Hello everyone! Hope you're all having an amazing day!

Been working on a lot of college stuff including scripts, animations, and voice overs, but I was able to squeeze some time in to get you all another chapter of Lion of Durin! Next chapter I should be working on and getting out is one for "In a Perfect World" so if you haven't checked out that Lion King Story I highly advise you give it a read so you're caught up on everything.

And With that being said, enjoy!

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Chapter 5: Kings and the Future

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While Sarabi was deciding on what to do with the prisoner, back at Pride Rock, the current Lion King was doing what he did most days: lounge around the den and take in his splendor.

"Zazu? Why am I not loved?" A mangy lion with a slick black mane asked his advisor, a hornbill by the name Zazu, while he lounged on an elevated rock. The small blue bird looked up at the male with a rather displeased look. Arrogant fur-bag did nothing but lounge around the den, eating his fill of flesh before throwing the bones all across the floor. The place was a mess with all manner of animal carcasses. Never the less, the bird composed himself and spoke to the lion with as much control as he could muster.

"Simple, sire." Zazu replied with a sharp sigh as he tossed out another handful of bones from the room, "Everything in the kingdom has gone to Mordor." Though he used a hypothetical term, the king didn't seem to really care about complaints.

"Oh, pish posh," Scar replied as he stood up and stretched his legs, "All that matters is how I feel." He then proceeded to tap his chin as he reflected on where he was and what he had. It had been so long since he took the throne over from his brother. At the time he was a lowly second born prince to a kingdom and the uncle to a young tyke, having no clear path to the throne. Yet a hop, skip, and a tragedy later here he was, a king of a grand land. As he smiled as the reflected, Zazu came over with a serious face. For where Scar saw good things, Zazu only saw problems.

"We are currently going through the worst drought in the history of the Savannah!" Zazu said, yet Scar seemed to be in his own little world.

"I'm warm… sensitive… caring." He mused out loud.

"Hyenas are prancing around like they own the place!"

"I tell a joke like nobody's business."

"The herds are threatening to leave our borders completely!"

"Yet something is still missing. Hmmm…. Whatever could it be?"

"YOUR GRASP ON REALITY!" Zazu exclaimed in utter frustration as he flew up to address Scar eye to eye, "Do something before the Pride Lands go completely down the dump! Now if Mufasa was still alive he would-"

"Oh, shut up!" Scar didn't take much value in what the bird was telling him, but the moment he uttered the name of his late brother, Scar's temper. In an instant he snatched the horn-bill out of the air and held him by his beak. Zazu, reminded once more who he was talking to, gave a nervous look as he dangled in the lion's paw.

"Consider it shut." He said meekly, which caused Scar to chuck him aside as if he was trash and have him land in a pile of bones. The lion then began to pace back and forth in the royal den like a restless animal. No matter how much he does for the kingdom, no matter how far he goes, he never could seem to escape the shadow of the king who came before him.

"Mufasa, Mufasa, Mufasa. That's all anyone ever talks about. I'm sick to death of him!" he growled in frustration, "What did he have that I lack?"

"Nothing," Zazu said as he climbed out of the bone pile and shook off the dust and debris from his feathers, "You lack nothing at all. Except a few… minor things." The royal advisor then proceeded to list all of what Scar seemingly lacked, much to the king's annoyance. He began with: "A plentiful kingdom, respect of your species, a loving family, a devoted queen; shall I go on sire?" The bird was having a grand time prodding at the pompous cat, thinking that he touched more than enough nerves for today. Yet to Zazu's surprise, Scar was no longer frowning but rather he was smiling.

"Yes… yes!" he said out loud to himself, "That's what I need! A queen!"

"Ah-a-a-a, qu-what?" Zazu stuttered in shock.

"Yes… someone to stand by me. Help me run the kingdom, enforce my rules!" Scar said happily, "I am the last son of Ahadi, a mighty family who's brought our people out of the clutches of extinction. Without a queen, what am I to my predecessors? I'd be a dead end, no line, no decedents, no future! With a queen I'll have-"

"Your highness!"

Suddenly Scar was snapped out of his trance as he and Zazu heard Sarabi call for him. They looked back and saw her, but was surprised with who followed her. With the elderly lioness was Shenzi and together they brought with them an orc who had his hands bound with vines.

"An orc? An orc! In the Pride Lands?!" Zazu exclaimed in terror as he took flight to hide behind Scar. He cared not if the lion protected him, but if the orc escape at least Scar would have a royal treat before chasing after a scrawny bird like himself. Though Scar seemed more interested in the one who brought the creature rather than the creature itself.

"Ah… Sarabi. Your timing couldn't have been more perfect." Scar stated as he slicked back his mane and watched them approached him.

"Scar this is serious. A pack of orcs made it past the outer boarders of the Pride Lands." Sarabi pressed, "Your hyenas have not been doing their job! Our kingdom is-"

"And where is this pack of orcs now?" Scar cut her off and glared at them all, his lazed expression from before now having a serious look about it.

"We've dispatched them, save for this wretch, but-"

"Then I don't see what all the fuss is about." Scar interrupted her again, "If the threat has been dealt with then there is no longer a threat to worry about. It's all rather logical really."

