Okay, so this is my first attempt on a fanfic for "Lion King", but I've thought about it for awhile... I hope at least some will read and like it. Please R&R - Atrice

"Nala, if you run around the herd… make sure they don't run that way!" Abeba called, and Nala nodded and ran around the herd of gnus. A few of them would hopefully be dinner tonight for most of the pride, except for Simba of course. Nala still thought it was a bit crazy, that he ate nothing but insects and grubs, but it was his choice after all. Nala hid down in the grass, and concentrated on the hunt now, and nothing else. She heard the distant signal and jumped up for the animals, who ran for their lives, away from her and the other lionesses on the other sides of the herd. They could only run in one direction. For once, Nala couldn't catch up and stopped and began to walk. Today the hunt was in the outskirts of the savannah, they usually never went here – too hot… however today, this was were the gnus had chosen to grass. But Nala suddenly saw something through the heat. A waterhole! Just what she needed right now…

As she stood there drinking by this little and peaceful waterhole, she felt someone behind her, looking at her. Quickly she jumped and turned around, facing what she thought was a ghost!

"Oh Nala, don't give me that look… you know I prefer another…" the lion said with a somewhat gloomy voice, and Nala closed her eyes and opened them again, just to be sure her eyes weren't deceiving her. But no, it was him! A bit more scarred than before, marks from the fire and the fight could be seen on his body. The scar across the eye had been ripped open, and she could tell it had taken a long time to heal again. Nevertheless - there was no doubt…

"Scar… we thought you died…" she whispered, not sure what else to say. The hyeenas had been chased away after the fight, but one of them said that they got rid of Scar – an attempt to make friends with the new king, Simba. It just didn't work, of course. Simba wanted nothing to do with those, who had helped Scar ruin the Pridelands.

"I figured you believed that… but I'm alive, perhaps not in the shape I once were… but none the less, I am alive and you look fine to me too, Nala." Scar moved closer to the young lioness, who backed away – into the waterhole.

"Keep away from me!" she said, bewildered. What could she do now? She had been the one going for help, returning with Simba. She had been the reason that Scars reign had ended. Scar stopped with a smile, just near the shore of the waterhole.

"Maybe Nala, it's you who should have kept away from me… But now that you're here, why shouldn't I be noble and invite you to see my home?" said Scar and took a closer look on the young and pretty lioness. She had grown even more attractive than he remembered. Just before she had left and found Simba, Scar had tried to be friendly to her. He had realized that he needed a queen, and thought Nala would fit that role perfectly. She didn't agree though, he thought with a small growl. Nala looked up at Scar, not sure what to do or believe. In the end she figured, that she better do what he said. Maybe he would allow her to go, if she were friendly towards him. She stepped up from the waterhole again, facing Scar inches from his face.

"Yes, why shouldn't you? Show me, Scar." Nala said, trying to sound nice, but the words came out more rash than she meant them to. Scar nodded with a superior smile, and turned around for her to follow him. She kept looking behind, wanting to go back – had the others caught something to eat? Did they miss her? Scar finally stopped in front of a large rock on the warm savannah. It was noon, and there was no shade from the rock at all. He jumped onto the rock, looking down on Nala.

"Come sweet Nala, and see!" he called, and she jumped up on the rock too. She looked in the direction he was looking – this was where the savannah ended. Barren and warm grasslands turned into more fragile plains with rocks, not long away from where they stood. The waterhole where they had met, was probably the last waterhole for miles. A long way away in the other direction, Nala could just see the Pride Rock, her own home. She looked at the green savannah in that direction, trees, herds of animals and rivers – then back on the barren plains.

"I've seen now… I must return to the Pride." Nala jumped down before he could say anything against her, and he took a step forward.

"Well Nala, if you must! I will miss the company though… bye!" he called after her, with a miserable voice. Nala knew that voice – he wanted attention and pitty – and didn't answer him. She began to walk and soon run against her home, so far far away from this dull and strange place.