Chapter 5
Back in the Outlands, much further than the Princess had explored hours prior, there are hardly any vegetation or water anywhere. What is there are a few giant pyramids of termite mounds, the occasional scattered bones, and barren grounds. The lionesses there practically has to dig and tear apart mounds and trees for something suitable to eat.
An adolescent skinny lion is murmuring to himself as he stalks up to a young male cub who is fighting another cub. The adolescent has pale fur, a scraggly thin black mane, matching his tail and joints, and amber eyes.
"Vitani, Vitani, Vitani." The adolescent muttered. "What make her so special?! Scar should have chose me!" Then, he walks up to his brother. "Oh, hey, terminate Kovu. Where's the so called Chosen One?"
When he doesn't answer him, Nuka places his paw between both of the cubs, causing them both to fall onto their back suddenly. He cackles at his little prank, but Kovu is evidently pissed with his older brother, and so is the other cub, both who grit their teeth at him.
"Nuka, where's Vitani?" He demands, storming up to his older brother. "Did you leave her out there on her own?"
Nuka is looking down at his claw. "She must have slipped my mind." He replies full of sarcasm, scratching himself to relieve him of an itch. "She just wanted to go out on her own. I wasn't going to begin chasin' after her."
Kovu stares at him, almost angry. "Mother's not going to be happy." He seems nervous, having face the fury of his mother all too many times. "She told you to watch her."
"Aw, who cares?" Nuka replies, who is still scratching himself as much as he possibly can. "I should've been the Chosen One. I'm the oldest, I'm certainly stronger than Vitani and you-" He pauses to yelp in annoyance at all the termites that are crawling about. "These termites!"
Kovu blinks at the sight of Nuka going into a frenzy just to get rid of the ants that are itching in his fur. "I could be a leader if she'd just give me a chance!" He shouts to rant as he scoots on the ground. Truth be told, Kovu almost feels bad for him.
But he hides it by smirking. "Yeah, right. Why don't you tell that to her?"
Nuka narrow his eyes at him before turning away from him. "Oh, yeah? Don't think I won't."
"Oh, yeah?" Kovu taunts, chuckling. "Here's your chance."
Nuka is bemused by what he meant by that for a second, but then when he turns around, he notices Zira carrying Vitani. "Oh, Mother, Mother, hi!" He goes over to greet her, going back from the smack talker to submissive. "Mother, I caught some field mice for your dinner. I put them by the... by the-" But Zira just keeps walking, softly snarling. "Okay."
Zira silently drops Vitani next to Kovu, who greets his older sister. "Hey, Vitani, how was your day? Don't tell me you're too tired to fight."
Kovu smirks before letting out playful growls at her oldest sister. Vitani also smirk before falling into a battle position.
"You were supposed to be watching her!" Zira snaps at Nuka, who grimaces away at his mother's tone.
Vitani stops play-fighting and turns around to face his mother, not wanting her brother to receive a beating for something that is her fault. "It was me, mother, I wanted to go to the Pride Lands and check it out. Seeing that I am going to be Qu-"
"What were you doing?" Zira demands, cutting her off as she marches up to her.
"N-Nothing." Vitani replies.
"Who made us Outsiders?"
"Simba."
"Who killed your father?"
"Simba!" Vitani repeats, falling onto her back.
"What have I told you about them?!" Zira yells, making her flinch.
"I'm sorry, Mother." Vitani apologizes, remembering Kiara and how she jumped in front of her when the hyenas were able to hurt her. "I tried to ditch her at first but she didn't seem so bad. Maybe we could have been..."
"Friends?!" Zira interrupts her harshly. "You thought you'd get to know your enemy, and Simba would welcome you with open arms?! What an idea!" She is about to let it up right there, but then, the more she thinks about it, the more it sounds...appealing. "What an idea!" She exclaims joyfully.
Vitani doesn't move as Zira grips her and pulls her closer. "You brilliant child! I'm so proud of you! You have the same conniving mind that made your father so ...powerful."
Nuka gags at the thought, but then Zira hisses at him, making him laugh nervously.
Zira picks up Vitani again by her midsection and starts carrying him off to their home in the biggest and most hollow termite mound, leaving behind both of her sons.
