Many had thought their foes had fallen... That the hyenas had fled the land, and both Scar and Zira had met their fates... But fate had decided not to claim them yet. Scar had escaped the hyenas, running as fast as he could towards the outlands... He left his family, his goals, everything behind that night to survive... But at what cost? His cubs grew up, one had died, and his young mate was growing into her mid-life without him... Though younger by a generation, Scar had always looked to her for motivation and wisdom in his actions...
But one day, Scar was walking down the river, in the gorge, that separated the out lands from the pridelands... That was where he found a tangled mess of soggy fur on the bank of the river... A easy meal, he thought to himself, he approached the dead thing, only to find it was a lioness... And not just any Lioness, his mate, Zira.
Shocked, he looked down at her; surprised that he would see her again, though it was a shame, as welcome hellos and I love yous were replaced with her silence... But was she dead? He dragged her by her scruff away from the river, finding a cave higher up. There he lay her, waiting hours to see if the lioness would wake up. And just when hope seemed to be lost, she groaned.
Within moments, the lioness was looking up at the elderly lion with confusion. As her vision corrected itself she stared at amazement. True, this lion was old, graying and wrinkled... But she saw in his face the face of her beloved... The face of her Scar. She tried to move but cried out in pain; her leg had broken from being swept down the river. Without a word, Scar left the cave, coming back with some leaves and vines to wrap her leg.
"My love... I... I thought you were dead." Zira said, a smile forming on her face.
Scar managed a slight smirk. "No such luck, my dear." He said, before leaning his head down to nuzzle her.
That night was a happy one, surprisingly, for both of them. But eventually talk of their Son's betrayal brought the mood down... But, surprisingly, Scar could not blame, or hate Kovu for his actions... For something had changed in him long ago.
Zira noticed a shift in the mood. "But don't worry, my dear... We can still kill Simba. Now that we are together." She said, leaning up to nuzzle him.
Scar moved away from her. "What's the point?" He asked, before walking out of the den to sit on an outcrop of rock.
Zira managed to stand and limped her way out. "What do you mean?"
"I'm old, Zira.... And I've been alone a long time... And now that I think back on everything that has happened all I feel is anger." He said, scowling as he looked up at the stars.
"What? Scar, your talking madness." Zira said, looking at him.
"No Zira.... I'm not." He said gruffly. "I was a stupid cub, manipulated by those damned hyenas into becoming something I should have never become... I killed my brother to put food in their stomachs, and to feed a hatred that should have never grown in the first place. I chased away my grandson, and destroyed the Pridelands, betrayed my family, and for what? To feel pride?"
Zira stared at him in disbelief. "You can't be serious!?"
"I was a terrible king, a horrible father, a loathsome mate and.... And after everything that has happened..." He said, pausing slightly. "Knowing everything that I know now... I wish I could go back in time..."
"Scar, please... Everything we worked for.."
"Was wrong!" He shouted, before looking up at the stars, thinking of his brother. "At this point, Zira... All I want is the solitude and exile I deserve... And the death I so desperately need..."
