Third person view/Three months later
It had only been three months since DJ and the male cubs left the Pridelands and yet everyone was already wishing it had been a year.
The lionesses were still forced to cram into Scar's old den and do all the hunting for their king and the hyenas. They were only able to eat what they could before the hyenas came running. And even then it was only ever enough to survive.
Nuka still hadn't grown to Scar's expectations and he made that very clear to the young cub. He never called him son, never nuzzled him, never praised him.
Because of that Zira hadn't left Nuka alone once in fear that the hyenas would kill him. She often thought that maybe she should've sent him off with DJ. But then she worried that if he knew that Nuka was Scar's son, then maybe she shouldn't see him again.
Safe to say, the animals of the Pridelands hadn't been happy with their human king's sudden departure either. Most demanded for Scar to step down and in retaliation, Scar made the lionesses only hunt those prey animals for weeks.
It got so bad that three of the major zebra, wildebeest and gazelle herds had already left the Pridelands. However since Scar almost never left the ledge that the royal family uses, he didn't seem to think anything was wrong.
Right now, it was late in the evening. Even though the lands were starting to loose their vegetation, the sunsets were still as beautiful as ever.
Nala had done what DJ told her to do and said goodnight to the star every night. And when she did, she kept swearing that she could feel Simba and DJ say it back. Everyone else thought she just missed them badly, but didn't feel like saying anything.
The teenage lionesses had all passed their solo hunts a few months ago. Sarafina and Sarabi had figured that with the herds disappearing the way they were it would be better for them to do it sooner.
Scar had kept Zazu alive, but had imprisoned the bird inside a rib cage of a zebra. He mostly used the Royal majordomo as a singing bird.
The lionesses walked past their old den and towards their forced den. Their wounds had healed enough that they could hold their own against a small group of hyenas. But not against Scar's entire army. They'd wait for males to return for that.
Suddenly they stopped as they heard yelling and screaming coming from the main den.
Since there wasn't any hyenas outside the entrance at this time. Sarabi walked forwards and peaked her head inside out of curiosity.
Inside was Scar, Zira and Nuka. Zira had her body over Nuka's and Scar was baring his teeth at her.
"He still has not grown!" Scar yelled not noticing Sarabi. Zira was angry but wasn't snarling just yet.
"I don't care, you're not killing my son!" she said back. Scar narrowed his eyes at his queen before circling her.
"What is wrong with you anyway? You were the one who always said you only wanted strong children. And yet here you are protecting a weakling" he said as Zira watched Scar circling her but kept her body over Nuka's. It was then that Sarabi had seen that Shenzi, Ed and Banzai were also in the cave and were circling from the shadows.
"He isn't weak, he is strong. Or at least he would be if you weren't destroying the Pridelands unlike DJ or Mufasa!" she yelled back. Scar flinched before he jumped at her.
She avoided his swipe but Shenzi bit her back leg, making her turn to swipe at the hyena. Scar took advantage of the distraction. He backhanded her, hard. She went flying into the wall.
Scar then turned his attention to a defenseless Nuka. He shook with fear as Scar raised his paw, aiming for a deathblow.
Zira seen this and jumped at the pair, putting herself in front of Nuka as Scar's paw came down.
She pushed Nuka out of the way and took a slight blow. She felt one of his claws tear through her ear.
Zira landed next to Nuka who immediately tried and defend his mother. But she pushed him back.
"I never should've had a weakling for a queen!" Scar said approaching the two. Zira snarled and gave him one last death glare.
"And I should've told DJ what you were planning!" she said as Scar stopped. "Think about it. Last time I seen the hyenas, they said two months. Yet you came in one" she said as Scar raised his paw yet again. Both mother and son welded their eyes shut.
Suddenly they felt the ground vibrate beneath them. Zira opened her eyes and seen Sarabi was standing in front of them.
"Sarabi, out of the way!" Scar said. Sarabi shook her head as Scar raised his paw. she didn't move.
