Disclaimer: The Lion King is owned by Walt Disney Animation Studios, a division of Walt Disney Studios and the Walt Disney Company. I own nothing except for the proverbial Easter eggs in this story. Feel free to rate and review. Enjoy my little rendition of the best scene in Disney's greatest story!

Simba backed up the long ledge of Pride Rock as his uncle Scar advanced toward him with a handful of his hyena army walking behind him. Scar smirked with triumph as he pressed the ugly guilt on Simba and said, "Oh, Simba. You're in trouble again. But this time, Daddy isn't here to save you. And now everyone knows why!"

The moment Scar spoke the last word, Simba slipped and found himself clinging to the edge of Pride Rock with a sheer drop of forty feet behind him. He barely registered Nala crying his name when a bolt of lightning struck the ground, setting fire to the dry brush of the Pride Lands. Smoke tinted red by the flames slowly rose into the air and Simba could feel the heat running up his back as he clung to the ledge for dear life. Then Scar said, "Now this looks familiar. Hmmm… where have I seen this before? Let me think."

Then the older lion said with a cold smile, "Oh, yes. I remember. This is just the way your father looked before he died."

A split second later, Scar lunged and dug his claws into Simba's paws. He smirked evilly and prepared to give Simba the shock of his life. He would take this secret to the proverbial grave with him, and Scar would rule the Pride Lands with no one to reveal the truth. Could this be any more easy?, he thought.

Then Scar said to Simba, "And here's my little secret." He lowered his voice so no one but Simba could hear and whispered, "I killed Mufasa."

The moment Scar whispered the truth into his ears, Simba finally knew that Scar had been behind everything: exciting him about the Elephant Graveyard, the hyenas attacking him and Nala, the stampede, and the ruin of the Pride Lands. All because of his greed for power, as well as his utter hatred and jealousy of his brother.

With ire coursing through his heart, Simba suddenly regained his footing and leapt on Scar. He pinned his lying uncle under him and screamed, "MURDERER!"

The rest of the pride was confused. Scar had just made Simba say that he had caused his father's death, but suddenly Simba had accused him. Had Scar been hiding something from them that they should have known?

"No, Simba. Please!" Scar begged.

"Tell them the truth!" Simba demanded.

Scar gave a hesitant chuckle and replied, "Truth? But truth is in the eye of the behol-"

Simba angrily pressed his paws to his uncle's throat, choking the air from his lungs, and his claws were bared. Knowing that Simba would not free him until he had admitted what he had done, Scar growled, "All right. All right!"

Then he said in a low voice at first, and then with an angry snarl, "I did it! I killed Mufasa!"

That confession was all it took. The moment they knew the jig was up, Scar's hyena army moved to attack Simba. It was a stupid move, for though Simba had to release Scar to defend himself, he lunged at the hyenas and attacked them with a vengeance that was terrible to look at.

Upon hearing Scar's confession, Nala roared and moved in to attack. Sarabi ran to help her son, and the other lionesses ran to aid their true king. They had all been itching to fight the hyenas who had followed Scar in his insane gambit for power and brought such odious ruin to their beloved Pride Lands, and now their moment had come at last. In moments, a violent struggle broke out between the lion pride and the hyenas, and the air was pierced with loud roars and yelps of fear and pain. The hyenas had certainly eaten more than their share, but it had made them a bit sluggish from all the lounging. The lions had eaten only enough to keep themselves alive, but they were larger and stronger than the hyenas and were giving them scars and soreness to last them a lifetime.

As Simba fought back, one hyena tried to bite him in the neck but got a mouthful of Simba's thick mane instead. Then something hit that hyena on the head, knocking him out. At the top of another ledge was Rafiki the mandrill, and he too was eager to fight for his true king. The old mandrill let out a raucous shriek and leapt into the midst of a few hyenas with his bakora stick raised to attack. He did a triple-backflip and dodged one hyena, then began whacking, kicking, and backhanding the others while yelling wacky martial arts sounds.

Several hyenas flung themselves on Simba, hoping to win the pretended honor of ending his life for Scar. Alas, Simba was mightier than all of them, and swatted every hyena that attacked him aside like a mosquito. He pawed, kicked, bit, and clawed at them and sent them running with loud yelps and yowls. As Simba tackled more hyenas, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed came running at him while laughing raucously. But this time, Simba turned at them with a furious look and let out a thunderous roar. It scared the three so much that they shrieked with fright and ran right into Nala, her mother Sarafina, and Sarabi, who chased them away snapping at their heels.

