Chapter 16

"Scar? What is that?" Molly placed herself at his side, pressing herself against his shoulder. She didn't understand what the roar from far away meant, but she could tell by Scar's reaction that it wasn't exactly good news.

Green eyes staring off into the distance, searching, Scar held perfectly still otherwise; even his tail had ceased moving. The roar came again, rolling across the plains like a peal of thunder. Shivering, Molly felt like she heard absolute rage in that roar. Then there was silence.

"Scar?" she asked again at length.

Turning as if he was surprised to see her there, Scar frightened her with the look in his eyes; he was terrified. Quickly covering it with a blank stare, Scar shook his head and turned to go down the path, "It's nothing, Molly. Come, I'm hungry."

"Scar!" Molly was NOT moving from this spot until he explained what the hell THAT was all about, "Please, talk to me."

Hesitating, his back to her, Scar sighed. When he turned back to look at her again, it seemed like all the strength had gone out of him; his eyes filled with a deep sadness that made her breath catch in her throat.

"Let me get some food in my belly, and I promise...I'll tell you."

Reluctantly, Molly nodded and followed him down. The sun was just disappearing past the horizon, relinquishing the sky to the moon and stars. It seemed like the whole world had gone silent after the distant roar. The hyenas were whimpering and chattering amongst themselves, the pups hidden in their caves. No one was yipping, no one was playing. Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed rushed up to Scar as soon as they spotted him.

"Boss? What are we going to do?"

Molly felt her stomach curl up into a tight ball. Even the hyenas knew something bad was happening. Being out of the loop was scaring her more than she thought knowing the truth might.

Scar thought a moment, seeming to finally come to a decision that had been taking him a long while, "Molly and I will go to Pride Rock. You'll be safe if I am gone. Pacha will go wherever I am."

Exchanging fearful glances, the trio nodded, but Shenzi glanced past Scar to Molly and asked, "You sure boss?"

Turning his head halfway to glance at Molly with one eye, Scar nodded, "I have to keep Molly safe."

Questions bubbled over in Molly's mind, but Scar had asked her to wait until after the hunt, and she knew he wasn't going to budge from that decision. Slipping past the hyenas, Scar lead her out of the graveyard and onto the plains.

...

Tracking a herd of wildebeest, Scar hunkered down in the grass and waited for Molly to sneak up next to him. She was already doing better at this, at least, "Stay close," he whispered.

Giving him a questioning look that he ignored, Molly obeyed and slithered with him closer to the herd. Keeping her near him was the most important thing now; he wasn't letting her out of his sight. It would make the hunt harder, but he couldn't send her away from him in the dark. Pacha's roar had put him more than a day away, but Scar's fear wouldn't let him take any chances.

"Watch and wait," he instructed, "Wait for one to show weakness or to separate from the group."

Nodding slowly, Molly turned her gaze on the herd and they waited in silence. Hours passed as they watched; now and then moving further into the herd; mindful of any sentinels keeping watch. Molly was doing well to keep her movements as slow and careful as she could. Scar was truly impressed with her. He wasn't sure if it was his teaching or the fear of the unknown roar that had her acting so careful. Either way, it calmed him a little.

"Scar," she whispered, her eyes trained on an elderly wildebeest that had strayed away from the herd, both sentinels backs to it.

"Good," Scar nodded to the right, "That way."

Cautiously, the two lions moved through the grass like snakes, barely making any sound. The wildebeest raised its head once, looking in the opposite direction, ears swiveling to and fro. Freezing in mid stride, Scar waited as it lowered its head to the grass again. A few more feet and they would be in striking distance. Molly followed his lead once more and when he gave the signal, she hesitated only a second. Claws extending, mouth wide open to bare her fangs, she pounced on their prey's hindquarters, gripping hard. Blood flew through the air as Scar sprang forward to go for the throat. Biting down, he felt the lifeblood burst into his mouth, covering his tongue with the sweet flavor.

The herd took off as soon as the lions had come out of hiding. Flailing and gasping for air, the old wildebeest barely put up a fight before they dragged it to the ground together. Molly laid her entire weight against its body, pinning it as Scar jerked his head, breaking its neck so it would die quickly. He didn't want her to see it in pain any longer than she had to. Pulling away, Molly stood panting, staring at the dead animal with an odd look in her eyes.

"Molly? Are you alright?"

"I...I think so," her eyes met his and he thought for a moment that she was going to cry again, but she smiled weakly, "I'm fine. Thank you for going after an old one this time. It...made it a little easier..."

"You did wonderefully," Scar assured her, "Really, Molly."

Nodding, Molly swallowed hard, "Let's eat. I haven't forgotten your promise to explain everything."

So that was it. She'd managed to suppress her human nature long enough to get the hunt over with so she could pry the truth out of him. Scar knelt and took the first bite out of the warm carcass. He would use the time it took to eat to settle his thoughts and figure out exactly how he was going to explain everything to her. Everything he was willing to explain, that is.

...

