FORGIVE ALL GRAMMAR ERRORS my beta is m.i.a.

Simba, Nala, Zinara, and Ashanti collapsed to the ground laughing after a rather long game of tag.

"Simba?" Ashanti started,

"Yeah?" Ashanti rolled onto her stomach to look her friend in the eyes.

"Why does your father hate me?''

"What do you mean?'' Simba said, cocking his head to the side.

"He's always glaring at me and My fur stands up around him." From behind, Scar had heard her confession and scowled. Had Mufasa already started to hate the little girl? Scar knew that his brother wanted Simba to marry Nala, but Ashanti was close to Simba's age. What would Mufasa do if Simba choose Ashanti over Nala? "Daddy!" his daughter yelled, running up to him, ''Come and play!!" Scar chuckled as Ashanti pranced around his paws.

"I'm too old, child, ''he tried to decline, but Ashanti shook her head and pounced

on his back. The dark male lion laughed and tried to shake the golden cub off, when he was tackled by Simba and the two other cubs. Scar was forced onto the ground by them, then mercilessly ticked by the lions. Scar rolled onto his paws and leaped away from the heap of cubs. Suddenly, Scar felt years younger, and smirked as a thought came to mind. "Catch me if you can!'' he exclaimed as he turned and jogged off. Nala and Ashanti shared a look, then took off after him. They knew where he was running too, the watering hole. Simba and Zinara ran next to them, but didn't ask questions. They knew they were planning on hunting the dark male, and were happy to help. Ashanti broke away from them to take

a different trail that would put her above her father, while the others kept on Scar's tail.

The male lion erupted out of the small thicket around the water, and splashed in the shimmering liquid. He stopped to listen, but didn't hear the padding of paws.

Above him, Ashanti stalked forward and crouched down, peering over the tip of the warm rock at her father. As he lowered his head to get a drink, she readied herself to jump. Scar moved his head to the water, and was promptly pounced on by a giggling little monster. Pulling his head out of the water, he spotted his daughter sitting on his back, smirking like she knew something. Without warning, or maybe the smirking was a warning, Simba Nala and Zinara knocked into him, flipping him into the water..

"Do you think it wise to cross paws with me?" Scar fake growled.

"I know its wise, Dad, Did you think its wise to cross e paws with us?'' Ashanti adopted a very 'Scar' like smirk and cocked her head to the side. Scar rose out of the water, looking like a drowned rat, grabbed Ashanti by the scruff and threw her into the water. Simba hopped onto his head while Zinara and Nala jumped on his back. Scar threw Simba off his head and dropped down into the water

to get rid of the other two. Ashanti swam under Scar in the clear water, then launched herself up into his mane.

"Hey!" her father exclaimed as the fur around his neck was pulled. He tried to gently paw her off, but the golden cub was latched firmly in his mane. Their fun and laughter was interrupted when shadow fell over the water. Looking up, scar spotted his brother glaring down at Ashanti. The young lioness moved to hide behind one of his paws, and began to shake.

" If you can hunt my brother, little girl, you should be able to hunt real food." Mufasa had a cruel, mad, look in his eye as he stepped toward the cub. "Ashanti, "he said, spitting her name, "you'll join the hunting party, tomorrow, you will help bring down a kill, or you won't return." With that the King of the Lions picked her up by her scruff and threw her against a rock, making her cry out. He chuckled and left, still laughing. Scar leapt out of the water and ran to his daughter who still laid on the ground whimpering.

"Daddy?'' said Ashanti said in a small voice.

"Shh, darling," he whispered, "lets go home." Scar picked her up gently in his month, and with a sad look at Simba, walked back to Pride Rock. When Scar and the other cubs climbed up to the den, Mufasa was not there Thankfully. Zira's head shot up at the sights of Scar and their daughter passed out in his Month.

"Scar!" the dark male placed his daughter between his mate's paws and began to pace.

"Mufasa ordered her join the hunting party. If she doesn't come back with a kill, she can't come back at all." Zira shot to her paws, which startled Nuka into conciseness.

"He can't do that, can he?'' Zira asked.

"He's the king! He can do whatever he wants." he put Ashanti down.

"But, she'll get trampled if she tries to take a big animal down!" said Sarabi.

"You don't I think I know that?!" the irate male answered. He paused in his pacing, and turned back to the queen. "Forgive me, I'm stressed…"

"It is alright scar, "She said., "Since we have to take her, she'll make the killing blow, but we'll have whatever we kill pinned down. She won't be hurt, Scar, I swear!"

Zira stood and was moved to stand in front of Sarabi and growled, "Mufasa probably won't let me hunt with you. If she dies on your watch, Queen Sarabi, she won't be the only one."

"Zira!" exclaimed scar.

"It's alright, Scar," started Sarabi, "I would make the same threat had Simba been in the same position. I give you my word, your daughter will return or my life is yours." Zira looked Sarabi in the eyes and saw the queen was speaking the truth.

The next day was perhaps the weariest day in Ashanti's life. As expected, Mufasa wouldn't allow Zira on the hunt. The King also expected a large kill,

and Ashanti had no idea how Sarabi's plan was going to work. Scar was still fuming silently and hadn't said a word all morning.

"Daddy?" Scar raised his head to look at his daughter, scowl firmly in place. "I'm scared," Scar draped his scowl and pulled her into his mate.

"Sarabi will keep you safe, daughter, you have nothing to worry about."

"Ashanti?" said Sarafina, "it's time to go hunting." Ashanti pulled away from her father and stood on shaking paws. With one last look at her parents, Ashanti followed Sarabi and the rest lionesses out of the den.