Ghost From The Past

The first to rise in the morning was the so-called king of the lands. Before the African sun could appear over the horizon, the air was cool, far more comfortable than it would be as the day progressed. Scar had gotten up just as the dawn illuminated the eastern sky with rich shades of indigo. It was peaceful and still, but even the beauty of the morning could not bring a smile to the unhappy monarch's face.

The sunrise reminded him of his cub year, of waking early with his mother, the great Queen Uru, to watch the sunrise. In all of Scar's life, there had been only one creature who seemed capable of loving the conniving cat without conditions. King Ahadi had his son Mufasa, while Uru had her little Taka. Indeed, her death had only quickened young Scar's dissent into madness. With Uru, Scar's original name was lost. He had not been called Taka since then. A low sigh escaped. Scar was not the type of lion to feel any type of pity other than self wallowing, but when it came to his dear mother, the dark king still mourned. It had been years, but Scar still thought of his mother from time to time.

He was now perched at the tip of Pride Rock, the spot where royal cubs were held aloft by the shaman for the herds to see in the past. His own sons had not been presented, for who was left to present the new princes to? Scar had everything he thought he had desired, and yet he felt empty. He sat alone, shoulders slumping, bright emerald eyes fixed on where the sun would soon be appearing.

It was another hot day in the Pride Lands, and Ari was, as usual, being dragged along on some playful activity with her siblings. It wasn't like she hated them or their family bonding, but it just wasn't for her. Ari felt like she just didn't fit in with the rest of the cubs.

Casting the group one last glance, Ari snuck away from their playing, deciding that resting on top of pride rock may be a better use of her time. She hopped up on the cold gray stones, occasionally getting spooked by her shadow that followed her. I mean that thing was scary! But Ari was surprised to see someone in her usual napping spot, someone she didn't see often.

"Father...?" She said softly, making a slow approach to the king and made sure to keep her head down so not to offend. Ari came to sit near him and gaze at him with her shining purple eyes. "Are you okay father?"

The day had worn on when Scar heard the sounds of play, of sibling quarrels and bickering, and his ears folded back in annoyance. He found the collection of cubs to be noisy, pushy, and rather irritating, and he preferred to avoid them when possible. He was certainly not father of the year material, but a smile appeared as Ari approached him. Her pelt reminded him very much of his own mother, but her eyes were Heshima's. Beautiful violet eyes had been what attracted Scar to the humble lioness to begin with, and he was glad to see they had been passed down to at least one of his children.

"I'm fine, fine." He said idly, glancing up to see if the other cubs were coming. He couldn't handle the entire litter at once. When he saw the coast was clear, he stood, beckoning for Ari to follow him as he padded away, down towards the bottom of the huge stone structure. "Shall we go for a walk, Ari?" Her name felt funny on his tongue, as if he was still not used to saying it.

Her purple eyes widened with excitement. Her father, the king, had wanted to walk with her? He had never spent so much as a moment with the litter and now he wanted to spend time, with Ari, alone, for a walk. How could she say no?

"Y-yes father, of course father." the cub said happily trotting beside the King, nuzzling herself around his front paws. Ari was trying to be respectful of the King, for mother had always told her that kings were to be treated with the highest respect possible. But she as just so happy, she could hardly contain herself.

Composing herself, Ari took a step back and looked up at Scar. Her purple eyes shined with nothing but admiration for the King. The cub didn't see his wrong doings or his evil ways, only the image of a great and strong King. He was like God to her! Ari would do anything to please him, anything!

"S-so father. How are you?" She asked meekly, unsure of what she was actually supposed to say. So she just struck up a meek conversation hoping that it wouldn't bore the King. Ari only wanted to please.

Of the entire litter born to Heshima and Scar, the eldest female was the quietest, and the most polite so far. He could sense her excitement at the prospect of leaving their home with her father, which brought the faintest smile to his features as she circled around his legs in an unexpected display of affection. "How am I? The life of a king can be exhausting." To prove his point, he gave an exasperated sigh. He didn't expect a cub to understand, of course, but it wasn't a question many asked of him.

"You know, Ari," he began slowly, uncertain of whether or not he cared to continue. "You resemble your grandmother very much. I can't help but be reminded of her." Scar speaking of his family was practically unheard of, but the dark king shared the random tidbit with his oldest daughter now that they were padding away from the den and the prying ears of the pride.

He stepped in the direction of the water hole, since the Pridelands had little else to offer now that the landscape was drying and parched. Even their trusty source of water was beginning to shrink with each passing week without a cloud in the sky to offer relief from the drought. He glanced down to be certain that little Ari could keep pace with him.

Ari hopped along beside Scar, hanging on to each an every word that passed his lips. The idea of her resembling her grandmother was interesting to her. Ari new next to nothing about her family past her Mother, so this was news to her.

"I look like Grandmother..." She started slowly with her eyes locked on the ground below. "What...What was she like, Father? What was her name?"

The small cub smiled as they neared the watering hole. She was young an narrow minded, so of course she wouldn't notice its decreasing size. Ari still believed the watering hole was the best place to be! And being there beside her father made it even better.

