"Pathetic."

The words dripped like stinging acid from Zira's tongue as she leaned down to bare her teeth in Kovu's face. The young cub lay spread-eagled below his mother, his heart pounding with a confusing mixture of fear and fury as he struggled to get to his feet. Before he could, though, Zira slammed a paw down on his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

"Oof!" Kovu gasped, panting to catch his breath. "Rrrghh..." he growled, baring his sharp little teeth and sinking his claws into Zira's foreleg, drawing blood.

"Hsss..." his mother hissed, squeezing her eyes shut in pain, but she didn't let up. An eager gasp escaped her, almost as though exhilarated by the feel of Kovu's claws buried in her leg. "NOW you're getting it! Always use...pant...what...pant pant...your enemy gives you, son."

The skinny lioness suddenly leaned down and gave Kovu a sharp nip with her teeth, making the cub whine in pain. "OW!" he yelped, letting go and allowing Zira to fling him away from her.

"That's enough," she snarled, leaning down and licking her wounds. "You've...you've done well, Kovu. Your claws are already sharp enough to cut bone," she murmured with a malevolent grin.

The cub sighed angrily and turned away from Zira, looking out towards the Pridelands with his tail twitching.

"Ohoh..." Zira perked up as she kept a close eye on Kovu's demeanor. She padded over to him and leaned down to get a better look at his grouchy-looking face. "I can smell that anger on you. Every time I best you in combat, your rage is fueled even hotter than before...that will serve you well in the future, Kovu. Don't lose that fire."

She gave her son a lick, making his black tuft of hair slick over one eye, and smirked approvingly down at him before padding off to hunt. "I'll be back at sundown," she called over her shoulder. "Use this time to meditate on what I've taught you of Scar - his life, his reign and his goals for our kingdom."

Kovu ignored her, bristling as he stared at Pride Rock in the far distance. The sun blazed overhead, prickling his pelt, and he flexed his claws irritably.

"Stupid Mother...stupid Scar. Why can't I just be myself?"

That little princess had at least kind of understood...even though she was pretty stupid.

Kovu's mind turned to the girl he'd met the other day...what was her name again? Kimi? Kara? Kiara?...yeah, that sounded right. He'd been putting on an act for Simba's daughter, trying to convince her that he was assured of his destiny as Scar's honorary son...when in reality he hardly knew who he was, apart from a clone of the tyrant king molded by his fanatic mother.

"I'm not dumb old Scar," Kovu muttered, glancing over his shoulder at Zira in the distance stalking a mouse. "I'm me. I'm better!"

He let out an irritated growl as he kicked a rock with his paw, his fur standing on end.

"Don't tell that to Mother~" a singsong voice came from behind him.

Kovu gasped, whipping around to see his sister watching him with a smirk. "V-Vitani?"

The girl tilted her head, smirking and narrowing her eyes. "Don't worry. I won't tattle about your blasphemy, heh-heh." She trotted over to sit next to him, leaning in playfully. "Reflecting reverently on dumb old Scar again?"

"Yeah," Kovu admitted, making a sour face as he looked down at the hot, sandy ground. "I know we gotta take out Simba and everything, but do I really have to hear Mom flap her gums about how great Scar was every day?"

Vitani shrugged. "He had some good ideas, I guess, but it's not like I remember him." She hesitated for a second, then leaned in to whisper conspiratorially in Kovu's ear. "Nuka told me our real dad's name was Vurugu."

Kovu's ears perked up, and his eyes widened. "'Vurugu'? So...Scar really wasn't our father!"

"Nope." Vitani smirked. "Nuka also told me Scar conspired to get him alone and kill him, since any males left alive were a threat. And Vurugu wasn't very smart...like Nuka," she added in a sly whisper, "...so he fell for the trick and got mauled by hyenas."

"Wow..." Kovu stared at his paws. "But...why do I look so much like Scar?"

Vitani shrugged, starting to stalk away. "That I can't tell you, little brother. But now you know our dad's real name..."

She raised her paw threateningly and flexed her claws.

"...and if you tell Mother anything I told you, I'll rip your ears off." Vitani grinned a twisted, evil grin. "Got it?!" she snapped.

Kovu rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever." He turned away from her again, facing east towards the Pridelands with a new sense of hope and determination in his black heart.

When I'm bigger, I'll take that kingdom for no one but myself.