Note : I have changed a bit of Chapter 3 and most of Chapter 2 here. I had just finished reading the Six New Adventures, and out a lot about Taka, Mufasa, Ahadi, Uru, Zuzu, etc. So, I added a part from the book "A Tale of Two Brothers" as a part of Scar's memory. Hope it seems better then the poor excuse I had put in there before.

Chapter II : Babysitting And Parenthood

Things were already getting off to a bad foot around the Pridelands, once Zira began her reign as Queen. The newly brought Outsiders mocked and taunted the Pridelanders daily, and were usually forced to hunt by them, whilst they lounged in the cave awaiting the kill they would never bring back. The trees were dying as well as the grass, which left no food for the herbivores around the Serengeti. Where it once rained constantly, was now left as a dry, barren land. Nothing survived, and the Pride wondered if living here would sentence them to sudden death. Not even the brisk wind of death flew by anymore. It was just dry, and silent … a silent killer awaiting its move on the Pride.

Nuka really didn't notice how bad the Pridelands were becoming, for it reminded him of his home sweet home, the Outlands. But he still thought of it as a tad better … before the drought began. It had been an entire year since his coming there, and he wished he could have appreciated the downpour more when he had come to Pride Rock. But now, it didn't really bother Nuka much for the meantime, because he'd rather mingle with the lionesses, and try to woo his father into accepting him as his own. As he grew, his form only grew lankier and skinner. There was never enough to eat, and hares could barely fill up a stomach, especially for a growing lion such as himself.

Then suddenly, he started to develop an obsession of catching field mice.

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"Look, mother! I've caught a field mouse for you! " he said one gloomy day, prancing over triumphantly towards the resting lioness in which he'd toss around the mouse by its tail.

"How nice of you, my son. Give that to me and go tell Scar how your hunting is coming along. "

"Oh, right. Where is dad? "

As if she had no strength left in her body, she lazily lifted a paw and pointed out of the cave. "He's at his own cave, as usual. You just be careful. "

Nuka cackled wickedly, and bounced out of the cave and towards the direction in which is father was at.

"That child hangs around with Ed too much, I swear it." Zira shook her head slightly, as she then randomly pounded a paw onto the field mouse; lifting it up by the tail and taunting it before dropping it into a starved stomach. Hardly a meal, but it was whatever she could do to make her mangled-looking-son content.

"If it helps the cub I am now carrying, then so be it."

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Nuka circled the corner as he saw his father lying around with a random animal bone grasped in his paws, taunting Zazu in that cage he held him in. He always found it amusing how Scar treated the little birdbrain, but it was even to a point where it was down right cruel. But he wouldn't discuss mere matters like that with his father, no. He would try, once again, to bond with him as son and father.

"Hey dad. Guess what I did today! "

Ears perked upwards as the King suddenly heard a familiar voice. A voice he can't believe he had part in creating. Tossing the bone at the cage of Zazu's, he'd then scratch his head softly and decide to carry on with this conversation with Nuka. Perhaps, just perhaps, it was time he'd start listening to his son instead of shrugging him aside like Ahadi had done with him when it came to Mufasa. He just couldn't believe that he had someone calling him "dad." It was all still new to him.

"I despise guessing games, Nuka, you know that."

Nuka giggled and pounced over onto Scar's belly, nuzzling up to him underneath his forearm. "That's right, haha. Well, today I caught a field mouse for mother. It was about this big. No, wait. It was thiiiiis big! " He expressed the word by making gestures with his paws, extending them far apart to show the size of this so called field mouse. Obviously, Scar could tell his son was exaggerating, and shook his head slightly. However, he was caught off guard with the cuddle, and was about to shove him right back off until he caught himself. Have patience, Scar. He's just a mere lad.

"Really, now? And what did your mother say? "

"She said … um … I'm brushing up on my skill hunting. No wait, I mean my hunting skills! Yeah, she said I'll be the best lion around! " He smiled that cheesy smile he often did. Scar quirked a brow, and motioned a little bit away from Nuka.

"Honestly, Nuka? She really said you were the best? "

The young cub twiddled his claws together and sheepishly looked down towards the floor, before responding to the lion beside him. "Well, erm. No, not really. But I will try to be, Scar. I really will. "

Arching a brow, he lifted himself up from his rock-like-bed, and motioned for Nuka to follow him back to Pride Rock. He decided to teach him a lesson that he told him to never forget, whilst they neared Pride Rock... "Nuka, lad, you know those stars you see at night?"

"Yeah, dad. What about 'em? "

"The Great Kings of the Past are up there, and one day, I will be up there and so will your new brother when he comes into the world. Ah yes, what a fine king he will be indeed, just like his father. " He continued until they were scaling up the side of Pride Rock, where he then plopped onto the edge of the jagged-formation of their home. Nuka sat beside him with a confused look upon his face, and hesitated to ask his father about a question he had been thinking of.

