Scar's Heirs

I've had another idea for a fanfic. This one's AU as opposed to a continuation of the story. I hope you all enjoy it.
There is now a comic adaptation of this fic in the works, see it here.
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Prologue
"Oh Simba, you must understand, the pressures of ruling a kingdom..."
"Are no longer yours. Step down, Scar."
"Of course I would, naturally, but you see them? They think I'm king."
"Well we don't! Simba's the rightful king."
"Step down, Scar, or fight."
His ambitions, his achievements, everything flashed before Scar's eyes. He'd come too far to let Simba ruin everything now. For a moment, he'd considered challenging the young prince, but he was too weak to destroy the more muscular lion, and he doubted he could rely on the hyenas to really have his back. Hatred boiling within him, Scar bowed before Simba.
"Of course. You are the rightful king, and oh how I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Simba?" he said in a low tone.
"I've put it behind me, Scar. There was nothing I could have done," replied the younger male.
"What is he talking about, Simba?" Nala asked.
"Ooh, you didn't tell them?" Scar asked rising.
"It was an accident. The stampede killed my father, there was nothing I could do," Simba said, "Now get rid of your hyenas."
Somehow, he managed to get all of them to follow him back out of the Pridelands. However, he felt like striking the hyenas as they all complained loudly back at the Elephant Graveyard. As if it was his fault they were so worthless.
"This is only temporary!" Scar snapped at them, "I'll get rid of that king for good this time. Just like I got rid of his father..."
"Scar," Zira's voice cut into his reverie, snapping Scar back to the present. He frowned. How could he have handled that differently so that he could have remained king? What could he do now to get the throne back?
"What is it?" he asked boredly, his mind still working over this king business.
"You still haven't come to see my new cubs, and Simba's going to present his heirs today. I was hoping you'd come around and see mine first..." she mumbled.
Scar flicked his tail a little. What did he care about Zira's cubs? It wasn't as if they were his, she'd mated some rogue, yet again, and she'd probably had more scraggly runts like Nuka. As far as he was concerned, they were just more worthless cubs to get on his nerves, just like Simba's cubs no doubt would. He opened his mouth to tell Zira that he had no time for cubs, but he stopped as an idea struck him. If he was kind to her cubs, if they weren't as pathetic as Nuka, he might be able to use them to his advantage. He might be able to get them on his side, and manipulate them into helping him retake the throne.
"Alright," he said instead, "Show them to me." He rose on his paws as the lioness's maw split in a toothy grin of pure delight.
"You won't be disappointed like you were with Nuka. They're healthier than he was, they'll make fine heirs for you Scar."
"Heirs to what? I no longer have the throne, and those cubs aren't mine."
"This is only temporary, Scar. You'll have your throne again one day. Actually I was hoping if you like what you see in my cubs, we might leave and start our own pride. We could find better lands, and you could be the undisputed king," she said as she turned and started walking back towards the den where her cubs were lying and from whence she came. Scar followed her silently. He'd never settle for leaving. The Pridelands were his birthright and he would have them again one way or another. If her cubs were worthless, he'd just have to come up with another plan.
There is now a comic adaptation of this fic in the works, see it here.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Prologue
"Oh Simba, you must understand, the pressures of ruling a kingdom..."
"Are no longer yours. Step down, Scar."
"Of course I would, naturally, but you see them? They think I'm king."
"Well we don't! Simba's the rightful king."
"Step down, Scar, or fight."
His ambitions, his achievements, everything flashed before Scar's eyes. He'd come too far to let Simba ruin everything now. For a moment, he'd considered challenging the young prince, but he was too weak to destroy the more muscular lion, and he doubted he could rely on the hyenas to really have his back. Hatred boiling within him, Scar bowed before Simba.
"Of course. You are the rightful king, and oh how I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Simba?" he said in a low tone.
"I've put it behind me, Scar. There was nothing I could have done," replied the younger male.
"What is he talking about, Simba?" Nala asked.
"Ooh, you didn't tell them?" Scar asked rising.
"It was an accident. The stampede killed my father, there was nothing I could do," Simba said, "Now get rid of your hyenas."
Somehow, he managed to get all of them to follow him back out of the Pridelands. However, he felt like striking the hyenas as they all complained loudly back at the Elephant Graveyard. As if it was his fault they were so worthless.
"This is only temporary!" Scar snapped at them, "I'll get rid of that king for good this time. Just like I got rid of his father..."
"Scar," Zira's voice cut into his reverie, snapping Scar back to the present. He frowned. How could he have handled that differently so that he could have remained king? What could he do now to get the throne back?
"What is it?" he asked boredly, his mind still working over this king business.
"You still haven't come to see my new cubs, and Simba's going to present his heirs today. I was hoping you'd come around and see mine first..." she mumbled.
Scar flicked his tail a little. What did he care about Zira's cubs? It wasn't as if they were his, she'd mated some rogue, yet again, and she'd probably had more scraggly runts like Nuka. As far as he was concerned, they were just more worthless cubs to get on his nerves, just like Simba's cubs no doubt would. He opened his mouth to tell Zira that he had no time for cubs, but he stopped as an idea struck him. If he was kind to her cubs, if they weren't as pathetic as Nuka, he might be able to use them to his advantage. He might be able to get them on his side, and manipulate them into helping him retake the throne.
"Alright," he said instead, "Show them to me." He rose on his paws as the lioness's maw split in a toothy grin of pure delight.
"You won't be disappointed like you were with Nuka. They're healthier than he was, they'll make fine heirs for you Scar."
"Heirs to what? I no longer have the throne, and those cubs aren't mine."
"This is only temporary, Scar. You'll have your throne again one day. Actually I was hoping if you like what you see in my cubs, we might leave and start our own pride. We could find better lands, and you could be the undisputed king," she said as she turned and started walking back towards the den where her cubs were lying and from whence she came. Scar followed her silently. He'd never settle for leaving. The Pridelands were his birthright and he would have them again one way or another. If her cubs were worthless, he'd just have to come up with another plan.