Night of the hunt
Life in the jungle came with such hard times. As Elsa grew amongst animals, raised by a pride of lions since the age of seven one of the most important lessons to lure was that of hunting. Like the other females of the pride, Elsa was to follow in the traditions of her adopted family. From the age of fourteen, her mother Diata had already began teaching her how to hunt. However it did not come so easy for her. Being a human, she did not have the swiftness to catch prey. Nor did she have any sharp fangs or claws to bring down her prey.
She had practice several times, chasing after small rabbits or warthogs. She always found it to be hard to catch them for they out ruined her every time. Hunting seemed to be so impossible to her, for her differences from her adopted family were but what held her back. But yet, she came to discover another way and it was Bagheera the panther who helped her see it. Bagheera had once been raised amongst humans when he was but a cub. He understood their ways of hunting, not just with a gun but also with a knife and spears for when he encounter native tribes.
Bagheera taught her to how to hunt with a spear and knife. As she tried hunting with these human tools, had it start to show a great discovery to solve the problem she had. For now she was able to catch her prey, for when she stalked from the bushes and the tree tops above. When launching her sharp stone tip down upon the small animal was enough to have achieved her hunt. It was these lessons that the wild girl had finally come to be a hunter for the pride. As she grew to be a young women, Elsa hunted amongst the lionesses of her pride. Through the time of day to the darkness of night.
For here she was able to hunt bigger prey like antelope, wildebeests. Zebras or Buffalo. With her spear and hunting dagger, she had brought down much prey for her pride. Bringing just enough food for them and never did she hunt for pleasure. For whoever was to kill for sport and pleasure was an act that stood against one of the most important laws of the jungle. Elsa always followed by the law of the jungle as she was taught. For she refused to stay down the same path as her own kind, nor did she wish to follow in the same paw prints as that of Scar, Shere Khan, Zira or the hyena's.
There were but so many tales of hunts to be told in Elsa's life of a lioness. Enough that could take up several books and each of it's sparing white pages. However here my friends is where I shall tell a tale of Elsa and the lionesses hunt. And also of three unexpected trespassers who came that night in hunger for the scraps of their kill.
As dusk settled upon the jungle, the sun began to set down from the far west. It was during this time when the lions were preparing for a night of hunting. To hunt within the dark shadow that blanketed over the jungle when the day had reached it's end, was but an easier way for them to claim their prey. And to accompany them on this hunt was Elsa, the jungle girl.
In a close distance from the layer of the lions, Elsa was below a tree, preparing for the hunt. Now at the age of twenty, she had a lean fit body, her bleach blond hair that was once French braided was now hanging down freely. She was dressed in two pieces of blue loin cloth one that covered her breasts and down till it came to her stomach and one that was around her waist, hanging down from the front and back. As she sat in a high branch, her back up against the trunk of the tree, the wild women was sharpening the stone knife that stood on the high tip of her staff. She sliding her sharp end across the flat rock in front of her, making the triangle ends more sharp to be able pierce through the hide of her sooner to be encountered prey.
Elsa lifted the spear up off the rock as she took a glance to throw sharp it was. As she looked upon the edges, she was not yet satisfied with her work.
"Looks sharp enough." She said.
"But I better be sure."
She got up in a crouching position and move from the trunk of the tree. She moved upon all four, moving as she had been taught when she hunted. She then turned around, facing toward the bark armoured trunk.
"Okay, here we go." She said.
She raised her spear above her head. After of which, the wild women pulled her spear back and shot it forward. Like a hawk swooping down to catch it's prey, Elsa's spear flew and stabbed into the tree, puncturing through it's armour. Elsa smiled satisfied with what she had saw.
"Perfect." She said prideful of her work.
She came forward to the spear and grabbed hold of the spear, pulling it out from the tree. Just then, the wild women the heard the sound of laughter coming leftward from her. The wild women turned and saw two familiar lion cubs racing into sight, Kovu and Kion. One a yellow furred cub with a reddish brown Mohawk mane, the other being brown furred and a dark brown mane. Both of them brothers and the new cubs to be introduced into the pride.
The wild women turned as the two cubs came up to Elsa.
"Hey Elsa." Said Kion as he and Kovu stopped before him.
"Hey you two." Said Elsa as she got down upon her knees and petted the top of Kions head.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you both be back at the lair, it's getting late.
"Oh, uh, we were just heading there." Said Kovu.
"Yeah."Kion insisted
Elsa smirked, looking to them in disbelief.
"Really?" Elsa said.
"I thought the lair was the way you just came."
