Disclaimer: I don't own Lion King.

Author Note: I'd like to thank the wonderful readers, who were nice enough to review: almondbutter (as always fantastic), ThatTexasKid (you're amazing like Spiderman), ThatTrickster (thanks, great one), TheLionKing (you're cool like Ice) and anonymous Guest, who wrote a review in Spanish. I don't speak Spanish, but I managed to make out that it was positive, so thank you.

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Chapter 8: Newborn

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Time dragged mercilessly for Scar. Days seemed to last years when he waited for his injuries to heal. He was in a better condition, true, but he was still far from his prime. The diet consisting of stale, smelly meat, enriched with some rodents wasn't serving him well. His bones moved to where they've never been. The lack of exercise began taking its toll two – his limbs were terribly stiff. Scar decided to change it and get back in shape.

For start, he walked around. Unfortunately, he had company in form of two hyperactive cubs following him everywhere he went. Scar strolled alongside the river and wished he were deaf. Vitani's high-pitched squeal was enough to make anyone's ears bleed and Nuka's laughter was so annoying that it made Scar want to strangle him.

"Pfft." Scar rolled his eyes, when the little idiots started chasing each other, while running around him. He had once heard from an insane baboon: "What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger". Scar hoped for this words to hold some truth, because putting up with those cubs was a nightmare indeed.

Nuka and Vitani didn't even stop their foolish play, when the river shore became steeper. While chasing her brother, Vitani didn't notice that she stepped too close to the edge. The dry soil crumbled beneath her small paws. She shrieked and grabbed the first thing that was within her reach – Nuka's tail. The male cub yelped too, when Vitani started dragging him down with her. Thus, his paws darted for the tail, which belonged to Scar.

Before he knew it, the adult lion felt the joined weight of the two cubs swinging on his tail and pulling him over the edge into the river. He clawed at the ground, but his reflexes were way off. To add to the misery, he shifted his mass onto the bad hind leg. The sudden jolt of pain distracted him, and he slipped over the edge. The fall was very brief, but the landing didn't qualify as pleasant. The water splashed, wetting him from heads to paws. His mane was soaked, clinging to his skin in an unsightly way. When he sat up, it turned that the water was shallow, where he landed. Coughing, he spit the water.

"Fun!" Vitani exclaimed joyfully. Scar didn't share her opinion, but she didn't care. Surely thinking that he would appreciate it as much as she did, she hit the surface of the river with her paws, splashing water at Scar.

The adult lion gave her a condescending look, before he went for vengeance. He reached out quickly and patted her with his paw, forcing her under water. However, once she emerged, Vitani was even happier. Scar arched his eyebrow.

"Let's see how will you like this, brat," Scar muttered. He grabbed Vitani by the loose skin on the back of her neck, using his teeth. She yelped when he tossed her into the air, as high as he could. He smirked, seeing the cub's fear the moment before she landed in the water, creating a loud splash. It took her a while to resurface, and when she did, her blue eyes shimmered with excitement.

"Again!" She demanded.

"No, it's my turn!" Nuka shoved her away and swam to Scar. His crimson eyes looked up with plea.

Scar huffed. He opened his mouth to tell the cubs to end this stupidity and leave him alone, but the adoring expression of their muzzles appealed to his vanity. He sighed, yielding.

"Fine." Scar rolled his eyes.

The cubs scuffled at his paws, fighting for the privilege to be tossed into the water. Eventually, both received their turn. Actually, more than many. By the end of the foolish play, Scar's jaws hurt from lifting them. Something in their gazes full of admiration for him made him not mind the inconvenience much. Not only that, but he perceived it as a rewarding event, oddly enough. Then, Scar did something he did rarely – he smiled. It wasn't an act or a malicious smirk, but a genuine, honest smile. He didn't even realize he did it.

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Zira was pacing impatiently. It was almost time. Her pride sisters were off hunting, and their cubs were gathered in the mound, under Msuli's watchful eye. The massive lion gnawed at a wildebeest's bone, sprawled lazily in the center of the termite-infested den. He observed his nervous mate with little concern. In fact, he rarely cared about anything other than his own well-being, so it wasn't that startling.

