Hello everyone! Here's another fanfic, and this one will focus… You guessed it, Scar. I'm not sure how long this is going to be, but I'm aiming for about ten or fifteen chapters. Depending on how it develops, it could be a lot longer. But don't bet on it. And when you see: ()()()()()()()()()() it means the POV is changing. But that won't happen to often in this particular story.
This story is where I introduce another character, and it's an OC. Her name is Nafasi, and she's supposed to be a really small orange lioness. Her name means 'chance' in Swahili. At least according to google translate. You really can't trust it one hundred percent. So I could be wrong. And also, Nafasi's mother's name, Mwanga, means 'light'. Also google translate.
Sorry about this short chapter! The next one will be longer, I can assure you.
Anyhow, on with the fanfic!
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Nafasi's POV
Nafasi looked in at her reflection in the water. It had just rained recently, and some puddles had pooled outside their den. She sighed. Three ugly scars covered the left side of her face, stretching from her forehead almost down to her mouth.
Of course, she wouldn't call them 'ugly' when Scar was around. He was covered in gashes that hadn't healed completely too, and he probably would take it as a demeaning comment. It wasn't his fault by any means though. A rogue lion had scratched him up real well, and had driven him away from the Pridelands.
Scars were never a lion's own fault. Nafasi had garnered her scars by a lion called Mabaya. She had refused to do what he told her, and he had scratched her face for it. Scar had come to her rescue, and he had killed Mabaya by tearing out his throat.
Nafasi looked at her damaged eye. It had lost its color, and was now completely gray. Having only one working eye made judging certain distances a bit harder. However, longer distances after five feet were unaffected. Even so, it made running through the forest a bit difficult.
"Hello Nafasi." Came a voice from behind her.
"Hi Scar." She replied, as she turned around to greet him. As always, he was frowning. But he still looked plenty handsome. His scars did nothing to detract from that.
"Good evening. I have our meal." He said. Draped over his shoulders, he had a zebra.
"Oooh! A zebra! My favorite!" Exclaimed Nafasi. Zebra meat was the juiciest, and had the best taste. Whenever possible, she always went for the zebra.
"I thought you might like it." Replied Scar smugly, as he set down his catch.
"Well, you thought right." Said Nafasi, as she walked up to the carcass. She took a bite out of it, savoring the flavor. Her mother used to bring her zebra all the time, her favorite childhood memories tended to consist of food.
Scar sat next to her, taking part in the meal. They hadn't eaten that morning, and had instead stayed inside and slept the morning off. The prospect of heading out in the heavy rain had defeated them. Once Nafasi had finished, she wiped the blood off her chin, and drank some water out of a rain puddle.
"So Nafasi… Shall it be another boring evening?" Asked Scar, as she walked back into the den.
"I guess so, unless you got an idea." She replied.
"How about a story session?" He said.
"A story session?"
"I know it sounds a bit, shall we say, weird….. But all it is is an exchange of stories. I find it helps pass the time." Explained Scar.
"We tell each other stories? Ok… Do they have to be about reality, or about fiction?" Asked Nafasi.
"It doesn't matter. The goal is to pass the time. Just don't make them ridiculous." Cautioned Scar.
"Alright…. I guess I'll go first." She replied.
"Be my guest."
"Well then, this is story a story my mother used to tell me when I felt sad... *ahem*. Once upon a time, there lived two lions, next to giant mountain in a valley. The lions were always curious about what was at the top of the mountain, but they never tried to climb it. Then, one day, it started to rain. The rain got so bad that the valley started to flood. Fearing for their lives, the lions ran to high ground, up the mountain. As the flood came higher and higher, it threatened to cover the mountain entirely. The first lion knew they were doomed, so he told the second lion to pray to whatever gods watched over lions in need. As the water rose higher, the two lions prayed for help. Then, right before the water covered the mountain, a gigantic lion in the sky appeared, and took hold of the two. The sky lion carried them to safety, away from the flooded earth. When the water went back down, the lions returned to find they were the last lions left in the world. And, legend has it, every other lion has descended from them." Finished Nafasi.
"A flood story?" Asked Scar.
"Well yeah, I guess it involves floods." She Replied.
"No, I mean that it's a tale about a great flood that swamped the earth. It seems to me that every species has one, even the zebras and the wildebeest. I've never heard of one for lions before though. But I wonder why it's such a common theme?" Said Scar.
"Maybe because at one point there was some sort of flood. And maybe there really was some sort of Sky Lion." Replied Nafasi.
"I don't know about the latter half of that statement, but you're probably right. It hardly matters though. If it did happen, it happened ages ago."
"Anyhow, I think it's your turn for a story." Said Nafasi, as she walked up to Scar and lied down next to him, getting comfortable. Scar looked down at her, eyes cocked.
"My turn you say? Alright, since you told one of fantasy, I shall tell one of reality." Declared Scar.
