Everything is Changin'

The king did not often wander to this part of his territory, but the unfamiliar scent of rogues had lead him to the valley that day. As the lands withered away, the royal family had suffered, as well. Mheetu and Giza were now presumed dead and no further searches for their remains would be carried out, per Scar's orders. He was forced to assess what remained of his progeny: Kifu was distant, while Nuka had recently been awarded some extra meat when the hunting party was successful in an attempt to bulk up the cub, though the cub remained far from ideal for a prince, in Scar's mind. Then there were the girls, with three remaining. Ari could seemingly do no wrong, and was clearly preferred by the dark king. Tasa and Scar shared a mutual dislike for each other and thus interaction was nearly non-existent, save for when Scar felt feisty and made his pale daughter the butt of his cruelty by making a rude comment, or making her wait until last to eat.

Uma was the only cub that Scar had ever named himself, of his brood of seven. There were rumors within the pride that the brute was up to his old ways again, still seeking an heir from his queen, but in the months since Nuka's birth, no other cubs had been produced. With Giza now absent, Uma was the cub that most resembled her old man, though her eyes were a few shades darker than his blazing yellow and bright green orbs. The dark king had been roaming his once fair kingdom with a look of disdain spread across his sharp features for hours, when he spotted the russet cub alone.

The girls were now old enough, he thought, to join the lionesses on their hunts, but Uma had no mother to attend to her training. The princess had not inquired about her mother's true fate, and Scar did not offer the information. Heshima still had two daughters to mind herself, as well as the waste of a son she had birthed. The quiet female cub was often overlooked, but today, her father would take notice.

He stepped over the parched landscape to join his daughter, offering a brisk nod and a toothy grin as he took on the silky voice he used when trying to be pleasant - or trying to get something he wanted. "Uma, what brings you out this far?" He dreamed of the day the girls would be old enough to attract a mate, for he was certain he could get anything he wanted for one of his lovely princesses, once they were of age. Ari he could not bear to part with, but Tasa and Uma would someday make a lion very happy.

"You seem to have a strong hunter's instinct. You're old enough to join the others, why are you practicing alone?" But Scar already knew. Uma probably took after her father, who preferred solitude in spite of his position as leader of the pride. Besides, who would teach her? In many ways, Uma reminded Scar of himself, more than his other daughters. In spite of his disappointment in not producing another son, he was rather proud of Uma, and she was growing up to be a lovely lioness indeed.

As the years creaked by, the situation in the Pridelands grew grave. Many were cast out for perceived misdeeds, while others abandoned their homelands willingly in search of a better life beyond. It was a wonder, really, that any lionesses still remained. It was a dangerous time and place, especially for the feminine members of the species, for Scar viewed each of them as his own. They all belonged to the king, and any who denied him would meet a similar fate as those who had already departed from the kingdom.

No lioness among them had a voice in her own future, unless she was brave enough to flee the kingdom. Uma had strayed beyond the Pridelands to the valley that Scar normally avoided, and he steered her back towards Pride Rock. "It is the duty of a pride lioness to hunt, as I'm sure you know by now. But as a princess, there is much more expected of you," he commented vaguely. "You will be strong, and a fine hunter, like your ancestors. And you will have cubs, someday soon. Won't that be lovely? A family of your own?" Here, a half grin was offered, but the comment was cruel, as if Uma had no one already. All she had was a father who cared more about his own pride and title than his own offspring, but Scar could feign an interest in Uma, if it meant keeping her for as long as he needed.

As expected, the princess was not willing to part with information, and her response was purposefully vague. A dark eyebrow arched. She kept her intentions to herself, just as Scar himself would do. Indeed, she was more like her father than either was likely to realize. Uma also inquired about what duties were expected of her. "You may continue your hunting another day, my dear. Let's walk, shall we? We can discuss what it is that is expected of you when the time comes. You're still a bit young. Perhaps you will live in another kingdom, and your mate will be a king. The possibilities are endless, really." The younger of the pair had no say in the matter, and despite a mutual desire to be alone, Scar walked alongside his youngest daughter. Feigning an interest would show the rest of the pride that he was not as uncaring father as the lionesses believed.

Yes, he would show them. He offered a smile to his daughter, but instead of expressing an interest for a future of cub making, she asked the dreaded question that Scar did not care to answer. Suddenly, his expression changed to one of irritation. This was nothing new for Scar, whose mood swings were legendary. He tried to compose himself, however, as his mind quickly conjured up a suitable tale to satisfy Uma's curiosity about her absent parent. Surprisingly, the truth would suffice in this instance – with minor embellishments. Scar remained serious when he spoke, at last.

"Just after your birth, she ran away from the Pridelands. Away from the safety of the pride, she was killed by some unknown fiend." A deep sigh was heaved for show, but he watched his daughter for a reaction as he continued. "That's what happnens when a lioness decides to abandon her family. Unfortunate, and so avoidable." There. Now, that wasn't half as bad as Scar had imagined it would be.. For him, anyway. The lion shook his head slowly, hoping his cautionary tale would frighten Uma into staying closer to the pride. The closer she stayed to Pride Rock, the closer Scar could watch so that she would not meet a similar fate as some of her siblings.

Ebony claws tapped the dried earth as the pair made their way out of the valley, back into the dyin grasslands. When Uma inquired about her father's role in chosing a suitor, Scar gave an incredulous look. "Why, of course. Father knows best." An attempt at a lighthearted laugh escaped his dark lips, but it sounded more like choking than amusement. "Have you already met someone who catches your eye, Uma?" At this thought, the king's expression darkened and his tone had become grave as he inspected his daughter's facial features. He had lost enough daughters in recent days, and he did not care to lose the last unless he gave the word of approval. Little did Scar realize that his name would forever be associated with tyranny and failure. No king would want one of his progeny ruling by his side. It was yet to be seen if any pride would even willingly accept one of his children into their ranks, but time would soon tell. Unlike her sisters, all dead or missing or exiled now, Uma would remain until the final days of Scar's reign. Unbeknownst to all, those last days would soon be upon them.

Much to his disappointment, Uma had nothing to say in regards to his sordid tale. The young lioness asked no further question. Her only reaction at all was a momentary look of surprise that was controlled, measured. Indeed, the lioness reminded Scar of himself in another way. Emotions were a sign of weakness in his eyes, and so after a second, Scar was pleased by the way his daughter handled the news. She didn't argue or cry. Such a calm demeanor was perfect for a princess, perfect for a future queen.

Not even Scar could understand the sordid thoughts that passed through his dark mind, and as he escorted Uma back to the rest of the pride, he grappled internally with the fact that so many of his cubs were now gone. This was, of course, the reason he had had so many, but it was like a personal insult to his ego. Finally, his mind turned back to the previous subject: that of Uma's future. "In any case, my dear, your father will work hard to find the best mate possible for you. If he is not a king or a prince, it would hardly be worth losing our princess." In essence, what the russet lion meant was that if the price wasn't right, Uma would never be leaving her father's kingdom. Ominously, a vulture soared high overhead, keeping a watchful eye on the dying kingdom and its doomed monarch.


[[Ari and Tasa weren't technically gone when this thread started but I figured it wouldn't hurt to play it off this way, since this might be Uma and Scar's last thread together and she's the last remaining of his girls!]]