Thunder roared and lightning electricuted the night air as rain fell in torrential sheets to
the ground. The blind, white lioness panted and gasped for air, recieving only rainwater as she
ran through the Outlands from her persuers. Behind her, she could hear the snarling and
growling of a pack of wild dogs, led by a male leopard. She could tell by the sound they were
getting closer. Onward she ran through the storm, desperately trying to reach the Pridelands, the
famed land of prosperity. Suddenly, above her she felt the electric current of lightning hit a tree.
She smelled the smoke of fire and heard a resounding CCCCRRRRAAAAAKKK!!! as she
felt and heard the tree falling to the ground. The lioness screamed and swerved to the left,
narrowly missing hitting the tree. She breathed a sigh of relief, only to begin screaming again as
she felt the contours of the face of an open-mouthed wild dog snapping towards her. Again, she
ran. But now her sense of direction was lost. Not too far behind her she could hear the shouts
of the leopard and one of his dogs.
"Come on! She's weakening! How long can a blind lion last? Run, boys, if you want
dinner tonight, GET HER!"
"But, boss, I thought we were getting her because she saw---"
"Just shut up and catch her, you fool!"
Frantically, the lioness turned around in several directions, trying to find the one that
would take her to the Pridelands. When she sensed that if she waited any longer she would be
killed, she plunged forward with an extra burst of speed, taking the direction she was facing.
Just as she began to move again, she felt the wind from the snapping jaws of a dog at her heels.
Again she screamed and added more speed. The wild dogs were right on her tail now!
Sobbing, she charged through the Outlands. Suddenly, she skidded to a stop. She could feel
that there were dogs right in front of her, and behind them was a completely vertical but low
cliff. She was surrounded by the dogs! She heard the growl of the approaching leopard.
"Well now, what have we here? A trapped, frightened little kitten! Are you looking for
your momma, little kitty?" the leopard's voice dripped with sarcasm and fake kindness. "Well,
join us for dinner and I'll take you right to her!"
The lioness was frightened. She could smell the breath of her tormentors; it smelled of
death. She could smell the warm blood dripping from their fangs. They were like demons
searching for their next victem.
"That next victem won't be me!" the lioness shouted at the top of her low, silky voice. It
was enough to startle and confuse them for a few crucial moments. Desperately, she took her
only chance. Coiling the little amount of strength she had left into her legs, she jumped up as high
as she could, her forepaws just barely grabbing the top of the cliff. Frantically, she scrabbled for
a foothold to climb over the edge. She could feel the wild dogs jumping up, trying to grab a hold
of her. She screamed in agony as one caught her tail. She began to slip on the rain wettened
ground as the other dogs grabbed hold and began pulling. Desperately she kicked out until her
hindpaw struck the jaw of the dog on her tail. When she felt the weight drop from her tail, she
swung her hindpaws over the ledge. The force of the swing flipped her over until her head hung
over the edge of the cliff.
The lioness screamed again as she felt the paw of the leopard strike her face, his claws
raking her cheek. Quickly she pushed away from the ledge. For the moment, the lioness felt she
was safe.
Not for long.... she thought to herself as she heard the gurgling sound of mud slipping
from the dogs' and the leopard's paws scrabbling to get over the edge. The lioness took off like
a shot, certain by the feel of the grass that she was now in the Pridelands. Above her, the storm
seemed to get worse. A loud RRRBBBBABRBBRBRBOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!! rattled
her body, distorting her senses. Now she couldn't hear or feel the dogs! Faster and faster she
ran, no longer caring what direction she took, leaping over fallen trees and animals. Suddenly,
behind her she heard another crack as another flaming tree fell to the ground, downed by
lightning. This time, a flaming branch struck her hard across her back. She roared in agony but
kept running. Behind her, she could now hear the death wails and howls of the dogs that were
crushed under the burning tree. She ran, faster still! Finally, she stopped, still panting for breath
but recieving only water. Ahead of her she could feel where the rain was not hitting the ground,
but a large rock formation. Pride Rock! At last,I have made it! she thought as she gave one
more agonized roar and collapsed, unconcious.
the ground. The blind, white lioness panted and gasped for air, recieving only rainwater as she
ran through the Outlands from her persuers. Behind her, she could hear the snarling and
growling of a pack of wild dogs, led by a male leopard. She could tell by the sound they were
getting closer. Onward she ran through the storm, desperately trying to reach the Pridelands, the
famed land of prosperity. Suddenly, above her she felt the electric current of lightning hit a tree.
