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Chapter 20 - Shanika?

"Mufasa?" gasped Scar.

The lion walked up to Sarabi and nuzzled at her head. "Mufasa?" she whispered, a desperate look of hope and amazement on her face.

"No, it's me," and Shargra realised with a jolt that it wasn't Mufasa, but-

"Simba?" Sarabi gasped, staring at her son. "You - you're alive? How can that be?"

"It doesn't matter, I'm home," he said, with a sigh, again nuzzling Sarabi.

Shargra looked excited. His plan had worked! Spinning round to speak to Shanika, he whispered, "She found hi- Shanika?" She wasn't there. "Shanika?" he hissed again. No cheerful lioness popped up, giggling away. "I can't find Shanika!" he whispered to the lioness beside him, who rolled her eyes.

"Oh no, what a pity," she chuckled, and moved closer to him. "I do hope she's not…in danger."

"Hey! What have you done?" he said indignantly, and started to move away, but the lioness put her paw firmly down on top of his. "Zira! Let go!"

"Your king is talking! Pay attention!" she snarled, sounding very protective, and Shargra, though itching to scratch both her and her mate's eyes out, stayed where he was – well, he didn't really have much choice.

"The choice is yours, Scar. Either step down or fight." Simba said menacingly, and Shargra felt a twinge of fear at the look in the younger lion's eyes.

A fleeting glance of triumph, and Scar's tranquil demeanour returned. "Oh, must it all end in violence?" Scar asked philosophically, sounding quite calm. "I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member…" he said, and a mood of assent shot through the pride. "Wouldn't you agree… Simba?" He put an odd emphasis on the last word.

"That's not going to work, Scar. I've put it behind me," his nephew replied, as Shargra struggled to throw Zira off. She was probably the only lion who truly liked Scar, and her claws dug in deeper, causing him to yelp in pain. Her vivid yellow gaze never left the elder lion, a cruel smirk on her face.

"Ah, but what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?" Scar asked tauntingly.

"Simba, what is he talking about?" Nala asked. Shargra jumped - he hadn't seen Nala arrive. Sarafina broke away from the crowd and nuzzled her daughter joyfully.

"Aha, so you haven't told them your little secret!" crowed Scar triumphantly, and Zira laughed with him. "Well, Simba, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Mufasa's death!"

"…I am" Simba whispered, and he hung his head, a tear trickling from his eye.

"He can't be," Shargra gasped, and Zira turned to him, as if noticing he was there for the first time. She cuffed him over the head.

"It's not true…tell me it's not true!" Sarabi was begging her son.

"It's true," he corrected sadly.

"You see, he admits it! MURDERER!"

"No! It was an accident!" Simba protested as Scar stalked a circle around him.

"If it weren't for you, Mufasa would still be alive. It's your fault he's dead..." he accused. "Do you deny it?"

"No."

"Then ... you're ... GUILTY!" Scar cried.

"No. I'm not a murderer!" Simba shouted back, and Shargra, struggling in Zira's grip, wasn't sure if Simba was trying to convince the pride, or trying to convince himself. It couldn't have been Simba, he thought desperately…but then he thought of how the lion had looked at Scar, and doubt flashed across his mind.

"Oh Simba, you're in trouble again," laughed Scar, prowling towards his nephew, pushing him to the edge of Pride Rock, "but this time, Daddy isn't here to save you… and now everyone knows why!" Suddenly Simba tripped backwards and plummeted over the edge of the rock. A scream came from Sarabi as a lightning bolt bit beneath Pride Rock igniting the dry grass.

"Simba!" shouted Nala and Shargra simultaneously.

Simba's paws were just visible, clinging to the rock, and Scar leapt forward, pinning the younger lion down with his claws in much the same way Zira did… but as Scar leaned down to whisper something in Simba's ear, Zira let go of Shargra, walking forward.

Seconds later, Simba leapt up, throwing Scar off him, and tackling him to the ground, pushing him to the edge.

"NOOO... MURDERER!" he screamed, looking half-mad.

The entire pride gasped.

"No, Simba… please!" Scar begged.

"Tell them the truth," Simba replied, his gaze stony, as he started to choke his uncle, who spluttered in his grasp, and squeezed out some words Shargra couldn't catch.

"So they can hear you," Simba added, and a silence fell thickly over the pride.

"I ... killed ... Mufasa!" Scar screamed, and the world exploded in a whirl of claws.

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