Shattered (Vitani, Mooch and Scamp centric)

Mooch laughed at both of his companions. It wasn't like what was going on with Dipstick and Wizzer who he hung out with because they thought he was cool to hand out with and they wanted to be bad boys as well. This cub and pup really enjoyed hanging out with him. There was no teasing, no cruelty, no hate. It was a big change for Mooch and surprisingly he loved it. He thought he was going to be the tough guy, the outcast, the loner like he was on the farm. But this was bliss for him.

He bounded out from behind the crystal he was playing behind. He cocked his head to one side and watched Vitani. His tongue lolled out of his mouth as his tail wagged. He placed his paws on one of the largest crystal stalagmites.

"I wonder how this place was like formed you know? Its so beautiful down here!" The smooth crystal slipped out from under his paws as he gasped, falling forward and rolling onto his face. He snickered. Laughing at himself? That wasn't like him either.

"Ungrateful fiends" Reuben muttered under his breath. "I try to help them and now I'm stuck in this cave."

Vitani's eyes wandered around the vast crystal cavern. She had never seen anything more beautiful in her life, and doubted she ever would. Vitani caught her own reflection in the crystal, slightly distorted so her head looked twice the size of her body.

"I don't know." Vitani reied to Mooch, looking at him "It's just...always been here."

That was the truth as far as Vitani knew.

Scamp also stared around the cave in near silence. It was amazing. He began to circle again, trying to take in the whole view in one go, but stopped before his head could start to spin. He shot a smile in 'Tani's direction.
"This place is great." he said, still twisting his head this way and that to get the best view. "Thanks, 'Tani." Looking into her saphirre, he felt... strangely free. Like he could almost forget about Angel, no matter how temporarily, while he was with 'Tani. It was a little unsettling.

"Hey that's what friends are fo--" Vitani cut off mid-sentence. Her eyes had caught her reflection in another crystal.

She stared at her reflection in fear. There was a crack in the crystal and it sliced her reflection over her left eye, like a scar, like His scar. The universe didn't forget who she was. She could run but she couldn't hide. She was Scar's daughter whether she was a hero or not. If Mooch and Scamp found out who she was...what she'd done...they'd hate her. Forever.

Vitani jumpped back and had to bite back a shriek of horror.

"'Tani?" Scamp asked, caught by surprise by her sudden reaction. He didn't know what she'd seen, but it had to be bad. "What is it?" he glanced around, wondering if perhaps she'd noticed an enemy hiding somewhere that they hadn't noticed. His fur bristled, instantly alert. "Is someone else here?"

Vitani shook her head silently, her eyes not leaving the crystal.

All she saw was Scar mocking her, laughing at her from afar. He was always with her...inside her. She couldn't deny that part of her. She was an evil creature. Not worthy to be among heroes...to have friends like Scamp, Mooch and Angel. Evil, that was what she was.

Vitani slowly raised her paw to her left eye, she had to make sure. No scar. She was safe...for now.

Mooch cocked his head to one side. He couldn't understand the reaction. She seemed afraid, sad. Mooch padded up beside her, tongue hanging slightly out of his mouth.

"Hey, 'Tani," he said softly as if he didn't understand, "Didja see something?" He looked at her reflection in the cracked crystal. "Aww you just scared yourself, that's all! Make a face like this, it'll be fun!" He hoped he wasn't coming across insensitive as he stuck out his tongue to the glass and closed his eyes tightly.

"Bleh!"

Reuben continued to storm off when he heard something.This cant be good! Reuben thought, and rushed back to tell the others.

"Guys I heard some strange cackling noises ahead back the way we came. I think its those hyninas Tani told me about."

(ooc: Can everybody wait for a little bit? I wanted to talk a idea over with Stitch to add to the flame)

"For petes sake, you little yellow alien critter!" Mooch was so frustrated he couldn't come up with a better insult. His ears pinned back and he bared his teeth.

"There are no hyenas! Stop trying to ruin our fun!" He was angry. He had wanted to play. He had wanted to frolic with his friends, not worry about hyenas, or outsiders or paranoid little yellow blobs. He lowered his head and grinned. "I can take any smelly old hyenas that get in MY way. 'Tani and Scamp can take 'em too!"

Scamp didn't say anything. He barely even noticed Reuben's entrance. His attention was fixed on Vitani. Something had disturbed her, and he didn't know what, or what he could do about it.
"'Tani? A-are you alright?" He looked at her with concerned eyes. "You can tell us, right?"

Vitani locked eyes with Scamp. She'd have to tell them eventually, or they would find out themselves. A small naïve part of her hoped that maybe they might be able to look past all she had done and still see her as 'Tani, their friend. She knew that it was foolish to think that.

She was a monster.

"Do--Do you ever wonder why Simba and Nala are the only other lions apart from me that are heroes...and I look nothing like them?" She asked.

(OOC: What about all the rest of Simba's Pride? Surely they count as heroes as well?)

Scamp shrugged. "Not really." he replied truthfully, although this had more to do with the fact that until just now, his every thought had been consumed with Angel, rather than any lack of curiosity on his part. Still, it wasn't that any dissimilarity in appearance really made a lot of difference, right?

(I imagine that Simba and Nala were the only ones that Scamp might come into contact with on a daily basis)

"Think Scamp...I don't look like a Pridelander...and the Pridelanders are the only lions on the heroes side. I look nothing like any of them. That means I can't have been born here. So that means I must have come from another pride. What other pride that lives nearby does that leave?" Vitani prompted. Scamp was smart, be would figure it out without much difficulty.

Then what? What would he think? Would he agree with her, she was a monster? Would he shun her? Attack her? If Angel had told him of her unsuccessful attempt at infiltrating the Outlands then he would definately hate her. After all he loved Angel didn't he? What was she compared to her?

Scamp still wasn't getting 'Tani's point. "You were born in the villains' pride? So you were switched at birth or something?" If that was the case, he couldn't see what all the fuss was about. "Why does it matter so much, 'Tani? What's getting to you?"

(OOC: Scamp's so clueless XD)