CHAPTER 1

King Scar was walking his normal rounds, brooding, when he suddenly tripped over a small pale cub hiding in the grass.

"Nala, what are you..." he snapped, then looked closer. The cub resembled Nala, but there were differences. Around her eyes were brown, as well as the fur at the edge of her tail and in her ears; but the rest of her was the same shade as Nala - except for the bright red scars on her nose, chest and leg. The cub also had a ragged gash in her left ear, and a large cut in her right.

"You're not Nala," Scar blurted after looking the cub over.

"I never claimed to be," the cub answered bravely, but her voice shook.

Scar raised an eyebrow. "Who are you?" he asked harshly.

"Kuumiza."

Scar blinked, surprised. Who would name their daughter hurt? But then, he noted silently, it did fit her, considering the scars. "Where is your mother?"

Kuumiza looked down. "Don't have one."

"And your father?" Scar pressed.

"Don't have one," Kuumiza repeated, refusing to look at him.

"Who takes care of you, then?" Scar pressed.

Kuumiza looked up at him. "I take care of myself," she answered bravely.

Scar was surprised. He thought of exiling the cub, or even killing her, but looked into her eyes - as green as his own - and reconsidered. "Come with me," he ordered.

Kuumiza cowered. "Where?" she asked.

"Your new home," he answered her. They said nothing more, as she slowly followed him back to Pride Rock, where she stopped.

"This is where you live?" she asked in surprise.

Scar smiled proudly. "This is where I rule. I am king."

Her eyes widened. "King?"

"That's right."

Kuuzima cowered in fear. "What do you want with me?"

Scar pursed his lips in thought. What did he want with her? A single swipe of his paw would end the cub here and now. But there was something about her. He didn't want to kill her.

"I want you to live here, with my pride," he told her.

She looked back at Pride Rock nervously. "Are they as kind as you have been, Your Highness?" she asked weakly.

Scar looked at her in surprise. She was the first one in a while, lion or not, who didn't think that he was a monster. But then, he did just adopt her, in a sense.

"No," he answered finally. "They are all mad at me right now."

"Why?" she asked.

"I allowed the hyenas into the Pride Lands."

"What's so wrong with that?" she asked, and again he stared at her in shock. A lion who didn't hate hyenas? That was almost unheard of!

"They just don't like hyenas," he answered finally.

"Why?" she pressed.

"I don't know." They sat in silense a moment before Scar stood. "Come, we will find you a guardian."

Kuumiza's eyes filled with fear. "Do we have to?" she squeaked out.

Scar looked over and considered the cub. If he allowed the others to raise her, she would become as bad as them. No, he would have to raise her himself. He grimsed at the thought, but there was little he could do. So he smiled and said, "What about me, then? You could be a princess. My little princess."

Kuumiza hung her head. "Why would you want me?" she asked quietly. "I'm just trash. Father said so."

Scar's eyes widened. He was suddenly filled with the memory of his own father naming him trash, or Taka. He realized that this cub was like him in many ways. He put his paw on her shoulder gently, and she winced at his touch.

"You're not trash," he told her quietly. "you are a beautiful young lioness."

She stared at him in shock, tears filling her eyes. Surely this was too good to be true. But no, the king was looking at her as if he understood. It was only then that she noticed the scar over his eye. Perhaps he really did understand.

"Why would you want me as your princess?"

Scar shrugged. "I don't have any cubs of my own," he admitted. "I don't even have a mate. I need an heir."

Her eyes widened. "You would name me as your heir?!"

"At least for a while, until I have a son. What do you think?"

She bowed to him. "If that is what you wish, Your Magesty."

He smirked. But he did enjoy the way she treated him. Unlike the rest of the pride.

Scar began to teach Kuumiza everything he knew about being king. The pride was in shock that he would claim a rouge cub, a female at that, to be his heir. But so long as it kept him busy, away from them, they decided they could handle that.

Kuumiza learned fast, and even performed her duties as princess from time to time, breaking up fights and the like. Like Scar, she had a silver tongue, but instead of being sly about it she actually seemed to care. The animals began to respect her, and the pride was impressed. But they also kept their distance, for she was too close to Scar.

Her only flaw it seemed, besides being too close to the king, was that she was unable to hunt. She was not strong, was slow compared to the other lionesses, and could be clumzy at times (kicking rocks and the like). Scar ordered Serabi to teach her. Serabi obeyed grudgingly, but made it clear to the princess that she didn't like her, or the king. Kuumiza respected Serabi's feelings, and never told Scar.

Kuumiza's ideas about how things should work kept the Pridelands in order, and even the hyenas obeyed her. Scar listened to what she had to say, and agreed that her arguments were sound. So, although he was king, she ruled beside him. Many times, he would lounge around the cave all day, and let her take care of everything. But the power never went to her head; she always went to bed each night at his side, respectful and loving.

Because none of the cubs would play with her, she made friends with the hyena pups, much to the pride's disgust. So her best friends were hyenas; and of course Scar. She loved him most of all.

As time went on, Scar insisted that she call him Father. She squealed, and nuzzled him happily. Finally, she found somewhere she belonged.