Shenzi was in the lead but Ed quickly outpaced her at the sight of Molly. Grinning and laughing, Molly welcomed the eager hyena with a nose touch. Ed took liberties and gave her a wet lick across the bridge of her nose, making her laugh.

"Thank you," Scar said as Shenzi approached him. Voice low, he said, "I didn't know if you would come. I…don't deserve your help. But I need it."

Shenzi looked up at him for a moment, surprised. She blinked then shrugged, "Sure, Scar. We'll always help if we can. Now what's this that birdbrain was saying about war?"

Scar sighed, "The short of it is that an old enemy of mine has returned, Mufasa refuses to offer aid and so I sent for you."

Banzai and Shenzi exchanged a look before she said, "We'll do what we can. Is this old enemy the lion you heard at Pride Rock?" She hesitated, "The same one that got you exiled before you came to us?"

"He is," Scar nodded, "Pacha."

Another look and Shenzi shifted nervously, "We will help, Scar. But why do you have to call for us? Doesn't Mufasa know of the danger to his own Pride?"

Scar huffed, "If only. I will explain what I know, but quickly. My brother is bound to summon us shortly what with the chaos your arrival has caused."

All hyenas seemed to have a nervous energy about them, Scar had grown accustomed to it. Shenzi was usually the most stable, but just now, she couldn't keep her paws still and her eyes darted around like she was trying to keep a startled mouse in sight. "Is there somewhere we can talk? Somewhere not as exposed?"

Scar glanced out at the pack spread over a large part of Pride Rock. "Nowhere big enough for everyone. And the Pride is already agitated enough by your arrival. You and a few others can stay, but the rest should pull back to the bottom of the rock. The more room the Pride has, the better for now."

Shenzi nodded and turned to Banzai. They exchanged a few short whispers and the male nodded and turned to trot down the hill, calling out for the others to follow. Scar had never seen them so organized and wondered if the call to war had been the change or if they'd been capable of this the entire time. Ed remained, happily wagging his tail as he stared up at Molly.

Scar turned to lead them up to the cave he and Molly had been sharing. Banzai came trotting up after sending the rest of the pack down to the grasslands around Pride Rock. The little cave was spacious for just two lions but once three hyenas were squeezed in alongside them, it became a little cramped.

Scar told them as briefly as possible of the trouble with Pacha and Mufasa's excuses and qualms about giving any aid in the war. He told them of his history with Pacha, and the encounter with and threat to Molly. He left out their possible relation and the additional insanity of transformations, but could tell by Molly's expression that she did not approve. Coming to the end of his story, he sighed and said, "Pacha… is not what he seems."

Shenzi and Banzai pricked their ears forward.

"I have reason to believe that Pacha and his Pride can turn into humans."

Shenzi didn't betray anything, but Banzai's ears flicked and he darted his eyes to Molly. Ed giggled into the drawn out silence.

At last, Shenzi seemed to wake from a dream and took a deep breath, "So we were right," she glanced at Molly knowingly. "You had the smell about you. It's been a long time since we smelled it on a lion."

Molly looked to Scar and back to Shenzi, "Y-you mean- You knew?"

"We had suspicions," Shenzi corrected, "The smell, your attitude towards us, your inability to really be a lion. You haven't told the Pride?" This last was asked of Scar.

"Not yet. Two others know, and Rafiki. He's the one responsible for Molly's change."

This seemed to surprise Shenzi, "The old monkey did this? How?"

Molly said, "He gave me something to drink."

Shenzi and Banzai exchanged a look. "You didn't decide to make the change?"

"No. You know the other way, don't you? Rafiki said you would."

Shenzi shook her head, "The other way? The way. Whatever the baboon did is not how it's done. I have never heard of such a thing."

"But you do know a way."

"Yes," Shenzi nodded, "We have heard the stories. Every hyena knows the legends. To most of us, that's all they are. But some of us have come too close to the legend for comfort." She stood and shook her fur.

Banzai got to his feet too, "Do you think we could get them to Ukweli?"

"Not likely. If this Pacha can transform and has a Pride, they will have Pride Rock surrounded. Watching. We will have to fight this war before we can get them anywhere else."

"I'll tell the others. They'll need to know to look out for humans as well as lions."