Kovu smirks. "So much for tellin' that to her."
Nuka grunts, mourning. "Chosen One."
Soon, both Zira and Vitani arrives in a clear area before laying her down, and allowing the latter to stand alongside her mother.
"I now see the path, to our glorious return to power." She states ominously as some of the other Outsider lionesses start to gather around.
Zira: I never thought Pride Landers are essential
They're crude and unspeakably weak
But soon they'll be wiped out
If I have anything to say about it
Zira jumps down from a boulder to the lionesses. At that moment, they each make clear for their Queen as she walks through the rocks.
I know that your powers of strength
Are as skilled as a mere termite
But thick as you are, pay attention
Zira walks up to Nuka who has been not been listening. He instantly fall to attention, knowing the consequences of not doing so.
My words are a matter of pride
It's clear from your vacant expressions
The lights are not all on upstairs
But we're talking rightful rulerships and revenge
Zira waves her paw in front of his face, before seeming seconds of pouncing him. Kovu is focused on the scene before Vitani pounces on top of him before beginning to sing, seeming to be inspired by her mother.
Vitani: Even you can't be caught unaware
So prepare for a chance of a lifetime
Be prepared for sensational news
Getting off of her brother and making her way to her mother on top of the boulder who has been watching with a proud grin.
Vitani and Zira: A shining new era
Is tiptoeing nearer
Moving in front of the lionesses and making them smirk at the thoughts of taking over the Pride Lands.
Zira: I know it sounds sordid
But you'll be rewarded
When at last I am given my dues
And injustice deliciously squared
Be prepared!
"We're prepared!" Kovu and Nuka both cheers.
"Good! Soon payback would be inevitable!" Zira cackles. "Long Live the Outlanders! Long Live The Outlanders!" Zira choruses.
"Long Live the Outlanders!" The rest repeats.
Every lion, including Kovu and Nuka, marches along the ground all around.
All: It's great that we'll soon be back in power
With no one to grant us any competition
Zira: Of course, quid pro quo, you're expected
Vitani: To take certain duties on board
The future is littered with prizes
Zira: And though we would be ruling
The point that I must emphasize is
Zira jumps down towards her sons, watching as both of them crawls backwards.
You won't get control of the Pride Lands without me!
Vitani jumps by her side, and begins jumping on top of the rocks, wanting to prove herself to what would soon be her Pride.
Vitani: So prepare for the day of the century
Be prepared for the murkiest scam
Intense planning
Tenacity spanning
Years of rejection
Is simply why I'll
Be Queen undisputed
Respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!
Lionesses: Yes, our teeth and ambitions are bared
Be prepared!
Zira releases an evil cackle as do all of the lionesses, Kovu, and Nuka. Vitani joins them but something hammers against her chest. She doesn't know what it is, but something is telling her that this is wrong, that she shouldn't pull through with the plan, and thoughts of the Princess defending her is enough to nearly make her legs drop.
She would sleep on it later. It would pass through time...
Will it?
Sarabi has been noticing the coldness Simba has been showing to everyone. It is undoubtedly due to Kiara's scar she earned earlier, but while she did well not to show it, she didn't like how her granddaughter received a scar. It reminds her of the faithful day when...
Sarabi opens her eyes, closing out the memory, and notices Simba walking outside of the cave.
She stands, stretching, before walking outside. The lion king is standing at the dormitory of Pride Rock, and he seems to hear her, for his ear twitches.
"Mom."
Sarabi soon join him and sits alongside him.
"Son."
For a moment, both son and mother sits in darkness, just staring at the stars.
"Something's bothering you."
Simba sighs. He knows that his mother would keep pressuring him no matter what.
"I can't believe Kiara disobeyed me! She could have been killed!" Simba shouts. "And now she got a..." He seems unable to say the word.
"A scar."
Simba grimaces and stares away from her. "Why does it have to be her? My only daughter? Could it have not been me or someone else?! She is too innocent for this world! She doesn't deserve this! Now she is just like Scar!"
Sarabi allows her son to breathe for the next few moments before speaking carefully. "Son, you want to know how Scar got his own scar."
Simba is shocked. He never heard of this story before, but now he is being offered the chance.
