The Accident

Now you wait here," said the uncle. "Your father has a marvelous surprise."

"What is it?" asked the nephew, intrigued.

"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told you Simba."

"I'll still act surprised if you'll tell me."

"Oh, you are a naughty boy!" The uncle teased.

A dark lion was with his golden nephew in a canyon that he brought him into the ravine. His nephew, Simba, had no idea what dark purpose his uncle had in store.

"Come on Uncle Scar!" Simba whined.

"It's only for you and your daddy," his uncle told him. "Sort of a…father-son…" there was nothing in his mind that could bring up a good explanation. "…thing. I better go get him!"

Still little Simba wanted to know badly but instead his Uncle Scar told him to stay.

"You don't want to end up with another mess as with the hyenas."

How did he know about that? That was one occurrence that Simba would regret knowing about his disobedience.

"But it was lucky for your daddy to save you, eh?" Simba didn't see his uncle's mocking smirk. "Oh, and another, just between you and me, want to work on your little roar?"

"Okay," Simba replied placidly.

Scar was about to walk away but instead his nephew probed him,

"Will I like the surprise?"

"Simba, it's to die for!" He was finally able to walk off leaving Simba behind.

Simba just sat there while he saw his uncle climb up the ledges. He's always liked surprises, especially from his dad who he loved dearly, yet he still had to listen to his uncle, who he likes, even though he may have an evil gleam in his eyes.

This is it! Scar thought. I'll finally have my revenge!

This is not it.

What was this voice talking back to him? He has to get rid of them if he was going to be king.

A brother and nephew, who love you. Your family loved you. Revenge will not help.

I have to be king!

The true king is a good lion. You can be that. Simba and Mufasa love you, deep down.

Why would he listen to these voices? The hyenas were waiting for him up by the herd of wildebeest. These animals have always been loyal to him since the beginning, though they can be greedy. He has to get up there and tell them when it's time for action.

Don't do it. They love you. You love them.

Trying to ignore the voices, Scar climbed farther up the wall, being a good climber himself as the feline inside. But still the voices kept coming back.

Mufasa is your brother and Simba is your nephew. They love you! Give the love back.

"How could I?" he mumbled. Scar was getting close to the edge when the world shook.

THWOMP! THWOMP! THWOMP! THWOMP! THWOMP! BAM!

He opened his eyes realizing he was back in the gorge. Standing upright, Scar saw his nephew still on the rock that he was growling to a lizard.

No, no wait Simba!

That would be the main signal for the hyenas. They're going to screw it up! He's down here!

Simba gave out his all into a roar that Scar could easily scoff as more a kitten's growl or a squeak. He had no idea that the hyenas were losing their patience and acted out. But he could tell.

At the far end of the gorge, were wildebeest running down like bulldozers. Simba gasped in surprise while Scar scowled. There was barely enough time that the two had to run. Scar was about to jump back onto a ledge but he then thought of his nephew.

Simba was running for his life away from the stampeding wildebeest hoping and praying he wouldn't be trampled. Scar saw him.

Save him! He's your only nephew! Your own flesh and blood! The only relative! He loves you! Your mother wouldn't want you to become a murderer.

Why did he have to hear about his mother?

Instead he jumped onto a ledge but still he was having concerns over Simba. The cub could get easily killed, being so small.

"He has to die," he grunted, climbing another ledge. "I'll be king!"

Now he had to get Mufasa to lead him here and the two will finally be dead. He didn't have to wait any longer.

Go save him! Your nephew! Be prepared for your life!

It was like a rock hit him on the head or a light flickered on that something triggered inside Scar's brain. Scar turned around and searched. Simba was clinging onto the branch of a dead tree.

"I'm coming Simba!" he yelled. Without hesitation, Scar jumped into the stampede.

Farther away from the canyon was a golden lion with a blue hornbill who stated,

"Look sire, the herd is on the move."

"Why, that's odd."

Scar maneuvered around the wildebeest that he tried to reach Simba who was still holding the branch for his life. Scar was getting close but a wildebeest struck him that he toppled to the ground. Recovering fast, he looked up to Simba, bewildered.

A blind wildebeest struck the tree that Simba went flying, yelling. He was close to being stuck in the stampede again that he felt someone take hold of him.

