Well, here it is a new chapter. Most of it is original, but in the end, there are some scenes from the movie. However, I tried to add some originality even there... you will tell me if I managed to.
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Chapter 25 – Be prepared
Sarabi stood under Pride Rock, waiting for Mufasa and Simba. She was deeply worried. Some time ago, Nala and Zazu had arrived, and the majordomo shared the terrible new with her: Simba and Nala had been on the Elephant Graveyard!
Now, the little female cub was receiving a lecture from Sarafina and Moyo, yet, according to what Sarabi understood, some creatures on Pride Rock had been jealous of her and Simba. Mainly, Nala's younger brother Mheetu, who said that he wanted to have been on the Elephant Graveyard as well. But, after seeing how Nala was scared when she returned, even the tag-along little brother reconsidered his opinion.
Sarabi, however, was still worried, or, at least, fearful. According to Zazu, Simba also had returned from the Elephant Graveyard, thanks to Mufasa's miraculous intervention, but neither her mate nor son had returned to Pride Rock. They were late… and today, when she had such and important thing to tell her mate! Yet she didn't know how he would react. But now it was done.
"What will he tell?" asked Sarabi to herself, trying to keep her calm.
She remembered of Zazu telling her that the king had decided to give a lecture to the prince, but… would it really last so long?
Fortunately, after some more time of waiting, she saw Mufasa… coming to her! But… where was Simba? Without waiting to know, Sarabi just ran to the big lion, and, when she came closer, she noticed with relief that he was carrying Simba in his mouth.
Mufasa placed Simba on the ground as gently as he could (which was enough to keep Simba sleeping), and, before Sarabi managed to speak, Mufasa said in a decisive voice: "Don't worry. It's allright. Simba fell asleep during our way back."
Sarabi deeply sighed of relief, and then, she said: "Wait here. I'll put him on Pride Rock, and then we will have a talk. I have a very important thing to tell you."
"Oh… what is it?" asked Mufasa curiously.
"It's a surprise." said Sarabi with an enigmatic smile.
Mufasa began getting nervous, but he would have to wait some more time. Sarabi picked the sleeping Simba by the scruff, and went to Pride Rock. She would only have to leave Simba with some of the lionesses… with her sister for sure… no, with her mother.
Sarabi went to her mother, placed Simba on the ground, and whispered: "Mother… mother… could you wake up, please?"
"What is it?" asked Penda, waking up slowly.
"Mom…" asked Sarabi slowly. "Could you take care of Simba for some time, please?"
"Sure, my dear." said Penda, smiling. "But why?"
"I have a surprise to Mufasa." said Sarabi enigmatically. "I will have a talk with him tonight."
"Oh… I see…" said the older lioness, understanding what happened.
It explained the strange behaviour of her daughter in the previous days. She had been a little bit sick, with minor stomachaches, and occasional vomits. Probably that was the surprise that she had for Mufasa.
"Good luck, my dear." said Penda, before lying down again.
Sarabi left the cave at full speed, but not without waking up someone.
Mega got up very slowly, careful for not to wake neither Jani nor Tojo. Or even the birds, which seemed to have developed a special quality to notice most of the unusual things on the cave, and report them to the blue-eyed cub. Mufasa had even considered to use the birds as extra-majordomos, but they didn't obey to anyone except Simba and Tojo.
Like Penda, Mega had associated the "illness" of the queen to the surprise that she had to Mufasa, however, the lion had his doubts about that.
"I'm almost sure that it will be a surprise." thought Mega, coming out of the cave, and looking to the running Sarabi. "However, I have my doubts that Mufasa will be happy with it."
And, with those thoughts, Mega started stalking Sarabi.
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"Finally you're here!" said Mufasa relieved, when he saw his mate coming.
Sarabi nuzzled him, and then they started walking through the savannah, but in silence. Finally, Mufasa asked: "What's the surprise that you have for me?"
Sarabi turned to him with the same enigmatic smile, that wasn't exactly tranquilizing Mufasa. She turned to him, and, looking at him with loving eyes, leapt, pinned him on his back in a playful way, and whispered lovingly: "I'm pregnant."
