Chapter 10

Neither of them brought up Sarabi's comment to the other. Scar simply turned right around and walked right back into the cave; Molly following him. Silence stretched between them for a long time. Scar turned himself round and laid down, watching her. She froze under his stare, unsure of whether to be close to him or not.

"Come here," he said.

Obeying, Molly laid down next to him stiffly, embarrassed and awkward. Molly thought back to the moment in the cave earlier, just before the surprise visit. It had been like back when she was human and a guy was about to kiss her for the first time. Somehow, Scar kept stirring up emotions that she didn't think she should be having for a member of another species, regardless of what body she was in at the time. The real Molly was human, and nature had already clearly decided that humans and lions weren't compatible mates.

"I am sorry for Sarabi."

Shocked, Molly stared, "What are you apologizing for her for?"

Scar smiled, "Not sure really. I guess I feel responsible since she's my brother's mate," he sighed and looked her face over again. Uncomfortable, Molly fidgeted, but Scar moved his face forward and rubbed his cheek against her and she froze again. He chuckled and pulled back only a little, "Thank you for standing up to her for me. No one's ever done something like that for me before."

"Oh, you're welcome," Molly looked away, but Scar waited for her to look back.

"I could smell you were afraid. But you stood up to her anyway."

"Hmph, I was more angry than afraid," her claws flexed against the ground, "Why does she treat you like that?"

Seeing her flustered over him seemed to amuse him, because Scar chuckled again and licked her face, "Don't worry, Molly, I'm used to it."

Only a little phased by the lick, Molly mumbled under her breath, "I still don't like it."

Laughing, Scar shoved his head against her side and rolled her over onto her back, "And what are you going to do about it, human? You wouldn't stand a chance against Sarabi," he draped his body across her middle, pinning her.

"Oof, Scar!" Molly gasped, "Get off!" shoving at him with her paws, Molly kicked awkwardly with her back legs, trying to find his stomach and get a hold.

"You see?" he asked, a little high on his own superiority for Molly's tastes, "You're not ready for any fight."

"Who said I was going to fight her?" she stopped squirming and glared up at him.

"Hmm," Scar regarded her out of the corner of his eye, "Would you? If it needed to be done?"

What kind of a question... "Scar, do you need me to beat someone up for you?"

"Would you?"

Molly had thought they were joking, but now he seemed half-serious. The only thing that kept her from being scared was the grin on his face, he smiled like it was all just a joke.

"Scar," Molly didn't feel like playing with him anymore, "Please, let me up."

His eyebrows furrowed, the smile disappeared from his face. Sliding off of her carefully and silently, he pulled back and sat up straight, watching her with cool green eyes as she righted herself and sat up as well.

"I'm sorry Scar."

He didn't answer, only watched her. Swallowing, Molly tried to sort her thoughts and wrap her head around the situation. It seemed ludicrous that she would be having doubts now, but Scar's growing attention and the way she was reacting to it was terrifying and confusing her. What she'd really wanted to do when he'd flipped her over was pull him down and wrestle with him, but she was too afraid of what might happen afterward. And what was going to happen in a month when she turned human again? Fuck, she thought, Things like this were never covered in any of dad's great life lessons.

Taking a deep breath, Molly forced herself to make eye contact with the big lion sitting opposite her. "Scar, I have a question that I don't think you're going to like, but I want you to hear me out."

Giving the slightest of nods while his face somehow seemed to darken, Scar gave his consent.

"Okay, um, well," Damn, was she really going to be this blunt? "Scar, do you expect me to stay here with you, forever?"

There wasn't even a flicker of emotion on his face when he said, "No."

Which meant 'yes'.

"If I tried to leave...what would you do?"

"You said you only had one question."

"I lied? Look, I'm sorry I just-"

Getting to his feet, Scar shook his head, "All of this is foolish. If you're going to continue to stop and question every single step of this, then obviously it's something you don't want. I'll take you back to Rafiki. You can stay with him until you change back, then you can go home."

"But, Scar I-"

"What Molly?" his voice was harsh. She had hurt him. "Damnit, are all you humans like this? You're so indecisive!"

"You have no idea what this is like for me!" she shot back.

"No, you're right, I don't. But if you had a problem with it in the beginning, why didn't you just deal with it then? Why is this all coming out now?"

"I didn't expect all the attention so soon," she tried. Maybe he'd think it was a viable excuse.

"Oh grow up, Molly," he gave up standing and flopped his backside onto the ground. She really was annoying him.

Molly felt like this whole thing had gotten out of control. She hadn't meant for them to start yelling at each other, but Scar seemed to take her uncertainty personally. Maybe he was used to rejection, and everything she had said had sounded familiar to him. She had to make him understand.

"Scar," she waited for eye contact, then smiled and walked towards him, "I'm sorry my human emotions are getting all chaotic and in the way. I really do like being with you, and being here. It's just..."