Molly had to admit that Scar was right about the meat tasting better fresh rather than scavenging it. She didn't want to, but it was the truth. Her lion body enjoyed the meal immensely, even as she mentally mourned the life she had helped take. She remembered feeling its body fight against her as her claws had sunk into its flesh, how it had given a sickening lurch as Scar ripped its throat. All of that washed away each time she took another bite of skin and muscle. There was a moment where she even found herself lapping at the blood pouring from a vein, covering her face as it flowed. Shivering now as she licked her bloody paws clean, she wondered again if she had made the right choice in staying here. Perhaps she should have followed Rafiki back to his trees and asked him for a potion to make her human again? Then she looked across at Scar and her heart knew the real answer.

Sitting back from the kill himself, Scar glanced over to meet her eyes. There wasn't much left of the animal. The two lions had certainly ate their fill, "We should take the rest back to the graveyard," he said.

Nodding, Molly was all too eager to get back to the safety of their home. The plains felt more dangerous now with an unseen terror lurking in the darkness.

Grabbing hold of one side of the wildebeest, Scar motioned for her to do the same, and together they dragged it back to the eager pack. Retreating up the rock tower as the hyenas tore into the remains, Scar's footfalls were slow and deliberate. Molly had the distinct impression that he was trying to buy more time. Reaching the top, she waited patiently, allowing him to speak in his own time, even though the questions she had building up made her feel like she was ready to explode.

Finally, "I'm going to tell you a story, Molly, and I doubt you will like it. I'll understand if you want to leave afterwards, but I hope you'll decide to stay. I never thought my past would come back to haunt me in such a way," he glanced out to Pride Rock, "Distancing myself from my past is a gift I've always cherished."

"I'm here, aren't I?" she said softly.

Green eyes turned to her and the turmoil she saw there made her heart ache for him. Scared of what he was going to tell her, but ready to listen, she settled back on her haunches patiently.

Sighing, Scar shook his head, "I've thought of so many ways how to start this, and none of them are satisfactory... Can you...wait until the end to ask questions? I'm not sure I can tell it in a proper order, even without interruptions."

Nodding, Molly remained silent.

"I wasn't exactly the most popular in the pride, even when I did live among them. Few could tolerate my...uniqueness. Mufasa and...my mother were the only two that really tolerated me. Until I met Pacha.

"Pacha was a loner, like me, always going off on his own to explore places we were told to stay away from. I found...a kindred spirit in him. I looked up to him, followed him around everywhere," he blinked, caught up in his memories, "He was more of a brother to me than Mufasa. The only other lion I could really talk to.

"My father never paid much attention to me, putting all his attention into Mufasa, the future King of the Pridelands. So Pacha and I were able to come and go as we pleased. They were...good times... I was free.

"As we got older...Pacha and I...fell in love with the same lioness."

Molly's heart fell. It wasn't something she had expected to hear. It wasn't necesarilly that she assumed she was the only one Scar had ever had any feelings for, but it still hurt somehow knowing that he had cared for another.

"At first, we thought it was funny, that one of us, or even both of us, would sooner or later lose interest...but instead it turned...bad. It became a contest between us on who could be the better mate for her. She didn't make it any easier," Scar's voice became bitter, "She pledged her love to each of us separately, causing the argument between us to go from friendly, to anger...to hatred."

He paused for a long while, seeming to either clear or collect his thoughts; most likely both. Molly refrained from asking anything, and again, waited.

"One day, Pacha was alone with her...and..." Scar swallowed audibly, his eyes staring down at his paws, "They became mates. I couldn't stand it. I'd loved her so much, trusted Pacha so much... I...attacked Pacha. I couldn't think of anything else than killing him. The fight was bad, bloody. He gave me this scar," he raised his green eyes to look at her finally, "I gave him much worse.

"My father reached us before we could kill each other, but he wouldn't allow us to remain in the pride. Our violent feud had worn down what little patience he'd had for either of us. He exiled us. So we limped away together; Pacha leaving behind the lioness that had chosen him over me.

"At first, we relied on each other; Pacha especially relied on me. I had hurt him badly, he could barely walk. I had to hunt for him. One day, I just left. I couldn't bear to care for my enemy anymore," his eyes fell once more, paws shifting in the dirt, "He'd taken everything away from me, my love, my family; what was left of it, at least. I couldn't stay there and bring him food every day.

"Weeks later, my conscience caught up with me and I went back to where I'd left him. He was gone, and there was so much blood all over...his blood. I just knew something had come and eaten him. I could smell other lions. I assumed they'd found him in his weak state and thought him an easy meal... But now...after Rafiki, and hearing him last night, I know he's alive, and he's back.

"As much as he took from me, I took from him. I know he's only come back for one reason," he met her eyes again, "He wants revenge, and with you here...he'll see you as the perfect opportunity to do to me what I did to him. Take you from me."

Letting the story sink in, Molly had to let out a long exhale. She wasn't really sure Scar had told her everything, something about it all felt like he was holding something back. She had no idea what. Given his silence, he was finished, so she felt it was time to pose a few questions.

"The lioness that the two of you loved. Who was she? Was she one of the ones at the watering hole?"

By his hesitation, this was exactly the question he'd been hoping she wouldn't ask. He looked away again to Pride Rock, tail swishing in agitation.

"Sarabi."

...

Dun-dun-DUN!

So yes, still following the bouncing plot bunny down its rabbit hole. Making up for wasted time! Lol! Hope you all continue on the journey with me! 3

How do you think Molly's going to react to THIS new bit of info?