herd. She turned back to the group and sat on her haunches. "Your daughter's right. We should hunt before the rains come. Now listen, Fana and I will be a pair and you two make another. We'll start from the West End and you'll start from the east. Now, let's be off."

Sarabi noticed Flexara's irritated expression when she had announced Fana would hunt with her, but ignored it for the time being. Sarafina gave out a great yawn and stretched her slender body, arching her neck up. Fana smiled enthusiastically and bounded after Sarabi.

They headed towards the Grassland in opposite directions; camouflaged by the tall stalks. Sarabi had instructed on their way out to bring down two wandering antelope, and not to focus on the herd. She paced off to the left and Fana stalked off, silent as she had ever been. The fields were dry that day and it made for a quieter attack without the irritable sloshing of mud or water, yet the grass snapped slightly under their paws. Fana looked back at Sarabi, who nodded for her to go in and drive them towards the other pair.

But wait-Fana could see her mother stirring feistily not too far off. Suddenly Flexara jumped up from the stalks and charged the two animals. Fana saw Sarabi jump up in surprise, yet kept calm and didn't move. She was too far off to save Flexara now. The Antelope panicked, scattered and headed for their herd. Flexara kept after them, though. "Mother!" cried Fana. She rolled out of the way of the antelope racing towards her, Flexara hot on their tail. The ground rumbled and Fana's heart beat faster as she watched her mother take that sort of a risk. She had the fear that she would be killed. "How could she be so stupid?" she said to herself. She quickly shut her mouth, surprised that she had called her own mother stupid.

Scar was not so far away, on his way back to Pride Rock. He raised his head abruptly, his ears went up; hearing the fast beating of hooves and a roar for help. He wasn't sure- could it have been- Sarafina? He could not take that chance. Sarafina was his new love and he could not lose her now. But why had she done something so stupid as to cause a stampede? "I'd better retrieve the dolt before she gets killed," he said, sighing as he ran towards the scene. His eyes widened as he saw the dust rising up from the ground, blocking sight of exactly who the lioness in trouble was.

Fana could barely keep her eyes open without tearing up from all the dirt flying about. Fana gasped for fresh air, choking on the dust. She lowered her head and she began to cry-for her mother. She could see something just across from the herd, coming steadily faster and faster. Fana squinted and gasped, noticing it was a lion. Who, she could not make out. It was far too scrawny and dark to be King Mufasa.

Scar leapt and shoved Flexara harshly out of the way of the nearing stampede, knocking her out cold. After the blackness left, Scar was standing over her. He leaned in close and said, "You were lucky this time, fool. What were you thinking? Next time Scarrie won't be there to save you. Imbecile," he added with a flick of the tail, pacing away, just before the lionesses came.

Fana watched him pace off; she wondered why Scar had saved her in the first place. They rarely ever spoke to each other, and when they did, Scar was hostile and she could tell he wished to get away from her as fast as he could.

"Flexara! What were you thinking? You could've gotten you- and Fana- killed! Are you crazy?" scolded Sarabi, her tail swinging with anger.

"I did what I thought was right. Fana hesitated too long, so I went in instead. If I can't practice how am I ever supposed to kill anything?"

"Not on our dinner! Now we have to find something else before the rains come," she hissed. She looked up at the clouds and noticed they were about to break; the thunder was the last warning. Sarabi let out a frustrated sigh and paced away. Sarafina said not a word; she kept her eyes on Scar, leaving.

"I can't believe I did that. Do you know I thought that was Sarafina? How could I have mistaken that idiot Flexara for my-" he looked down and blinked slowly, "Love. She's the one that understands me, you see. She always talks to me and I really do think she understands. Or she at least tries," sighed Scar. He was with one of his 'friends', Shenzi the packland hyena. He stared up into the nothingness of the night. "Oh, if Mufasa knew about us he'd bust my jaw for sure. Yet the secret nags at me."

"Why won't Mufasa let you see her?" asked Shenzi. She was unaware of Mufasa's ways, one being she had never had the privilege of meeting him yet.

Scar's eyes widened and he turned over to stand up. "I'll tell you why. Because he thinks he owns everything, including me. Damn, why did father have to die now? And surely he'll have cubs with Sarabi soon. Then for sure I'll never be king. Why did they choose him? It's not fair. He always liked Mufasa's mother better. And what was wrong with Immue? Why was she shunned? She was the only one who knows that I'm the real king. Not Mufasa."