As Simba and his pride fought back against Scar's hyenas, Timon and Pumbaa joined the fray as well. Pumbaa plowed through the hyenas' ranks and even kicked some of them away. Timon tried to knock some other hyenas out by throwing rocks at them. Unfortunately, he caught the attention of Shenzi and her brothers, and she and Banzai chased Timon into the lions' cave. Zazu was there, still imprisoned behind the rib cage Scar had kept him in, and when he saw Timon, he pleaded for help.

"Let me out! Let me out!"

"Let me in! Let me in!"

Banzai and Shenzi caught up with them, chuckling with hungry glee, and Timon begged, "Please don't eat me."

"Drop 'em!" said Pumbaa.

Banzai was confused and he said, "Hey! Who's the pig?"

That got Pumbaa irked. "Are you talkin' to me?"

"Uh-oh. He called him a pig."

"Are you talking to me?!"

"Ya shouldn'ta done that."

"ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?!"

"Now they're in for it."

"THEY CALL ME… MIS-TER PIG!" bellowed Pumbaa. Then he charged at the two hyenas with a loud, long yell. Outside the cave, Ed only heard the sounds of the fight, and it wasn't pretty.

"Take that, you stupid…!"

"Ow, ow, ow! Ow, ow, ow! Ow, ow!"

"Take that! And that!"

In the end, Shenzi and Banzai dashed out of the cave covered in bruises and dirt, and the three hyenas ran for their lives while Timon, Pumbaa, and Zazu hooted with laughter behind them.

…

Simba made his way out of the battle as he searched for Scar. Looking to his left, he saw his treacherous uncle trying to sneak away from Pride Rock when the older lion looked up and saw Simba. With a roar of utter wrath, Simba ran after him, and he chased Scar to the pinnacle of Pride Rock as the dry shrubbery caught fire. But when Scar reached the top, he found he had nowhere to go. There were flames behind him now, and in front of him was a hundred-foot drop into the raging inferno below.

Just then, Simba leapt through the flames and advanced toward his uncle. The anger boiled even hotter in his veins, and Simba snarled, "Murderer!"

For the first time in his life, Scar was truly afraid when he saw Simba now, for his nephew was no longer a naïve little cub. He was a grown lion in his prime now, and was surely preparing to avenge his father's death. Scar pleaded, "Simba. Simba, please. Please have mercy, I beg you."

"You don't deserve to live," Simba answered coldly.

Scar could now see the disgust written on his nephew's face, and he said tremblingly, "But… Simba, I… am… eh… family-"

To hear that coming from Scar only angered Simba even more. How could Scar call himself his family, when he had killed his father and had tried to kill him for the throne in the first place?!

Then immediately after he said this, Scar claimed, "It's the hyenas who are the real enemy. It was their fault. It was their idea."

"Why should I believe you?" Simba spat in a low voice. "Everything you ever told me was a lie!"

"What are you going to do?" Scar asked him fearfully. "You wouldn't kill your own uncle."

"No, Scar," Simba answered. "I'm not like you."

A wave of relief passed over Scar. For a moment, he feared that Simba would send him to his death then and there, but his life had been spared despite everything he had done. Thinking quickly, Scar said, "Oh, Simba, thank you! You are truly noble. I'll make it up to you, I promise. And can I prove myself to you? Tell me anything."

Simba replied as icily as his uncle had before, "Run. Run away, Scar. And never return."

"Yes. Of course," Scar replied, slowly slinking away as Simba watched. "As you wish, Your… MAJESTY!"

He flung a patch of embers straight at Simba's face and then lunged to attack him. Simba had expected this. He knew that Scar wouldn't let go of his hatred and his lust for power. Now there would be no quarter given from Simba. It was time to fight for his rightful throne.

As Scar tackled him with maddened roars, Simba rolled onto his back and batted Scar away, then lunged at him. He forced his uncle back and then scratched at him, drawing blood from his brow. Then Scar reared up on his back legs and tried to push Simba over the edge. However, Simba stood his ground, then stood on his hind legs and struck Scar in the face. Then he pawed his uncle under the chin and knocked him down onto the ledge.

Scar was strong and still as fierce as he ever was, but it was clear now that age was beginning to catch up with him. His breathing grew labored as he fought on and he felt the strength in Simba's paws. Simba was in the spring of his life, and he had grown surprisingly strong due to living on a diet of insects in the jungle. Now his strength had been tested in the battle, and he was clearly a better fighter than the average lion. Suddenly, Scar swatted Simba near the edge of Pride Rock's top and then lunged once more, intending to send him to his death as he had done with Mufasa. Simba moved quickly and caught him, and he flung Scar headlong over the ledge and down the side of Pride Rock.

As Simba peered over the edge, Scar slowly rose from where he had fallen. He was beaten, ragged, and bruised, but still alive. Just then, Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed came out from the brush, as the fire continued to rage. Hoping to rally his hyena allies to continue the fight, Scar said pleasantly, "Ah, my friends."

