This is a fanfic that I started awhile back and forgot about. Let me know what you think.

I do not own The Lion King.

His lush black mane and startling apple green eyes were perfection, even the disfiguring scar over his eye gave him some sort of ruggedly handsome appeal. With his chocolate pelt, and his cream underbelly, he was easy to pick out in a crowd, which she often found herself doing. His lean build, with hard muscles beneath that unusually handsome pelt had the tendency to send shivers down her spine and fill her stomach full of butterflies.

To put it quite bluntly, she was hopelessly in love with the lion.

"You are looking quite lovely this afternoon." The king commented smoothly, approaching a cream coloured lioness with startling blue eyes. "Yes, very lovely indeed."

The lioness narrowed her eyes as she stared longingly at the handsome king. She observed the cream coloured lioness narrow her pretty blue eyes also, although she knew full well it was for quite another reason than her own.

The lioness quickly rose to her dark paws, having spent the best part of her morning grooming in case she got the chance to speak with the king. Picking up the rather emaciated brown rabbit she'd caught earlier that day, she trotted over to the duo, her amber eyes bright.

She placed the rabbit at her paws and dipped her head to the king. "My Lord," she said before she nosed the rabbit closer to him in offering. "I brought you lunch, if you will accept my humble offering."

The lion glanced down disapprovingly at her kill, then turned his head away. "No, take it away. Nala will hunt for me today."

She couldn't help the look of disappointment and sorrow that now was painted across her maw. She dipped her head again, blinking quickly in an attempt to banish the prickling of the tears in her wide amber eyes. "B-but. . . My Lord, I caught it just for you. Perhaps later you will want a snack?"

"I said no, Zira." the king responded coolly, looking down his sharp nose at her. "And should I feel the need for a snack later, I shall have Nala catch something for me. She is a much stronger hunter than you, and can do far better than that pathetic rabbit which you leave me in humble offering."

The tone of his voice was too much for her. She didn't bother with the rabbit and, instead, turned tail and ran away from Pride Rock. She had to get as far away as possible right now, so that nobody would see her cry.

It was unnecessary for Scar to be so cruel to the lioness. She'd been a rogue up until recently, and would have perished from malnutrition had another of her pride sisters found her and brought her back to Pride Rock, where she was fed and watered before she begged and pleaded with Scar to allow her to join the pride.

It was obvious to the entire kingdom that Zira was the most devoted of his subjects. She always offered him her catches, which while still small, were improving steadily. While the other lionesses had to be told who was hunting for the mighty Scar each day, Zira always sought him out to offer what she'd caught before she had even had the chance to eat anything herself.

In the most cruel manner possible, he always turned her away and sent her away in tears because of some unnecessary insult.

She felt the most sorry for her, that she knew. The other lionesses were wary of her, because of her devotion to the king. But she knew better, she knew that Zira was a newcomer and Scar had appeared like a hero out of the darkness, and had saved her life.

She understood what the lioness was going through, and it seemed as though Scar was intentionally trying to drive the two apart. She had hoped the two of them might be friends, but Zira had a hopeless crush on Scar, who always – much to her extreme distaste – seemed to focus on her instead of the most devoted.

When Scar approached with his slimy compliments and smooth flirting, she always felt rather nauseous. She would rather have had the attention of anyone but him.

Her amber eyes sore from shedding their tears, Zira lay emotionally exhausted and concealed beneath a hedge. She was one of the very few lionesses who were actually thin enough to slide her body beneath this particular plant, which masked her scent well, she knew. She had her doubts that anyone might be able to find her here.

"Psst, Zira." Came a feminine whisper from nearby, shocking Zira into almost knocking her head on one of the lower branches and giving away her location. "Zira, I know you're there, I can smell your scent all over the place."

"Who's there?" the lioness asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowed. She still hadn't managed to attach all of her pride sisters' voices with their names.

"It's Nala." The whisperer replied.

"Oh, you." She replied, lowering her head and feeling the tears begin to well up again.

"I can't talk long, but I just wanted to apologize for earlier." Nala told her, still whispering. "I'd much rather he transferred his attentions to you."

"Aren't you supposed to be hunting or something?" Zira asked her, hoping that the lioness would take the hint and leave her alone.

"Yes, but I wa-" Nala gasped and stopped mid-sentence. Zira heard her quietly adjusting her position. Then after a moment she breathed a sigh of relief. "I want to help you. Maybe if I tutor you in hunting, Scar will pay more attention to you."

Zira shook her head, even though Nala could not see it. "No, I have a better plan. But you can't tell anyone about it. Although, those hunting lessons would be the perfect excuse. Meet me at the watering hole at sundown. Tonight, if you can."

"Got it." Nala responded, although the tone of her voice seemed to be vaguely annoyed, perhaps because of being ordered around by such a low-ranking pride sister. "See you then."

Then Nala's warmth and sweet scent vanished.

Reviews are always welcome. I'll try and remember to update asap.