"Uh … dad ..."

"What?"

"Will I ever be a Great King like you?"

Scar paused and looked out towards the barren land ahead of him, sighing. He thought he told Zira to tell Nuka he was not his heir, his successor. He was not going to take over once Scar perished as King, that the one she was carrying, that son, would be his successor. Although it was not his, he considered the next cub to be. He told Nuka the only possible thing he could at the time.

"When you run your own pride somewhere far from here, maybe you will be." He braced himself for more questions, as he stared down at his contemplating son.

"… Cool! Me, a King one day. That'll be so cool, right dad?"

"Eh. Come, it's time I leave you with the lionesses, whilst I go about royal issues, you know. "

"Oh, that's neat. Who're you leaving me with today? "

"Oh," he waved that paw in the air again all nonchalance, and thought up whoever he could at the moment. "Let's say … Sarabi, Nala, and Sarafina."

Nuka shook his head violently and stuck his tongue out at the mentioning of their names. "Ew, Pridelanders?"

"Nuka. Be nice. Now, run along while I tend to your mother. "

"K, dad. I'll see you later! " The scruffy cub said one last time as he scampered off to meet his babysitters within the cave. He really didn't hate them, especially Sarabi. She was awfully nice to him, always made sure he ate whatever they had, that he kept away from any bugs like termites, and such. She treated him like a son, a son whom she lost long ago.

Scar immediately turned his back and went elsewhere to find Zira, to discuss the plans for the future king.

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Inside the cave, the three lionesses were among themselves, chattering about what to do now that the Pridelands had gone into a deep depression stage. Sarafina couldn't help but suggest that her daughter leave there before it was too late, and for her to find help. Nala jerked her head back and angrily whispered towards her mother in response, so no one else besides the two elder lionesses could hear what she was saying.

" Mom! Leave Pride Rock? Why me?!"

" Nala, hush! Now listen, your mother and I aren't exactly the best lionesses around. We grow old and weary, Nala. You, your hunting has been remarkable and your speed is unlike anything I have ever seen before! And we believe it is you that must find a rogue to challenge Scar, and we believe it's you who can save us. Please, Nala? "

" Mom, I don't want to leave here, especially leave you two around with Scar. "

"Please, Nala. Sarabi and I, along with the rest of the Pride, we'll be fine. Just come back when you've found help. Accept this task, Nala ... For the good of the Pride? "

Nala shook her head softly and sighed. "The things you get me into, mom. But fine, I'll agree to this … mission. There's got to be someone out there worthy enough to end Scar's reign. "

"Great!"

At that moment, Sarabi lifted her head up from her paws and noticed the scraggly looking cub bouncing his way towards them jubilantly. Ordering the two lionesses beside her to lower their voices, she called over the forgotten Prince. "Ah, Nuka, how are you today?"

Grinning from cheek to cheek, he darted over to Sarabi and leaped onto her body, playfully wrestling with her and tugging on her ear. "Hey, Sarabi. I'm great! I caught a field mouse today, and it was thiiiis big. " He expressed it once more with gestures from his paws, like he had done with Scar earlier.

Before answering the hyper-active cub, the lioness shifted under his weight in order to get more comfortable. He was a bigger and taller than what Simba use to be, and he was much older than the cub he use to be. An adolescent, one would say. But he still had the mindset of a cub. "That must've been a catch. Did you feed it to that little belly of yours? " She took a paw and began to tickle the little lion on his stomach. Nuka couldn't help it, and he began to burst into a bundle of giggles, playfully demanding that Sarabi stop at once. When she had, Nuka caught his breath and explained to her what exactly happened with the mouse.

"Well, no. I gave it to mother, because she's expecting you know. "

" Ah yes, I've heard. The heir to the throne is to be born soon. " She sighed in disgust. In her eyes, both Zira and Scar neglected the poor cub to a point where it was damn near cruel. Shoving him aside, hitting him when he said something wrong out of pure accident, it wasn't needed for him. Sarabi was surprised that Nuka hadn't been scared of both of them. "But don't you get hungry, dear?"

"Not really. I mean, my stomach growls here and there, but I don't get hungry. " His appearance could have said otherwise. He looked just like Scar … barely any muscle there to keep his skin and bones from showing as much. " But once I become King, no one will starve. "

Nala and Sarafina exchanged glances before turning back to Sarabi to see what she would say. " A king? Who told you that you would become King, Nuka? "

" Dad did. He said that when I run my own Pride um … far from here, yeah, he said that I can be just as great a King as he is. He also said that the Great Kings of the Past are in those stars you know. He said that one day he'll be up there, and my new brother will be too. Hopefully I can be up there as well when I run my own Pride. " He giggled and tugged on Sarabi's ear once more. " Do ya' think I can make a good King, Bi? "

Far from here … Scar was so full of himself that'd he'd even tell his own son to run a Pride far from the Pridelands, just so there wouldn't be any competition. What a sorry excuse to tell your son.