He rambled on, letting every thought out. "I remember now- yes....mother should have just gone and drowned Mufasa in the waterholeÉBut of course she couldn't. And why not? Because of Mufasa's mother. The overprotective one that she was. Right behind her little son, every step of the WAY!" He swiped a bone hard, sending it flying into a geyser.

"Well, why don't you just kill Mufasa yourself?"

There were those words again. Yes, Scar had thought about it himself. But he could not do it alone. And surely someone would see him. "No, there's no way I could do it myself. Something must be done, though. Before Mufasa sires his first cub."

The rains had come earlier that evening and as Scar made his way to the waterhole, the wet ground sloshed beneath his paws, the water rising up inside the pads of his paws, making it increasingly uncomfortable. The thought of Mufasa finding out about he and Sarafina chilled him and he cleared it from his mind. Scar could not be bothered by his troubles tonight. He was meant to be meeting Sarafina at the waterhole tonight, and was already late....

Sarafina stood waiting at the water's edge. She was concerned, only slightly; as he wasn't the most reliable lion, and he had never shown up on time. The stars shone brightly on the lioness' coat, making it glisten and reflect off the cool rippling water. Something stirred behind her. She turned to see Scar, his coal black mane shining like a gem in the darkness of the night. "There you are," sighed Sarafina. "I was beginning to think you weren't coming."

Scar sat on his haunches and looked up at the stars for a moment, thinking of his father, Ahadi. He looked back at his love. "I can trust you, Sarafina. Can't I?" His voice lacked its normal swaggering confidence. Sarafina raised a brow. He was never so unsure or scared beforeÉ.

"Yes, Scar. You can always trust me. Why would you think otherwise?" She wasn't really sure if she should vow her trust to Scar at that time; but it was a quick decision.

"I was told that I should always be suspicious. I was told that a long time ago and the thought has never escaped me, Sarafina. I don't know who I can trust."

Sarafina padded over to Scar, sensing his unease, and began to watch the water. "Tell me what's troubling you."

There was a long pause; it seemed like an eternity. In fact, the silence was so long Sarafina looked up at Scar and waited for a response. Breaking the silence, he uttered words that chilled her bones; she would never forget them, "I think - no, I know - I... hate Mufasa."

"What? He's your brother, Scar! How could you say that?!"

"He took away everything that is mine- my kingdom, my dignity, and everything else. The Pridelands belong to me and only me."

Sarafina shook her head slowly, wide-eyed and more terrified by the second. Something was wrong with Scar-there was a glimmer in his eyes that she had never noticed before; a glimmer of sheer madness. "No, Scar, you're wrong."

"I AM NEVER WRONG!!!" he roared so loud that it echoed throughout The Pridelands, stirring creatures near and far. Sarafina panted in fear and she backed away.

"Scar, your mother only told you that! But you were not chosen!"

"I WAS CHOSEN!" He stepped boldly towards her, teeth bared. "If it weren't for Mufasa, I'd be king; I'd be the one standing on the top of Pride Rock looking over my kingdom." He looked back towards the massive rock he felt should belong to him. He turned back and his eyes met Sarafina's, burning hers with his stare. " You belong to me. And everything and everyone else!" The thought of Scar controlling her made her heart beat faster and she was on the verge of running back to Pride Rock.

"Scar, if you keep acting like this, everyone will hate you like your-" Scar hit her hard across the jaw, sending her flying to the ground. Sarafina shook in sheer terror, blinked slowly and a single tear fell from her eye; but she did not move. Scar was standing just behind her- and she didn't even know him anymore.

Scar suddenly came to his senses and shook his head abruptly. He watched Sarafina laying on the ground, then looked at the back of his paw which was still raised in the air after the harsh blow. He took in a deep breath, and slinked away. He never looked back at Sarafina nor did he apologize to her.

"Don't you worry. No one will hate me. No one will hate me," he said under his breath. Sarafina stayed put until Scar's pawsteps were out of hearing range. On that night, in the heat of the darkness, the crickets chirped and a slight breeze blew; but not all was well. On that night, Sarafina's heart tore in two; a part of her dying as Scar walked away into the night.

All throughout the following day Sarafina said nothing and did nothing. She lay on the same rocky ledge all afternoon, only sighing occasionally and staring into something that wasn't there. Sarabi told the others to keep their distance today and not to bother her. She didn't even ask her to hunt.

