Author's Notes:

Well, this is kind of short. I haven't written much of this yet, so I don't know exactly how it will turn out, but it is pretty much suppsoed to be Scar/Taka's life. It is mostly IC, except I will change how he got his scar to fit my story a little better. Rated T for violence/mild themes. Hope you enjoy! :)

EDIT: See bottom. :3

Prologue

It wasn't easy accepting the end.

Pressed up against a vertical stone wall and surrounded by angry hyenas who wanted to rip me to shreds, I was still convinced that there was a way to save my own life somehow. Anyone else would have given up and accepted their fate, but not me. I suppose that a part of me had always wanted to keep fighting, whether the odds were in my favor or not. That much had been apparent about me in my last moments, my last triumphs, and my failures. My tenacity had kept me going through everything that I had experienced in my life. Maybe it was because I was the only one I had. My mother, the only one who had ever cared for me in the slightest, was long gone, and the only other family I had, my brother Mufasa as well as my father, never really liked me in the first place anyways. I didn't have friends. I was antisocial and considered unusual, though to be honest I really only wanted solitude. Eventually they left me and abandoned me completely. They were afraid of me, and perhaps for good reason. I had murdered and destroyed everything I had come into contact with. After all, that was all that I knew. But I don't think I ever really cared. I never needed them. I could do fine without them, with my trusty hyenas by my side… or so I thought.

I don't feel like giving up yet. I always thought I would die a beloved king, even grander than Mufasa ever was. A part of me always wanted that, and still wants that badly. In fact, it was the only thing I ever remember wanting: to be king, to beat my brother to it and prove myself superior. It had become the only thing I thought about, and had eaten away at me until it was the only reason left for me to continue my pathetic life, the reason I kept breathing, living, and fighting. But I suppose it is too late now. Begging for my life with the hyenas failed, and it has become quite clear that nothing can save me now. Fighting for my life only came naturally, and yet it wasn't going to work this time. It wouldn't stop me from trying, in my final moments, to fight for my beliefs, my goals, my very being, against my heartless attackers, no matter how at odds or doomed to fail I was. No, I never gave up, no matter the odds. I had learned that lesson, if nothing else. I could never look back, never hesitate, only surge forwards and try with everything I had.

I would never be appreciated, and I would die feared and unwanted, my name to live in infamy for all of history and my soul to be stuck in the sky as a faint and unnoticed star in Mufasa's shadow once again. Those I cared for would be exiled and turn against me, or die fighting for what I believed in. In my last moment, I thought about my life. Everyone always tried to convince me that I should feel sorry for something, that it was my fault that everything had happened and that I should naturally feel responsible and, most of all, guilty. But really, they're wrong. If it's anyone's fault, it is only theirs, isn't it? Do I feel regret for any of the things I did?

No. I stopped feeling sorry a very long time ago.

Chapter I: Life

In the middle of the Pridelands, it was another day that had begun as any other. The sun rose over the sky, and all was well in the land below it that day. Gazelles and antelope were peacefully grazing on lush, grassy fields, while cheetahs sunned themselves lazily on rocks. Peaceful, crystal clear rivers filled with fish and other life flowed freely and cut through the green landscape. All of the animals were silently preparing for the day ahead, and as gossip spread quickly through the savannah, news was already becoming known of a coming lion prince or princess, the cub of the queen who was mate of the king. All of them were naturally excited, as they had all lived peacefully under their current Lion King and they all respected him very much. They had hoped that they would continue to prosper under the rule of either this new cub or its brother, who was known across the kingdom as Prince Mufasa. Today was the day that that cub would be born. The lions' home, Pride Rock, was bathed in life-giving sunlight and the lions that lived there were basking peacefully in the warmth. All of them, that is, except for one lioness.

Lying in complete solitude, a light colored lioness was struggling to give birth to her second cub in a small cave. Her claws had begun to scrape across the rocky floor due to the pain, and her voice began to ring out through the cave weakly in between her pants and groans that she emitted while she struggled.

"Come on, little cub. Come out—aah! Dang it, Ahadi, why couldn't you be here to help me? Errrgh…"

There were several more heaves, and finally I found myself hitting the ground with a thud. I lied on the ground for a moment, before I finally took my first breath. The wind came into the dismal cave and, considering the fact that I couldn't see, it scared me considerably. I was cold and, crawling around on my little paws, tried to look for something warm to curl up in. Falling off of a small rock inside the cave, I smacked myself on the nose. I quickly drew back, unfamiliar with the pain that resulted, and began to yowl loudly.

My mother, still panting and in pain from giving birth, struggled to her feet. I could hear her light footsteps across the cave, and would have tried to get away from them if I wasn't distracted by the pain in my nose. Finally, I could feel myself being picked up by the back of the neck, and as I hung from my mother's warm jaws, I relaxed.

"Shh… don't worry, there's nothing to fear. I've got you."

Slowly, she set me down and began to gently lick my fur clean, before letting me curl up in the warm fur on her chest. I was tired already, and she nuzzled my nose softly to entice me to sleep.

