Tell Me I'm Adored
Time passed, with Kovu and Kiara with their new son, whom they gave the name Halali, and at Pride Rock, with Kim as the all-mighty and rude king. Somehow Kovu had a hunch that when they would return to Pride Rock one day, it wouldn't be easy with Kim and Halali. He was afraid Kim would be jealous at his new brother and maybe start fighting with him, just like he and Maliki as cubs. That's why he trained Halali to fight well, he didn't want him to go through the same thing as Kim did when he was little.
"And you gotta stay low to the ground, like this. And be veeery quiet. Stay downwind and when the one who's attacking you can't see, hear or smell you...You ATTACK!!!"
Kovu plunged from the grass and playfully started wrestling with his son. Halali giggled. "Daaaad! Stop it! You're tickling me!" "Oh, am I? I didn't notice," Kovu grinned and continued tickling Halali. "Okay, guys, I think that's enough for today," Kiara sighed. "We're just having fun, Mum," Halali chuckled and finally got away from Kovu's grip. Kovu smiled. "Kiara, I'm just teaching him to stand up for himself."
Kiara looked at him strangely and Kovu started to worry a little. "What? What is it?" "Halali, go play for a while, I have to talk tto your father," Kiara said. "But Mum..." "It won't take long, I promise."
Halali groaned but did as his mother asked. Kiara turned to Kovu. "I don't like the way you're teaching him, Kovu." "What? I'm not doing anything wrong!" "You're doing EVERYTHING wrong, that's the point. He's just a cub, you shouldn't teach him to fight yet." "When will I? When someone wants to eat him?" Kovu said sarcastically.
Kiara narrowed her eyes and turned away. "Whoah, Kiara, I-I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry," Kovu jumped in her way. "Yes, you did. Can't you see what you're doing to your own child?!" "I told you, I'm teaching him to defend himself!" "You shouldn't teach him to fight, you should teach him to THINK!" Kovu looked down a little embarrased. "He-he's a smart kid, of course he can think. But in real life, you need to know how to fight, that's the hard truth," he explained. "Is fighting all you have to teach him? That'll help much when he's the prince!" "I am teaching him in the right way!" "You are teaching him like an Outlander!"
Kovu opened his mouth to say something, but then he got Kiara's point. Kiara didn't mean it in a bad way, when she said "Outlander", what he meant was the way Zira had taught every Outlander to fight and to follow her, not to think with their own brains. "When we're finally back at Pride Rock, have you thought that Kim maybe ISN'T going to be jealous at Halali? Maybe he'll welcome his new brother with open arms. And what will Halali do then? Pin him to the grond and start wrestling?!" Kiara looked angrily at Kovu and Kovu felt ashamed. "I...I guess you're right," he finally said. "I'll promise I'll talk to him." Kiara smiled. Good. I'm not mad at you, sorry if I yelled." She nuzzled him lovingly and all was forgotten.
"By the way," Kovu started. "Umm, this might not be a good time to ask, but...when ARE we gonna return to the Pride Lands?" Kiara looked at him sadly. "I dont know, Kovu. I think we'll still have to wait some time." "But we've waited for so long!" Kovu replied. "I miss everyone back there, Vitani Nala, Kim, Shani, Mafumbo, everyone. I want to go home." "So do I, but...what about Kim?" "What ABOUT Kim? What if he' not jealous at all? Whay if he just misses us and wants us back? He doesn't even knowc about Halali! I'm sure they'll get along. If they don't, they'll just have to learn it sooner or later."
Kiara looked at Kovu and thought to herself. She wanted to go home, too. She had been waiting for it ever since Halali was born. Wasn't he old enough now? After all, there were others at Pride Rovk to defend him if Kim would start fighting with him. And why was she suspecting Kim would be jealous at all? It was just Nala's idea, she suspected something but she wasn't sure. And Kovu was right, they couldn't hide out here forever. Sooner or later they'd have to go back. She was silent gor a while, then smiled.
"Alright," she said. "Let's go back.
At Pride Rock, things weren't all that great. Kim had become more demanding after Shani's visit and now he wanted the lionesses to hunt even more. When someone tried to raise against him, he often got furious and the one who stood in his way, had to be very careful. The only one who maybe could have calmed him down was Shani, but she was too afraid to see him after the last time they had talked. And no-one could blame her. Everyone else was scared to death, he started to remind them more and more of the worst king they could remember, especially the oldest members of the pride.
Even from outside. He now had a slick, black mane, his fur was all dark and the green eyes were there to stay. The only thing left from the old Kim was his strong body structure and the shape of his face. Everything else had changed.
