"This is so crazy."
Chumvi spoke for the whole group, each now keeping look-out through the grasslands as if Mufasa himself might appear from any direction. They walked in a circle formation, Simba in the middle, trudging between them.
Tama and Nala had taken the lead. At first, Tama tried to get a rise from Simba. She would lift her tail and say, "Enjoy the view, princess. It's the last time you'll catch a glimpse!" or tease that he was staring at Nala's butt the whole way. The cubs had all laughed at first, but the jokes grew old as Simba refused to respond. He just looked at his paws and gave one word answers, when required.
As they strayed farther and farther from Pride Rock, everything felt like less and less of a joke. The small talk faded, leaving each cub to their own thoughts. Even Kula, having recently completed a long monologue regarding the merits of her favorite foods, had fallen silent.
"It's not crazy, it's justice," Nala chided from the front with a glare. She looked to Simba and quickly looked away. "Simba won't ever try something like this again, and things will go back to normal. And we're almost there."
"Normal is an illusion, dears. Clung to by small minds with need of an equally small world to feel safe in." Scar's voice made the cubs jump. Even Simba looked up, eyes wide.
He wasn't there, then he was, slipping through the grass and rising over them before they were sure where the voice was coming from.
"My, my, my... I do hope the lionesses improve their stalking lessons," he growled through a smile. "I should still like to hope for something to eat when your generation takes to the hunt. Faint hope that it is."
The cubs quailed. Only Simba stood fast, barely looking up.
"Ah, there you are, nephew. I've heard such things. You've been quite the naughty boy, mm?" Scar stepped forward, and the cubs parted to let him through.
"I didn't do it," Simba muttered, eyes low.
"Your friends say you did."
Simba opened his mouth as if to retort and then closed it, remaining silent and looking back to his paws.
"And your friends have determined your penalty." Scar drawled, turning towards the others. "Speak it aloud, cubs, as tradition dictates."
"You have to mount him like a lioness," Nala said, her voice betraying hints of doubt.
"Hard, like he did to me," Tama agreed.
"’Til he cries and never thinks about forcing a lioness again!" Kula joined with Tama.
"It's payback," Chumvi growled, pounding one paw into the other.
"Very well, all cubs who wish me to rape the misbehavior out of this little menace, raise a paw."
Tama's paw shot up with Kula and Chumvi. Nala's paw followed slowly. She shot a glance at Malka, who was looking at them all with agitation. She lifted her paw higher, making a face at him.
"No!" Malka blurted, stamping a paw and stepping forward. "No, I don't!" The cub dashed forward, standing between Scar and Simba, who looked up in surprise. "You shouldn't do this, Sir," he growled at Scar, daring to show his teeth. "I know what he did was wrong and you're an adult and you know the law and... but... Don't! Let king Mufasa punish him some other way. This isn't right! This isn't 'a measure greater' this is... is... Lots greater!" The cub looked terrified, but he spread his paws in an aggressive stance, glaring at Scar through oncoming tears, muscles tense and ready to spring.
"Fascinating," Scar intoned, meeting the dark cub's gaze. "Truly."
Then he lunged.
