Scar x Zira: The Lost Heir

Chapter Thirty

Kito woke up bright and early in the morning, eager to see the sunrise with his father.
He promised he'd show me our kingdom today.
He bounded up onto his father's back, which made Scar grimace and roll over on his side.
"What do you want?" he moaned.
He put a paw over his face to shield his eyes as trickles of light found their way into the cave.
"You told me you would show me our kingdom today!"
Zira chuckled as she opened one of her eyes to look at her son.
"Isn't it too early? Let's sleep for just a little while longer..." Scar muttered.
Kito bounced down onto the rock floor in front of Scar's face.
"You promised," he whined.
Scar groaned and reluctantly got to his feet. His paws dragged against the stone floor as Kito followed anxiously behind him. They walked out of the cave and onto the ledge at the back of Pride Rock. They made their way to the front, where they climbed up to the top and looked out over the Pridelands. The sun was more than halfway up the horizon, and the first few rays of warmth were beginning to soak into their dark fur.
Scar sat at the very edge with his lean frame silhouetted by the morning light. Kito sat down next to him and looked up at his tired face with the utmost respect.
Scar scanned the savanna below, and a hint of a smile played on his lips. He remembered when he had come up here, long ago, with his own father. Then he remembered how Mufasa had been with him, too.
He felt a trace of sadness, but then he looked down at his son and that sadness was quickly replaced with pride.
"One day you will rule this kingdom," Scar stated.
"All of it?" Kito asked.
Scar thought carefully about what his father had once told him.
Everything the light touches... well that doesn't make much sense now. I control the Elephant Graveyard and the Outlands. I rule it all.
He grinned at the thought of it.
"Yes, Kito. All of it."
Kito beamed up at him.
"Wow! I can't believe I get to rule everything!"
Scar's grin widened.
"I wouldn't have anything less for my prince. Now let's go and make sure that our subjects are behaving. Otherwise I'll have to step up and do my Kingly duties."
He winked at the cub before beginning the climb down to the ground below. Kito followed quickly after him, excited to finally be looking after his future subjects.

They walked to the water hole together, and Kito noticed that they hadn't seen many other animals. Scar bent down to get a drink while Kito just looked all around him. The lionesses must have still been sleeping or they were just waking up, because even they weren't there.
"Where is everybody?" Kito asked.
Scar lifted his head. Water dripped from his chin tuft.
"No one takes change well, apparently."
He went to take another drink when Kito spoke up.
"What do you mean?"
Scar sighed and sat back on his haunches.
"There was a king before me, but he died in a tragic accident-"
"And the prince died, too. Nala told me about it. She said their names were Mufasa and Simba."
Scar flinched involuntarily.
"Don't say their names!" he snapped.
Kito lowered his ears and head.
"I'm sorry. I won't do it again."
Scar shook his head.
"And don't be so submissive either. It doesn't befit a future King."
Kito nodded and held his head high. Scar felt another small burst of pride.
"As I was saying, they died, and everyone was so shocked that they didn't want to accept it. They didn't want to accept me as King. But they need me more than they know. The old King starved the hyenas and the Outlanders, like your mother. He always treated me like I was every other animal in the Pridelands, when I was first in line."
Kito listened in fascination. When Scar was done he ventured to say something else.
"The old King sounds awful. Everyone should be grateful that you're King now. You treat everyone fairly, but you also keep them in line," said Kito.
Scar smiled down at him and put a paw on his head lovingly. No one had ever understood him to this extent. Not even Zira could understand him inside and out.
"I'm going to teach you to be the greatest future King the Pridelands has ever seen," he declared.
Kito laughed and smiled up at him, oblivious of what it truly meant to be "King".
"Now, let's go find some of our subjects."
Scar stood up and walked off into the grass. Kito trotted after him, oblivious of what was to come.