If Nuka Survived...

Chapter 2

The antelope grazed peacefully on the grass in the Pridelands. The sun was high in the sky and emanating soft rays of light down upon the green and tan grounds of the African savannah. Sunlight was reflecting off of a nearby pond and lighting the liquid up like colored glass.

A quartet of paws stepped out silently among the grass. Black claws unsheathed from each paw finger and felt the Earth, digging up small amounts of dirt. They didn't suspect a thing. This was good. If they heard one thing out of place, they would scatter away, terrified. The feline lowered his body to the ground before stalking closer, slowly, being wary of any small obstacles in his path. It was a painstakingly slow process, every step taken causing his heart to flutter excitedly. However, he managed to keep his excitement down as he continued. Finally, he stopped and put most of his weight on his back legs before pouncing on the gentle creature, sending the rest of the herd into a frenzy of horns, hooves, and fur.

The antelope kicked and swung its head, trying to make contact with its attacker and live another day. The jaws on the lion were too powerful, however and within the course of just a few minutes, the deer-like quadruped was nothing more than a meal for the predator to enjoy.

He detached his jaw from the carcass and grinned a bloodied grin, looking back at a darker lion formerly hidden in the bushes.

"Good work, Nuka! Now, let's bring this back to the cave," Scar said, stepping up beside his son and gripping the antelope carcass with his teeth.

His son followed suit and they both dragged their meal back to their temporary home.

In the days that passed, Nuka's mane had grown a bit longer. This was much faster growth than when he was living with his mother and adopted siblings. His father had explained how a good diet and grooming could remedy slower growth. This seemed to be the case as, the grey lion was eating much more frequently than before. In addition, his fur had become less messy and had slowly been ridding itself of termites.

When they put it down, Scar immediately dug into the creature, hungrily, quickly followed by Nuka who, shortly after, was met with a claw to the face. Scar glared at his son before continuing his meal.

He backed up, startled and putting his own paw up against the gash in his cheek, he looked at his father.

"I-I'm sorry, father...I-I mean..,"

Scar stopped and looked up at Nuka, his maw stained red. "How do you not know the simplest of rules? The more dominant lion eats before you! That's how it's always been!"

The grayer lion had never heard of such a rule. In the outlands, it was every lion for himself and they ate anything they could get their claws on without hesitation. There was so little food that three field mice was considered a big lunch. There was no need or time for rituals. He explained this to his father.

"Zira, what have you done to our son?" Scar sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine, Nuka. You may eat with me. But, next time we eat, you will obey the regular eating rituals."

"Thank you, father," Nuka said, looking at the ground and stepping closer to the kill. As he took a bite of the Antelope, his taste buds exploded with flavor, filling his mouth with the savory taste of the large mammal. He closed his eyes, savoring the taste and letting not only his mouth, but his nose as well take in the intense flavor of fresh antelope. Suddenly, he felt a twang of deja vu. His memory sparked and sent him back once more to when he was a cub.

It was a rather uneventful day at Pride Rock. The lionesses were out hunting and Shenzi, Bonzai, and Ed were chewing on the remaining bones of an old meal in Scar's cave. They were tasked with watching the young cub to make sure that he didn't get into any trouble.

Ed stopped chewing and silently threw his bone into the air, watching as it flipped and twirled above him and laughing as it landed with a sudden clunk on his head. Shenzi rolled her eyes at this and turned her attention to the child that they had the job of keeping watch over. He was turned on his side, facing away from the hyenas at the cave opening.

"Hey, don't you even think about leavin' that spot, twerp! Scar wants you to stay in here while the lionesses and him are out!" Bonzai spoke up, letting his bone lie between his front legs quietly.

"Hush, Bonzai. Let the kid think. That's all he's doin'! Right, kid?" Shenzi said, looking at Bonzai sternly.

"I guess," Nuka replied, melancholy.

"Hey, what's holdin' ya'?" She cocked her head to the side, slightly.

"It's just..," he paused in thought. "father said that the Pridelands used to be full of creatures other than just mice and bugs. Creatures the size of grown lions! Creatures with the most tasty meat ever had. I'm wondering why we don't see them anymore."

Shenzi and Bonzai raised their eyebrows and looked at each other before the hyena queen stood and stepped up to Nuka.

"Why don't we wait to see what the lionesses bring back? You must be hungry!" She said, grinning her pointed teeth and patting his head kindly.

Ed laughed hysterically at the sight, his tongue lolling out of his open mouth as he rolled off of his rock. This laughter was short-lived, though as he was quickly silenced by Bonzai slapping his face and telling him to shut up.

A couple of hours passed and finally, after much anticipation, the lionesses came back, a horned animal in one of their jaws. This was a rare kill. Only mice seemed to live within the Pridelands since the beginning of Scar's rule and Nuka had never seen a creature of this size except for his father and the lionesses.

Because of his curiosity, Scar tore off a piece of meat from the carcass and tossed it to his son. Nuka sniffed it and then took a bite, his tongue being enveloped in a flavor he had never experienced before. A flavor he likened to heaven.

He chewed slowly, savoring every bite of the torn off piece, his eyes closing happily. He enjoyed every minute of that moment. His father watching on with a look of disinterest as he took large bites.

"Nuka," Scar said. "Do not take too big of a bite. You could choke."

"Yes, father."

He went back to his meal, his eyes closing once again in pure enjoyment.

"Nuka."

He couldn't hear his father, his sense of taste overwhelming his other senses.

"Nuka! Nuka!"

The meat was nearly gone now. He just had one more bite before-.

"NUKA!"

Nuka's eyes snapped open in shock. In surprise, he fell on his back on the desolate cave floor. His heart was going a hundred miles in his chest. Scar was looming over him, his stern face showing a tint of aggravation.

"You have better instincts than to doze off during your meal! Hasn't Zira taught you anything?"

"Y-Yes, father. I-I just-."

"Even in the outlands you had to fight to keep your food, no?" His father raised an eyebrow.

"W-Well, I mean," Nuka hesitated. "Yes?"

"Unbelievable..," the older lion said, putting a paw to his temples and rubbing them with two paw fingers. He sighed and looked at his son. "We will start proper eating rituals tomorrow as a reminder. In the meantime, finish your meal and then go sharpen your claws. Those things are getting dull."

Nuka's ears folded backwards in shame as Scar bowed his head towards his meaty meal and continued to eat. Unbeknownst to them however, a pair of eyes looked in on them from the darkness of the cave. The owner gave a quiet whoop before backing off and escaping through a small back entrance. He laughed as he trotted toward the Outlands, his black tail fur bouncing from his paw steps.