Chapter 5: A disappointment
A few days passed and Nala seemed to get over her mother's death. Sarabi wondered if she should tell Nala the truth. In a way, she was glad Scar had told it to her the way he had. It was a much gentler way.
One day though, Nala approached Sarabi on the subject. "Sarabi, why was my mom talking to your brother in the first place?" A chill ran down Sarabi's spine. She hesitated a few seconds and then decided it was only right for Nala to know the truth. She sighed and then turned to the cub. "Nala, your mother wasn't killed by a stampede." She said slowly.
Nala looked up at Sarabi expectantly. "What do you mean?" she asked. Sarabi let out a long sigh and then said, "Howler killed her," Nala's eyes widened and her face took on a look of horror. "But, why?" she asked. Sarabi sighed. "Sarafina didn't agree with one of Scar's policies. It doesn't make sense, but I don't think they care. I'm so sorry Nala," she pulled the cub close to her.
As Nala leaned against Sarabi she looked up. "Why didn't you tell me in the first place?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't know, I thought Scar's version was a gentler way ate first." Sarabi shook her head. "But I have a feeling your mother would've wanted you to know the truth." Nala nodded.
Night was fast approaching. Sarabi yawned and then lay down. Nala sighed and curled up beside her. Sarabi sighed and then smiled at the cub. She turned and looked toward the front of the den, where the stars were sparkling brightly. For a minute she could almost see Sarafina's face. She sighed and then put her head on her paws and fell asleep.
"Look at him Scar, he looks just like you." Zira said slowly, smiling at the cub nestled between her paws. Scar walked over and looked down at the cub. Zira was right, the cub did look like him; a little. "What's its name?" Scar asked.
"Nuka," Zira said, licking the small black tuft on the cub's head. Scar nodded. Zira looked up at him. "What's wrong? Don't you like him?" Scar shrugged. "He's not heir material. We'll have to try again once he's older." Zira sighed and looked back down at Nuka.
Scar turned and then nuzzled her. "You haven't disappointed me, just the cub." He said. Zira smiled. Then her eyes took on a mischievous look. "Scar, I think I have an idea." Scar turned to her. He could tell by her eyes that it was something important, and also something evil. A few minutes passed before he leaned close to her.
"Spill it," he said, his voice low and cold. Zira smiled and licked Nuka, making Scar wait till she was ready. She knew how far to push it, how long to wait before he blew. A minute or so passed before his eyes got darker and she knew it was time then.
"I'm not ready to produce a new air just yet." She started. Scar's eyes went back to normal. "But," Zira looked up, making sure she had Scar's attention. "I know someone who is." Scar nodded. He smiled and gave her a quizzical look, cocking his head just a bit. "Tell me, my queen." He said, his eyes brimming with mischievousness. Zira looked him right in the eye, a slow, merciless smile spreading across her face as she said, "Sarabi,"
A few days passed and Nala seemed to get over her mother's death. Sarabi wondered if she should tell Nala the truth. In a way, she was glad Scar had told it to her the way he had. It was a much gentler way.
One day though, Nala approached Sarabi on the subject. "Sarabi, why was my mom talking to your brother in the first place?" A chill ran down Sarabi's spine. She hesitated a few seconds and then decided it was only right for Nala to know the truth. She sighed and then turned to the cub. "Nala, your mother wasn't killed by a stampede." She said slowly.
Nala looked up at Sarabi expectantly. "What do you mean?" she asked. Sarabi let out a long sigh and then said, "Howler killed her," Nala's eyes widened and her face took on a look of horror. "But, why?" she asked. Sarabi sighed. "Sarafina didn't agree with one of Scar's policies. It doesn't make sense, but I don't think they care. I'm so sorry Nala," she pulled the cub close to her.
As Nala leaned against Sarabi she looked up. "Why didn't you tell me in the first place?" she asked, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't know, I thought Scar's version was a gentler way ate first." Sarabi shook her head. "But I have a feeling your mother would've wanted you to know the truth." Nala nodded.
Night was fast approaching. Sarabi yawned and then lay down. Nala sighed and curled up beside her. Sarabi sighed and then smiled at the cub. She turned and looked toward the front of the den, where the stars were sparkling brightly. For a minute she could almost see Sarafina's face. She sighed and then put her head on her paws and fell asleep.
"Look at him Scar, he looks just like you." Zira said slowly, smiling at the cub nestled between her paws. Scar walked over and looked down at the cub. Zira was right, the cub did look like him; a little. "What's its name?" Scar asked.
"Nuka," Zira said, licking the small black tuft on the cub's head. Scar nodded. Zira looked up at him. "What's wrong? Don't you like him?" Scar shrugged. "He's not heir material. We'll have to try again once he's older." Zira sighed and looked back down at Nuka.
Scar turned and then nuzzled her. "You haven't disappointed me, just the cub." He said. Zira smiled. Then her eyes took on a mischievous look. "Scar, I think I have an idea." Scar turned to her. He could tell by her eyes that it was something important, and also something evil. A few minutes passed before he leaned close to her.
"Spill it," he said, his voice low and cold. Zira smiled and licked Nuka, making Scar wait till she was ready. She knew how far to push it, how long to wait before he blew. A minute or so passed before his eyes got darker and she knew it was time then.
"I'm not ready to produce a new air just yet." She started. Scar's eyes went back to normal. "But," Zira looked up, making sure she had Scar's attention. "I know someone who is." Scar nodded. He smiled and gave her a quizzical look, cocking his head just a bit. "Tell me, my queen." He said, his eyes brimming with mischievousness. Zira looked him right in the eye, a slow, merciless smile spreading across her face as she said, "Sarabi,"