"You don't know that it was fantasy." Replied Nafasi"
"Perhaps I don't, but I know which one I would bet on. Anyhow, here it is. Long ago in the Pridelands, where I come from, the land was empty. There were herds of prey animals, but there were no predators to keep them in check. Then, a group of wandering lions and hyenas happened to come across it. When they beheld the area, they knew it was the perfect spot for a home. The lions and the hyenas divided the land equally between them, allowing plenty of hunting space for both groups. The lions set up their Kings, and the hyenas set up their Matriarchs. The groups interacted peacefully, with even the prey animals allowed certain rights. Generations passed, without much change except the continued prosperity only growing."
"Sounds like a nice place." Commented Nafasi.
"Not for long. After fifty-three generations of living in the Pridelands, a drought struck. The water eventually dried up, and what once was grass became dirt. The prey and the predators were starving, hardly getting by on the little that was left. Many herds left the Pridelands in search of water. Then, unfortunately for all groups, an atrocity was committed four months into the drought. The watering hole that marked the border between the lions and hyenas was a neutral zone, any animals could drink there safely without fear of being hunted. It was one of the few places left to drink. The current lion king, Mohatu became desperate, and he ordered his packs to hunt at the watering hole. All the animals that were at the site were slaughtered, and taken back to Pride Rock. When other animals saw that creatures had been killed at the water hole, they demanded to know who had done it, and that retribution happen to the guilty party. Fearing that the animals would leave without intervention, king Mohatu declared that it was the hyenas that had done it. Before the hyenas knew what was happening, the lions attacked them, and massacred their main camp. Those who were left fled the Pridelands, and watched helplessly as the lions claimed hyena territory as their own. And to throw salt into the wound, not two weeks after the lions had done it, the drought ended. The hyenas were forced to scrounge in the wastelands outside of their former home, while the lions feasted." And with that, Scar finished his tale.
"Your ancestors threw the hyenas out?" Asked Nafasi.
"Yes. My grandfather actually. Of course, I didn't hear that story from another lion. It was the hyenas that actually told me, and the one that did was extremely trustworthy." Said Scar.
"Who was it?"
"Hatari, the clan Matriarch. She acted as my foster mother, when Ahadi kicked me out." Replied Scar.
"I bet she was nice." Said Nafasi.
"She was, most of the time. She had a short temper, but she still helped me more than most of the lions in my pride."
"My mother cared for me a lot as well. She used to tell me stories like this all the time, and she always was there when I needed her." Added Nafasi.
"Well, I wouldn't exactly call Hatari caring, but nonetheless, it sounds as if you had a good mother. What was her name?" Asked Scar.
"Her name was Mwanga. She told me that all names mean something, and that hers meant 'light'. It sounds like a pretty name, but I don't know what my name means." Replied Nafasi.
"What does your name mean? Actually, Nafasi means 'chance'. Kind of ironic, considering you're technically my second chance….." Scar suddenly trailed off, and stopped talking.
"I'm what?" Asked Nafasi. She didn't hear what exactly he had said.
"Nevermind, it's nothing. Forget, it was nothing of any great import." He replied.
"Okay then…" Said Nafasi, confused.
"Want to quick walk out to the river real quick? I want to show you something." Said Scar quickly, as he got up and walked out of the den. Nafasi followed him out, curious about his sudden change of subject. Scar sat down in the darkness, and looked up at the many stars above them. She sat down next to him, and huddled close.
"What are we out here for?" She asked.
"Take a look up at the stars above us. Have you ever used them as a sort of drawing board, and made shapes with the brightest ones?"
"Not really. I mean, the stars are pretty, but I've never tried that." She replied.
"Well, try it now. Look up where I'm pointing, see?" Said Scar, as he raised his paw to gesture at the sky. Nafasi looked where he was pointing, and saw a brighter star shining out amongst the rest.
"I see it." She replied.
"Now follow my claw, a little down and to the left," Ordered Scar. Nafasi followed him to the next star, and found another one that glowed a bit brighter.
"I see that one too." She remarked.
"Good. Now onto the next one…" Scar then continued to point out several stars, telling her to memorize their positions in the order he showed them to her. Eventually, eight stars later, he finished.
"Okay then, what was the point of that?" Asked Nafasi.
"Look at the shape the stars make." Scar told her. Nafasi looked back at the ones he had pointed to, and tried to see what he meant. Bit by bit, she pieced together a picture.
"They make a heart." She declared. Confused, she looked at Scar for the answer. What was he trying to do? Scar looked back at her, no longer frowning like he normally did, but with a little smile.
"Nafasi… Ever heard of something called love?" He asked. Nafasi was glad for the darkness at that moment. She was sure she was blushing. She looked back at him, grinning.
"My mom told me about it once….."
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:):):):):):):):):):):):):) yay! I finally got the filler chapters done! Next chapter, I can assure you, will have some action. And the chapter after that….. The climax! And the chapter after that… The resolution? All In all, this story is drawing to a close here soon.
So you'd better leave a review!