AN: I tried to tell the tale of Scar meeting Zira in a probable way and according to the canon of the film. I'll explain every aspect of my story, so that you won't have to ask "why's he saying this or that". I'm not a native English speaker, so sorry for any errors. (HINT- read the earlier parts of the story too!).
CHAPTER 1 – News from and Old Acquaintance
Scar was spending his morning as usual- rolling from side to side. He didn't sleep very well lately. The lionesses along with the hyenas weren't giving him a moment of rest, constantly complaining and trying to make him do something about the ongoing drought. And what was there for him to do? Those idiots deserved to starve to death if they thought he could make it rain. They better just leave him in peace.
But they didn't.
The king was awakened by a delicate stabbing to his tail. A moment later he heard the voice of Zazu, pecking him to get his attention.
-Scar! Your highness! Get up, please! It's time for the morning report!
-Oh, bugger off! You know where you can shove your pathetic report…
-But… but this is important! Something rather pleasant has happened in the Pride Lands!
Scar strained his ears.
-I can't hear any rain… so what other 'pleasant' event might have taken place?
The hornbill was visibly agitated with what he had to inform on.
-Sire! One of the lionesses has announced, that she is pregnant!
-What did you say?
The lion, despite his laziness, lifted himself from the ground swiftly. He stretched, and afterwards gave Zazu an inquiring gaze.
-You call that pleasant news? Another mouth to feed? Oh, which one is it?
Zazu kept his gaiety.
-I'm proud to announce, that the one lioness in expecting of offspring is our dear Zira!
Scar wondered.
-Hm, is that so? She and that alien partner of hers, which she almost begged me for, aren't lying around on the job, aren't they? Well, let them have as many cubs as they please, as long as she keeps our agreement and is able to feed her family along with that… outlander. In these conditions, however, I doubt that they can even dream of finding enough food.
Zira, a few seasons younger than Scar, was herself a daughter of a rogue outlander. He didn't know her all that well. From the time of his youth he could only recall a few situations when they would have more than a brief exchange of words. He could remember specifically one encounter with Zira.
It was the time when, in consequence to certain 'events', Scar isolated a bit from the rest of the pride. He had to escape from the company of his family for some time… and they also seemed to have needed a break from him. He spent those days on the border territories of the Pride Lands, meditating and giving rest to his tired nerves. One time he was lying in the shade of a tree, napping. Suddenly, he was awakened by the voice of a cub.
-Hey prince, is that you? Oh prince Scar! Are you sleeping?
He raised his head, amazed that one of the cubs was bold enough to stray so far away from home, to find him on it's way. Before him he saw a small, slim lioness with a dark stripe on her head. Her name was Zira, who was now stretching in front of him, swinging her tail and staring at him with her reddish little eyes.
-What are you looking for over here, kid? – asked the lion. Instead of answering, the lioness laughed triumphantly and launched right at him, landing on his back.
-Ha ha, got you! I've caught the prince!
-Arr! What are you doing? Stop it at once!
The irritated Scar tried to shake her off at first, but when he realized that she was to agile for that, he just seized her by the skin on her nape and pulled her off. Hanging in mid air, the cub grinned at him awkwardly, surprised with such a turn of events. He growled and tossed her to the ground without qualms. Having flown over a long distance, Zira regretted her boldness, when she met with the hard earth. Thoroughly sore, she sat within a cloud of dust and started to brush the dirt from her fur.
-Eh, eh! Not fair! I just wanted to play!
Scar looked at her distastefully.
-Well you shouldn't have jumped on my back, then! What were you thinking? Do you have any idea how much that hurt?
The lioness snorted.
-Hmf! Not as much as this!
She hit the ground with her paw. Scar just shrugged, and laid his head back down with a deep sigh.
-Hey! Are you going to sleep? Come on, play with me!
Zira ran up to the tired lion yet again. She circled around his head with bared fangs, but he continued turning away from her. Finally, she jumped on top of his head and began passionately pulling his ear.
-Oh you stubborn… Will you leave me already?
-What is it with you? Aren't you healthy yet? You must be, you wouldn't have survived here if you were ill!
The prince gave another deep sigh, afterwards throwing his short black mane to the front, so that she rolled down from his head landing in front of his muzzle. He looked at her with his emerald eyes. The left one was disfigured by a deep cut, not yet fully healed. His expression was gloomy and raw.
-It's going to take a much longer time before my scars are healed. Do you understand that, Zira?
He stood up and shook off the dust, later making a few steps, halting with his back turned on the cub.
-And you managed to survive here all by yourself? – she asked him.
Scar turned around, showing a proud grin.
-Yes, I have. Imagine that I can take care of myself perfectly on my own. I do not need anybody.
