Fear and Disgrace

Heshima limped back to the only place where she could call safe, the waterhole. She had been invited on a hunting trip and in order to provide more food for the pride, she had stayed behind to find a small amount of prey. But as soon as her pride left, a strong male lion had found her and struck her down. A wicked smile protruded from his muzzle and a maniacal laugh was emitted. Heshima wanted to get away, and she ended up fighting back slightly, clawing at his face and neck. But the male was forceful and shoved her onto the ground.

During the whole experience, Heshima was crying, trying to crawl away from the attacking male. He kept whispering to her how she would make a perfect addition to his victims, of how he would be back for any children she procured from this encounter. He said he had a son, with glowing orange eyes and a dark russet pelt, with a dark mane like his own. Heshima barely listened, but something caught her attention, his son's name. It was Kifo, one letter away from her own son's name. The pale lioness gasped and it made the male become more brutal, making sure he left his mark on the lioness' body.

And now Heshima was bloodied and defeated, the idea of an unwanted litter was too great, it was almost plausible. Tears rolled down the female's face and she choked on her own sobs. Everything on her body hurt, and she felt like a piece of trash that someone used and threw away. Heshima did not want another litter, what would Scar do? He would surely kill them and exile her, but she had to avoid it. Even though these cubs would be produced from an attack, Heshima would love them as her own. But, who was to say that these cubs were forming?

The pale lioness saw someone in the distance and she tried to pick up her pace. The figure was small, but she could still tell it was an adult. Was it Scar? Please let it be Scar. She needed this lion and his son to be destroyed, this scum need not walk the earth anymore. "H-help!" Heshima tried to roar this line out, but with was stopped with a choke, the figure now becoming more clear with each step would possibly hear this cry. This only showed how weak she was, crying hysterically, slightly hyper-ventilating. Fear washed over her, but there was nothing she could do now, the deed was done.

The lionesses were out hunting, and Scar himself was wandering his kingdom in something of a daze. His much anticipated litter with Zira had turned out to be an utter disappointment: only one cub, and a puny one at that. Scar felt as if he had been robbed of his legacy once more with a son that was not what he expected, and not what he wanted. His thoughts had drifted back to Heshima, the mother of four of his cubs. Though most of her cubs had been female, her litter had been the largest. Scar wondered if he had made a mistake in choosing Zira to be his queen outright when so many of his other lionesses would be coming into season again soon.

Almost on cue, as Scar thought of the pale lioness with her lovely violet eyes, her terrified voice caught his attention near He glanced around slowly before spotting her form in the distance near the water hole, looking injured and crumpled against the dry ground. Wasting no time, Scar rushed to see what had happened, and with every step he took closer to Heshima, he could see that something terrible had transpired there. She had been attacked by some unseen foe. "What happened?"

Unfortunately, the answer to that question was plainly evident to the king as his jade eyes searched Heshima's bloodied body. The rage was already beginning to boil within him. "Who did this? Tell me now, and he will be punished immediately." His hyenas were only a call away, after all, but there was a panicked look in the king's eyes. To think that someone had the audacity to lay his paws on one of Scar's lionesses, the mother and caretaker of many royal cubs... It was outrageous, and there would be hell to pay for it.

Scar hadn't known that Heshima was in heat, and the thought that she had wandered off on her own during such a time annoyed the dark king. He should have been the first to know. Now he wouldn't have a chance to produce another litter with her, even if it hadn't really been something he was planning on. His lip curled at the thought of Heshima giving birth to cubs that were not his. Scar simply could not allow such a travesty.

When Scar came upon her location, Heshima collapsed onto the ground, her trembling legs carrying her no more. Scar was worried, but was it because of her loyalty? Or just because she was his property? But right now, it didn't matter and Heshima didn't care. She just wanted to feel safe in her homelands again. "I was out hunting, trying to get one last kill for the cubs, Sarabi said it would be fine!" Heshima paused and choked on her tears once more before continuing.

"Then a lion came and forced me down, I fought back as best I could be I couldn't get away, he was too strong! I-I couldn't do anything, h-he-" Heshima stopped, she couldn't continue, and she hoped Scar would understand that she didn't want the cubs, but now she had to have them. "He threatened me, telling me he'd come back for any cubs and then kill me afterwords with the help of his son, please sire, stop him!" Kuzimu's scent was all over her body so the hyenas would be able to get a good idea of the lion they were looking for.

