Disclaimer: I don't own Lion King.

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Author's Note:

I wish to thank you, great reviewers, from the bottom of my heart. Your lovely comments never fail to make my day better! Your feedback helped me reach the right decision about the future of this story (if not for you, it would be doomed).

Now, everyone, are you ready for the final chapter of the arc? Enjoy!

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Chapter 13: Leader

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The last moments of Msuli were far from glorious. There was no mighty roar, no epic drama. He simply let out a miserable, strangled whine and collapsed into the dirt. A few agonic contractions of his leg muscles and he was nothing but food for vultures.

Zira sighed, plopping onto her backside. She wiped the blood off her muzzle with her paw and smiled. The lioness was relieved. No, more than that – she must have felt genuine happiness. While she was smiling, her crimson eyes met Scar's gaze. He felt obliged to say something, but she was the first to speak.

"Thanks for distracting him," Zira said.

Scar groaned. He tried to stand up, but it proved to be a challenging task. He felt as fabulous as the day Simba robbed him of his throne.

"The pleasure is all mine," Scar replied sarcastically, wincing, when he saw the gaping wound on his shoulder. He stood up eventually, although it wasn't easy to balance on the two of his limbs, that happened to be still uninjured.

Scar was about to turn his back on Zira and head to his excuse of a den to lick his wounds. He had the chance to take no more than two steps when another threat emerged. The choir of low growls rumbled like a thunder, descending on the dried riverbed. The mere sound made the fur on his back stand. It wasn't a single lion – it was a hole pride. Dreading to take in the sight, Scar looked back.

Five… no, six lionesses were rushing down, agilely jumping off the ledges. Their lean build indicated that they were the Outlanders, just like Zira. Scowling and baring their teeth, they looked all but friendly. They were out for vengeance.

"Zira!" The lioness leading the assault cried.

"Hodari." Zira stepped forward to greet her pride sisters. "What happened?"

The lionesses didn't reply her right away. It appeared, as if Zira and Scar were invisible for them. Their gazes were locked on Msuli's corpse. Not even slowing down or ensuring that he was dead, they launched themselves at him. Scar arched his eyebrow, witnessing how the lionesses attacked the carcass. Straps of pelt flew in the air, together with clumps of the fair mane. The pride sisters clawed at Msuli's body, tearing the flesh off his bones, plucking out his eyes and slashing his muzzle, so that he didn't resemble a lion anymore. Scar thought that Msuli wasn't quite adored in his pride.

The whole time, Zira calmly observed how her fellow lionesses defiled the corpse of her mate. She didn't look away nor show any sign of emotion aside relief. There was no regret, no sadness… Msuli wasn't worthy of her tears.

Finally, the lionesses stepped aside, revealing what was left of Msuli. White bones stuck through the bloody heap and pelt pained red. Scar felt a shiver go down his spine, as he took in the gruesome sight. He couldn't help but wonder, whether he could have looked exactly like Msuli, had he not managed to escape the hyenas that faithful night.

The lioness named Hodari wiped her bloody paws, smearing the ground in front of her. She approached Zira.

"He killed our cubs," she said quietly.

Zira's eyes widened, as the shocking tidings hit her.

"All of them?" she asked sharply.

Hodari averted her gaze. A single tear dropped from her eye.

Zira didn't comfort her. Instead, she prowled to what was left of Msuli's body. The lionesses stepped aside, staring at her, confused. Zira's steps were firm and proud, even though she was swaying from exhaustion. Scar barely refrained himself from expressing his distaste, when she started digging in the bloody hip. The pelt on her legs got dyed crimson all the way up to her shoulders, as she frantically searched for something. Then, with one swift movement, she pulled it out and showed to her pride sisters. It was Msuli's heart.

"He made us suffer, but it's over now!" Zira dropped the heart on the ground before her. She stomped onto it, squishing it. "From this day forward, I will let no male trample on our pride!"

The lionesses of the Outlander pride howled, saluting Zira. Msuli's horridly defiled corpse made a gruesome background for the acclamation of the new leader. Suddenly, Scar felt redundant there and he attempted to discreetly leave the scene. His bad luck strived to capture him though – the attention of the lionesses turned to him now.

"Were you the one who challenged Msuli?" Hodari demanded. The rest of the pride sisters exchanged concerned glances.

"Technically yes," Scar said. The lionesses' response came instantly. They flattened their ears against their heads and went tense. Their behavior gave the male a hint what to tell them next. He sighed. "I'm afraid I can't take the whole credit for his demise, though."

"I was the one to kill Msuli!" Zira growled. With one graceful leap she closed the distance between her and Scar.

"But, Zira…" Hodari scratched her head. "The old laws state, if a male challenges the leader and the leader dies, he should become his successor."