The only one still strong enough to face him was Nala. She hated to see her pride suffer, especially when she recalled the rich and wonderful times of the pride when Simba was still the king. One day she encouraged herself and with all her energy, she raised against Kim.
"Kim!" she called from outside the cave. She looked in and saw Kim sleeping in the corner again. She narrowed her eyes and plunged into the cave. "Kim!" she yelled right in front of him. Now Kim awoke. Nala shook her head. In the shadows of the cave, Kim looked even more like...She didn't want to think about it. "Nala! You dare to wake me up?" "Yes, I do. You can't go on like this," she said angrily. "Go on like what?" Kim yawned and got up. "You can't force us to hunt anymore, we won't do it." "What? You can't do this!" "Oh, yes we can and we will. If you want food for yourself, go hunt it yourself. We never get anything, you steal it all and never leave anything even for the cubs!" "I don't need the cubs, I have enough to think with the adults." "THINK?! You don't know what thinking is! You haven't given us one thought, the only one you care about is you." Kim turned around and growled. "That's not true." "Yes, it is and you know it. You can say what you want, but we won't do it anymore." Kim turned and looked at her with fiery eyes. "Don't turn youe back on me, Nala. You don't know who you're playing with." "I wish I did," Nala said, with tears in her eyes. "You're not my Kim anymore. You're not my sweet grandson who always thought of everyone else but himself. What is wrong with you?!" "There's nothing wrong with me!" "You're changed! I don't know you anymore!" "Oh yes, you do, Nala. You know me VERY WELL."
Kim looked Nala straight in the eyes and slowly padded towards her. "I used to know, Kim, but..." "Oh, quit calling me that. I hate that name." "Kim? What's wrong with your name?" Nala looked at him and without noticing it backed up a little. "Maybe that it's not my name." Kim smiled and kept getting closer to her.
"W-What are you talking about? A-are you sick?" Nala was cornered in the end of the cave. "I am perfectly fine, Nala. I think you'll understand, if you'll tell me something." "What? Tell you something?" "If you'll say it, I'll let you go and I won't force you to hunt anymore." There was something evil in Kim's smile and Nala was shaking. This could all be over, she thought. Just do what he wants, one more time and everything can be okay.
"Well, w-what do I...h-have to say?"
Kim was so close she could smell his breath. He leaned forward and whispered:
"TELL ME I'M ADORED."
Nala looked at him and memories flashed in front of her eyes. She screamed and tried to escape, but Kim grabbed her quickly and pinned her to the ground. "Why won't you say it, Nala? Why won't you tell me?" he hissed. "No...it can't be...it can't be...!" Nala sobbed and tried to wiggle out of his grip. But he held her tight. He held his paws on her throat and Nala was sure he would strangle her any moment. She looked him in the eyes and finally saw how blind she ha been all this time.
"SCAR?!" she whispered. Kim...no, Scar chuckled. "Well, that took a long time." "W-what have...you d-done...with K-Kim?" "Oh, still a saint, aren't you? Always thinking of everyone else. I think at the moment you should be VERY much thinking of more yourself!"
Scar pressed her harder and she had a hard time trying to get air. "I...I'll ask...y-you a-gain...w-what have you...d-one with K-im?!" "He's fine, he's here somewhere," Scar chuckled. "We made a little switch." "S-switch?" "Yes, I...helped him to get rid of his brother and he helped me to become a king again." Nala's eyes widened. "R-rid of...Maliki?!" Scar didn't say anything, he just smiled.
"Y-you-you...murderer!!!" Nala tried to get away, but Scar was strong. "It's useless, Nala. I have a strong, young body now. I'm ten times stronger than before. But you..." He choked her more and Nala felt she was about to die soon.
Scar got a sad look in his eyes for a moment. "I loved you, Nala. Remember? I wanted to have cubs with you, little Scars. They would have been so beautiful..." he smiled sadly, then hatred filled his eyes again. "But you rejected me. You both. You and Sassy. You turned your back on me when all I asked was your love. But that won't happen anymore!" "I...I c-couldn't l-lie to you, Scar...I just d-didn't love you...I didn't re-reject you..." "Silence! You're lying! You could have been my queen, you could have had all the power in the world! But you didn't want me, and now it's too late. I don't have to worry, i still have Shani." He grinned madly and Nala gasped.
"S-Scar...p-please, don't...d-do...this..." "Goodbye, Nala," Scar said coldly.
One sickening crack was heard and nothing more. Nala was dead. Her neck was broken.
"And now," Scar said to himself, "it's time to take care of someone else." He stepped outside just in time to see Kovu, Kiara and Halali rushing towards Pride Rock.
"Brother," he growled when he saw little Halali looking in his direction.
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