For some time, Mufasa was too startled to know what to say… that had come to him completely by surprise… no… not exactly… he had a lot of signals to warn him from that, mainly Sarabi's "illdisposition" during the recent days. He had suggested her to go to Rafiki, but she had refused, insisting that she was fine. And now, she was coming to him with that one?
But, even so… that was great…
"No!" shouted a voice in Mufasa's mind. "That's terrible!"
And then… Mufasa remembered about his father's reaction… when he told him that Sarabi was pregnant with Simba… about the advice that his father gave him… about what happened right on that day…
"What's the matter?" asked Sarabi, confused. "Aren't you happy?"
"Yes!" said Mufasa, allowing his happy side to take care of him. "I'm happy!"
Mufasa pushed Sarabi off him, and nuzzled her. Sarabi nuzzled him back, and then, he said: "It will be good to have another cub… Simba sometimes complains of not having a little brother or sister… let's hope it is a sister, because it is what he wants the most."
"I have the feeling that it's a sister for Simba." said Sarabi, smiling. "But don't worry. We'll just have to wait three to four months to know it."
With those words, Mufasa and Sarabi walked off, enjoying the night for a little bit. Meanwhile, a figure hidden in the high grass sighed with relief as low as he could.
"Mufasa's reaction was less bad than I thought." whispered Mega to himself, as he watched the royal couple disappearing. "Ahadi's reaction was way worst."
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"Father!" said Mufasa, going to Ahadi.
"Yes, Mufasa?" asked the former king.
He was not king anymore ever since Uru had died. Because Uru had been the royal descendant, if she died before Ahadi, Mufasa would be the next to rule, if he was old enough. Because Mufasa was, Ahadi was no longer king – and in a way, he wished that, because he felt that maybe he hadn't been a good king.
That night, he had been making star-watching, looking at Uru's star consistently, almost as if looking at her would make Uru to come down to the earth… or him to go to the stars… he had never been the same since his mate's death… he barely seemed to care about rulling… and had began hating Scar so much, that, from each time he saw his younger son, he barely repressed his will of killing him.
"I have… something to tell you…" said Mufasa, looking at his father. "Sarabi… is pregnant… I will have a son… and you will have a grandson…"
Ahadi got up. Finally, after months of sadness, there was a light of joy at the bottom of the tunnel. He would be a grandfather! Finally… he was free to pass his duty to Mufasa… at least when Mufasa's cub would be born… and then… he could finally have a calm retirement. He opened his mouth to say: "Congratulations, Mufasa!" but, before he spoke, some hard memories came to his mind.
"Sarabi can't have the cub!" thought Ahadi. "Remember what your father told you! His mother died during his birth, and he almost died as well. You nearly died during your birth, alongside mother! Tarki died during his birth, and mother with him. Hamu died during his birth, and Kimya with him! And with Taka… that… well, what cares is that if not for Rafiki, Uru would have died with him..."
Ahadi shook his mane, trying to put the hard memories away, raised his head, and said to Mufasa sternly: "Sarabi can't have the cub. Or at least, she can't have more cubs after that one."
"Why?" asked Mufasa, confused.
He was hoping that Ahadi would be happy with the idea of being a grandfather. And now… he came to tell him that? That Sarabi couldn't have the cub?
"But… how?" asked Mufasa, in a confused voice. "And… what can I do? Sarabi is already pregnant, there's nothing that I can do for she not to have the cub!"
"Do something!" growled the king. "I don't care what, but do something for she not to have the cub. Maybe find some way of making Sarabi to lose that cub. I don't know how, use whatever means are necessary, but she CAN'T have that cub!"
Mufasa was deffinetly getting angry at his father's talking. The younger lion couldn't believe it… why the idea of having a grandson would disturb him that much? But, always that he tried to speak about that, his father ended up arguing with him
"I won't do it!" growled Mufasa, baring his teeth. "I won't make Sarabi to lose her cub, because that would mean hurting her a lot, or maybe taking some medicine from Rafiki… but that would be killing Sarabi's cub! My own son or daughter! And I won't do that!"
And, with those words, Mufasa turned back, and went away.
"Don't turn your back on me, Mufasa!" roared Ahadi, trying to run to face him.
