Scar x Zira: The Lost Heir

Chapter Forty-Five

A couple more months passed until Kito was finally 3 years old. He was a mature lion, strong and cunning. His mane had grown to the point where it nearly covered his neck and chest, so he was as handsome as ever to the young lionesses of the pride. The only things that stood in the way of his greatness were his scars and his parents' rule.

One day Kito was sitting at the top of Pride Rock, watching the sunrise, when he heard a roar of agony from his parents' cave. He ignored it for a moment, unsure. Then he heard it a second time and could tell immediately that it was his mother. He ran down the slanted peak, past the main cave, around to the back of Pride Rock until he was standing in front of the cave's entrance.
His father stood there with a look of content and serenity that Kito had hardly thought possible. He backed up a step out of caution.
"What's going on?!" he demanded, "Is she okay?!"
"Our bloodline is being continued, my son. She is most certainly okay... she's been through worse. Shani and Asilia are in there with her."
There was another roar and Kito shuddered. It sounded so painful.
Then he heard combined sighs of relief from within. There were a few low growls from his mother.
Suddenly he heard a very faint, soft whimper that made his heart soar. He needed to see his new sibling right away.
His father turned to face the cave. Then, cautiously, he went in. Kito followed behind him, their paw steps thudding dully on the hard rock.
In the dim light Kito could make out the form of three lionesses packed into the corner of the cave. One form was his mother lying sprawled on the ground, her side rising and falling rapidly. The other two familiar figures watched them restlessly with their glowing eyes as they approached. Kito could sense a certain wariness to them, but he hardly knew why.
Scar came up next to Zira and rubbed his head against hers.
"Where is our cub? Is there only one?"
She lifted her head and pointed her snout down towards her stomach.
Kito looked down. He saw a small, furry bundle snuggled up against her warm belly. He wasn't sure about the color of its fur in the light, but he thought it was a dusty brown. It let out a soft mew before curling up even closer to Zira and quickly drifting off into sleep.
Scar gave off an irritated snort and looked over at Shani and Asilia.
"Male or female?"
"Male," Shani replied.
He nodded once and inspected it carefully. Zira looked up at him suddenly.
"What should we name him?" she whispered.
Scar's lip twitched. He glared down at the tiny ball of fluff and Kito immediately felt his fur stand on edge.
"Nuka," he growled, "because he reeks of failure."
Then he turned, slid past his son, and disappeared outside without another word.
Kito stared in shock after him. He fully expected to see his mother enraged when he turned his attention back to her, but instead she was staring down at his little brother in disgust.
Shani and Asilia avoided his gaze when he looked to them for answers.
"I don't understand... what's the matter with him?" Kito asked, glancing back at his brother.
"He's small and sickly," Zira spat, "He's not what we wanted."
"But he's still your son!" he cried.
Her bright red eyes glared at him and he returned in kind.
"Well if you won't love him then I will. I'll show him how to be a strong, handsome lion, and you'll regret this one day," he growled, "The same goes for my father."
Then he turned and stormed out of the cave. He heard someone following after him hurriedly. Shani abruptly ran up from behind him and cut him off a short distance away from the cave's entrance.
He took a step back and stared at the older lioness. He had never seen her so intent on him before.
"Did you mean what you said back there? About Nuka?" she asked, her voice tight with desperation.
"Of course I did. Why would you ask?" Kito exclaimed, clearly taken aback.
Shani looked him straight in the eye.
"Because I'm afraid he won't survive without someone who actually cares about his well-being. You need to be there for him, Kito, because your parents certainly won't be. Asilia and I will try our best to help out, but we can only do so much. Do you understand?"
He nodded once and she smiled in relief. She put a gentle paw on his shoulder.
"You have a good heart and a good head on your shoulders. I'm proud that I could've been a part of raising you," she said, her voice kind and soothing.
"Thank you, Shani."
She nodded and lowered her paw. Then her smile dissapeared. She turned towards the cave and hurried back to his mother and his new sibling.
Kito sat down and thought about his brother again.
He didn't look small or sickly. I'll teach him to be strong. Then our parents will realize they were wrong about him, and he'll have the family he deserves.
Kito nodded firmly to himself before wandering off into the Pridelands.