" You will, Nuka. You will be FAR better than that of your father. "

" Nah, I don't think anyone is better than dad. "

That just broke Sarabi's heart right there, as she turned her head away and sighed. There was, once. And his son would have made a great King, also.

Nala and Sarafina could sense how hurt Sarabi was at the moment, and decided to help out. "Nuka, why don't you bring back another field mouse for us, so we can see how great your hunting is coming along… Then you can gobble it all up. "

"Yeah, yeah! I'll do that. I'll be right back, guys! " As he scrambled off the lionesses body, he raced off out of the cave and down towards the base of Pride Rock, ready to hunt for another ' big ' mouse such as the one he saw before.

Inside the cave, Nala looked up to Sarabi and asked her a question, obviously irritated. "Sarabi, why do you put up with him? He's just going to turn out like Scar. "

"Nala, you hush now. Nuka is nothing like his father. He has a conscience. "

After that statement, the cave became quiet as Scar had stepped in at that moment. "Do watch how loud you talk. Never know who may hear you. "

Pinning her ears against her skull, Sarabi rested her head back onto her paws and looked the opposite way of the King. "Sorry, your majesty. "

"Sorry won't cut it. Don't you speak ill of me ever again, wench. "

Sarafina stood up immediately after that was said and looked the lion right into his eyes. She decided it was time to bring up similarities from the past. " Scar, she is right. All you do is neglect Nuka. You don't even take the time out to understand what he is feeling, how all this is to him. "

Raising a paw into the air, he quickly struck Sarafina in the face with sheathed claws, wanting to leave no scars on such a pretty face like hers. However, he was furious. "Don't you tell me how to raise my children. "

Holding her ground, she looked right back up to Scar and snarled. "You treat him like Ahadi had treated you, always neglecting his second son, so he can focus on the one that was made for greatness. Why treat him like your father once treated you? I would have thought you learned something from that already. And this new heir that is to be born, what if it's a girl? Will you shun her and avoid her like you have to Nuka, because they are not what you wanted? For once, Scar, have a heart towards your children, regardless if this one is not yours by blood. I admire Nuka, because he doesn't sense what an evil tyrant you are. "

He was about to strike the lioness once more, but caught himself and lowered his paw back onto the ground. He had grown up with both Sarafina and Sarabi, and she was right at this moment. He always told himself that he would never treat whatever children he may have, the way Ahadi treated him. Such neglect and always breaking promises with him because he was so busy. He never would have done it to Mufasa, but he … he was different. It was because he was weaker than his brother; it was because he was not perfect. And because of his father, Scar had always remembered that day as if it were yesterday...

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"Help me, help me!" The young lion darted left and right, but it was to no avail. The herd of buffalos continued to chase after him because of what Mufasa had done to Boma. Or what he really did, to make it seem that Mufasa wanted to challenge Boma to a fight for the waterhole. Drought, Jealousy and Neglect can do this to someone.

Scar couldn't run any longer, all the Buffalo slashing him repeatedly with their horns, and so he stumbled. A piercing scream however escaped from Taka as one of those curved horns slashed his face. He rolled once more on the floor, and then didn't move an inch after.

Next thing he remembered was being back at Pride Rock with Rafiki, Ahadi, Mufasa and Zuzu hovering above him.

"You'll be sore for a few days, and you will carry that scar for the rest of your life." Rafiki looked over to Ahadi who looked more concerned than angry.

"It will serve as a reminder on how reckless you were."

Mufasa sat beside his brother and looked him in the eyes. He looked so different, that it was hard to tell that this lion before him was his brother. "Why did you make Boma angry?"

Taka looked in the other direction and sighed. "To embarrass you, and to get even with Father for breaking his promise!"

Ahadi looked hurt, but then sternly looked at his scarred son once more. "Instead of hurting us, you nearly got yourself killed. You must rid yourself of the anger that rules yourself, my son. Perhaps the wound you received will serve as a reminder of this."

Taka was infuriated, but then, almost eerie like, grew calm and offered his brother a half-smile. "That's right. From now on, call me Scar. Father, I won't forget what happened today. I promise."

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That's where Taka became Scar, but he couldn't believe he never kept his word. He still did not like Nuka, but this one that was to come; he'd make more of an effort to like. He'd hate it if the cub grew up to live the life he had to endure. Equality, that's what he wanted. That's what he thrived for, and that's what would happen. Before any more questions could be asked, he backed up and raced out of the cave, leaving all three lionesses confused.

Sarabi was simply amazed by that of her friend. "Sarafina, I can't believe it. YOU stood up to Scar. You've been scared of him ever since you were a child, and not even a blow to the face shook you. "

Sheepishly laughing, she turned back to Sarabi and sat back down. "I can't believe it either. My face is a little sore, but I got my point through."

Outside of the cave, a tiny voice could be heard screaming. "BI! BI! I caught a field mouse! "