But Mufasa didn't return. He just went to the cave, while Ahadi, still disturbed by his son's talking, went away, looking for an open plain to lie down, and continue star watching… and maybe ask for some advice…
Meanwhile, one lion had listened everything… it was Mega.
"Why?" thought Mega, looking at the running Ahadi. "Mufasa will be happy of being a father, just like you were happy when Mufasa was born. What's wrong with happiness? Maybe… I should just ask for an advice to Rafiki. He knows it all."
And so, Mega left Pride Rock, and ran to the Tree of Life.
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Ahadi lied down on an open plain, looking at the stars again. And, like he did once… years ago… he tried to look for his father's star… for his mother's star… for Kimya's star… but, like he did when he was three years old, it failed.
"Oh… why?" shouted Ahadi to the sky. "Why do you had to leave me for good? Why everybody left me? I just want an advice! Is that ask for too much to you?"
He remembered that, once, during his cubhood, his mother had told him that, in some exceptional cases, ghosts of some dead lions appeared in the sky, and gave important advices to the living ones.
But Ahadi had never received them, and he was really desperate for some, at least in those areas. However, he forgot the stars when he heard some laughter. Very unfriendly laughter.
The lion looked around, and noticed three hyenas looking at him. They were Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed. The three hyenas that his second son and took in and cared for. Ahadi got up, and roared.
"Pff.!" said Shenzi disdainfully. "Do you think that you scare us with that?"
"Out of here!" growled Ahadi, angry. "Before I decide to kill you!"
"No way, Ahadi." said Banzai, with an angry snarl. "We will be the ones to kill you!"
For the first moments, Ahadi was too amazed to react at the sentence of the hyena. They would kill him? Ahadi couldn't help but to burst in laughter.
"You shouldn't laugh so much, Ahadi!" said Shenzi. "We will avenge our parents tonight!"
"And what makes you think that I can't defeat three hyenas?" inquired Ahadi, almost too casually.
"And what makes you think that we're just three hyenas?" asked Shenzi in a very simmilar voice.
With those words, Shenzi made a signal with her tail, and more than a hundred hyenas came out of the high grass, looking at Ahadi with a very angry stare. The king's expression changed from mocking to terrified. There was nothing he could do, because the scavengers were surrounding him, and were too much to be fought.
And then, he listened Shenzi's words. The hatred in the hyena's voice made Ahadi's heart to freeze.
"Kill him."
All the hyenas ran to the king at the same time.
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Mufasa lied down under Pride Rock, without knowing what to do. His father had told him that Sarabi simply couldn't have the cub, and to use any necessary mean to stop her. But… how much he was actually ready to obey his father? And… why such a dramatic reaction at something as usual as the birth of a cub? Not a cub… his own grandson!
"Oh… life is really complicated." thought Mufasa bitterly.
But then, he heard one roar. It was his father's roar, but that wasn't what worried him. What worried him was that the roar was from pain… and a call for help…
"Father!" shouted Mufasa, getting up and starting to run to help him.
However, he was more worried with another thing: if the threat was so big that not even the king could stand it, would be enough if only Mufasa went to help him?
"I have to call the pride!" thought Mufasa. "Then I can go for help."
So, Mufasa ran to Pride Rock, and, entering the cave, roared to wake up the pride. All the pride woke up, rather sleepily, while Mufasa shivered in impatience, and also in fear of what could he happening.
"Oh… what's the matter, Mufasa?" asked Safura, getting up.
"My father is in danger!" said Mufasa, terrified. "We have to help him! Is all the pride here?"
Mufasa scanned the pride with his eyes… and noticed that almost all the pride was there. Only Mega, Jani, and Mimea were missing.
"Follow me!" shouted Mufasa.
And with those words, he turned around and left the cave, with the pride following him.
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Ahadi was completely powerless to do anything to protect himself. He tried to deliver blows, but the hyenas were biting his paws… he was covered in hyenas everywhere, and almost exsanguinated… what could he do?
"Nothing." thought Ahadi. "There's nothing I can do. Those hyenas killed me, because I killed their parents… Taka's hyenas… I wonder if it was Taka who told them to kill me…"
In mind, he kept calling his second son by his real name, without caring for the scar. Maybe… he had loved him… but that didn't care anymore…
"If it was really Taka who told them to kill me…" kept Ahadi in mind. "…I don't think that I have the right to hate him as well… I showed nothing but hatred to him… he paid me with even more hatred… that's fair. Now it's over. I would like to get Taka's forgiveness before I died, but…"
But then, a roar sounded. The hyenas looked backwards, and fled, terrified. Ahadi fell heavily on the ground, without understand at the beginning what had scared the hyenas, but soon he understood.