Everyone felt subdued and oppressed by yesterdayÕs weather, which still lingered in the air. Pride Rock was still damp and smelled quite moldy, and the gently sloping rocks made the resting lionesses fur damp and sticky. Sarabi noticed Sarafina sprawled out on one of the rocks, her head jutting out over the edge. She decided to make her way over and see exactly what the problem was.

Sarabi lay down next to Sarafina and stared with her. "Saffi, what's the matter? You're never like this," Sarafina turned and looked at the concerned queen; sighed deeply, and turned away. "Come on now, you can tell me. I'm your friend- remember?" She put her face directly in Sarafina's view and waved a paw. "Saffi?"

"Scar- struck me last night," she bluntly answered. Sarabi looked at the ground a moment, trying to think what would be the best reaction. She wasn't so surprised that he would do this; she knew of Scar's erratic behavior.

"What ever for?"

"I don't know. He just- snapped," Sarafina hesitated for a long time. "I didn't get to tell him something last night."

Sarabi raised her head in suspicion. "Something important, hmm?" Sarafina nodded. Sarabi wasn't sure whether or not it would be comfortable for her to talk about it, but she thought she may as well give it a try. "Well, why don't you tell me. It might help you relax a bit.Ó

"I'm pregnant."

"That's..." Sarabi looked at her troubled friend, wondering what would be the right thing to say, "...wonderful?" she paused, hoping she'd found the right word. "Saffi, isn't it?" she added uneasily after seeing no sign of a response, "Who's the father?"

"Scar," Sarafina replied flatly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"...I am too."

Sarafina looked at Sarabi, unsure if what she had just heard really meant what she thought it did. "What?" she asked raising her head, "What does Mufasa think about that? Does he know?"

"I told him this morning, " Sarabi said with a smirk.

Sarafina stared for a moment, "The lowdown two-timing aardvark! I'll kill him, I'll kill him myself, even if Mufasa does it for me!"

"Sarafina?" asked Sarabi in confusion, "Whom do you mean?" She cocked her head slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"Scar, of course."

"What's he got to do with it?" Suddenly Sarabi realized what Sarafina must have thought, "Oh no," she laughed, "no, no." She smiled broadly, "I'm going to have Mufasa's cubs!"

"Ooooh! I thought you meant..." with that her depression lifted like clouds parting after rain...

That day, Scar went to see his mother, Immue, on the outskirts of Pride Rock. He hadn't seen her in such a while, she was always off and about somewhere on her own, he was surprised to find her at home. Scar approached Immue from the shadows. "Who's there?" came her hard voice. He could hear her getting up, and could see her vague shadow through the darkness.

"Don't worry, mother. It's only me."

"Ah, Scar, dear. It's simply delightful to see you, yes, yes, yes. You've strayed for so long. Where have you been?" asked Immue.

Scar was about to ask, 'Me, where have YOU been?' but he kept his mouth shut and faked a smile. "I've just been thinking," he answered, "about Mufasa and- such," he waved his paw vaguely. "And I need to talk to you about some things," he threw himself to the floor, cooling himself on the rocky ground.

"Of course. Now, I'm always here to listen. What seems to be the problem?" she asked, scratching absent-mindedly under her chin. "You never needed my advice before."

"Mother, I want to be king-"

"Want? Why Scar dear you will be king, of course you will, there's no want about it all."

"Mother, no!" roared Scar. Immue fell silent. "I'm not going to fall for that anymore!" He looked down at the slight cracks in the rock, "I want Sarafina to be my queen- but I think she hates me now." He turned to Immue and stared her straight in the eyes, letting all his fear out. "Mother, I'm going mad. What do I need to do about Mufasa?"

Immue paced off behind Scar and sat at the back entrance, staring into the field beyond. "Scar, you were supposed to be king. It was your brother's mother who tricked Ahadi. You were always much smarter and more attentive; you were always king material but Mufasa stole your throne," she said. She suddenly turned to him and her voice grew darker. "I overheard his... majesty..." she forced herself to say, "this morning, yes- it seems the furball is expecting a cub; they think he'll be the next king. Scar, my son; justice must be done, and the time is right."

"Mother, how did you find out?"

"Oh I do get around you know. Yes, yes indeed I do now and again. Here and there. You'd be surprised what you hear if you put your mind to it. Now then Scar dear...."

