Redemption

The character Mufasa, Scar, Sarabi, Rafiki and Simba are all copyright the Walt Disney company and are used without permission

Foreword

This story was written on and off over the course of almost three years. It began it's life as a very short story called "Taka's Song" which was posted with some trepidation on alt.fan.lion-king (this was at the height of "Chronicles of The Pride Lands" mania so you can imagine that me as a newbie and new to writing fan fiction (I had written other stories but none based on popular characters) was a bit hesitant to show my meager work. It was received fairly well and I thought I was pleased with it.

Until about eight months later when I reread it and noticed how utterly unfinished it was. It seemed to die off just as it gained it's momentum. So taking it up again I decided to give it the overall polish and finish it wanted.

A lot of people will probably wonder why I wrote a huge saga about Scar from The Lion King. A story about the Pride Lands, yes, but an epic about a villain and supposedly the worst villain in Disney history at that, no. Well for me, Scar's story in The Lion King seemed and still does, incomplete. Every character in the film progresses and grows, except Scar. Scar starts and ends the story the same. There is no growth in his character nor any expansion of his past. This story is an attempt to do just that. Hopefully, it worked.

--Margaret

Chapter 1

No Rest for the Wicked

All at once they were on him, large shaggy bodies heaving themselves upon his bruised and battered flesh. The smooth and silken voice with which he had used to persuade his attackers to be his allies had abandoned him. All that came from his throat was a breathless silent scream.

A chance glance upwards revealed to him the young face of his enemy, now staring down into the sea of grey-brown bodies which surrounded Scar. A lightening bolt of anger shot through Scar's spine as he looked into those triumphant eyes. He was going to stand there silently and watch him die! A sudden rush of energy fueled by rage surged through him and he lashed out with his hind paws.

His long claws found the face of one of his attackers; tearing the beasts nose and knocking it backward into the fire scorched rocks surrounding the fray. Rolling onto it's back it gave an agonized yelp of pain as the hot rocks burned blisters into the it's flesh. It's yowls cutting through the growling hum of the crowd.

In concert the clan looked toward their injured brother who was now yelping and wildly rolling on his back trying to find relief from the pain. The momentary distraction was all that was needed. In a breath of time Scar was up and away, running blindly over the darkened Savannah. Running for his life and never looking back.

He couldn't recall how long he kept running. His mind was a blur of fear and confusion. When he finally trotted to a stop and collapsed onto the yellow grass, the first pink rays of dawn where beginning to creep across the land. He raised his shuddering head and looked about him. He had come to a small waterhole; little more than a deep puddle in the ground really. But the tall grasses surrounding it beckoned him to skulk into their midst and drink from the pool.

He raised himself on shaky legs and staggered to the pool. Lying prone next to the pond he caught a glimpse of his reflection. His face was now covered by small cuts and abrasions. The fire that he and Simba had fought beside has singed his coat and burned the whiskers on the left side of his face. The lone scar over his eye now had many companions.

It was all gone now. Everything was gone. The kingship, his familiar home territory, his allies; even his dignity had taken it's leave. The thought of how he had cowered and mewled before his nephew came to him and he burned with shame. Like a cub in its milk he had cried and begged for his life. Embarrassed he turned away from his reflection. He couldn't bear to look at his face, the face of a coward. Of a murderer and right now, he thought, a hunted beast.

He hadn't looked back when he had left the hyenas in their confusion. He ran quickly, finding the strength to pump his legs from some unknown wellspring inside himself. The terror of those moments when the clan had closed around him was beyond any telling. The way they had looked at him; their eyes seemed to be picking out just the right place to bite. They would have torn him into still living pieces. Tearing and eating as he screamed for mercy. He had seen what they did to those that were unfortunate enough to find themselves in the hyenas way when the dinner bell rang. They fed in a frenzy. Ripping the prey into the tiniest bits; swallowing the still hot flesh whole. This time he had been the prey and they would have taken special delight in rending him.

He returned to the pool and lowered his head into the lukewarm water. He began lapping up the muddy liquid. It coursed a path through his rough, dry throat. He drank until he felt he was going to be ill; then lay down in the muddy ground by the pool. Laying his head on his foreleg he looked up at the bright blue sky. The clan would be coming for him. Of this he was sure. They would never allow him to live. He had committed treason; justice would be swift and painful. The hyenas may forgive there own, but he was a lion. They wouldn't show him the same consideration. Death was coming and no amount of crying would change it or avert its course. A tight knot of dread formed in his groin. He curled up into himself, tucking his head into his belly, as if curling into the smallest ball possible might make him disappear. While he shut his eyes and thought about his upcoming punishment he drifted off into a deep sleep.

It is said that those who sleep like the dead sleep dreamless, perhaps. But Scar's sleep was fraught with the demons of the past days events. He was back in the Pride Lands standing on the promontory and watching the clan pick a small wildebeest from a vast herd. They took great pleasure in harassing the small animal. Cornering it they nipped at its flanks pecking away small bits of hide. The calf's eyes rolled its eyes in terror; foam dripped from its mouth. It bawled; shrieking for its fellows to come to it's aid.

Scar was watching the scene below dispassionately, until a feeling of misgiving came over him. The calf's screech sounded less like a wildebeest than it did like a lions scream. He leapt into the midst of the clan and the carrion eaters scattered before him. "Stop this! I am king and I command it!" He looked toward the calf which was no longer a calf but the shredded remains of a dark skinned lion with a shaggy black mane. It's bright green and yellow eyes staring lifelessly into his own. He staggered back, his voice a breathy whisper. "Oh dear, gods...." He spun around to find himself muzzle to muzzle with Shenzi. At least it should have been Shenzi, except her face has now contorted to house a muzzle of scythe like teeth, which spilled from her mouth. Her eyes floated in deep recesses in her skull; piercing him with their sharp yellow color. Runnels of saliva dripped from her chin.

The monstrosity laughed. "King? Oh no my friend, you are carrion. Dead Meat!" Looking around him he now saw that the hyenas had not only shrunk to the size of meerkats; but they had also multiplied. They covered the land like ticks on a rhinos back. He was surrounded, a small tawny island in a sea of grey bodies. "Dead Meat! Dead Meat!" The tiny beasts began chanting. The Shenzi monster looked at him and smiled. "Now my friend, we eat!" In unison they rose up and crashed into him like a wave hitting the shore. Tiny, tearing teeth buried themselves into his body. They ripped, chewed and tore again. They where devouring him alive. He tried to scream but his voice was gone. A wordless shriek filled his mind. "Oh, Gods, they're eating meeeeeeeee!"

He woke with a start the only sound that filled his ears the thrumming of his heart in his bony chest. It was a dream, a premonition. He looked about himself. The sky held the color of deepest purple. He had slept the entire day and now found himself cradled in the tall grasses covered by the velvet sky and bone white moon.

Chapter 2

Fear

The sleep had done him good. He could stand now without his knees shaking; but his paws burned with pain as he got to his feet. Laying back down he examined them. The pads of his paws where cracked and covered with dried blood. All of the fighting and running had worn them raw. He tried to lick them clean but the skin was still tender to the touch; his rough tongue only succeeded in causing him pain. "Serve me right if I caught an infection and died." He sighed and stopped grooming his feet. It would be sometime before he would be able to travel. Even as the thought came to him he wondered where he would travel to.

A lion in his position was almost certainly doomed. He was weak and injured. Never very strong or good at hunting, mostly due to his own laziness, he wasn't sure he could provide himself with the food he needed to grow strong again. Even if he did try to move on, he could very well find himself in the territory of another male. In his condition he could never challenge for a pride, not that he wanted to. He had already proved to himself and everyone else that he could not lead. He was unfit to rule and a challenge would kill him.

He also knew that the clan would be sending scouting parties out in search of him. Sooner or later his waterhole would be found. He had to admit, he could see no way out of his current predicament. If only he could take the past back into himself, breath life into Mufasa and go back to his lone cave. He would be happy this time, content to be last in line. He would welcome Simba with open arms and obey the laws that nature and the gods had put forth.

"I'm a fool an arrogant idiot, he said to no one, a cowardly murder." He bit his lower lip feeling the skin break and tasting blood as he held back the torrent of emotions that threatened to burst from his chest. "Why did I do all this? I'm going to die alone; what's anything worth when in the end you die alone?"

As an adolescent Scar knew that all eyes had rested on his larger, more handsome brother. They respected him, asked his advice on matters; even more they had loved him. Their eyes never met his. To them he was useless, not the future king. He was just an annoyance who ate hard hunted food and made them uncomfortable with his strange ways.

The pride had always seemed wary of him. They kept their distance from him, never initiating conversation and only giving him curt answers to his questions. In this way he had felt himself marked as "different" and "other than". He had never quite understood this difference, although he had an inkling of it.

It had always seemed to him that the other lions were content to live their lives as their forebears had. Letting one day bleed into the next, an endless chain of eating, sleeping, birthing and dying. One's place in life was never questioned. You were what you were and if you happened to be at the bottom, you stayed there. The "Great Circle of Life" they reverently called it. He was expected to swallow his pride and stand behind his brother; never striving for more than was freely given.

It was something he could not bear. As soon as he had learned of the succession of his brother a hatred of his circumstances and those he felt caused it grew inside him. He hated his father who had chosen Mufasa over him, he hated Mufasa who knew he was the chosen one, he hated the lionesses who avoided him and loved his brother, and when he was finally born, he hated Simba who was going to grow up secure in the knowledge of his importance in the scheme of things.

Looking back at it now, miles from the Pride Lands; Scar could see that Mufasa had tried to be kind. Where another male may have driven his brother (and rival) off, Mufasa allowed him to stay under his protection. While he didn't eat well, Mufasa had seen to it that he always got a portion of the prides food. Scar had plotted and planned his death, while Mufasa lived believing while his brother was bitter, he would never harm him. Scar felt the biting shame rise up over him again. His brother had been so surprised by his treachery. The look in his eyes as hung in desperation on the rock face over the stampede had told all. He never dreamed that his brother would kill him and when it finally dawned on him the shock, horror and the hurt at his betrayal was evident.

Simba had taken his father's lead and was fond of his uncle; coming to his cave and reporting to him excitedly of all the things he saw and learned. Of all the pride Simba's love for him was the most evident and unabashedly given. And Scar had wished him dead. Unable to contain the feelings of guilt and shame any longer as he thought of his young nephew looking up at him with bright, unafraid eyes, he put a large paw over his nose and felt the first few tears of regret come to his eyes.

Regret was something new to Scar and the feeling settled uneasily over him like a sticky spider's web. In past once he had made his resolve he never looked back or thought twice. When Mufasa had become king he had vowed in his heart to see the death of him. When Simba was born his resolve became stronger. He had steeled himself with the knowledge that what he was doing was just. When the hyenas presented themselves as allies in his campaign he had courted their favor without hesitation. Bringing them food and giving them a measure of protection. He never stopped to think that what he had been doing might have been wrong or evil. It was necessary to gain him a place on high. This above all else was paramount. Loyalty and friendship was tossed aside as unthinkingly as one sheds an old coat of hair.

Scar smiled ruefully as he thought back on all the choices he had made and the opportunities he had shunted aside. "What was the use if one is to gain a kingdom at the cost of ones soul?" He laughed, "Indeed, what is the use?"

Scar's reign over the Pride Lands had been a hard and joyless one. The pride had greeted him and his hyena mercenaries with scorn and distrust. Far from being the respected leader he had always envisioned, he was a pariah. The lionesses gave him the respect born of fear, but no true love, no true loyalty. They whispered behind his back when they thought he couldn't hear them. Made faces of disgust as he walked by them. He pretended not to notice their derision. Going along as if all was well and that he was as respected and beloved a leader as Mufasa. But it was impossible not to know where they stood on his kingship. Impossible not to know where anyone stood on it. The herds left the lands when the hunting pressure had become too great. Even the weather itself seemed to show it's displeasure at his rule as the rain ceased to fall and the ground became cracked and parched. They wanted him out, everyone wanted him out and when Simba showed up on that stifling stormy evening; the absolute relief and joy on their faces made him want to run away with his tail between his legs.

"No," Scar heaved a sigh and lifted his head toward the brilliant stars shining fiercely from their blue/black blanket, it's over. "There will be no more running, no more trying to change what am I or what will happen." For one last time he made a resolve he meant to keep. Here, at this muddy puddle in the ground he would meet his fate without struggle. His crimes were great and his body was tired. Here was the place of punishment, where all past transgressions would be met and answered for in full.

He settled his aching head back on his forepaws. His ears swiveled on his head picking up the nighttime sounds of the Savannah. The winds whispered across the darkened grasses, the constant whir of crickets and..something else. Scar's head snapped up and he strained to pick up the faint rustling. He leapt to his feet, ignoring the pain which shot up his limbs. Something was moving toward him in the grass, faintly, trying very hard to stay concealed. He swallowed hard; he was found! In a panic he scanned the surrounding grasses for the figure approaching him.

So this was it, he thought to himself, it was coming on quicker than he imagined but he knew they would come. He tried to steady himself for the attack that was unavoidable. He lowered his head and bared his teeth. The rustling was almost on top of him. He splayed his claws and made small furrows in the muddy earth. Closer. A soft growl escaped from him. The tall fronds in front of him parted and then he saw a garishly colored face push it's way into view. The face broke into a wide smile showing large and somewhat crooked teeth.

Scar stood for a few confused moments in his defensive position. How could this creature of all be here? The terrifying dream, the darkness, his own nagging fears and now this; the night was becoming more and more surreal as it dragged on. Then he understood what the figure before him must mean. Simba had sent him to root him out; Scar was surprised, he didn't realize his nephew had that much bloodlust in him. He pulled his claws in and relaxed a little.

"So old fellow," he smiled at Rafiki, "my young nephew sent you to find me. Go on, run back and fetch him now. I'll be waiting for you when you get back. This is my home now you see." Scar laughed again, a feeble cracked sound.

Rafiki looked around the dirty muddy waterhole and raised an eyebrow. "Nice place you got here Scar." Scar came out as "Skaa" in the baboons voice.

"Yes, yes it is. Plenty of water...dry grass, misquotoes. Quite a treasure really, I would invite you for a drink, however I don't know if you have a bacterial tolerance high enough for what I have to offer." He dipped his paw in muddy water and splashed some of it onto the ground.

Rafiki found himself a dry spot on the ground and sat down; cradling his staff between his shaggy knees he regarded the lion from under his brows. A few uncomfortable moments passed between them and then he spoke.

"Your deeds have caught up to you Scar."

Scar sighed and looked at Rafiki coyly. "Now my old fellow, whatever makes you say a thing like that? I'm here of my own volition. Look around you, what lion in his right mind would pass up the chance to vacation in such a locale as this? Where I shall be going soon is ten times better. This is just a minor stop off you see. But soon the big vacation is coming."

Rafiki nodded. "You're not even a little scared?"

Scar raised a paw. "Not a bit, I would do it myself if I had the means. Scared? Well, truthfully I am a bit wary. I mean a murdering coward has no chance of sitting with the Great Kings of the Past does he?"

"So where do you think you will sit Scar?"

"Me? Most likely in the very place I have been all along. Although I suspect it won't be nearly as comfortable this time around."

"You have caused much heartache and great pain to many creatures Scar."

"I have caused more pain than you know, old fellow. I know what you're doing and don't bother. I have trotted down that path already and I know what I must do. Now please, if I may ask one small favor, go now. Let me meet my destiny alone."

Scar raised himself on his pained feet and walked out onto the silent grasses surrounding the waterhole. He stumbled. Damn these paws, he grumbled inwardly. He came to a stop and flopped down on the ground. He looked at one of his forepaws. The skin had broken again and fresh blood pattered onto the ground. He licked at it gently and winced.

"Scar, why are you running away?"

Scar stopped washing his foot and for a moment looked as if he had heard the best joke of his life. He let out a gale of snickers and giggles. Rafiki approached him and sat beside him.

He looked at the colorful ape. "Why am I running away? Have you been paying attention? Do you remember the last few nights events? And for your information I'm not running, I'm waiting."

"You're running from me." Rafiki took a small pouch from the many hanging on his staff. He reached for one of Scar's paws. The lion hissed with pain and pulled away at his touch. Rafiki insisted and took the huge paw and laid it across his lap. He studied it carefully for a moment and then opened the pouch. Dipping his fingers into it he pulled out a greenish white moss and pressed it to Scar's bleeding pad. "You're running from me as you ran from those hyenas the other night. I saw that you know. Simba, he was afraid to watch, he left and thought you died by their teeth."

Scar's foot stopped throbbing. The moss was deliciously cool and soothing. He looked at Rafiki, who was now pulling another pouch from his staff.

"So they all think I died then?"

The ape nodded. "Yes, all think you're dead. All have a party because they think you're dead.," Rafiki gave a raucous laugh, "A -big- party because they think you're dead."

"Hmp! No need to rub it in you know." Rafiki was now applying a paste of some kind to his injured foot. Scar fairly sighed with relief as the soothing potion was smeared on his pad.

"You made a big mess, Scar. It will take a long time to clean it up. Don't be surprised you being dead makes a lot of creatures happy."

Scar lowered his head. All of a sudden he felt very uncomfortable around Rafiki and just wished to go back to the mud hole and hide. He pulled his paw away from the ape and stood. He couldn't bear to look at him anymore.

"I know that my death has brought joy and maybe it'll bring some measure to me as well. I was a fool my entire life. But all things will be answered for. Thank you for trying to heal my foot, but friend," he turned to Rafiki his eyes now glistening, "my foot is but a small part of me which is cracked and bleeding. This disease that I've been carrying around and passing on to everyone I meet has only one cure. You and I both know what it is. So please, go on back to Pride Rock. Tell Simba nothing. Let him believe that the disease is gone."

The lion retreated further from the ape. He could feel the lump in his throat growing bigger and he had no intention of letting his brother's friend see him in such a way. He swallowed hard against the emotions.

"Scar."

He heard Rafiki's voice, which had now taken on a softer tone. He didn't stop or look around. He just wished the ape would leave.

"Taka?"

At the sound of this name he stopped. It had been a long time since he had heard it. It brought with it long forgotten memories; memories of home. Quietly he said. "You remember?"

"Remember when you were still Taka? Yes, I remember many things about you."

Scar sat down his back still to Rafiki. He still didn't have the courage to face the shaman. A breakdown threatened at the corners of his mouth and around his eyes.

"You were a good friend to my brother, why are you here Rafiki? I killed him. I tried to kill his son. I made his mate a widow and decimated the lands we all had to live on. Why are you here? I don't deserve your company. Please Rafiki, go home. I just want all this to come to it's rightful conclusion here."

Rafiki walked to Scar's side and took the lions face in one hand. Scar averted his eyes from Rafiki's.

"I stay, Scar, because sometimes we don't have a lot of choice about how our lives end up and in the things we do."

"I had choices Rafiki, I just made the wrong ones."

"I'm not absolving you, I just know things sometimes tear into the soul and make some choices too easy. How many turns of the season have you seen since your mother birthed you Scar?"

Scar thought for a moment. "Nearly seven, now."

"Did you ever love your brother Scar?"

Scar lowered his head again. Remembering Mufasa's broad and trusting face. "I did for a time. Yes."

"Then why did you kill him?"

"I...I killed him, because..because, I never thought..."

"You never thought what Scar?"

Scars shoulders folded in on themselves. He seemed to be trying to make himself as small as possible. All of the feelings of the past nights welled up in him and formed a ball at the end of his throat. The awful truth of his actions, what he really did and why he did it came pouring out of him in a torrent.

"I killed him, because it wasn't fair! I should have been king! I should have had a beautiful mate and cub! I should have been respected! He...he..."

His voice came in a small whine at the last. He turned and began trotting away from Rafiki. "I killed him, because the moon was full, because the grass was green, the sky was blue." He blurted out " What in the name of the gods does it matter why I did it? I did it! He's dead and I enjoyed it at the time. I smiled in his face when I killed him. I danced a jig when I saw him fall. I loved it I tell you it was better than having a lioness! What does it matter!"

Rafiki shook his head sadly. "Stop this Scar."

Scar turned on him, running at full speed and knocked Rafiki to the ground. Snarling he shoved his face into the ape's.

"And you know what I said when he fell into the herd and was crushed? I lifted my head to the sky and yelled. Look Ahadi! Look at what your meek and weakling son has done. Mufasa is dead! Lying in the dust with blood pouring from his mouth and wildebeest prints on his back! And I laughed...I laughed so hard I nearly wet the ground! I couldn't wait to see his mangled body. So proud! I ran to see it and found his son, so like him, lying next to the body....," Scar's voice cracked ", and I wanted him to be dead too. Mangled and ripped, like his father."

Rafiki pushed Scar off of him and stood brushing the dirt from his fur. He looked at the panting lion; anger playing across his vivid features. He took a deep breath and tried to brush the rage he felt toward the capering beast off.

"I know what you're doing Scar and it's not going to work. You think you'll scare me off with your mad talk and larger size. But I see what you truly are. A cub, a child whose never learned what it means to be responsible, no I'm not afraid of you no matter what you try to make me think."

He looked at Scar who had now seemed to deflate. The madness which danced in his eyes had abated and all that remained was a creature who was tired, scared and sorry. The lion sighed and settled back onto the grass.

"I'm sorry Rafiki, I did mean to scare you and send you on your way. But I still don't understand what you're doing here. You were a friend to my brother and when he died, when I killed him, you disappeared. I never thought of you or sought your council and yet here you are."

Rafiki sat down on the grass next to him. He reached out and fingered Scar's long black mane. "I'm here because I believe in your own way you are coming to a place of understanding. Of realizing what it was that you did and what things you may still have to do."