"Lions have chaotic emotions too, Molly. We're no different from you in that perspective," sighing deeply, he rubbed his chin against the top of her head, then lowered his gaze to look her in the eye again, "But we know when something good comes along, to hold onto it and enjoy it, because chances are it's not going to be around for long." Giving her cheek another gentle lick, he got to his feet again and brushed past her gently.

Speechless, she let him go.

...

Gritting his teeth, Scar paced and silently cursed everything from earth to sky, wishing the worst possible pain for Sarabi and Rafiki imaginable. He was certain Molly's worries were centered around the queen, but that the real troubles had started with Rafiki's impromptu potion. He remembered a much more playful Molly as a human. She didn't mind it when he rolled her onto her back and laid on top of her. Why had she changed?

"Scar?"

He didn't turn to acknowledge her, only waited for her to come out of the cave and stand next to him, "Scar... When Sarabi called me your mate..."

Bracing himself for another annoying, emotion-bending question, Scar was surprised when she took a deep breath and admitted, "It made me happy..."

Swiveling his head, Scar stared at her. Was she lying? Was she only saying that because they'd fought?

"I want to explain to you why I'm so freaked out about everything. I think it should make you feel better by the end of it...I hope."

Scar nodded for her to continue.

"I know I seem like I don't want to be here, but that's not true. I've just never gone through anything like this before, and to my knowledge, neither has any other human being. I'm terrified of what might happen to me out here, but what scares me most," she hesitated and swallowed, "I'm scared of how you make me feel."

"What do you mean?"

Looking down at her paws, Molly muttered something that sounded like, "Damn boys," under her breath, then looked back up at him, flustered. Coming closer, she leaned forward and tucked her head up against his mane, nuzzling her face into his shoulder and neck. Pulling back, she gave his cheek a slow lick, then stepped back.

Head spinning, Scar couldn't help the silly grin that he knew must be crossing his face, "You're still too indecisive," he teased.

...

Molly felt like she was glowing as she walked beside Scar now. If she thought about it too much, she realized how ridiculous it all was...so she forced herself to not think about it. The grass started dying off under her feet, and soon there was nothing but dirt and a few struggling weeds.

"Scar? Where are we going?"

"To my home."

He lived out here, in this desolate place?

"I'm sorry it won't be a beautiful place like the Pridelands," he said sincerely, though with a bitter tinge, "But it will be safe."

They topped a hill and Molly looked beneath her to find hundreds and hundreds of elephant bones scattered across the land. Scar's home, an elephant graveyard.

"Boss!" the three hyenas from before rushed out of one of the huge skulls and came to meet them, "You're alright!"

"Of course I'm alright," Scar rolled his eyes, "Sarabi isn't about to assassinate me just for being a thorn in her side."

The hyenas eyed Molly warily and she felt a little out of place. Clearly they didn't think she was welcome here.

"May I ask the three of you what you think you're staring at?" Scar asked lazily, inspecting the claws of his right paw.

Tails tucking between their legs, the trio exchanged a look, and the female answered, "N-nothing, Scar."

"That's good," beckoning Molly to walk alongside him, Scar stepped right over them, "You'll show Molly the same respect you show me, is that understood?"

Nodding in unison, the hyenas watched them as they walked further into the graveyard.

"Don't ever let them intimidate you," Scar said to her quietly, "I am their master."

Not knowing what to say, Molly only nodded. Sticking close to Scar, Molly saw more and more of the hyenas the deeper they went into the graveyard. Their stares of uncertainty were driving her up the wall. Finally, she spun around and announced, "Hello! My name is Molly. I guess I'll be living with all of you for a while."

Dumbfounded, Scar and the hyenas all just stared at her. Biting her lip, Molly felt heat flow across her body in waves. Why were they all just staring like that? Didn't they have social skills? The three original hyenas had followed them through the graveyard, and now the one with the dangling tongue and wild eyes came up to Molly cautiously. Sniffing at her, he acted like any common dog she'd ever met as a human. As soon as he had her scent and knew it was friendly, his tail started wagging and he gave her one of his goofy grins. Touching noses with him for lack of anything better to do as a greeting in her lion body, Molly smiled back at him as the others came closer and sniffed her as well. Soon she had a swarm of wiggling, sniffing hyenas all around her, Scar backing off, his face still slack with the same shocked expression.

Shrugging as she smiled across the sea of hyenas at him, Molly said, "At least they like me."

...

Daaaawww, lookit, puppies! ;P

Slacking again with answering you guys. Cause I suck and can barely get a chapter up let alone keep up with my promise of answering you guys. I know, I know, you can kill me when it's over. But at least I got some lovies between Scar and Molly! Squee! Hopefully that'll keep me from being crucified for a little longer. ;) I'm so sorry you guys have to practically beat me with a stick to get me to post, but I also thank you guys for sticking around AND for being direct with me when I'm clearly leaving you in the dark. In other words...I'm sorry and I love you guys and please, please, PLEASE forgive me!