"If you think that I won't kill you because we were friends during our cubhood. Need I remind you that I killed my brother?" he said. Sarabi shook her head again and smiled despite what he just said.
"I know that you killed your brother Scar and I know that you would kill me. But you shouldn't" she said as Sarafina and Jua came up to pull Nuka and Zira back while Scar was focused on Sarabi.
"Oh, and why's that?" Scar asked now wondering what the past queen was thinking.
"Face it Scar, you know that DJ and Simba will return one day" she said as Scar's face dropped. "You know it, I know it. And when they do return, if I'm dead. DJ will hunt you down even if you do escape. Hell Simba might even get Malka, Chumvi or Tojo to be temporary king and join him" she said stepping forwards and getting into his face.
"They will hunt you from the coast to the mountains if they have too and they won't stop until you're dead, even if it kills them. But if I'm alive, then maybe you have a chance at escaping" she said. She was lying of course, he wasn't leaving the Pridelands when DJ and the others return.
Scar was silent for a few seconds before he turned away.
"You want that weak escuse for a queen and her little bastard. Fine! But don't expect anything from me" he said. Sarabi turned and exited the den.
"We never do" she whispered as she followed the group of lionesses Rafiki's tree. Even though she had been meeting with Scar behind their backs, everyone heard how she was going to warn DJ.
Scar watched from the den as the group made their way to the Royal Mjuzi. Shenzi came up behind him and smiled.
"Don't worry boss. I'll get some clan members and make an example out of a few of them. Keep the others in line" the hyena leader said going to walk away. However Scar blocked her path with his paw.
"No" he said simply. Shenzi looked up at the king with an shocked look.
"You ain't going soft on us, are you?" she asked only to be backpawed by the king. She landed near the two other hyenas who snarled and went to attack.
"Don't!" Shenzi said struggling to get to her feet. She now had three long scratches along the side of her face, the opposite side that DJ's scar was on.
"Never. Ever say that I am going soft. I will not hesitate to find a new hyena leader!" Scar said snarling. Shenzi just kept breathing heavily, but nodded.
Scar walked back into the den. Once he was out of sight, Ed and Banzai helped their matriarch up.
"Why'd you stop us? We have the Pridelands, we could kill him" Banzai said smiling. They all had met Taka at a young age when he once got lost in the Elephant Graveyard. Although Banzai never really took to Scar as the other two did.
"He is our friend and he is right. I spoke out of turn" she said as she went off to the underside of Priderock where the clan normally slept. Banzai and Ed looked at each other before following their matriarch.
At Rafiki's tree
Rafiki hummed as he applied a green paste to Zira's ear. She would definitely have a chunk of her ear missing from now on, but at least both mother and cub were safe.
Everyone had been silent since they got here. Mostly because they were wondering how Rafiki could hum a happy song at this time. But not Zira she was silent for a different reason.
"Why" she finally said gaining everyone's attention. "After all I did. betraying the king, keeping Scar informed on things in the Pridelands. Why did you save me?" she asked looking at Sarabi.
"To be honest with you Zira, I almost didn't. But then I heard about what you said to Scar. It didn't win back all my trust, but it's a start" she said.
Zira smiled at her before looking down at Nuka. The little cub had fallen asleep immediately after being checked out by Rafiki. Sarabi then sighed.
"Though I'm sure you probably already know DJ and the cubs will return. I hope you understand, why we won't tell you which way they headed" Sarabi said. Zira frowned and looked down, but nodded.
"I understand" she said lowly. She then looked out onto the landscape. "Though I'm sure that there'll be a pride to return to. With the way that food is disappearing" she said.
Rafiki let out a small chuckle as he put a leaf on Zira's ear. That attracted the attention of the whole pride.
"Something amusing, Rafiki?" Zira asked somewhat hostile. Rafiki smiled before putting his stuff away.
"I myself asked that exact same question months ago" he said. Everyone waited for him to continue, but he didn't.
"Well, what happened?" Sarafina said impatient for an answer. Rafiki smiled before jumping up into his tree and grabbing his staff.
