A few days later, Mufasa and Sarabi made the announcement to their Pride that they're expecting a cub. Everyone was happy for them and congratulated their King and Queen.

Zira thought of to announce her own pregnancy as well. Until another couple ruined that moment for her because of their own pregnancy they told everyone. Zira had another idea to not have made a big deal out of it. She would simply tell the King and Queen in private.

The three of the lions were inside the cave.

"Yes, Zira. What is it?" Sarabi asked her.

"Looks like you have another pregnant lion in the Pride." Zira answered.

That surprised and shocked the both of them.

"I never knew you had a mate," Sarabi said. "Who is the father? Would we know him?"

"Oh, yes. I'm sure you...knew him quite well actually. It's Scar."

The couple was absolutely bewildered.

"Scar," Mufasa repeated the name almost in a hollow voice. "It's his cub? Are you sure?"

Zira rolled her eyes. "Of course I'm sure, Mufasa. We have been in a relationship for some time."

"But he never said anything about you." He was confused as to how they could get together.

"We're not the couple who would flaunt our relationship in public. I've been pregnant longer than you have, but never said anything. Only to Scar," She glared at him. "I'm sure you're proud of yourself for killing him, aren't you? That my cub will never get to know its father because of you? As long as the great King Mufasa and Prince Simba is safe and alive, who really cares about the others?"

Sarabi sensed Zira was guilt tripping her mate, and needed to step in and end it. She knew Mufasa was falling for it by the look on his face.

"Enough, Zira," Sarabi demanded. "Scar would commit murder if he were to achieve his goal. He was going to kill a young and innocent cub. You know we don't take that lightly here, especially if it's from our own kind. To kill the king, that would be an automatic death. How dare you say all of those things to Mufasa-"

"Sarabi," Mufasa interrupted her in a scolding tone, and she immediately quieten. His focus was back on Zira. "I did not mean to kill Scar."

However, Zira hadn't bought that. She snorted in derision. "Oh, really? You expect me to believe that? How did you kill him then? Let me guess. By accident?" She asked the last question in a mocking tone.

Mufasa hesitated to answer because of her disbelief. "Yes."

"Please," Zira rolled her eyes refusing to believe it. "You and Scar didn't have the best brother relationship. Scar said you were always your father's favorite. You knew he was meant to be king until you had to have your own cub. You purposefully had another cub to spite him and take away his throne!"

"It's not like that, Zira!" Mufasa angrily said to her. "A king is supposed to have an heir!"

Sarabi felt there would be a fight between them soon, and she was ready to intervene.

"Some heir you have. The little runt of yours doesn't want to be king."

"How do you know that?" Sarabi wondered.

"Cubs can be annoying chatterboxes. I heard it from Femi's son."

"Simba's still young yet. He was very excited to be king. He doesn't know what he really wants. Simba needs to find himself." Mufasa replied to the other lioness' previous statement.

Zira smirked. "Are you telling me that or trying to convince yourself that is the truth?"

"Leave the cave now, Zira!" Sarabi growled. "Do not ever speak to my mate that way again!"

Zira narrowed her eyes down angrily at the Queen. "Fine."

She walked out leaving Mufasa and Sarabi alone.

"Don't be so quick to get angry at her," Mufasa said. "After all, she did lose a mate because of my own doing..."

"You did the right thing by killing Scar. Don't fall for what anything Zira says," Sarabi nuzzled her face against his own. "Most importantly, you protected Simba. Now we have another little one."

"Yes, we do." Mufasa nuzzled against her as well.


Simba's leg was healed within days. The pain wasn't as intense, and he didn't limp that much anymore. Now, he was alone in the lands, and was practicing his roar by himself. He didn't want to be surrounded by his friends. He just had to work on his roar. It would be too humiliating to practice in front of his friends. The last time he practiced was before the stampede started.

There was a spotted sandveld lizard he wanted to scare off. It was just minding its own business. Simba kept roaring at him with no good results to frighten the lizard.

He sighed with disappointment.

"Practicing your roar, Simba?" A female lion asked him. He turned around and saw it was Zira.

