A short time after the presentation of the new King and his future heir, a dark grey lion wandered through the thickest part of the jungle. Vengeance was searching for something – something to make him have a strong, undefeatable pride. He had stumbled across wandering lionesses in the jungle often, but they were not as timid as Halima. He would need more convincing ways to make them join him.

As the lion walked, he came to a deep pond. Stopping, he bent to examine himself in the pool. It was dark out – the sun had set hours before, and Vengeance looked with narrowed eyes at his reflection. In the slowly rippling water, his grey fur looked dark – no, black! None of his markings showed. Only his gleaming eyes shone through. Stepping back from the water, the lion shook his head and then moved forwards for another look. There was his reflection, his fur as glistening grey as ever. Frowning, Vengeance hurried away from the pool.

As the grey lion made his way through the jungle, he soon found himself feeling tired. Knowing he still had quite a ways to go before he reached his mother and Halima, Vengeance decided to rest where he was for a while. Choosing a nice spot, the lion lay down and closed his eyes. Almost suddenly, he was greeted by a lion with a dark mane.

"Welcome Vengeance," a voice spoke to him, and a reddish lion stepped out of the darkness. He had a dark mane and gleaming green eyes. A long scar passed across the lion's left eye.

"Who are you?" growled Vengeance, "and how do you know my name?"

The other lion chuckled. "I am here to help you. You see, I want revenge on Simba too."

Vengeance thought for a moment. "Wait, does that mean you're my father?"

An evil smile broke across the lion's face. "Of course I am! My name is Scar and you are the sole heir to my throne in the Pride Lands."

Vengeance leapt to his feet, greed clutching at his heart. "My mother, Zira, is teaching me and planning a way for me to claim the lands."

Scar nodded. "Ah, I thought she might do that. But if I was you, I wouldn't trust her. She had a plot to kill Simba once, and it failed miserably and resulted in the death of my first son, Nuka."

The grey lion looked confused. "She never told me about that."

"Of course she wouldn't!" snapped Scar. "Do you think she'd tell you all about how she failed?"

"No, I suppose not," said Vengeance, his spirits feeling quite dampened. If he couldn't even trust his own mother to help him, then how would he ever be able to defeat Simba's line?

"Don't worry," said Scar, his smooth voice cutting through the darkness. "That's why I'm here. I'm going to help you. Now, follow me." Scar hurried off through the trees, quickly disappearing into the gloom. Vengeance hurried after him, crashing through the undergrowth. Finally, Scar stopped at a small pool. Nervously stepping forward, Vengeance realized that it was the same pool he had seen his reflection in earlier.

"Come on," Scar told him, "there's nothing to worry about."

"But, I saw.."

"You saw your potential in the pool," answered Scar. "Now come here."

Vengeance stepped forwards. There, Scar was standing in a patch of something black. He was moving his paws back and forth, almost like he was mixing something.

"Watch this carefully," he told the grey lion. Finally, when he was satisfied with how the strange mixture looked, Scar lowered his body into it and rolled back and forth, completely coating himself in it. Vengeance jumped back in shock as Scar stood up. He was completely black! Not even the scar over his eye was visible.

"Try it," Scar told the astounded lion. Vengeance did the same, and stood. Then, stepping carefully forwards, he looked at his reflection in the water. It was the same as he had seen before!

Scar looked over at the lion and smiled, the evil grin showing many gleaming teeth. "Now you will be feared by all."

Vengeance nodded. "But what happens when it wears off?"

Scar motioned towards the patch of black, smeared across the grass. "It can only be removed with water. Nothing else will work. I'm sure you watched to see what I used to make the paint?" Vengeance nodded. "Good," replied Scar. "Then you can make it whenever you like."

"Thank you!" exclaimed Vengeance. "This will be the key to my attack." Scar nodded.

"Oh, just one more thing, Vengeance. Try not to mention this to your mother. She'll say I interfered."

The grey lion nodded and then watched as Scar disappeared off into the trees. Now he felt prepared for anything.

Suddenly, a loud squawk came from a bird near by and Vengeance's eyes popped open. Looking around him, he found himself to be in the same place he had fallen asleep.

"So it was just a dream," he muttered.

Standing, he hurried off through the forest. Perhaps if he got home soon enough, he could find Halima and ask her to help him find the necessary ingredients for the mixture. Then he would see if it really worked or not. Finally approaching his home, Vengeance heard another creature coming towards him. Stepping out into a clearing, he saw his mother. Zira, however, did not treat him like her son. Instead, she threw herself at him, attacking with all her might.

"Mother!" snarled Vengeance, tossing Zira off him like a cub. "What are you doing?"

Zira froze. Was the lion standing before her really her son? It couldn't be! This lion was black as night.

"Vengeance?" the lioness asked, her voice quivering a bit. The lion nodded.

"Of course, who else would it be?"

Zira looked at Vengeance in amazement. "Well, its just that you're so..black."

Vengeance's ears twitched at her comment and he looked down. She was right. He was still black. It hadn't just been a dream after all!"

"What happened?" Zira asked, moving closer and bending to try and lick the black off his front paw. Pulling his paw away, Vengeance sneered down at his mother.

"That won't work. This is my new plan – the way I intend to take over the Pride Lands."

He watched as Zira stepped cautiously back from him, her eyes now showing fear – something that hadn't burned in them for a long time. She didn't know that Vengeance was capable of making his own plans. This meant she was seriously losing her hold on the lion. And now, she was beginning to fear him.

Turning away from Zira, Vengeance noticed Halima standing behind him. She had heard their conversation. Smiling at his mate, Vengeance stepped towards her.

"Remember when I told you that no one would ever make fun of you again once you were with me? That time has come now." The lion motioned for Halima to follow him. "Come with me. Its time I make you queen of my new pride – the Black Pride." Halima nodded obediently and followed him out of the clearing. Together, they walked in silence until they reached the pond.

Without saying a word, Halima took one last look at her reflection in the pond before bending to coat herself with the black mixture. As Zira watched from the bushes with narrowed eyes, Halima rose, and the two black creatures stood side by side. Vengeance smiled. This was what he had needed to be able to frighten other lionesses into joining him. Turning, the two set off to begin searching for members to join their pride.

Once they had left, Zira stepped forwards and looked down into the pond. She felt cheated and angry. As she glared down into the water, she noticed her reflection begin to change. Soon, Scar's face was peering up at her, a smile stretching across it.

"What do you want?" she snapped. The reflection chuckled.

"Vengeance is far more evil than either of us," Scar told her. "You won't be able to control him any longer."

Zira's eyes blazed. "You did this, didn't you?"

Scar just smiled. "Soon the darkness will take over the Pride Lands. And nothing you can do will stop it."

Leaping forwads, Zira splashed into the pond, and the reflection disappeared, broken by the rippling water. Turning, Zira ran with all her strength. She didn't care where she was going. She just had to get away.