Scar jumped in time to rescue Simba that he again trudged around the wildebeests and rushed down the gorge. He was between the many gnu while he kept his angry eyes open searching for a way out but instead he was struck on his shoulder, feeling a large horn pierce him. Simba flew out from his mouth and landed on the ground.

The terrified cub searched around looking for his rescuer while he tried to run around the wildebeest. Who was it that came by? Was it Uncle Scar? Was it Dad? He needed help to get out. Here and there he rushed around avoiding the heavy hoofs. He again felt teeth softly crunch his tuft and pick him up.

Still with fear his mind, Simba was able to notice it was Uncle Scar. He seemed angry yet terrified.

Scar ran fast for a nearby ledge that he jumped up and let Simba loose. He was about to jump higher onto the ledge but instead there was another horn penetrating him; this time on the flank.

"Scar!" Simba yelled. Scar fell off the gnu and onto the ground.

Simba looked into the stampede hoping to catch a glimpse of his uncle or any black mane and green eyes. But all he could see was the gray wildebeest still running through. It turned into seconds, minutes, he can't be dead!

No, no!

It was like lighting that a giant cat with vivid eyes jumped into the air and clung onto the cliff with his sharp claws. He held on tightly. Simba grinned noticing it was Scar. He watched him climb up, though it seemed that Scar could barely move his foreleg with it being gored but he managed to climb. Simba had to do something that he started to climb up the many ledges himself.

He was on top of a large ledge that Simba never noticed Scar was losing his grip. The slope he tried to climb was getting steeper and his paws were tired and hurt by the many jagged rocks. There was a ledge above him that he could try to climb. He reached up to try to grip it with his good leg but the other was still in pain. So Scar tried the other. But the more he reached, he couldn't raise his hind legs. All they could do was dangle underneath him and rocks would fall.

"SOMEBODY!" he cried. "HELP ME! PLEASE! PLEASE!"

It was both a good and bad thing for him to cry out because two different species of animals heard him. One was perplexed and the other furious. All Scar could do was keep his claws intact with the cliff while he smelled two scents immediately.

"HELP ME!"

Still Scar tried to keep his claws on the gravel but rocks were falling down on him and he was starting to fall. Up at the edge of the gorge were the eyes of a female hyena. The matriarch.

"HELP ME!"

The hyena was only looking back down and didn't move a muscle.

Scar was slipping down the cliff, keeping his claws extended. His strength was failing that Scar slipped further down. A rock came flying down to Scar that hit his paws and forced him to let go. The hyena walked away.

Scar was flying in the air, screaming, trying to outstretch his legs and hopefully land on them. Simba was screaming at the top of his lungs,

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

If only he could get to his nephew, if only he could stretch out, if only he landed on his paws like a normal feline, Scar couldn't. He was too tired.

He didn't want it to happen, not now. Simba started to climb down the ledges. It seemed that the stampede reached its end while Simba climbed back down.

He made it to the ground after the wildebeest left that he first coughed due to the dust flying around and called out, "Uncle Scar!"

He was searching around, and ran, hoping, praying against hope that the worse wasn't going to happen. There was a rubble nearby that caught his attention though.

"Scar?"

There was a lone wildebeest running by that it ran around something. It seemed like some kind of giant rock that was under a broken tree. But the closer he looked it turned out to be his nightmare.

Still concerned, Simba ran to the scene. Sure enough it was the face he never wanted to see. His uncle was lying there stiff, many hoof marks were everywhere on his body including bruises on his front paws. Why wasn't he moving? Simba walked closer.

"Uncle Scar?" he said to him. "Scar, come on. You've got to get up."

He nuzzled him.

"Uncle Scar."

So he tried to nudge him.

"We've got to go home."

Still Scar wouldn't move so Simba tugged on his ear but still his uncle laid there.

It can't be; it just can't be. He shouldn't be. There has to be help.

Worried to death, Simba ran around and yelled, "HELP!" His echo was heard between the long stony walls. "Somebody!"

Somebody, somebody…

"Anybody!"

Anybody, anybody…

Still his echo followed but the growing sensation was filling him up, there's no hope now. "Help." Simba let out a tear.

Weeping, Simba turned around and walked back to his uncle. Instead of trying to wake him he rubbed against Scar's paw. While it stayed on his back, Simba cuddled next to his uncle, still feeling hot tears run down his cheek and stroked his uncle's dark mane.