"You follow Rafiki, he knows the way" he said before letting out a screech. He jumped out of his tree and started running towards Priderock. The lionesses, now very confused, followed as best they could.
They rounded the corner of Priderock and frowned.
"Where'd he go?" Amani said looking around. Nala then turned her head to the rock just as a pair of eyes disappeared behind a wall of vines.
"There!" she yelled running through the vines and into the large cave, the rest following. They all knew the Lion Guard lair but some, like the ones from Maisha and Jua's pride had never been inside it.
"Where's he taking us?" Sarafina asked looking around the dark cave. Though even with the night vision, none could see the mandrill.
Suddenly the walls began to glow and the pictures began to move. There were dozens of pictures on the walls. Some lions recognized them as the times when the previous Lion Guard defended the Pridelands.
Sarafina even seen one where the Lion Guard rescued Nala's father. But the one that stood out the most was the one at the very back.
It was a picture of four lions and a human standing at the top of Priderock. Two lions had golden coats but their manes were different. One was black the other was red.
There was also a brown coloured lion with a darker coloured mane. And the last one had a blonde coloured coat with the same coloured mane.
"It's them" one of the lionesses said shock. The way the five were standing over Priderock it was like they were victorious over something. Suddenly Rafiki dropped down next to them, resulting in a few screams.
"And if you look down here" he said tapping his staff against the wall. There at the bottom of Priderock was a large group of lionesses looking up at the five. The pride smiled at that. They were going to live to see their return.
"Rafiki, where did these come from?" Sarabi asked. Rafiki smiled before pointing to the bottom corner of the picture. There was a signature that Sarabi barley recognized.
"Mganga?... Wait Mohatu's Royal Mjuzi? but that was what, forty years ago since Mohatu's reign" she said. Rafiki nodded and gestured to the picture.
"Yet he painted DJ, Simba, Malka, Tojo and Chumvi in perfect detail. Even DJ's scars" he said. The lionesses all looked at each other with a smile. Now they had their answer
And with that they exited the cave. Rafiki's smile disappeared however as he moved some vines from an opposite wall revealing a human and a large hyena lunging at each other. They were both going for the kill with determination in their eyes.
"The real danger is afterwards" he said before covering them up and exiting the cave as well.
Six months later
Sarafina held her breath as she walked towards the den's entrance. Scar sent some hyenas to come get her, for what they wouldn't say.
It had now been a total of nine months since DJ and the cubs left the Pridelands. Only three more to go.
It hadn't been easy at times what with Nala and the others growing fast. They were now barley young adults. And whatever food they did get mostly went to them or to Nuka.
Nuka had been growing. Slowly, but he was growing. Zira's ear had healed and was now just a painful memory for her.
Now all that remained of a green and luscious Pridelands was a few scattered herds. The green grass had been replaced by nearly completely black dirt.
As Sarafina approached the den, her entire body was filled with fear. What could Scar possibly want with her.
She walked past the hyena guards, who for some reason gave her an creepy smile. She rolled her eyes, Scar never was without a guard. Coward.
She found Scar chewing on a bone up on the ledge. But as soon as he seen her, his expression softened.
"Ah Sarafina, how are you doing?" he asked. Okay now she was definitely put off. Scar never cared about anyone other than himself.
"Good" she said getting ready for a fight. Was he going to make an example out of her. He had been mad when the lionesses hadn't brought any food back the last few times.
"Let me guess" he said circling her. "You would like to know why I called you in here?" he said. Not sure of what else to do, she nodded.
"Well, we were never close during our cubhood. So I just thought I'd bring you in, get to know each other" he said before stopping in front of her.
"Especially if we are to be family soon" he said. Her face went into shock as her claws definitely came out now.
"W-what?" she asked now scared of what the tyrant might do. Scar smiled.
"You see Nala came to visit me the other day" he said. Sarafina growled under her breath. She told Nala not to never come in here.
"She showed quite concern for the Pridelands. Just like a great queen" he said as Sarafina's anger towards her daughter went to protective instinct quickly.