Scar left his mother and made his way down to where he could see Sarabi and Sarafina and Sarabi. "What am I supposed to do about all this now? Now I'll have to do something about my nephew... or my niece as well...wait-that will make it easier! Cubs are so naive, there must be some way I can lure it astray? Oh..that will have to wait for now..." he thought to himself.

Sarafina noted to Sarabi that Scar was approaching. The queen leapt down from the ledge to protect her friend. "You leave her be, brute!" she hissed, referring to Sarafina.

"Of course, your- majesty," he forced himself to say. He casually passed the lioness and made his way over to Sarafina. "I just want to talk with her, that's all," he sat in Sarafina's view. "Sarafina?" he called into the blankness of her eyes. "Sarafina? I'm- sorry about yesterday, really I am," he said. "Can you ever forgive me?" Sarafina could tell there was no sincerity to his voice.

Sarafina slowly raised her head and her eyes suddenly had personality again- an angry personality. "No, Scar. I can never forgive you for hitting me and acting the way you had. Especially since I'm expecting." Scar's eyes widened and he felt as if his heart had stopped beating. Had she said what he thought?

"Expecting?" he laughed uneasily, "Expecting what?" Sarafina's stare came close to chilling even Scar's blood, "Oh, that exp-p-pecting... you mean a C-c-cub?"

"Yes, Scar," answered Sarafina in a very flat and unwelcoming tone, "You are the father, but that does not mean you will be bringing the cub up. I won't let it be brought up around a crazy lion! I never know what you're going to do next and I don't want it living in that fear! I will never allow you to see it, after what you said and did to me."

"Oh, b-b-but I didn't mean anything by it, it was just a...misunderstanding, yes, that's what it was. You didn't understand."

"I understood you perfectly! Now GET OUT!"

Scar looked at Sarafina, then turned and saw Sarabi, her claws extended on tensed paws. "Yes... Yes... I think you need some time to think it over...." Sarabi raised her forepaw. "I'll leave you, but I'll be back when you're a little less...err... tense." He faked a smile and turned away.

Scar paced along the border of the Pride Lands and the Elephant Graveyard that evening, conversing with his ally, Shenzi. He had heard Immue's view and now it was time to hear someone else's opinion- even if it was one of those loathsome creaturesÉ. he stopped slowly and slumped to the ground, tangling his mane. He rolled over slightly and stared up into the stars. "A cubÉ" he said, dazed.

"You should be happy, boss," said Shenzi, hastily chewing on a bone. "I mean- your own kid is being brought into the world. Your very first cub." Scar's eyes widened as if he suddenly remembered something. He sighed deeply and a look of torment came over his face.

Scar was about to say something more when he heard that aggravating and annoying laughter- none other than Ed's. He appeared from behind the rise that separated the two worlds with Banzai lurking behind. "Hey, Scar, what's cookin'? Got anything for...dinner?" asked Banzai with a look of hope.

"You, if you don't shut up," snarled the lion in reply. Ed laughed a little at the remark, causing Scar to sigh. The two hyenas placed themselves next to Shenzi; she and Ed fought over the bone. "I told you I didn't have anything. MUST you stay here?"

"Anything you can say in front of Shenzi, you can say to us. Right, Ed?" Banzai turned to the deranged hyena and smiled a yellow, toothy grin. Ed's tongue found it's way out of his mouth and hung limply as he nodded in reply.

"Whatever...." sighed Scar.

"But uhh...you never answered my question."

"What question?" Scar twitched his tail in aggravation and wrinkled his nose a bit. With all his other thoughts on his mind he had little patience for such nonsense tonight.

"Did ya bring anything to eat?"

"Is that ALL you ever think about?" He began to stand up, ready to leave the scene if they were to keep this up. Scar suddenly remembered why he had come there in the first place. He rolled his eyes, sighed, and lay back down again. "Oh...now, what was I talking about?"

Fana had been wandering around and heard Scar speaking. She was afraid he would see her and tell Flexara she had been out alone without permission. She ducked down low behind the brush. She wasn't sure which direction he was in so she didn't look; she just listened. She tilted her head and her tail twitched. She could make out two other voices- one female, the other's male..she wondered who he could have been talking to.

"Like I says, Scar..you should be happy, you've got your very first cub," remarked Shenzi. Scar was silent as she snapped at Ed, scaring him off and commenced on chewing on her bone. A look of torment and remorse came over his face, like there was something mentioned that he wished to forget. Shenzi noted his dazed look, "Right--boss?"

