+shiranai Atsune, thanks for following my story!

+Redwalllover28, Yup Rafiki still in the story, don't worry I did not forget about him.

Chapter 20

The reflections of clouds danced off of the napping lions body. What was going to be a 15-20 min cat nap turned into an hour or so long event. Simba was out of it, oddly the only thing able to stir him from his slumber was his odd dream of his father…or moreover, his odd nightmare of his father. His red orbs shot open and he found himself gasping for air. It all seemed so real like he was in the mist if the incident himself, it made the young male feeling odd. As his eyes blinked repeatedly, clearing his blurred vision, another smaller shadow came flying from overhead and it landed right on top of Simba head.

"Why good morning…or should I say evening young prince." Zazu chimed happily. "You seem to be sleeping the day away, oh how I wish I could do that." He teased, shuffling his feathers. "But there is far too much work to do around here, I can tell you that." He flew off of Simba's head, giving him a chance to re-do his mane.

"Oh, Hi Zazu." Finally realizing what he had actually called him.

"Well didn't that sound rather dry, young one." Simba rolled his eyes, but a small smile came to his face. He knew Zazu loved to give him trouble. Especially since he did not get to see him as much.

"Oh sorry, I'll do better next time."

"You better. How have you been Simba? I haven't seen you that much."

"Um, I'm good." Said his voice on the outside, but on the inside, he was actually debating whether or not he should tell Zazu about Scars plan. Zazu was somewhat like a guardian to the young lion, trying to make sure he was going down the right path like his father would have wanted.

"At=re you, that's good, what have you been up to?"

"Um, nothing much. Just helping Nuka out I guess."

"Oh yes, that Nuka, kings knows he needs all the help he can get," Zazu said a few other words to himself in a mumble. "Kings help the pridelands when he rules…" or if he even ruled. Scar didn't seem to convince when speaking with Simba about his plan that his idea was on the hush hush…all three hyenas heard it, even nodding their heads to it like they already knew. "But anyways I must be going, I have to tell Scar some important news…" as Zazu began to flap his wings to leave, Simba interrupted him.

"Hey Zazu can I ask you something?" red orbs looking at the small blue bird.

"Yes, young prince?" There he went again, calling him prince? Why was he doing that?

" You've known my dad for a long time right?"

"Why yes, I met your father when we were both young. I was training with my father to be the next majordomo for him."

"Really? So you knew him when he was my age then right?"

"Yes, sir."

"What bad things has my father done? That you know of?" Zazu paused and raised a neat brow. Well, that was a rather random question. " I mean I know he wasn't perfect."

"Please, Mufasa, your father was the epitome of what a young prince and king should be. He was very well raised, they both were…I don't know where that uncle of yours went on the wrong track. But if you ask me, I think he has always been a little off."

"Yea but, he couldn't have been perfect all the time. No one ever is."

" Well I'm sure your father had his days- we all do. But I can say from watching him rule and watching that uncle or yours, which one was the better king, and mate." Simba didn't say much after that, his mind was still trying to make up his mind of who his father was. "Well I'm off, I'll keep in touch."

"Right."

Left alone again, while the rest of the sisters where out hunting, Sarabi sat up against a large boulder. Thinking to herself. now that she was no wonder queen and could no longer hunt, for the time being, she had a lot of time to think to herself. the cub inside her was had started to kick and was doing so more regularly. Every kick to her seemed like a painful reminder of her and Scar conversation years ago, and how she thought she should have done something then when Scar had approached her.

"I can't believe our cubs will be born around the same time." Voiced Sarafina, Sarabi best friend. She has just come back from meeting with Rafiki, and he told her the due date to expecting her daughter, and it would be right around the time her friend and sister Sarabi would be due.

"I know, it seems so surreal."

"haha, like when we were younger cubs and planned on having our kids grow up together like us."

"haha yes, exactly, and now it's actually happening." They sat together in a circle, almost like when they were cubs, closing out the outside world and just enjoying the time they had to talk to each other.

"have you thought of any names yet?" asked Sarafina to the ear-rimmed lioness. Knowing her friend, and the way she did, she knew she wasn't going to think about the name until the last possible second. For some things, Sarabi was such a procrastinator.

"No, not yet."

"Sarabi, you'll be due next month you have to have thought of something."

" Mmm, I don't know- what I'm bad at these things you know this. I'll just wait a little more and then the right name will come to me." voiced the queen in a satisfied voice.

"Right and what by some chance you have him tomorrow?"

"Don't say that haha"

"What it can happen, when what will you be calling him? Huh?"

"….Mmmm Mufasa jr?" Sarafina rolled her eyes. "Oh you are one to talk, you haven't even come up with a name yourself."

"Sure I have."

"Since when?"

"Last night, it just came to me."

"And? What's her name?"

" I was thinking Mosi…or Lakicia. One means 'firstborn' and the other means 'the favorite'."

"Mmhh I like Nala better." Voiced Sarabi to herself.

