"Taka?" Mufasa called as he crept down the incline. His brother was sitting at the bottom of Pride Rock, half hidden in the shadow of the overledge. Mufasa moved closer as he got no response, "Taka," he said again, coming to stand right behind him. He knew he could hear him now, but still got no reply. The smaller lion had his back turned, his ears flattened and his shoulders slouched.
Mufasa sighed, it had been a full day since the horrible incident with the hyena following Taka into the Pridelands. A full day since Mufasa's awful mistake of allowing his anger to rule him. He still felt horrible, but after a heart to heart with his father he had come to understand that even the greatest of kings make horrible mistakes. He needed to learn from this and to better himself through it, instead of running from it or condemning himself. Taka, Ahadi had said, also had a lesson to learn from this. He needed to learn forgivenes. Mufasa could not fully forgive himself until Taka had accepted his apology.
"I know you can hear me Taka..." Mufasa said, sitting down next to him "I'm sorry, I am truly very sorry about what I did. You have to know that." he spoke with sincerity, "It was very foolish of me, my anger clouded my judgement...I won't let it happen again." he paused as his words were returned with only more silence.
"Please, I ask your forgiveness, brother."
Silence.
Mufasa waited for what seemed like forever, patiently at first but then he grew frustrated. "Taka, please talk to me. You can't keep doing this!" he took a breath, catching himself as his tone started to rise with his frustration.
"It's Scar." the younger lion finally spoke in an icey voice, his gaze staring out at nothing in particular.
"What?" Mufasa looked confused. "Taka-"
Scar turned slowly to look at Mufasa, his left eye was still swollen from the recent injury. The swelling would eventually go down and his eyesight was thankfully unharmed, but the nasty cut across his eye would remain. A scar. Mufasa cringed at the sight of it.
"Stop calling me Taka." he snapped. "My name is Scar now."
Mufasa frowned and stood up, "Oh of all the ridiculous things...!" he huffed.
"Don't you owe me this much?" Scar raised an eyebrow, "I asked to be called Scar from now on. Are you not capable of respecting that?"
Mufasa's mouth hung open. "I...but, WHY?" he shook his head. "Why would you want to be reminded of...what happened?" he felt a pang of guilt, I don't! I want to move on!"
"And I do I want to remember...I want YOU to remember." Scar narrowed his eyes.
"Father said we must learn from our mistakes...I must learn to be more in control of my emotions and you must learn to forgive," Mufasa started.
"Father doesn't know everything. He's a fool." Scar sneered.
"Don't speak of father that way!" Mufasa nearly growled, walking closer. "After all none of this would have happened if you hadn't been hanging around with hyenas...a fact I didn't mention to father by the way!" he added, "You're welcome!"
"Watch your temper, Mufasa." Scar warned with a smirk.
Mufasa sighed and backed up. "I'm sorry." he turned away. "I just...I don't understand you anymore."
"Oh but you never have." Scar muttered. "You never tried."
"I have always been there for you!" Mufasa protested, his mind racing. He was a good brother, wasn't he? He was. It's not his fault Taka moped about the way he did, not his fault he was so...strange. Maybe they hadn't been as close as they were as young cubs, but it wasn't HIS fault he isolated himself the way he did. Taka just never fit in, he didn't try to fit in. He was never like the others, even as a cub. But Mufasa was a good brother, he tried to be there for him...to look out for him. Didn't he? "Always..." he added as if to reassure himself.
Scar stood up at that, eyes on his brother, "Of course you have, Mufasa." his voice dripped with sarcasm. "Of course you have." he turned to walk away.
"I'm sorry...Scar." Mufasa called after, disgusted as he spoke that "name", but it was the least he could do.
Scar paused and looked back over his shoulder, "Apology not accepted."
___________________________________
I don't know your thoughts these days We're strangers in an empty space I don't understand your heart It's easier to be apart.
~Lyrics from "We Might As Well Be Strangers" by Keane.
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