These words were truly impressive to Zira, a cub used to living within a pride, yet thinking with admiration of her father- a loner and a rogue.
-Really? That's great!
She ran up to Scar and stood in front of him, swinging her tale with a smile. He looked at her, abashed.
-And what are you doing here, Zira? Shouldn't you be on Pride Rock, or playing with the other cubs? Where's your mother?
Zira made an angry face.
-Oh, the lionesses went away hunting. Mother left me with the older lions, but I'm fed up with playing with them. They're so boring! Nothing but jumping around Mufasa, with him being the boss of everyone.
Scar suddenly became interested.
-You don't say?
-That's right! I don't like him at all. He constantly tries to show off with how 'perfect' he is… I'd like to throw a pile of dung at him with the lionesses watching, I wonder how that would make him look!
The lion burst out with laughter, hearing what Zira had to say about his brother.
-Oh, how charming! You must really dislike our fabulous, wonderful Mufasa, don't you now?
The lioness invigorated to those words. She started running around and jumping.
-You bet! 'Mister perfect', hmf! I'd jump on his head! And throw him to the ground! Would everybody be amazed then!
Zira was growling and Scar was laughing.
-And I'm not the only one who thinks that! Some of my friends don't like him as well. He says that we're being rude! Well we'll show him yet!
-Oh, you kids…
The lion grasped Zira and began stroking her back with content.
-Maybe not all of the members of my pride are as hopeless as I thought.
The cub looked at him, satisfied.
-You're okay, prince Scar. Hey, mind if I ask you something?
-Well, it depends on the question…
-How come you have a black mane? Not, that I don't like it, but every time I see you it makes me wonder.
The prince never really though about that.
-Uh… I inherited it from my father, I guess.
-You mean king Ahadi?
-Right. King Ahadi the Supposedly Great.
The cub was agitated, expecting to hear more.
-Can you tell me about him? What's he like? I never really had a chance to talk to him. Is he as good and just as others say?
Scar snorted. This question made him remember things he didn't quite want to call to mind.
-Let me tell you the truth. My father is exactly like Mufasa. Far from perfection, despite the common opinion.
-Oh… I see… - answered Zira, with a sense of disappointment. She silenced, but only for a while.
-Ok, another question. Why did you tell everyone to call you Scar? – she noticed him gravely glancing at her with his wounded eye. - … Uh, or no matter, at least I like it. It sounds better than 'prince Taka', anyway.
-Dear little Zira, in that case why don't you simply address me as 'Scar', all right?
-All right, Scar!
She jumped away and roared at him playfully. He also rose and went into combat stance. The cub pounced with a growl, and they started a play fight. Scar might have not liked children very much, but this cub definitely cheered him up. They wrestled for some time, and whet the older lion became tired, he caught the little one by the neck with his teeth and placed her in front of him.
-Fine, Zira, that is enough fighting for now. It's time for you to go home. Your mother and the others must be expecting you.
The lioness became sad. Se looked at him with lowered ears.
-And what about you? Are you going to stay here?
-Oh, don't worry. I will come back one day, you'll see.
They smiled at each other, and afterwards the cub went running towards the savannah. She only turned around to say goodbye.
-I'll see you later, Scar!
-See you later too, Zira! Go back safely!
That sunny afternoon was only a distant memory now. Scar, the present king of Pride Lands, knew that nowadays some lionesses didn't like Zira very much… and contrary to that, others admired and respected her for her strong character. Zira was brave enough to personally ask him for the permission of having a rogue mate some time ago. The king agreed, but fearing that lion might pose a threat to his reign, he didn't let him move to live on Pride Rock. Since then Zira went away and provided herself with food along with her lover.
-Scar, do you want me to send your royal congratulations to the new mother? – asked Zazu enthusiastically.
-Oh, do what you please. Just remember that I want you back in the cage before noon!
-Yes, your majesty! – the hornbill flapped his wings and took off, leaving the lion alone in the cave.
-Ha, what an idea… having cubs in the middle of a drought? Dear little Zira, I fear that soon we are going to have another funeral in the Pride Lands…
AN: The flashback takes place just after 'The Tale of Two Brothers'. I imagine that Zira as a cub was very similar to Vitani. My idea is that she was a member of the Pride Lands pride from the beginning. If she wasn't, then why would she hate being exiled so much in TLK 2? And what would all that 'we are one' nonsense mean? My version says she was born to a Pridelander mother and a rogue father, and became a certain opposing force within the pride along with her lioness followers. (What do you mean that neither of them is shown in the first movie? You can clearly see them lying on the rocks along with the other lionesses XD). So she knew Scar from cubhood, yet she found herself another mate- a rogue. At this moment she's pregnant with him… but what'll happen next? Keep reading.