"But Rafiki, I am damned now. I killed my brother and broke the Circle. There can be no forgiveness for those crimes. Anyway, even as we speak a posse of hyenas are most surely on their way to take care of me. Simba and the pride may think I'm dead, but they know the truth."

"Damned, you say? And what does this mean, this damned? Does this mean you will never see the sun shine, never eat again, roll on the grass? There is no soul who's past redemption Taka. None. The Circle grants all creatures chances to regain themselves, you included."

Scar smiled. "Now Rafiki, there does come a time when crimes become too great to be redeemed. You can't understand how I feel. I killed my brother! I don't want forgiveness for that. I can't take forgiveness for it."

"You can and you will." Rafiki patted the lion on the head," Look up at the stars Taka. The Great Wheel of the Sky spins over our heads. It's vast and changeless, do you think that your crimes have changed how the wheel moves or stopped it on it's course in any way?"

Scar tilted his head up and stared into the black expanse above. The stars blinked coldly from their distant beds. The sky was indeed vast and changeless. Looking up into the blackness made him feel small and insignificant. He shuddered feeling suddenly cold and lost in their endless paths.

"You call me by my given name, the one my mother gave me, why?"

"Because, we have some work to do and this name will suit you more where you're going."

"Where am I going? I'm tired and I need time to recuperate. I won't be fit to travel for many days yet and I.."

Rafiki cut him off, putting a long finger up to Scar's face. "This journey won't require your body. You may rest still. Here I want to show you something."

As he turned to pull yet another pouch from his staff they both heard a noisy rustling in the grass. Two or three creatures, not bothering to stay concealed were blundering up to them. Scar's heart leapt in his chest as the smell of the oncoming creatures hit him. He reached out and patted Rafiki on the back.

"Seems as if we've hit endgame old boy," he pushed Rafiki's back with his nose, "go on, get yourself out of here. No need for you to suffer for my mistakes. Go back to Simba and tell him to be a good king, watch over him."

Before Rafiki could answer Scar had trotted toward the rustling. From the grasses burst three grey figures. Scar recognized them at once. They where the original three with whom he had made his pact. "How fitting," he thought. "that these three should be the end of me."

All three hyenas broke into wide and toothy grins at the sight of their once ally. Shenzi stepped forward, swaggering with confidence. "Well, well, well Banzi lookee at what we found."

Banzi walked abreast of his sister, slavering. "Yeah, looks like we found him. Our dearly departed dinner. What do you think Ed? Is he good enough to eat."

Ed merely laughed and joined his bigger siblings. He looked at Scar and winked. Scar made a face as the three hyenas came up beside him, they circled him like vultures over a dead body.

"My, I'm surprised to see you so quickly. Very surprised. You three are usually much more disorganized than this. That knocking around you got seems to have done you good."

"I wouldn't be so cocky lion, you ain't getting away this time." She advanced on Scar slowly. Letting him get a good look at the many sharp teeth in her mouth. "Come on you big coward, beg me to not kill you. Come on, I want to see you cry, come on show me."

The other hyenas made bawling noises, mocking sorrowful moans, cowering with their stumpy tails between their legs. Scar stood tall in their midst. "I'll not beg you for anything you stinking flea banquet. You came to kill so do it. Don't waste my time with your stupidity."

Shenzi stopped circling him, a look of incredulous rage on her face. "Time is the last thing you're going to have to worry about you mewling bag of bones. Banzi! Ed! Come here, on my word we plow into this big pansy. We'll see who's the stupid one!"

"You tell him Shenzi," Banzi piped in, he grinning at Scar, "you're in for it now lion," he spat the word out," we're going to rip you like a little rabbit."

From behind the circling hyenas and defiant lion came a voice. "No, I don't think you will."

The hyenas snapped around to see Rafiki coming toward them. Shenzi growled.

"Oh really? Who's going to stop us? You? Why would you, this scarred freak killed your buddy. Step aside monkey and let us get on with our work."

Rafiki walked into the midst of the hyenas. "We were in the middle of a lesson here, now if you like you can stay and I'll teach you one as well." He swung the staff in Shenzis direction.

She immediately jumped back and her two fellows ran to cower behind her. Scar shook his head. "Rafiki let them be done with me already, we've already been through this."

"Shs!," he hissed at Scar and the turned to the three hyenas who now looked considerably less bold. "Why exactly do you want to kill this creature?"

"He sold us out!" Shenzi barked. "he told Simba it was our fault the lands got ruined. He was a horrible king and didn't hold up his end of the bargain. Never go hungry again., yeah right."

"And for this he deserves to die?"

"He's a traitor, yes he deserves to die and he's going to." Shenzi stared hard at Scar who only reciprocated with a brush of his paw and a disdainful look.

Rafiki leaned casually on his staff. "Now tell me, has your people ever killed one of their own over such a crime?"

"Never," Shenzi nuzzled Banzi who was standing next to her. "we're all brothers and sisters. We never hurt each other. But he's not one of us he's a lion, for that alone he should die."

"Oh, but has a lion ever brought hyenas food?"

"No, well at least not willingly." Shenzi winked at her two siblings who began snickering.

Rafiki rolled his eyes. "Has a lion ever had free access to your territories?"

"No way," Banzi yelped," we drive those ugly things out if they ever trespass. Hyenas have rights too you know."

"Undoubtedly. Well from what you say, Scar here isn't a lion after all. In fact from what you tell me he must be a hyena."

Shenzi, Banzi and Ed looked at Rafiki as if he just said the sky was green and the grass was purple. Shenzi began laughing.

"Now you either have some serious eye problems or you've been eating some of those funny herbs you keep on you. Take a good long look, he is a lion."

"But you treated him like a hyena. I guess your people only follow your own rules when it's convenient to you. All those things the other animals say about your kind must true then, eh?"

Shenzis laughing ceased and Rafiki could see that she had stopped to think. It was true that during their friendship with Scar, the hyenas had afforded him all the privileges of the clan. They shared food with him, gave him access to their lands and even just enjoyed his company from time to time. True, they had used him for their own gain, but in time they became more like friends than allies of convenience. Shenzi canted her ears back. As infuriating as it was she couldn't find an honorable way out of Rafiki's logic. And the hyenas honor was at stake, if only in her own mind. She was well aware of what the rest of animals said about the hyena clan. Dishonest, untrustworthy thieves and liars. Rafiki's comment burned her. She knew the truth about her people and did not want to add to their bad reputation. Shenzi might be an opportunist at heart, but she loved the clan and wanted others to look up to them. To break the most sacred of the hyenas laws would hurt her in a way no physical injury ever could.

"I could let him go, but.."

Banzi turned to his older sister, he couldn't believe his own ears. "Let him go! But on the way here you said you were going to kill him yourself. You said.."

"Shut up!" Banzi quieted himself and sat down pouting. "Like I said I could let him go, but what do I tell my people? They want his blood and it could very well mean the end of my leadership if I don't deliver. Gotta keep the natives happy you know."

Rafiki put an long shaggy arm across the hyenas back. "Very good decision, you are keeping the laws of your clan as true as ever. Go back to your people and tell them the deed is done. Scar will never come near your lands again, that I guarantee. Now if only you could be sure those two over there don't talk."

Rafiki gestured at her two siblings that were sitting looking confused and angry. They had been looking forward to this moment and now the party had been abruptly canceled.

"Don't worry about them, they'll keep their muzzles shut. Won't you Banzi."

Banzi waved a paw at her. "Yeah sure, whatever you say." He was disgusted but deferred to his sister out of habit.

"You swear he will never set foot in our lands again?"

Rafiki held up his hand. "I swear he will never trouble you again, except in your dreams."

Shenzi nodded. "Okay then, he can have his miserable life. But I do this only in the good name of my people and to uphold the law. Don't think that we take pity on you Scar. We don't. We wish you nothing but unhappiness all the rest of your days. Goodbye Scar, I won't say good luck, I don't wish you any."

"Good, good, "Rafiki clapped Shenzi on the back, "thank you for doing the right and honorable thing. The gods will smile on you. Go on back to your people and don't worry Scar will get what's coming to him."

Shenzi motioned for Ed and Banzi to follow her. "Come on guys our work is done here. Banzi, stop pouting, I promise we'll kill something on the way home."

At this Banzi seemed to noticeably cheer up and he once began telling his sister what exactly he wanted to kill and how much of it wanted to eat. Rafiki shook his head as he watched the three move off into the distance.

"Ah, hyenas, you can say many things about them, but they are loyal to each other like no other creature. Lucky for you Taka, I don't think I could have fought them off by myself."

With a sigh Scar flopped down on the grass. "I guess I should thank you, but I won't. You just let my one chance at getting out of this miserable world walk away."

"Stop this self-pitying talk, "Rafiki sat in the grass next to Scar, " I told you already there will be none of that. You have some things to do, but being dead is not one of them, at least no right now."

"Rafiki. why couldn't I be happy with what I had? Life in the pride wasn't all bad. I never had a mate or any close friends, but I never went hungry or needed shelter. Why couldn't I be like every other animal and be happy with that?"

"For some, for you, Taka the Circle of Life causes pain not contentment. You think too far ahead and behind at the same time, but never now. You can see way off into the distance, but you're blind to the things before your own nose."

"You can't change something like that."

Rafiki pulled one of the small gourds from his staff, he broke it in two. From between the two hollow shells rolled a small brown object; he held it in one hand..

"This," he said holding the small bit on front of Scar's nose, " may change quite a few things."

Scar sniffed the small, shriveled object. It was pungent and earthy and it tickled something at the back of his mind.

"What is it, a piece of fruit?"

"Something like that." Rafiki put his hand on Scar's neck. "Taka, you're going to have to be very strong and very brave. You're going somewhere very few creatures go, at least while they're still awake. But you must go."

Scar got to his feet. "I'm not sure I want to do this."

"Taka you must do this if you are to live and be right with the world. Please do not turn your back on another opportunity."

Scar looked from Rafiki to the small bit he held in his hand. Raising an eyebrow he asked "It won't kill me will it?"

"No, but even if it did, why should you worry, you've been asking for death since I came here."

Scar rolled his eyes and snorted. "Right you are.," He said, suddenly feeling a bit foolish, " Very well then, what do I need to do?"

Rafiki held the small, brown object out to Scar, who took it in his paw. He then took Scar's face in his hands and looked into the lions green eyes.

"Taka, keep in mind that everything that you are about to see and hear and do is real, in one way. It may not change anything in the true world, but your world will be changed. You may see and hear things that hurt or scare you. But don't run from any of them, confront them. Now take the fruit and put it in your mouth. Hold it there until it starts to melt. Don't chew it, it tastes terrible, just let it melt. I will wait for you here. Good journeying."

Rafiki let go of Scar and walked a few paces away. He sat down facing the lion. Scar looked at the bit again and sniffed it. Strange, it smelled like nothing else he had encountered before. He looked up at Rafiki who made a gesture for him to put the object in his mouth. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. Away we go, he thought, and popped the bit into his mouth.

Chapter 3

Visiting Some Old Friends

As soon as Scar pushed the small, dried bit of fruit into his muzzle, the taste of it flooded his mouth. It was like eating dried elephant dung. "No, make that dried elephant dung with dead worms on top", he thought. It took every bit of his restraint to keep from spitting it to the ground and running to the muddy pool for a drink. Fixing his gaze one Rafiki he let the horrible taste grow larger as the bit dissolved in his mouth. Rafiki must've been able to read Scar's thoughts or at least was able to read the expression on his face, for he covered his mouth to avoid laughing and nodded his head in recognition. " Apparently, Scar thought, he's done this before himself."

At first Scar thought that hunger and exhaustion must have overtaken him, because suddenly the quality of the light had become different. It was more intense and everything seemed to be standing out in sharp contrast. Rafiki now looked as if he were sitting half a mile away instead of a few paces. But, that wasn't the only thing. Rafiki had no taken on the appearance of thousand of fireflies. He was tiny points of light huddled together in one spot. Twinkling on and off. Scar smiled. "He's very, very pretty that way." The thought seemed to be coming from somewhere other than his head. "My head is talking to my head."

The fireflies that had been Rafiki began taking their leave. Each point of light twinkling out and becoming a blank space. The air around him had changed as well. It now seemed an unbearably hot night. There was not a breeze or a whisper of sound. Just hot, thick air. Rafiki was gone, all that was left was darkness in his place. In fact it was all dark. Dark and the sound of humming cicadas. Droning and hot. Thick and pulsing. A plague of cicadas screaming in the high summer. "Oh Gods," Scar thought," what is this place." The thick air became close, crushing. He felt the air being squeezed from his lungs. It was as if the world had become a small hole the size of his own body and nothing more. He struggled, trying desperately to draw air into his lungs. He felt as if his entire body was being pushed down, made smaller. The sound of the cicadas was deeper, the sound of a single heart pulsing it's soupy blood through it veins. And then......

Light,

White, hot, blinding light that pushed all other thoughts from his brain. He felt himself covered in something wet and lying on something hard. He was terribly cold. Something rough passed over his body and the shock made him take in a sudden breath of air. It hit him like a keen slap. Looking about himself he could only make out the faintest shadows of two huge creatures moving nearby. One of the creatures was a monstrous beast, it loomed over him. The second was slightly smaller and it's body lay close by. The smell from this second made him feel warm and comfortable. A large booming voice filled his ears.

"He is very small. Oh Gods, how I had hoped there would only be one, hunting is poor and another mouth will be a strain."

A second voice came to him. This one lighter. The sound of it made him desperately want to move to the place the sound came from; to nuzzle it and seek warmth from it.

"He is small, Ahadi. But he will live. He's beautiful." The roughness went across his trembling body again.

"Hmph, he may live, but he will never be very large or strong. Please Akase, think. How long can you make enough milk for both? If both cubs live, both will be weaklings like this little one. I know this must hurt you terribly; but let me take him. I promise you it will be over quickly and he will feel no pain."

The lighter voice now became strained and seemed on the edge of tears. He struggled again to reach it's source. But his legs wouldn't work. He tried to answer the two voices, but all that came from him was a soft squeaking.

"Ahadi! No! He is my cub! I have known him for many months now, I cannot leave him for the hyenas. Please, if you love me you will let him be. I promise no harm will come to the other cub because of his presence. I swear it."

The large voice came again, this time resigned.

"Very well, because you are my mate and I don't want you to suffer he may stay. But he must not interfere with the other cub. I sense great things from this first, as if the Gods themselves made him, not we. This little one will have to find his own place in the world."

"Yes husband, I too have sensed the power you have. The first will grow to be strong and prosperous. But this little cub, he too should have the chance to grow and find his way. With my help he will." He felt himself being nudged by something warm and wet and soon found himself pushed up against the softest and warmest place he had ever known, "Little cub," the gentle voice whispered to him, "I promise you, you will find your way."

His mother and father lay together in their stone cave looking down at their two new cubs. Scar felt a deep pain in his chest as he realized what he had just heard. Ahadi had not meant for him to live! Mufasa was not only the one chosen for succession, but he was the one chosen for life itself. Had it not been for his mother he would have been left on some dark rock somewhere. To die in his milk as was the custom with cubs born too sick or small to survive. Anger overtook his hurt as he thought about this. He will have to find his own place in the world. "Oh father," Scar thought, "did you even have an inkling of how true those words you said at my birth were?" He buried his face in the warm softness that surrounded him but still felt deeply and profoundly cold.

However the softness was no longer there. In fact the cave and his parents were no longer there. He saw that he was facing the northern border of the Pride Lands, a place he would become well acquainted with when he got older. Looking at the his feet he realized something strange. They were no longer the huge, heavy clawed paws that he had as an adult; but the lightly dappled paws of a cub. He was a cub! Behind him he heard the unmistakable patter of a cub romping. Turning, half expecting to see little Simba, he found himself looking into the face of his brother. "He looks so much like Simba at that age" ,Scar was struck by the similarities.

Mufasa, hopped to a stop and hit Scar on the shoulder. "Come on you old sourpuss, lets wrestle." Mufasa chimed. He lowered his body and wagged his tail in a gesture for Scar to pounce on him.

Scar spoke and the words seemed to fall from his mouth without thought. "No, Mufasa, not right now. I'm just looking at the land. See how pretty it is at this time of day."

Mufasa stopped wriggling and looked at his brother puzzled. "Why do you always want to just sit, Taka? It's more fun to play." Mufasa jumped on Scar and began tugging at his ear. "Come on, I'll show you."

Scar began to fight back against Mufasa. Nipping him on the face and trying to wrestle him the ground. He had almost forgotten that it could be fun to wrestle. Until, from the rocks below came the familiar booming voice again. "Mufasa, are you up there son?"

Mufasa stopped struggling with Scar and called back. "Yeah, Dad I'm up here."

Scar saw Ahadi come leaping up the rocks to where the two cubs sat. His eyes widened when he saw Mufasa and then narrowed again when they fixed on him. Regaining his composure he said, "What are you doing Mufasa?"

Mufasa cheerfully answered him. "Me and Taka was wrestling. He almost got me but I pinned him."

Ahadi smiled. "Of course you did Mufasa, you're a pretty big cub."

Mufasa apparently wasn't done teasing. "I'm lots bigger than him,"He turned and stuck his tongue out at Scar, "I could whip him anytime."

Scar suddenly got the urge to give the little show off a lesson on who could whip who and without thinking he ran and pounced at Mufasa. At least he would've pounced on him if he had not found himself knocked backward by something hard and sharp. "No!" He heard Ahadi yell as he flew backward and slammed into one of the stone walls that surrounded the lookout spot that would later become his hideout as an adult.

He felt the blood running down one side of his face and was panicked. He couldn't see, he was blind! "Someone help me," he shrieked, "I can't see!"

"Oh, what have I done," he heard Ahadi say, "quick Mufasa run and get your mother. Oh gods it wasn't my fault I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry. Mufasa stop staring at him and go get your mother now!"

Mufasa ran away crying, as if he had just witnessed the most horrible act in the world.Scar could hear him calling for their mother in a small and scared voice. He remained crumpled on the ground. The blood from the large gash across his eye coating his face. He must not interfere with the other cub. He had interfered . He lay on the ground bleeding for many minutes while his father stood a few steps away breathing heavily and shaking his head.

Scar squinted, trying to see past the blood flooding his vision and was surprised to find that his vision was just fine. In fact he was no longer lying on the ground near his father; but standing by the waterhole. The relief was like a cold splash of water on his face.

He had very nearly forgotten about the incident with his father so many years ago. He had wanted to forget. That day gave him the clear understanding of what his place in the world was. When Mufasa had come back with their mother, she had scooped the cub up in her mouth and whisked him away to the sleeping caves. There she washed the blood from his fur and tried to explain to him how his father never meant to hurt him and that it was an accident that would never happen again. Scar could remember her not sounding so convinced of this herself. Her voice had been shaking and she had been on the verge of tears.

Ahadi had come to the cave soon afterward. He didn't enter but stood by the entrance and spoke to him and his mother through the door. He had apologized for everything that had happened, to both Scar and his mother. Afterwards Ahadi had always made an effort to be gentle with the cub and include him in the outings he took with Mufasa. But the relationship and his father's kind words to him always seemed forced and unnatural. An extremely generous soul could call their relationship strained at best.

As Scar grew older he was content to let the relationship with his father slip away; much to the relief of both parties. The memories of those uncomfortable years came back to him and he shook his head sadly. "Father, I don't think I'll ever understand what happened between us. I don't think you understood it either."

"I did understand it Taka, but like you I wanted to forget."

Scar felt his heart leap to his throat. The voice that came to his ears was so familiar, so like his father. But Ahadi had been dead for over four season turns. The unmistakable feeling of another's presence came to his senses. He could feel the large lion behind him. But still didn't turn to see if his senses were right.

"Father? Is it really you I feel behind me?"

There was a long pause until the voice answered. "Yes, it's me. Taka turn around, look at me."

"I'm afraid to." He spoke truthfully. He didn't want to turn around to see Ahadi standing there. He feared what he might do.

"Don't be afraid of me Taka. I can't...I won't hurt you anymore. Please, turn and face me."

The voice was pleading, so unlike the stern and commanding voice he remembered. Scar sighed inwardly, bracing himself for whatever might happen. He turned his head slowly, raising his eyes slightly to the figure standing before him.

It was Ahadi. Ahadi as he had been in his prime. A large, fit lion with golden brown fur and steady golden eyes. Scar couldn't help but turn fully; taking in the image of his father. Then incredibly Ahadi fell to the ground before him. Bowing as his subjects had bowed to him during his reign.

"Taka, please forgive me. I did you great evil during my life. I thought I was a great king, but I was not . How can a king call himself great when he drives his son to madness. Please Taka forgive me."

Scar felt the anger at his father melt away as he looked at the trembling figure laying at his feet. He backed away. To see Ahadi in such a state made him uncomfortable. He didn't know what to say and so blurted out the first words that came to mind.

"That's all right father. I know you didn't mean it."

Ahadi stood and looked him square in the eye. "But son the great evil is that I did mean it."

Scar felt a knot form in his stomach. "You, you mean you did mean all those horrible things that you did to me?" He grew flush with anger. "But why? What did it to you? I was a cub father, I didn't do anything to you! You loved Mufasa and treated him as if he was a star fallen from the sky. Why did you not have the same feelings for me? Even half of the same feelings for me!" Scar was shaking now and could feel his claws digging in to the dirt. Oh Gods how I want to hurt you, he thought.

Ahadi sat in the grass. He looked at Scar, his eyes bright with tears. He motioned for the younger lion to sit beside him. Scar took a few deep breaths and tried to calm himself. He moved to where his father sat and stood over him.

"Taka," said Ahadi, "there is much that needs telling and very little time. Listen closely and try to understand."

Scar looked at his father appraisingly. "I will hear you father, but know this, I'm still very angry at you." Scar sat in the grass facing his father. He could not bear to get any closer to him.

