Things are never as they seem. A peaceful valley, harmonizing the color of its long grasses with the songs of birds may seem like a beautiful safe haven, but in the tall grasses, swaying elegantly in the wind, danger may wait. And a soul, black as the very tar in the earths crust, may seem like a destructive evil when in reality there is a glow underneath the mess; the slightest glimmer of childhood innocence that was robbed at a young age.
Many, when looking back at the reign of Scar, would tell the story with hate and rage; looking down upon the dark king with loathing eyes. But when, if at all, would the story be told about when times for the dark lion were good? And how he might have fallen into darkness. We find ourselves asking the age old question. Are the evil born evil? Or do unfortunate circumstances in life, or perhaps the hateful words of others mold them from what could have been good into something as foul as what Scar had become?
Scar was not always Scar... He was not always the ruthless leader that shot fear into the weak, nor the murderous fiend that threw his own brother off a cliff. He was once a small cub by the name of Taka... And like most cubs he loved to play, loved to love, and loved to be loved. And like most cubs he was loved by his parents, loved by his brother, and loved by his friends... But the events which would unfold no doubtably contributed to his deformation from a light hearted cub.. To the monster he became.
"Muffy!" Yelled a small voice over the Savannah's hot and golden horizon. The tall grasses parted their green stocks, not from the wind, but to reveal a young lioness cub. A light brown, with beautiful auburn, ran quickly through the common playscape that was The Pride Lands. "Muuuffffyyyyy!"
Further along, just above the grasses as he rest upon a large rock, was another cub. Male, golden and proud of the little brown tuft of mane on his head, was the young prince. His name was Mufasa, and he was the one son of the great Ahadi and Uru; king and queen of The Pride Lands. He was an older cub, not yet to his adolescent-teen years, but growing rapidly with every week. Lifting his head high, his ears perked forward and his nose tilted to the air, he captured the sound of the distant female voice approaching him. Stretching his small form, his long tail flicking as he arched his rear up and bowed his front quarters, he hopped down from the small rock; only to be met by the young brown female.
"Sarabi, what's with all the yellin'?" He asked, his mouth opening to release a lazy yawn before smiling at the young female. "I was just getting ready for a nap."
"Muffy, you lazy brat, I've been searching for you for, like, hours!" Sarabi yelled, rolling her eyes in a very irritated way. "The whole PRIDE is looking for you, for King's sake."
The childish, goofy grin that he sported specifically for irritating his cub-hood friend Sarabi slowly vanished into a worried frown. "Why? What did I do this time?" He asked in a concern tone, worrying, like all cubs did, that he might have been in trouble for something.
"No no, but you will be if you don't make it in time!" Sarabi said, taking several anxious steps back, wanting to run back home. She wore an excited grin as she pranced a bit. "The Queen is giving birth! Muffy, your going to be a big brother!"
Eye brows raising and eyes widening out of surprise he grinned and jumped forward, running past Sarabi. "Well why didn't ya say somethin' sooner! Let's go!" He shouted as he ran far past her towards Pride Rock. Though Mufasa had been known for being a bit of a spoiled, self absorbed cub, when he had found out his mother was pregnant there was a complete change in his personality. Sure, he would still lay about, and get grumpy with his parents for silly things; but he was going to be a big brother! Bit brothers had to be cool, proud, and mature! Well, as mature as a cub could possibly be.
Sarabi grinned, chasing after her friend towards Pride Rock. Like the females of the pride, Sarabi awed at the thought of having a cute little cub around the Pride Lands. Neither Mufasa nor Sarabi were old enough to understand the facts of life, however. They knew not of reproduction, of cub care... Nor did they know that the cub had come several weeks too soon...
As the cubs approached the den, Sarabi stopped at the exit of the cave as Mufasa darted right in; as he had the right to do so being future king. "Where's my baby brother or sister?" He demanded with a grin, running up to his father.
Ahadi was a large lion in structure, with elegantly long features. His fur was almost yellow in color, and his mane was close to black. A fair king, Ahadi was liked by the kingdom and loved by the pride. Normally, he wore a proud grin... But Mufasa took notice of the frown his father was wearing as he approached him. "Dad... What's wrong?" Mufasa asked with worry, his eye brows arched with concern.
Clearing his throat, the great king spoke in a deep voice. "He was born too soon, Mufasa." The king said softly, running a big paw over the back of his son.
Mufasa didn't know what that meant, he only grinned at the word "he". "He?" He demanded with a toothy grin, shaking with excitement. "As in a little brother? I have a little brother?"
