Thanks for the reviews, they really do make me think - I'd like to get more though, butI'm glad for the reviews I get, thanks again!

If Scar will ever feel guilt? As I see him, I doubt it... but you never know what will happen, do you?

Here is the next part, it's a bit long but I'm sure that is just fine... please do R&R! Atrice

Part 10 - Moods

Simba walked back and forwards in the cave often referred to as the 'throne cave'. He could not settle, he could not sit down, he could not do anything else but wander back and forward – thinking about the return of Scar. Kiara had welcomed him, asked him to stay; his own daughter, who knew the tales of Scar! And Nala, who had stood by his side all the time, not trying to catch Simbas eyes at all. Did they all turn against him? He finally stopped when his mate entered the cave too, but did not smile to her.

"Simba…" she walked more quickly when inside, happy to finally be alone with her mate again; went to him and rubbed her head lovingly against his. He did it back, but did not show the same warmth as she did. Nala took a step back, looked at her mate. He just looked at her with a strange look, a mix of relief and doubt. He hadn't spoken to her at all, in fact he hadn't spoken since they came home… "Say something!" she finally said, not able to accept this silence from Simba.

"What do you want me to say? That I missed you… I did… or how that companion of yours made my heart freeze?" he said, and it was very clear that he was hurt inside.

"Don't feel like that… it was Kovu's choice, that he should follow us back. I just wanted to go home to you, all the time…" Nala said and moved closer to him again. But he looked down, didn't want to catch her eyes.

"He said that… but how can I be sure? And those scars, where do they come from? Are you to change name too – my father said Scar had a different name as a cub, but changed it when he got that… well, scar… are you still my mate?" Simba finally said with a depressed sigh, at last looking up into her eyes – they showed the same sadness as his.

"I loved you since childhood, how can you doubt that? The scars… he refused to let me go, Simba – I tried to get away, but then he gave me these… and I'm afraid you're right about the name..." she said, but wasn't proud of that at all. She had failed to leave Scar, she had failed as Simbas mate – or that was how she felt inside. He looked at her with searching eyes;

"I don't know what to think… you really have changed…" Simba seemed to doubt more and more about who his mate really were. She had changed a lot, she was not the Nala who disappeared not many days ago.

"When he saw the scars, he called me Athari..." She said and he shook his head and looked out of the cave, like he couldn't believe it.

"I see… Athari…" Simba spoke the name with a dark voice, and left her alone in the cave. He needed time to think about this, alone…

x-----x-----x-----x-----x-----x

Nala sat down, looking after her mate… why didn't he understand? He seemed to refuse to understand what had happened and why. 'I was a fool, going back to Scar… love will never be the same…' she thought to herself with a sigh, but couldn't stay in the cave. She left it again, ignoring the stares from the lionesses who had discovered her scars. She had no idea where she was going, she just wanted to get away right now. The queen walked faster, and soon she heard voices from the shadowy place on the other side of Pride Rock.

"But Scar, I already have a mate… it's not right…" she heard Kiara say, but not like she really meant what she said. There was a playfulness in her voice, which Nala never heard before.

"You're absolutely right – you belong to Kovu… I only wish I was a few years younger, then I would have shown you the world…" Scar spoke with a voice, just as teasing as that of Kiara. She heard her daughter laugh a flattered laugh, and decided it was time to break in. When she turned around the corner to the shadow, she saw that Kiara lay down in front of Scar – and clearly not resting just because of the pregnancy. Scar looked up when he saw Nala, and smiled to her like nothing was wrong. Kiara also discovered her mother and looked a bit surprised, but she had a strange smile on her face; in a very short time, she had gotten more compliments than ever before.

"Scar - keep away from her!" Nala said, but it didn't come out half as heatedly as she felt. Scar left Kiara alone and walked to Nala.

"Athari… if you want me to yourself, just say so – or perhaps Simba does not want to share you?" Scar whispered, still teasingly. He was in a very good mood, the young lioness had completely fallen for his flattering words, and the mother he liked too. Nala had to choose her words carefully now, she knew that much.

"Just leave her… Scar, can we talk? Privately…" Nala said quietly, changing her voice so that Scar thought it was something special she wanted to talk about – something he seemed in the mood for right now in fact. The lioness turned around, and Scar looked quickly at Kiara.

"I'll be back later, Kiara… please do apologize to Kovu, that I left before he brought something to eat." He said with a very noble voice and bowed to her. Nala hated that flattered grin Kiara answered him with, and began to walk - hurried to get Scar away from her daughter.