"Scar's original name was Taka, meaning dirt."
"Dirt?" Simba asks, arching one eyebrow. He can never believe that his wisest grandparents would name one of their son's dirt.
"My son, don't think your grandparents were terrible parents. Dirt comes from the ground. Dirt provides habitat for billions of us animals and ultimately the great Circle of Life. It expands, and they always thought their youngest son would expand elsewhere to do amazing things."
Simba nods, signifying he is paying attention.
"Let's just say he was adventurous just like you were as a cub and had a tendency to get into trouble, again just like you. But one day, Taka got himself into more intense trouble. Mufasa and I saved him, but Mufasa suffered an injury, something that Ahadi and Uru both was upset about. Ahadi had reacted negatively and he attacked his youngest son without thinking. It has been a complete loss of control on Ahadi's part, and he did feel guilty afterwards, but the damage was done. After Uru died, Taka seemed to have turned for the worse."
Sarabi's expression softens unlike he had ever seen from her before. Maybe she is thinking about his father, the one who was murdered by his uncle.
"Mom..."
Simba notices this and get closer to her, never like seeing his mother upset. Sarabi's head hung in shame as a tear find its way down her cheek and onto Simba's fur for reasons she don't understand. She isn't certainly exactly what she is ashamed of. Probably the fact that she loved Taka. Perhaps the fact that she would have protected him through anything. Perhaps the fact that she wants Mufasa and Taka back.
The former Queen now realizes the fact that, despite her and Mufasa's efforts throughout their years together, Taka had never fully understood or recognized family ties. All those years they had looked after Taka as though he was another son of theirs, and all it had gotten them was the demise of his oldest brother, the near destruction of the Pride Lands, and her believing her biological son was dead for so long.
She still couldn't understand where Mufasa and her went wrong with Taka. The lioness believed they were close, and that everything was well in between them. Scar's use of dark, foreshadowing sarcasm had only come across as nothing harmless… just another trait that carried from his mother... and then they suffered for their lack of foresight.
"You don't understand, Simba! Taka was like... he was like our son! We cared about him! We protected him, provided him comfort, and Mufasa didn't kick him out despite how tradition deems he could have, despite his noticeable traitorous behavior that disturbed the rest of the lionesses! Sarafina and Taka were like our cubs before we had you!"
Simba never see his mother crying like this over Scar. When he took over the Pride Lands, he had believed she was happy and that her worries were over. Yes, his father would have always been in her mind, but Simba never thought she would cry about Scar or any other lion.
"He killed your mate and hurt you..."
"Yes, he did," Sarabi says softly, pulling away from the embrace. "But the Taka I know wouldn't have ever done that. The lion who was like Mufasa and my son would have never did what Scar did that day. When Mufasa died, Taka died too, never to be reborn. Scar took his place, traveling around in his body and committing horrible crimes."
Sarabi wipe the tears with her paw. "Simba, Taka didn't become evil by his scar. He became evil because he had dearly missed his mother, because he blamed his brother for stealing all the attention from their parents, because he didn't believe Ahadi and Uru love him, and because he wanted somehow to prove himself as a superior in power. Kiara still has a chance. Casting judgement on her won't work, and don't think that she would turn out like Scar. Scar was still a good lion long after he got his scar. Other things forced him to become a monster among the four things I have already mentioned."
Simba scowls down at his paws. He never heard about Scar's backstory in clear detail, but now there is nothing short of remorse and even longing for the lion that his uncle once have been. He wishes he could time travel, tell his mother and father in the past to sheltered Scar and give him the help he needed at the time, and to avoid all of the bloodshed that had came for generations to come to fix up the pieces.
Despite what everyone believed, despite how he tries to force himself to do so, Simba cannot find it within himself to hate his granduncle.
Though it is too late to dwell on what could have been.
He needs to let his daughter know he cares about her. She won't follow down the same path of Scar. He would make sure that she won't under any means necessary.
Arthur's note: I decided to redo Be Prepared. Kovu and Vitani are different lions and so I think she would be more into it.
I abandoned the Ahadi or Uru abused Taka concept, and rather have them just neglect him, though the former having a harsh temper.