How many "oh no's" is it possible to get for one chapter? Hehe... thanks for the reviews, I'm glad to hear about how you think about the story ;)

But now we have a further twist, can Scar be redeemed by new life, or will he forever seek to twist to his own image? - now, that was the question to begin with, wasn't it?

please remember to R&R - Atrice...

Part 13 - Miracles of life?

Scar looked up, he heard something… a noise, but very distant. He looked at the young lioness who lay next to him, very much asleep, with sensitivity in his eyes. 3 little cubs were getting their first meal from her, and they looked very cosy too. It really was very amazing, all of this. Scar got up and walked towards the sound. It came from the side of the Shadowlands, that turned towards the Pridelands. It was a long walk, why hadn't he thought of this when they arrived this very morning? He finally arrived to a large cave like a corridor, and he knew they would come that way…

Scar stood on a high rock, looking towards the entrance he and Kiara had come through, when he finally saw 3 lions emerge. They came in his direction, and he chose to remain on his spot; not tell them where Kiara were just now. He wanted to enjoy this a little longer.

"Scar!" Kovu called when they were close enough to see him. Scar didn't answer, he just stayed put – and loved to be standing so much higher than them. Finally they stood just below the rock; Simba, Kovu and the queen; none of them looking very pleased at all. "Where is Kiara?" his chosen son asked; not sounding very pleased.

"She's resting – and if you wouldn't mind, please don't shout… she had a rough day…" he called back, for far above him the stars were beginning to shine. The day was over.

"Where is she?" Kovu growled again, lowering his head but looking at him with madness in the eyes.

"There there, don't give me that look… she is doing just fine, now…" Scar just said with a glimpse in his eye – he had been the first lion the cubs saw. They would recognize him as their father… he felt in control, somehow powerful… it made him jump down from the rock, which turned out to be a bad idea. The moment he touched the ground, Simba flew at him with a very loud roar. Scar had no chance to prevent the king from giving him a slap with the paw, and thereafter keep Scar lying down with two very heavy paws on his chest.

"Where is my daughter!" Simba snarled, even more angry than Kovu had been. His face was twisted with anger and hatred towards his uncle.

"If you let me go…" Scar answered with evil eyes, but Simba didn't seem able to move. This was for certain a Simba that had been hiding for years; since he tried to kill Scar… and now every fibre in his body longed for this moment, to get rid of this elder lion for good!

"I could kill you now…" Simba whispered with disgust in his voice. Scar had taken his princess, given her compliments and taken care of her. Scar, his uncle, who were much too old for Kiara… Scar, who tried to kill himself once, and his daughter seemed to like him! The queen then suddenly appeared, made Simba move away.

"Not now, Simba… not yet…" she whispered to him, when he finally let go of Scar, who quickly jumped up and a few steps back with a relieved gasp. She then turned to the Scar; "These two are out of order… Scar, show me where my daughter is… if you please…" she said calmy to him, and sent a glance to the two other, very angry, male lions who were staring at them.

"Let them stay 10 steps behind us… follow me…" Scar finally said so they heard it, and began to walk, the queen by his side. Simba and Kovu followed, 10 steps behind them.

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

"Why did you do this?" she whispered to him, when they were on the way.

"Don't know… must be my romantic side, popping up…" he said with a smile, although it seemed very forced.

"I told you to keep away from her… what is wrong with you?" she asked back, and he looked at her, almost a bit depressed. And that look in his eyes did not seem forced at all.

"What's always been wrong?" he asked, but got no answer from her. They walked in silence, until he said: "Nobody ever cared for me… I finally found someone who did, and intend to keep it that way." He finally said as they stood in the opening to another chamber in this large system of caves – Kiara could be seen lying by the wall in the other end, close to one of those strange fires. The queen nodded, she understood this. He just had a very strange way of handling things like this…

"Wait… are those…?" she then suddenly asked, suddenly aware of the fact that Kiara wasn't alone, that something was very changed.

"…cubs? There's 3 of them… very unexpected, yes, also to me. But they're perfect little beings… miracles of life really." Scar said without thinking about his words, and heard a little grin next to him – watched the queen with a questionmark written in his face. The queen smiled to him; the sound of his voice just before had actually contained concern, in a calm and good manner. Maybe the cubs weren't the only miracle of life near the queen?