"Nala? Why?"

"Well, I knew if I ever had a daughter I wanted to name her Nala. But since I'm not I have to put that name away. Plus it means 'gift'. And I always thought little girls where little gifts to their mother."

"Mmm I think I like Lakicia better." Sarabi laughed and shrugged.

"Do what you want with it haha."

"Oh I know what you should name your son, you should name him a-"

"Aww hello, ladies." Sarafina turned to see Scar coming into the main dens cave. A place where he was welcome but never wanted to be. In fact, Scar told Mufasa he'd rather sleep outside on the side cliff of pride rock than with the rest of the pride. So seeing him walk inside was, odd. "How are you two, well I should say four doing?"

"Good, Scar thank you. What are you doing here? I thought you were going to be out with Mufasa today?"

"It seemed he had a last minutes change of plans for me."

"Oh…I'm sorry.'

"Oh don't you worry- and anyway I came to see how my beautiful sister-in-laws is dong. Not to discuss my younger brother."
"Oh well, I'm fine, we both are." But Scar was not interested in Sarafina, he only cared for Sarabi. The lioness that was almost his, and at times he finds himself thinking of the life that 'could have been'…if it wasn't for Mufasa. And it seemed like now was one of those times.

"Ahh it's a shame…" he voiced to himself, but it was really aloud for everyone to hear.

"What is?" asked the Queen looking to her brother.

"Of what could have been, you and me…" Sarabi knew exactly where this was going. Sarafina too, after all, she knew of Sarabi's engagement to Scar first before Mufasa. she knew it would be best of her presence was not there so the two could…talk. "And that fact that his child, could have been yours…" he finished looking at her belly.

"Scar I've told you-"

"I know, I know but still. Could you imagine the two lions standing on top of pride rock, instead of it being you and my brother but instead it were you and me?" he was close to her, inches away. He was so close to her she could see the sadness in his eyes. That sadness was always there, and she always saw it. At times Sarabi wished there was something she could do to help him, but she knew there was nothing she could do- that he truly wanted- that she could help with.

"Scar you need to stop this."

"Why? You loved me once right?"

"I was a young cub when I came here, engaged to you, of course, it thought I was in love. I didn't know better-"

"But we were such good friends!"

"And then you changed, Scar. You weren't Taka anymore."

"I changed because he MADE me change!" referring to her mate and their incident.

"He did no such thing, you changed yourself Scar!"

"No! no for a fact I know Mufasa ruined my chance of being the rightful king. He did this to have you I know it! and if it weren't for him I wouldn't be in this situation."

"It's in the past Scar, you were both young…" but her words were going on death ears, as a grimace look came to his expression as he thought of his younger brother.

"The past can't be changed…but the future…the future can." He gave her a look before he turned to leave the den. The feeling left a shiver running down her spine…

"I…I should have said something to Mufasa then…" she told herself…" I should have-Argh!" the sudden kick was much more powerful than the last. It caused an arch to run in her lower stomach. "Why you…" she felt a dark hatred filled her heart and spirit, and for a second, she was lost in her anger. "Sarabi…for Kings sake, what are you thinking?" she was thinking to herself of how she wanted nothing to do with this cub. That this body inside her was a mistake and evil made into flesh. But how can she think that about her own cub, and a cub that had no control over his or her own circumstance. She hated to hate this cub, but she was torn between how she should feel. But she knew she had to get her feeling for this cub sorted out soon because from the feeling she was getting…the cub would be joining the pride soon.

On his way home, walked a very satisfied Nuka. He had had a show of his life. Wow, she did not know the lovely Nala could throw down like that. Beating his sister like that, It was an impressive sight, even though he would have preferred to be in Vitani position. Looking up into Nala beautiful blue eyes. That would be to die for! "Man, there nothing more beautiful than seeing your lioness hard at work…too bad Simba wasn't here, he probably would have enjoyed it too-Oh dad!" up ahead Nuka had spotted his father walking down the same path, with Banzai, Shenzi, and Ed in toe. "Dad!" he went running after him. Scar turned to see his son Nuka running after him in a haste, he couldn't see what the big deal was.

"Oh there you are, I was just looking for you." Which was a lie, that was not on his mind at the moment, but hey, he might as well lie and make up for the time he was supposed to be spending with Nuka-like he had promised Zira.

"Really? Will I'm right here." He voiced excited.

"I see." Scar looked at the three hyenas that walked beside him. "Nuka, do you plan on being king after me?"

"yea, of course, dad, duh. I mean I am the prince of the pride lands, meaning the 'future king' to be." He chimed, with a smile, I mean what kind of question was that?

"Do you think you have what it takes to be king?"

"Hell yeah, I do. And in fact, I just got inspired to start taking my training a lot more seriously actually. And I know you have to strong to be a good king."

"Not even that, just to be taken seriously."

"Exactly!" Scar knew his son knew all about that because almost everyone did not take Nuka seriously. And it really irritated Scar, being his own mother did not take him as seriously either. But then again, even he didn't take his own son seriously.

