Scar was in huge problems. He needed to get rid of the hyenas, and soon. His balance had never been the best, and over five meters of the floor, a fall could be lethal. Especially with Kifo and his friends down there.

Meanwhile, Mufasa was walking to the Outlands. Nyeupe had suddenly dissapeared last morning, and still hadn't come back. Mufasa arrived to the Outlands, and started searching.

"Nyeupe? NYEUPE!?" he shouted

Kifo heard it, and seeing a better oportunity in Mufasa, he leaded the way to his minions.

Mufasa was still looking for Nyeupe, when he saw a sinister pair of red eyes watching him. For second time in his short life, Mufasa was running for his life out of the Outlands. Kifo drooled as he was chasing him, surprisingly fast for being so skinny. Mufasa ran like never before. He could hear Kifo laughing, and he was sure he was going to become his lunch.

Meanwhile, Scar was climbing down of the tree.

"Ahhh… My brother… So predictable and stupid…" he said smiling. He heard some flaps, and he saw Mbawa landing in front of him.

"Hey, nice to see you again!" said the bird, landing on Scar.

"Yeah, my father didn't kill me enough" he said laughing. Mbawa bit playfully his ear. Scar smiled. He had missed his best friend a lot. "What's new in the Pridelands?"

"Food is starting to lessen. There is a terrible drought. Let's hope it isn't very long… Sorry I didn't brought food. There isn't enough. Also, Nyeupe has dissapeared. That's why Mufasa was here.

"Mufasa is dumb" Scar said. Mbawa contained laughter "Kifo killed Nyeupe, and now, he will kill Mufasa too, if he isn't fast enough."

"He has a big problem now…"said the bird. She suddenly noticed the wound on Scar's eye. "Whoa, mate… Ahadi did that?"

"The one and only. Please, call me Scar from now on" he replied.

"Ok. Where are we going now?" asked the bird.

"To reunite with Zira and the hyenas." Said Scar, starting to walk. He sniffed the floor, looking for his friends' smell. He finally found it, and started running hoping to find them alive.

Zira heard steps at the front of the den. She sniffed the air. She jumped of happiness.

"SCAR!" she said, pouncing on him, and licking him.

"Zira, stop… you are drowning me!"

"Sorry… I'm just so happy…" she said, hugging him.

"Don't worry. It isn't my time yet" he said smiling.

"Scar!" shouted the hyenas, now awake. They also jumped on him. Meanwhile, Zira greeted Mbawa, that was perched on a dead tree.

"Guys, get off! You are crushing me!" said Scar in a low voice.

"Don't ever do that again! You had me worried!" shouted Shenzi, hitting him on the head.

"I'll try" said Scar winking and eye.

"Mbawa! You are back too!" shouted Shenzi. Ed was really happy, and pinned her to the ground, licking her.

"Bleurk… Stop it!" said Mbawa. They all laughed. Finally, the weird animal group was reunited. The only family they knew…

While they reunited, Mufasa had reached the Pridelands. Kifo's gang was still chasing him. He was starting to get tired… He saw the den where he hid when he was a cub, chased by Malkia. He just fit the entrance… he turned to the hyenas. They could only do o e on one, and Mufasa kept them back with his claws. Finally, they came back to the Outlands. Mufasa waited for hours to be sure they were gone. Then, he ran to Pride Rock as fast as he could.

"Dad! Dad!" screamed Mufasa, with fear in his eyes.

"Mufasa, calm down. Kings don't panic." Said Ahadi. "What happens?"

"Taka…" he said falling to the floor.

After an hour, Mufasa was awake again.

"Taka what, Mufasa?" asked his father, not wanting to believe Taka was still alive.

"Taka has an army of hyenas!" shouted Mufasa in fear.

"WHAT?" answered Ahadi, not showing his fear.

"They chased me… and they ate Nyeupe. Soon they'll take over the Pridelands!"

"Not while I am king." Sentenced Ahadi. "If they come, we will fight. It's easy." He ended, walking off, leaving Mufasa and the lionesses worried about their future. Luckily for them, Kifo and his pack moved North, well past the Outlands. There wasn't enough food for everyone there.

Meanwhile, in the Outlands…

"Shenzi, how big was your pack?" asked Scar.

"Like twenty or so. Why?"

"Kifo's pack is well over a hundred. They are starting to attack everything. Even lions."

"We need to take control of them… if not, we are dead. Sooner or later, we'll have to fight Kifo. To death." Said Shenzi.

"And we need to get Ahadi out of the way. We aren't strong enough to battle Kifo without food." Said Zira.

"True. We'll need a plan…" said Scar. "Meanwhile, let's search for food. We need it."

After a long search, they found an ill wildebeest. They brought it down and nearly ate it all in one time.

The next months were the roughest for everyone, especially for the Outlanders. The drought made nearly impossible to find food and water. They had to enter the Pridelands without being noticed, only to have enough to survive.

Ahadi and his lionesses weren't doing any better. One day, Mahali and her pack were in the waterhole, having a drink. Two of the lionesses appeared.

"Hey you, mongrel! This waterhole is only for lions!"

"What? Who said that?" asked Mahali confused. "Get the pack out of here if this turns out bad." Said Mahali to her son, Kisasi. He was still too young to be leader, but he showed excelent qualities for the job.

"Ahadi said it. Yesterday." Answered Wingu. She had never been a very patient lioness. "So get out, or else… " she ended.

"Please. My cubs need it."

"How sweet… her cubs…" said the lioness smiling. She jumped on Mahali, biting her throat and killing her inmediately. The pack prepared for an attack, but Kisasi got between them and the lionesses.

