Kayla wanted to see the big lion and the cub again. But this meant going out of bounds; crossing the border of the Outlands.
Do you really want to disobey Mom? She asked herself. Her mother wouldn't even notice she's gone. Today Annalina had taken Linka to the Outlands Lake; the only nice place in the Outlands.
Go on! Do it, before she comes back with the little brat! She encouraged herself. She bounded away from the den and made her way through the tall, thick grass.
She sniffed the air, trying to track their scent. Kayla couldn't smell anything.
They aren't here and why should they be? They don't live in the Pride Lands. She sighed and sat down on her hunches, disappointed.
Why did she want to see the big lion and cub again anyway? Maybe because she's never seen a male lion before. That lion had been HUGE.
A strange smell suddenly tickled her nose and her ears pricked forward. She crouched low and peered though the grass.
The cub was nosing through the grass heading straight for her. She didn't see the male lion anywhere.
Kayla panicked. What should she do? Her mother always told her to run away from strangers that didn't live in the Outlands.
She was about to run away, when she heard a low growl.
" Who are you…Outlander?"
Kayla swallowed nervously and faced the male cub. He stood in front of her, ready to pounce. He had a dark brownish coat, green eyes and a little tuft of black mane on his head.
" I'm Kayla…who are you?"
The cub stopped growling, " My name is Jahari. What are doing out of your land?"
" I'm only going for a walk," Kayla told him, " What about you? You don't belong here."
" I'm allowed to go anywhere I want," Jahari lied, " You better run away because my father will find you."
" So what?" Kayla demanded, " What's he gonna do if he finds me?"
" He might eat you." Jahari's green eyes glittered mischievously. He didn't mean these words, he was only trying to scare her and it was working. The cub was trembling now.
" You-you don't scare me." Kayla bluffed and Jahari just laughed and ran off. Kayla glared after him before walking away. She hoped she wouldn't see that arrogant cub again!
" Where have you been?" Alani demanded her son when he returned, " you are late for dinner!"
" I'm sorry Mom…I got sidetracked." Jahari didn't mention meeting the mysterious girl cub.
" There's still some wildebeest left over. Go and eat your dinner." Alani couldn't stay angry at her son for long.
Jahari rushed off to eat and a shadow loomed over her. Alani shivered; she knew who it was without needing to look up.
" Nadira." Alani greeted her coldly, " I see you managed to bring the wildebeest home."
" With my muscles I can carry anything." Nadira boasted, " and thanks to me, your son has proper nourishment. He's gonna grow up big and strong."
Alani glared, " Are you saying I can't provide for my son? I can hunt you know."
" Maybe…but not as well as I." Nadira circled her sister-in-law, " Let's face it Alani, you're finished as leader of the lionesses."
" That's what you think." Alani glared fiercely at her.
" In fact, if I have my way, you're finished in this pride." Nadira smiled suddenly and walked off.
Alani stared after her. What did Nadira mean by that?
Do you really want to disobey Mom? She asked herself. Her mother wouldn't even notice she's gone. Today Annalina had taken Linka to the Outlands Lake; the only nice place in the Outlands.
Go on! Do it, before she comes back with the little brat! She encouraged herself. She bounded away from the den and made her way through the tall, thick grass.
She sniffed the air, trying to track their scent. Kayla couldn't smell anything.
They aren't here and why should they be? They don't live in the Pride Lands. She sighed and sat down on her hunches, disappointed.
Why did she want to see the big lion and cub again anyway? Maybe because she's never seen a male lion before. That lion had been HUGE.
A strange smell suddenly tickled her nose and her ears pricked forward. She crouched low and peered though the grass.
The cub was nosing through the grass heading straight for her. She didn't see the male lion anywhere.
Kayla panicked. What should she do? Her mother always told her to run away from strangers that didn't live in the Outlands.
She was about to run away, when she heard a low growl.
" Who are you…Outlander?"
Kayla swallowed nervously and faced the male cub. He stood in front of her, ready to pounce. He had a dark brownish coat, green eyes and a little tuft of black mane on his head.
" I'm Kayla…who are you?"
The cub stopped growling, " My name is Jahari. What are doing out of your land?"
" I'm only going for a walk," Kayla told him, " What about you? You don't belong here."
" I'm allowed to go anywhere I want," Jahari lied, " You better run away because my father will find you."
" So what?" Kayla demanded, " What's he gonna do if he finds me?"
" He might eat you." Jahari's green eyes glittered mischievously. He didn't mean these words, he was only trying to scare her and it was working. The cub was trembling now.
" You-you don't scare me." Kayla bluffed and Jahari just laughed and ran off. Kayla glared after him before walking away. She hoped she wouldn't see that arrogant cub again!
" Where have you been?" Alani demanded her son when he returned, " you are late for dinner!"
" I'm sorry Mom…I got sidetracked." Jahari didn't mention meeting the mysterious girl cub.
" There's still some wildebeest left over. Go and eat your dinner." Alani couldn't stay angry at her son for long.
Jahari rushed off to eat and a shadow loomed over her. Alani shivered; she knew who it was without needing to look up.
" Nadira." Alani greeted her coldly, " I see you managed to bring the wildebeest home."
" With my muscles I can carry anything." Nadira boasted, " and thanks to me, your son has proper nourishment. He's gonna grow up big and strong."
Alani glared, " Are you saying I can't provide for my son? I can hunt you know."
" Maybe…but not as well as I." Nadira circled her sister-in-law, " Let's face it Alani, you're finished as leader of the lionesses."
" That's what you think." Alani glared fiercely at her.
" In fact, if I have my way, you're finished in this pride." Nadira smiled suddenly and walked off.
Alani stared after her. What did Nadira mean by that?