Mufasa came in front of him, and asked: "Father… father… are you alright?"
"Mufasa…" said Ahadi weakly. "I… will die soon… but first… promise this to me… promise that you'll be nice to your brother, and that you'll never banish him or offend him… please…"
"Father?" asked Mufasa. "What does that mean?"
"Promise!" shouted Ahadi, making some more blood flowing of his wounds, but that was what Mufasa needed.
"I promise…" said Mufasa.
"And now…" kept Ahadi. "Call Taka here… my time is coming… but I want to talk with him…"
"Scar!" roared Mufasa. "Come here, right now!"
Scar came, and then, he asked: "What is it, Mufasa?"
"I…" said Ahadi weakly. "…want to speak… with you…"
Scar came closer, and asked: "What is it, father?"
"Son…" whispered Ahadi. "I will die soon… and that's good… because it seems I couldn't do too much of good things… but… before I die… I want your forgiveness… please… I beg you…"
Scar was rather shocked with that. His father had neglected him, rejected him, tried to kill him, and now, he asked for forgiveness? But… for some reason… probably only because of his mother's memory… Scar decided to forgive him…
"I forgive you… father…" said Scar very slowly.
"Thanks…" said Ahadi. "And please… try to…"
However, nobody actually knew more, because, on that moment, Ahadi coughed some blood, and then, his body fell heavily on the ground… to never to get up again.
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On the very same day, one more lioness had been a victim of the attack of the hyenas. That lioness was Mimea. What she was doing alone was a mistery, and only she knew the answer, but what it's sure is that, on her way, Mimea found the hyenas, and they killed her, for she not to know about the place where they would hide.
Even at the present, Mega, now making his way towards Pride Rock, was haunted by his guilt.
"It's my entire fault!" said Mega to himself, barely speaking silently. "If I was there to protect her, she wouldn't have died! And in the end, Rafiki didn't give me any advice!"
But then, Mega had to keep himself silenced, because he would enter Pride Rock, and it would be better if he didn't wake up anyone. He entered the cave… Sarabi and Mufasa were still absent, according to what he noticed… Uzuri was sleeping with Kilia and Kisasian… Kisasian? If Kisasian was there… Scar and Zira were also absent!
"But where?" asked Mega to himself. "Oh… it doesn't matter. They are probably having a nice night, like Mufasa and Sarabi."
And, shaking away the strange thoughts, Mega went to lie down at his daughter and grandson's side, and fell asleep.
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But, on the Elephant Graveyard, three hyenas weren't sleeping at all. Banzai was still complaining about their meeting with Mufasa, that ended up with him, normally the most unlucky of the trio, with a scratched rear. The wounds were rather disturbing.
"Man, that lousy Mufasa!" said Banzai annoyedly. "I won't be able to sit for a week!"
But someone was thinking about it as funny. Ed laughed insanely, like he usually did.
Banzai said, in an angry voice: "It's not funny, Ed."
But Ed only laughed even louder.
"HEY, SHUT UP!" shouted Banzai, but Ed simply couldn't stop laughing, and almost rolled on the ground after laughing so much.
Banzai's patience reached it's limit. He tackled Ed, and they started fighting, rolling on the ground. Shenzi, who had been quite far, on a ledge, turned to them, and shouted, angry: "Will you knock if off?"
Banzai stopped fighting, but Ed continued, without realizing that he was biting his own leg.
"Well, he started it!" said Banzai.
Ed finally stopped biting his leg.
"Look at you, guys." said Shenzi, walking towards her brothers. "No wonder we're dangling at the bottom of the food chain."
"Man, I hate dangling." said Banzai, with drool dangling from his mouth.
"You know, if it weren't for those lions, we'd be runnin' the joint." said Shenzi, sitting down.
"Man, I hate lions." said Banzai, still angry.
"So pushy." said Shenzi.
"And hairy." added Banzai.