"I understand and would expect it to remain so for a while, maybe even forever." Ahadi let out a large breath and began speaking. "When you were born, oh how my heart sank. You stirred in me feelings that I hadn't felt in a long while," Scar opened his mouth to speak, but Ahadi held up a paw, "You see I was not an only cub. I had a brother, Mwali. So like you he was. Small and dark. My mother loved him so, as did I. We often spent the days together, he was very clever and made up stories to tell and would sit for hours under the acacia trees telling them to me. He was my best friend." Ahadi stopped and drew a deep breath, "I even miss him now as I tell you of him. Such a smart and gentle cub. So beautiful, but also very weak. He was often sick. My mother and father fussed over him, always giving him the best of the kills and keeping him warm in an effort to make him strong, like I was. I fussed over him too. I would stay in the caves with him when he wasn't feeling well and talk with him and play. It was always just enough to be with him, it didn't matter, as long as Mwali was there I was happy."

Scar had relaxed a bit as Ahadi told his story, falling into the gentle rhythms of his father voice.

"One day, though, Mwali hurt his paw. He had torn the skin of his pad on a sharp rock by the waterhole. The cut wasn't very big but...."Ahadi trailed off and hitched in another deep breath. "Mother cleaned him up right away and he seemed to be fine. We played right afterward, even though Mwali had to be careful because of the wound. Over the next few days mother noticed the cut hadn't healed right. It smelled badly and Mwali's entire paw swelled up. She made him stay in the cave , I stayed with him to keep him company. He was in a lot of pain. He kept licking the wound but it didn't help. It hurt him terribly, he didn't complain, he never did, but I could tell. The next day, he, he just...lay there. He said he was too tired to get up and that he felt hot. My mother told me to leave the cave, that whatever Mwali was suffering from I might get too. I'll never forget her face Taka. She was so frightened."

Ahadi's eyes were now full of tears, his voice coming in pained spurts. Scar put a paw over his father's, he noticed how cold it felt.

"For days Mwali lay in the cave. Crying out in pain. I wasn't allowed to see him, but I could hear him. The flesh of his paw had begun to rot and the rot had spread to the rest of him. For many days he lay there, my mother never emerged from the cave. She was heartbroken and thought she could save him. All the pride knew what was happening, but my mother held on, trying to fix him, to make him well. Finally my father instructed the rest of the pride to take my mother out of the cave by force. She cried and begged as they pulled her out. Then my father went inside and soon........Mwali stopped crying. I will never forget the sound of him dying. My mother was never the same after he died. She had always been a happy lioness and enjoyed the life of a hunter. But after she lost her son, she became withdrawn. It killed me to see her suffer every day after he died."

Scar's mind held the image of the long dead cub. Like him, but dead. Lying in a cave suffering for days while he brother heard his death moans. He felt a chill run up his back. A cub like me, he thought.

"When your mother pushed you out," Ahadi continued after regaining some composure, "and I saw you. So small and weak. Dark furred. I thought, it's Mwali all over again. I prayed you wouldn't live to take you first breath. But you did live. But still the memory of my brother's horrible death and the pain it caused my mother hardened me to the fact that you would most likely die. Every day I expected you to die. Every day I waited to see that terrible fear on your mother's face. I lived like this throughout your cubhood, always waiting for that day when you would leave and tear Akase apart. Over time I began to hate you. Yes, Taka hate. I hated you for putting that fear into me. For reminding me of the brother I loved and who died a agonizing death. I felt how dare this cub live when my brother died! How dare he make me feel so helpless and afraid. Oh Taka, please forgive me. I shouldn't have blamed you for the feelings I had. I should have loved you as I loved Mwali. Maybe then all this mess would have never happened. You would have grown up strong and right. Instead I abandoned you and planted the first seeds of hate in your heart. Forgive me Taka."

Scar looked at his father and could now see the cub he had once been. How Ahadi had been weak and vulnerable as he had been. His father who had always been the vision of strength and righteousness had his pains too. Scar touched his father's mane.

"We are very much alike you and I, father. We both made others suffer for our weaknesses. I forgive you father, because I've been and still am where you where."

Hi father rose to his feet and nuzzled Scar on the side of the head. The eerie coldness of his father's touch startled him. Ahadi smiled at him.

"Thank you son. I will walk the stars path with a lighter tread now. Son, you must rise up as well, there is much that needs to be done. Please, do not continue to do as I did. Clear your heart of the things that tear at it. I must go now. You have many paths to walk before you end your journey."

"Thank you father." Scar watched as the lion who was his father disappeared into the grass. "My journey is well underway."

Scar stood for many moments after the apparition of his father had disappeared. He could imagine how Ahadi could resent him and try to erase his smaller son from his mind. In doing so he was erasing the memories of his brother Mwali. Hatred for his father was now replaced by pity and understanding.

Scar had rarely felt pity for any creature other than himself before. While living under Mufasa's reign he had felt as if all the world were plotting and scheming for his downfall. It made the act of killing his brother seem right, almost sacred in his mind.

"Mufasa!," he called out to the sky above, "brother, I know you're here. Please come to me." He looked about but could not see Mufasa materializing from anywhere. His head began to feel very heavy and buzzed as if it were full of angry hornets. "The fruit must be doing this to me," he thought, suddenly remembering that all that had happened wasn't truly real. He chuckled to himself. "I surely hope Rafiki doesn't do this sort of thing very often."

He caught a slight movement out of the corner of his eye and whipped around to face who he thought must be his dead brother. However, when he got a full look at the vision before him he felt his legs turn to water.

The beast before him moved with a slimy, liquid grace. It skulked out from the shadows and stared at him, it's jaws slavering. Scar shook his head, "How can this be? You're..." He trailed off.

"You." The beast smiled. "Ah, yes. I am what you think I am Scar." It reeked of old flesh left to rot in the blazing noontime sun. "I'm you, I'm everything you were, are now and will ever be. Quite handsome aren't I?" It ran a paw over it's greasy mane.

Scar swallowed. The thing that was now sidling up to him, did indeed look like him. A huge twisted parody of himself that was grinning at him. He backed a step away from it.

"Why Scar, I'm offended. How can you back away from your old friend. Very well, have it your way I won't take offense." It's voice was the sound of water over gravel.

Scar was disgusted by the creature before him. Is this how the world saw him? He forced himself to raise his body to it's full height and moved closer to the beast.

"You're not an old friend and you're certainly not me anymore. Call me Taka, it's my true name. Scar is what you are."

The beast's smile widened, then it grimaced. "Call me Taka." He mocked. "Oh Scar you big fool. Have you been listening to what that monkey has been telling you? I thought you were smarter than that."

"I have been listening because it's true, every word of it. I followed you and look where it got me. I have no home, no friends, nothing. I killed my own brother because of you."

The beast sighed. "Of course you did and you should thank me for giving you the resolve. Do you really think Mufasa wanted you around? A weak and shiftless lion? That's what he thought of you, you know."

Scar snarled, "If he thought that it's because that's what I had become. Because of you."

The beast bared teeth as black as obsian and circled Scar. The stench of it's flesh was overpowering, decay and rot played on it's skin. It's claws were shot and it's tail lashed to and fro like an angry python.

"Because of me you lived! Because of me you didn't wander out into the fields to die. You know this Scar." Scar began to speak but the beast cut him off. "No, no don't bother to deny it. You welcomed me into you like a lioness in heat my friend. You loved me and what I made you. Come on, tell me this isn't so."

Scar hung his head as the beast nodded at him gravely. It was true, he had reveled in his insolence and delighted in the pain he caused. When the pride had gone hungry all those months he gloated in the gaunt faces of the lionesses. He wished to see them suffer, to watch them beg for him to move to pride to better hunting grounds. Each time he had refused; drinking in the expressions of frustration and grief the pride wore. It was his meat during those hungry months.

"I can't tell you I did not enjoy your company for a time." Scar mumbled to the reeking apparition pacing around him. "But that's over, I don't want you to be part of me anymore."

"Tsk, tsk, don't say anything you'll regret. The first time you come up against some obstacle, the first time another lion beats you, a lioness turns you down or you miss your prey you'll want me back. I know you Scar, you're weak."

Scar's lips drew back from his teeth, he now began moving in an opposite circle from the beast. His claws were out and he lowered his head.

"Not anymore "friend"," he spat in the hulking creatures direction, "Weakness is what brought me here. I'm done with it. My life with you as my guide is finished."

He felt a sudden stinging pain on the side of his head and found himself sprawled out on the ground, He could feel the first warm trickles of blood course through the fur on his face.

"You think you'll be rid of me?" The beast advanced on his prone form. It's eyes burned with murderous rage. Scar saw red flecks on the tips of it's extended claws. The breath of the enraged animal hit his face. Hot and rancid. It was breathing in short puffs. "I should kill you for that, you ungrateful son of a hyena."

It stopped and stood over him. The twisted mask of anger on it's face melted in an equally twisted mask of pity.

"But, I won't." It drew it's claws in. "Killing you would do me no good, would it?"

Scar righted himself and sneered at the beast.

"No, a lowly belly worm does itself no favors by killing it host."

The beasts eyes crinkled with delight. It widened it jaws in a capering grin, giving Scar a good look at it's blackened gums and yellow fangs.

"Names, names. There you go old fellow. Just like old times. Feel good does it?"

Scar tensed the muscles in his shoulders, feeling them leap to attention. His claws splayed, he stood and approached the beast. A strangely calm smile crossed his face.

"But you know," he said, "the host does itself a world of good by killing the lowly worm."

Without a warning growl to announce his intention, Scar hurled himself at the leering vision before him. Caught by surprise, beast fell heavily onto it's back. It flailed frantically with it's front paws. One large, hooked claw caught Scar across the nose, coating the front of his muzzle with blood. Scar paid it no mind.

"Yes," he snarled, "you are a part of me, a part that I'm taking back, Right..Now!"

He clamped his jaws down on the beasts right foreleg which had been trying desperately to find purchase. Much to Scar's surprise his teeth broke through the rotten flesh and it fell apart with a distinct puff.

The writhing beast shrieked as the leg fell away and blew into the night. Panic played on it's features and it's voice took on a decidedly pleading tone.

"Please, Scar! Don't do this!"

Scar plowed his teeth into the belly of the screaming creature, the flesh once so solid and heavy looking smashed under his snapping fangs.

"Scar, You'll regret this! You need me! Think of the lionesses! They hated you, I protected you!"

Scar said nothing, he just continued working his grinding teeth into the stinking form.

"Think! Think of Mufasa!"

Scar stopped and looked at the beast. His eyes narrowed and focused on the muddy, pleading eyes before him. He smiled.

"I am."

And then drove his teeth into the lifeless pleading eyes, puncturing the dull light that came from them. His mouth flooded with the taste of the beast. The taste of corruption and bitterness. He raised his head and black sand poured from his mouth. Shuddering, he turned and vomited onto the grass.

Looked back to where the horrible vision of himself had lain. Nothing remained. Scar was dead, long live Scar. He laughed to himself.

"Well, done brother. But you know, if you had listened when I tried to teach you how to fight that would have gone much smoother."

The voice, so deep and commanding. Scar lowered his head in shame as the soothing sound of his long dead littermate came to him.

"Mufasa...." He began and then fell silent. He felt fixed in place, as if he turned and looked into the eyes of his brother he may die.

"Face me, brother." Mufasa sounded calm as the grass on a windless day. Willing his body with all his strength Scar turned. He kept his head lowered, fixed on the grass." Face me."

Raising his eyes from his paws, his gaze crept slowly over the form before him. Crawled over the tawny, golden shape of the creature with whom he had shared birth and then brought to death. Meeting the calm, commanding eyes that rested in the broad and open face, Scar felt his knees collapse under him.

"Great king, my littermate, my brother. Please forgive my evil and betrayal of you. And...the evil I did to your son. Everything that happened was my fault, my ignorance. I bow to you Mufasa and beg your forgiveness."

Scar lay at the huge feet of his older brother, shaking with both fear and sadness. He braced himself for whatever vengeful punishment might come from the figure before him. Instead he felt a warm, gentle, weight rest on the back of his mane.

"Stand Taka, do not cower before me. I am not the enemy and never have been. Part of the enemy has been challenged and conquered. Now stand before me and face me as an equal." Scar hesitated, still a bit afraid. "Rise!" Mufasa roared and Scar found himself yanked up roughly by the mane. His legs were able to find the ground and prevent him sprawling over when Mufasa let him go.

Breathing heavily with the force with which he was brought to his feet, he steadied himself and looked squarely at Mufasa. The huge lion looked at him sternly. Pity had no place on the lion's countenance.

"Brother, you have done some horrible things during your lifetime. None of which I or anyone else can redeem you of."

Scar began to speak. "But..." Mufasa cut him off with a growl.

"Silence!" Mufasa showed his teeth as he spoke. "For years you've been making excuses for your behavior. Always blaming others for when you come up short." Mufasa began to pace back and forth in front of Scar. "Maybe I should have cuffed you around a bit when you were younger and began to act like a fool. But I didn't. No one did."

Scar started looking at his paws again and his tail began to twitch uncomfortably. Mufasa's face pushed roughly into his.

"Look at me damn you!" A paw lashed out and Scar found himself knocked back to the ground with stunning force. His brother stood over him growling.

"It's over, no more cowering, no more whining and making excuses. Today you stand as a lion. A grown male with responsibilities. When you miss you prey, it's your responsibility. When you make an enemy, they are yours. When you hurt someone else, that hurt is yours. From now on everything you do belongs to you. No more Scar, Taka. You must kill him. Or else you'll have lived in vain."

A grown lion, Scar thought, have I really been so cub like and foolish that I haven't become an adult yet?

"Yes, you have." Mufasa answered his unspoken thoughts. "You've been a overgrown and very dangerous cub up until now. But unlike a youngling that can be excused it's stupid behavior, you can't. Your stupidity cost me my life, almost cost my son his life and brought misery to the pride."

"But, how can I go on?" Scar asked. "I've done such evil, your son was right I don't deserve to live."

"Maybe, maybe not. But live you will, because there are some things that need doing. Things you need to do." Mufasa sidled up to his brother and gestured his head toward the distance. "Out there, is where you must go. To the place where the sun meets the earth."

Scar turned to his brother, a questioning look on his face. "What must I do there."

Mufasa shook his head. "That you cannot know until the time comes. Taka, do not fail me, don't make my death good for nothing." He put his paw to his brothers face. "Taka, you must fulfill your destiny and take -your- place in the circle of life."

"But why? I killed you, damn it! Why are you doing this, why don't you haunt me, send me to my death! I can't take this." Scar's body twitched in agitation. Mufasa remained nonplused.

"Guilt and self pity are indulgences you can take part in no more. Why don't I kill you? Well I can't for one thing and even if I could why would I? It would solve nothing. No Taka, the tasks that lie ahead of you are much harder to accomplish than dying. And you must meet them with strength and courage. No more crying like a cub, Taka. Today is a new day." Mufasa's expression softened. "And more, do you think I've forgotten what you once were?"

Scar nodded, "I know you were my friend once."

"We shared our mother's breast and learned together. I remember how you came to me when father was...hard on you. You were my friend and equal then. When did we grow so far apart?"

"I grew apart, Mufasa you did nothing to earn my hatred. Of all the creatures you and mother were my world. I was the one who pushed you aside. I'm so very sorry Mufasa. Would that I could take it back...."

Mufasa smiled and back away. "You can't. But you can fulfill your destiny." He turned and began to melt away into the blackness. "Find your destiny Taka and put things right. Don't fail me or yourself again."

His brother's form breaking up into the darkness, Scar called after it. "I won't fail you, I swear it. Be well Mufasa and look over Simba."

Whether or not the ghostly figure heard him Scar couldn't tell, for Mufasa was gone. He stood on the darkened plain, the wind caressing the long dark mane which hung about his face. The place where the sun meets the earth, he thought, what lay there? He felt a small jump of anticipation in his belly as he thought of traveling to the land Mufasa had said his destiny, his very redemption lay.

He stood very tall, facing the wind. A small smile, a genuine smile, not the conniving grin he used to wear crossed his face. Taking a deep breath of the cool night air and held it momentarily and then.....

A deep booming roar came from deep inside his gut. It echoed across the rippling sea of grass. It hit his ears like a cry of freedom. Freedom.

Then, slipping.

Chapter 4

Waking

It was hot and the air was thick and heavy. Scar's eyes snapped open. He was laying in the grass. The night was still around him. He looked about for whatever new terror or phantom might be awaiting him. A few paces away he saw a familiar shaggy grey form.

Rafiki still sat where Scar had left him, cradling his staff between his knees, singing quietly to himself. He had heard the lion begin to twitch and moan as he came back to the land of the living. but he sat quietly waiting for Scar to fully come to. A cleansing could sometimes to a tiring and terrifying experience and Rafiki had no desire to scare the poor beast.

The lion moaned in pain as the first few thumps of what would be a massive headache began. His paws still ached and they reached up to touch the place where he had been wounded during the battle with his demon. He touched nothing but whole flesh.The long gash had never happened. He turned his head from side to side trying to work some of the stiffness from it and audibly winced as a sharp pain ran from the nape of his neck to his forehead. He forced himself to his feet and began to stagger toward the waterhole. He was horribly thirsty.

Rafiki rose and pulled a large gourd made of buffalo hide from his staff. He walked up to Scar and put an arm over his neck.

"Shh," he whispered, "lie down again." He gently pushed the lion down. Scar hadn't the strength to resist and lay heavily back down to the grass.

"Water," he rasped, "I have to have a drink."

Rafiki uncapped the gourd, which was actually a waterskin, and poured some of the cool liquid into his cupped palm. He held the water under Scar's nose.

"Here, drink this," the lion began to lap up the water greedily from his hand, "slowly, you'll sick it up if you drink too fast."

Scar licked Rafiki'palm dry and then said to him. "More, please."

Rafiki put the waterskin down and took the lions face into his hands. He looked carefully into Scar's yellow and green eyes. He nodded. "How does your head feel? Does it pain you?"

Scar snorted, "It feels like an elephant has been doing a mating dance on it. Can I have some more water, please."

"In a moment," Rafiki took another gourd, broke it and a yellowish powder, like sand poured out of it. He took the waterskin again and mixed the powder together with the water in his palm. He held it out to Scar. The lion sniffed his palm. The water smelled bitter and nasty. "Just drink it." Rafiki said. Scar lapped it up, a bit less greedily this time. The taste was awful. Afterward he belched at the nasty bitter taste caught in his throat.

Rafiki made an exaggerated face of disgust at the sound. "Phaugh! What an ugly sound to accompany such a momentous occasion." He ruffled the top knot on the lion's head. "That will help your headache. May not taste good, but it is good."

"Sure doesn't," Scar rolled onto his back and let out a large sigh, "Gods, but I'm tired."

Rafiki laughed, "I'm not surprised, you've done a lot today."

"Rafiki, where did I go?"

"You've been to a place few have been Taka. You've been given the chance to cleanse yourself and start anew. Where do you feel you've been."

Scar rolled onto his side and lay his still throbbing head on his paws. "I'm not sure really. I feel like I've been inside myself. It's very strange, I feel very different."

Rafiki sat down next to Scar. Taking the waterskin he offered him more water. Very quickly the lion emptied the it. Tossing the skin aside Rafiki put an arm over Scar's shoulder. "What do you plan to do now, Taka.?"

"Mufasa said to go to the place where the sun and earth meet. So that's where I'm going."

Rafiki's eyes widened. "Mufasa said? Well, you better go there. Not very good to disobey your dead brother."

Scar's head dropped and the mention of "dead brother." Rafiki chided himself for bringing it up. "I'm sorry Taka. I didn't mean anything by it."

Scar looked at Rafiki and watery brightness shone in his eyes. "No, it's okay. This is the first time in many years that I've been able to think of my brother with anything but hate." He put a large paw on Rafiki's face. "And I have you to thank for it."

Rafiki smiled at the lion. He looked different now. The corners of his mouth no longer pulled downward in a derisive scowl. The old skulking posture was replaced with a more relaxed and comfortable air. He now looked his seven years instead of the twelve or twenty he used to look.

"Not just me, you played a hand in this Taka and it sounds as if you have more work to do. No matter ,time enough to think about it tomorrow, sleep now. You need some rest." He smoothed back Scar's black mane. Looking down he noticed no instruction was necessary for Scar had already slipped into a deep and comfortable sleep.

Rafiki stayed through most of the night. Watching over his ward as he stirred gently with dreams of forgotten times. As the sun began to creep over the plains, banishing the tricky shadows of the night; Rafiki stood and gathered up his staff. He walked over to where Scar lay on his side, still snoring soundly, even though tick birds and swallows had begun to sing loudly in the scattered trees. Bending he touched the lions mane. "Farewell, Taka and good hunting." Then left the plains without a look back.

Chapter 5

The Cape Hunting Dogs Meet the Spirit Lion

Around the time of the high sun, Scar finally began to awake from the long night's rest. After a bone cracking yawn and long stretch of the front legs he began to look for Rafiki. He was no where to be found. Scar was a little disappointed. He had begun to enjoy Rafiki's company and was looking forward to having a companion for a little while. It had been a long time since he had someone to talk to. Longer than he could remember. He had to swallow back the tinniest bit of anger that came to him. "Apparently, I still have some work to do," he thought to himself.

Suddenly a rumble came from his stomach, along with a feeling a nausea. It had been more than half a week since his last substantial meal. He automatically scanned the horizon looking for a sign of a small antelope or zebra yearling he could take down. There was none and then he laughed to himself. Who was he trying to fool in thinking he could do any hunting of his own. Scar had always been very lazy when it came to learning new skills, he had always thought of himself as above the concerns of ordinary animals. Now with the sharp pain and dizziness he felt he realized his folly.