But to Scar's utter surprise, Shenzi said with a slight chuckle, "Friends? I thought he said we were the enemy."

"Yeah," agreed Banzai. "That's what I heard."

"Ed?"

Ed said nothing, but gave a rather cold cackle and then licked his lips hungrily as the other hyenas emerged from the flaming brush.

Now Scar was even more afraid. The hyenas had heard him blaming them for everything he had done and they had heard him lie that they had planned Mufasa's killing from the beginning. He had lied about them just as he had lied about Simba and every promise he gave them about never going hungry again ended up being broken the minute there was no food or water in the Pride Lands.

Scar began begging the hyenas to listen to him and that he hadn't meant a word of what he said to Simba, but the hyenas were no longer fooled by his lies. They surrounded Scar while cackling madly, and then they leapt upon the evil lion and mauled him to death.

That was the end of Scar, but now the brushfire had completely surrounded Pride Rock. The hyenas now huddled together and waited for the flames to consume them. But it never came, for there came the sound of hissing steam and the heat and light diminished surprisingly fast. When the hyenas dared to look, they found that the fire was out cold. It was raining, and all the Pride Lands were now receiving the sweet kiss of the rainy season.

The hyenas gave Pride Rock and the lion pride a glance, and then Banzai said to Shenzi, "So what do we do now?"

Shenzi hung her head, though not because of what she and her clan had done to Scar. For the first time in her life, she didn't want to fight lions, Simba least of all. He and his family had suffered enough because of Scar's treachery, and so had her family.

"Let's go home," sighed Shenzi. "We've caused enough trouble here."

The hyenas were all in agreement with this, and they left the Pride Lands with heavy hearts. Little did they realize that Simba had seen everything and heard what Shenzi had said. He watched the hyenas leave, and although he had wanted to protect his homeland and fight hyenas as a cub, he couldn't help but feel sorry for them because Scar had betrayed them too.

Then as the hyenas disappeared from view, Simba descended from the pinnacle of Pride Rock to greet his pride.

…

The pride finally managed to drive most of the hyenas from Pride Rock when Simba pursued Scar to the top. However, when they saw Simba fighting his uncle, fear took hold of them. They hoped and prayed that Simba would triumph and Scar's evil crimes would be avenged. All at once, they saw one of them fall down the side of Pride Rock, where the pack of hyenas were waiting hungrily.

The pride turned their heads away from the nightmare vision just as the rains finally came and quenched the starved range. But even watching the hyenas leave was no comfort to them, for there was still no telling whether the lion the hyenas had attacked was their ruler. But Rafiki had been watching Simba's fight, and he saw Simba come down the natural steps leading to the top of Pride Rock. Then the old mandrill joyfully called to the pride, "Rejoice, children of the pride, for your true king lives!"

The lionesses all looked into the fading mist as Simba appeared, weary and sore, but triumphant. Overjoyed, the pride drew near to him as Simba came down to greet them. Sarabi and Nala were the first to reach him, and Simba truly felt glad as his dear mother nuzzled his face.

"Simba, my child. I cannot describe how proud I am of you," said Sarabi.

Nala nuzzled Simba as well and gave him a lion's kiss, and she said, "You did it, Simba. You saved all of us. Our pride would've all died slaves, but you lit the way to freedom. I love you."

"And I love you, Nala," Simba answered. "Which is why I must ask you tonight: Nala, will you be my queen?"

With tears of joy filling her light-blue eyes, Nala replied, "Yes, Simba. I will be your queen."

Simba licked her face in return and turned to Timon and Pumbaa, who gave him courtly bows. He embraced his two friends and thanked them gladly, saying, "I couldn't have done it without you guys."

Then the rest of the lions thronged around Simba, bowing low to him and proclaiming their loyalty with the utmost honesty and respect.

"Your Majesty."

"Your Highness."

"The Pride Lands are in your debt."

Then Simba saw Zazu flap down to him with a prominent smile stretched across his beak. The hornbill bowed low and said to Simba, "My lord King."

Then Zazu said, "I recall some time ago as a cub, you suggested removing me from my post as court advisor for the sake of changing tradition. I have never forgotten it, though I would gladly take such an order from you rather than from the usurper and traitor Scar- and I curse his name for the treachery and deception he committed in life. Thus, if Your Majesty desires it, I will happily step down, and may my successor serve you as faithfully as I served your royal father, our beloved King Mufasa."

But Simba gave a slight smile and replied, "If I were still a cub, I would've taken you up on that, Zazu. But when I made that suggestion, I was only a child and thought only of the power and prestige my father had. I see now that if I am to rule the Pride Lands as well as my father did, I need help from honest and wise advisors like you. Therefore, my first act as king of the Pride Lands is to allow you to keep your position for as long as you are the good advisor you've always been."