No Pridelander dared to speak of Scar's family, fearing the unstable monarch's reaction. Mufasa's name was forbidden, though his memory never seemed to fade for those old enough to remember the better times that had come before Scar's cruel reign. Regardless, Scar indulged Ari as the two stepped closer to the water hole. "Her name was Uru. Her fur was nearly the same color as you, but her eyes were green like mine. Every lion who knew my mother, your grandmother, respected her. She was a fine queen, a force not to be reckoned with."

It was what Scar lacked. He had the throne with no challengers on the horizon. He had subjects -- questionably loyal, but at least for now they obeyed his orders. He even had sons and daughters, heirs to spare. But his father had had a loving queen, as had Mufasa before him. Who among his own lionesses could the dark king trust? Ari's mother would never be queen; Heshima wasn't worthy of the title, and Scar's feeling for her had faded the moment he laid eyes upon their litter of four.

But for once, Scar felt oddly relaxed as he padded along, chatting idly with one of his own. Her little voice didn't make the aging lion cringe, as some of the other cubs' did. He felt little irritation at all, he was surprised to find.

Ari took a step closer to sit near her father, resting her head near his paw, and listened as he spoke about Uru. The way he spoke about her left her in awe. A queen unlike any other queen, one who was love and feared. A lioness that made every other lion seem like mice in comparison. Well...at least that was what Ari though.

Her mind was going crazy with questions about the fallen Queen. What was she like? What was her favorite food? Did she enjoy being the Queen? Was she strong and humble? Maybe even brave? The more she thought the more she was intrigued.

"Wow..." Ari whispered, her eyes shinning in amazement "Father, you think I can grow up to be like Grandmother? I want to be just like her! I want to be strong and brave and respected! Would that please you father? If I could be a great Queen like Grandmother would you be happy?" The cub nuzzled her head under her fathers paw and stared at him, wishing for nothing more than to be looked down on with affection and love. Ari would do whatever it took to be like her Grandmother. Anything to get rid of her shy, meek nature.

Scar fell silent as his oldest daughter rambled off a few questions, overwhelmed by her own curiosity, and he smiled faintly at her eagerness to please her old dad. It was a rare occasion when Scar felt his cold heart warmed, but he felt that elusive emotion he had strived for -- pride. Here was a lioness who wished to see the king happy, finally!

"I was told a story, many years ago when I was your age, about our first Ancestor. He was the first to call Pride Rock home, and he saved the pride during a catastrophic earthquake." Here, he glanced down to Ari to see if she understood his words. It had been ages since an earthquake had struck the Pridelands, even old Scar had never experienced one personally himself, but the old tale had been recited to Pridelander cubs for generations. "It is said the Ancestor had three daughters, and it was one of those daughters that became queen, and eventually the great-great-grandmother of my father."

Still, the idea of a pride with no male leader was laughable to Scar. A lioness was meant to hunt and to bear cubs, but a lioness born to rule? He wasn't so sure about that, in spite of the story he had just told. Then again, Ari had only two brothers, and they seemed unfit to be kings. There was always the hope for more cubs, specifically more sons, but the dark king was beginning to suspect that he was cursed. "One never knows what the future will bring, Ari. But I do believe you could be like your grandmother. Determined, strong, and wise, above all else."

"An...earthquake?" Ari muttered trying to maker sense of the word. It seemed almost alien on her tongue and its meaning even more so. But whatever this...quake thing was, Ari presumed it must have caused major damaged, seeing as it was story worthy. But she managed to calm her curiosity and let her father finish.

She listened with great intent as he continued on. And the more he spoke of Queen Uru, the more Ari found to like this lioness. If only she could have met her! She was a Queen worthy of her fathers praise. And that was saying something.

Once Scar had finished, the cubs mouth broke into a large grin, with a slight blush crossing her muzzle. "You really think so father?" Ari said in disbelief. Could she ever live up to the great Uru's expectations? And show a reason to receive the kings great praise?

Ari hopped up to her feet and smiled at her father, tail "I will make you proud father I promise! I wont let you down! And, and I will be just like Uru and stand beside you like a good lioness should!" She vowed to the great king.

Ari was shy among the other cubs. Not strong like Tasa, or Mischievous like Giza, or even a male like Mheetu and Kifu. She was simply...Ari. But if she had her fathers praise on her side and the resemblance of Uru beckoning at her being, Ari was sure she could one day be great.

Though the cub was naive of her fathers true disposition, or of his evil ways. All the cub knew was that he was her father, a King. And in her eyes the best King, only deserving of the highest praise. Someone who, even at her young age, she wished to serve.

Ari's enthusiasm was rather endearing, even for someone as seemingly heartless as old Scar, and he smiled as she vowed to do him proud. At least one of them would, he thought to himself. "Very good. I have no doubt you will do just as you've promised, Ari."

The yelping and asinine laughs of hyenas caught Scar's attention, and his ears swiveled in the direction of the sound. For once, it seemed the dark king was actually enjoying the presence of one of his own, and he grumbled in irritation when a group of the spotty beasts appeared on the horizon, loping towards him full speed.

