Mufasa didn't spend a lot of time looking for the cub as he found him at the back of Pride Rock, hidden between two big rocks. A sudden memory of his cubhood, when he used to spend time with his brother there, as Ahadi hated to see them together. Taka was the one who discovered the whole, and he immediately told his brother. A shake from his head, as he didn't want to remember those memories. But deep inside he thought maybe they were the ones who told him a shy cub would hide there.

He took the liberty of entering the site, seeing Malka drawing with his claws in the dirt; random forms to entertain his mind, for sure, nothing serious. Mufasa looked a bit further at him, taking advantage of haven't been discovered yet; the cub's eyes were shining with sadness, something he had only seen in his brother's emeralds when he was young. Again, a shake of his head, not wanting to remember Scar after the fight they had. Just one more… he thought annoyed.

Finally, Malka looked up, seeing the King in front of him, and intuitively flinched, being terrified of the sight of such a big lion who was unknown for him. Mufasa tried to give him his best smile, but the stressful situation he was living didn't help him to succeed, and the cub just could see easily he was pretending. So, he just glued his eyes to the ground and kept drawing. Mufasa sighed.

"Malka, what are you doing in here?" he asked calmly. "And all alone…" he added a bit worried.

The cub didn't look or answer, just kept drawing forms in the dirt. Mufasa didn't feel upset about that; he could never hurt a kid, or roar, or lose control for a misbehaving. After what happened in his cubhood, he decided he would have all the patience in the world. But still, he wasn't able to understand the kid, and didn't know what had to be said.

"What are you doing?" he asked, trying to make him see he was interested in him.

"Drawing…" said Malka with a sad tone, still not looking at him.

"Do you like to draw?" kept asking Mufasa. The cub just shrugged. "I used to draw, but I wasn't as good as you" he said with a tender smile.

Maybe he had to show interest in what the cub liked? Or maybe he was being too meddler? He was lost as he'd never been, and he hated it. He didn't mind if Malka was Kali's son or not, he didn't want him to be sad in his kingdom. Until he was gone, he was his responsibility. He came to the conclusion that maybe the cub was afraid of him because he was a King; and so, he decided to show him he didn't have to treat him with big respect. He thought Malka would feel more comfortable seeing him as a friend and not a monarch.

"Listen, Malka… I know it must be hard for you to be in these lands, and I understand it" he started to say, taking a seat in the entrance of the hideout. "And I also suppose you are afraid of us, but you don't have to. In here you will find adults and cubs who are the same that the ones who live in your lands, so you don't have to worry or act towards different as you would do back at home" he explained, seeing the cub was focus on his draws than in what he was saying. "And of course you don't have to be afraid of me. Just because I'm the King doesn't mean that you can't talk to me, or tell me whatever you want, or ask me something…"

"Can I ask you something?" asked the cub suddenly, looking at him.

"Of course, whatever you have inside your mind" said Mufasa with a smile, happy to see he finally caught his attention.

"Could you please go so I can keep drawing alone and in peace?" said the cub directly.

Mufasa was in shock a few seconds. "Well… Actually, I'd want you to come with me back to the den. We're going to have a burial just now" he explained, seeing the sun disappearing in the horizon.

"If I go with you, will you leave me alone?" asked Malka.

"…Yes…"

Malka thought a bit and then sighed, resigned and getting up: "Alright, I'll go with you…"

Mufasa saw him passing him by, without looking at him, and wrinkled his nose. This cub was going to be more difficult than he expected. Sighing relieved because finally Malka listened to him, he accompanied him back to the den, when he went immediately to see his grandmother. Usiku looked at him with kindness and both nuzzled each other. Mufasa knew that would be the only times when he would see the old lioness acting that way towards anyone in there. Sarabi took him out of his thoughts going at his side and caressing his mane.

"Mufasa, glad to see you come" she said with a sad smile. "Are you prepared?"

"Yes, of course… Have you told them already…?" asked Mufasa a bit absent-minded.

"Yes, I've told them as soon as they came back" she explained nodding.

"Good… In that case, let's go to the feet of the Rock"

The Kings were usually buried at Rafiki's tree, where the actual King would give a speech and then the shaman of the kingdom would do a ceremony to make their souls ascend to Heaven, finally giving the dead the peace they deserved. This time, as Amani wasn't part of their pride they would bury her at the feet of Pride Rock. Mchumba and Leo didn't want to tell any of the lionesses the news, knowing the would want to come and it was dangerous. They had to protect their family above all. Amani would have come to the same conclusion and supported them.

