Now, here's my best chapter.
Okay... second best...
And I'm sorry about the goof on the second chapter... I'm a newbie.
But I'll try to upload as soon as possible! The sooner you review, the sooner I upload! Please give comments and criticism! No flames, please!
Enjoy!
Chapter One
The Cubs Grow Older
Florrie ran her paw over her son's jaw. She turned and looked into Zuba's eyes. "He's scarred."
Zuba nodded. "Don't worry, honey. I'm sure it's nothin' but a big bruise and it'll go away in a bit of time."
Florrie smiled under her tears. She sat herself down and carried Alakay all the way to his room. Alakay gave his mother a look that said, I'm not tired. It's been a great day today! Let's do it again!
"Alakay..." Florrie chuckled. "You know you've had a rough day today. Daddy told me the whole story today." The lioness chuckled again, picking up Alakay in both paws and placing him on the rock bed. "Mommy wants you to go to sleep, now."
Alakay groaned. He circled his bed twice, then laid himself down in the correct position.
Florrie turned to Zuba, and gasped when her eyes reached his ear. "Oh, my—Zuba, are you sure you're okay—"
"Look at me, woman, I'm fine." Zuba pulled out of Florrie's grasp. He touched his ear. "Just a little kitty fight, is all."
Florrie sighed. "Makunga? Ooh... if Makunga did that, I swear I'll..."
"Florrie, no, it wasn't Makunga. You know Makunga wouldn't do anything like that."
Florrie blew air from under her lips and crossed her arms. "Yeah, right."
"Honey," Zuba took Florrie's paws with his. "The hunters did this." He pointed to his left ear with the hole puncture in it.
A paw drew close to Florrie's gaping mouth. "Oh, my... they'd do something like that."
"Not even the power of a lion could do something close to this," Zuba explained.
Florrie nodded. She glanced behind her shoulder to see Alakay, sucking his thumb on his rock bed. She walked over and gave her son a small kiss on the cheek, covering him with his "foofie", as he liked to call it. Florrie walked back to Zuba and put a finger to her mouth.
As the couple left the cave, Alakay sat up. He smiled. Then, he gripped his Foofie in one paw and rotated himself. He slept at the opposite end of the bed using his Foofie as a pillow.
***********************
Sunlight glimmered across the watering hole. A young lion had his eyes intent on something. The cub's blue eyes shot this way and that, mostly staying in one place, like a laser beam.
Splash!
"Oh, crud..."
Splash!
"Oh, man."
Splash!
This time, Alakay felt his claws sink into something. He lifted his paws and found a medium-sized fish pierced by his strong, adolescent claws.
"Alakay, that's not the way to fish, and you know that."
Startled, Alakay jerked himself around... and sighed in relief. A dark brown cub sat near the rim of the pool, looking into the waters. His eyes were blue – a little darker tone that of Alakay's. And a small, black-brown tuft hung from the top of his head as the cub turned to smile at Alakay, who returned the greeting.
"Austako, what do I always tell you?" Alakay exploded, smiling a little. "Never to interrupt me when I'm fishing. And, yeah, I know how to fish." The cub turned his attention to the waters again. "I'm just..."
"Experimenting a little?" Austako asked.
Alakay nodded. "Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Oh, it just figures." Austako circled around his friend. "Since you're, like, the best fisher in the reserve."
"I'm not the best fisher."
"Oh, don't do that. You just don't want all the attention, that's all."
"No. My father's better than me. You should see him."
"Your father's the Alpha lion!" Austako explained, trying to clear up Alakay's future a bit. This is what Austako liked to do; brag to all his friends that he was the Alpha's son's best buddy. "If you've inherited some of his traits, why don't you just try to use them, h'm? Zuba wants you to follow in his steps, and if nobody knows that you're a great fisher and fighter, they won't vote for you as Alpha lion, right?"
Alakay frowned. "Fighter? What are you talking about? I'm not a fighter."
"Haven't you heard?" said Austako. "Today's the Rite of Passage ceremony!"
The Rite of Passage? Alakay wanted to faint. At least one or two cubs per year failed the test. What if he was one of them?
Alakay gulped.
"Don't be a fraidy-cat, Al." Austako encouraged. "Just let out that inner lion. The Alpha's son is not gonna lose, am I right?"
"Right." Alakay choked.
