A/N: I love Scar! Well, I updated…ooh, Alan Rickman's birthday is on Monday! Yay!

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Early the next day, Scar got up to hunt for food. He realised that he should make it up to Nalani – she had been awful supportive of him during the past few days.

As the young lioness continued to doze under the tree, Aminah and the other lionesses of Kasim's pride approached. They carried branches of fire in their mouths. Aminah, looking around at the others, dropped it near Nalani, as did the others.

Nalani turned over, still asleep, and the lionesses vanished. When Nalani eventually woke up, it was because she smelled smoke. She started screaming when she realised that she was surrounded by fire.

Scar came running back, horrified to see the area where Nalani was engulfed in flames. "Nalani!" he yelled.

"Scar!" she cried in fear. "Please help me!"

He looked around frantically, as if for some sort of sign. Fortunately, he saw a tree, and he tried to push it over.

It fell, breaching the fire. Scar hopped on the log, and Nalani came toward him.

They kept running, not reassured if they were a safe enough distance, and watched the fire become smaller and smaller.

"Oh, Scar," said Nalani, panting. "I was so scared…thank you."

"It was nothing," he said. "Did you see who did that?"

"No," she said. "I was sleeping. My guess is that it was Aminah."

"What a horrible, horrible lion."

Nalani nodded, pawing at her slightly singed ear. "She was always mean to me, I just…didn't think she'd go this far."

Scar moved closer to Nalani, and as he did, she laid her head on his shoulder, and they nuzzled each other affectionately.

Scar was beginning to experience an emotion that he had never felt before – one he had never given nor received – love.

Later that day, Scar and Nalani continued their journey. They found themselves walking farther and farther each day, yet still not knowing what they were looking for or where they were going.

"Scar, I'm tired of running," Nalani said suddenly.

"What?" he questioned.

"I don't want to go on like this," she said. "I'm just running away from my problems, hope that they will disappear. But they don't. Every day, they return like the rising sun. By leaving the pride, I'm proving that I'm weak, and can't handle them. I don't want to give them that satisfaction."

"You're not giving them satisfaction," stated Scar. "You're proving that you're independent. They just can't handle that."

Nalani nodded and stared off in the distance. "But I can't runaway forever," she said. "One day, this will come back to haunt me, and I will have to return to the Pride Lands."

"Let's hope that day isn't too soon," Scar replied, looking at the lioness.

As they were walking, Nalani suddenly stopped and her ears pricked up. "What is it?" asked Scar, looking around.

"I hear something," Nalani said. "It sounds like the flapping of wings."

Scar crouched back into the long grass, just as a colourful blue bird swooped down overhead.

"Miss Nalani," he said, bowing in front of her. "I am Zazu, Simba's Royal Advisor. I have come to tell you that the King is sick."

"Simba?" questioned Nalani. "Wh-what can I do?"

"He needs all the support he can get," Zazu said. "I am alerting all the lions in the land. He wants his closest family. You must hurry. I'll fly ahead."

Nalani watched the little bird disappear over the horizon, and Scar slowly emerged from the grass.

"So…" he began. "My dear nephew is sick?"

"Yes," Nalani replied. "I have to go to him."

Scar nodded. "Well," he said. "So much for the not too soon theory. Let's go."

The lions turned around and headed for Pride Rock. "I'm…just going to…escort you there," Scar said, stuttering.

"Okay," Nalani said. "I understand. It probably would be best for your story to remain just that…a story."

"And what good would it do, anyway?" Scar mused. "My presence would just make Simba angrier."

Nalani nodded, but stayed in silence. As they got closer to Pride Rock, Zazu unknowingly flew above them.

Neither Scar nor Nalani saw him. Zazu gasped to himself. 'Scar?' he thought in alarm. 'That's impossible. Simba killed him. He's following Miss Nalani. I must warn the others!' With that, the little bird took off.