The lionesses of the Ndona pride were in shock once they were informed by their Queen. The few who grew up in there knew her and were sad, some of them were even shedding tears for the death of such a great friend; Sarafina, being the only one who never knew her, felt a bit out of place, but still she could sensed the sadness her sisters were feeling, and so she tried to control herself to not cry. She didn't want to be the centre of attention that night with her famous sensitivity. Still, she went to talk to Sarabi while they were descending Pride Rock.

"How are you feeling?" she asked concerned.

"Getting by, actually" the Queen answered with a sad smile. "I've been working all day. I don't want to think about what happened"

"I understand" said Sarafina with ears pinned.

"But I'm worried about now, and what will happen tonight" she admitted.

"Why? Are you afraid you could break in front of us?"

"Yes"

"Don't worry about that, we all understand you're going through a hard time. I doubt any of them would say something to you" tried to comfort Sarafina with a smile.

Sarabi just nuzzled her a bit. "I'm so lucky to have you as a friend, Fina" she said honestly.

"Same…" said the blue-eyed lioness when a sudden sensation of nausea took over her. "Ugh…" she complained.

"Something's wrong?" asked Sarabi with a cocked eyebrow.

"Nothing, nothing… I just felt like…" tried to explain Sarafina, but the sensation came back.

"Fi, I think you're not feeling that right. You can stay inside" said the Queen worried over her friend.

"Nonsense, I have to be here. You need me here" said Sarafina, taking a deep breath. "See? I'm fine"

"If you say so" said Sarabi, not truly convinced.

Mufasa was the first one who arrived at the end, and he put jumped on a rock, to be able to see everyone in front of him. His heart started to beat against his chest. He never had stage fright, he was used to talk to a lot of people, but maybe because he was going to talk about someone who was such a great friend of his made it difficult. He took in some air, trying to focus. Rafiki was at his side, and put a comforting hand in his shoulder.

"Calm down, Mufasa" he said in a whisper.

"I'm alright, I'm alright…" lied the King, not wanting to worry someone.

He took a look at the lionesses. None of them dared to look forwards, all their glares were glued to the ground. The cubs were there also. They didn't want to leave them alone, and they even insisted in coming. His son was the first one to say it, and then, all his friends showed they agreed with him. Mufasa didn't know if he should have said them no, but still, didn't see it wrong. The cubs showed such a maturity in the subject that he was even surprised. At least, he was glad they were able to know about death in a better way he did when he was younger.

Mufasa growled due to frustration. Why he had to be thinking about all that past things now? It wasn't the moment. He had to be strong and show impassable in front of their subjects. A King shall never show himself weak in front of his people; that's a dishonour his father had once taught him. Do not cry in front of anyone. Never. You're not a female, you're a male, the future King of the Pride Lands, act as such.

"Get out of my head…" whispered Mufasa, overwhelmed.

"Have you said something?" asked Rafiki.

"Nothing…" answered the King, shaking his head.

Come on, don't fail. You can't fail now. It's Amani who we're talking about… thought Mufasa, feeling his heartbeats faster than before. It was such an odd situation, he had never felt so nervous when it was about talking in front of the lionesses.

"You can start now, your majesty" said Zazu, flying in front of him.

Mufasa was caught by surprise. Was Zazu there all that time…? Focus! thought the King, scolding himself hardly. He looked at the pride and he frowned.

"No, I can't. Someone's missing" he said serious.

Zazu just titled his head, confused. "But, your majesty, all the lionesses and the cubs are here" he said sharing a perplexed glare with Rafiki.

"I wasn't talking about them…" said Mufasa a bit preoccupied.

A sudden feeling of déjà vu. He had lived the same the day of his son's presentation. He waited a few minutes, he delayed the moment waiting for his brother. Truth be said, he didn't invite him in person; in fact, they didn't talk since the night before, when Simba was born and Scar gave him the name his son had today. The first time Mufasa told Scar he was going to be an uncle, his brother couldn't have been more sharp, he just told him: "Not my business", and then turned around, leaving him enraged and hurt.

Again, the damned memories…

Are you still stung for that? Let it go, Mufasa…

Great, now start talking to me as well… thought Mufasa angry with himself. He exhaled slowly, in attempt to calm himself down. His brother was going to come this time. He had asked him directly that time, he had promised him to come in the face that time. He was going to come. He was going to… What if he doesn't? Mufasa said in his head, afraid. Because if Scar didn't come to Amani's funeral, then he would know everything was lost, that it was true Scar had a piece of ice inside his chest. No. No. He will come, I just know it…

"Your majesty, they are all waiting for you" said Zazu in a calm tone.

