What if Alakay kept his name and never left the reserve? What if Makunga really did take over? What if Alakay looked, smelled, and sounded completely different? Would Alakay have more siblings if he stayed with the pride? What would happen next when three strange zoo animals arrived at the reserve?

This might probably be my best chapter so far... I'm not sure.

Please, read and review. I take comments, praise, and criticism. But, please, no flames. This is my second fic and I hope you like it!

Enjoy!

Chapter One

The Scar

"Da-DA!!!"

Zuba raced against time in order to save his only son. He skidded across the muddy roads, with his glowing yellow eyes bloodshot with fear and exhaustion still watching the crate as it bobbed up and down on the poachers' truck.

"Da-deeeee!" the cub inside the box wailed.

With a grunt, Zuba leapt from the cliffs at the right. He grabbed ahold of – instead of the crate – the sides of the Jeep.

A poacher noticed this and looked in his rearview mirror. He spoke angrily with his other two men.

Click. Just when Zuba was about to rip the ropes off of his son's crate... BANG.

"DA-DA!!!" the cub screamed at the top of his lungs.

Suddenly, the cub clung to the walls with his small claws. The Jeep took a sharp turn, knocking into a rainforest tree. The cub slid forward, ramming into the sides of the crate and bruising his jaw.

"AHHH!" the cub screamed.

Light poured in from the sides of the crate. It had a chance of breaking open again when a large, thudding slam hit the truck.

It was Zuba. One paw clutching his bleeding ear, another paw running over his son's crate. He heard the loud commotion coming from the front of the Jeep.

"Hold on," Zuba whispered to his son, who poked his eyes out of the breathing hole. "Daddy's got you."

He added, "I promise I'll always be with you, Alakay."

Alakay nodded as he watched his father dodge another bullet. Zuba's tail caught ahold of the sides of the truck, and so did his hind legs. His front paw reached for the crate, and suddenly jerked it backwards with him when another bullet raced just short of Zuba's mane.

The two lions tumbled onto the road. The poachers groaned, and then, fearing they'd be caught, raced off in their Jeep.

Zuba, with all the strength he had left, silently opened the crate. A bundle of small spotted and striped fur bounded out, leaping onto Zuba and giggling. Alakay paused, frowning, and touching his father's injured ear lightly.

"It'll be all right," Zuba said. "As long as you're here with me, everything will be all right."

Father and son looked into each other's eyes as Zuba stood up and carried Alakay all the way home.

Did I make you cry? Please let me know if I made you cry... it almost made me. Once again, please read and review! Mild criticism (but no flames) allowed!