Scar sighed deeply, staring into the endlessly black sky, watching the stars twinkle. His mind fell back to Earth and he stated, blinking slowly, "But...she's not the first..."

Shenzi dropped her bone and Banzai and Ed's hysterical laughter stopped instantaneously. "W-ho-hoaa..." said Banzai, nearly stunned. He lifted his head higher and asked, "You have another cub--before this one?" making sure he had heard right the first time.

"Oh, she's nearly not a cub. She's nearly grown now- her name's Fana. But you wouldn't think I sired her unless I told you. She takes all after her mother; that golden tone and those clear blue eyes..." he hesitated a moment, thinking about her. "But she's just like the rest of them; taunting me day and night and running after Mufasa all the time... I've mingled with her once in a while but I never told her I was the father."

"Why not?"

"It's her mother," he hissed, "She's a stupid one, she is. Still hunts like a young cub and I think she's even jealous of her own daughter. It's all right with me, if she wants to be like that. I wouldn't be proud in a million years I had mated with that simpleton. I'd be too ashamed to admit it," he stated in total disgust at the mention of Flexara, an issue he wanted to forget and felt should never be brought up.

"Scar's my father?" whispered Fana. She soon realized her lineage was nothing to be proud of. Her short-tempered, mean minded father, and her idiotic, child-like mother. She raced off towards Pride Rock, the thought pounding in her mind, with every step she took the knowledge of her father buried itself deeper and deeper into her brain.

It was months later; Sarabi's cub was born first; a cub so small and frail it seemed to Sarabi he would grow to be such a great King that the Pridelands would rejoice each time his presence was announced. She named him of great courage and regality, she named him Simba. Sarafina's was born not days after Simba's presentation, her name was Nala. Betrothed to young Simba, Mufasa and Sarabi were sure their future would be filled with satisfaction. Sarafina loved Nala greatly, but sometimes a look of fear and pain would come over her when she looked into those emerald green eyes; Scar and his madness came over her.

She spoke not a word about Scar to her daughter; she wasn't sure if he was aware that she'd been born yet. Mufasa had gotten in a fight with Scar the other day about Simba; she kept having the disturbing thought that Scar was thinking about doing something to the prince.

Fana kept her thoughts to herself; she knew of no one that would be as sympathizing or understanding as she needed. The tall Grasslands were her only escape from the pain she suffered and carried with her each day at Pride Rock. Her tawny coat blew in the gentle breeze that afternoon as she padded through the dry, blond grass. She heard something rustling just behind her. Before she had time to turn and see whom it was, Flexara backed out of a dense portion of grass and collided with her daughter.

Maybe, just maybe, Fana thought, that she could get some sense into Flexara, she thought that she could talk her problems over with Flexara, for once. "Mother...I'm glad you're here. I was wondering," her eyes searched for a place to look as she felt her mother's cold stare, "if you'd tell me a few things I've been wondering about..."

"Not now, stupid!" snarled Flexara. Fana was taken aback and stepped away from her mother. "Can't you see I'm trying to hunt?" She beared her teeth at the young lioness and began to leave.

"Mother, please--" Fana chased after Flexara, "I wish you wouldn't treat me like this."

"I wish you wouldn't show off all the time and show me up like I'm some sort of an idiot. But do I complain? Why don't you go see the cubs or something. I'm busy."

Fana was on the verge of growling. "No, Flexara. I MUST speak with you."

"That's mother to you! Don't ever speak to me like that again, brat!" Flexara cuffed Fana and hastily paced away again. Fana narrowed her eyes and got right back up again, still on her mother's tail.

"You're not a mother, you're-you're...OHH!!" She cried out in frustration and stopped, sitting on her haunches Something strange happened that Fana never thought her mother would do to her. She suddenly turned and went after Fana. Fana was taken by surprise and was quickly knocked to the ground. Flexara looked her daughter straight in the eyes, hers full of coldness, and Fana's full of fear. "I'm not putting up with you anymore. I've had enough of this. I bring you up and this is the thanks I get? I should have left you for the hyenas when I had the chance."

What? What was she talking about? "What?" Fana asked, shocked. Flexara backed off and paced a few feet off. Her eyes stared out towards the Elephant Graveyard, a shadowed land she wished to forget. She paused for a very long amount of time before her words finally cut through the thick silence.

"When I went into labor with you...I was in the Elephant Graveyard," she whispered bluntly. She stared out there, a look of pain came over her face, something Fana had never noticed there before.