"And stinky." said Shenzi.
"And man, are they…" began Banzai, while Shenzi walked to the other side of him.
"UUUGGLY!" said Banzai and Shenzi together.
After that, both the hyenas burst in laughter.
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Meanwhile, Timon, riding Pumbaa, was close of that place, coming close to a pool of boiling water. The duo was keeping their search for their new home. Pumbaa suggested that they should stop for that day, but Timon insisted that they wouldn't sleep 'till they found their dream home, and, noticing that the meerkat seemed more and more nervous, only with a tenuous grip of reality, the warthog agreed in keeping their search, in an attemp to preserve Timon's sanity.
On that time, Pumbaa began jumping by a bridge of three stones that seemed to serve to cross the lake. Timon, in his deeply nervous state, said endlessly: "Beyond what'cha see. Beyond what'cha see."
"Uh, Timon?" asked Pumbaa, stopping for a while, in another attemp to convince his acquaitance. "Would this be a bad time to bring up that little place I told you about?"
"Hey! This is home sweet home, baby!" said Timon, jumping of Pumbaa's back, and throwing himself down on a steam vent. "Home sweet home. Home…"
But Timon was forced to shut up, or at least to chance his speech, because, on that time, the steam erupted, and Timon got off the vent, shouting from pain.
But he recovered, and said, looking at the vent: "Steam! Ha ha! Steam is good. Steam is-is-is water. Whoo! Gotta have water. You know, for the dream home. Steam home, dream home! Steam, steam, steam.
Timon got a hold of himself, before saying: "I'm perfectly happy r-r-right here. It's remote, private, no unexpected visitors…"
"Uh… Timon." said Pumbaa, after looking to another place.
"We will be all right in here!" said Timon in a joyful way.
"Uh… Timon." repeated Pumbaa.
"It's perfect!" concluded Timon happily.
"Timon!" insisted Pumbaa, without speaking louder, but adding some more insistance.
"What?" asked Timon, annoyed for having been interrupted.
"I'm not sure if that's the perfect place. I found unexpected visitors."
"What do you mean?" asked Timon, paying more attention to the warthog.
"Look!" said Pumbaa, pointing with his hoof.
The meerkat looked on the direction where Pumbaa pointed, and he saw Shenzi and Banzai bursting in laughter. Ed was close to them.
The two animals backed off very slowly, crossing the pool of hot water again, and hiding themselves behind a boulder.
"I think we should get out of here." said Pumbaa to Timon.
"I have a better idea." said Timon. "We should get out of here."
And then, Timon jumped on Pumbaa's back, and they sneaked away.
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Shenzi and Banzai were still bursting in laughter, but they stopped when they heard Scar's voice saying: "Oh, surely we lions are not all that bad."
"I would say the same." said one voice behind Scar. It was Zira.
Banzai got quite surprised, but then he said: "Oh, Scar, Zira, it's just you two."
"We were afraid that was someone important." said Shenzi.
"You two know, like Mufasa!" said Banzai.
"I see…" said Scar.
"Now that's power." said Banzai.
"Tell me about it." said Shenzi. "I just hear that name and I shudder."
"Mufasa." said Banzai.
"Oooh." said Shenzi, shivering. "Do it again!"
"Mufasa!"
Banzai said Mufasa's name some more times, Shenzi shivered of each time Banzai said Mufasa's name, and Ed began laughing, rolling on the ground.
"Oh, it tingles me." said Shenzi.
"I'm surrounded by idiots." said Scar.
"Not you two, Scar and Zira." said Banzai. "You're two are part of us, I mean, you are our pals."
"Charmed." answered Scar and Zira at the same time.
"Oh, I like them." said Shenzi. "They may not be king and queen, but they're still so proper…"
"Yeah, did you two bring us anything to eat?" asked Banzai.
Zira, extended her paw, showing a zebra haunch. The three hyenas began drooling in hunger, and Scar said: "I don't think you really deserve it. We practically gift-wrapped those cubs for them. And you couldn't even dispose of them."
Zira dropped the zebra haunch, the hyenas started eating it, but shortly after Shenzi said with her mouth full: "Well you know… it's not exactly like if they were alone, you know that?"
"Yes, what were we supposed to do?" asked Banzai with his mouth full.