This was it. Uncle Scar is dead and it's his fault! He started the stampede. It's because of him. At least he could have a moment with him but Simba ignored a scent.

"Simba," he heard someone say. "What happened?"

It was a familiar face, his father's. What will he say? Simba walked out from under his uncle's paw and addressed his dad,

"W-wildebeest Dad. A…a stampede. He…he tried to s-save me. I-it was a-an accident. I didn't mean for it to happen."

Mufasa was lost for words that he looked back to his brother. How could this happen?

"I-it's my f-fault," he heard Simba stutter.

"It's not your fault, Simba," Mufasa told him flatly. "Things like this are never anyone's fault." Simba tried to hold his tears, even so did Mufasa.

He had to comfort his son that Simba hugged his dad's foreleg. Next to them was the hornbill. The hornbill, Zazu, flew closer to Scar.

"Tis a shame sire," he admitted.

"But he will be remembered," Mufasa reported. "My brother has never been the kind of hero, but he turned out to be one." He kept his eyes on Scar.

Though it seemed he was dead, his chest rose. Simba was still crying while Mufasa told his majordomo,

"Zazu, go get Rafiki. NOW!"

"Yes sire!"

The hornbill flew away in a flash.

"Watch out son," said the father.

Simba moved that his dad went to his uncle.

"Scar?" he called. "Scar." He nuzzled him.

Only the chest rose that it took a few seconds for the eyes to open. Simba and Mufasa sighed when they saw green eyes.

"Uncle Scar?"

All Scar could do was give out a sigh. His nephew was safe. But one thought plagued him. He won't be king, not after his stupid rescue attempt. Why did he have the urge to rescue him? But then he heard his brother call his name.

"Scar."

He tried to talk, he tried, but all he could say was, "…Muff...Muff…a-asa?" Mufasa smiled relieved to hear his brother talk.

Why did he have to find him in this state? Or why did he have to be here? What will happen to him once everybody heard what he tried to do? Will he be forgiven? But what…

Before he could think of another thought, a shot of pain struck Scar inside. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move, he couldn't talk, yet he could only open and close his eyes and lay there. All hope was lost and Scar knew it.

"I can't believe you Scar," Mufasa remarked. "You risked your life to save Simba. Mother and Father would've been proud."

Don't count on it, Scar thought mentally.

He felt that he had to say that to Mufasa, if only his throat didn't feel constricted and his body trampled. But it felt that everything was lost inside. Scar could feel his heart thumping hard and fast inside that he closed his eyes, feeling the pain course through him inside. How he really wanted this to end. Maybe get back to a normal life.

If he were to survive, there could still be a chance for them to get along as true brothers and learn to love the other. If only Scar weren't too stubborn or if only Mufasa paid attention, they could rule the pride together, but it was too late for now.

Mufasa and Simba kept their eyes on Scar that they saw him take hard shuddering breaths and cringe his eyes tightly closed as he tried to breathe. Simba also took sharp gasps while Mufasa held his breath. They could see that Scar was fighting, struggling to live.

"Fight it Scar," Mufasa told him. "Survive, please."

How much he wanted to, but Scar's heart and lungs were feeling weak. It felt like someone lodged a rock onto them or it was the piercing feeling he felt whenever he tried to breathe.

"U-uncle Scar?" Simba mumbled.

Scar tried to take a deep breath but something struck him again and his heart fell. His family saw him close his eyes and breathe his last breath. The last thing Scar saw was his nephew's crying eyes.

"Uncle Scar? Uncle?"

"Brother."

Simba again walked closer to his uncle while Mufasa leaned forward. He nuzzled Scar's head but the dark lion didn't stir.

"Scar, please," Mufasa begged again. "You're my brother."

How much he wanted him to be alive, but knowing the worse, Mufasa didn't want it to happen. Not this way. Not his brother. But it did happen that Mufasa felt a tear fall down his cheek. They could've been close relatives.

Simba loved his uncle and Mufasa did love his brother now it was too late for them to reconnect. What would he do knowing his brother died? How would Simba take this? They had to watch a brother and uncle die, right in front of their eyes; their family. Family. Rafiki came too late to do anything.

Yet Simba was scarred by watching his uncle die he could always call for him up in the stars with his father that they knew he was watching them. How much they missed him, how much they loved him.