"Yeah. I just can't roar loud enough." Simba pouted.

"You will get there in no time. You have to. You will become the king one day. No one likes a lion king with a small roar, do they?"

Simba thought how embarrassing that would be. "No..."

"It must be exciting to be the next king in line?" She asked mysteriously.

"It's okay." He shrugged, not telling her much.

"Just okay?"

"Yeah. I mean, sometimes I don't want to be the king."

"I don't blame you. Being the king does sound a lot of hard work and can get exhausting. Look at all the things your father has to do. Your father is a great king. How would you be able to live up to his reputation? Do you even think you can be a great king like he is?"

All of Simba's doubts and fears returned to him.

"No..." He answered sadly, hanging his head down.

"Oh, it's alright. Mufasa would still love you. You have such potential, Simba. Hopefully, you won't put your father's teachings to a complete waste."

"What if I disappoint him?" He asked with shame. "I did before..."

Simba remembered what happened after the Elephant Graveyard incident. He never liked when his father was disappointed with him.

"That would bring a lot of embarrassment and shame to your family's name, wouldn't it? I know I will definitely not take it lightly if my cub would bring such a dishonor to my family by ruining his title and job as king. You have big paws to fill, Simba."

More thoughts swirled inside the cub's mind. He worried that he wouldn't be good enough as king and not being great like his father was. How could he have believed being a King of the Pridelands would be fun and games? It absolutely was not. It's a job that should be taken seriously.

Zira saw Simba's conflicting and overwhelming facial emotions, and she was proud of herself. It was easy to fool and trick a cub. No wonder Scar had easily lured his nephew into the gorge.

The poor and naive cub couldn't even think for himself. How pathetic.

To not torment the young prince any further, Zira changed the subject.

"Anyway, there's a reason why I have come to you today. I thought you should know you'll be expecting a cousin."

"A...cousin?" Simba was confused.

In order to have a cousin, Scar would have to reproduce with someone. He never knew that he was with anyone or even liked anyone for that matter.

"Yes. I am carrying your uncle's cub." Zira revealed.

"Really?" He was shocked and didn't know what to think.

A part of Simba was scared, but had hope the cub would be nothing like Scar.

"Yes."

"Oh...cool!" He said brightly to be happy for her. "What do you want? A boy or a girl?"

"Precisely a boy," She answered. "It's what your uncle would have wanted. Don't you miss him?"

"I don't know. He did try to kill me and my Dad." Simba was always confused about that.

"I miss him. Your uncle was simply misunderstood and neglected at your age," She sighed in longing. "I wish he could have been here to see our cub."

"I'm sorry." Simba apologized. He felt it was the right and appropriate thing to say.

Zira was taken aback by that. It was something she didn't expect from him. Not even Mufasa had apologized. She quickly regain her normal posture before Simba caught her reaction.

"We can be friends! We're going to play together!" Simba said excitedly about her unborn cub. "My Dad will be a great uncle to him!"

Zira didn't want her cub anywhere near Mufasa, much less to Simba. But being a part of his pride, she had no choice.

She wasn't thrilled like Simba was. "Oh, I'm sure he will..."


A couple of months later, Zira felt that she was ready to give birth to hers and Scar's firstborn cub. Mufasa ordered Zazu to bring Rafiki to Pride Rock in a hurry.

When Rafiki was there, Zira started to push. She was alone with the baboon inside the cave. It took her a couple of pushes to finally get the tiny little cub out. When she gave out her last one, the cub was in Rafiki's arms.

"It's a boy," Rafiki happily announced. "Congratulations, Zira."

Zira was laying down, and he set the cub close to her. Her son would have to start nursing soon.

"What is his name?"

"Nuka."

After the mother and son nursed, she let the rest of the family meet the cub even though she didn't want them near Nuka. Since they're family, and Mufasa and Sarabi was his uncle and aunt, she had to let them in. Simba was curious and excited to meet his new cousin.

Scar was the only lion Zira missed and loved dearly. She understood his hatred and loathing against Mufasa.


Author's Note: Timon and Pumbaa should show up in the next chapter. So get ready to see them. Please leave a review!