Chapter III : The Surprising Arrival

Shrieks could be heard from within the cave of Pride Rock, a certain lioness obviously witnessing pain as she was beginning to bear her second cub. But the shrieks wouldn't be from Zira, no. It was from Nuka, running around like a maniac looking for Scar.

He looked much older than he was when he had that lesson from Scar, even if it was just couple of months before. That beard was beginning to grow and show, and he was very cautious about it. No other lion he knew had a beard like his, and it was the closest he could get to looking more as an adult since his mane was not agreeing with him at the moment.

"NUKA. Go get Scar now! " Clenching her teeth together, Zira demanded that Nuka actually do some finding instead of yelling. Outsiders comforted Zira as she was nearly finished with the birthing of her supposed ' son. ' Oh would everyone be surprised, especially young Nuka and Scar.

"G-going, Mother!" Nervous and clumsier as usual, he shuffled out of the cave after crashing into a few lionesses and tripping over a few bones on the way. There was only one place where Scar could be, and that was at his cave of course. Racing down Pride Rock and onto the fields, he headed east to where his father was at, probably lounging around torturing Zazu as usual. He witnessed Scar almost killing Zazu one day because he mentioned the name "Mufasa." He never knew Mufasa, but he heard stories from both Scar and Sarabi. In the end, he was basically confused on who to believe. Was he a great King, or a Horrible Brother who neglected his family just like his father had done to Scar? Why wasn't he around anymore to tell his side of the story? There were so many questions filling his head that he nearly forgot what he came to Scar for when he reached him.

Scar arched a brow and stood upon all fours as he saw Nuka's abrupt entrance into the cave. "Nuka, what's wrong?"

"... Huh? ... OH! Mothers having the cub! "

"WHAT?!" He roared in anger. He wanted to be there when the heir was born, but now he was completely missing it. Pushing Nuka out of the way, he ran out of the cave and towards the one atop Pride Rock. Nuka was left confused, and then looked over to the trapped Zazu. Zazu seemed irritated.

"How great…another tyrant to ruin the Pridelands. I know mother Zuzu would not appreciate this from Scar … like she hadn't all those years ago." He stuck his beak high into the air, snorting.

Snarling and inching towards the cage, Nuka swiped a paw through the bones and tried best to ring the little banana beak's neck. How dare he speak ill of his father and newborn brother. How dare him!

"If you ever speak down on my dad again, I'll throw you to the hyenas."

Zazu yipped and cowered at the back of the cage, shielding himself from the lion's paws with his wings. What did he ever do to wind up in this situation?

As quickly as it slipped his mind, he gained back the reason why he was at his father's cave in the first place. The baby! Kicking up dust into Zazu's face, he jolted out of the cage and bounded back towards the direction of Pride Rock.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Inside the cave, everyone was silent as Zira was sobbing over the young cub within her paws. Scar happened to race in at that moment, and was more than nervous about the situation. "What's wrong? Where's my son? "

"Oh, my Scar. I have failed you once more. "

Scar had a worrisome look on his face as he walked closer towards his 'mate. ' "Don't tell me you've lost him ..."

"I haven't lost ... her. " She pried open her paws to reveal a tan-colored cub who was sound asleep, all nestled tightly into a fetal position. Tiny bangs covered most of her head, but they were too short to really be considered bangs at the moment. Zira sighed and put aside the female cub, practically acting as if she was abandoning her. "I'm so sorry, Scar. I've failed you again. "

Without warning, Scar slammed his paw into Zira's face and roared which awakened the poor baby and thus began the tears.

"You will not abandon your daughter. I demand that she be as equal as ever. She is not my heir, but I will consider her mine. You will not shun her and leave her out to dry. " He scooped up the small cub and rocked her in his grasp, softly telling her to hush. "Now now, my dear, there is nothing to fear. There is nothing to fear at all, my dear Vitani. Yes, Vitani ... that will be your name. "

Zira reeled back from the sudden strike, but remained stunned on how Scar had already accepted her daughter as his own. Why had he suddenly felt that she be treated much better than her son, Nuka?