He looked toward the western horizon and decided that his journey should begin. Trotting with all the briskness he could muster he left the plain where his life began.

As he moved through the seemingly endless grassland, Scar kept his nose to the wind for the slightest sign of carrion or a kill made by a smaller animal. It wasn't exactly noble, but food was food. As he passed a small stand of short, stubby trees he lifted his nose and inhaled deeply.

He caught the faint scent of fresh blood. His stomach rumbled in anticipation. There was another scent under the blood. Something familiar. Somewhat like a hyena, but different. It was a sharp, cunning smell. The scent of a predator. There would be no free meal today, unless he could be crafty enough to snatch it. He knew he was in shape to fight for dinner.

But what was it? Scar racked his brain trying to recall where he had smelled that scent before. It was always best to know your enemy before rushing in. Then from a distance came four short barks, interrupting his thoughts and bringing forth a clear memory.

The cape hunting dogs! Now he remembered. He had only seen the shaggy

predators twice during his tenure in the Pride Lands. The first time had been when Mufasa

had just become king. They had been a small pack out scouting new hunting grounds. With his

typical bravado and zeal Mufasa had gone out to expel the dogs by force. It was not a wise move. Mufasa had never encountered the dogs before and he was unprepared for the strength of the pack. Pound for pound the dogs were the most formidable hunters in the veldt. Mufasa had returned quickly looking somewhat chagrined and instructed the pride to stay out of the dog's way. It was not a luxury that he had afforded many creatures.

The second time the dogs passed through unmolested. Mufasa had a clear memory of his earlier encounter with them and was not eager to repeat the experience. They left without incident, but not without first killing an impressive number of the herd living in the Pride Lands. Their hunting skills were unquestioned. They were efficient, organized and deadly. They did, however, have one weakness. He had learned from the hyenas, who hated the dogs more than the lions, that they had a strange religion. An almost fanatical one. The dogs were firm believers in spirit animals, creatures from the Other World who took true form and roamed the earth.

These spirits could be beneficial or malevolent. They often encountered animals on their unknown journeys through the world and could bestow favor on those deemed worthy. To the dogs to meet one of these travelers was a great honor and bode well for the dog's pack. It seemed strange to him at the time. Still did. But, it also gave him a good idea.

"If I play this right, he chuckled to himself, I shall have a full belly, a bit of rest and a little revenge in the bargain." A feeling of cub-like mischief filled him as he crept through the grass trying to locate the origin of the scent. He moved slowly, careful to stay downwind. To reveal himself too soon would wreck the plan now formulating in his mind. He would put his cunning and slyness to good use. He found the dogs by a small stand of trees. It was a small pack, probably a hunting party. They were standing over the fresh carcass of a zebra. Involuntarily he licked his chops at the sight. Quietly he lay in the grass, listening to the dogs. "Good kill, Nabuk", said one of the dogs to what seemed to be the leader. The larger dog nodded to him, "Yes this one went down easy, it'll bring much meat to the pack."

Nabuk, that must be the leader. Scar readied himself. "O.k., he thought, better make this good, or I'll have these fellows snapping at my heels." With that he burst from his hiding place and ran into the midst of the dogs. He panted as if he had run many miles. "Oh, great hunting dogs, he blurted out, at last I've found you. I bring news...grave danger." He stopped, catching his breath.

The lead dog stepped forward and spoke, "You have trespassed on the territory of the pack ,lion. Leave at this moment and we will spare you." The large dog flattened his ears and bared his teeth.

Scar turned his head to look at the dog. "You must be Nabuk, your hunting prowess has not gone unnoticed to the Great Dog." He smiled at the now bewildered looking dog.

Nabuk stepped back from the strange lion. "How do you know my name? I've never seen you before and where did you come from?" The other dogs now stepped forward to take a good look at the creature before them.

"We in the Other World know many things Nabuk," Scar intoned in a dramatic voice, "we have watched you many times from above."

Nabuk looked suspicious, this animal claimed to be a spirit lion, but he could also be an ordinary thief out to steal the pack's kill. "You look and smell like an ordinary lion to me stranger, perhaps you are nothing more than a common thief." The other dogs nodded in agreement.

A look of great offense crossed Scar's face. "Common thief eh? Very well, I will inform the Great Dog that you have no need of our help. Good day and good luck." He turned and began to trot away.

The dogs looked to their leader. They were at a loss. What if they just turned away a messenger from the Other World, great misfortune would befall the pack if so. To offend a spirit offering guidance was the greatest sin a dog could commit, generations of dogs would pay for their insolence. The lion had indeed looked strange, unlike any other they had ever seen. Nabuk watched the figure retreating in the distance. His chieftain would tear him apart if he had indeed offended a spirit. Against his better judgment he called out to the strange lion. "Wait, great lion, please come back!"

Scar looked over his shoulder at the dogs. They seemed panicked now. Coolly he replied, "No, I have been offended, I bring news of a great disaster and you bare your teeth to me. No I must leave." He turned as if to go once again.

Nabuk ran to Scar's side, "Please, I meant no offense, I was just protecting my pack. You must understand." He was clearly frightened now. Scar did not reply but seemed to be considering the dog's apology carefully. Then he turned away again. The other dogs had now joined them. They held their tails and head low, trying desperately not to further offend the great spirit.

Nabuk felt his suspicion fall away. If this lion meant the pack harm he would be at the kill right now, they had given him plenty of opportunity. No, this indeed must be a spirit lion. He must make amends to the great spirit, for the good of the pack. He bowed low before Scar. "Great lion, please accept the offering of this zebra to make up for any offense I caused you." The other dogs bowed in kind.

Scar looked at the carcass lying in the grass. He squelched the urge to leap on it and begin feasting. Instead he nodded at the dogs. "I most humbly accept your offer, all offense is forgotten." He smiled benevolently at the dogs, trying his hardest not to laugh as he did so.

Nabuk approached him. "Great lion," he spoke reverently, "you mentioned something about a danger to the pack. Please what is it I must warn the chief." Scar lay himself on the grass, the dogs did the same. Scar wondered if he jumped up and down would the dogs follow suit. It would be interesting to see, but he was hungry he would have his fun later.

"I wish that I could my friend," he replied wearily, "but I'm exhausted from my long journey. The secret remains locked inside. When this form I am in is replenished all will be told." Nabuk nodded, the Other World must be far away, their guest must be fed. He instructed the hunting party to tear up the carcass and feed the lion. It would not do to have a great spirit dirty himself. Scar smiled inwardly, this was turning out better than he thought, as the dogs lay the choicest pieces of meat at his feet, first class service and everything!

Scar ate as he never had before. Rich liver, kidneys, all the best pieces of the zebra found it's way down his throat. Life in a pride had never allowed him such luxury. Finally when his belly had reached the point of bursting he licked his paws clean and called the dogs to gather around him.

"Now what I am about to tell you comes from the Great Dog himself, so you all must listen carefully." He spoke gravely, looking at all of the dogs in turn.

"You have our full attention, great lion, we will hear your news." Nabuk said. All ears turned toward the lion, not one of them stirred.

"There is a great disaster coming for the dog pack. A terrible horde of creatures are coming to destroy you. They hate the great hunting dogs, they are determined to see an end of you."

All ears canted back, startled. "Who is it?" Nabuk pleaded, Who wants the pack destroyed?"

"They are the most vile spirit animals in the Other World, filthy beasts." Scar intoned

The dogs began whispering among themselves. Who could it be? Nabuk persisted, "Please tell us, great spirit, the chief must know!"

Scar looked at gathered pack. They looked utterly terrified. He almost felt bad for frightening them. But then again, it was too good to resist. Finally he said, "It is the hyena spirits, they envy the dogs and want to rid the world of them." The dogs gasped, the hyenas! The dogs despised the hyenas, felt them to be lazy scavengers unworthy of breath.

"Those disgusting beasts, so they are filthy in both body and spirit." Nabuk said, "I should have known."

"You will find these craven spirits to the east, north of a large jutting rock. They haunt an elephant graveyard." Scar went on, "They are gathering to send a war party to destroy the pack. They will kill all the males and mate with your females, they will corrupt everything the pack stands for. They are ruthless, they must be stopped!" All the dogs jumped to their feet at once. The growled fiercely. They would stop the hyenas, let them try to destroy the pack! "I will inform my chief at once," said Nabuk, " we will send many dogs to the east. We will kill the hyena spirits, they will trouble no one again!"

"No!," Taka said, "you must not try to kill the hyena spirits. They will only come back more powerful, seeking revenge." He wanted to play a bit of a prank he didn't want the hyenas dead.

Nabuk looked distressed. "What shall we do then great lion? How can we rid ourselves of this danger?" The dogs were upset, all seemed lost.

"There is one way, listen closely now." All the dogs looked at the lion in anticipation. They were ready to do anything it took to save the pack."You must....bite their tails!" The dogs looked puzzled, this was a strange remedy indeed. Scar smiled, "A hyena spirit carries all his magic in his tail, you know. That is why they carry their rumps so close to the ground, to protect it. One good hard bite to the tail will disable them, I know it sounds strange, but it is so."

"We do not question the wisdom of the spirits great lion, I will tell my chief at once." Nabuk bowed at Scar. "We must go, great spirit, thank you for your service."

Scar nodded, "Yes you must go at once, time grows short. Remember, east to the jutting rock, then north to the elephant graveyard. And no killing!"

"Yes great spirit, and thank you again."

At once the pack turned and began running toward their den site. In a moment they were out of sight. Taka began to laugh, he wished for all the world he could be their. The vision of dozens of confused hyenas running from dozens of cape hunting dogs snapping at their rumps came into his mind. He laughed harder. "Good hunting to you faithful dogs!" he called into the distance. He himself would resume his own journey to the West, that is as soon as the bulge in his belly subsided.

Chapter 6

An Unlikely Ally

Scar stayed by the zebra carcass for two days. Gorging himself until he felt ill and then sleeping lightly in case he needed to shoo away a vulture or jackal who got too bold. He felt his strength returning to him slowly.

He thought little of the days leading up to his wandering. He still felt profoundly uncomfortable with his role in bringing the Pride Lands to ruin and even though he knew his guilt was useless he couldn't help it. Laying in the sun and eating all day afforded him a lot of time to think.

After the second day, he got up, stretched the sleep out of his limbs and left the glade. The zebra had gotten too ripe for his taste, and he was eager to move on. As he left he heard many pairs of wings descending behind him.

"Finally!," one of the vultures shrieked, "I thought that damn lion would never leave."

Scar stifled the urge to leap suddenly and scare the pin feathers off the scavenger. It was something he wouldn't have hesitated to do back in the Pride Lands. Instead he just flicked his tail up in the direction of the scavengers. The bird that had been watching his departure caught the gesture and grumbled something about "nasty, minded lions" before he went back to his meal.

As he traveled he noticed that the land here was much different than the land of his birth. It consisted of pastures, dotted with tree lined glades and small rocky formations. Back home Pride Rock had been the only outstanding feature in the land. He walked on silently until the sun set and then sought out one of the formations for a place to sleep. He leapt on a rather large formation and began searching for a place to lie down.

He began to paw at a small pile of loose stones when a sharp hissing came from the other side of the formation. He instinctively jumped back at the sound. It was the sound an enraged animal made right before it attacked. When he was able to regain his composure he realized that whatever it was lay on the other side of the formation. With a cat's natural curiosity he made his way slowly to the other side, careful to look around before he rounded the corner.

"Stop right there!," A sharp female voice hissed. Scar moved closer despite the command. Then he saw the owner of the angry voice.

A female cheetah lay wedged in a pile of fallen rocks and boulders. Her head and front paws were visible, but her hind quarters seemed stuck. When she saw him she hissed again, louder this time, and scrabbled her claws on the rocks in front of her. Scar could smell the terror of the cheetah. He stopped a respectful distance from her.

"Go away lion," she snarled through bared teeth, "if you think you have an easy kill, think again, I'll give you a wound to match the one you already have on your face."

Scar lowered his posture, trying to make himself as unthreatening as possible. "Relax, madam, I'm not going to kill you. What happened to you?"

The cheetah growled again, she tried to pull herself free, scoring the rock before her with her claws. Scar waited until she tired herself out and then spoke again.

"I think I see how you're trapped. Are you injured?"

"Not at all lion," She spat, "Come closer and I'll show you how much fight I have left in me." She bared her teeth again.

Scar sighed and then moved closer to the cheetah. "Look," He said, "You're not impressing anyone. Now tell me, are you hurt, yes or no?"

The cheetah looked taken aback, but there was something in the lions manner that demanded a polite response. "No, I'm not hurt, just caught."

"Okay then, let me take a look here," He jumped up to where the cheetah was trapped, she recoiled as he came near. "Quiet, relax. I'm not going to hurt you. I already ate." He winked at the cheetah, who returned an alarmed stare. He decided there should be more jokes about eating right now. He looked carefully at the boulders that pinned the cheetahs hindquarters. They were heavy, but laid so that they didn't crush her, just kept her in place. They were far too heavy for a cheetah to move, but perhaps if he pushed some away...

He braced his two front paws on the uppermost rock in the pile. Extending his hind claws into the rock in which he stood he pushed the boulder forward. It rocked slightly, but remained in place. The cheetah let out a small bleat of fright as the rock moved. "Careful," she pleaded, her earlier defiance had left her. Scar bunched the muscles in his shoulders and braced the right one against the boulder. Then turn to the cheetah and said to the . "Okay, lady keep your paws crossed." He strained forward, with his left shoulder pushing the large rock, he grunted as the boulder first moved slowly forward and then toppled over. The rock fell off the formation and hit the ground with a dull thud. The cheetah began to try to break free. "Hold it," Scar snapped, "I still have to get these smaller rocks off here. Be patient."

The cheetah stopped struggling and looked at the lion with fearful eyes. "I'm sorry, it's just I've been trapped here all day and..."

"You're frightened, I know." Scar said, "But wait just a bit longer and I'll have you free, safe and sound."

It took a while longer for Scar to paw the smaller rocks slowly and carefully from around the frightened animal. Several times he had to stop and consider what was the next rock to be pushed off. The cheetah stayed silent, watching him work. But from the corner of his eye he could see her trembling.

When the last rock was pushed away Scar jumped off the formation onto the ground. He was careful to give the cheetah enough space to get away with having to get too close to him. The bad blood between cheetah and lion ran deep. Scar was well aware of that and didn't want to cause the poor thing anymore stress.

The cheetah female stood up slowly. Her limbs shook from the energy pent up by long hours trapped in the rock prison. In turn she stretched each leg trying to rid herself of the cramped numbness collected in them. Scar just watched her silently, waiting for the cheetah to speak. He was fairly sure she would bolt and he couldn't really say why he was interested in speaking to her, or even why he had bothered to save her for that matter. When she finally seemed satisfied that she was in condition to run, she sighed and spoke.

"Well, that was a lovely way to spend an afternoon."

Scar raised an eyebrow, when not helpless and frightened the cheetah had a confident, world weary air, the attitude of one who was well used to taking care of herself. He cleared his throat

She smiled. "Oh, are you still here? Well, lets get on with it shall we? Now on the count of three I'll start running and we'll see if you can catch me ,eh?"

She switched her long tail back and forth in a playful manner. Scar could tell she was no longer frightened of him and looked as if she almost welcomed a confrontation. He set his ears back and began licking his front paws in a nonchalant way. Seeing that the lion had no intention of trying to catch her she sat down on the rock and regarded him carefully.

"Why did you rescue me?" She asked. Scar smiled, she was certainly blunt and to the point.

"I don't know really," he said truthfully, "it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time."

The cheetah narrowed her eyes. "The right thing to do? Hmph, that's the first time I've ever heard of a lion doing the "right" thing by a cheetah."

"You're welcome." Scar said and then went back to grooming his paws.

The cheetah looked chagrined, after all the lion had saved her life and now was laying quietly in the grass while she insulted him. She leapt down from the formation and approached Scar, still a bit leery.

"Look, I'm sorry. You did save my life and I thank you. It's just, well it was really unexpected is all. I mean your kind and my kind rarely get along."

Scar grimaced, "Oh and we two are getting along absolutely swimmingly."

The cheetah looked at him and then broke out into a huge grin and began laughing. She trotted up to where Scar lay and sat down.

"My name is Nduli.* Pleased to meet you...."

"Scar, so named for.." Scar tapped the long healed wound above his eye. "Nduli, eh? But that means..."

The cheetah smiled broadly again, "Yes, yes it does. It was given to me during my formal naming. It's something I do quite well, at least when I'm not trapped by blasted rocks that is."

"How did that happen? The rocks I mean?"

"Well, I have been climbing the face of the formation to have a good look at the plain, when I climbed onto a loose bunch of rocks. I slipped and fell. The rocks I slipped on fell as well and a whole lot of others came down with them. I must've loosed them when I slipped. Lucky for me you came along and not a hungry hyena. All that bluster and puff I gave you would have held them off a short time. But.." She visibly shuddered at the thought.

Scar rose to his feet. "Well, I'm glad you're not injured. I guess I'll be going now." He nodded at the cheetah, who continued to look at him with an appraising air. He turned to walk away.

"You're a very thin lion, you know." She said.

Scar turned and gave her an icy look. He was surprised and a bit embarrassed that she would mention his physical condition.

"Have you been away from your pride long?" She asked.

He sat down again. "Not for too long, why?"

"Come now, I know that males of lion society eat well. You must come from a very poor band of hunters for you to be so small. No offense."

*Nduli= Swahilli for killer or bringer of death.*

Scar swallowed the angry remark that was about to come from his mouth, instead he said, "Well, I'm not a very good hunter but I don't think that gives you the right to..." The Nduli cut him off.

"Say no more then. One paw scratches the other. You saved my life and now Scar I'm going to help you along with yours. I'm named Nduli because at 6 months I killed my first gazelle. A very small and young one yes, but large prey just the same. Hunting and breathing are one to me, I do one as easily as the other. Come with me and I'll give you a few lessons."

Nduli began to walk away, motioning with her tail for Scar to follow. He paused for a moment. Then thought to himself. "A lion taking killing lessons from a cheetah?" He looked an saw that Nduli was making away and rushed to catch up with her.

Chapter 7

Lessons

Scar spent that first day dozing and waking underneath a large acacia tree. Nduli had a den nearby and promptly crawled down into it when they reached her home. Popping her head from the opening she told Scar he could stay nearby if he was willing to take her up on her offer and if not, "then good luck to you my friend and please don't hang around too long you'll frighten off my game." Having said that she pulled back into her den site (which was an abandoned honey badger burrow that had been dug into a small incline) and Scar could soon hear her quiet raspy snoring.

Still not sure why he chose to hang around he settled back onto the grass under the tree. His stomach growled softly. He was beginning to get hungry again. Funny how often you got that way when you had to hunt for yourself. He scanned around instinctively from something that might present itself as an opportunity, but there was nothing to be found. It was the time of the high sun and most sensible animals were resting in the shade. Thinking this would be good advice to follow ,Scar lay his head on his paws.

He found his mind wandering back to the Pride Lands. He wondered how Simba and the lionesses were fairing. When he left, there hadn't been much worth staying for. The herd animals had left long ago, their numbers decimated from the lionesses efforts to feed both themselves and the hyenas. It was his arrogance in his own abilities which led him to believe he could control and manage both the hyena clan and the lion pride. In his own inflated ego both tribes were in need of his superior guidance. He had failed miserably. The constant fighting between both groups, the insaitable greed of the hyenas, the indiganance of the lionesses, even the very weather confounded his efforts. Not that he really made much of one. He had been very content to live off the kills of the lionesses and let things take their course. He sighed heavily. It was useless to dwell on such things. So thinking he drifted off into a light and fitful sleep.

A few hours before the dawn, Nduli had roused Scar and led him across the grass. Walking silently behind her he could see why she was a successful hunter. She was all liquid grace and confidence as she moved. Smooth muscles rippled beneath her glossy spotted coat, the coat of a creature who ate well and often. Occasionally she would halt and raise her head, small ears swiveling as she tried to pick out signs of any enemy or prey from the air.

They traveled for what seemed like a long time and Scar was just about to ask her where they were head when Nduli crouched low and stopped. She glanced back over her shoulder and when she saw that Scar was still standing she hissed. Reading her message correctly Scar followed suit and lay down next to her.

"Look there, lion straight ahead." She whispered.

Peering through the tall yellow grass he could make out faint shapes moving slowly in front of him. Whatever they were they were well camouflaged by the high grass.

"They're gazelles and we're downwind. Follow me, move like I move okay." Nduli crept forward slowly walking on her haunches.

Scar tried to move forward, but the uncomfortable position cramped his legs and he jerkily made his way behind her. Hearing the loud rustling he made as he inched forward, Nduli spun her head around and gave him an angry scowl.

"Stay there," She crept back to where he crouched, "Now it's time for your first lesson." She whispered into his ear. "Look at the herd, take your time and pick your prey. I won't interfere."

Scar wasn't sure what she wanted. He swept his eyes over the herd. He had remembered from somewhere in the teachings of his mother and the other lionesses that he should be looking for an animal that stood out from the rest.

But all of them looked the same to Scar, there was nothing to distinguish one animal from the next. They all blended together in a sea of horns and tan hides. He looked to Nduli hoping to be able to read her expression and perhaps pick out a clue as to which animal was the right one. She merely shrugged and then looked at the grass between her paws..

"Okay then," he thought, "I'll just pick any one." He looked back to herd and then saw him. The gazelle moved slowly around the parameters of the herd, pausing every once in a while to sniff the air about him. He was a handsome animal, with a glossy coat and a body filled out with fat. Scar involuntarily licked his chops in anticipation of tearing into the animal's flesh. This is was the meal he was going to have.

