Tales of The Lion King

"Simba you must understand..." I watched as my mighty father shifted his immense weight to one side and laid his head in the grass."Your uncle wasn't always bitter, he was...shaped that way."

As far as I knew my uncle scar had always been bitter, mean, and a tad bit weird. But if my dad said he wasn't, he wasn't. My dad hasn't told a lie since the herds left the pride lands for almost two dry seasons when he was a cub himself.

"Your uncle was always competitive, I didn't detect his jealousy until it was too late to change him. My father Ahadi, also your grandfather, always had favorites. He always showed me a bit more love than taka..."

Taka? I hadn't heard this name before. "Taka?" I asked.

"Taka is the name that was given to your uncle before he obtained his scar, and his reputation."

He must have detected my surprise because he started to laugh, deep and throaty the way he always does when he's amused.

"Rafiki never told me that dad..."

"I'm glad he didn't son, there's not a beast who doesn't hesitate to bring up your uncles past..."

"Why's that dad?"

He threw me a devious smile that made the fur at the corners of his mouth wrinkle.

"Because his past is scary Simba!"

There's a word I didn't like: scary. I wasn't scared of anything, especially a silly old story.

"Dad I'm not scared, I'm a lion. We're not supposed to be scared of anything! Zazu says it'
s only cause were at the top of the food chain. Whatever that means...."

"Son don't mind some of the things you hear from Zazu, he complains more than a cheetah with shin splints." I giggled because I happened to know the cheetah he was referencing.

"Dad go on with the story!"

He flicked his tail like he always did when he was thinking. "Taka really took my fathers favoritism to heart. He grew further and further apart from me. He started spending time away with hyena cubs. It would be an understatement to say my father did not approve. Some time passed and my father revealed his plan to make me king over Taka."
I flicked my tail impatiently. "Taka became hysterical, and my father reacted to his emotional outburst...violently."

My eyes widened "What happened?" My father turned his head to the horizon as if waiting on something to appear."Taka became scar that day."

"You didn't try to help him!?" My fathers expression turned grave. I knew I had overstepped my bounds. "Simba if I wouldn't have 'helped' my brother, he would have died that day." I lowered my head, but my dad sensed I was sorry and continued.

"After that day your uncle spent less and less time with the pride as a whole. He didn't even interact with our mother Uru whom he was especially close to. He all but disappeared from us after that...no one knows where he went..."

"You didn't try and follow him?"

My father turned his head and met my eyes with his golden ones.

"Simba the rift between my brother and I was so great that it was as if we weren't even family anymore. I didn't want to follow him, he didn't want to be followed. I was truly afraid of what I would find."

I nodded my head in understanding. I had one last question.

"Where was he dad?"

"I believe he spent his days in the elephant graveyard with the hyenas, but who knows?He was troubled. A few years ago he took to the cliffs where he resides now, it was closer to the pride but just far enough to keep away..."

I nodded my head. I understood why uncle scar was the way he was...I was honestly shocked. I guess my father could see it because he picked me up with his teeth, rolled over, and brought me to his chest. I took a few moments to think about Scar, but the warmth of my fathers mane and the steady rise and fall of his chest lulled me to sleep.