"Logical?" Sarabi scoffed at this statement before responding in a angered tone, "You threw out all logic when you decided to bring the hyenas into our ranks! Nothing but trouble has befallen our lands since!"

"Hey!" Shenzi snapped in response to Sarabi's remark, "I'm standing right here you know?"

"Then make yourself useful for once and leave!" snarled the lioness.

"Enough!"

Both of them stopped as they heard Scar's voice suddenly rupture. The dark lion glanced back and forth between them, his emerald eyes narrowed at Shenzi in disapproval, but he dared not look that way towards Sarabi. She could be of use to him… for she still held much influence over the Pride Lands. Yes… she would be perfect. They have ruled the Pride Lands in their own ways for many years, but together… they would be unstoppable.

"Did you come here just to show off your successes and faults or is there something else you desire from me?" he asked them. Sarabi glared once more at the head hyena before letting out a disgruntle sigh. This was not the time and place for such things, there were more important matters to deal with.

"This… thing, has also requested an audience with you." Sarabi spat as she shoved the orc forward, causing it to fall on its knees before Scar. The orc snickered before looking up at Scar with a mocking expression on his face. Scar looked unimpressed by him.

"You'll soon perish either way before the day is done." he told the orc, "Might as well give me a sound reason not to take your life, unless of course your intent was for my people to slaughter you, then by all means show your neck and let's get this over with."

"We've come not to fight," the orc said in the common tongue, "But on behalf of our master."

This response earned a rather interested look from Scar. The king looked at his subjects and told them: "You've done well. That'll be all." This caused everyone to look at the black maned lion in surprise, even Zazu. Lion or no lion, you don't just stay in a room alone with an orc.

"Y-You sure?" the horn-bill asked as he peeked out behind Scar, "Perhaps one of us could-"

"THAT… will be all." Scar repeated with emphasis, getting his point across. The horn-bill immediately took flight out of the royal den, slowly being followed by the hyena Shenzi. Sarabi would walk out last but not before Scar addressed her.

"You know, after this is over, perhaps you can I can talk about the future of the Pride. Say, over dinner?" though Scar said it like a gentleman, Sarabi sighed and looked back at him with a glare.

"You should already know the answer by now, Scar." She said in a cold tone with pain in her voice, "You will never be Mu-" yet before she could even speak the word Scar snapped his jaws in front of her face and his eyes narrowed at hers.

"Don't… say… that… NAME!" Scar seethed, his face contorted from a calm and collected look to a scrunched up, furious expression. Mufasa this, Mufasa that, why can't these idiots just let him be dead and move on? He gruffly waved for Sarabi to be gone from his sight, earning a sigh from the queen before she obeyed and walked out, leaving him alone with the orc. Sarabi kept her composure, despite what Scar just did. There was a time she might have liked him… once… but that was a long time ago, under a different sun. He was no longer the noble defender she once knew. She accepted this long ago, but it did not stop a tear from rolling down her cheek as she left him along with the creature.

"Heheh… this is it? This is the Lion King my master sent me to find?" the orc spoke up in his black speech, amused by the drama he witnessed, "Can't even manage his own people properly." Scar looked back at the orc, causing the creature to smirk. He figured this fool of a lion couldn't understand him, but what happened next surprised him.

"A lowly creature like you…" Scar spoke, talking in the black speech of the orcs, "Does not have the right to even breath the same air as me." The orc's eyes widened, realizing his mistake in words. He tried to offer an apology but it was too late.

Scar then unsheathed his claws and slashed the orc across the face, causing it the screech in pain and grab his face with his hands. His cocky attitude was replaced with fear and surprise.

"You… you understand me?" the orc gasped as he lifted his bloody face out of his hands.

"Yes…" Scar lowered his head down in front of the orc's face and stared at him with his emerald green eyes, "Your foul speech is just one of many I've acquired over the years. I didn't get where I am today by sitting around doing nothing. Everything I do is for a reason my friend. Now… give me a reason not to kill you here and now." Realizing that he had overstepped his bounds, the orc raised his hands up shakily and pleaded with the powerful beast.

"A-a thousand pardons oh mighty one…" he shriveled, now speaking common speak, "No disrespect was intended. I simply bare a message from my master. He sees how your land is dying."

"And?" Scar growled, "What could a pack of orcs possibly want from me, besides a quick death?"

"Land… food… water… a kingdom like no other in the world."

Upon this answer, Scar raised his brow in interest. Orcs weren't exactly the brightest creatures out there, nor the most ambitious. He expected a death threat or a request for passage through the Pride Lands, but this? His curiosity had been peeked.

"And do tell," Scar put his muzzle in front of the orc, breathing down his neck.

"All this, my master offers unto you," the orc stated as he had his hands in front of his face, shriveling in fear of the beast, "We simply require a head."

"Don't try my patients orc! Your answer only offers another question!" Scar snarled as he glared at him with his piercing emerald green eyes, "Who's head?"