"Why were you over there and not at Pride Rock where you belonged?" She asked in a concerned tone. Maybe there were matters with Flexara that had made her neglect her daughter; Fana knew little history of her family's past, especially her mother.

Flexara didn't answer. She hesitated a long while. "Scar saved me. He simply told them to lay off and they did. I don't know how he did it."

"Scar's what I came to talk to you about. Why didn't you tell me he's my father?"

"He didn't want anyone to know. He said he was ashamed of me."

Fana realized her mother's woeful past. No one had ever liked her enough to give her a chance; a chance to grow up. She was still cub-minded. But Flexara's chance to mature was too late. She'd be that way until she died. "I'm sorry what I said about you," sighed Fana.

"I'm sorry too...." she lifted her head up and her eyes gleamed with her regular hollow stare. "Although I was speaking the truth." Fana ignored this remark and headed off towards Pride Rrock.

When she arrived, Sarabi and Sarafina were bathing their cubs. "Hey Fana, where's your mother?" asked Sarabi when she saw the lioness approach. Fana made her way under the shade and did not respond. "Fana?"

Fana sighed deeply, and with regrets she said, "I don't like my mother anymore." Of course the Queen and her friend were taken aback by this. They glanced at each other and thought that they should handle this the calm way. Fana was an adult now; surely she could handle reason.

"Why exactly don't you like Flexara anymore? Is there something she's done?"

"Something she's done?" retorted Fana. She jumped up suddenly, and her eyes quickly shifted to the Queen. "SOMETHING SHE'S DONE??!!! She told me things that horrified me! She hates me so why should I be forced to like her?"

"Where did you hear this from?"

"Flexara. And I'm calling her Flexara from now on, too. She's no longer my mother." Sarabi asked what Flexara had told her, and she told her about her earlier encounter.

"WellÉmaybe she had something else on her mind and she really wasn't paying attention," Sarabi searched for some sort of logic, even though she knew she would come up with nothing. Flexara had always been an enigma since she was born; there was little knowledge of her emotions; she had only showed one during her entire life--selfishness.

"No! She knew perfectly well what she was talking about!" roared Fana. From behind Flexara approached, a look of sadness and rejection in her eyes. "Flexara is stupid! I've never noticed it before, but as time progresses I realize that she has never matured. She's always been stupid and she'll always be!" Fana lowered her head to the ground before the rest of her body followed.

"Fana, why don't you come with me and we'll have a nice chat," said Sarabi as she shifted uneasily at the sight of Flexara. Fana slowly rose and left, leaving Sarafina to attend to Simba and Nala.

"FanaÑ" began Flexara as she saw her leave, but she couldn't finish without first bursting into tears and began to run away. She made her way up the grassy slope towards the cave, the other Pride sisters staring at her. She bumped hastily into Scar, approaching from behind, knocking her flat on the ground.

Scar looked down and saw the tears flooding her eyes. He rolled his eyes and mumbled to himself, "Serves you right," he daintily stepped over her and approached Sarafina.

"Get away from me, Scar. I told you, you have no right being here," she hissed as she guarded the cubs. Her eyes no longer had their friendly shine and her hair stood on end.

"I don't understand, I can see my nephew but I can't even see my own daughter!" answered Scar, coming closer yet. His mane rustled lightly in the wind; his emerald eyes glimmering against the sun and the ambition of seeing his daughter. Sarafina let Scar look at her for a few moments, yet with a deep growl in her throat. Sarafina gathered Nala closer.

"That's enough, Scar. I don't want her knowing who she belongs to besides me."

"Well what are you going to tell her when the day comes?"

"I'll tell her it was Mufasa," she answered, quite sure of her plans.

Scar attempted to get closer but Sarafina lashed out with one paw and bared her teeth. She held Simba and Nala close. "Temper, temper. This is probably going to be the last time I see her this close, hmm? So why don't you just let me see her?" suggested Scar.

"Your smooth talk isn't gonna fool me this time, Scar."

"Don't be so stubborn, Sarafina. She's his daughter too, you know," protested Flexara, padding up from behind; her face wet from her tears. She stood firmly next to Scar; who gave her an odd look. Flexara was standing up for Scar in the hopes he would accept her again.

"Flexara, be a good little lioness and KEEP OUT OF THIS," hissed Sarafina.