The lioness winced, feeling a surge of pain. The contractions intensified and appeared much more often. She breathed out slowly and strolled to the exit of the mound. She peeked out, checking for the countless time whether her cubs were coming back. Zira waved with her tail – they were here! Nuka and Vitani were skipping to the mound. Nuka was busy bragging on something to Vitani. When they noticed their mother, Nuka straightened his back immediately, and Vitani grinned wildly.

"Where have you been?" Zira asked sharply. The cubs gulped, and exchanged glances. It didn't escape Zira's attention that their fur was horridly ruffled. "What happened to you?"

Vitani opened her mouth to speak, but Nuka hastily pressed his paw against her muzzle, silencing her. He flashed an apologetic smile at his mother. Zira could tell that her cubs were keeping some mischievous secret from her. Perhaps she should make them cough it up. Suddenly, a powerful contraction made her sway on her paws, signaling that the interrogation may wait.

"Mother?" Nuka asked, concerned.

"I'm fine." Zira assured him. She gave her cubs a small smile, before giving her son stern instructions. "Don't let Vitani wander off again."

Zira prepared to leave the mound.

Msuli scowled, watching her set off to give birth to her newest cub. He rose to his feet and roared, making all the cubs squeal from fear and run off toward the furthest corners of the den. Zira flinched and looked over her shoulder. Msuli narrowed his cold, blue eyes at her.

"Don't you dare return without a male heir," he growled.

Zira sighed.

"Msuli, it's beyond my control-," she said, but her ill-tempered mate interrupted her harshly.

"I don't care!" he yelled. His voice echoed across the mound, making the termites buzz louder. "It has to be a boy. Otherwise, strangle it, leave it in the wild, do whatever you must. I don't want another daughter."

Vitani gasped. Suddenly less energetic than usually, she hunched her back and backpedaled, hiding behind Nuka. She shook slightly against his fur, as a single, muffled sob escaped her throat. Zira wished she could comfort her daughter, to tell her not to let Msuli's words take the joy away from her. If she did, however, she would shift the male lion's attention to her cubs, and she wanted him to leave them be. Zira nodded and left the mound, heading further from the den.

Unwillingly, she shed a single tear. It rolled from the corner of her eye. It wasn't meant for her though – Zira was ready to survive everything life through at her. The tear was for her cubs – poor, weak Nuka, her daughter Vitani and the unborn little one, who tried to push his way to the world. They were the ones who would suffer the most because of her mate. If only she could do something to spare them the misfortune…

"Oh!" Zira exclaimed, as a sting of pain nearly made her collapse. Moving clumsily, she wandered until she found a fitting spot. Shielded from the blazing sun by jagged rocks, it was perfect – no predator would be able to sneak up on her. She lay down on the hard ground and pushed, helping the little one come out of her womb.

"Let the cub be a boy." Zira prayed to the kings of old. She squeezed her eyes shut. "Let him be Msuli's."

She screamed, as the contractions seized her, not letting her even catch a breath. Experienced and fairly calm, Zira knew to do. She pushed, aiding her cub. Her whimpers echoed among the rocks, multiplied. One push more, and a loud cry of a newborn lion joined her voice. The strong wail was a sign that the little one was healthy. Happy, Zira smiled to herself. Exhausted by the pains of the labor, she bent to embrace her cub.

When she saw the squealing newborn, she stiffened, petrified. The cub was male, a strong one at that. He wriggled, crawling to cuddle to her belly. What made Zira's heart freeze in terror, was the fact that her son's pelt was dark – he was unmistakably Vunda's son. Panicked, she let out shallow, ragged breaths.

Zira didn't notice that she was being observed the whole time. A lean lioness hiding behind a nearby rock turned around and ran off, quickly as, though her life depended on it.

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Author Note:

Thanks for reading. So, what do you think of this chapter?

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