Heshima tried to stand up, but collapsed yet again, unknowing if Scar would help her up or stand there emotionless. She inched closer to the waterhole to try to clean up her wounds, but finally she couldn't move any more. She gained the courage to speak once more, "As if to insult you my king, he took a large animal, he took out an elephant! A young one, but he's a threat to our pride, he's strong sire, too strong!" Why the male didn't take a zebra was unnerving, but he took out an elephant, and that would surely rock the balance between the pride and the great beasts.

Hyenas were starting to assemble, and Heshima only recognized Fisi, the hyena who had alerted her of Kimbilia's betrayal. His eyes widened and he backed away slowly, waiting for instructions from Scar. Heshima looked to Scar and sighed, "His name is Kuzimu, his son's name is Kifo, they're both dark with bright orange eyes, let the hyenas collect his scent from me if you wish sire, he ran off to the east. The same direction as Mheetu's attacker, do you think they could be the same lion?" Heshima spoke no more, but only waited for her king to take action. She was scared, but she would find a way to prevail.

The dark king listened silently as Heshima told her sorry tale, and his bright eyes flashed with fury. This was the second time now one of his own had been attacked by an unknown rogue passing through, and it was very worrisome to Scar. He realized now that he would have to amp up security forces along the borders so that none could enter now. But who was this lion, and where had he come from? Well, it didn't really matter now. He would be dead soon. Scar's hyena minions were gathering now, nearly a dozen had come to see what drama was unfolding beside the waterhold. The king shuddered at the mention of the lost elephant. It was nearly impossible for a hunting party to bring down one of the gigantic beasts, but for a lone lion to accomplish such a thing was neary unheard of. A brow arched suspiciously, for a moment wondering if Heshima was making the entire story up. But it was obvious by her demeanor and her injuries that she had been forced to mate.

"Fisi," he called out to the hyena, who stepped forward with some reluctance. "Take the male's scent and track him down. Gather a search party, and don't return until this brute and his son have been killed." The hyena nodded slowly before turning away. His fellow canines seemed thrilled by the idea of the hunt and cackled amongst themselves, discussing who would bring back a lock of his mane to prove to their king that Kuzimu had indeed been killed.

"You need not worry, Heshima," he began after a silent pause, attempting to sound as sympathetic as he could muster. "You will never see the lion again, you have my word as king. And if you bear him a litter, we will take care of them." Scar wasn't talking about raising up any cubs that could result from this heinous act when he said they would 'take care of them,' and his face contorted into a scowl. "You don't need the extra responsibilities, I understand, and you will not need to raise this devil's spawn."

The very thought of taking in cubs that didn't belong to him was outrageous to Scar. A wise monarch destroyed any chance for opposition, and no infant was safe from a lion who had a legacy to protect. He clicked his tongue in a pitying manner as he looked over Heshima once more, finally stepping closer to offer his suport, since she was now unable to stand without effort. His lioness had been ruined, but she would be avenged. Kuzimu would not live to see many more sunrises once Scar's hyenas found him.

Heshima smiled when Scar sent the hyenas away to go take care of Kuzimu and his son, the world didn't need a monster like that. But then, Scar promised that she would never see him again, and that if she did bear him a litter, they would take care of it. With Heshima's mindset, she actually thought that Scar meant she would be able to keep the litter and he would also help. But the mother was appalled when Scar said that she would not need to take care of the litter of the devil.

She was torn between keeping the new children, or sending them to an early death. It was her duty as mother to raise whatever children she brought into this world, no matter what her king said. She knew they would be nothing like their father, she would raise them to be a Pridelander, loyal to Scar. "Sire, I know you aren't going to like this but, I wish to keep the litter," Heshima struggled to get up and finally succeeded, and before Scar could retaliate she decided her unborn children's fate.