"I can't start. My brother is not here" said Mufasa in a low voice.

"Your brother?" asked the hornbill with a cocked eyebrow. "He's already here, sir" said the bird.

"What?" asked the King.

He looked at the crowd again, seeing this time his brother in a corner, beside Sarafina, who stood loyal by Sarabi's side. He didn't seem to feel anything, but still he was there. Something was something.

"Thank you, Zazu" said the King with a small smile.

"My pleasure… And I'm sorry" said the bird, feeling how strange the monarch was acting and thinking it was because of the loss.

Mufasa couldn't help but look at his brother. He thought maybe his presence would bring him some peace, but it happened otherwise. Suddenly, he felt about to collapse, his air trapped in his throat and his whole body numb. He hadn't felt that way in his entire life…

"Mufasa, when you feel more comfortable…" said Rafiki in a whisper, feeling his state.

"Yes.." said the King, taking in some breath. After clearing his throat, he began: "Today we suffered the loss of a lioness who, for the majority of us, was our best friend, advisor and…" Mufasa saw the lions looking at him with confusion, and he didn't understand it. Of course, he wasn't feeling he was smiling. "And also… some who was always there for us, no matter what…" he said the last world letting a little giggle escape his lips. This time, he did feel it…

"Did he laugh…?" asked Diku a bit confused.

"No, maybe he coughed…" answered Naanda, paying her whole attention to the King.

Mufasa just cleared his throat: "I know that the law says she had to be buried in her lands, but, due to the situation we're living…" again, a few giggles escaped his throat while saying: "we all decided to… haha… do the funeral in here…" and Mufasa then had to press his lips, feeling extremely nervous.

"…"

"This is like that Titanic legend the migrant birds one told us…" commented Scar under his breath.

"Mufasa… Are you laughing?" asked Sarabi a bit hurt.

"No…" a small smile. "No, no, of course n…" and then he giggled a bit at the end.

"He's really laughing" said Dwala frowning.

"Why are you laughing in the middle of a funeral?" asked Kuvutia confused.

"The funeral of a supposed friend of his" commented Usiku impassable.

"No, no, I didn't laug…" and again, a giggle made him stop talking.

"Mufasa, what's going on here?" asked Sarabi feeling angry and hurt at the same time.

"How many strange things…" said Simba with a confused expression. "First, I see uncle Scar crying; now, Dad laughs at her friend's death; this afternoon Tama didn't insult me…" he started to say, counting with his paw.

"What?" they all said in unison.

"Damn child…" said Scar angry, with teeth bared.

"Yes, yes, not even a 'you're a stupid' or something like that" said the prince.

"Don't get used to it… I was having a nice day…" said the lioness cub upset, rolling her eyes.

"Simba, we're talking about what you said about your uncle" explained Dwala with a raised eyebrow.

"Is it true?" asked Zinguela.

"Yes" the prince simply said, shrugging.

"So he has feelings after all…" commented Zazu impressed.

"Zazu…!" scolded Rafiki with a frown.

"Don't, let him, he's just saying what we all are thinking, anyway" said Diku.

"How it happened?" asked Naanda interested.

"We just asked him some things about aunt Amani" answered Nala. Then, she looked at Scar sadly: "We didn't want to make you sad, we're sorry, Scar!" she apologised, feeling bad.

"You didn't make me feel bad. Stop it" said the dark lion rolling his eyes.

"You cried because you miss your friend, honey!" said Sarafina moved. Then, she went to hug him. "Come here, cry, cry if you want" she said kindly.

Scar just pushed her a bit and got separated. "Don't say nonsense! I didn't cry!" he said annoyed.

"But I saw you" said Simba frowning.

"What's so strange anyway?" asked Leo suddenly, shrugging. "At least he cries, not like this one, who is laughing as if he had been told a very good joke…" he said a bit angry looking at Mufasa.

"I am not laughing!" said Mufasa with a frown.

"But I saw you as well!" said Simba, very confused. "I don't get it!"

"None of us, actually…" said Dwala looking daggers at Mufasa.

"I am not laughing" repeated the King. "I am really affected because Amani is dea…" and then he laughed, not being able to stop. He tried to press his lips, but still the smile remained.

"I can't believe this from you!" said Sarabi feeling really hurt. "How can you be like this?" she said with teary eyes.

"No, Sarabi, really…" tried to say Mufasa, with a shaking voice from the laughter. "I am really sorry… Haha…"

"Well, you seem to be having a really good time for me" said Dwala angry.