Vitani hushed her crying as Scar had tenderly told her to, and she grasped onto his nose and pulled him closer. He smiled a smile he never really showed to anyone other than that of his brother when he was younger, before the rivalry began; when they were mere cubs. "Look at her, she's so strong. She'd be a great huntress, Zira. Whatever Rogue you slept around with, I advise you find him again. Maybe if things go right, I might finally get my son. " He said that with obvious sarcasm, but Scar was being far more open-minded with the fact Zira was breeding cubs that were not Scar's by blood. Scar himself was scared to mate with Zira ever again; afraid the result might be another Nuka, who too had just come in at the moment.

"Am I late?! Where's my little brother, I wanna' see him! " Breathing heavily, he paused at the cave entrance and then made his way towards his mother after catching his breath for a few seconds. Scar's eyes widened in disgust as he lowered the cub back into Zira's paws, and met Nuka half way in the cave. He then slammed a paw into Nuka's face, sending him flying into the wall to the left. Almost all the lionesses were left stunned, but the oddest reaction was Zira's ... only because she had no reaction at all. The most she gave to the assault was a tiny gasp.

"You have no respect for your sister, Nuka. "

Sarabi, who was in the cave at that moment with Sarafina, ran up to Nuka and tried lifting him back onto his paws. Nuka was a bit wobbly, and stunned, but it was nothing new to him. He was use to getting hit by his father, but never that hard. He didn't know it was Sarabi who was helping him up, until he fully got his senses back.

"How much of a King are you as to where you hit your own son, Scar? "

"Bi, stop." Nuka whispered so his father wouldn't hear.

"I told you and your friend before; do not interfere when it comes to me raising my children."

"Assaulting them is hardly what I call 'raising. ' " She nudged Nuka over to the side, eyeing Scar with every ounce of hate in her body.

Scar didn't say anything, because he was reminded of what Sarafina had told him weeks before. He said he'd like the new cub, regardless of gender or strength, but Nuka. He always had a hate for Nuka, because it reminded him on how much of a failure HE was when it came to producing an heir to the throne. Just a constant, every day reminder.

Zira, however, couldn't stand Sarabi, and it boiled her blood when she saw her console HER son. Lifting up Vitani by the neck and placing her over to an Outsider, she then shoved Sarabi out of the way and stood in front of Nuka. "Don't you come near my son again, Sarabi!"

"Start treating him like a son, Zira!"

Both were close enough to start a scuffle, but Nuka stopped everything. Screaming at the top of his lungs, he barreled right through Zira and Sarabi, and ran out of the cave and off of Pride Rock.

----------------------------------------------

Inside the cave, Scar ordered both lionesses to act civil and to dare not start a dispute within the presence of the Newborn.

"Just leave him. And the both of you stop it. Not in front of my dear Vitani, at least. " He nuzzled what he considered his own 'daughter' before exiting out of the cave. But before doing so, he paused and looked back to Sarafina. "You and Nala have the privileges of looking after dear Vitani now. Sarabi has no place with my children as of now."

Sarabi smirked and turned to walk further back into the cave. Scar noticed this and snarled.

"For what does the prior Queen find funny?"

"Nothing, Scar. I have no place to tell you anything, as I have no place to be with your children." There would be nothing said from Sarabi, as now Sarafina had given her attention to Scar with widened eyes. She had caught on to what Sarabi had said, and so did Scar; for he raced out of there quicker than lightning.

Sarafina would give off the softest of chuckles, as she and Sarabi exchanged "What a fool" looks.

-----------------------------------------

Nuka had just kept running into the fields, until he couldn't run anymore, in where he collapsed and sobbed. His head was aching from the amount of force Scar pummeled into his head, and his state of depression didn't help. But he thought Scar didn't mean it. He said something wrong and stupid and got punished for it, that's all. He continued to sob until he tilted his head back and looked up to the sky. The sky was starless, and that's when Nuka wondered...

"Where are the Great Kings? Don't I matter? "