He gulped, and concluded: "Kill Mufasa?"
"Precisely." said Scar.
The hyenas looked at him, confused.
/"Be Prepared" song. Pretty much like the one seen in the movie, with the difference that is sang by Scar and Zira. Scar and Zira leap from the ledge were they are to the ground. The hyenas run away. They begin walking, through sheets of flame./
Scar: I know that your powers of retention
Are as wet as a warthog's backside…
/They come near Ed, who is still chewing the bone./
Zira: But thick as you are, pay attention
/On "pay attention" she swats the bone away, and Ed comes to abrupt attention. Scar walks around Ed./
Scar: My words are a matter of pride
/Scar waves his paw in front of Ed's face, and sings./
It's clear from your vacant expressions
The lights are not all on upstairs
/Scar takes his paw from Ed's face./
Zira: But we're talking kings and successions
/Banzai and Shenzi are behind them, laughing. Scar turns at leaps at them, throwing them to a pair of geysers./
Scar: Even you can't be caught unawares.
/The geysers erupt, throwing Banzai and Shenzi into the air, and Scar struts theatrically along a ledge./
Scar: So prepare for the chance of a lifetime
Zira: Be prepared for sensational news
Scar: A shiny new era
Is tiptoeing nearer
/Scar tiptoes shortly, and jumps away. Shenzi asks: "And where do we feature?" but Zira grabs Shenzi's cheek, and says: "Just listen to teacher." Scar keeps singing, while Shenzi rubs her bruised red cheek./
I know it sounds sordid
But you'll be rewarded
When at last I am given my dues
/Scar and Zira leap up beside Ed, who is chewing the bone. Scar kicks Ed of the ledge./
Zira: And injustice deliciously squared
Zira and Scar: Be prepared!
/"Yeah, be prepared." says Banzai, while he, Shenzi and Ed come out from a pile of bones. "We'll be prepared! Huh, for what?"
"For the death of the king!" answers Scar.
"Why, is he sick?" asks Banzai.
"No, fool, we're going to kill him!" says Zira, grabbing him by the neck.
"And Simba too." says Scar.
Zira releases Banzai, and Shenzi says: "Great idea! Who needs a king?" Shenzi and Ed dance around Banzai, who sings: "No king, no king, la-la-la-la-laa-laa!
"Idiots!" shouts Zira. "There will be a king!"
"Hey, but you said…" started Banzai.
"I WILL BE KING!" said Scar. "Stick with me…"
"And you'll never go hungry again!" completed Zira.
"Yeah, all right!" said Shenzi and Banzai. "Long live the king! Long live the queen!"/
/Camera reveals much more hyenas who are hiding in the shadows, who shout: "Long live the king! Long live the queen!" Then, camera changes to the hyenas goose-stepping across the cave's floor. The hyenas sing./
It's great that we'll soon be connected
With a king who will be all time adored
/Camera switches to Scar and Zira./
Zira: Of course, quid pro-quo, you're expected
Scar: To take certain duties on board
/They both motion a slice across their necks./
Zira: The future is littered with prizes
Scar: And though I'm the main addressee.
Zira: The point that we must emphasize is…
/Scar and Zira jump off their rock throne, to single out one helpless hyena./
Scar and Zira: You won't get a sniff without me.
/The parenthetical parts are the hyenas' counterpoint singing/
Scar: So prepare for the coup of the century (Ooooh)
Zira: Be prepared for the murkiest scam (Ooohh… La! La! La!)
Scar: Meticulous planning (We'll have food.)
Zira: Tenacity spamming (Lots of food)
Scar: Decades of denial (We repeat)
It's simply why I'll be (Endless meat)
The king undisputed (Aaaaaaah…)
Scar and Zira: Respected, saluted (Aaaaaaah…)
Scar: And seen for the wonder I am (Aaaaaaah…)
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared (Oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo)
Scar and Zira: Be prepared!
All (Even Ed): Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!
/Scar, Zira, and the hyenas are laughing evily. Song finishes as the screen cuts to black./
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Well, what did you think? Did the song "Be prepared" work out fine sung by both Scar and Zira? I tried to add some originality on that scene, for not to be an exact rip-off from the movie... what did you think? Review, please!