The two brothers looked to one another, they were both tried to think of what they could say.
"We... Uh, made a wrong turn." Kovu said again.
Elsa simply rolled her eyes. Such a typical thing to expect from theses two brothers of the pride. And also a familiar sight for her to see. She, Nala and Simba had done this before. They were always looking for an excuse to have fun and keep playing, a fact to be expected from cubs. She could hard blame these two for the same thing.
"If you say so." Said Elsa as she got up and turned back to her spot.
"So what are you doing, Elsa?" Kion asked curiously.
"I was just preparing for the hunt tonight." Elsa explained, looking over to the two cubs.
"Me, my mother, Nala, Sarabi and Sarafina are going to hunt for our breakfast."
"During the night?" Asked Kovu, curiously.
Elsa nodded her head yes.
"The night is the best time for we lions to hunt." Elsa said.
"It gives us more cover from our prey. My mom always said that it's the best time to hunt."
"Oh, man." Said Kion, knowing what it meant.
"You get to stay up all night? Cool!"
"Can we come too?" Kovu asked curiously.
Elsa shook her head no.
"I don't think so you two." She said.
"Cubs like you need to get some sleep. Besides, I'm sure your mother wants you to stay close to the lair."
It was just then, there came another voice that came from the jungle.
"Elsa!"
The wild women and two cubs looked back to the jungle that stood behind the two brother. There they saw Nala the tanned fur lioness coming toward them
"Nala." She said back.
"Where have you been?" Nala asked.
"You were suppose to meet back at the layer. The others have already left, they're over near the open fields waiting for us."
"Oh." Said Elsa realising that she had been too long.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't aware of the time."
Nala then looked down to the two cubs.
"You two." She said.
"Your mother has been looking for you back at the lair."
The two looked to one another in awe. To be stuck in a cave while Elsa was one another hunt.
"Can't we come?" Asked Kion.
"No." Said Nala.
"It's not a place or time for you two."
Nala then looked back to where Elsa once stood, only to find that she was gone.
"Elsa?" She asked.
The lioness then looked to the tree and it was there she saw the young wild climbing up the branches of the tree.
Nala stood curiously as she walked behind the tree. It was there that she met Elsa walking over a branch and came to a hanging vine. The wild women slipped her spear down her back and in through her blue loincloth top. After she had freed her hand from her spear, the wild women gleaned from the tree and grabbed onto a vine. She hung from the vine as it moved swiftly through the air.
"I wanna do that some day." Said Kion as he looked to his brother.
"Elsa wait up!" Nala called to her as she followed Elsa.
The young wild women gazed back to Nala. She saw Nala running after her on the jungle floor below, racing after her.
"Hey Nala!" She called to her.
"I'll race you there!
Nala gazed up to Elsa, giving a playful smirk.
"Alright, your on."
Elsa chuckled as she came to a nearby branch. She landed upon the tree limb and soon after grabbed hold of another vine. She leaped off the tree and swung through the evening air.
In the mean time far north in the jungle, it was outside of the tree line of a wide field of plain grass land, atop of a hill and gazing out to the land was Diata, Sarabi and Sarafina. Along with them were three other lionesses, who laid down upon the hill as they waited for Nala to return with Elsa. Diata stood gazing out upon the open grass fields, observing their prey in the distance. Just up ahead were a herd of wildebeests, grazing in the clearings of the tall grass. Along with the herd, there were white and black striped zebras and long horn gazelles.
She gazed upward above the clear grasslands and from the trees behind to the evening sky. She gazed to the sun as it slowly descends downward to sink behind the trees and welcome the inevitable dark night. It was to when that time comes is when their hunt would begin. The darkness would be a great cover from the sight of their prey, giving them a chance that they would be more then willing to follow. With the night soon to come, she hoped for her daughter's arrival. Time was growing short, if they did not come soon, they would have to hunt without them
Diata gazed back toward the jungle, staring anxiously. However the sight didn't serve as to what she expected from it. There was still no sign of Elsa or Nala. It had already been too long, what was taking them?
"Where are they?" She asked.
"It's going to be night soon and we can't afford to miss our chance."
"Don't be so worried, Diata." Said Sarabi, looking up to her.
"They'll be here soon. You know they are both eager to be on this hunt."
Diata knew that to be true. Both her daughter and Nala were great hunters for the pride and they both would be willing to hunt when they were called upon. Perhaps she was too concerned by their absence. The sun had not yet come to sink behind the trees and the cover of night was not yet upon them. There was still time for them to come. Her only hope was that they were nearby and would soon arrive.