"Wild dogs, leave the waterhole. We can find another one. About you, lioness… if I see you again, I'll kill you myself." Said Kisasi. Wingu growled at him, accepting the challenge. The dogs left, and only when they were in the den, Kisasi cried for his mother. He cried, and cried, till he couldn't cry more. She died protecting him and the pack. He would follow her example. Be the best leader he could. But that would take time… meanwhile, his aunt would take the leadership, until he was ready. At all, he was just a youngster.

The drought brought terrible consequences for everybody. Scar was forced to emter the Pridelands to feed his family. Zira went with him sometimes. One day, they had an encounter with Mufasa. Zira had caught a wild boar.

"Take it to the hyenas. I'll take care of him." Said Scar.

"Sure?"

"Of course." Answered Scar. "Now go!"

Mufasa was getting closer. Scar bared his claws, ready to fight. Mufasa hadn't saw Zira, that camouflaged perfectly on the dried grass. But he saw Scar, whom he thought to be a rogue.

"Get out, you shit!" roared Mufasa. His red mane was starting to get big. He was as strong as always.

"Make me." Simply said Scar.

"You searched for it!" said Mufasa jumping on him. Scar knew he couldn't resist a direct impact, so he dodged. Mufasa landed on all fours and they started surrounding each other. Meassuring the rival. Scar could hear Kivuli's lessons "Focus!" usually shouted the leopard. Mufasa was looking especially angry, showing his teeth and growling. Suddenly, his eyes changed.

"Taka?" he asked.

"I'm now Scar. Thank Father for that."

"You killed Nyeupe, you traitor!" shouted Mufasa, sudeenly angered. He jumped on Scar again. Scar just dodged.

"That's not correct. He killed himself." Said Scar smiling.

"You son of a…" said Mufasa now pinning his brother. Scar kicked his belly as hard as he could. Mufasa grunted in pain, and released his grip.

Meanwhile, Zira had arrived to where Shenzi and the hyenas were.

"Come on! Scar needs us!" she said dropping the boar.

"What?" asked Shenzi while they ran to the Pridelands.

"He is fighting with Mufasa. But Mufasa is terrified of hyenas…" explained Zira. Ed lauged like crazy, enjoying the run.

"He was my best friend!"said Mufasa swiping at Scar like crazy

"And my worst enemy." Answered Scar, calmly evading Mufasa.

"You are more hyena than lion…" growled Mufasa angered "You are no more than trash. A huge piece of shit."

"Calm yourself, brother."

"AND YOU ARE NOT MY BROTHER!" shouted Mufasa pinning Scar again. "Now, where are your hyenas, Taka?" laughed Mufasa, putting a paw on Scar's throat. He was going to die.

"What?" asked Scar confused.

"The hyena army that chased me out." Replied Mufasa still choking him.

"They don't like me more than you. But, I think you could meet a couple of my friends, I hope you don't mind… Maybe it's true that I'm more hyena than lion. Now meet my true family!" Scar shouted, as he pushed his brother off him. He had heard Ed's crazy laugh. Mufasa looked surprised, as the three hyenas jumped out of the grass, growling and laughing menacingly.

"Leave him." Growled Shenzi.

"Hy… Hy… HYENAS!" shouted Mufasa. He inmediately started the retreat. Ed went after him, making fun of the scared lion.

"Thanks! You saved my butt…" said Scar.

"That's what friends are for." Said Shenzi. "I think we spooked the kitty a bit" she said laughing, looking at Ed chase Mufasa. Finally, the hyena got tired, and they went back to the Outlands.

After having the boar for dinner, the hyenas went inside the skull for some rest. Zira and Scar were outside watching the sun slowly going down, giving space to the moon.

"Thanks for saving me" started Scar.

"Oh, no problem… Did you really thought I was going to leave you against that stupid beast?"

Scar was a moment in silence. Zira hit him playfully

"Dumb lion! Of course not!" She said smiling. He smiled too.

"Scar…" she said looking to his eyes.

"What?" he said, his heart beating a thousand miles per hour.

"I… I… I love you." She finally released it.

Scar was left a moment without words. He finally opened his mouth to speak, shaking from emotion.

"I do too" admitedd him too, licking her cheek. She smiled. She was the happiest lioness in the world!

"Guys, I think Scar's in love!" whispered Banzai, looking at them in one of the eyes.

"What? Impossible. That guy is…" said Shenzi, going to look to. Her mouth dropped at half of the phrase. Ed looked too at the lions holding their paws. He grinned.

Mbawa, that was out looking for food, came back, with a skinny rabbit in her claws. She entered the skull too, and greeted the hyenas.

"Our Scar is in love, huh…" she said grinning too. Shenzi was still paralyzed.

"Shenzi! They are going to catch us!" said Banzai pulling her down.

"I can't believe it… The shyest lion in Africa, and he has found a mate!" whispered Shenzi to herself.

"Well, Zira is like his other half… So it's not that surprising." Replied the bird.

"Come on… I have a place I want to show you." Said Zira, getting up.

"Where is it?" asked Scar, getting up too.

"Just follow me!" she said, trotting happily. He followed, not knowing where she was going.

Zira entered a small gap on the rock. It was big enough for them to fit, but not many more. It was dark in the tunnel, and Scar walked carefully.

"Come on!" she said.

Finally, Scar arrived. It was an underground lake. Thrre was a small hole in the ceiling, that allowed some light to enter and make sparkles in the water. Scar was left speechless.

"What do you think?" she said, puffing herself proudly.

"Precious." Simply said Scar. They took a seat, and spent the night murmuring sweet things to each other.