The large male gazelle moved closer to the pair laying in the grass. "Good, good," he thought, "just a little closer and...."

Breaking his train of thought when the gazelle came close enough that he could see it's nostrils twitch he charged at the startled animal. Fangs bared and claws shot he leapt toward the gazelle meaning to grab hold of the animals hindquarters and pull it down.

Instead he felt a sharp pain in his chin and tongue as his teeth snapped together violently. He fell backward onto the grass, yelping with surprise. He regained himself in enough time to watch his intended quarry bounce away, tail flashing and showing a white rump toward the rest of the herd.

"Come ladies," he heard the gazelle say, "lets go. This lion is very stupid, but there may be others around." In a great surge the gazelle herd bounded away following their sire to a safe distance.

From behind him he could hear Nduli first chuckling and then breaking into rollicking gales of laughter. He flattened his ears and turned to her with all the dignity he could muster.

"Oh, goodness!", Nduli yowled, "I knew you were a poor hunter, but how poor I could not even begin to imagine." She rolled in the grass unable to contain her amusement.

Scar rubbed the spot on his chin that the gazelle had kicked, there was no cut but there would be a nasty bruise.

"Hmph! Well no need to get so incredibly jolly about this."

Nduli smirked at him, "Oh Scar, do you even know what you did wrong? Listen, you went for the head buck of that herd. The animal with the most to loose. I mean, you do know that he gets to mate with all those females don't you? Pretty good reason to stay fit and alert don't you think?" She raised herself to her feet.

"Of course I do! What do you take me for an idiot?" Scar's annoyance grew as Nduli continued looking at him with a wry grin on her face.

"So, then if you knew that, why did you waste precious energy trying to kill an animal that had no intention of letting you?" She snapped. Her tail wagged back and forth with impenitence, the corner of her mouth raised showing a smooth, white tooth.

"Well what am I supposed to settle for some underfed, sickly beast. That's a waste of energy if you ask me."

Nduli got up and walked over to Scar. Her shoulders raised and head lowered. Scar got the strange feeling that he was being stalked. Nose to nose with him she stopped and raised her eyes to meet his with a derisive stare.

"That's exactly what you're going to do. Do you think the Savannah gives an elephant turd that you're a lion? Do you really think that a healthy animal quite capable of escaping you is going to lie down and give up it's life for you? Please! This is not some pride of obedient females that's going to bring your meals to you your majesty. Out here you learn to settle or you die with your arrogance in tact!"

Chapter 8

The Lonely Path

They walked back to the den site in silence. Scar was embarrassed by his performance on the hunt. He had never realized how little he actually knew about taking care of himself. The lionesses of his father's pride had tried to teach him the basics of hunting. But there had always been other things to pay attention to or think about as these lessons were taught. A butterfly landing in the grass, a flock of vultures flying overhead, anything seemed more interesting than what his mother and aunt had to say. The lessons seemed pointless anyway, he was a male in the pride and as such had no real work to do.

Now he could see that the laziness of his youth, indeed the laziness of his entire life was going to be the end of him. Alone with no pride and unable to bring down a meal he would soon weaken and die. He was scared, if it wasn't for this cheetah he would have no chance at all. He trotted up to her side.

"Umm, Nduli, I'm very sorry I acted that way. I do promise to pay attention to you from now on." He looked shyly in her direction.

She looked back at him, there was no amusement or forgiveness on her face.

"Listen Scar, it matters not at all to me if you learn. Take it or leave it. Take it and my debt to you is repaid. Leave it and there is one less lion in the world. Now you know the way back to my den from here don't you? Good, go there if you like, I have other business to attend to, namely feeding myself."

She quickened her pace and veered off from Scar. He stopped walking and watched her until she disappeared, a small buff colored shape among other buff colored shapes. Sighing he sat down and just continued to stare into the distance. The cool morning breeze ruffled his mane. It was so quiet.

He had never been so alone in his life. Even though he had spent much of his time in his cave when he was back home there had always been someone nearby. He could leave his cave and find the lionesses sunning themselves on the grass or hear Zazu's chatter. But here there was no one. He wasn't sure how to react to the situation. Before he could always rely on his acrid wit and snide comments. Here there was no one to either hear or care.

He made his way slowly back to Nduli's den. When he reached it he lay down and settled his chin on his paws. He had not lain there long when he heard the beat of wings overhead. Looking up he saw two large vultures settle on the tree that overlooked Nduli's den.

They were ugly beasts, black glossy feathers and naked heads glistening in the early morning sun. They peered at Scar with very beady eyes and then the larger of the two turned and addressed his companion.

"You see brother, poor beast. He will be our next big meal I think. Don't you agree."

The smaller vulture nodded. "Oh most definitely. Just look at the wretched creature. Why he's just skin and bones."

Scar raised his lips showing his teeth to the vultures. The nasty and sardonic birds had never been a favorite of Scar's or anyone else's for that matter; given as they were to taunts and teases at the expense of their soon to be meals. He raised a growl from his throat hoping to two birds would scatter. They squawked and raised their wings in mock fright and then promptly began chuckling.

"Ohhh, yess," hissed the larger vulture, "all skin...skin we shall rip and tear and gobble down." It scuttled down the branch and craned it's neck toward the lion in the grass.

Scar rose now, a low growl rumbling in his throat. The vultures knowing that they were too high up to be in any danger only laughed and began to hop up and down on the tree branch; their great weight shaking it.

"Yes, lion meat," shrieked the smaller, "I love lion meat! Is that what you are lion? Dead meat?"

"Yes, he is," the larger vulture said, "Dead meat!"

Enraged and unable to take the cruel taunts any longer, Scar flung himself at the tree. His claws scored deep furrows into the wood . The vultures began chanting "Dead meat." over and over. After all this lion could get as mad as he wanted, lions couldn't climb trees. It was all far too amusing to stop.

Which of course made it all the more shocking when they realized that the lion was now in the tree with them and looked as if he was about to tear their still beating hearts from their chests.

"Dead meat am I?," Scar snarled, "We shall see who is meat to whom." He swiped at the vultures with a great paw, his long claws whickered past very close to the larger birds head. Apparently all the sport was gone from this game and it was time to move along.

"Let's get out of here," screamed the larger, "this one can climb!"

Both birds took off in a frenzy, shedding shiny black feathers into the air as they went. Scar watched them take off, disappointed that he had not been able to catch one of them. Still he felt a certain satisfaction at seeing the backs of the nasty brutes.

But after the rush of climbing the tree was gone along with the triumphant defeat of the vultures, Scar realized he had climbed up but wasn't at all sure how to get back down. Looking down he realized that the ground was quite far away. He felt sick and dug his claws deeper into the wood.

Scanning the area looking for a particularly soft place to land he noticed a slight shape parting the grass as it moved toward the den site. It was Nduli returning from her hunt. Even from his high perch Scar could see that her belly swayed back and forth with the fullness of her meal. His stomach grumbled at the thought of food. He secretly hoped she had bought him home a little something. But closer inspection revealed she had nothing with her. Head down and with a distinct air of annoyance, she walked right by the tree not even bothering to turn and look at him.

"Get down you fool or you'll let the whole area know where my home is." She mumbled to him, voice horse and low. Without further comment she crawled down into the badger burrow and fell asleep.

The hours before dawn the next morning found teacher and pupil following the same ritual as the day before. Nodule led Scar far afield, located a small herd of Tompson's gazelles, lay back in the grass and instructed Scar to select his prey and make a go of it.

This time Scar was determined to make an effort and carefully select his mark. Slowly moving his eyes from one animal to the next he looked for something that would tip him off to the animals position in the herd. Some small sign of weakness or distraction that would make the chase an easy one. It was very discouraging. The herd was a small one, seemingly made up of young and healthy animals. He was just about to give up and ask Nduli what should be done when he spotted him.

A rather thin gazelle moved toward the outer parameter of the herd. It moved with a slightly irregular gait, putting its weight heavily to the right side as it walked. This was the one. Scar almost shot out of the grass after it but checked himself. No, the gazelle was still too far away. If he charged now it would slip back into the herd and be lost. He would be patient.

With agonizing slowness the gazelle moved closer toward the two cats in the grass; every once in a while it would raise its head and sniff at the air. It found nothing to alarm it and it continued grazing.

"Closer," Scar thought, "Just a little....." Breaking his gaze on the prey he glanced back at Nduli who lay silently behind him.

It was just enough noise and movement to alert the prey to the presence of the hunter. It turned on its heels and began to jump away. In a panic Scar bolted out of the grass after it. The gazelle was amazingly fast for an injured animal. It bounded through the grass effortlessly. Behind it Scar followed closely, breath coming in short pants as he tried to close the ever widening distance between him and the gazelle.

It turned sharply, trying the shake the lion from its trail. It was away from the herd now. Safety in numbers had been forgotten in its terrified flight. Scar could feel the ache in his sides begin, but still he pushed himself forward. He was hungry and desperate to have the gazelle. Foam runnered back from his muzzle as he struggling to catch his breath. From the right he heard Nduli shout.

"To me Scar! Drive him to me!" She burst from the grass and began running head on toward the gazelle.

The little antelope snorted in surprise as it saw the second cat coming toward it. It started to turn backward and then saw it still had a lion on its tail and decided it would rather take its chances with the cheetah. It sped toward Nduli and made a desperate leap into the air as the two nearly collided.

Nduli jumped into the air at the same time the gazelle did and in mid air grabbed hold of the animals middle with her front paws and grasped its back with her teeth. The two slammed into the earth heavily, rolling over and over on the grass. Desperately the gazelle tried to escape, kicking wildly and mewling; but the cheetahs teeth soon found its neck and with a quick snap severed the artery in the neck. It lay for a few moments kicking and twitching as its life bled out into the grass around it. When it finally became silent Nduli released her grip and lay panting beside the body.

Still panting, Scar approached where Nduli and the dead gazelle lay. He had to stifle the urge to roar at the cheetah and drive her from the kill, pounce on it and tear it apart. It was tempting to do; it had been a few days since Scars last meal. But better to learn how to feed himself than indulge in this one meager gazelle. He lay next to her and waited for her to speak.

When she had regained her composure she began to tear into the belly of the animal. Without a word to him she tore a large portion from the kill and tossed it to him. Then she picked up the rest of the kill and walked away towards her den site. He looked at the piece of the kill she gave him, then towards her. A feeling a rage came over him. He picked up his meal and trotted after her although the pain in his sides made it hard to run.

Catching up with her he walked side by side with her, glaring in her direction. She ignored him for a few long moments and then stopped and glared back.

"What's the matter with you?" Her voice sounded angry even though she still had a rather large piece of gazelle in her mouth.

Scar spat his portion to the ground towards her feet.

"Here! You can have this, I'd rather go find my own food if you're going to be so disgustingly rude."

She rolled her eyes and then dropped her meal to the ground as well.

"Oh my, touchy aren't we lion? Would you like to have a little party then? Share dinner beneath one of the acacia trees?"

Scar nearly cringed from the sarcasm dripping from her words. But instead of appearing defensive, he smiled.

"Why my dear lady, there is nothing that I would find so pleasurable. There's the perfect tree right over there, join me won't you?"

Nduli snorted and then picked up her dinner and walked to the shady acacia tree that Scar had indicated. She dropped down the ground in a distinctly grumpy manner and unceremoniously began to tear off chunks of meat. Scar joined her, making sure to sit far enough away to not crowd the cheetah and also began tearing into his meal.

The two cats ate in silence and when both had eaten their respective portions down to the bones began to groom. Scar watched Nduli from the corner of his eye. She seemed more relaxed now that she had eaten and he felt it would be safe to speak to her.

"Nduli?," he waited for her to respond in an angry manner but she only cocked her ears toward him, "thank you for sharing your kill with me, I was very hungry."

The cheetah nodded, "You earned part of it, you helped bring it down. Although there are a few important things you need to work on."

"Like?"

Nduli stretched out on her side and gave a bone cracking yawn. She chuckled at the sight of her rather large pupil eagerly leaning his head forward to listen. "This will definitely be one to tell future cubs." She thought.

"Okay, well for one thing, don't ever move once you've picked out your prey and its close enough to ensure capture. That little move of yours nearly spoiled the hunt. Focus your eyes on the prey and never take them off. The rest of the world doesn't exist when you're looking at your prey. It's you, the prey and nothing else. Once you've run for more than a few moments it's all over."

"It was a foolish mistake I'll admit," Scar said as he gnawed on the last of the gristle on the leg bone of the gazelle, "I've never really hunted before this. Sure I've taken the occasional rabbit but nothing really big. I'm afraid I've been terribly spoiled over the years." He tossed the bone to one side with a disdainful flip of his paw.

Nduli chuckled. "Aren't all of you lions terribly spoiled?"

"Not all of us, Nduli," Scar answered, "But you're right, pride life doesn't do much to teach you how to look after yourself, at least not if you're a male."

The cheetah began to clean the traces of blood from her whiskers. She stopped after a moment and looked at Scar with a puzzled expression.

"So, Scar I don't think you ever told me what you're doing out on your own. It's rather unusual for a lion your age to be out on his own. You're in your prime you should be settled down with a family by now. What happened?"

Scar said nothing, he just looked at his paws. He knew sooner or later she would ask this very question. He wasn't sure what to say; he didn't want to lie to her, but he also wasn't sure how she would react to his story. If she found out the truth she may very well abandon him. So he decided a half truth was better than a lie or the truth.

"A younger male came into my pride and took it over." He avoided her eyes afraid she would read something in the expression he wore.

"Oh, so you were ousted. Too bad. Must've been a very strong young lion to kick you out."

Scar shrugged, "Yes, he was a very canny fighter and took me by surprise. I'm headed toward the West to see what lies out there. Maybe there I can find a place to spend the last of my days."

"Not interested in taking over another pride then?" Nduli asked.

"No, my days as a ruler are over," Scar lay back in the grass feeling tired from the run and the meal, "I'll be content with a little quiet and time for reflection. It's a been a long few seasons."

Nduli looked at Scar as he lay his head down and closed his eyes. There was something in that last statement that made her feel cold, there was something behind his words that he wasn't letting her know. His eyes so full of far away sadness and regret were what gave him away. Laying her own head down she decided she would find out this lion's secret one way or another.

Chapter 9

Truce and Tension

If one thing could be said about Scar, aside from anything else, was that he was a quick study. While he was slight in size his mind more than made up for any deficiencies he might have had. Nduli had to admit that day by day her unusual pupil was becoming less of a liability and more of an asset.

This was not to say he wasn't still a bit rough around the edges; Scar often found himself either sore or bleeding after an outing. But even though he was kicked and battered by his prey he continued taking the lessons seriously. The hard work was paying off handsomely; more often than not both cats would wind their way home from a hunt their full bellies swaying as they walked.

Over time the relationship between the two also changed. Scar found Nduli an intelligent and thoughtful creature under the abrasive exterior she most often showed him. Late afternoons often found the two lounging under the tree by Nduli's burrow, occasionally talking, but mostly just laying quietly in the shade. She was still quick to anger when he scared off the herd or tripped in chasing down his prey; but it was a friendly sort of anger and no longer provoked him the way it used to. He could sense that much of the discomfort she had once felt in his presence had abated and he was glad. He liked Nduli, enjoyed her company and for once in a very long time felt completely at ease

Scar could see why Nduli looked as well fed as she did. She never passed up any opportunity, more like a hyena than a cheetah in that respect. So, in addition to the hunts for the small and swift antelope of the plain, she also instructed him on the ways of smaller game such as rabbit and voles. She showed him how to dig into the huge termite mounds and lap up the fat, little insects inside. While this took some getting used to, Scar found he liked the taste quite a bit and made a mental note to not pass up a mound when he found one. Although, he enjoyed the variety of the menu, some experiments were better than others. Once Nduli found a large fish (it was in fact an African lungfish) in the mud surrounding the waterhole, it had stranded itself and was unable to get back to the depths of the water. She quickly slapped it onto the grass with her paw and tore into the flapping, gasping fish. She offered Scar, who sat looking at the whole production rather skeptically. a taste of her catch and while he politely took it, he silently spit it out and hid it under his paw when she wasn't looking. He made a mental note that fish were only to be eaten in desperate times.

Nduli herself had to admit to a grudging liking of Scar. He was unlike any lion she had ever seen in both looks and in temperament. Nduli had had her run ins with the great maned cats before and none could have been said to be positive. Lions, in her experience, were nothing more than lazy bullies. For all their so called nobility they had no qualms about snatching a hard caught meal or terrorizing young cubs…..or worse.

Scar however seemed made of different stuff. Small in size, built far more like her than a hulking male lion; he possessed a rather detached and almost humble air. That's not to say he didn't have his overbearing sense of dignity, which showed itself most strongly when he would miss a kill, but it wasn't the same as most lions. Occasionally she would catch herself looking at him out of the corner of her eye; admiring his glossy, black mane and long legs. Then she would shake her head as if to dislodge the thoughts and go about doing something else to distract her. After all he was only a lion.

One morning Scar awoke before Nduli, he could hear her raspy snoring coming from the burrow, and decided to surprise his teacher with a freshly caught breakfast delivered to her door. He had been very successful on the hunt of late and now felt really ready to try himself without his teacher. It was a beautiful day, the mist still hanging over the land like a soft, moist blanket. He trotted towards the accustomed hunting grounds careful not to reveal himself to any prey animals that might be about. He wasn't exactly sure why he wanted to prepare a little gift for Nduli. She had been distinctly grumpy the day before and so he felt she might like rolling out of bed with her meal right there.

Anyway, Scar wanted to show off. He knew he had some skills and he meant to show them. Or at least show them to her. Something in him wanted to impress Nduli, to win her respect. Bringing home his first solo kill he felt was sure to do it. Lifting his nose to the air he caught the sent of a large group of hoofed animals close by. Hunkering down to the ground he slowly inched forward until they came into sight.

They were a herd of wildebeests, a small one, no more than two hundred strong, but there were a number of yearlings and calves that looked his size. He locked his gaze on a young wildebeest and decided that this would be his prize. Unfortunately in his haste he failed to take notice of the large bull which stood beside it, so when he rushed at the young beast the larger one turned into his attack and caught the lion with his horns. Scar was tossed into the air like a rag doll. The force of the blow knocked him senseless and instead of landing on his feet he tumbled onto his side. The herd took up in flight. All at once they rushed toward him, hooves knocking him, bodies jostling him. In a panic he began to run with them, desperately trying to keep himself from falling beneath the slashing hooves. Knocked back and forth Scar barely managed to push his way to the front of the herd and veer out of their way. They thundered away leaving him bleeding in the grass. He watched as they ran away and then faded out. A dark crumpled shape lying in the bloody dust.

He didn't come to right away, but when he did the pain he felt in his body made him want to pass out again. Grunting, he pulled himself to his feet. He examined himself closely. He had gotten a nasty cut along his right flank and the taste of blood was strong in his mouth. Closer inspection revealed a loose tooth and he winced with pain when he touched it with his tongue. It would be many days until he would be able to hunt with pleasure. He wasn't sure what to tell Nduli either. She would certainly be angry, he was angry at himself. Some first solo kill, he had nearly been the kill. He decided he better get moving before his wounds made him stiff. Gathering up what little strength he had, he began to make his way home.

He was not half a mile from the den site when he heard a high pitched squeal. It was a shriek of pain and fear and it was very familiar. Without thought he dashed towards the den ignoring the screams of pain coming from his own limbs. In the distance he could see a large tawny shape by the acacia tree by the den. The fear shriek came again and this time he recognized it. It was Nduli! Instinctively he lowered his head and threw himself bodily at the strange, tawny beast. He hit it with the same strength the wildebeests used to barrel into him.

Giving a yelp of surprise the beast rolled over and over on the grass; knocked a few yards by Scar's charge. He leapt at the animal and pinned it beneath his long claws. He found himself looking into the face of an adolescent lion. He was young, just beginning to grow a mane; he looked up at his enraged black maned attacker with surprise.

"I'm, I…I'm sorry," he stammered, "I didn't scent any lions around here, I didn't know this was your territory. Look let me kill that cheetah for you, eh pal. W, We don't need to fight."

Scar roared into the youngsters' face; his rage blood red and ready to kill. Blood from his tooth spattered onto the young lions face. Scar looked more like a demon than a lion. Mane wild and blood dripping from his muzzle. The young stranger sensed the danger he was in, smelled the killing rage pouring out of his attacker and bounded to his feet, not caring if he tore his shoulders struggling out from under Scar's claws. Without looking back at the black maned, bloody mouthed horror he raced over the tiny hillside. Scar thought of following, of tearing the young lion to bits, when a soft moan bought him out of the red anger.

Nduli lay in the grass, she was panting, foam dripped from her mouth. Without waiting for her to say anything Scar rushed to her side and touched her head.

"Nduli, are you all right," looking at her he could see a large, bloody gash across her side. She was breathing heavily and looked like she was in shock.

Shaking, she turned to Scar, "I thought he was going to kill me, oh Scar, you came…I thought he killed me….." She trailed off and fell to licking a forepaw absently.

"Shh, I'm here, he won't be back and if he comes back I'll kill him I swear it!" He nuzzled Nduli's head.

"But…. What am I going to do Scar? I can't hunt like this. I've never been hurt like this before. What am I going to do?" Tears began forming at the corners of her eyes.

He hated to see her like this, cursed himself for leaving her alone to be mauled by the strange lion. he wanted to take her and make her well and unafraid again. That look at he first met when he rescued her from the rockslide had returned and it made the pit of his stomach feel cold.

He touched her head with his paw. "Don't worry I'll take care of you." But even as he said this he could feel the bruises forming from his trampling of that morning and feared that this promise would be impossible to keep. He bent his head down and sniffed at Nduli's side. The tear was deep, down into the muscle, there would be no running for her for some time. She mewled in pain as he began to clean the wound. She would have to stay in the den until she was healed. She reeked of blood and any opportunistic predator in the area would be drawn to her.

