I don't own any of the animals.

Vitani wasn't sure why the humans were putting her through this isolation, but it must have been torture. Within days, she was bouncing off the walls, literally, because, having nothing better to do, she figured she might as well try to keep fit. Since there was nothing but memories and her current torment to think about, she'd more-or-less stopped.

For the past few days, the cold stone that had first trapped Vitani in here was gone, and another wooden cave lay beyond, and since this had happened, food was put in at the far end. There was something different today though, and she didn't want to go in, but then again, she wanted the meat as well, so she decided to dart in, get the meat, and then get out as quickly as possible.

Vitani wasn't quick enough, for even as she was turning round, a fourth wall came down, trapping her. She roared, and batter at the walls, but it was no use, they remained intact. Then, there was a sensation of lifting, and movement.

Alex returned to his enclosure to await opening, when there was a scuffling sound from the metal door at the back that had remained closed for years. Moving over to investigate, he reached it just as it opened, and was suddenly bowled over, as another shape emerged, collided with him, and was gone leaping the other end of the enclosure.

Taking a few moments to get a grip on the situation, Alex followed the, well, whatever it was, and found it just beyond the enclosure, glancing wildly around, but otherwise, not moving. He was surprised to see it was another lion, though smaller than himself, and with out a mane, and for that matter, looking decidedly thin. "Hey," he said trying to get its attention, and when this didn't work, he nudged it, and repeated, "hey."

Alex certainly wasn't ready for what came next, at the smaller lion attacked him, and within moments, had pinned him and was growling, their muzzles an inch apart. He swallowed, and looked away, unable to bear the other lion's glare which seemed to be pure anger, and so, missed seeing the other lion blink, missed seeing the anger fade. He felt the weight removed, and a voice from nearby said, "sorry."

Alex turned to look, and saw the other lion sitting, looking down dejectedly. He wasn't normally a nasty type but after the recent episode, he felt moved to ask, "was that just for me, or d'you do that to everyone you don't know?"

"I said I was sorry," the other lion growled, glaring at Alex, then sagged a little, "look, I've been stuck on my own for a long time, I'm just a bit out of it right now."

Alex nodded vaguely, but didn't say anything, because the little outburst had worried him slightly. "Was that you roaring about a month ago," he asked carefully.

"How long's a month," the other lion asked.

"About thirty days," Alex replied, wondering why the other lion didn't know what a month was.

"Thirty days," the other lion said thoughtfully, "yeah, probably was me."

The other lion was still looking dejected, so Alex moved over, and said, "my name's Alex by the way."

"Vitani," the other lion replied.

"Nice name," Alex said.

Vitani's head shot up at this, and it asked, "was that an insult?"

"What," Alex asked, taken aback, "no, I was just saying, it's a nice name."

Vitani continued to stare for a moment, then looked down again, "right."

"So, er, how long were you on your own," Alex asked.

"Days before I was here," Vitani replied.

Alex ran this over in his head, and was astonished, wondering how he'd take over a month alone. After a few moments, he asked, "you have any family?"

"Yes," Vitani replied bitterly, "a daughter, a brother, a cousin, and, well, the entire pride's a family really."

"Pride," Alex asked.

"Yeah, pride," Vitani replied, "you know, other lions, lionesses, cubs." When Alex still seemed confused, she exclaimed, "how the hell can you 'not' know what a pride is?"

"I've lived here all my life," Alex replied, "I probably don't know everything I should."

Now it was Vitani turn to be confused. "Your whole life," she asked, shocked, "how, it's so small, soclosed in, so-" she shivered a moment, "so cold."

"Cold," Alex asked, "well, I don't know where you came from, but this is summer."

"Summer," Vitani exclaimed, "this is summer?"

"Yeah," Alex replied, "I take it you come from somewhere warmer?"

"You bet I do," Vitani replied, then muttered, "summer."

Alex suddenly noticed the time, "wow, time to go."

"What, where," Vitani asked.

"Back into the enclosure for a start," Alex said, "not long to opening time."

"Opening time," Vitani asked.

"Yeah, opening time," Alex replied, "you don't know what that is?"

"Not in so many words," Vitani replied.

"I'll explain it then," Alex said, "but come on." He dived over the side of the enclosure. Vitani waited a moment, then followed.

"Now what," Vitani asked, once they were both inside.

"Now we wait for the humans to come round," Alex replied.

"Humans," Vitani asked, "what have human got to do with anything?"

"Humans come to look at us," Alex replied, as though the answer should be obvious, "that's why we're here."

"And what else do we get to do," Vitani asked, "hunting?"

"What," Alex asked, "no, of course not, the humans give us meat."

"So we sit around here all day, looking pretty," Vitani asked, incredulously.

"Pretty much," Alex replied, giving Vitani a sideways look.

"And do we get to hunt 'them' at all," Vitani asked.

"Are you crazy," Alex asked, "no of course we don't get to hunt them, why, you've got a problem with them or something?"

"Sure as hell I have," Vitani replied, "there's a lot more places I'd rather be right now, but I'm here, now, because your precious humans brought me."

"Well..." Alex said, uncertain of how to go on, "...okay, but, look can you at least try it, even just for today, it'll make it easier."

"No," Vitani replied angrily, then stalked off, down to the far end of the enclosure, and with a growl, rose, and raked her claws down the cement wall, making a low screech.

"Hey," Alex said, "could you stop that." Vitani turned and gave him a glare, but nevertheless stopped. After a moment, she sat down, but instead of seeming dejected, as she'd done before, she now seemed angry, almost raging.

As Alex tore his gaze away from Vitani to welcome the first visitors, he wondered how the lion would deal with the rest of her life if she was like this on the first day. After a few moments, he realised that the subject was getting him down, and shoved to the back of his mind, and got ready for his first performance.