When everyone could see Taka's face next day, they could see the wound on his left eye.
"Whoa buddy… what happened?" Asked Banzai.
"Imagine it. I'm exiled now." Replied Taka
"Ohhhh, great… now we will starve to death" said the hyena. "At least you have a cool scar"
"Funny thing, I haven't seen it yet." Said Taka
He went to a puddle, and looked at his face. The red wound was there, and some dried blood was on his cheek. He washed the wound, and came back.
"Taka, are you OK? Sorry, I didn't even saw you yesterday…"said Zira running to him and nudging him.
"Don't worry. I'm OK" he reassured, bumping his head against her playfully.
"What a scar you are gonna have, Taka…"
"That's it… my father doesn't want me, I don't want him. My name will be Scar from now on"
"OK… whatever." Said Shenzi. "How are we going to survive?"
Her ribs were starting to be visible. Scar himself wasn't in good condition. Most of he meat he earned went to his friends. Also, a terrible drought had started…
"Some of us would have to go for food…" answered the lions.
"We can't hunt yet…" said Shenzi. "Prey are too big. And one of the lions have to stay here, Kifo hasn't attacked since Zira is here.
"I find it fair. The ones who stay here, make up a plan to go to the Pridelands again… and to have the hyena pack back. We need numbers" said Zira. "I'll go for food." She said walking away.
"So, what is the plan?" asked Shenzi.
"I don't really know" said Scar, lying down. "First, let's see if Mbawa drops by, and if she can bring some food. Next, having the pack back. And finally, kill my father and that dumb Mufasa."
Suddenly, they heard movement. Banzai started growling.
"Smells like lion" he said.
Taka was up in a heartbeat. His claws were bared.
"If this turns out bad, run fast." He said, getting between the hyenas and the strange lion, now a shadow that got closer every second. When he arrived, Scar could see who he was. A nearly white, strong male lion. His right leg was numb and didn't move at all. He had the scars of a leopard attack from his cubhood. It was Nyeupe, his worst nightmare.
"Taka…" he started
"I'm now Scar. What do you want?" Scar said in a growl. The hyenas, still teenagers, but pretty impressive, bared their fangs. They'd heard all the tales from the famous Nyeupe, and they didn't like it a bit.
"I wanted to thank you for saving my life… You are better than I thought."
"Oh, yeeea..." Scar started, seemingly sweet. "I'd like to thank you too, if you hadn't left me in the waterhole, I'd have never learnt to swim."
"Taka,… I mean, Scar, that was long ago… that is the past…"
"The past still hurts" replied the dark lion. "Now, have you meet my friends? These are Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed."
"That scavengers are your friends? But they are dumber than rocks…"
"Well, it isn't nice of you to enter private property, call the inhabitants dumb, and have it your way. But it is typical of you, Nyeupe. Now, tell me a good reason why I shouldn't let them kill you… Or kill you myself."
"Ahadi said if someone accepted you, you could go back, as he thought no one would do. But I thought I should accept you to live with me and my mate. I think I owe it to you."
"Very kind. Let me discuss it with my friends, right?" Scar said kindly. Nyeupe nodded.
Scar spoke with the hyenas about it, for longer than he should to make the white lion nervous. Finally, they stopped.
"We have reached an agreement." Said Taka "Shenzi, please, explain it to him"
"This is our home, right?" she started. Nyeupe nodded. "And we can't go to the Pridelands… or if we do…" she said, looking to her dead mother.
"So, what gives you the right to enter here?"
"I… I…"
"Look, lion, we are not like your kind. We are gonna give you ten seconds for you to run. If not, bye bye." She said with a grin.
"Scar, please…" said Nyeupe in fear. "You know I can't run…"
"You knew I couldn't run OR climb…" said Scar, grinning too. "Now it's your time to run."
Shenzi started counting. Nyeupe didn't even move. He trusted his powerful muscles.
"Time's over!" they started making circles around him, drooling and growling. Ed started laughing like crazy.
"Nyeupe, last chance. Run away, and never return." Said Scar jumping in front of him.
"I thought we could repair our relationship…"
"You damaged it too much." Replied Scar, cold as ice.
"Scar, please… I've risked everything to bring you back… Don't waste the opportunity…"
It was the truth. Ahadi still didn't knew Nyeupe wanted to bring Taka back. But the white lion and his mate now had their own den, away of Pride Rock.
"I don't want to go back." Simply said Scar. "I'm giving you too many opportunities… I should have let Kivuli kill you. I'd have a problem less now. Now, get out, or you die. You choose."
Ed bit Nyeupe's tail. The lion turned like a flash and started biting him. Taka's anger grew.