With some difficulty Scar urged her to her feet and guided her into her den. She slid into the hole awkwardly, landing noisily on her side. The small trek from the field to the den had exhausted her. Scar followed. It was a tight fit, he had to jam his shoulders into the small space and squeeze around until finally he burst forward into the den. Once inside he saw that in fact it was very spacious, an underground cave of sorts. Nduli had lined the rocky floor with grass and branches. Already she had crawled to the far side of the den and had curled up in her sleeping nest. Passing in and out of consciousness she lay quietly and allowed Scar to clean her up and then go to sleep in the far corner. In a few short moments she herself was sleeping.

The first thing Scar noticed when he woke up was that one of his teeth was laying on the floor of the den. In the night the loose tooth had gotten during the wildebeest attack had come off it's moorings. Running his tongue along his gum he was relived to realize that the hole in his mouth had also healed in the night. There was no pain and for this he was glad.

The same could not be said of his right flank, which was stiff and sore. He stood as much as he could in the den and tried it. He had to quickly sit down as it cramped. Hunting for at least the next week would be impossible; he would find food somehow, but catching it himself was out of the question. Nduli still slept, Scar could hear her breathing, thankfully she had not died during the night as some animals do when in shock.

He decided to let her sleep and took leave of the den quietly. It was dusk , the two had slept through the day. The whirring of the vast numbers of crickets had already begun and Scar inhaled the cool night air deeply. He was hungry; it had been a day and a half since his last meal and he could imagine when Nduli woke she would be ravenous. In any case if they were both to heal quickly they would have to eat well. His flank pained him badly, but there was no smell of infection and so decided the best course of action was to find some small game to satisfy himself.

He spent the rest of the night digging voles out of their underground nests. Methodically he searched out the dimples in the grass that marked their burrow entrances and as Nduli had shown him, plowed through the earth until he had a chance to grab the small, cowering animals and dispatch of them with a shake of his head. The digging was tiring work; more than once he had to stop and lie down, feeling his wounded leg throb. He ate some of his catch right away. Crushing the small rodents in his powerful jaws. It wasn't much of a meal and the fur on them tickled his throat; but by the time the sun began to slowly rise he had eaten enough of them that the whistling hole in his belly had been stopped. Left with a small pile of the dead voles; he had been collecting them during the night carrying them in his mouth from place to place, he gathered them up and went back to the den.

Nduli was awake. She lay in the corner, head on her paws. She neither spoke nor moved as Scar entered the den. She as obviously still very much shaken up by the event. He dropped his cargo on the floor and came to her side of the den. Lying quietly beside her for a moment he listened to her breathing. It was steady and sniffing her wound revealed no trace of infection. She allowed him to clean the wound with no reprimand, in fact she said not a word, just lay her ears back and flinched when he touched a sore spot. When Scar was satisfied with it's cleanliness, he went to the other side of the cave and brought back two of the voles he had brought with him. He dropped them in front of the cheetah's nose.

She didn't move to take the offered rodent. Only sighed and closed her eyes. Scar pushed the vole forward with his nose, pressing it up against Nduli's mouth. She had to eat. Scar was terrified that she would die and leave him alone. Alone with no training, alone to starve. When she only made a whimpering sound in response to his gesture, he tore into the tiny animal. He put a small piece of the rodent in front of Nduli's face. Raising his eyebrows he silently he implored her to eat. Looking up at him, she gave a weary half smile and gingerly took the food from him. She ate half of what he tried to feed her and then lay her head back on her paws. Within moments she was sleeping. Feeling his leg flare up again Scar agreed that this was a good idea. Lowering himself where he stood he lay next to the cheetah. He could feel her breath on his face and the light weight of her tail on his foot as he drifted off.

Chapter 10

The King of the River

Within two days of his mishap with the wildebeest Scar could once again walk with comfort. Hunting was still out of the question. He would not be able to endure the battering of the prey when he tried to take it down, but he could at least get up to a brisk walk without feeling faint. Nduli was still very much the same. Sullen and quiet she lay in the den not speaking. Scar was worried about her; this behavior was so unlike her. He had expected that she would soon be back to her grouchy, old self. This had not happened so far. So far she had lain like a helpless cub, allowing him to groom her and lie close by. While he wasn't complaining it was off putting to say the least

That was something he found odd as well. Scar had never liked cubs, never was one to show affection towards another. The one time he had been with a lioness it had been quick and passionless with little love lost between them. He couldn't remember the last time he had groomed anyone other than himself and yet…..He groomed Nduli twice a day, more than was really necessary, smoothing down her ruffled fur and inhaling her scent. Her scent…..her wonderful scent……he wanted to roll around in it, he wanted……..

Scar shook himself and picked up the pace of his walking. The thoughts he had at the moment lay uncomfortably on him and he walked quickly as if to out run them. Now was not the time for such thoughts any way. Food was what was important right now. He needed to find them a substantial meal and soon. He could feel himself weakening. He would most certainly collapse back into lameness if he didn't regain some strength. He ranged farther than normal searching desperately for carrion of some sort.

There were many prey animals around. Topi, gazelle and hartebeest all grazed around him. They ignored him as he walked by, sensing by his demeanor that he could do them no harm. He bristled as he passed; annoyed that so much good meat should be around him with no way for him to get it. He had to find real food. Mice and grubs and termites were fine in a pinch, but both he and Nduli needed more.

He came to the river, here he stopped and drank. The day was hot and the walk had drained him. He looked into the water trying to see if there were any fish he could scoop out. He didn't care for the slimy, stinky things, but at the moment he wasn't feeling very particular. He found nothing but small frogs, which quickly darted away underwater when they saw him. Discouraged he followed the river a small way. What he saw gave him immediate hope and then dashed it to bits as he took a closer look.

Lying in the shallows was the large carcass of a wildebeest. The animal lay half in half out of the water. Flies buzzed around its head in a black cloud, the lifeless eyes stared up at the blue, cloudless sky. His mouth watered, here was enough food to feed himself and bring back to Nduli. He started forward eagerly and then brought up short when he saw what lay beside the carcass.

A large crocodile lay in the shallows beside its kill. Barely submerged in the water it silently lay, looking deceptively like a log. Scar knew better. If he came near that log it would rear up and break his leg. He was sure that's what the beast was waiting for. Crocodiles could be greedy killers and he was sure this one wouldn't mind adding lion to its menu. Instead of approaching he sat down and considered the situation. Taking in the scene he noticed that the crocodile had already ripped off and partially eaten the wildebeests left haunch. It lay about two feet from the reptile's mouth. If he was uninjured he might just try to take a stab at filching the haunch, but in his condition he wasn't sure if his leg would'nt let him down. Crocs could be fast on land and the day was sunny enough that the great beast had plenty of energy. But like all cats, trying to devise a way to get the haunch intrigued Scar. Taking care to keep his distance he strolled towards the crocodile in a nonchalant manner.

"Ah, good day," he said giving the beast his most conniving grin, "lovely day today isn't it?"

The croc not one to be outdone answered in his most conniving voice.

"Why yes lion it is a beautiful afternoon. What brings you to my river? Thirsty? Come down and have a drink"

Scar smiled inwardly. The croc didn't waste much time. "No thank you friend. I've just had some, couldn't take another drop. Many thanks for the offer though."

The croc nodded, "Very well. Although I'm sure you're hungry. Please have some of my kill. It's such a very large wildebeest and I couldn't possibly finish it all. Please, take some with compliments from the King of the river."

The croc waved it's tail in the water stirring up mud. It soon was camoflouged by the swirling dirt, which hid the fact that its legs where tensed, ready for it to lunge forward when the lion moved to the kill. Scar wouldn't be drawn. Instead he sat a respectful distance from the river's edge.

"No thank you again, friend. I've just gorged myself to bursting and I couldn't eat another bite. It is most kind of you to offer though your majesty." He smiled his most sincere smile at the croc.

The croc was annoyed having failed at his second attempt to draw the lion towards him. He didn't trust the black maned cat. No animal ever stayed just to chat and he could see the lion eyeing the carcass. Still he lay in the shallows gently waving his tail to and fro.

Scar got up and walked slightly towards the carcass, out of the corner of his eye he saw the croc steady itself. He tensed his muscles ready to dash off if it made any sudden movements. It didn't, just lay waving it's tail.

"This is an enormous kill you've made," he nodded that the carcass admiringly, "yes quite impressive. However this animal must have been injured for he is way too large for anyone, even the Great River King, to kill."

The croc huffed; he was an ancient animal and quite proud of his skill as a hunter. Very few animals that came to the river to drink and then had the misfortune to find themselves in his grasp managed to escape. How dare this scrawny lion question his abilities?

"Of course I killed him and no he was not injured. This here is a male, full in his prime and I killed him quite easily. More than you could do I might add." The tail lashing in the water became more violent as the croc grew agitated. Scar could tell that with a little more prodding all pretense of pleasantry would be dropped and the beast would be out of the water and on his heels.

"No question great King, my apologies if I ever doubted you, I meant no offense. But, you see I've never seen your kind in action before. Obviously those jaws are more than capable of crushing the very life out of anyone unfortunate to find themselves in them. I would love to see you at work my friend you are most impressive."

Scar could see the croc was taking the flattery well. He visibly puffed up and raised his head above the water as if to give the lion a full view of those well spoken of powerful jaws. Scar sat again and nodded smiling at the croc wistfully.

"I wish I was even one tenth as strong as you are great King. Why the damage I could do. I would be the terror of the plains; all the beasts would run in fear at the very sight of me. They must do that for you, don't they your majesty?"

The croc was no longer lashing it's tail, instead it was lying in the shallows peacefully. Seemingly beguiled by Scars admiring tone and the respectful looks he cast in its direction.

"Yes they do lion. In fact you are the first creature to ever stay and talk and not run in terror. You must be very inexperienced or else very stupid." The croc laughed, but Scar only smiled.

"Perhaps, I am a bit inexperienced. But you see I just had to come for myself and take a good look at you. All the animals talk of the great river King and well I just had to see what all the fuss was about." He looked about for a moment and then turned to the croc. "I wonder, as a request from a loyal subject, if you could perhaps show me how those wonderful jaws of yours work."

"Why not at all, please come here and take a good look." The croc opened his mouth very wide giving Scar full view of the rows of sharp teeth.

"No, no," Scar shook his head, "nothing like that. I mean to see you crush something. Something big. It would be quite a show for me. Hmmm," he looked about again and then spied what he was looking for, "something like that piece of wood over there."

He pointed to a rather broad, flat piece of wood which was floating in the shallows a few feet from the croc. It was about as thick as his foreleg but not nearly so long. The croc chuffed with amusement.

"That tiny thing? No problem I'll splinter it to bits."

"I don't know, I mean break it with it lengthwise in your mouth. That's a thick piece of wood. Even the great river King might have trouble breaking it."

The croc swam to the floating wood and laughed. "I can snap that quicker than I can snap your neck. I'll show you, come closer and help me get hold of it."

Scar was now sure the croc meant to show off first and then kill him. He walked to the waters edge cautiously, keeping a close eye on the huge beast. It was a gamble to be sure, but he and Nduli's life might count on it. The croc made no move to attack, only opened his mouth and motioned for Scar to position the chunk of wood in his jaws. He did so with some difficulty, wedging the piece in the middle of the crocs open jaws. When he was satisfied that he had jammed it in the right spot he moved back a step.

"Go on, break it." The croc tried to close his jaws and found he had no space to gain any momentum. Scar shook his head. "Come on, river King, snap it in two." The croc struggled trying to dislodge the wood with his tongue to no avail Scar had wedged it in tight and made sure that it wouldn't come loose easily. The reptile became furious, twisting and rolling trying to rid itself of the strong piece of wood holding it's mouth open. Scar chuckled.

"Well Great River King, it looks as if those powerful jaws of yours aren't working in top condition this afternoon. Must be tired out from all the work they did killing this wildebeest." He strolled over to the carcass and the dismembered haunch. "Speaking of which, since you are so disposed at the moment perhaps I will take you up on that offer of a meal."

The croc lunged at Scar who quickly hopped away. The croc could do him no real harm now. It shook its head back and forth; it was tiring quickly and was terrified that it would never get the wood jammed in its mouth free. It forgot about its meal and crawled back to the shallows, rolling and thrashing in the water. Scar smiled and then picked up the haunch and carried it a safe distance from the bank. Then he returned to the carcass and began tearing into it keeping a watchful eye on the frantic, thrashing croc.

He ate until he had gorged himself. The croc had long since given up and now lay in the shallows eyeing the lion furiously. Every now and again he mumbled something about tearing Scar apart, but the lion just shrugged and went back to eating. When he had filled himself he smiled at the now silent reptile, bowed his head and said. "Good day great river King and thank you for your hospitality. I suspect the vultures and jackals will be thanking you for the same in a week or two." With a flip of his tail in the crocs direction he picked up the haunch and left the bank.

He didn't make for the den site right away. His full belly urged him to lie in the cool shade for a while and sleep. A few jackals came close eyeing the haunch he carried, but when he told him of the trick he had played on the crocodile they quickly went to investigate and never came back. He was sure by now many carrion eaters were enjoying the fruits of his slyness and so he let himself fall asleep in the shade of a rock outcrop with his paw draped protectively over the meat.

He didn't awake until well after noon. The full meal still lay heavily in his stomach and he wished he could just lie back down in the shade and doze off. However, he knew he needed to get back. Nduli would be awake by now and would probably be very hungry. He stretched his long legs and then picked up the meat and ambled off in the direction of the den site moving slowly through the yellow, brown grass. His leg still ached and it throbbed a low reminder to him to not over work it. The quick dodge away from the lunging croc had pulled it back out a bit and the pain had returned. On the way home he had to stop three times to rest and stretch the muscle when it cramped up on him. It was already falling into dusk as he reached familiar terrain and could see in the distance the small acacia that grew next to Nduli's home.

As he neared it he became aware of a plaintive wailing. The crying voice was full of fright and hopelessness; it spoke of desperation and despair. He dropped his cargo absently on to the ground and raced towards the sound. The sight that greeted him made his heart fall in his chest. He found Nduli walking slowly through the grass, calling in a high pitched squeak, the sound of a mother cheetah searching for her cubs. He could see her trembling and she moved her head around continually as if expecting an attack at any moment. She looked so small, as if she had shrunk inside her coat. Scar slowed, afraid to approach her too quickly, she seemed so lost and unsure of her surroundings and he didn't want to startle her further. She swiveled her head around and saw him standing silently in the grass. Her eyes widened and at once she made a halfhearted dash to him. She stumbled and fell on her way, her hind legs giving out.

Behind him Scar heard the flutter of wings and the ribald croaking of two rusty voices. Looking back he saw the two vultures that had taunted him after his first hunt alight on the tree by the den. They peered down at the shaking cheetah with their beaks open in greedy anticipation. He raised his lip to them giving them a full view of his long, white fangs. The birds drew back but didn't leave. They seemed sure of their meal and weren't about to let this opportunity pass them by. Breaking his gaze on the grey, winged horrors in the tree, Scar looked down at Nduli. Her back legs lay limply in a tangled mess behind her and her breath came in short pants. Without a word he grasped the nape of her neck in his mouth and lifted her as best he could. Slowly he walked to den, trying not to drag her too roughly. She was frighteningly light and already had lost much of the weight the good eating had put on her. Awkwardly he pushed her into the den headfirst, trying to drop her gently. She landed with a thud on the rock floor but made no cry of pain or scold in reproach. Scar was worried. She had seemed like so much dead weight as he carried her.

He walked back to the wildebeest haunch he had dropped. Again he looked up at the tree and vultures which roosted there looking at him angrily. They nodded to him. "She's finished you know," the larger one croaked, "you may as well go on lion."

"Yes, done for," the smaller concurred, "why the way she wandered around in circles calling for you. She's gone mad you know. No good"

"What would you know about it, you filthy thieves?" Scar snarled up at them, "She's strong and will be fine. I've been mad before too and I'm quite strong." He clicked his claws against the ground. "Come on down from there cowards and I'll show you."

The larger vulture laughed, "Very well, very well. Stay with the addled beast. But mark me, in a day or two all that will be left of her is flesh and bone and we'll be prepared." The birds flew off into the darkening sky, leaving Scar to sit and wonder how much of their cruel talk was true. He shuddered as he thought of her spending hours searching for him in the same place, too far gone to realize that she wasn't going anywhere. It was as if any part of her true personality had taken leave and had left behind nothing, a blank space.

He entered the den slowly; Nduli was still lying where he had dropped her, eyes tightly shut and breathing heavily. He carefully made is way in to avoid stepping on her, then lay close to her and spoke softly.

"Nduli?" he nuzzled her ear, talking gently into it, "Come on spotty, time to go to bed." He nudged her trying to get her to open her eyes. She turned her head slowly and looked at him. She seemed far away, looking past him into some other place which lay beyond the rock wall of the den. He licked her forehead, it was burning hot to the touch and the sickly, sour smell of infection hung over her like a dismal cloud. She blinked slowly and buried her head in his mane.

"I thought you left me." she said in a shaky voice, "Don't go Scar, I don't want to die alone."

He wrapped a paw around her, "Don't talk like that, you're not going to die. I won't let you."

He stood over her and grabbed the nape of her neck. He dragged her to her nest and then began looking her over. The wound on her side had taken on a nasty greenish tinge and smelled awful. She had deteriorated much in the afternoon while he was gone. He licked the jagged cut until it broke open again and the blood began to flow freely from it. She lay silent, not even having the strength to whimper in protest. She just lay in her grass nest, her glazed over eyes staring vacantly at the rock wall .

Scar meanwhile, racked his brain to remember an incident that had taken place in the Pride Lands long ago. When Mufasa had just become king one of the lionesses of the pride had taken ill with an infection in a wound in her mouth. She had gotten it after cutting her lip of the sharp edge of a broken bone she had tried to chew. She also had taken ill with a fever and the pride shaman had been called. Rafiki had given her some leaves to chew to rid herself of the fever. They were bitter and made the lioness sick to her stomach but after a few days of eating the plant the infection had cleared up and the lioness was as good as new. He couldn't really remember what the plant looked like (in truth he hadn't really cared what happened to the sick lioness and so hadn't paid much attention) but he could remember the smell. Curious, he had gone to see what Rafiki would do for her and looked over the medicine for himself. It was strong and distasteful; a powerful smell that spoke of it's powerful healing ability. He was sure he could recognize it again if he smelled it.

Looking down at his charge he could see that she had fallen into a fitful, feverish slumber and that she would be in no mood to eat tonight. Food could wait; he now had more pressing things to attend to. Her sides rose and fell heavily with each labored breath. He nudged her a couple of times to make sure she would stay asleep after he had left the den once again. He wanted no repeat of the incident he had returned home to. He wasn't sure where he was going to go, but he knew he had the find that plant. It was the only thing he could think of. He started in the immediate vicinity thrusting his nose into every brush pile and tussock in the area. He found nothing except some thorns that pricked his nose and made him bleed. Ranging farther he tried some more, again to no avail. All night he wandered sniffing at every grass and leaf he found. He walked so far that he wasn't even sure of what direction he was going in anymore.

By the time the moon had reached it's pinnacle he was desperate and at wits end. All of the plants looked the same to him and nothing smelled at all like the bitter plant the lioness had taken. Maybe his memory was faulty and he wasn't remembering right at all. Perhaps all this searching was pointless and Nduli would die no matter how many plants he brought back with him. He wished Rafiki were here. The old baboon would know what to do and would fix Nduli's leg in a snap. The old baboon always knew what to do. He was just Scar, not trained in any of the healing ways and not at all sure what to do. He began to believe the vultures had been right, that in a day or two he would find Nduli cold and stiff in her sleeping nest. Overwhelmed by the situation and long day of travel he collapsed on the ground. His throat felt tight and he couldn't get the idea of Nduli's death from his mind. The idea of the beautiful spotted cat laying silent forever. Exhaustion gave way to exhausted tears and he lay in the tall grass crying because in truth there was nothing more he could do.

"Now, now what is all this whimpering and moaning about here?" He heard a comforting female voice from behind. Without bothering to regain his composure he turned to the voice and saw a large female elephant standing in the grass looking at him as one looks at a small-injured cub. He had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed her browsing nearby. "What's ever is the matter? It's not like a lion to just lay in the grass crying, tell me what's wrong." She tilted her head in a motherly gesture and smiled at him.

"My friend," he blurted out, " she's very sick….she..she's going to die and I can't find the damn plant!" He collapsed once more into tears. Embarrassed, but unable to ebb the tide of emotion that was washing over him.

The elephant smiled and came over to him. She reached down with her truck and patted Scar on his head. "There now, little lion, no need to get all upset. Old Kilima will help you. Now what's wrong with your friend?"

Scar sniffled and cleared his throat and looked up at the elephant. She had a kind face and smiled back at him warmly. "She's got an infection and a bad fever. She's very sick and I need to find a medicine plant. But I can't find it anywhere. I looked everywhere. She really needs it she's going to die soon."

The elephant nodded, "Ah yes, the Afya plant, very strong medicine. There's plenty to be found around here, no need to get upset." She lifted his head with her trunk.

Scar looked startled, "But where? I looked everywhere, absolutely everywhere."

Kilima laughed, "Why honey, you're just too short." She walked over to a tall tree, which stood nearby and reached up with her trunk. She pulled down a branch and threw it to him. It was as long as he was and as thick around as his foreleg.

"Here you are darling, more than enough to cure what ails anybody. Now dry your face and get yourself back to you friend. Make sure she swallows at least five of the leaves a day. She may get a bit ill in the stomach, but she must eat them."