"I suppose you are right Sarabi." She said, turning to face her.
"I just hope they do come soon."
Much to her luck, there came a voice that came from the jungle that caught her attention. The voice came to be very familiar to the white lioness, for she had heard it many times before. Diata looked toward the line of lush dense trees behind them. She was then met by the sight of her adopted daughter, swinging high on a vine through the trees.
Elsa landed upon the branch of a one of the trees in front of her. She grabbed another vine and swung outwards from the line of trees. Nala had already appeared from the tree line and came out into the open field, but it was by that time that Elsa dropped to the ground from the vine and landed down upon the ground. Nala came to a stop as she came before the wild women.
"I beat you, Nala." She said as she stood up, smiling at her triumph.
Nala gazed up to the young wild girl. She hadn't any feelings of jealously for her friends arriving first, there were so many times that she had beat Elsa. However it was always such a thrilling challenge for either her or Simba. With Elsa being of a different specie that relates to the apes and the monkeys, she had been given abilities that far exceeded a lion. She was able to climb up the trees, to move swiftly as a monkey leaping from branch to branch. The vines served to be a way for her to pass by even faster then Nala and Simba could go. With. Such advantages given to Elsa, had races and hunts been in her favour in most times.
"Well it's not easy to surpass you." Nala said.
Elsa chuckled as she pushed her hair behind her ear.
"Well I'm more then just a lioness, Nala." Elsa said, knowing that she was also like the apes in many ways.
From the top of the small hill, the Diata turned and began to walked down the steep way. She then came up to her daughter and Nala, who turned and looked upon her presences.
"Elsa, where have you been?" Diata asked, having not to have seen her since the early time of day.
"You were supposed to meet us at the layer at evening sun."
"I'm sorry, mother." Said Elsa.
"I was going to come but I needed to prepare some of my things. I didn't mean to be so late."
"Think nothing of it, Elsa." Said her mother, knowing that she was here now for the hunt.
"But please do not be so long next time. The night is our perfect time to hunt and we can't afford to miss it."
Elsa nodded her head, understanding that the night hunting was vital to their pride.
"I understand, mother." She said.
The white lioness smiled gratefully at her daughter. She knew Elsa to be very mature with the choices she makes, while also being free spirited as the Cubs. It was through few times had she been a a bit clumsy with her actions and choices, but Diata had that in common with her. She made mistakes as well. She was just glad that Elsa learned from them.
The white lioness turned to the setting sun and saw it begin to disappear behind the trees ahead. The sky above was becoming more darker, as it swept away the light blue sky.
"It's nearly time." Said Diata as she turned back to Elsa and Nala.
"Come."
Elsa and Nala followed Diata to Sarabi, Sarafina and the other lionesses who were present for the hunt. Elsa came up the small hill in a crouching manner. As she came upon the top, she gazed out to the open fields. With such anticipation, she was ready for the hunt to begin. She reached back and pulled her spear from her loincloth top. She held it in both her hands, making the sharp stone tip face the air above. With the many hunts she had, her spear had always brought her claim to her prey. With her time and power of her thrown she had brought down many kills that she and her pride feasted upon in the early mornings and the evenings as well.
As she continued to look upon the open lands, Diata came back up the hill and stood by her daughter's side.
"Once the sun is fully set, our hunt will begin." Diata said.
"Well I'm ready for it." Said Elsa, prepared for the time to strike.
As the wild women gazed upon the open fields, she could see the choices of prey that were provided for them. There was a small group of three zebra's grazing at the far left of them. To the middle was a a herd of several wildebeest, by sight showing about eighteen of them. The gazelles were of seven. There stood three choices for their hunt, leaving Elsa curious to wich one they would go after.
"So what are we hunting this time?"
"Me and the others have all decided on the wildebeests." Diata explained.
"The zebra and gazelles are too small in size. We don't need to lessen them."
Diata looked to her daughter.
"You remember all that Bagheera has taught you about hunting?"
Elsa looked to her adopted mother. With all the teachings that the black panther had given her, his wisdom and advice, Elsa knew much to what there was of hunting. The laws that are to be followed.
"To only take what is needed." said Elsa.
Diata nodded her head to her young daughter.
"Yes." Said Diata.
"For now the wildebeest are our best choice. We must keep all in balance in the circle of Life."
"I know, mother." Said Elsa, knowing that what was most important to living in the jungle.
"Then good hunting to you, my daughter." She said, wishing the wild women the best of luck.
Elsa smiled back to her mother.
"Good hunting, mother."
(hope you enjoyed, next chapter coming soon)
