1.1 Taka's Brief Appearance





He watched in a pure, subtle enthusiasm as Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed ran after the juvenile cub. The trio would take care of Simba the same way Scar had taken his own brother's life. There was no doubt: the king was dead. Scar still could not believe he had gone through with it, and that everything had gone so smoothly. There was one thought that he couldn't tear from his mind though. If he could take his own brother's life with no compassion or mercy, why couldn't he kill his own nephew? The cub was standing right in front of him for Gods sake, Scar could've easily finished off the spawn of Mufasa. Scar shrugged it off and walked to the Mufasa's corpse.

"Yes," smiled Scar, "look who's on top now big brother." The fury within him grew, "You're not such an almighty God now that you're dead!" He spat acidly. He stared at the large, golden body that had caused him so much anguish and pain. He threw dirt into Mufasa's face and laughed, "Now that I've 'fixed' father's mistake, I can prove that I was meant to be king of the Pride Lands.Yes brother, it's now MY time to shine." Scar turned his back on Mufasa but this time, there was no lecture, no roar of challenge, there was silence; music to Scar's ears.

~~~~~~~

By the time Scar had returned to Pride Rock, the moon had risen, and the lionesses were already in panic. He immediately began to form false tears and quaver his voice just the slightest bit. "Barasa!" he shouted, "Barasa, all of you!" All the lionesses came hastily, wanting to know where their king and prince were.

Sarabi stared at him, "Scar, where's Mufasa and Simba?"

He looked down in sorrow that was not forged. That's why he couldn't be responsible for killing Simba. Scar, although Sarabi had left him for Mufasa years before, still loved her. And even if Mufasa died, Sarabi would have Simba. Without either, he feared the worst for her. He looked into her eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry." He climbed higher to begin his speech.

"Scar?" asked Sarafina, "what's going on?"

Scar began: "Simba was in my care this afternoon when we came to a shady spot near the gorge. He said he was tired and so was I so we settled down for a nap.When I awoke there were sounds of thundering hooves in the gorge. When I looked harder, there was Simba, hanging on for dear life in a tree. I quickly went and fount Mufasa.my-my brother tried with all his might but even his strength couldn't compare to the stampeding hooves. I tried to find a way to get to them but it was no use! All I could do was watch in horror. They.they both were killed." Scar hung his head and allowed a fake tear to role down his face for Mufasa.

"No!" whispered Nala, throwing herself into her mother's paw. The image of her best friend's death was all but too much to bear.

Scar continued, "Mufasa's death is a terrible tragedy, but to loose Simba who had barely begun to live.for me this is a deep." Scar searched for words, "personal loss."

Just then Uzuri caught scent of something rancid, and when she looked up , the shadows of hyenas were creeping up from all corners of the Pride Lands. "Look!" She shouted to the other.

"Scar! Do something! Quick!" yelped Sarafina, holding Nala close, remembering her daughter's near death experience with the hyenas.

"Yet out of the ashes of this tragedy we shall rise." Scar continued confidently, "To meet the dawning of a new era! In which lion and hyena come together in our great and glorious future!!!"

The yelps of hyenas could be heard for miles around as Scar walked to the point of Pride Rock and roared. His long awaited kingship was finally here.

"Let us all get some sleep. I will you ladies in the morning," he said to the lionesses once he climbed back down the rock. Slowly and miserably, they all climbed up the structure one by one. Tonight there would be nobody to nuzzle them, and tell them 'thank you' for the hunt. Tonight there would be no getting on to Simba and Nala for talking late into the night. This was the love and presence of Simba and Mufasa, and nothing comparable would be seen in this pride for many years.

As Sarabi began her ascend, Scar stopped her, "Sarabi, may I speak with you?"

"Yes." She followed him to a private part of Pride Rock where the two could talk.

"Sarabi," he began, "I want you to know that I truly tried."

Tears started to pour down her delicate face. It stabbed Scar's heart, one of the few things that still did. He never wanted to hurt her. Not Sabs. Never Sarabi.

"Mufasa," she stammered, "My little boy.Oh God, why didn't I go walking with Mufasa when he asked me to?! Then Aihue would've taken me too!"

"Sabbie don't say such things! You still have so much."

"Like what," she demanded.

"Like your health, your friends need you, you're a fantastic huntress, and," he kissed her cheek, "me."

She stared at him in hatred and disgust, "Did you bring me out here so you could 'make your move' !?" Sarabi demanded

"No. No Sarabi-"

"You make me sick Scar, you really do." She turned to walk away. Not even Scar's quick wit could come up with something to say. Not when it had to do with somebody he cared about.

"Sarabi, I still love you!" he cried in desperation, "I know your heart has been Mufasa's for the longest time, but don't you remember when we were cubs? Adolescents?"

She stopped and turned to look at him, "I loved you back then."

"Why did it change?"

"Because I realized you were more of a brother to me; I loved Mufasa. He's the one I want to walk with forever in Aihue's heaven.:

"And I'm the I'm the carcass that got thrown out of the cave to be beaten by the world when you discovered that," Scar replied acidly to her never ending love for Mufasa.

"Do you have any compassion in your blood?" Sarabi exploded, "Comfort me if you love me!"

"Where were you when I needed comfort?" he retorted bitterly, "When my parents died, I seem to remember you were with Mufasa the whole time. You never came to show me condolence." Scar's voice cracked, and this time it was genuine.

"He was my husband-"

"I use to think I was your friend!!"

"You had changed Scar, you frightened me," Sarabi explained.

"I was no longer Taka, even then, I had become Scar." He said. "But Sarabi, you should've known I'd never bring harm to you."

Sarabi looked at the ground for a moment then back at the one she use to call 'love' years ago. "Why hyenas, Scar?"

"I owed them a repayment for a debt. It is one father's laws so I felt I should stay true to it. I told their pack leader that if I were to ever become king they would be allowed back onto our lands." He sighed, "I never thought this would happen, and now I don't know what to do with them."

She nodded and silently started to cry again.

"Sarabi-"

"Taka.Hold me."

Scar wrapped his neck around her and nuzzled her softly. This would be one night, and the one time regret flooded through Scar's body, and truly, for a few moments, Scar was Taka again.