Scar x Zira: The Lost Heir

Chapter Two

Zira stormed into the Outlands, her ears pinned back against her head and her claws fully unsheathed. The Outsider lionesses shrunk away from her as she passed. They knew better than to get in her way.
She finally came to a stop and sat down in the dust. She stared at the ground until one lioness worked up the guts to walk over to her. She glanced at the pale gray lioness and growled.
"What do you want?"
The lioness stopped in front of her and sat down.
"You've been a little... off lately. All of us are worried about you, Zira."
A few lionesses coughed at this and Zira glared at them, effectively shutting them up.
"I'm fine, Shani. I can take care of myself," she muttered.
The lioness, Shani, nodded.
"I know. That's why you're such a strong leader," she paused, " Speaking of leaders, where is Scar?"
Zira's eyes narrowed and she snarled.
"He's back in the Pridelands. Where else would he be?!"
Shani shrunk back.
"I just thought that he would be here with you," she muttered.
Zira rolled her eyes and scoffed.
"You would think," she growled.
Shani looked at her closely, her dark eyes slowly inspecting the sleek lioness before her.
"You're sure that you're fine?"
"YES!"
Zira snapped at her, her red eyes wide and glowing with rage.
Shani stood up and backed away.
"Okay. I'll leave you alone th-"
"Wait."
Zira cut her off so abruptly that she nearly jumped.
"Yes, Zira?"
"When was your last hunt?"
"A few days ago. We still have some bones to gnaw on..." Shani trailed off, waiting for some sort of reply.
"Where are they?"
"In the den. Didn't you eat when you were with Scar?"
Zira didn't answer her. Instead she walked off to the towering termite mound that was the Outsiders' den.
Shani watched her disappear before bounding over to the other lionesses.
They all crowded around her, eager to listen.
"So what's wrong with her?"one of them asked.
"Well, she didn't say," Shani said, "But I think I have an idea."
Everyone crowded in closer until they were practically on top of Shani.
"What is it? Spit it out Shani!" they all whispered eagerly.
"I think she might be pregnant."
There was a sudden hush over the group and they all sat back on their haunches. They stared at Shani for a few moments before speaking up.
"You really think so?" one asked quietly.
"I think so. It's in the early stages, if she actually is. She seems to be having more mood swings than usual and she seems hungrier, too. That's all I know right now."
They nodded gravely, the reality of it all still settling in.
"She doesn't suspect anything?"
"No," Shani replied, " so no one should say anything. Now all we can do is wait."
Everyone nodded again. Then they slowly began to disperse, the sudden eagerness of before replaced by a muffled anxiety that hung heavily in the air.
Their leader was pregnant. The first Outsider cub was going to be born, and the mother didn't even know it.

Meanwhile Zira laid in the den, gnawing angrily on a skull and remaining completely oblivious to the conversations outside.