There were six in the gang of hyenas, though only one approached Scar, the others choosing to sit back and let the first do all the work. "A rogue has been spotted near the Outlands borders, King Scar," the hyena stated. The king's eyebrow arched questioningly, head turning automatically in the direction the hyenas had come. "A rogue? Male or female?"

When the hyena replied that the unknown figure was indeed feminine, a coy smile appeared on Scar's sharp features. A lion would have been troublesome, but a lioness... Now there was a great deal of potential involved, and Scar seemed to forget about little Ari for an instant. Then, the hyenas seemed to take notice of the cub, and began to lick their chops at the prospect of such an easy meal, giggling excitedly. Scar's attention snapped back to the brutes, and his lip curled up in a snarl. "What do you want? You all know the law, stay away from the royal cubs! Now get out of here!" His tone was deadly serious, and the hyenas soon dispersed, leaving the pair alone once again.

Ari's moment of happiness and praise soon turned sour at the appearance of these... hyenas. Being only a few weeks old, Ari had never seen one of them before. She had heard though, their wicked laughter late at night. And seeing them face to face just sent shivers down her spine. And the licking and chopping of their muzzles didn't help this matter.

The cub kept a straight face, trying her best to look unfazed by the animals horrifying movements. But she also sought comfort behind the paws of the King, Ari knew very well the Hyenas could take her down with one bite, so it was best not to antagonize. Though the casual hiss came from her mouth as they neared. "D-don't come any closer!" She said, trying to force confidence in her tone, though it came off more like a beg than a demand.

Ari couldn't be more pleased when her father chased those dogs off. Her purple eye started to falter with fear once they had left. Their was no reason to keep her guard up now that she was back to the safe company of her father. With a large sigh Ari shook her tail slightly in an attempt to calm herself.

"What did they mean by a rouge father?"

Had it been any of his other cubs, Scar probably would have laughed at the fear roused by the hyena's attention. But Ari's fearfulness wasn't amusing to the father at all, and he kept his gaze lifted until all of the hyenas had vanished from sight. Although he hadn't personally chosen the name, he knew Ari meant "pride," and he hoped she would live up to it, as she had assured him that day.

"A rogue is a lion who doesn't have a home or a pride. They are often desperate, violent, and not to be trusted. In this case, it is a lioness, so she may not be all that bad. Shall I invite her to join us?" The question was facetious, but it brought about a good chuckle from Scar as he turned away from their original destination and back towards Pride Rock. He expected the cub to follow, offering no excuses for failing to take her anywhere interesting.

He was somewhat reluctant to cut short his time with Ari, but it was safer for her to be back at the den with the others while the king handled the situation near the borders. All of his encounters will his offspring seemed to end abruptly, Scar noted, but duty came first this time. "Come along, Ari." He walked swiftly now, unwilling to miss the stranger in the Pridelands, with tail swishing behind him as he hurried back in the direction they had just come from.

"Yes, of course father."
Ari make quick pace to follow her father, no words needed. She would follow him blindly to wherever he needed her, as was the curse of the naive. Blind to anything else but the glory of those they admire. Though the thoughts of this rouge interested her.

"Well father..." She started slowly trying to think of what to say and how to properly say it. "If, you don't mind me saying so, I think this...uh...rouge you called it might be a nice addition to the pride." Ari said, trying to sound sophisticated as she did.

"I mean, with a lioness we could add another hunter to the groups. S-since we have a lot of older lionesses maybe the rouge could take their places on the teams. T-that way the hunt would be twice as effective."

Ari didn't have full knowledge of what exactly she was suggesting
, but the words seemed to fit well in her head, even if she didn't understand them all. This was one of the rare moments that Scar's attention was directly on her and no one else. So she would cling to the moment as much as she could, and hopefully leave him with a good impression so they could do this again. Because in the company of her father, she felt ten times stronger than with anyone else.

Returning twice as fast as they had left Pride Rock, the huge stone structure now loomed a short distance away, and Scar maintained his hurried pace. Ari's words were not necessarily mind-blowingly brilliant, but her father was still impressed that she could grasp the situation so well, and make sense of it at her young age. Maybe, just maybe, one of his offspring had inherited his sharp, quick mind after all. The thought brought a proud grin to the father's features. "Yes, that is exactly right, Ari. Very good. A lioness is born to hunt, so I shall see if our newcomer is interested in fulfilling her purpose here, with us."

In spite of whatever bonding had just taken place, Scar still believed females to be the weaker sex, one that needed to be led rather than to lead herself. A lioness hunted, she gave birth and mothered cubs. Scar's mind was narrow, far from being considered close to progressive, except that he had disavowed birth order as a right to rule, for his own sake as second born. Scar brought his cub back to the base of Pride Rock in silence now, anxious to leave Ari with her mother before the unknown lioness thought twice and left the kingdom.

"Sorry," he offered gruffly as he turned away from the path that would lead up the rocks and to the pride's den. It was a word seldom uttered by the dark king, and it felt funny even now, but he felt something akin to guilt for ditching his eldest daughter in order to attempt to seduce another lioness to his side.