Shenzi nodded her agreement and Banzai took off out of the cave. She tilted her head at Molly, "You aren't part of Pacha's Pride. You're fully human."

Molly nodded. Shenzi raised an eyebrow at Scar.

"I always wondered if you would find a lioness that would put up with you," she gave him a wide grin, "Guess it just took a different species to draw you out," she gave a short nod, "I'm glad."

Scar blinked, "Thank you, Shenzi."

"Don't thank me yet. We need to make sure you live long enough to make her your mate."

"Can everyone tell?" Molly groaned and both Ed and Shenzi cackled.

Scar was also uncomfortable with even the hyenas being aware of his not having claimed Molly in the physical sense. "Come," he said, "If there's time, we should eat. Once everything begins, I don't think there will be much time for anything other than fighting."

They exited the cave as Banzai once again rejoined them. There was a flash of blue overhead and Zazu fluffed his feathers from a perch high up on the cliff wall. He peered down nervously at the hyenas. Clearing his throat, he looked to Scar and attempted to salvage any dignity he had by announcing, "The King has summoned you and your… entourage," he clicked his beak disapprovingly.

Scar let out a low groan, "What now?" he muttered.

Molly came to him and rubbed her cheek against his, "Damage control probably. He knows he needs to get ahead of the panic their arrival is causing," she nodded to Shenzi and the others. They looked apprehensive about going to meet the leader of their enemies face-to-face. She gave Shenzi a reassuring smile and the hyena attempted to return it.

"Shall I let His Majesty know you're coming?" Zazu feigned bored aloofness but Scar could see the way his eyes darted back and forth over the three hyenas.

"Yes, yes, you buzzing mosquito," Scar growled up at him, "Go. Tell my brother we'll join him momentarily."

Zazu ruffled his feathers, indignant at the comment, but said nothing as he launched into the sky and off to the cave atop Pride Rock.

Scar turned his eyes on Molly and for a moment it seemed like everything else disappeared. He leaned forward and gave her cheek a slow lick. "Let us go see what "damage control" my brother is attempting."

Molly smiled and nodded, "Do you think it's going well?"

Scar chuckled, "I very much doubt it."

It was pandemonium. The din of noise had reached them halfway down the ramp and as they entered the cave it became deafening. Shenzi, Banzai and Ed stuck close to each other, walking between Scar and Molly. Scar didn't trust the Pride not to try and attack the hyenas. The only reason he hadn't brought more in was that he imagined Mufasa and the others would view it as an invasion. Not that most of them didn't already see their arrival as such.

Molly's blue eyes were wide as she peered over the hyenas at him. He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring nod and she took a deep breath. Her features smoothed, looking a bit more calm. Mufasa sat above the heaving mob of lions. Each of them yelling over the others to be heard. Sarabi and Serafina both sat a little behind him, Sarabi just barely in front of Serafina. Scar raised an eyebrow at that. It wasn't odd for a lion to have multiple mates, but it was rare when secondary mates were allowed to stand in such close proximity to the Queen during any official gathering.

Scar lead his mismatched family up to the platform and despite the roars of "Traitor!" "Exile!" and even "Murderer!", he calmly sat and looked up at Mufasa, waiting.

"Silence!" Mufasa roared and the din immediately dropped off. The silence rang with the energy of unsaid words. Mufasa glared down at him but Scar thought he looked more tired than threatening. His eyes took in the three hyenas and he licked his lips as though he was trying to remove an unpleasant taste from his mouth. "Scar, would you introduce your," his hesitation lasted only a moment but Scar took note of it, "Friends?"

"Shenzi, Banzai, Ed," each hyena nodded their head as he named them. Ed added a mad giggle to his. He was the closest to Molly and she gave a slight smile down at him. "They are here to help me protect your Pridelands, brother."

Murmurs of outrage rose to just below a dull roar before Mufasa gave a long growl to silence them again. "It seems you've caused quite a divide in my Pride, Scar. Many would rather fight with you and have me send away the hyenas."

"The hyenas stay whether your lionesses wish to help or not," Scar said coolly, daring Mufasa to argue. He wasn't about to let a bunch of prideful idiots push aside his only reliable allies. "Unlike you, the hyenas realize how dangerous our enemies are and came voluntarily to aid me. I refuse to turn my back on them."