"If fact Nuka, let us take some time to see how far your training has come."

"Oh now? Well okay! I mean don't be too impressed. Egg and Bones have been telling me I've been improving a lot." Scar took a defensive stance towards his son.

"Well, let us just see, shall we."

"Hey…don't be too hard on him boss…" voiced Shenzi from the corner. She knew how sensitive Nuka was.

"No" voiced Scar. "let us see how strong my son has become after all he'll be two soon practical a full lion."

"Not to mention my mane will grow really full by then," Nuka added, with confidence. "Just like you dad."

"Right…now let us begin." Nuka took his fighting stance and went for this father. Let's just say, Ed and Bones had been going easy on him. Scar filled him within seconds of Nuka lunging at him. He fell hard on his back, which was something he didn't like to do, he hated feeling pain…discomfort. The fall was so bad, even the hyenas winced a little just from watching. "Come on, don't tell me that all you can do?"

"M-me… on heck no! I still got you-" he went after his father again, and again he found himself being tossed into the air, like a limp monkey. It took him some time to get his thoughts together after that landing. "Ow! Dammit!" Nuka forced himself to his feet, he refused to look bad in front of his dad, after, all he had been training really hard- that's what his friends…well his hyenas told him! Nuka pulled himself to his up. Again, standing tall. He was going to take down his father. By this time now, Scar was not breaking a sweat and the hyenas had one eye open and one eye closed. "Arghhh!" he ran towards his father again, but this time Scar did not flip him, he met him halfway in his run. With only brute force Scar knocked Nuka to the ground. His head hitting the top of his dads' shoulder and then the ground hard, he could taste the blood pooling in his mouth. Scar stood over him.

"I think you need to do some serious rethinking Nuka if you think you will be able to succeed me. That was pathetic." He continued to walk over his son. "Remember you aren't my only option." Nuka was simply speechless. His eyes almost watery…he was terrible…terribly weak. The hyenas followed behind Scar, feeling bad for brown lion. Nuka sat there for a long time after his father left...about 30 to 40 minutes. Thinking of what his father told him… " He wasn't his only option." What did he mean by that?

"Dude, what's with you?" a female voice came from behind. "hah you look like a sad puppy." His sister voice, making her way home. Nuka got up, wiped his eyes, and swallowed the blood in his mouth.

"Please, you smell like a dog." His voice salty. Why was everyone always making fun of him, saying he looked like a sad puppy?! "And look like one too."

"Bro, relax, I was just kicking what's with you?"

"None of your business that what." Vitani gave her brother a weird look. What was with him? She could never figure him out, he was always so moody so sensitive it seemed.

"Fine, I was just asking."

"Well don't." Vitani could see something was brother her brother, he has a huge bruise forming on his back.

"Nuka you okay? You have a huge bruise on your back-"

"Like you have on yours, right?"

"huh, w-what are you talking about?"

" I would have hated to be thrown on my back like that, and 5 times to?" like he hadn't just been thrown on his back a couple of times, but again- she did not know that.

"Wait on my back…how did you? were you watching us, you jerk!" Nuka said nothing. "You were you were watching us! Nala even said she felt like eyes were on her!"

"Well, they sure as hell weren't on you. I mean it was nice watching you get handled, but I mean…I would rather want to watch Nala on her back than you-" Vitani paw went colliding into her brother jaw. An unsuspecting Nuka went tumbling the other direction.

"OW! Vitani what the hell?!" roared the brown lion, holding his mouth. He got up to defend himself and teach his little sister a lesson on who she was dealing with. The future king of the pride lands no less. Yet Vitani feared nothing and sent her brother falling back to the ground with another strike from her paw.

"There will be another one where that came from if you ever think about watching us again you freaking prev!" with a scoff he gave her brother a deadly look, she knew he had a thing of Nala, but to sit and watch them for those hours the practiced was just weird. She didn't want to think about how twisted his mind was making there sparing session.

"You forget who you're talking too? You're talking to the future king of the pridelands!" Nuka roared on deaf ears. Vitani didn't bat an eye. She just continued to walk home. "DAMMIT!" a heavy heat boiled in his stomach. Again he was just thrown around- by his younger sister no less like he was nothing. Was he really this weak? There was no way everyone else was that much stronger compared to him. He tried to tell himself it didn't matter, in fact…Nuka told himself all the time it didn't matter. So what if he was smaller and weaker then others his age, like Simba. It meant nothing, he was the future king! He didn't need to be strong or powerful others would still listen and respect him….but now, now he was starting to see that wasn't the case. Nuka was starting to see how much of a joke he was, getting beat by his father, yes he expected his father to be stronger than him, but Nuka saw that he didn't even make his father flinch! And then this with Vitani! His sister who it no doubt smaller than he is! Easily, made him look like a fool! She didn't feared him or respected him because he had no power over her. If he was going to be taken seriously, like his father said, somethings needed to change.