"Any males will be soldiers under your command sire! They will be loyal to you and will be your protection when they grow old enough. They will even be spies if you desire!" Heshima paused for a moment and sighed, "My king, it is a mother's duty to raise her cubs, no matter who the father is. I can't kill them, it will haunt me forever. This would also give Kifu and the girls some responsibility! Trust me, they will be nothing like their father, I'll make sure of it,"

Ebony nostrils wrinkled in distaste when Heshima claimed she wanted to keep the litter that had possibly been created that day. As the lioness anticipated, Scar was disturbed that she was considering keeping Kuzimu's cubs. "Why? You have enough to worry about as it is. Your first litter was large, one can only assume the next will be even larger. Do you wish to drain the pride of its dwindling resources for his common cubs? Look what he's done to you." He leaned closer to the pale form of the lioness, nodding towards her open wounds as if to prove his point.

"It is the duty of a pride lioness to give the king more cubs, is it not? How do you expect to do that now?" The question was rhetorical, and the russet king still seething. Obviously, Scar was struggling to accept Heshima's desire to raise up the unwanted litter. Still, she made a good point. It would certainly be benefitial in the future to have lions around who were not of royal lineage, in case of war. Scar was crazy, but he wasn't daft. With Heshima's offer of loyal soldiers, the king's mind slowly began to change. It still hurt his own pride that one of his lionesses had been taken advantage of by some rogue, but Kuzimu and his older son would both meet their swift demise soon enough.

Regardless, it was unfathomable to Scar that Heshima insisted that she be allowed to keep a litter that was forced upon her, and he shook his head in disbelief. "I reserve judgement until the litter arrives, if one is on its way." If this was the nobility of a mother lioness, it was foolishness. Maternal instinct was a concept totally lost on the lion. Then, to add insult to injury, Scar commented cruelly under his breath to the wounded lioness, "They will never be my cubs, you know."

Heshima remained silent through her chastising, Scar was right, why would she want to keep a commoners cubs? Scar had chose her to bear a litter, and now she went against all previous judgement. Her king was right, the resources were bare, but that would be something that her cubs would have to live with. It would train them to fight all odds, and if they were exiled once they are of age, then they would be ready for anything life threw at them.

The question confused the mother of four, did Scar wish to mate her again? After her first litter it seemed that the monarch wanted nothing to do with her or the cubs, but would he have given another chance? It was outlandish to think that, maybe the king was just playing with her. Trying to get to show her true loyalty, but she knew where her loyalties lied, and they would be with Scar unless he proved her otherwise. And that wasn't bound to happen for a long time, at least, she didn't think so.

A small smile escaped Heshima's muzzle and she uttered a small 'thank you' when Scar said he would reserve judgement. But as if to add salt to the wound, Scar said that they would never be his cubs. And Heshima nodded, she knew that fact. "I know sire, they will never be yours because their father is a demon. And you sire are not. Kuzimu said he killed all the female cubs born, and I know that you would never kill your own family. They won't be yours sire, because you aren't a demon!"

When Heshima ventured to guess that Scar would never hurt one of his own family members, the dark king said nothing, but a strange smile crossed his muzzle. It was lucky for him that the Pridelanders remained ignorant about the role he had played in Mufasa's demise. "To kill all female cubs is absurd. Without lionesses, there will be no future for our kind. We need lionesses. Don't you agree?" Flattery was a rare tool Scar had left to keep his subjects in check.

In truth, Scar regarded Heshima more highly than most in the pride. He now thought her a fool, but she was far too necessary to the pride to be cast out, even for potentially conceiving a litter with an unworthy lion. She cared for the majority of the royal cubs and so far, had proven herself to be a more capable mother than Kimbilia or even Sarafina. Heshima's litter often caused mischief, but Sarafina's son had nearly been killed by a rogue while playing by himself away from the safety of the den. In spite of the rumors and low morale, Heshima for some reason remained loyal to Scar. He would never admit it aloud, but he did appreciate it, and he stepped closer still to offer himself as a crutch to the injured lioness.

"Let's get you back to the den, my dear. From now on, I think it would be wise for you to stay at Pride Rock where it is safe. Let the others worry about hunting, you must take care of yourself and your little ones." The wide smile on his muzzle suggested that Scar meant what he said, and in part, he did. He didn't want anything awful to happen to Heshima, because that would leave five of his cubs without a mother to raise them. He was not a demon, see? Scar could be caring, or at least pretend to be when it was necessary. Heshima was losing her freedom that day, whether or not she realized it. She was simply too valuable to risk losing, and now Scar would watch her closely.