Akua stormed out of the clearing, her tail flicking in annoyance. Maliki always thought she knew best! Well she'd show them, she'd show them all. She gracefully leaped into camp, her ears pricked and her nose in the air to try and detect her mother. Her eyes found Nanda fast asleep, her glossy black frame draped along a branch of the tree above the prey cave. She looked so peaceful.
Akua clawed at the ground hesitantly. But she'd have to wake her, this was urgent. She stealthily ran up the tree like a squirrel and stopped at the branch her mother was sleeping on. Here goes! A little thrill passed through her as she flicked her mothers flank with her tail. I'm going to save the pack!
Nanda blinked open her eyes, casting an amber glow to fall upon Akua's paws. "Yes Akua?" she replied, stretching,her jaws parted in a yawn. "Uhh" Akua had been so excited about telling her, but now all her ideas had seemed to flee from her head.
"Speak!" snapped Nanda, her eyes intensifying. Akua flattened her ears against her head. "I know how to save the packs" she began. Nanda raised her head, staring her daughter in the eye. "Go on" she coaxed her. Akua dipped her head. "Outside our borders, beyond the gorilla's, is an abundant of prey, living off a water hole" she admitted reluctantly.
Nanda opened her mouth in surprise before swiping her tongue round her jaws. "Really?" she drew out, her eyes narrowed to slits. "What an interesting turn of events" She wrapped her tail neatly over her paws with satisfaction. Akua felt regret clawing at her insides. She didn't like the look in her mothers eyes. Maybe the hunger had gone to her head.
But the dark expression on the pack leaders face reflected anger, and menace, she looked mad...she looked crazy! "I...I don't know if they are still there...ma'm, I...er...the hunger could have affected them as well" There was almost hopefulness in her desperate mew. But it didn't look like Nanda was taking in a word she was saying, she looked too lost in her own thoughts.
"Akua" she then hissed urgently. "When the first light of dawn approaches, rally the pack" She didn't meet Akua's gaze, instead focused on the earth below them. What was wrong with her. What was with the dark look in her eye, the way her snagged claws dug into the soft tree trunk. She looked like she was going to kill. She was going to win.
"We will eat tonight"