She smelled the smoke of fire and heard a resounding CCCCRRRRAAAAAKKK!!! as she
felt and heard the tree falling to the ground. The lioness screamed and swerved to the left,
narrowly missing hitting the tree. She breathed a sigh of relief, only to begin screaming again as
she felt the contours of the face of an open-mouthed wild dog snapping towards her. Again, she
ran. But now her sense of direction was lost. Not too far behind her she could hear the shouts
of the leopard and one of his dogs.
"Come on! She's weakening! How long can a blind lion last? Run, boys, if you want
dinner tonight, GET HER!"
"But, boss, I thought we were getting her because she saw---"
"Just shut up and catch her, you fool!"
Frantically, the lioness turned around in several directions, trying to find the one that
would take her to the Pridelands. When she sensed that if she waited any longer she would be
killed, she plunged forward with an extra burst of speed, taking the direction she was facing.
Just as she began to move again, she felt the wind from the snapping jaws of a dog at her heels.
Again she screamed and added more speed. The wild dogs were right on her tail now!
Sobbing, she charged through the Outlands. Suddenly, she skidded to a stop. She could feel
that there were dogs right in front of her, and behind them was a completely vertical but low
cliff. She was surrounded by the dogs! She heard the growl of the approaching leopard.
"Well now, what have we here? A trapped, frightened little kitten! Are you looking for
your momma, little kitty?" the leopard's voice dripped with sarcasm and fake kindness. "Well,
join us for dinner and I'll take you right to her!"
The lioness was frightened. She could smell the breath of her tormentors; it smelled of
death. She could smell the warm blood dripping from their fangs. They were like demons
searching for their next victem.
"That next victem won't be me!" the lioness shouted at the top of her low, silky voice. It
was enough to startle and confuse them for a few crucial moments. Desperately, she took her
only chance. Coiling the little amount of strength she had left into her legs, she jumped up as high
as she could, her forepaws just barely grabbing the top of the cliff. Frantically, she scrabbled for
a foothold to climb over the edge. She could feel the wild dogs jumping up, trying to grab a hold
of her. She screamed in agony as one caught her tail. She began to slip on the rain wettened
ground as the other dogs grabbed hold and began pulling. Desperately she kicked out until her
hindpaw struck the jaw of the dog on her tail. When she felt the weight drop from her tail, she
swung her hindpaws over the ledge. The force of the swing flipped her over until her head hung
over the edge of the cliff.
The lioness screamed again as she felt the paw of the leopard strike her face, his claws
raking her cheek. Quickly she pushed away from the ledge. For the moment, the lioness felt she
was safe.
Not for long.... she thought to herself as she heard the gurgling sound of mud slipping
from the dogs' and the leopard's paws scrabbling to get over the edge. The lioness took off like
a shot, certain by the feel of the grass that she was now in the Pridelands. Above her, the storm
seemed to get worse. A loud RRRBBBBABRBBRBRBOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!! rattled
her body, distorting her senses. Now she couldn't hear or feel the dogs! Faster and faster she
ran, no longer caring what direction she took, leaping over fallen trees and animals. Suddenly,
behind her she heard another crack as another flaming tree fell to the ground, downed by
lightning. This time, a flaming branch struck her hard across her back. She roared in agony but
kept running. Behind her, she could now hear the death wails and howls of the dogs that were
crushed under the burning tree. She ran, faster still! Finally, she stopped, still panting for breath
but recieving only water. Ahead of her she could feel where the rain was not hitting the ground,
but a large rock formation. Pride Rock! At last,I have made it! she thought as she gave one
more agonized roar and collapsed, unconcious.