Ahadi looked at him with a sigh, then looked back at the dusty-red colored lioness laying behind him, further back in the cave. Crying could be heard from the female. Queen Uru was weeping, her green eyes ironically brightened by the tears flowing from her eyes onto the small red cub in her paws. Ahadi looked back at his son and sighed. "I don't think you understand, my son... The cub didn't make it.. He was born too soon, and Rifiki couldn't get him to breath."
Mufasa's grin slowly faded as he took in his fathers words. He was young, but Mufasa was old enough to understand death... He remembered what happened to a small mouse he had caught and played with; how it stopped breathing and eventually lay limp in front of him. "No!" Mufasa yelled, tears springing to his eyes as he ran past his father. "Not my brother!"
The young prince ran from Ahadi to his mothers paws. "Mufasa!" Uru gasped as the young male cub pulled the limp lifeless one from her paws and proceeded to swat lightly at its chest. "Mufasa what are you doing?"
Tears ran down his face as he pushed at his still born brothers chest. "He can't be dead!" Mufasa yelled, and having never felt so strongly about something something his entire life continued to push and prod at the lifeless cub. "Not my little brother!"
Ahadi eventually pulled Mufasa off of him by his scruff, the young prince growling and crying in protest. Uru had covered her face with her paws during the ordeal, crying harder than she had before. Then, from the corner a wise baboon stepped from the shadows behind the queen. It was the great shaman, Rifiki. And, swinging a blue hand into the air, he spoke. "Wait!"
Suddenly, the cave went silent under his hand as he pointed to the little red cub on the floor. "Listen." He said, stepping forward to the cub; the only noise in the cave coming from the sound of his cane against the stone floor. "..Listen."
Mufasa, still hanging by his scruff from his fathers mouth, looked down at the stillborn cub. A strange chuffing noise could be heard from its small body. Wide eyed, Mufasa looked at Rifiki as he scooped up the young cub. Inspecting the cub, he wiped some after birth away from the cubs nose and mouth, pushed down lightly on its chest, and in moments the little cub was squealing; flailing its little limbs against the baboons hands.
"He's alive!" the baboon announced with a grin, holding the cub up for all the pride to see. Cackling he looked down at the second born cub. "He's alive, a beautiful young prince."
Uru, crying now not from grief, but from joy, grinned as the baboon brought the cub to her belly so he could feed. "Thank you, Rifiki!" She said in a grateful tone. "Thank you so much."
Rifiki shook his hands at her in a disagreeing gesture. "Do not thank this ol' fool of a baboon. For I had given up too early on the early-cub." He said with a smile, before walking up to Ahadi and Mufasa. "Your son saved the boy... For he felt that the Great Kings were with him."
Mufasa, after being placed back down by his father, looked up at Rifiki. "I did not feel the great kings." He said honestly, as he grinned at the sight of his mother washing clean the little cub. "I just wanted my little brother."
"Ah, but the kings work in mysterious ways." Rifiki said, clacking his cane against the stone floor. "They were not ready to yet accept the soul of this young cub. So they willed you to save him. So young in life, and you have already saved your brother. Great things are sure to come to you and your younger brother. I sense great things."
Mufasa smiled up at him then ran up to his mother excitedly, followed by his father. "Aww, he's so cute!" Sarabi said, having received permission to approach by her own mother.
Mufasa looked at her with a look of irritation. "Boys aren't cute, Sarabi." He said with protest, before putting on a proud grin. "He's cool. My little brother will be the coolest little brother the Pride Lands have ever seen! I'll teach him how to play, how to pounce and eventually how to pounce. We'll be the coolest big cats in the Pride Lands."
Ahadi smiled at his sons enthusiasm and responsible attitude towards the upbringing of the young cub. "Well, Mufasa, that is very good of you. But being a bit brother is more than just playing and teaching him how to hunt." Ahadi explained, laying next to him and his mate. "Your a big brother now... That means you have a responsibility to him. To keep him safe from any of the worlds dangers. Of course, that is my job too. But one day I might not be around to do so, and it will just be you two. You understand this life time responsibility to your little brother, right?"
Mufasa nodded proudly, grinning. "From all the worlds dangers, I will keep him safe forever and ever!" He said, looking back at the little cub. "Don't worry little brother. I'll never let anyone or anything hurt you."
How ironic Rifiki's words were, though no one would know until years much later to come.. For there would be two brothers. But while one would stand proud and good, the other would grow an unruly jealousy. There would be no great duo as the wise baboon predicted. But of course, Rifiki knew not the months to come. And what in the little, near still born cubs future would change his soul for the worse.