A/N:

This is a smaller, in-between chapter. My head is with the next chapter already (the next chapter is one of the chapters that had been in my head when I just started re-writing/editing this story.) But first this one! For some chapters finding a name is hard, but I finished this chapter around the 8th and since 8/8 is known to be The Lion's Gate (spiritual, as you perhaps see in my writing I am), I named the chapter The Lion's Gate!

The three hyenas Shenzi, Banzai and Ed were heading towards Scar's den. They just came from Zira, who kind of had transferred her bad mood to them.

"I hope the drama ya asked for was worth being yelled at by Zira because Scar's gonna do the same!" Banzai complained to Shenzi.

"Stop being such a chicken!" Shenzi rolled her eyes right before entering Scar's den. There the lion seemed to have waited for them. And as expected, also he looked annoyed.

"What took you three so long?" Scar immediately called out as soon as he spotted the hyenas walking in.

"We're here now, what's eating ya?" Shenzi said on a tone that sounded suspiciously innocent.

Scar rolled his eyes. "Please don't act like you don't know, Shenzi." He sighed.

"Is this about the br..- um Nala's dad? We didn't knew the lion was her dad!" Shenzi tried to talk themselves out of it. She exchanged glances with Banzai, trying to get some support.

"No, Scar, we didn't. Did ya, Ed?" Banzai added, resulting in Ed to nod his head highly enthusiastic and immediately Shenzi shook hers while giving Banzai a 'you had one job' look.

Scar growled and jumped in front of the three hyenas. "Don't play me for a fool!"

"Just a small.. mistake," Shenzi started while she and both her two male companions tipped backwards. "Easy to fix.."

"Really? How?" Scar sarcastically responded while narrowing his eyes.

"I don't know.. maybe by.. banishing him yourself?" Shenzi sat up a big grin.

Scar growled. "How convenient for you, isn't it? 'Let Scar kick him out, then Nala realizes he's still a cruel lion and she'll leave him and the Pride Lands for good!'.." Scar mockingly imitated the hyenas. "I'm not stupid, I know how your brain's are working and you keep forgetting you shouldn't underestimate the one you're up against.." He frowned. "No, he stays, thanks to you.."

"So.. we're good?" Banzai carefully asked as everything the lion just said had slightly confused him.

Scar took a deep breath, an extremely deep breath. "What am I supposed to do with them?" He deliberately said out loud and then he shook his head. "Just go and bother someone else, all right?"

"Pal, we're just here..-"

"Get out!"

Last night Lio met his son he before wasn't aware he had. Unlike a certain and only other father and son currently present here in the Pride Lands, they seemed to get along quite well.

"Your mother did a good job, I really think you're a clever, tough boy, Mheetu," Lio said to his son. "I bet you provided our ladies of good protection!"

"He sure did!" Sarafina gave the boy a wink.

"Yes, I did!" Mheetu sat up a big, playful smile. "I always guard the Lion's Gate!"

"What's the Lion's Gate?" Lio asked out of curiosity.

Mheetu looked around him. "This whole place! I can show you around, I know all the fun places!" he told his father, before getting distracted by Nala walking in. "Hey Nala!"

"Hey Mheetu!" Nala smiled. "May I have a moment alone with our parents?" She asked on a soft, friendly tone.

Mheetu shrug. "Where do you need to talk about?" The boy let his curiosity play.

"Oh just.. um," Nala showed her brother a playful grin. "..boring grown-ups stuff.."

"Yak!" Mheetu pulled a bored face. "I'm outta here!" He put action into his words and quickly run outside.

"Let me guess," Lio greeted his daughter. "Scar sent you to tell your own father to get lost?" He frowned. "If he even loved you a little bit, he would have had the guts to come and tell me himself!"

Nala shook her head. "He might hate you, but Taka loves me more than enough to look through that because he said you are welcome to stay!" she shared, surprising her father that much that she had him tongue-tied.

"That's a relief, Nala!" Sarafina took a heavy breath. "Seeing how happy Mheetu was, it would have broken my heart if I had to disappoint him."

"I go bring him the good news myself!" Nala replied and with a small jump she turned, attempting to do as she said, until her father called after her.

"Nala, I know you aren't very delighted by my unexpected return and I can't blame you," Lio started. "But I would love to spend some more time with you sometime, when you're ready."

After briefly exchanging a look with Sarafina, Nala looked at her father. "I guess that wouldn't hurt," she answered before getting off.

"Thank you Lio.." Sarafina said after Nala left. "I know you had to withhold yourself from slandering her relationship with Scar even more."

Lio sighed. "She wouldn't have listened anyway. He has her brainwashed.." The bastard has them all brainwashed.. "She'll figure it out eventually, I hope.."

Zira watched her son gnaw a small bone and the longer she watched him she got the impression his mind was elsewhere. "What's with the long face, dear? Does this has anything to do with Mheetu's father being back?"

Nuka dropped the bone when his mother broke the silence. "Kinda.." He shrug.

"Well, I'm not thrilled about that either. Yet another useless lion who's eating our food!" Zira complained.

"I haven't seen Mheetu much lately, our friendship is watering down. He's growing to become just like his sister!" Nuka shared. He sounded envious.

"It's probably for the best. You don't want to see him bonding with his father, especially when yours is no good..-"

"Mom please.." Nuka interrupted his mother. "I don't care! I don't give a thing about Scar, you must know that.."

"It's just not fair.." Zira continued. "It is us who deserve to be standing up there, on the Pride Rock, not Scar and most certainly not Nala!"

"We will mother, we will." Zira watched how Nuka's facial expression darkened as he spoke the words. "Once I'm old enough, I'll toss him off there myself!"

A/N:

Like father like son? Um, it's quite something with all those lion father & son/daughter problems and we still got some to go I guess. Thanks for the read.
I'm looking forward towards finishing the next chapter, a part of it I wrote a few months ago. Stay tuned and stay safe!

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