Female of a Different Species [COMPLETE]

Opposing Party

And so Scar became the keeper of another secret; the key to his sister's happiness. For the first time since Asha got sick, he truly understood how his actions affected the world around him. He had prided himself on never really fearing anything, but he was terrified, he was terrified for Asha.

That night was one of the few times he and her went to the hyena lands, true to their word the hyenas remained ever faithful to Asha and obeyed Scar, now aware of how important Asha was to their king and how serious her condition really was. They never said anything when she was in the area but they knew, they knew and it scared them just as much. To them it felt like chasing a wounded animal; it was fun in the beginning but now too much blood had spilled and the animal was growing slower, soon it would drop to the ground and move no more. Asha was an antelope, and soon she to would cease to run.

The rest of the pride assumed that with Asha bedridden Scar would be a little more attentive to his duties as king, but if anything it made him even more ignorant to the lionesses. If he wasn't at Pride Rock he was out with the hyenas, scavenging for something, anything, to give his ailing sister. And for a while no one said anything, he was king after all, but there was one who wasn't so silent.

"Why Scar, why do you care so much about that...creature?!" His green eyes narrowed. "That creature is my sister and your queen." Crazy yellow eyes narrowed themselves threateningly. "She's no queen of mine." Scar lowered his head just barely. "Watch your tongue Zira, before I rip it from your throat."

Depending on who you asked, Zira was even more of a force to be reckoned with than Scar. Unlike her mate, Zira was clever and had the power to fight. She had suspected for a while she was only second-best in the new king's life, and had finally reached the point of rebellion. So here they were: facing each other at the base of Pride Rock before everyone in the pride, no one willing to side with either of them because neither one was better than the other.

"You're mine Scar, you promised me I was yours, that we'd have a family together. Are our cubs to be hers as well as your ever-shifting devotion? Shall you lie to her as you have lied to me?" Scar's eyes, lit with hell's fire, narrowed as his tail cautiously swishing behind him.

"You are nothing to me Zira, I wish I could've seen that sooner; I will never feel for you the same way I feel for her." Hurt was visible on her face for only a moment before she lowered herself closer to the ground, the beginning of a soon to be pounce.

"You'll regret saying that!"

"Scar?" The voice was so soft it surprised everyone when they looked to its source; leaning against Nala for support was Asha, gazing down at the pair with a mix of fear and disbelief. Instantly, Scar became a different lion.

"Ashy." He turned his back to Zira and bounded to his sister, taking her from Nala as she slipped back into unconsciousness. If you thought Zira was furious before she was livid now.

"HOW DARE YOU CHOOSE HER OVER ME?!?!" That's when she lunged, and with Asha on his back Scar could do nothing.

Another roar cut Zira's in half as Sarabi jumped from behind him and hit the lioness dead on. A fight began that wasn't any longer than six minutes, but by the time it was done a chunk of flesh was missing from Zira's ear. Sarabi glared at the lioness before spitting out the piece of flesh like it was something vile.

"Get out." Her voice was low, she didn't need to shout, you could tell she meant business. Zira, now trembling with wide eyes, looked to Scar in a silent plea, but he simply frowned and turned his head. Zira growled faintly, still afraid.

"You'll pay for this." Before she turned and looped off into the grass beyond. Sarabi watched her go with an impassive face before returning to the rest of the pride, she met Scar's gaze with a silent nod before continuing on. For only an instant she and Scar had seen eye to eye, but that instant was gone and their relationship had not changed.

And yet...he was grateful to her and remained that long after he put Asha to bed and drifted off himself.