By all accounts, Hasira was a beautiful little lioness. However, hidden under that glossy fur coat was a troubled young girl. She had never known her father and her mother was never there to answer questions about growing up. Hasira had turned to other female cubs in the pride for support. Early in her youth, she had formed a close bond with two other female cubs, Uvumi and Doa. The three girls were inseparable from one another every waking hour in the day. However, this morning was different. Hasira woke early in the morning, while every other lion in the pride was still deep asleep. She rose slowly, quietly. Her paws were silent as she walked out of the den.

Before she could leave Priderock, she ran into the last lion she wanted to see that morning. "What are you doing out so early?" questioned a voice coming from behind her. Hasira stopped in her tracks and turned around to face Simba. The young prince stood firmly in his position while Hasira eyed him up and down, trying to figure out how to best verbally berate him while remaining quite enough not to wake up the other lions.

Hasira finally settled on "Get out of here" while growling.

"No," Simba replied, obviously afraid but managing to hold his ground.

"Aw, you finally grew a pair. Now get out of here and mind your own business."

"No. Besides, what is a pretty and popular lioness like yourself doing up this early in the morning. It's dangerous to go alone, especially without your friends."

Of all things that Simba could have said to Hasira, this was the most unexpected. Perhaps he really had learned to stand up for himself in the world. Whatever the reason for Simba's sudden spike in self-confidence, Hasira would have none of it. She spat in his face and ran off before he could react.

-%-^-%-

Scar sat on his favorite rock watching the interaction between his nephew and the neighborhood bully from afar. She was good at what she did. He was glad the young cub was on his side. She could indirectly influence the entire pride's opinion on any matter by bullying and insulting the right members. Curious as to why she was out alone this early in the morning, Scar suddenly remembered he was supposed to meet her shortly after sunrise in the elephant graveyard and slowly got to his feet to meet her.

Scar was not the only animal watching the young lioness' actions that morning. Zazu was awoken by the argument between Hasira and Simba. Momentarily disoriented from the sudden alertness he felt, he did a quick headcount of the lions sleeping inside of Priderock. The only lions that were missing were Hasira and Scar. Curious as to what the two were up to, he proceeded to stretch his wings before taking flight, proud of the prince for standing his own ground.

-%-^-%-

"You're late," Hasira growled.

"Didn't your mother ever tell how to address your elders?" the shaggy black lion replied as he entered the rather large cavern that was Scar's meeting place. Scar proceeded to corner her into one of the more dark and filthy caves.

"She never taught me anything. Now, let me out or I will hurt you…"

"Somehow I seriously doubt that," he muttered to himself as he released her.

"…Why, again, did you force me to wake up at this ungodly hour and drag me to this disgusting place?"

"My friends don't think this place is disgusting," Scar said as he gestured to three newcomers who appeared at the entrance to the cave.

"In fact, this 'disgusting place' is our home," the leader of pack of hyenas, Shenzi, said with a grin on her face that could only be described with the word 'evil'.

"Err…I'm sorry," Hasira said, her ego suddenly becoming ten times smaller as the three hyenas sat down and growled at her.

"NEVER apologize. It's a sign of weakness. Are you weak?" Scar exploded as he violently swiped his paw in the air. None of the other animals present had ever seen such a sudden temper change and all four took a step backwards.

"N…Na…No," Hasira tried to respond but words failed her at the moment.

"Silly girl. Apologizing to someone admits defeat. Admitting defeat makes them lose respect for you. And if one loses respect for you, the rest will follow. Do you understand?" Scar tried to put on his best 'teacher' face but failed miserably and the hyenas had to hold back a laugh.

"Yes," replied the small lioness. Hasira was beginning to have second thoughts involving her deal that she had made with Scar.

"Now that we have that settled, I want to commend you on your recent…performances…"

"Who says I was acting? That was no act. I really do despise Simba," countered the young lioness.

"First smart thing you've said missy," interjected a yawning Banzai. Hasira shot him a nasty glare.

"Hasira, dear, I need you to continue exactly what you are doing. Make Simba as miserable as possible. When the time is right, we will strike." You could almost see the gears turning in Scar's head as he thought of his plan to eliminate Mufasa and Simba from the African Savanna.

"Strike? You know, you have never told me why you want me to be mean to him," Hasira said as the puzzle pieces in her head were suddenly falling into place. She did not like this plan and her role.

"Yes, sweetie, strike. With your assistance, once Simba feels worthless…"

"Except he is worthless," interjected Shenzi.

"He is, but he doesn't know that. His big ego surprised even myself," Scar said, disgusted at the thought of his nephew and the throne that he was going to inherit.

"Did you see him and that other lioness singing by the watering hole yesterday? Ed over there had to punch me to keep me from laughing," Banzai snickered. Ed took that remark as an opportunity to punch Banzai and start a brawl with his friend.

"Hyenas; can't live with them, can't live without them," Scar sighed as he watched the two hyenas mock-fight with each other.

"I can," countered Hasira, ignoring the fact that the she was actually scared by the four other animals.

"Enough you two. Let Scar finish and then we can go get breakfast. Didn't anyone else see that injured wildebeest on our way over here?" Shenzi ordered, trying to take control of the situation.

"You know how much I love wildebeest," Banzai said as he shoved Ed's paw out of his mouth and licked his lips, "What's the plan Scar?"

"Just continue what you have all been doing. Go, now," Scar said to the trio of hyenas, "And you, run along and make Simba's life miserable. Hasira sighed at the request and went her merry way. After waiting several minutes in silence, Scar sighed and curled up to took a short nap. Several minutes later, just as Scar started snoring; Zazu flew out from his hiding spot to give the morning report to the king.

-%-^-%-

When Mufasa saw his majordomo flying towards him, he sat down puzzled. The king did not remember Zazu being there at Priderock when he woke up this morning. And even more troubling, the bird's flight path made it clear that he was flying from the Elephant Graveyard. Flashbacks to the situation Simba had gotten Zazu and Nala into entered his mind. Once the bird finally landed next the king, Mufasa asked him what was wrong.

"Sire, it is Scar. He's behind everything. The hyenas have been spreading the rumors about you and Sarabi over the Pridelands, not Hasira," Zazu answered the king, all in one breath.

"So she hasn't been spreading the rumors about Simba?"

"Oh, no, she has. But the ones about you are all from Scar's hench-hyeans. It seems like Scar has some sort of leverage over that poor girl and that's why she has always been so awful towards you and your family Sire."

Mufasa sighed as he looked towards the rising sun.

-%-^-%-

Thanks for the reviews of Chapter 1, you have no idea how much they meant to me. Please R&R. I had a bunch of stuff I wanted to say right here, but I forgot it. Hopefully I'll remember it in time for Chapter 3.

XO9, signing out, praying that notch never ports Minecraft to the Android platform. My GPA would not be able to take the hit. Oh, and the Nook Color is *awesome* once you root it.