"Fall asleep, my precious cub. You've got a lot to learn soon. One day, you may even be a king. I just hope your father will love you as much as I already do."

What was a 'king'? I didn't know, nor did I know just how much that word would affect my future. But I didn't really worry about it. My mother curled up around me and for a few minutes everything was perfect. There was a blissful silence and I felt as though it would last forever. Listening to my mother's steady heartbeat, I finally began to fall asleep, and my mother did as well. Everything was going to be perfect.

Until I heard the footsteps. Still afraid of anything that was foreign to me, which was pretty much everything except for my mother, I stiffened slightly. My mother also awoke, and stroked me with a reassuring paw.

"There there now. No one is going to hurt you." There was a long pause as she looked up towards the front of the cave and at whoever it was who had disturbed us. A deep, powerful voice responded back to her. It seemed to shake the very walls of the cave, and I fearfully retreated more towards my mother.

"Yes, Uru. Do you have the cub yet? Please, tell me it's a female."

My mother's paw pressed up against me slightly, and I whimpered. I didn't like this… Ahadi… or whatever he was called. He scared me. My mother also seemed fearful of him, which gave me more of a reason to not like him.

"It's a male," my mother's voice spoke up softly. There was something in her voice that was different, and I could feel her press her paw against me protectively. Finally the other lion spoke up. His voice was quiet, but it was harsh and raspy.

"A male…? A male? Uru, I told you I wanted a female. Another male cub will only mean more competition for Mufasa. I'll have to choose one for the throne. I don't want to choose."

"Well, dang it, Ahadi; you're going to have to choose one to be king! I can't control the gender of my cubs. Oh, and it was you who insisted we have cubs, remember? Don't even blame this on me."

Uru's voice rose for the very first time. I squirmed a little in confusion and fear. I didn't understand what they were talking about, exactly, but I heard the word 'king' come up again, and somehow I thought that they were somehow talking about me. But they couldn't have been, could it? I hadn't done anything to the other lion, so why would he be upset at me?

The cave was silent for several moments. I didn't see the suspicious glare that my mother gave the other lion, but I could feel her paw tighten around me again. She began to stir a little bit, nervous.

"Uru… give me the cub…"

Something about what he said must have upset her, as she quickly curled up around me. She began to growl fiercely.

"Why?"

"Uru, give it to me. Now."

She snarled at him. I was desperately confused as to what was going on, and squirmed slightly to try and escape, but Uru pulled me sharply with a paw. She quickly rose to her feet, still keeping a paw over my small form.

"Ahadi, what are you thinking? I won't let you kill our son! Not unless you want to kill me. This innocent cub has done nothing!"

"Not yet, Uru, not yet. But all this cub will grow up to be is trouble. I know it. I'll get rid of it quickly. Mufasa can get the throne without competition. We can forget this ever happened… and please, don't tell me you actually grew attached to it!"

"He's my son. I will raise him and I'd like to see you try and stop me!"

Ahadi roared angrily. My ears began to hurt and I couldn't keep from yowling again. Ahadi eyed me and his eyes narrowed.

"Fine, Uru. Have it your way. But mark my words, that cub is trouble. And what is worse, he is a weakling. A runt. He will never have the throne. I want to make that clear."

"Fine, just don't you dare lay a paw on him."

Ahadi growled a last time and prepared to leave the cave, but Uru stopped him.

"Aren't you going to name your son?"

His heavy footsteps stopped, and I could feel him turn back towards my mother.

"He is not my son. Prince Mufasa is my son. This… thing… is not my son. And secondly, in view of that fact, his name will be Taka from now on. That is the name I give it and I will not let you change it. If you want that cub to live, then that will be his name."

Uru pulled me closer and I could tell she seemed shocked by what he had just said. There was a long silence.

"Taka? You want to name our son Taka? How dare you do such a thing, Ahadi? I can't even believe you!"

It must have fallen on deaf ears, because his footsteps and breathing were no longer inside the cave. I was very confused by everything that had happened. I was afraid of this strange lion, and that feeling would never quite leave me. My mother, however, seemed determined to prove him wrong and let me live, as she licked my head gently and talked to me quietly.

"Don't worry, son. Your father is… well, he doesn't want you," she muttered flatly, unable to keep the irritation out of her voice. "But don't feel ashamed. I still want you. You will always be my son."

Review? :) Anyways, hope you liked it!

-Twin out

EDIT: I know that all of you who can add two and two together have realized that I only posted one chapter of this, and that was almost a year ago (and counting...). To be honest, I have a lot of other stories going on right now, and this is something I would like to devote my full attention to. I will most certainly attempt it - however, I want to finish my other works and gain some experience before I attempt to do so in order to give you the best fic possible, since this is a fic which is very important to me and one which I want to reflect my writing style. In other words, this will be on a long hiatus. However, I will continue it: probably with a new prologue and first chapter. So don't despair, I promise I'll come back... eventually. ^^