"Nobody touches my friends without paying for it!" he jumped to him, pinning him on the floor. Nyeupe kicked with his good leg, doing some scratches on Scar's belly. The hyenas jumped on the action. They started biting the white lion like crazy.
"Scar, no!" said Nyeupe when they released each other. Both were bleeding. "I don't want to kill you…"
"Sure? You change opinion so fast…"
Shenzi launched on the white lion. She bit a leg and holded with her life. Banzai bit the other leg, and the lion fell, roaring in pain. Ed also got a grip, and the trio tore Nyeupe's flesh with anger. No more of that stupid lion, they thought.
Nyeupe somehow managed to escape the biting fury, and said for the last time
"Scar… I'm sorry. Please, listen."
"I'm not doing anything to you. They are. Speak with Shenzi." Said Scar coldly.
In response, Nyeupe hit Shenzi hardly, knocking her off.
"That's it!" said Taka, leaping on him again. The two rolled again biting each other. Zira just appeared from her hunt bringing a skinny gazelle. She dropped it and helped Scar with Nyeupe. Finally, the white lion ran off as he could, but he went deep the Outlands instead. Scar chased him. Nyeupe was surprisingly fast for being like that. Suddenly, Scar, seeming scared, started running on the other direction. Nyeupe breathed deep, but as he turned, he saw a huge male hyena, followed by many others. He was the true aspect of death. His mangy coat was a lot darker than normal hyenas where. He was only bones and skin, but surprisingly strong for his enemies. His fangs were incredibly big, and his eyes were red at the light.
"Look guys… Dinner has come to us" said Kifo, with a voice that caused nightmares. Nearly thirty hyenas appeared, and jumped on Nyeupe, tearing him wouldn't be going back to his mate… or bothering Scar again. The hyenas ended him quickly, attacking like one.
Scar watched with his mouth dropped and wide eyes all the scene, too horrified to move. More and more hyenas appeared from behind the rock. In total, Scar estimated over a hundred of them. From Nyeupe there was only left a bit of skin and some bones.
Kifo, making an unnatural howl, called his followers. Scar noted they were mostly skinny and in bad condition. They were desesperate.
"Well done, my pack. Soon, we will take over the Pridelands!" started Kifo.
"Yeeeeeeeah!" shouted the hyenas as one.
"But first, we have to kill Malkia. She is the first problem we have. That, and her sons."
"Sir?"asked a hyena fearfully.
"Yes, stupid mutt?"
"I've heard Malkia made an alliance with lions…" said the hyena fearfully.
"WHAT?!" asked Kifo, enraged, showing his huge teeth. The other shaked in terror.
"Ohhhh, shit…" muttered Scar. Five of the hyenas were surrounding him. Scar bared his claws, ready to fight for his life. Inside, his heart was beating like crazy. He knew how good hunters the hyenas were. And he just saw what they could do. Meanwhile, Kifo was still speaking.
Scar slowly went back to the wall. This way, they only could sttack in the front. One of the hyenas attacked. Scar defended himself with a swipe of his paw, that stopped the hyena in his charge. Scar's ears were back in his head, and his fangs were showing. He rejected the attacks as best as he could, but suddenly, a hyena called for backup. Scar, having an adrenaline rush, jumped over the hyena, and started running back to where his friends were. The pack inmediately followed. Scar saw a dead tree, and started climbing it, as Kivuli taught him. He wasn't as heavy as other lions, so he climbed pretty fast. The hyenas couldn't reach him there. Scar could see Kifo directly looking at him. His eyes looked into his soul… Scar shaked his head. Kifo couldn't reach him… at least, not now. Then, he roared to warn Zira and Shenzi, Banzai and Ed of the danger.
Zira heard it
"Listen! Scar's in danger!" she said while she put herself in her feet.
"Stop right there, Zira. That roar is the signal he would do if he encountered Kifo. So we have to go, and fast. Unless you want to be eaten by hyenas…"
"No, not today" said Zira.
"Follow me, then" said Shenzi, walking without looking back. The others followed.
Shenzi put her snout to the floor, smelling everything. After a lot of sniffing, she finally found what she wanted: a putrid wildebeest carcass.
"Bingo." She said, getting close to the carcass, and rolling on it. Banzai and Ed did the same.
"Eeeeewww…" said Zira "Really?"
"Unless you want to be torn limb to limb, yes"
"Ughhh…" said Zira rolling her eyes, and rolling over the carcass.
"Fine. Now we need a place to hide."
"How about that?" said Zira, looking to an abandoned den.
"Perfect" said Shenzi "Good eye, Zira"
They entered the den, and while some slept, one would stay awake, in case Kifo appeared.
