A year later...
Kiara had grown into a young, strong lioness. Today was a big day for her. It was the first time she went hunting on her own and she was excited. She passed by many lionesses who all greeted her and mentioned how much she grown. She wasn't full grown yet but she was close.
She greeted her parents and looked up at her father.
"Daddy? You have to promise to let me do this on my own. Promise?" she looked up at him hopefully.
He looked away from her for a moment and didn't say anything until he caught Nala's raised brow, "Alright I promise."
Kiara smiled and bounded up to him, nuzzling him for a moment before running pass and surveying the pride-lands before her. She turned to look back and with a nod from Simba, she hurried off to her first hunt.
Kate also had grown up into a strong wolf. And it was her day to prove she could be a competent leader of the wolf pack when her father stepped down. She led her group of wolves to plains where prey was abundant. Candu and Hutch flunk her sides as they prepared for the hunt.
She looked to the others in her group as they scouted the terrain for prey. Soon they spotted a herd of gazelle grazing on the grass. Though her pack enjoyed the meatier caribou, they would settle for the thin legged gazelle for a meal.
Kate took charge and had the group spread out to encompass the gazelle when a noise spooked the herd. They went charging across the plain as fast as their legs could carry them. Kate watched the herd take off and looked to the others to see if they caused the noise. Everyone looked as confused as she felt.
Just as she was about to blame some small animal, she saw a flash of tawny fur charging after the gazelle. She huffed and told the others to follow after the herd. They went charging after them.
Kiara cursed herself for being so careless. Now she was expending energy she couldn't afford chasing after the more fleet footed gazelle as they galloped across the grassland. Suddenly she heard something else running over the thundering hooves of the herd.
She looked back and saw a pack of wolves chasing after them. She recognized one of them as that brat of wolf cub she met a year ago. Kiara gave up chasing behind the herd and charged off in another direction, planning to cut the herd off and drive it towards Kate and her pack.
She smiled at her own brilliance as she picked up speed. She had to move quickly if she wanted this plan to work right. She soon saw that she was ahead of the gazelle and stopped. She waited until they were almost upon her and let out a loud roar.
The herd turned away from the sound and were headed directly towards the wolf pack. Kiara was amazed at her own cleverness.
Kate was falling behind the others as they raced after the gazelle. The rest of the pack rounded a bend. She was closing in on the bend when she heard a roar and the pack were coming her way. She slid to a stop, confused, until she heard the thunderous beat of many hooves striking the earth. She quickly turned tail and ran as fast as she could.
She caught up to Candu and Hutch, "Quick, to the sides!"
They both nodded and went to the right as she ran along the cliff to the left. She jumped into the air and snagged onto a branch and swung herself up onto the cliffside. She watched as the herd ran then let out a howl.
The poor herd changed direction yet again. And ran away from the narrow cliff area. Kate watched from above as they thundered back the way they came. Suddenly she saw the same lion turning and running but the herd was faster.
Kate growled then got a hold of her temper, "Settle the score later." She bounded after the herd and the suicide lion.
Kiara was following the herd when she heard their hoof beats heading her way. She quickly changed direction but it was too late. They would soon be upon her and smashing her into the earth. She still ran for her life.
Suddenly a small mass of body slammed into her, making her roll out of the way of the galloping herd. Dust kicked up into the air as they charged pass her. She coughed as the dust resettled then looked to see who had rescued her. It was that wolf from her past. She quickly got up and moved away.
Kate shook her head and stood up. She felt a little dizzy from the crash into the crazy lioness. She looked towards the lion in question. She looked familiar somehow. Then it dawned on her that it was the cub who nearly drowned herself in a couple inches of water. She laughed quietly at the thought.
Suddenly Candu was on the attack with the lioness. She growled at him and started to walk away. Candu started to lash out when the lioness turned and swiped at him as if he was nothing more than a rag doll.
Kate got to her feet and got between the two. She stared at the lion.
"If you want to keep your pack safe, you might want to teach them not to be so hot-headed." Kiara said curtly before turning and sauntering off.
Kate stood there speechless then walked away with her head and tail low. She had been talked down to infront of her pack members. It hurt a lot. She stamped a paw in anger. She would get that bitch of a lion back for that. But how?
Kiara tried to hunt a couple more times but failed each time. She sighed and gave up. She would be the first lion in history that didn't know how to hunt. It was a pride crushing thought. She headed home.