"I will not! Scar is a good-hearted lion. He should be allowed to see Nala. And I'm sure one day Nala will get sick of you and want to know about her father," she retorted, leering at her. She glanced at Scar, hoping he might accept her, but he had simply backed away and disappeared from the scene. Sarafina didn't budge; she simply held the cubs closer and squinted her eyes scornfully.

"That was a childish comment, Flexara. Just because you never grew up you think nobody else will either? That's why Fana doesn't like you. You're the only thing she has. Can't you understand that? Yet you turn your back on her in times of need. You are selfish," growled Saffi. Simba whined a little and she lowered her face towards him to hush him. When Sarafina looked back up all she saw was a flash of claws. She quickly ducked with a gasp.

"Sa-rab-iiii!" roared Sarafina. The queen heard her friend's distressful cry not too far off and she bounded back over with Fana. Flexara attacked Sarabi as soon as she was not but a few feet away. The fight was brutal and harsh; the other two only looked on with horror.

Sarafina gave the cubs to Fana before she could try to defend her mother and joined the attack. Flexara got Sarabi pinned to the cold, solid ground and pushed hard; causing the great queen to lose her breath. Sarafina leapt on her opponent's back and flipped her over forcefully to the side. Flexara's roar of pain as she hit head against rock echoed throughout the Pridelands and she fell, silent.

Sarabi lay still for several minutes catching her breath. Saffi stood tall and triumphant; yet with a twinge of sorrow and pity in her eyes. She had killed one of her own. The lioness closed her eyes and shook her head slowly as if she didn't even believe herself. She heard Sarabi pacing up from behind. "Sassi, look what I've done." Sarafina turned and wept in her friend's fur, as Sarabi stared at the dead, bleeding body of a tormented lioness.

"It's all right, Saffi, it's all right. You did what must have been done," she answered, longing to comfort her. She could feel the salty tears running down her chest as she stared at the dead lioness before her. The queen looked up on the ledge above; there was Fana with the two cubs; she was totally silent and Sarabi had almost forgotten she was there. Their eyes met, one pair full of pain, sorrow and longing; the other of sympathy and sadness. Fana and her mother's feud had ended. But one problem was still stirringÉ.

Scar wandered quickly away, not looking back once. He heard a deathly roar when he broke into a run. He calmed down a bit when he reached Immue, lounging in the shade near her cave. "Scar, dear? Oh, my young one. I heard a fuss back there a few moments agoÉwas that you?" Her fur blew lightly in the breeze and her eyes glimmered thoughtfully.

"EhÉno. Sarafina and that Flexara are fighting. I was simply passing by. I'm in a terrible situation, mother. Sarafina refuses to let me see Nala."

"Well, there's a simple solution to that, and I think you know the answer, hmm?" She raised a brow and her lips curled back into a deranged smile. "If you can't have your own daughter.... then Sarafina shouldn't have her own daughter. Luck is with you, Scar. Your daughter and nephew, born only days apart- the perfect chance to rid of them both. You'll be killing two birds with one stone."

Scar shuddered at the thought of killing his own family. Yet the madness crept over him again and he remembered what could have been- Scar, King of the Pridelands. He could still grasp that dream if he did what must be done. "But, what ofÉMufasa?" He asked, flexing his claws with enthusiasm.

Immue looked at the ground and thought hard. She suddenly jerked her head up and said, "Naturally, darling, you mustn't kill him with your bare claws; that wouldn't work well, now would it? Perhaps a hunting accident, yes? Or a disaster with one of the herds?"

Months later, Immue had gone off for a while; she did that sometimes; and Scar was left to his thoughts. Simba and Nala were as rambunctious (and obnoxious, in Scar's opinion) as they had ever seen them, and he knew Mufasa would be giving his son talks and lessons about ruling the kingdom. "He'll want to see it all. Blast, where would be the place where no one will see him?" The cackling of the hyenas overcame him and his sour face turned to one of sheer happiness. "Ah, yes, the Pack LandsÉ."

Scar was in no mood for games or Simba, or Nala as well. He had noticed Mufasa earlier that day, on the top of Pride Rock, with that-hairball son of his...Simba. He noticed a bone in his path and swiped it away hard in anger and disgust. ""Hey uncle Scar! Guess what!" came a scratchy young voice from behind.

"I despise guessing games," he answered between clenched teeth.

"I'm gonna be King of Pride Rock," he boasted with much enthusiasm.

"Oh, goody..."