Scar beamed up at the elephant. He couldn't believe his good fortune. Smiling his broadest he said, "Thank you, you don't realize what you've done for me, for both of us, my friend and me. Thank you."

The elephant waved her truck. "No problem and no thanks needed. We elephants believe that all good deeds are rewarded here and in the other world. It is the path to "Ema Jumu" and every creature that can would do well to follow it. Now get yourself back home where you're needed and good luck to you and your friend."

He bowed to the elephant and then picked the branch up in his teeth and walked as quickly as he could back home. It took a while for him to get his bearings and find the correct path back, but once sure of the way he went as quickly as he could ignoring the pain in his legs and the general fatigue of his body. Most of the night had already slipped away during his search and time was of the essence.

Ndlui was still soundly sleeping when he returned; she lay as still as death. He nudged her nose with his own trying to coax her eyes open. The sooner she took the remedy the better. There was no way for Scar to tell how far gone she was but he was not about to risk letting another night slip past without trying to cure her. However, she wouldn't awake, her head rolled listlessly as he nudged her. In desperation Scar bit her ear, hard enough to draw blood.

She opened her eyes slowly. The glazed, overcast look remained. "Kassi?", she asked, "Is that you?" She then closed her eyes again. Frantic, Scar grabbed hold of her ear again in his teeth and shook the cheetah roughly.

"Wake up damn you!" The taste of her blood flooded his mouth and he let her go, dropping her head on the floor hard enough to make a sound.

Nduli's eyes snapped open and she winced. Blood flowed from her ear and she must've received a nasty bump on the head. She looked up at Scar and seemed to recognize who he was.

"Scar?" Her voice was weak, "What's going on?"

"I've brought something that will make you well again." He dragged the branch over to where she was laying.

"Here, chew some of these leaves" He snapped off a section and thrust it into her face. "Five a day I was told and you'll be better in no time."

Nduli sniffed the offering and wrinkled her nose. "Ugh, I don't think I can. That smells horrible, I'll be sick for days." She lay her head on her paws and closed her eyes yet again.

Scar could feel his temper rising and without thinking growled and leapt over the female cheetah. Straddling her he grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and held her tightly, hard enough to hurt. Nduli yelped and struggled to get out from underneath him but he pressed her down to the cave floor until she quieted down.

"You will eat those leaves," he snarled through a mouthful of her fur, "you'll either eat them yourself or I'll sit on you and shove them down your throat. Understand?"

Nduli whimpered and Scar could smell the fear scent coming from her in waves. Feeling a bit uncomfortable he loosed his hold and licked her neck gently where he had held her. Still standing over her he nuzzled her neck and groomed her ears until he had sensed that she had calmed.

Without further protest she nibbled at the leaves, slowly swallowing one after another. It took her a while to eat the entire dose; the taste must have been horrible indeed, but she finished them all. When she had done Scar moved off of her and lay in the far corner of the den. He was terribly tired, the search and the confrontation with Nduli had worn him out, the cool floor was soothing and he was drifting off quickly. He watched as his charge stumbled to her feet and shambled out of the den. He was about to go after her but could hear her being sick outside and stayed where he was. The elephant had been right.

Chapter 11

The Sweet Summer Scent

Nduli was slow in getting back to her old self. After the reprimand from Scar she no longer balked at his attempts to help her and ate the leaves without complaint. Scar himself was beginning to feel better than he had in a long time. His leg had healed well and all the exercise he got from hunting for two was beginning to show. His body no longer seemed bony and ill nourished, instead he was coated with tawny muscle. His mane had become fuller and glossy and his coat gleamed with good health. His kills still consisted of mostly small game but he was getting better everyday. One afternoon he proudly presented Nduli with a freshly killed wildebeest calf and was practically bursting with pride as he dropped it at her feet. She had favored him with a wide smile and a tremendous appetite.

Little by little she started to come to, the wound on her side closing up and the infection slipping away. He could now once again count on a wise remark or a lopsided grin when he did something foolish or in jest. But he sensed this was all good natured teasing on her part and a cuff on his head or nip to his shoulder would confirm it. She was becoming strong again but her demeanor had changed much since her illness. She was more apt to nuzzle his face or playfully bite him than to snarl at him and for this he was glad. Although it did present a whole new set of problems

In all his life Scar had never taken a real mate or had a close relationship with a female. There had been one time that he had tried it, but it never really panned out. He was far too obsessed with his drive for power to submit to chasing a female. The lioness in question while interested soon gave up as it became apparent that the interest was not mutual. Scar was happy to let it go. He had never been confident in himself and that particular side of life had always made him nervous. It was the one part of existence that he had never wished to gain mastery over, preferring instead to concentrate on the things he knew he could do.

But now he found himself drawn to Nduli in a way he had never felt for any other creature. He found himself staring at her when he knew she wasn't looking, admiring her sleek spotted coat and long tail. When laying in the den together he imagined what it might be like to roll her over and stand over her nipping her neck and pressing against her back and inhaling her musky odor. More than once he had to excuse himself on some pretense or other to go outside and run until all evidence of his secret thoughts had subsided. Now that she had become more friendly towards him the feelings had become more intense and it was becoming harder and harder to control himself. He found himself making up reasons to be close to her. The den was too drafty one night or she had a dirty spot on her back that only he could reach. She never questioned his intentions when he did these things, but the thought of actually approaching her terrified him. If she where to turn and snarl at him or worse laugh at him he didn't know what he would do. Most likely slink off never to be heard from again. So in silence he bore his frustration and continued to just look longingly at her and wonder.

Within a week and two days of first taking the medicine plant Nduli was ready to get out into the field and hunt again. She disliked the fact that she had lost quite a bit of weight and worried that her skills would become rusty if she stayed away too long. So one late afternoon she called Scar from the den and bade him follow her out into the grasslands. It was obvious she was feeling good and she bounded up to him as he came from the den and grabbed him around the neck and bit his cheek. She let go quickly and raced away looking back over her shoulder in an attempt to get him to follow. Scar smiled as he watched her run, she seemed as if she were going to be just fine after all.

The two spent the afternoon playing and cashing each other through the grass. Although, by the mid afternoon the playfulness became more passionate and soon the two cats found themselves tangled together in the tall grass. The intoxicating scents of musk, sweat and fur hung in the warm summer air. For Scar it was like laying bare all of himself and he found he liked it. The touch of Nduli's tounge against his skin and the way her flesh jumped when he stood over her. The afternoon rolled on slowly until each had exhausted the other and they could only lay back smiling in the sun.

Nduli rolled over on her back and smiled at her panting suitor. "Are you okay?" She giggled.

Scar said nothing, just nodded at her. After he had caught his breath he gave her a weary grin and sank down into the grass. His hind legs throbbed from the encounter. He felt a wonderful sense of calm overtake him and he lay out full in the late afternoon sun. Nduli came to where he was and lay down beside him resting her head on his hind leg.

"I wondered how long it would take you to get the hint, you know." She said.

"Me? How was I supposed to know?" He flicked his tail in her face. "I thought if I tried anything you would be angry or laugh at me."

"Hmm, silly lion," she said rubbing her chin against him, "I guess you're kind of new at this."

Scar looked at his claws. "Yes, well I never had a real mate before."

Nduli sat up and looked at Scar questioningly. "How could you have not have had a mate before? You were the head of a pride, or so you told me, that doesn't make any sense Scar."

"Well, I,….I mean," Scar stammered, he really couldn't think of what to say.

Scar was at a loss, she had him, it didn't make any sense. There was no way he could plausibly explain how the ruler of a pride had no mate. He looked at her and realized he couldn't go on lying to her and since he was caught there was no time like the present. He was afraid she might not like what she heard. He swallowed back hard.

"Nduli, lie back," he said averting his eyes from her, "I haven't been completely honest with you about who I am and why I'm here. I have a lot to tell you so hear me out and afterward you can scratch me or leave me or whatever."

"Why would I do that Scar? I mean after we…"

He waved his paw at her. "Just wait until you hear what I have to say, then tell me what you think."

So in the fading light of evening the whole ugly tale of how Scar became king of the Pride Lands, how he enlisted the hyenas to help him rule, how he abused the lands and his subjects and finally how his young nephew drove him away ,came out. Scar told the tale in a clear and steady voice, only choking up as he told of Mufasa's death and Simba's exile, never shifting blame away from himself or making excuses for his actions. It was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do, but he did it without wavering.

Nduli sat silently all the while, occasionally looking shocked or angry at what he said, but never offering comment. When Scar finally finished the sun was long gone and the whir of crickets filled the silence between his words. For a long time Nduli just sat looking at him. He couldn't read her face and it worried him. He had hoped that she would nuzzle him and tell him that the past was behind him and nothing mattered now. That she cared about him too much for what he said to change the way she felt about him. She didn't, she just sat there looking at him with that blank and unreadable expression, the tip of her tail twitching behind her. When she finally spoke the anger and disgust on her countenance was evident and made Scar want to creep away with his tail between his legs.

"Scar, I have never in my life heard a story with more deceit, dishonesty or downright nasty behavior in my life. I guess I never really knew who you were."

"Nduli, look I'm sorry. I know I should have told you sooner, but I…"

She stood up and rounded on him snarling. "How could you! How could you do something like that!"

Scar flinched. "Nduli you don't understand…." He put a paw on her foreleg but she jerked away from him angrily.

"No, you're damn right I don't understand! How could I understand, you killed your own brother and tried to kill a cub of your own blood!" She was pacing now, her hackles raised.

"I know, it was awful, but…."Scar began but she cut him off.

"But, nothing Scar," She was now crying and shaking her head, "I thought you were different, I thought…"She trailed off as the tears came in a torrent and she turned and ran toward her den. She dashed down the hole without looking back to him.

Scar didn't follow her this time. It seemed prudent to sleep outdoors for the night. He found shelter under the Aica tree but he found no sleep. The afternoon which had started out so well had ended in disaster. Scar was kicking himself for letting slip that he had never had a mate. But more, he was sorry he had not told Nduli sooner about what had happened in the Pride Lands. If the past had taught him nothing else it taught him that lies were never a good idea. Now she was closed to him again, sleeping in her den alone.

He knew what she must have been thinking as she heard what he had to tell her. That he was just another bullying lion. Another brute bent on destruction. There was no way she would allow him to get close to her again, not after the many diatribes he had heard from her on lions and their inherent worthlessness in the world. The trust that she had in him, the trust he had fought so hard for, was now gone and it wouldn't be back in a hurry.

Suddenly Scar lifted his head. A cool breeze was coming from the West and it stirred something within him. He remembered something that seemed as if it came from a long ago dream. Something that told him the West held what he was looking for and that whatever it was it was waiting for him. Enticing him to follow it's trail. Go to where the sun meets the earth. He got to his feet without realizing he was doing so. He sleepwalked a few steps forward and then stopped. He looked toward the den and heard Nduli's soft raspy snore, the soft sound that had been lulling him to sleep every night since he met her. He smiled and then turned once again to the western wind. He narrowed his eyes and set his sight to the horizon which pulled him forward.

"Goodbye, my dearest friend." He whispered in the direction of the den. "be well and thank you, I'll never forget you."

Setting his jaw tight and blinking back stinging tears he set out in the direction of the wind, never looking back. If he had, he would have stayed forever. Content to be lulled to sleep for the rest of his life.

The next morning Nduli woke and looked for Scar first thing. She was desperate to tell him how sorry she was for berating him, to tell him how much she cared about him and to beg him to stay with her forever. She called for over an hour, listening for the pad of his feet in the grass, but her voice grew hoarse and he never materialized. After a while she realized with certainty that he was gone for good. She lay in the shade of the tree which still held his lingering scent from the many times he had marked it. Turning to the direction that the sun set she somehow knew that he had gone that way, to find whatever it was he was looking for. She sat there for a long while, looking into the distance and saying nothing.

Chapter 12

Strange Friends in Strange Places

When he had left Nduli he wasn't at all sure where he was going just that something was telling him it was time for him to move on. He had to stop himself from running back a few times, he was very much in love with the cheetah, but the vision of her so angry and disappointed, driven to tears by his former self , spurred him on. It hurt him greatly to know that she thought he was just another lion, another marauding murderer. It was not how he had wanted her to feel, indeed he had tried his best to counter her expectations, but in the end the story of his early life overshadowed all that. His past had come back to haunt him and he could no more erase it's effect on her than he could change the color of the sky. He was very sorry to have it come to this. He had entertained in his mind the idea of spending his remaining days with the cheetah but for one slip and few weeks of lying that had all been dashed to pieces. He found himself more ashamed of his role in the Pride Lands then he had ever had before and his tread was as heavy as his heart.

The night came and with it a violent thunderstorm. Sheets of hard, cold, biting rain pelting him from above. White claws of lighting ripped across the skies illuminating the darkened plain in surreal flashing light. The weather seemed to match his mood, brooding and restless. On the open plain there was no shelter to be found. Not a tree or rock face, bush or thicket in sight, only miles of wet, waving grass. He plodded on through the sodden ground, occasionally startling at the loud claps of thunder.

It was a miserable few hours until the storm subsided and the sun rose to meet an equally grey and cheerless morning. Tired from the nights travel he stopped at a small river. He dipped his forepaws into the water washing off the mud which had caked between his toes. He was about to turn away and look for a suitable place to take a nap when a shrill screech broke the silence.

The sound had come from down river and it was full of distress. Out of curiosity Scar followed the noise, picking his way along the rocky bank. It didn't sound like any sort of enemy or creature he knew. The river was a narrow one, gravel bottomed and fast running. Here and there sharply pointed rocks broke the swift current and on one of these tiny islands was a small animal. It was the source of the sound and it shrieked again as it clung desperately to a slime covered rock that poked directly out of the middle of the river.

Scar almost turned back the way he came but something in the animals look made him stop and consider the situation. The poor little beast (not even as large as his paw) looked so helpless amid the raging water swollen by the past nights rain. It reminded him of Nduli when he had found her wandering aimlessly by her den and he was moved to help it.

"Hello, out there," he called. "Hold on tightly and I'll come and get you." Scar tested the current and found while it was swift and bitterly cold it was not strong enough to sweep him away. He lowered himself into the water and paddled clumsily out towards the creature.

It shrieked in terror at the sight of the lion coming toward it and made to scramble away, momentarily forgetting it's original predicament. It squeaked as it slipped off the rock and into the cold rushing water. Quickly, Scar thrust out his paw and blocked the little animal from floating down river. The creature tried desperately to get out from Scar's grasp and it paddled madly trying to fight the current at the same time.

Scar had to laugh at the ridiculous display and then gently grabbed the little animal in his mouth and swam back to shore. It struggled and thrashed violently in his grasp, it even tried to bite him. Scar ignored it, the animal was far too small to bite through the tuft of hair on his chin. He climbed onto the rocky bank and dropped the creature with an unceremonious thud onto the gravel. He shook himself like a dog showering the little animal with droplets of water it squeaked and scrambled up the bank.

"Well, there you are little chap," Scar said. "safe and sound. Next time don't go for a swim when the river is swollen ." He began slowly picking his way up the bank. He was brought up short as the little animal scurried in front of him and stood on it's hind legs looking at him.

Now that he could get a good look at the animal, Scar had to admit that it was sickeningly cute. It was covered in a thick grey pelt with white fur on the chest and belly. It had small pink paw/hands very much like a baboons but small and delicate. It had a tiny pink nose and small rounded ears that twitched constantly. It's large black eyes stared at him with a kind of awe and Scar chuckled. It was a bush baby, but since he had never seen one before Scar decided it must be some kind of mouse.

"Thank you big lion for saving Chaga. Much thanks, good friend to lion from now on." The little beast had a shrill, reedy voice that lilted at the end of each sentence.

"Yes, I'm sure," Scar nodded to the little animal, "I hope you're okay, goodbye now." He again went to move on and now found that the little creature had dashed up his foreleg and was now sitting on his nose regarding him with those huge black eyes.

"Chaga best friend to lion now." It twittered. "Lion name?"

Scar was taken aback, "Uh, Scar, now about this best friend business." He reached up and plucked the little creature from his snout and held it by it's tail. Undaunted the creature climbed onto Scar's paw and sat perched on his toe.

"Oh yes, Scarred lion is Chaga's best friend now." It groomed it's ears compulsively. "Find Scarred lion lots of beetles and sausage fruits. Good yes." It nodded it's head enthusiastically waiting for Scar's approval.

Scar put his paw down with a thump causing the creature to flip off into the gravel. "Oh, yes very good." He pushed Chaga with his paw. "Why don't you run along and do that now little friend."

Chaga bowed in Scar's direction. "Good find food for new best friend. Be back Scarred lion wait, be back in quick time. No problem" It bounded off.

Scar shook his head as he watched the bush baby take off towards the nearby woods. "That'll teach me," he thought. "to help strange looking rodents." He yawned widely and went off to search for a proper napping spot.

After a little bit of searching he found a fallen log which had long ago been hollowed out by termites and curled up at the entrance. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep. The heat of the day was coming on and the cool shade was comforting. Aside from the buzz of cicadas in the long grass the area was silent. He thought of Nduli as he drifted off to sleep.

Chapter 13

Bad Omens

The night was rainy and it was cold. Scar plodded through the wet grass feeling every step getting harder as the mud sucked him down. He saw a familiar spotted shape in the distance and ran to try to catch it. But he couldn't move, the mud held him firmly in place. Suddenly the shape was joined by another. It was a lion, a monstrous one. The small spotted shape ran toward him and he saw it was Nduli calling for help. The lion lunged toward her and landed squarely on her, he could hear her back snap as she was pushed down into the mud. She squealed for help as the huge lion buried it's fangs in her back ripping her open. He heard the sickening crunch of bones as it snapped her in two.

He tried to scream but nothing came from him. The lion looked at him blood dripping from it's jaws. "Now it's your turn, little one." It leapt towards him, foam and blood running back from it's muzzle.

Scar awoke and leapt to his feet, teeth bared and seeking an enemy. It took him a while to realize that the only enemy was his troubled mind that conjured up demons to taunt him while he slept. He sat down and looked about, to reassure himself that it had all been a dream and that the huge lion was nowhere to be found. But what he did find almost caused him to break out into gales of laughter.

Placed on the ground nearby very neatly on a large leaf was a small pile of beetles and sausage fruit. Evidently his little friend had found him while he was sleeping and had decided to leave him breakfast. He sniffed the offering but decided that while it was a nice gesture the assortment was not to his taste. He also wanted to take leave of this place before the little pest came back. He stretched and was just preparing to do so when he felt something fall onto his back from above.

"Oh please, please let that be a very heavy misquitoe." He mumbled to himself.

However he soon found the small and loud little animal from the morning's incident clambering onto his nose smiling broadly.

"Hello, hello, Scarred lion. Good sleep, you have?" It began washing it's face.

"Now listen, I have to go hunting now and….." he tried to brush Chaga off his nose but it held onto him tightly.

"Oh, to hunting. I know where to go to hunting." It's tail brushed past Scar's nostril causing him to sneeze. This did nothing to dislodge the little pest and it continued smiling brightly at him.

Finally giving up patience his grabbed the bush baby between to two claws and pried him off his nose.

"You cannot go hunting with me." He dropped Chaga onto the ground roughly. "Now go on, off with you." He pointed in the direction of the trees.

"Please Scarred lion," the little animal looked up at him pleadingly. "Want to help you. Please."

Scar looked at Chaga sternly. His tolerance for the creature was close to an end. "No! Now get out of here you little pest."

He raised a forepaw as if to strike the little animal senseless in the hope that it would run off in fright. Instead it cringed before him and looked at him with wide and frightened eyes.

"Scarred lion going to eat Chaga now?" It whimpered.

"What?"

"Go on Scarred lion, eat Chaga. Very sorry." It lay down on the ground at Scar's feet looking at him and shaking.

"Now, I never said anything about eating you, so why don't…" Scar was unable to finish as the bush baby had bounded up from the ground and landed squarely on top of his head. It squealed with delight.

"Oh thank you Scarred lion. You are very best friend." It tugged on Scar's mane.

"You know," Scar said to no one on particular. "if this were happening to anyone else this would be terribly funny."

"Yes, very funny." Chaga chimed in. "Scarred lion is very funny and very good friend."

"Um, yes, right then. Chaga is it? Listen you can stay with me a little while but you must be very, very quiet."

"Oh yes, very quiet." The bush baby whispered as if to show Scar how quiet he could be.

"The Scarred lion does not like a lot of noise and he must hunt now. So you can sit up there if you can be very quiet. Don't even whisper, you understand."

Scar got up and began walking toward the open plain. He was sure in time that the hyperactive little animal would grow tired of his company. At least he hoped so or he would be having a small snack before his meal.

It didn't take him long to locate his lunch. Within the first mile of journeying he came upon a wounded zebra colt that had been left behind by it's herd. He dispatched the animal quickly and with little resistance and soon found himself gorging on the tender young flesh.

He soon forgot that he had a bush baby sitting atop his head. The little beast took Scar's direction seriously and remained silent, even through the kill, it uttered not a squeak or spoke a word. Occasionally Scar could feel a tug on his mane, but other than that his passenger seemed hardly there at all. When he had eaten his fill he figured now was as good a time as any to call the little guy down and have a chat.

"You up there, if you're awake come down here" he said. "I'd like to talk to you."

He felt Chaga stir in his mane and then it jumped down to where Scar sat. The tiny animal looked sleepy and it was evident that he had found the lions mane a comfortable nest. It scratched it's ear with it's hind foot and then straightened and attempted to look brisk and ready for whatever the lion required of him.

"So, tell me," said Scar licking the remains of the blood from his whiskers. "Why are you following me around then? I mean I've never seen a creature such as yourself and I'd like to know why you decided to become my shadow."

