Oh, me been lazy! Next chapter!

Everyone was outside the cave, lined up, but Simba, Nala and Rafiki. Today, Simba's bandages were coming off. Even with the drought, the pride wanted to celebrate.

Simba stepped out into the sun for the first time in months. The lionesses smiled. Mufasa looked as though he was trying to hide how proud of his son he was. Taka was busy trying to keep Nuka from making too much noise. Nala smiled at Simba and he at her. Timon was giving Simba a bunch of victory hand gestures while Pumbaa tried to contain him.

"Come on! Show us you can walk, already!" said one of the lionesses. Simba walked with confidence out to the edge of the promontory and back up to his parents. There was a slight limp in his left hind leg. Some nervous looks were passed between the lionesses. Mufasa looked at Rafiki before his son reached him. The monkey nodded.

Just as he had thought. He'll have that limp most likely all his life. Just like Taka's scar. No one showed their disappointment. Simba was too proud of himself, he'd come too far. The only one who didn't seem to notice was Nala, Timon and Pumbaa. One of the younger lionesses leaned over to Nala and whispered, "Can't you see his limp? Why are you so calm?" Nala was shocked by the question. She looked around at the other lionesses. None of them heard the question, but they all knew what it was. Even Simba looked out the corner of his eye at Nala. In fact, they all were expecting her answer. Timon and Pumbaa had the excuse of being, well, not quite all there. What was Nala's?

"How can you see a limp?" she answered, to everyone.

Sarabi and Sarafina smiled. They both had the same thought. Spoken like a queen.

"All I see is a young lion who, instead of dying like the rest of us would, was strong enough to fight all odds and survive. All I see I my friend!" The lionesses smiled guiltily. Nala looked to the royal family. Sarabi nodded at her. Simba looked about ready to cry, he was so happy. Even Mufasa looked like she had moved him.

Zira named her daughter Vitani. Nuka resembled his father, and little Tani resembled her mother. The entire pride was very entertained by the long hairs that came over the cub's eyes. Whenever Zira was with her newborn daughter, her sharp edges seemed to disappear.

Nuka was different. He and his father tried to be close, but Nuka's odd features and clumsy attitude acted like repellant. Only Simba and Nala seemed able to tolerate him.

Vitani grew quickly, and she was something else. Vitani was smart, strong for her size, and already showed promise as a hunter. Not to mention she was less out of it than her brother was. Everyone loved her. Nuka knew all he had was Simba, Nala, and the meerkat and warthog.

Taka went back to disappearing all day. Simba became his cousins' makeshift father-figure. He even took them stargazing, telling them about the Great Kings and about the first lions. Nala and the other young lionesses soon became their makeshift mothers. Zira kept disappearing during the day as well, but never to where Taka went. Zazu guessed they had had a fight recently. Nala didn't agree. None of the females did. They all sensed they were leaving the shade of home for different reasons. But all that was for sure was that what they were doing had to be important. Mufasa was doing a great job doing what needed to be done for the drought, but that didn't change the fact that there was a drought.

One night, Simba was walking alone with Nuka. Suddenly, he felt his paw slip on the ground. He looked down. It was his father's paw print. The same one from the night of the hyenas. He froze. His paw nearly fit the print. Simba walked on.

"Simba?" Nuka asked.

"Yep?"

"Where do Vitani and I go?"

"Huh?"

"When we die, do you go up there, too?" Nuka asked looking at the sky. Simba looked up. Then down at the cub. And back up.

"Nuka," Simba looked back down again, "I don't actually know. But would you like to know what I believe?" Nuka nodded. Looking up at his older cousin, Nuka thought for a moment he was looking at Mufasa, not because they looked alike, but because of that look in his eye that comforted.

"I believe anyone who is truly sorry for all the things they've done wrong is great. I believe anyone who tries to live a good life and follows their heart is great. Some are greater than others, but they all go there," Simba smiled at Nuka, and they headed back home.

Simba and Nuka weren't more than a quarter mile from Pride Rock when Vitani came running up to them. "Simba!" She screamed. Simba never thought he would be so afraid after hearing his own name. The young males trotted up to little Tani. The spotted cub was exhausted.

"What's wrong, Tani?" Simba lowered himself to her level.

"It's Dad! I think he's killed Mufasa!" Simba's stomach lurched and the hairs on his neck began to tingle.

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure, I was with Nala. Then we heard it!"

"Heard what?" Simba tried to be patient.

"I don't know," Vitani had fear in her blue eyes, "But then a bunch of hyenas showed up from nowhere and started coming down on us! Dad was ordering them around! He hit Mom!"

"Bastard!" said Nuka.

"Watch your tongue!" Simba spat. "Keep going Tani."

"I got away and watched it all! I think the hyenas killed some of the lionesses!" Stomach lurch.

"What about my mother? Nala? Timon and Pumbaa? Sarafina!"

Vitani trembled. "It was all a blur!" she stuttered.

Simba looked at Pride Rock. Something was different, that was sure. The wind changed directions. Simba smelled death. He stood up, anger mounting.

"Stay here." Simba began to walk to his home. What have you done, Taka?

Simba didn't find anyone, not even someone who was dead, at Pride Rock. What he did find was proof that Tani's story was true. There was blood all over. Hyenas had definitely been there; the place stank. Fur tufts meant that there had been a number of fights. Simba tried to make sense of it all.

He was hesitant to look under the promontory. Simba knew his uncle and the hyenas couldn't have gotten far. If they were hiding, it would be down there. He decided to go to the top of Pride Rock to stall. Unfortunately, he found himself looking at more evidence of fights, maybe even a fall off of the ledge. And then, he wished he had checked under the promontory instead. The wind had changed again, and Simba could smell his uncle at the top. He couldn't go back. Simba took a deep breath and climbed the last few steps.

There he was. Taka stood there looking to the east. "Hello, Simba. I see you took your time."

"What have you done, Uncle Taka?"

Simba's uncle turned to face him. "Taka?" he chuckled. "Taka is dead."

Simba didn't show a single sign of fear. His anger was coursing through his blood. Nothing this lion said could change that.

"I am Scar! King of the Pridelands!"

"Too bad you're insane!" Simba spat. Scar chuckled again. "She fought bravely."

"What?" Simba was afraid now, for whoever she was.

"You mean 'Who.'" Simba bit his lip. "I had to fight her myself, none of the hyenas could handle her strength. Not that that mattered. No one can match my strength, not even you."

"My father can!"

"Then why was he the first to fall?" Scar teased. Simba's breathing quickened. He was letting Scar under his skin.

"Jump off a cliff!"

"I have to say, I never thought Nala would have it in her." Simba's eyes shot open. He had thought he was talking about his mother. Scar laughed at Simba. And Simba lost it.

"AAAARRRRRRR!" Simba leapt at his uncle. Scar laughed and moved out of the way.

Simba repositioned and jumped again, only to miss again. He landed hard on his left side. "AAAUUUUGGGGHHHH!"

"That leg of yours hurt, Simba?" asked Scar. Simba grabbed is hind leg in his paws, biting back tears. Scar rose on two feet above Simba, who watched helplessly. He couldn't move. Scar's front paws came crashing down, and darkness swallowed the Prince of the Pridelands

Meep! More later!

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