More cries of outrage, one above the others, "Yet you would turn your back on us?"

Scar turned to see Zira standing at the edge of the crowd. She glared at him, lips curled back from her teeth. Molly stiffened as her glare swept over the hyenas to her.

"I remind you, Zira, that I am not the one responsible for choosing not to use the Pride," Scar didn't like how close Zira was to Molly. The two lionesses glared at each other as if he hadn't spoken. He doubted if Zira had even heard him. Her bright golden eyes slid back down to Ed at Molly's side. He gave a whine and pressed himself back against Molly's hind leg.

Zira chuckled, "So this pathetic runt is one you would rather have on your side?" She met Molly's gaze again and grinned, eyes mad.

"Don't," Molly growled low in her throat.

Scar knew. He could see it coming before it happened, but he was still too slow to stop it. In the blink of an eye, Zira made a move for Ed and in the next moment, blood was splattered across the dirt floor.

…

When it happened, it seemed to happen in slow motion. Later, when Molly looked back, it was a jumbled mess of split second decisions and gaps where her memory went out in shades of black and red.

Zira lunged for Ed. Molly met her mid jump, her body slamming into the other lioness. Claws and teeth found vulnerable parts and slashed and tore. Blood flowed over her tongue and down her throat. Fire swept through her as she felt her flesh being torn open again. It didn't stop her. They tumbled over each other, rolling into other lionesses that roared their frustration and backed away. Far away she could hear Scar calling her name but she didn't have time to respond. Her entire being was focused on the lioness in front of her. They rolled again and slammed into the side of the dais. For a moment they came apart. It was long enough. Scar was there in front of her, keeping her from Zira. Behind him, Bapoto and Masika faced down Zira.

"Enough!" Mufasa bellowed. Molly had the vague notion that he had been yelling for them to stop for quite some time.

Breathing hard, she found Scar's eyes and grounded herself. He was worried, but she thought she also detected a slight smile. She winced as the adrenaline ebbed away and the pain from her wounds came to the forefront.

"Get these two out of my sight," Mufasa growled, "Bapoto, Masika, take them to Rafiki."

"I can take Molly," Scar protested.

"No. You will remain here. You've thrown this entire Pride into turmoil."

"I did nothing but what you demanded of me!" Scar whirled on his brother, "You tasked me with handling Pacha, refusing to help. It is you that have failed the Pride, brother!"

Mufasa roared and leapt down to come face to face with Scar, "I will not let you kill another member of my family because of your own self importance. If you want to get yourself or your mate killed, or every filthy mutt from every edge of the Pridelands, so be it. But you will not have another member of this Pride."

Molly felt herself slump sideways and fell against Masika. She hadn't even been aware of him coming up next to her. She blinked blood from her eyes and turned to find Ed safe with Shenzi and Banzai. They were huddled together tightly, eyes darting all around at the Pride.

"Scar," she said faintly.

He turned and saw where she indicated. He shook his head but pressed his head to hers and went to stand before the hyenas. "Very well, Mufasa. Do it your way. You are the King, after all."

Masika murmured in Molly's ear. She couldn't make it out but she allowed him to lead her away as Bapoto got Zira to her feet. The two males kept them from being next to each other but Molly felt it was redundant. She certainly wasn't capable of going another round and Zira seemed more humiliated by it all than anything. As they walked out and down towards Rafiki's tree, Molly had the fleeting thought that just now she had only aided Pacha in his destruction of Scar. Her pain addled brain wouldn't latch onto an acceptable explanation, but a nervous, ill sort of feeling settled into her bowels and she couldn't get rid of it.

She chanced a look over at Zira. The lioness limped alongside Bapoto, blood streaked through her grayish fur. Sensing Molly looking, she turned and Molly flinched away from the burning hatred in her eyes. Turning her eyes back to front, Molly focused on putting one foot in front of the other and forced all other thought to the back of her mind.

It will be okay, she told herself. The dread in her guts only twisted itself into a tighter ball.

I'm back baby! I hope you can all forgive me for the long wait. It took ages for me to make the changes I needed to make before I was happy with them. Hopefully the wait was worth it. I've missed you all!

Much love,

Meg