XXXIV

Strangers

She looked through the night, hearing their horrible screeches and seeing their terrible bodies that flew through the air, searching for the dead.

-Strangers in the Night

Banjija yawned. The youthful lion would stretch his muscular body before lying down beside his tree. Today had been busy – nothing but sun bathing. As should the life of a lion, he thought with a grin on his face as he recalled his practically day-long nap. A couple times he had gotten up for the occasional walk to a near puddle or water hole, other times he would munch on the remains of a carcass hunted just a few days before, and would end in his grooming. Yes, a lazy and fine life it was. Sure, he didn't have a pride of his own, but he just as satisfied. In fact, Banjija and Lusala had not seen another lion since they found this territory, and it was that very isolation that had driven him away from the thought that was not now present - taking over a pride of his own. This was unusual for a male lion, especially with such potential, but it really didn't matter now. He was surviving just fine on his own, and did not need to put himself or Lusala in the path of danger by looking for it. Nope. Everything was fine here.

"Hey," a soft voice came right as Banjija had shut his eyes.

He perked. "Not now. I'm sleeping."

"Banjija. I need to show you something," Lusala insisted as she proded him with her nose.

Tail twitching with irritation, eyes now scrunched up as he kept his massive head upon his forepaws, he said, "Stop. I only had eighteen hours or so of sleep."

"Get up!" she hissed.

"What?!"

The lion opened his eyes and swung around after leaping up.

"Come."

Raising a brow, he began to pad after his companion as she led the way to the west, up slightly raised land. They stopped when they got to the top.

"What is that?" she asked.

"What is what?" Banjija replied dully.

"That."

Lusala nodded to the ground, and Banjija lowered himself to examine the hard dirt where in between the blades of the savannah's floor, was the distinct imprint of a lion paw.

"It's not mine and it doesn't look like yours or smell like yours...Were you here all day, Banjija?"

Banjija straightened himself up as he said, "Kinda...but I would've known if someone else was here...in our territory."

Suddenly, the two lions looked up as they heard the fall of paws upon the ground. There, a few yards off stood a lone lioness. With a crashing roar, Banjija sprinted closer, before haulting as his fur bristled and he puffed out his chest. Lusala just stalked slowly behind him, eyes and ears alert as she gazed warily at the stranger.

"Did you not find the scent of us? Get out from our territory!" Banjija's voice bellowed.

The lioness flinched, but stood her ground.

"I'm just a messenger," she finally said with a hesitant voice.

At this, and the realization that she was but an adolescent, Banjija softened and said more gently, "Right. What is it that you have come to say?"

"More of a warning, I guess." the lioness exclaimed. "But my father has sent me to tell you to move."

"Move?" Lusala questioned as she stepped forward to further study the lioness.

"Yes. He said move out by dawn or face him." There was a brief pause. "He's come to take your land."

"TAKE OUR LAND?!" Banjija roared out once more.

The adolescent took a step back at this, ears folding back and fur bristling, wondering if she should make a run for it.

"Banjija!" Lusala growled. "Calm down!"

"Calm down? How can I calm down? Some freak who we don't even know is gonna come and try t' kill us!"

"Not if you leave," whispered the lioness.

"You shut up!" he snarled.

"Don't take it out on a half-cub!" Lusala snarled right back as she batted him once.

Banjija, his breath now coming out sudden thrusts, attempted to calm himself. When that was done, he turned to face the young one and said, "Tell your father we will be here...and carry on his challenge."

Nodding, the lioness turned and took off into the distance.

"What are you thinking, Banjija?!" Lusala cried. "We'll die!"

Turning carefully to look at his friend, he said quietly, "You won't."

"What are you talking about?"

Taking a deep breath, before deeply exhaling, he went on. "It's my turn to fight."

"You're crazy! I won't let you die!"

"And why is it that I have to die? Do you not believe in me?" he snapped.

"No, it's just that I don't believe in this kind of violence," she growled. "Violence that our own father brought on us, as well as the rogues."

"I just want to defend our territory."

"There's plenty of land to go around, so why can't we just find a new territory?"

"Why can't they? We were here first!"

"This isn't even the best place to live, I don't know why you'd put our lives in danger just to protect it!"

"Lusala, it's not just about that!" he finally growled, before turning around and heading back to the tree as she followed. "We were here first. We established this place as our home. Now if we don't defend it, what are we in life?" He paused thoughtfully. "Besides, that lion is just putting himself in danger and even perhaps his family."

"You and I would not hurt them."

He shrugged as he laid down in the same place as before.

"He doesn't know that."

There was a minute or so of arguing silence, before Lusala nipped him and yelled out, "Move! We have to!"

"We don't have to! And we won't! I'm defending my territory just as the real lion should!"