"Told you you should've married Kuvutia" said Leo.

"What does that have to do with this now?" said Dwala upset.

"And do not get me into this…" said Kuvutia.

"I'm really sorry, Sarabi, I don't know what's wrong with me…" tried to say Mufasa, laughing from time to time.

"He keeps laughing…" commented Diku.

"It seems he thinks this is funny" said Naanda narrowing his eyes.

Mufasa was feeling his face burning from the blushing, and without thinking, he turned around and left the place, feeling ashamed as he never felt. He just needed to run, to hide where he couldn't be found, pray to the great Kings his subjects would forget about this horrible moment. But he knew it would be useless. When he arrived at the place where he found Malka, he didn't think twice before entering the place, remembering a lot of moments lived with his brother inside. And then he sat, feeling a terrible headache.

None of the lions in the pride went immediately after the King, being in shock. Rafiki looked at the direction his friend had run and sighed. He was about to turn around and try to explain the pride what happened but surprisingly, Scar talked for him.

"I hope you're happy" he said with a frown.

"What are you talking about? We didn't do anything" said Zinguela.

"You didn't respect someone, as always" explained Scar. "You complain if my brother laughs, you complain when you see Sarafina crying… Make up your minds already!" he said angry, starting to go to the direction his brother had stormed off.

"Scar, he was laughing in the middle of a speech that has to be serious" said Dwala with a cocked eyebrow.

"Do you think he wasn't taking it seriously?" asked Scar, stopping and looking at the lioness. "Just because he didn't act as it's supposed to, doesn't mean he doesn't feel the loss. In fact, I would say he is really affected, more than any of us could say. Think about that while I'm going to fix your stupidity again" he said before leaving.

Scar could feel the surprised looks he received, and he couldn't blame them for that. It was strange to see him defending his brother in public. Honestly, he didn't do it for Mufasa, he was just sick of their way of thinking and acting. He hated to see Sarafina supressing her sensitivity because the lionesses thought she was exaggerating; he hated to be criticised because he didn't want to show his feelings openly. It seemed that everything annoyed them, and that was their problem, and nobody's else.

He caught his brother's essence faster than he thought, and when he arrived at the place Mufasa was, he was surprised to see it was the hideout he found when he was a cub. He wanted to turn around, feeling mad at all the memories the place possessed, but for reasons he couldn't understand, he decided to go in. Mufasa felt his essence a bit late, but when he did and saw him in front of him, he just turned around his head, not wanting to see him.

"Leave" he demanded.

"No" was the simply answer the older gave him.

"Really, Scar, I don't want to see anybody right now. I've just made a fool of myself back there" said the King.

"No. Do you remember that time when you roared at that wildebeest to show who was the boss in here and you received a kick in the eye?" he asked.

"… … Yes…" answered the King, ashamed.

"That time you made the fool. But not now" he said with a tiny smile, entering the place and sitting at his brother's right.

Mufasa looked at him with the corner of his eyes and admitted: "I didn't think you would be the one who would come for me"

"Why?" asked the dark lion with a frown.

"Because I know how much Amani meant for you, and I guess you're angry at me"

Scar just hissed and rolled his eyes: "Your logic always impresses me…" he commented. "She really meant a lot to you too" he added, more serious.

"She was always there for me when… When you were gone" he admitted.

"It doesn't surprise that much. She was always there for anyone who needed help" said Scar with a bit of melancholy.

Mufasa took a bit before say: "If she was that important then why don't you show it?"

Scar sighed: "Mufasa, really…"

"No, seriously. I told you she was dead and you did nothing"

"What do you want me to do?"

"I don't know… Just…"

"Why I respect the fact that you laugh or smile any time you say she's no longer here, but you can't respect when I just want to not show how I feel?" asked Scar upset, looking directly at his brother.

He saw Mufasa pinning his ears and looking at the ground. Scar sighed, feeling exhausted. First, the news of Amani's death; then, what happened to Shenzi and now he had to make his brother come back… for the second time till all this craziness started.

"Mufasa…"

"Was it truth? What you say back at Krismasi?" the King asked suddenly.

Scar blinked a few times. "We all said so many things back then…" he said a bit lost.

"I mean… When you say you didn't cry when Mother died… Was it truth? You never cried?" asked the younger, looking directly at his brother.

Scar was caught off guard, but he replied: "Only when nobody saw me"

Mufasa then took his eyes off him: "I never did, not even when I wasn't being seen" he admitted.

The dark lion narrowed his eyes: "You never cried over Mum's death?" he asked astonished.