Zazu could hardly believe his ears. He had always seen Simba as playful and mischievous and thought he would be quite proud as the next king. But here he was now after so long, and he had spoken with the wisdom of his father before him. Zazu bowed low once more and declared, "Thank you, Sire! I shall serve you with absolute loyalty! You have my word upon it!"

"I have no doubt of it, Zazu," Simba chuckled. Then he climbed up Pride Rock to where Rafiki was standing. The old mandrill bowed to him, and Simba gladly embraced him as friend, ally, and advisor. Then with a smile, Rafiki said, "It is time."

With that, Simba walked up the ledge of Pride Rock as his fellow lions and his friends watched in awe. The moment he stood at the highest point of the ledge, Simba looked up at the sky and saw a clear expanse where the stars could be seen through the dense rain clouds, and he heard the deep, rumbling voice of his father say, "Remember."

Then Simba let out a magnificent roar as he looked out over his kingdom. The other lions raised their own voices in response and named Simba their king, as he was meant to be.

When the rainy season came to an end, the Pride Lands flourished again. All the herds: zebras, elephants, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, gazelles, wildebeests, and more journeyed back in the hopes that the drought was finally over, though so few of them believed that there was anything good left in the lands they loved. But when the herds returned, they saw the Pride Lands were as green and lush as they had always been before Scar's reign. The trees were rich with leaves, several more with their sweet fruit. Flowers now covered the ground and mingled with the grass, and the waterholes and the river were flowing over.

"How can this be?" everyone wondered.

Then the birds met the various herds of animals and told them the news they had heard from the cheetahs and the monkeys and baboons. The birds twittered, "Simba is home! Scar was the true cause of Mufasa's death, and now is dead himself! Simba, the rightful king, has returned!"

At first, the news was too difficult to believe. But when the herds followed the rest of the Pride Land animals to Pride Rock, what a surprise met their eyes! There was Simba, the Lion King, with Nala by his side as his queen. The cry of joy rose from every heart as their king and his beauteous queen smiled upon them with love.

For the first few months, King Simba and Queen Nala ruled the Pride Lands in joy and peace. Every animal had enough to eat and water was plentiful. There was friendship among the animals of the Pride Lands and the hyenas gave little trouble if any. However, there came a time when Nala seemed to be taken ill and the animals worried for her. But all the worry vanished completely when four months had passed, and a new cub's mewling filled the air of Pride Rock.

That night, Simba entered the cave of Pride Rock to find Nala smiling while she lay on her side, and all the other lionesses smiled at her while a few of them who had recently become mothers brought their cubs to enjoy the presence of the new heir to the throne. Timon and Pumbaa were there too, smiling on the newborn cub with the usual puppy-dog eyes while Rafiki stood at Nala's side. Simba came to his mate and nuzzled her face before looking down to behold his child.

Timon said to his warthog pal, "Ah, Pumbaa. Look at that little guy. A chip off the old royal block. And ya gotta know who's gonna raise him."

"His parents?" surmised Pumbaa.

Timon replied, "Okay, sure. In technical. But who's gonna teach him the really important stuff? Like how to belch and dig for grubs?"

He hopped off Pumbaa's head and said, "I'm tellin' ya, buddy. It's gonna be like when we first met Simba. It'll be you, me, and the little guy-"

Rafiki chuckled and said with a smile, "This child is a girl."

"Girl," Timon corrected himself. Then he and Pumbaa realized it. "GIRL?!"

Simba rolled his eyes with amusement as Timon and Pumbaa fainted and then quickly got up and went back to looking at Simba's newborn daughter while thinking to themselves, Cute, cute, cu-u-u-u-u-u-u-u-te!

Nala gave her cub a gentle lick, and the tiny baby turned over in her mother's embrace to look up at her sires. She looked up at her father as Simba licked her little face, and he smiled at her as he looked over her appearance. The infant lioness had Nala's cream-colored fur, but her eyes were bright red, like his own.

"She's beautiful, Nala," said Simba. "We'll name her Kiara, for she is a gift from the Great Kings themselves."

"Kiara is a lovely name," agreed Nala. She nuzzled her cub's soft head and said sweetly, "Little Kiara."

The newborn princess Kiara licked her mother's chin and turned over in her embrace before she closed her little eyes once more and drifted off into slumber. Rafiki sent Timon and Pumbaa and the lionesses away so Kiara could sleep, and Simba lay down beside Nala. It was so wonderful, Simba thought, how things were turning out in the Pride Lands. One chapter had ended in the Circle of Life, another had begun, and tonight, a new chapter was just beginning.

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed this little rendition of Simba's victory over his uncle Scar and the events that followed. Please rate and review, and please keep it constructive.