"After my dead body!" Zira yelled, glaring at Scar fiercely.

He made a step back, but the lionesses encircled him, cutting off escape routes. The perspective of having Zira tear him to shreds wasn't very optimistic. The whole situation seemed to be like a repeating pattern.

"I won't have another male harm my pride ever again!" She hissed furiously. "If you want to be a leader, you will have to fight me!"

Again? Scar was fed up with the constant violence around him. Everyone wanted nothing but battle him. From his experience he learnt already that such way of resolving conflicts didn't quite work for him.

"Fight you?" Scar let out a light laugher, what made the lionesses scowl. Limping, he prowled forward, so that he would be close to Zira, very close. She tensed, but he didn't attack her. Instead, he used the only other weapon he knew – words. "I could never strike such a beauty."

Zira's jaw dropped and she forgot about acting in an intimidating way in a heartbeat. Her pride sisters looked confused as well, and that was what Scar was aiming for. It took Zira a moment to shake off the initial surprise. She backpedaled, making some distance between them.

"What are you blabbering about?" Zira asked harshly. It was amusing, how abashed she was. She narrowed her eyes at Scar. "Don't you want to become the leader of this pride?"

It sounded like a temping idea. However, Scar was well aware that he wouldn't succeed in capturing a managerial position here, in the Outlands. Not by force, that was.

"Me? A leader?" Scar shook his head. Once again, he strolled closer to Zira. He did it slowly, so that he wouldn't spook her. "I believe that this pride already has its leader. A strong, fierce, magnificent leader."

Zira didn't even scowl, when he placed his paw on her shoulder, expressing more familiarity than he should have.

"And very charming too," Scar added, purring into Zira's ear. She flinched, and he smirked, when she pulled back, as if he was a poisonous snake.

"We should kill him, just in case." One of the younger lionesses expressed her opinion.

Perhaps Scar should have been worried about such potentially deadly plans, but he felt fairly safe. His piercing stare was set on Zira, as if he was trying to develop mind control and hijack her free will. What was splendid, was the fact that it worked.

"No," Zira said with conviction. "If not for him, Msuli wouldn't be dead now. I owe him my life and the lives of my cubs."

Scar did his best to channel humility. He lowered his head in a submissive bow.

"Any upstanding lion would do the same." Scar assured Zira.

The lionesses weren't so tense anymore, as he showed that he was not a quarrelsome, violent rogue. The chivalrous demeanor fooled them so easily… Zira rolled her eyes.

"Fine. You can stay in the Outlands until your wounds heal." She decided. Then, she lowered her voice, as if she was going to ask him an intimate question. "How should we call you?"

"Scar." He replied, and Zira didn't comment on his nickname. After all, it fitted him better than ever before.

"My name is-" the leading female begun, but Scar interrupted her.

"Zira." He flashed her a seductive smile. Additionally, he wriggled his eyebrows. "A strong name for a strong lioness."

"You can come along," Zira said, as if she hadn't heard Scar's last comment. Hastily, she stalked away. Perhaps she was eager to elude his irresistible charm.

Nonetheless, Scar's plan worked and everything turned out dandy, except for the fresh wounds. Actually, the blood steadily seeping out of his body started to take its toll on him. Everything around darkened, as if it was dusk already. It was noon though. Yet the surroundings went pitch black. He heard the lionesses, but their calling was distant, like they were on the other side, whatever that meant. The next thing he knew, was the loss of feeling in his limbs, right before his mind surrendered as well.

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Zira lay on the central ledge in the termite mound, on the place previously occupied by Msuli. The tiny bodies of cubs had been removed and buried with honors, but the stench of their blood lingered in the air. It reminded Zira of her pride's sacrifice and of the price they had to pay for their freedom.

Nuka and Vitani napped nearby, exhausted by the stress of the day, their mother claimed the leadership. The newborn stirred in her paws, cuddling closer to her. Zira smiled, cradling her adorable son. He awoke, quietly wailing until she stroke his head lovingly. She wanted to call out his name, but she realized that she hadn't given him one yet.

What would be a name worthy of a strong, fearsome leader? One who would protect his pride no matter what? An image drifted to her mind – a vision of an admirable role model, without whom her little son wouldn't be among living anymore. Zira found the right name. She lowered her head to whisper:

"Kovu."

It meant "Scar."

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Author's Note:

That was it, the ending of the first arc (it's like a first season of series). Please give me your feedback write in the comments what you liked, what could have been better and what are your predictions for the plot line.

As for the future of the story, I will continue it, although I'm not sure how often I will update. That will depend on various factors, but mostly on your reviews. If there will be a big demand, I won't keep you waiting for too long. Thus, send me your comments and tell me if you want to read the rest of the story!