Mufasa shook his head: "I couldn't" he simply said.

It took him a bit, but finally, Scar seemed to understand: "It was all Ahadi's doing again, right?" he asked a bit angry. "What did he tell you that time?"

"Nothing…"

"Mufasa"

"I… The kingdom had just lost its Queen, I couldn't be weak" answered Mufasa, moving uncomfortable in his place.

Scar was silent. He could have never thought his brother was also broken in the inside. For an instant, he wondered if maybe Mufasa heard Ahadi's voice inside his head when he least needed it.

"Do you know why a hyena laugh?" Scar asked suddenly.

"What?" asked Mufasa confused.

"Do you know why a hyena laugh?" repeated the dark lion.

"No" admitted the monarch.

"Of course you don't, you kick them out before they can even talk…" commented Scar, enjoying the bother in his brother's features. "A hyena doesn't laugh just because they think everything is funny or because they are stupid, as it is believed here" he explained. "Sometimes, they just laugh because of stress"

"Really?" asked Mufasa with a cocked eyebrow. "I would've never imagined that"

"Yes. When they hunt and want to call their pack, or when they are being chased by some of us or any other animal. They laugh because they are nervous, stressed… All that" a brief pause before he added: "I am not angry or upset because you laugh, Mufasa; I was raised with hyenas, I'm used to hear laughter for everything, and I know it was never with the wish of mocking me or anything like that" he explained, looking at his brother carefully.

Mufasa was silent after that. Even if he could had lived one thousand years, he would've never imagined that, among all the lions that formed his pride, his brother would be the only one who would understand what was wrong with him and show him such an understanding.

"What if you laugh because you can't deal right with your emotions right now? I can bet any of those lions would have done it any differently" he said shrugging. "I've already talked to them, by the way, so you don't have to be worried about coming back anytime you want" he looked at his brother, who couldn't even make eye contact with him. Then, he sighed: "Mufasa, it wasn't your fault"

The King flinched at that, and Scar knew he finally got him. He knew Mufasa best than anyone else. They could fight every day the rest of their lives, but still, Scar would be the one who knew his brother the most and best. Mufasa hated to fail people, especially his subjects. In his obsession with being always the perfect king Ahadi taught him to be, he felt everything that happened as his responsibility. For sure, knowing Amani died while she was coming to his lands and he could do nothing to save her, despite knowing there were jackals around these lands, was like a punch in his soul. Mufasa spent a few minutes in silence, and Scar could feel he didn't believe him.

"Mufasa" he called once again. "It wasn't your fault" he repeated calmly.

"She died near my lands"

"That doesn't…"

"I knew there were jackals loose" he interrupted his brother. "I should've seen it coming"

"It wasn't your fault" repeated Scar once his brother was quiet.

This time, the King didn't say anything, just started to laugh a bit and Scar waited patiently, seeing his red orbs shining with tears. As he expected, the laughter was transformed, slowly, into crying. Scar began to get up, but Mufasa surprised him by hugging him. The older was hesitant at first, but he finally hugged his brother back with one paw. He didn't say anything, and even if Mufasa wanted to hear something, he knew that the fact that his brother was there was enough, acknowledged of the relationship they had now.

None of them knew how time passed, but they were glad nobody had come, finding them like that. But both of them knew something: after some years, the place where they shared so much time together, brought them together again and was possessor of a new memory.

Only time could tell if there would be more.

Divided we fall…
but united we stand.

Please, read this if you may...

One little thing: this chapter was important to me in a way (they all are, in fact, but meh XD) because I used Mufasa to show a "problem" I have till... forever, actually. When someone tells me a problem, or when something bad happens to me, I laugh. I've never been the best in showing my emotions, I'm not cold, but I can't deal with them very good, to be honest. I usually show myself angry, instead of crying, because when I was little (in preschool) I used to cry a lot as I hated to be there (bad teachers and classmates, things now I can't remember), but the teachers called me affectionate in a despective manner (because in there, being sensitive is equal to be weak). So, I carried that "nice" name all my life in that school till I left, but then I hated to cry in front of people, so I decided to supress my feelings anytime something affected me, and I started to laugh when something happened (this is horrible, because people used to think I laugh at them and I couldn't stop laughing or smiling) and also began hating to cry in front of anyone, and sometimes I can't even cry when I want to, because it's like I'm stuck. So, I just write this in a way to... Mmm... Vent, for saying it in a way.

Well, I stop now, I've talked too much and I don't want to bore you XD

Thanks for all your support, it really means a lot! (I would've never expected this story to be so liked, wow! You all rock! =P)