The Lion King: Scar's Reign

Nala's Choice Part 1

A/N:

This chapter mentions the name of the lion who fathered Nala and Mheetu; you'll hear more about him in later chapters...

Scar felt haughty and contented as he lounged on his rock, reflecting upon the events of the day. Marvellous—

"Sleeping again, I see?" Scar's moment was disrupted by a familiar voice; Sarafina's voice. Following Scar's announcement that he had chosen Nala as his queen, it was foreseeable her mother would pay him a visit. "I'm guessing you have nothing better to do, apart from hitting on my child, of course..." Sarafina continued, sarcastically.

With a deliberate slowness, Scar arose from his rock. "Ah Fina, what a pleasant surprise. You are the second lioness I see today, while on a normal day, all that wanders here are hyenas." Scar yawned. Whatever I did that lured the lionesses towards my cave, I must do that more often... "Still, I prefer Nala."

Sarafina's expression soured as she glanced at Scar. "So, the rumours are true? You've gone completely insane?"

"I recall immortal was the word I used, not insane," Scar replied dryly, arching his eyebrow.

"Come on, you can't do this to her! She's still so young!" Sarafina pleaded, her tone slightly altered.

Scar sighed, his annoyance evident. "Nala isn't a child anymore! Besides, if I recall correctly, age was never an issue for you," he said, frowning. "I never quite grasped why you picked him over me. He was muscular, but beyond..."

"Is that what this is? An action of payback?" Sarafina responded. In Sarafina's eyes, Scar once more showed his well-known immature nature, which was one reason why she had preferred the elder lion Scar referred to over him.

Scar shook his head. "I figured you knew me better than that..."

"Still, she could've been yours!"

"She is! I mean, Nala was always destined to be mine. As my bride, not as my daughter," Scar said, rolling his eyes. "The identity of her father has always been obvious, thus, don't start now..." Subsequently, Scar altered his tone and flashed Sarafina a sly grin. "You know Fina, I've never really experienced the full joy of the female soul. Nala has a certain charm that is hard to resist. She awakens the fire within me... There's a fire within her as well, awaiting to be released by—"

"Stop!" Sarafina called out, cutting Scar off instantly. "This is her mother you are speaking to..." Scar's manner of speaking about Nala left a sick feeling in her stomach. "If Lio was here—"

"Ah, I had forgotten his name. Speaking of him, where is he now?" Scar reacted upon hearing Sarafina drop the name of her last mate, the lion who fathered both Nala and Mheetu. The lion in question had left the Pride Lands a long time ago. Scar recalled that it occurred somewhere before Sarafina birthed Mheetu. "What kind of father abandons his offspring?"

Sarafina growled. "Those words sound so foreign coming from your mouth!" The topic of Lio's departure had always been a sensitive one for Sarafina, but she knew if he hadn't left on his own, Scar eventually would've banned him anyway. Lio, similar to numerous male lions, had harboured a dislike for the black-maned lion, and vice versa, it was the same. "You do the same to Nuka!"

"That's different!" Scar pulled a face.

"Want to know what I think, Scar?" A lingering thought had been preoccupying Sarafina's mind for quite a while. The way he stands there, pulling up his nose... Scar evoked in Sarafina the memory of a former ruling lion. "You are your father's portrait!"

Scar roared. "Don't compare me with Ahadi! I'm nothing like him!" Sarafina's awareness of Scar's feelings towards his father made her words especially impactful, striking him hard.