"You saved me from the water. Swam and pulled me out." Chaga began grooming his ears in a decidedly nervous manner. "Want to be friends."

Scar nodded. "Fair enough, but really, I'm a lion and you're a, a, mouse or something."

Chaga frowned at Scar. "I'm not a mouse! I'm a bush baby."

"Oh, my apologies then. So what does a bush baby do then? I mean besides getting themselves in trouble. Where is your family?"

The little animal looked down on the ground at it's feet, apparently his family life was a source of discomfort that he was not eager to talk about. "No family," he said reluctantly. "Family gone, gone and not come back."

"So what happened to them?" He started on his forepaws, carefully cleaning each claw.

Chaga shrugged. "Don't know, came home on day and no family no more. I wait many days and they never come back. No eagle sign or snake sign. Just gone. I stay a little while then go to find family. Maybe find them, but not now."

"I see," Scar regarded the little beast sitting on it's haunches before him, so tiny and wandering around the wild open plains looking for his people. He couldn't imagine how it must be for him, so small and at the mercy of any larger animal that took a notion to harass him. It was no wonder he had latched onto him. Scar knew he must seem like a safe haven from all the terrors of the world. First rate protection. He grew less annoyed at Chaga as he came to realize that the little animal most likely considered him is only chance of survival. Against his better judgment he decided to make an offer to his fellow outcast.

"Well, I'm traveling west and if you like you can tag along. Perhaps we'll run into your family on the way."

Chaga's eyes lit up at that last and leaping into the air he began shrieking in his shrill voice.

"Thank you, thank you Scarred lion. I promise, be quiet. No trouble to you."

Scar rolled his eyes. "All right, that's enough of that for now. The only thing is I must sometimes be alone okay? I need to hunt and to sleep and you're a loud fellow once you get going. If you think you can manage that we have a deal."

Chaga nodded. "Very good then," Scar said. "Oh and my name is Scar."

"Yes, Scarred lion."

Scar didn't pursue the matter further, Scar or Scarred lion it didn't really make a difference. He yawned and stretched out in the grass, his weighted stomach making him drowsy. "I'm going to sleep now and I'll travel again when I wake up later. Why don't you go find yourself something to eat and meet me here later on."

The bush baby hopped up into a nearby tree. "Okay Scarred lion, see you later."

He watched the nimble animal jump effortlessly from branch to branch until it was out of sight. Laying his head on his paws he wondered in amusement what Nduli would think of his new companion. She would probably laugh her tail off he concluded and then he nodded off.

After a time Scar found that while his first impression of Chaga had not been entirely good the bush baby was actually a fairly intelligent and amusing traveling companion when not shrieking or hopping madly about. His initial behavior could be attributed to the fact that he was just so happy to find a friend that he couldn't control himself. Now that it had become accustomed to the idea of traveling with Scar he had quieted down considerably. From what Scar could gather from what Chaga told him was that his people lived in the dense forest which skirted the plains. They lived in large groups in the boughs of tall trees, mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles all grouped together and collectively taking care of the young. When the Chaga had gone out on his own to explore the outskirts of the forest he had done so alone and against his better judgement. His people tended to stick together closely and weren't given to solo outings.

But Chaga was a strong headed kit and the lure of seeing what lay beyond the canopy of trees was too alluring to pass up. His parents had always warned him of the frightening land that lay beyond the trees, but he really wanted to see it for himself. To see all the big animals he had heard stories about as a tiny kit. So quietly taking leave one afternoon when the family group had taken to the hollows until nightfall, he set off to see the great and dangerous land of legend. He traveled for a couple of days alone, eating the strange insects and seeds he found in the tall grasses of the plains and wondering at the amazing expanse of land. He was a bit disappointed though. The only animals he came across were migrating wildebeests, a far cry from the huge monsters he had always been told about and so made up his mind that the land of great and dangerous animals was nothing more than a fancy made up by his supersistious relatives. His opinion changed when on the way back he encountered a large and hungry snake. Barely dodging away from the darting head of the reptile he bounded back toward the tree canopy as quickly as he could. He was sure he would receive a serious reprimand and perhaps punishment from his fellows when he returned, but considering the alternative it barely seemed an issue.

However, when he finally reached the large, knotted trees where his family group lived, he found them barren and seemingly deserted. At first he thought he must've come to the wrong place. The tree hollows of his family site was always alive with noise and bush babies hunting from branch to branch under the cool umbrella of leaves. But here there was nothing but the sound of the wind rustling the leaves. Finding his sleeping hollow confirmed his worst fears. This was his family's home but his family was no longer there. No aunts, no uncles, cousins or brothers, no one at all. He looked for signs that perhaps a snake had raided the hollows or an eagle had moved into the area prompting an exodus. He had found no sign of either and also no clue as to where his group may have gone.

He waited for a few days to see if maybe they would return but no one came. After a long night of thinking and wrestling with his conflicting emotions of loneliness and fear of the world away from the trees he made up his mind to look for them or at any rate find a more hospitable place to make his home.

He had been traveling in the same direction as Scar on the night the fearful thunderstorm had covered the sky and soaked the lands. Being a small creature unused to travel on the ground and terrified by the loud noises of the storm he had tried to find shelter among the rocks and deadwood by the river. Finding a tangle of branches by the river's edge he curled up in the middle of them and tried to sleep through the frightening thunder and bright flashes of light.

The river swelled quickly as the black sheets of rain battered down and before he had a chance to fully wake up and seek higher ground Chaga found his brush pile being overtaken by the water which overrun the bank and was swept away in the raging current. He had the presence of mind to fight his way out from the pile and grasp the first solid object he found before he lost all his strength and drowned in the cold water. It was a rock which jutted out from the swiftly running waters. He clung to it for the remainder of the night, his paws growing numb from the cold and in danger of loosing his grip. It was here that Scar found him miserable and frightened from the long night of rain and thunder and the threat of being swept away under the swirling black water.

At first he had been scared witless by the lion as it swam toward him. First the terrible night and now he was going to be eaten! He tried to escape but the cat was too fast for him and he was soon scooped up in the huge jaws, helpless. To his surprise the lion didn't eat him, but instead deposited him on the bank.

Here was a friend worth having! No one would dare threaten him if he stayed with a lion. So he set out to impress his benefactor and it had worked. Now he would have a chance to look for his family and not have to be on the jump at every turn. Scar didn't mind. Chaga was light and now that he understood what was expected of him he often forgot the little animal was perched on his back or head. More than that he was amusing. During the hot afternoons when Scar would lie in the shade and rest he would hop into the branches of any nearby tree or brush and bounce from place to place catching insects on the wing or merely performing acrobatics for Scar's entertainment.

Chaga provided the one thing that Scar needed most at that moment. Respite from his thoughts of Nduli. He missed her terribly and it showed. One afternoon Chaga noticed that the lion had seemed pensive and preoccupied all day, neither speaking nor walking very quickly. Just padding along looking at his paws and occasionally heaving a heavy sigh and casting a forlorn look over his shoulder to some unknown point in the distance. So when they stopped for their daily break he left off hunting in the trees to sit in the grass beside Scar.

Scar lowered himself heavily onto the grass and lay his head on his forepaws. He had now put four days of travel behind him and Nduli was long gone. He had thought it would get over her quickly, that the distance between them would distance her from his thoughts; it hadn't worked. In fact with each passing day it got stronger as did the urge to turn around and go back. That , of course, was impossible but it didn't make the pain go away or lessen his desire to run back to her and beg her to take him back. He was running this over in his mind when Chaga crawled onto his paw.

"Scarred lion?" He put his small paw on Scar's muzzle. "Why sad today?"

Scar looked at Chaga out of the corner of his eye. "Oh, no reason. Just a bit out of sorts."

Chaga looked unconvinced. "Tell to me if want to. Scarred lion looking very sad. Bad mind today, yes?"

"I guess that's a good way to put it, my mind does feel awfully bad today. Chaga? Did you ever have a mate."

"Never mate, never made father." He began grooming his ears in the fashion he had when asked an uncomfortable question. "Too young."

Scar chuckled. "Oh, well, neither have I," Scar sighed. "and I'm certainly not too young either."

"Never?" Chaga looked surprised. "No little Scarred lions? Too bad Scarred lion very nice. Not nasty, mean like snake."

Scar looked at the little bush baby and touched it's head with his paw. "Little malaika, you don't know the half of it."

"So tell Scarred lion, what not that I know. Listen fine. Good talk, makes bounce higher." It scrambled out from underneath Scar's paw and sat looking at him expectedly.

"Well, I suppose it couldn't do any harm. Just promise me you won't leave as soon as I'm done. I'm tired of loosing friends." He gave a weary smile to Chaga who only patted his paw in encouragement for him to go on.

So once again he found himself relating the story of his betrayal, reign and subsequent dismissal from the Pride Lands. Chaga only sat in the tall grass listening intently and nodding to Scar when the lion paused to gulp back a knot in his throat. He told him about his time with Nduli and the relationship that developed between them and how in shame and fear he had run from her.

"Scarred lion have a very exciting life so far, hmm?" Chaga said when it was evident Scar had finished what he had to say.

"You could say that again." Scar said. "Too exciting if you ask me. But do you see what I mean? Don't look up to me Chaga. I may not look like a snake to you, but inside of me there is one."

Chaga shook his head. "No, no, Scarred lion act stupid, do many bad things. Get hurt bad, loose home, loose friend. But still live. Go away, new home, new friends. Not stupid anymore. Good lesson, yes? "

Scar was surprised at the little beasts insight. "You sound like an old friend of mine. He said the same thing, although not quite in the same way." Chaga's strange, broken speech had taken a while for Scar to get used to, but since large animals and small animals often spoke differently in the same language it was to be expected.

"Sorry for loosing cheetah friend." Chaga leapt up preparing to go after his afternoon meal. "Be other cheetahs, sometime." He then effortlessly jumped into the shade tree and disappeared in the thick foliage.

"Yes," Scar said quietly after him. "Maybe sometime."

Chapter 14

There and Back Again

Scar and Chaga were covering a lot of ground, although when asked by his passenger where they were in fact headed Scar wasn't sure what to tell him. He remembered what had happened while under the influence of Rafiki's "magic fruit" and that the vision of his brother had urged him to seek his destiny out west, but what that destiny was he couldn't begin to fathom. However, Scar had faith in what was told to him that day, by either phantom in fact or as just a manifestation of his own troubled mind. Something was drawing him out, like an invisible rope around his neck, tugging him forward. Each day he covered more miles than the last, eager (but also somewhat afraid) of whatever he might find.

Chaga on the other hand seemed less and less eager to search for his family and more and more content with remaining Scar's confidant and jester, whichever the situation warranted, for as long as Scar would have him. Each afternoon and evening the two would separate to attend to their particular needs and in the early mornings and late nights they would rejoin up and begin their steady progress once again. It was an unusual relationship, but both seemed to take from each other what he needed.

Nduli's hunting lessons where as unforgettable as the teacher herself and Scar found that he now had no trouble feeding himself. Although, in the true way of predator and prey he failed more often than he succeeded, he still rarely went hungry. Chaga could almost certainly count on returning to find his friend greasy faced and belching from a hard run meal. On these occasions Chaga would hang back until Scar had cleaned himself up and decided to leave the remains of the carcass to the vultures. While he would never admit it, his friends carnivorous lifestyle and the heady smell of blood upset him. Scar recognized this and considerately tried to shield his friend from the worst of it.

One evening as the pink sunset was drawing to it's grand finale the two prepared to once again part for the time leading up to the early hours before dawn, when Scar felt something. It was like a slight lingering scent in the air or a twitch under the skin, minimal, but present nonetheless. He stood still as stone as if trying to feel some current coming from underground. He scanned the quickly darkening surroundings for whatever could be giving him the strange sensations but nothing was there….the land was silent.

"Chaga, get off of my back will you?"

The bush baby jumped from Scar's shoulders and looked nervously about himself. Something was making Scar edgy and he wasn't at all sure of what his friend wanted him to do. He turned to Scar, nose twitching

"Why stopping here, Scarred lion?" Chaga stood on his hind paws and tried to peer over the grasses. "No trees and no food animals."

Scar waved a paw at him to silence any more questions and instead of replying he took a few steps forward raising his nose to catch the night air.

"Chaga?" asked Scar, not looking at him but concentrating on some far away point. "Do you think we could split up now? Not just for a few hours but for a day or two. Something is happening here and I'm not sure what it is."

"Okay, go back mile or two." He motioned in the direction that he and Scar had come from. "Stay in tree that we passed." Concerned he added. "Scarred lion okay?"

Scar nodded not turning his head. "Yes, I'm fine. Hang on a moment and I'll take you where you'll be safe. There's something here that worries me and it wouldn't do to have you wandering about alone."

Chaga raised his own nose to the air and sniffed. "No death smell, no bad animal smell. What's to being bothered for?"

"I don't know, but there's something. Not dangerous, at least I don't think so, but still I'd rather know you were safe while I'm scouting about. No need to put both of us in danger. Now hop on and I'll take you back."

Scar left Chaga in a small stand of trees a two miles back from where he had gotten the strange feeling. The bush baby reluctantly bounced from Scar's back to a low branch.

"Being careful Scarred lion, yes?"

Scar looked up and smiled at him. "I will and you do the same. I'll be back in a day or so maybe less depending on what I find. Will you be okay here? Find enough food I mean?"

Chaga nodded. "Oh yes, many flying things here. Eat good, no problem."

"Very well." Scar started back. "I'll be back soon, take care."

He dashed off in the direction he had come, a sliver of dread beginning to creep up his spine. As he neared the place once again the sliver had turned into a bright, white sheet of fear. He hadn't mentioned his feelings to Chaga, no sense in upsetting him, but as he cut through the tall grass his claws shot out and a low growl issued from deep in his throat.

The place was absolutely unlike any he had seen. The grass was thick green coat covering the ground, very unlike the yellow/brown grasses he was accustomed to. The landscape was dotted here and there with low trees and rocky outcroppings. Instinctively he moved closer to the ground as if expecting an enemy attack to come from behind the rocks. An electric current of nervous energy ran through him as he moved.

The air had taken on a putrid reek, the smell of something long since dead and left to rot in the high sun. He moved a bit slower, fearful of the scent and of the silence which surrounded him. The grass was making him claustrophobic, becoming a suffocating blanket through which he moved with difficulty. The scent was strong now, a choking malaise, he parted his lips and panted through his mouth. He could now hear his own heart beat in his ears and he crouched low, almost crawling on his belly.

He felt it before he actually saw it and he could certainly smell it. Something soft and cold and yelding to the touch. Looking forward to what his paw had brushed against, he leapt up and recoiled in horror, choking and retching as he fell backward.

A large dead lion lay before him. Not a fresh kill, no, this kill had been around for a good long while. Even in the dark he could see flies walking across the damp, matted fur. Crawling in and out of the gaping holes in the lion's flesh,laying their eggs in the fetid meat. He squinted to look into the holes. He didn't want to, but something made him do it. It was as if he had lost all control of himself and was being forced to peer into the dead, rotting flesh of the beast. Closer he leaned until the rotting smell had lodged itself in his windpipe.

Before him the flesh began to shiver and he could hear a wet ripping sound as the holes enlarged and rippled with energy. A spotted paw thrust itself out from the gaping wound, first one then another. He made a soft moaning sound and flattened himself to the ground. Helpless to do anything but watch as the corpse gave birth to a monstrosity before his eyes.

It was terrible and familiar as it pulled itself from it's twisted birth canal. A perverted parody of a slight, spotted cat. Maggots writhed in it's clumped and wet fur and it's jaw swung wide to greet him in a horrible smile. Bone glistened through the fur on it's lean legs, giving the appearance of stripped flesh, raw and angry.

"Scarrr," The awful apparition gurgled at him, a bloody spume dripping from it's lower jaw as it forced the word out. "You killed me."

He could only shake his head as it advanced on him. "You did, you left me to die Scar. But it's your turn now. You're soon going to die and look like him."

He jerked his eyes towards the corpse and saw the face of his brother laying on the grass. Flies buzzed as they walked in and out of his mouth and ears. The eyes blinked once.

Scar turned the way he came and ran. He ran faster than he ever had in his life. The grasses whipped his face as he cut a swath through their suffocating depths. He didn't look where he was going ,he just fled in a blind panic. Away from the cheetah and dead lion in the grass. He didn't see the overlook as he ran towards it or he didn't care. He pitched headlong over the side, almost running in midair.

Tumbling down the sharp incline in the darkness, bumping against the rocky face as he went, he landed heavily on his side. He recovered himself and looked quickly about expecting to see the shambling apparition coming to claim him again. He saw nothing except a small stream. He had fallen down into a gorge of some sort. He was uninjured, but for the rest of the night he couldn't move, he just remained flattened to the ground eyes searching and whimpering in fear.

It was a long night, one filled with chancy shadows and tricks of the eye that made Scar turn at every rustle on the breeze. Paralyzed by the hideous vision and his own imagination, now wild with capering demons and vengeful corpses on some sort of divine mission to be done with him, to root him out and destroy him. It was only what was right, wasn't it? No matter what Rafiki had said or what visions had come to him during an induced dream all things remained the same. He was still at heart a coward, a murderer and a liar and now was waiting in some desolate rocky gorge in some unknown land for his fate to catch him. This was his destiny. To be ripped apart by decaying fangs that would end his corrupt life as horribly as he had lived it. It was the fate he had earned.

Such where his thoughts as he lay for the long hours proceeding dawn. His minds eye playing the scene over and over again for his displeasure. Sometimes it was Nduli crawling from the corroded body, sometimes Simba slithering out to condemn him of his father's murder and sentence him to death. Just like on that stifling night when his nephew had turned up, only this time Simba didn't give him a chance to run. This time his nephew demanded his blood. It was so easy to forget, wasn't it, when one wasn't actively trying to think about these things. Too easy to forget the blood that stained one's paws or the notches made in one's heart from false words and foul deeds. But cradled within the steep rocky cliffs, Scar's old wounds were reopened anew and were thrust back into view.

When dawn mercifully arrived accompanied by the trilling of tick birds and swallows and the dusky horrors of the night had retreated back into harmless shadows and mere illusions; Scar sat for a long time considering what he should do next. A large part of him wanted to just take leave of the place, forget the whole business, find a comfortable place to stay and while away any time he might have left. The night had left his mind weak and the eager anticipation he had had for his quest had since dissipated with his night terrors. There could be nothing for him in the world. His one try at happiness had failed and it had because of what he had done. It would always be there, no matter what he did or however far he traveled. Like the scar on his face it marked him for life. Perhaps, Rafiki had somehow conjured the whole thing up just to get rid of him. To send him on some useless journey to a forsaken land, far away from Pride Rock and of no threat to anyone.

It didn't seem that outlandish of an idea as he rolled it around his fear addled brain. They had all been against him at Pride Rock hadn't they? Wouldn't they all be having a good laugh about him now, fooled into believing he was needed somewhere for some purpose? Rafiki, of course, would have come back and told them all about what had happened and how even now the scourge of the Pride Lands was either dying of starvation or being mauled to death by a strange lion. They would all thank Rafiki for getting rid of him, of course, and secretly (or openly) wish that something really horrible had happened to him. Something fitting. That was what they all wanted wasn't it?

He felt an old and familiar sensation creeping up through his limbs and building uncomfortably in his chest. Anger, seething and dark, covered him like a sudden flash flood, pouring through him in powerful torrents. Leaping up from his refuge he found his footing and began climbing up the steep slope. Not caring if he slipped and broke his neck ,he tore up the rock face, claws painfully digging into the tough earth, pulling himself upward. He scrambled up out of the gorge and the first thing he saw when he climbed out was a small herd of zebra grazing a few yards from the overlook. They hadn't been aware of the lion's determined but silent approach and continued browsing unalarmed. Without a moment's hesitation or thought he launched himself at the nearest animal.

Taken completely by surprise the zebra, a yearling and in fine health, had no time to react to the lion's enraged charge. Scar hit the zebra headfirst in it's shoulder knocking over onto it's side. Slashing claws ripped into the zebra's flesh, leaving bleeding gouges in it's neck and shoulder. It bawled in terror, but it's herd mates merely fled, leaving the yearling to suffer the violent attack unaided. Scar's teeth found the zebra's throat and plowed into it snapping. Battering the flesh to bits in his jaws. Blood flew in a geyser coating his head and neck in a coppery shower. The zebra shuddered and fell silent but the lion continued tearing at the tender flesh of it's throat. A beserker rage of flailing claws and worrying teeth.

In his mind Scar could see himself tearing into Simba as he now pummeled the zebra. Pulling him to bloody rags, ripping out his life. This time he wouldn't be afraid of the young lion. No, this time he was strong and a hunter, capable of dealing death with his own claws. He wouldn't need any allies this time, this time he would do what he had meant to do himself and share the spoils with no one. He continued to tear into the already dead animal until his blows became less powerful and his neck and forelegs began to ache with the effort. Feeling dizzy with exhaustion he fell back from the carcass in a blood covered heap. Panting he looked around. The herd had gone far away and there was no one else around. No vultures or jackals trying to stake a claim or phantom dead lions haunting the grass. Limbs shaking he lay his head on the zebras body and passed out.

Chapter 15

Destiny Presented

When Scar regained consciousness the sun was nesting at it's highest point in the sky and it beat down on him fiercely. He raised himself groggily from the blood soaked earth, stumbling as he tried to find his footing in the slippery grass. He fell clumsily on to his rump, legs flying out from under him. He looked about, startled by the mess that lay scattered about him. The ruined body of a young zebra lay in pieces around him, the ground was red and mucky. He startled to his feet and backed away. What had he done? The carnage that lay before him was incredible, the work of a mad beast. He had been vaguely hungry when the morning had come but looking at the aftermath of his assault squelched any appetite he might have had left.