Chapter 20

Molly's stamina was leaving her. She could barely breathe and she began stumbling over rocks in her path. Ahead, Pride Rock remained a distant sentinel, mocking her as she tried to run. She slowed to a fast jog. Behind her, she heard the other lioness closing what little gap she'd given herself. Coming to a stop, she turned to face her attacker. She wasn't about to be chased down like prey.

The golden eyed lioness came rushing up at her, leaping towards Molly with the intent to kill. Jaws wide, claws outstretched. A blur leapt over Molly and collided in midair with the other lioness. Followed by several more blurs, all piling onto a yowling, snarling lioness.

"Molly," a voice from behind Molly turned her away from the carnage.

"Sarabi! Scar's back that way, he needs help! Please! Pacha's back."

The Queen stiffened at the name, eyes narrowed, "Pacha?" she half-whispered, "You're sure?"

"Yes! Scar told me to run, that there were more coming. Please, Sarabi, you have to help him!"

The noise behind her had stopped and Molly turned to see the golden eyed lioness dead on the ground, her body torn and her insides strewn out in a pile next to her. Molly swallowed hard and turned away, hoping Sarabi didn't notice her reaction.

"Bapoto, Masika."

The two young males had not been part of the group that had killed the strange lioness and trotted up behind Sarabi.

"Go, find Scar. Assist him if need be."

Without a word, the two took off in the direction Molly had come from. Sarabi stepped in front of Molly to keep her from following, "They will handle it."

Glancing over her, Sarabi nodded for Molly to follow her, "Your injuries are not too bad for Rafiki to heal. Come, we will escort you."

"But Scar-"

Sarabi snapped her head around, "Sent you to safety, to Pride Rock, and that is where you will go," her tone invited no argument.

Molly nodded, chastised, and followed. The rest of the hunting party came up and flanked her. The ones that had fought off the attacker were still covered in her blood, a few of them with their own wounds mixed in.

Please, Scar, be safe.

…

Scar caught the scent of Bapoto and Masika and slowed as they ran up through the grass to him.

"Molly? Is she-"

"Hurt but safe," Bapoto reassured him. The two younger lions fell into stride with Scar, "We're not far from her and the rest of the hunting party."

Relief swept through him but Scar kept his pace. Hurt, damn it.

"Molly said Pacha was back," Masika said. The two young males weren't old enough to know him, but the Pride had used Pacha and Scar's fall from grace, as it were, as a warning to other males.

"Yes," Scar said, not wasting any breath on a further explanation.

Before long they crossed the carcass of a lioness, disemboweled and left as a warning. Scar was somewhat disappointed he hadn't been able to kill her himself. He hoped Pacha would decide staying in the Pridelands wasn't worth the losses he would suffer, but knew it was unlikely. Pacha was out for revenge. Scar knew something of revenge…

They topped a rise and Scar spotted the hunting party. A short roar choked in his throat at the sight of Molly. She turned, and shouldered through the other lions as Scar raced down the hill towards her. Coming together, they talked over each other as they circled and rubbed heads together.

"Molly, I'm so sorry. Are you hurt?"

"Scar! I thought- I'm fine, just some scratches. Are you alright?"

"Those don't look like scratches. I'm fine, Pacha ran like a coward. His plan was to separate us and have you killed."

"Don't worry, Sarabi says Rafiki is at Pride Rock."

Scar glanced at Sarabi then who waited patiently with the hunting party. He hated owing her, but she and the others had saved Molly, "Thank you, Sarabi," he said tightly.

The Queen gave a short nod, "It seems a shadow from the past has come to darken our territory. Come, Mufasa must be informed."

Gritting his teeth, Scar turned back to Molly. She looked awful, blood ran from her shoulder and her hind legs were drenched in it. Afraid to speak, he shook his head and gave her cheek a slow lick.

She returned the lick and gave him a tired smile, "I'm glad you're okay."

He gave a hollow laugh, "Stop thinking about me, fool," he said softly, "You never should have had to deal with any of this." He stopped himself from imagining what would have happened if Sarabi and the others hadn't been there, but a lump still formed in his throat as they turned to follow Sarabi.

He was going to kill Pacha. Slowly.

I know I said I wouldn't upload again until the 1st of each month, but I felt like you guys deserved something for Valentine's Day! Thank you again to all of you that are still reading and a huge welcome to a few newcomers! I still don't quite believe how lucky I am to have people reading and actually enjoying my work. Thank you to the people who have congratulated me on becoming a mom. It's definitely changed my life in ways I never imagined. I do dread the day the little one is old enough to read and stumbles across mom's 18+ ramblings! Haha!

Let me know if you guys are still enjoying the direction I'm taking the story and how slow of a burn it is. I promised naughtiness and it's coming, I just can't stand when stories jump right in... But what I like isn't what everyone likes. Constructive criticism is always welcome!