"What? No. Take me instead... I'll be your queen" she said not wanting her daughter to have any time in her life paired with this monster. Not even for only a few months. Scar however snarled and took a step towards her.
"You were tainted by that human, showing affection for him. Everyone in the pride saw it. Everyone except him that is" he said laughing. Sarafina thought about attacking him. But the soft growls of hyenas, reminded her that the two weren't alone in the cave.
"I just brought you in here so I could tell you beforehand, give you time to process it" he said before jumping back up on the ledge like nothing happened.
Sarafina quickly ran outside of the den tears streaming down her face. She heard the hyenas laughter which fuelled her anger.
She ran to the old kill site, now reduced to black dirt and dead trees. The rest of the pride watched with worried faces as she approached.
"Sarafina, what's wrong?" Sarabi asked walking forward. Sarafina looked over at her daughter before motioning with her head for her friend to follow her.
"Scar wants Nala as his queen" she said. Sarabi's face went into disbelief as she turned to the young adult lioness.
"Apparently she went inside sometime yesterday. Told Scar what he was doing to the Pridelands was wrong and in his eyes, that means she cares for the Pridelands as a queen would" Sarafina said. Sarabi went to speak, but was cut off.
"I already offered myself in her place. Scar said I was tainted by DJ. Wouldn't take me. And he probably won't take you since he wouldn't want Mufasa's shadow over him" she said. Sarabi sighed.
"And we cannot ask any of our sisters to do this neither (sigh)... Listen I have an idea, it'll make sure Nala is safe. But for a few days, it'll make our lives a living hell" she said. Sarafina perked up at that and nodded.
"Okay, follow my lead" she added before walking over to the group.
"Everyone gather around!" Sarabi yelled getting everyone in a circle around the two older lionesses. Though a few stayed facing outwards watching for hyenas.
"When I send DJ and the cubs away, I thought we could survive the year. But I didn't know that things would get this bad" Sarabi started.
"Yeah no shit, we're barley getting enough to eat to stay alive. Let alone hunt for that lazy ass and his pets" Shujaa, a lioness from Maisha and Jua's pride said.
"Shujaa! Please" Maya said only to have Sarabi cut her off.
"No Maya, it's alright to speak the truth. So as I was saying, we may need to make a few changes to the plan" she said.
"What kinda changes? like run, find DJ and the other and then kind a new territory?" Kula spoke up from beside Nala, Tama and Tumaini.
"No, not exactly" Sarabi said looking at the four lionesses. "I want you four to go find DJ. You guys as the youngest can hold your own against hyenas well. So if DJ has trained the cubs to fight as well as he can, they may even be better than you already" she said.
"Bu-but what about you guys? We can't just leave you here" Tama said not wanting to leave her mom and aunts behind with a tyrant.
"We survived for nine months in this wasteland. A few more days ain't gonna kill us" Sarafina said. "And besides we need to be here and create a distraction for you four to sneak out. We'll be fine."
Nala looked at her friends before they all nodded. She turned to her mother and nodded as well. Sarafina sighed before smiling at her daughter. After the whole thing is done, she'll tell her daughter the truth.
"So you want me to give DJ a few licks when I see him?" Nala asked her mother which resulted in the pride laughing.
"Hmm if you want but I'm not sure how Simba would take that" Sarafina said in retaliation. Nala chuckled at her mother.
Nightfall
The lionesses used all their skills and knowledge of hunting to bring down several of the last animals that were in the Pridelands. Then they brought them all to the western side of the lands. And then when the hyenas got there they did a bit more of a scene than usual.
not enough to make the hyenas attack. but enough for the hyenas to call in the border patrol in for backup.
While they did that, Nala and the others ran out and into the desert. They didn't know where DJ or the others would be, but they knew that it would have to be somewhere green.
They just hoped that it wasn't too late for any of their friends. Or their family.
So, I'm sorry this one took a little longer than it should've. But I have been a little busy with everything going on in the world today. But I'm off work for a little while, so the next few updates may come quicker.