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Far away in the Blue Mountains, laid the realm of Ered Luin. It was a dwarven settlement founded by Thorin after his people were purged from their old kingdom of Erebor. There the dwarves lead a simple life mining and not getting involved with the ways of the world. A simple life for a simple people. Yet today many in the small kingdom could feel a shift in the winds. Something was happening… though what they did not know.

In the town hall, Thorin Oakenshield was meeting with members from all 7 dwarf families to discuss a matter of great importance concerning their homeland. Outside the halls meanwhile the leader's steeds waited in the stalls. Some had ponies, others had rams, one even road in on a giant boar, but in the final stall there rested a lion. His fur shone like a vein of gold and his thick mane was as red as a spring rose. This was the steed of Thorin Oakenshield: Simba the Strong.

Growing up with Oakenshield, Simba had found a new home among the dwarves. During his youth he acted more as something of a watch cat, making sure the brothers Fili and Kili stayed out of trouble; yet as time progressed, he grew in great size and strength. It got to the point where he could no longer walk into the family home, but he was treated as family all the same. It showed in his appearace as well, with his ears having iron rings pierced into them and having a dwarven rune of …. Tattooed to his forehead. His mane as well had grown thick around his head and chest, so much so that many strands were weaved into braids

For once he didn't feel like a wanderer in a strange land but a member of a new family… a new clan… a new pride.

"They sure are taking their sweet time in there, aren't they?"

Simba flicked his ears as he picked his head up and looked at the sow in the next stall over. Though the lion understood the common tongue, he was of course still an animal and therefor could speak the tongue of other animals. He eyed the sow, seeing that it was the war boar of Thorin's cousin: Dain Iron Foot of the Iron Hills. Like her rider, the boar could get a bit impatient went things don't get resolved quickly.

"I'm sure it won't be much longer, Rulgna." Simba yawned as he addressed the sow by her name before standing up and stretching in his stall, "You know how stubborn dwarves can get when they but heads together on matters such as these."

"Perhaps…" the war hog Rulgna replied with a disgruntle snort, "But the rest of us must wait in these stalls doing nothing but wallow in the hay and filth like common cattle."

Simba did not respond but rather lounged back down in his stall to rest, knowing that his strength would be needed for the journey ahead. This action made Rulgna hit his gate with her head to get his attention, feeling to boredom get to her and requiring something to do.

"Don't just fall asleep, you lazy bum!" she squealed, "I can't stay here much longer! Being cooped up in this place makes me restless!"

"What is it you want from me?" Simba raised an eye and looked at her,

"You got claws, don't ya kitty cat? Use em!" she grunted, "Pick my stall's lock."

"If I do then, you'll just run into the hall and disrupt the meeting."

"So, can you do it?"

"No!"

The hog let out another disgruntle grunt, annoyed by how stubborn the lion was being. She proceeded to once again lay down in her stall while giving Simba the stink eye. Suddenly there was a loud and angry cry that caused the lion, the war hog, and the other ponies in the room to all pick up their heads. Entering the stall was Thorin Oakenshield himself and his face was contorted into a menacing scowl as he stomped towards Simba's pen.

"So, how'd it go?" Simba asked in the common tongue. His reply was met by Thorin kicking a nearby water bucket so hard it flew across the room. Simba realized what that meant as he gritted his teeth and replied: "That bad, huh?"

"None of my kin will head my call." Thorin stated gruffly as he undid the stall and let Simba out, much to the war hog's envy, "Nothing less than the king's jewel itself will persuade them otherwise." Simba stepped out and allowed Thorin to proceed to put a saddle on him. Though the lion preferred the bare back experience, this journey they were going on would be a long one and Thorin needed his full strength.

"Good luck you big kitten! Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" Rulgna snorted, earning an amused look from the lion who nodded in response. Leaving his friend back in the pig pen, Simba carried Thorin out of the stalls and towards the woods where they would begin their journey south to meet up with the others.

"Well my friend," Thorin sighed as he rode the lion down the beaten path into the wilds beyond Erid Luin, "It would seem as though we are taking this journey alone."

"You're not alone, Thorin." Simba told him, trying to comfort the dwarf, "You still have us."

"Thirteen dwarves, a lion, and two idiots won't be enough to take back the mountain." Thorin replied. Simba frowned at this statement, not really enjoying the pessimistic statement, though he couldn't blame him. These past few months had been rough on them both. One moment they were chasing rumors about a lost dwarf then the next they were running into a wizard.

"And a burglar," Simba added, "That's the reason we're heading south, is it not? To meet with Gandalf and the thief?"

"Aye," Thorin replied with a sigh, "At least there was one good thing that came from our running with the Grey Wizard."

"Progress to get your homeland back?"

"No," Thorin cracked a smile, "Getting that rat and pig to go with him to the Shire."

To Be continued

Tada! Chapter 5! Next one should be in the shire, guaranteed! And also give an explanation to how Thorin and Simba know Gandalf and why Timon and Pumbaa are with him. (Can't post everything out at once like a book. So Just bare with me. lol.)

Please leave your comments in the section to give feedback and let me know what you think. I really love your feedback. And with that being said guys, this has been Rogue Lion. Signing off

(Salutes Readers)