Kovu felt like someone had just thrown him off a cliff. That scar...that stupid scar! All he could do was feel angry. There weren't any words, he didn't move, he didn't do anything but growl. But the rage quickly gave way, and buckled under a much stronger feeling of guilt. It had been at Kovu's heels for a long time now.

He flinched visibly, and threw his head to the side--to his left side, so that she wouldn't be able to look at his scar anymore.

"Zira...isn't my mate," he said, a growl rumbling under the words. "She's...my mother."

A small silence followed. Kovu was letting that sink into this human's thick skull.

"And if I ever here about Scar again, it'll be too soon. I never want to hear about either of them ever again."