Chapter 1: Hunting Lessons
"Nakiii!" Mamello whined, hidden behind a thick clump of African bushes.
"You're taking so long!"
"Shut up Mamello!" Naki hissed out of the corner of her mouth. She flexed her foreleg muscles and curled her tail underneath the foliage
"Have patience."
"But you've been crouching over there forever, and it's getting so boring!" Mamello protested, winding her claw idly around a scampering bug that scrabbled to get away from the lion cub in front of it. All Mamello could see of her sister were the flecks of warm gray that decorated her pelt, and the scar running down her right back leg where she had been injured chasing after an elephant that suddenly turned on her. Everything else was camouflaged neatly in the golden Savannah grass. The sleek, lithe lioness with smooth fur like the warm glow of a setting sun and the piercing green eyes sighed.
"Mamello," Naki called softly, trying not to disturb the herd of antelope that lay tantalizingly close to her. "What's the first rule of being a huntress?" Mamello groaned.
"Mamello," Naki growled warningly.
"All right, all right. The first rule of being a huntress," she recited, "Is to be patient and never make any sounds that could clue your prey that you are there."
"Excellent! So just sit tight and wait until I catch something."
"Then can I try?"
"Not yet. We have to go over pouncing and stalking first."
Mamello sat back, frustrated. This wasn't fair; she was as good as Naki, or Mama, or any ne of the other lionesses. Mamello's amethyst eyes flashed angrily, and her dark golden tail twitched on the ground. Naki tensed, her ears flat on her head. She spotted her victim, and pounced. The other antelope scattered like a group of flies, the elder stumbling on his weak legs after some of the antelope. Naki jumped on his back, snapping his neck with one jerk, and they both crumpled to the ground.
"Wow!" the tawny young cub jumped onto a rock to glimpse her sister as Naki ripped open the antelope's jugular vein just to make sure he didn't get up and run away.
"That was great!" the little cub exclaimed, rushing towards her sister. Naki gave her little sister a warm smile, then glanced at the horizon. The sun was slowly setting, spreading a chilling blood red light over the Savannah. Naki stifled a gasp.
"We need to get home NOW Mamello."
"Why?" Mamello glanced at the frightened expression on her sister's face. "Naki, what's wrong?"
"Hurry hon. We don't have much time. Come run along side me. Pace yourself, and we'll get home in no time." The two of them hurried off together. Night was falling rapidly. Strange deformed shadows stretched over the solid earth, warping themselves into new dimensions. Mamello felt cold hard fear grip her heart. She hurried to keep up with her elder sister. Naki wore a face of grim fear. Suddenly, an eerie cry ripped through the air.
"Ow-whoop! Ah-whoop!"
"What was that Naki?" Mamello questioned, twisting around to see over her shoulder.
"No Mamello! Just keep running!" Naki's eyes held tears. Mamello was so full of fear; it was hard to keep up with her sister. They slowed down under a large baobab tree. Naki looked at her sister. "Get on my back," she ordered.
"What?" Mamello asked, confused.
"Get on my back!" Naki repeated urgently. "Hurry, there's not much time. I'll give you a boost, and you climb to the very top of the tree, and you wait until I can find Mama and we can come back for you, alright?" Mamello nodded her head, and climbed onto her sister's back. Naki stretched her head back and gave her sister a warm lion kiss, her sandpapery tongue making Mamello giggle.
"I love you," Naki said solemnly. "Now get up onto that tree!" Mamello obeyed, digging her claws in and looking like a waddling land bound crocodile. Mamello watched between the gourd-like fruits as Naki galloped off into the night, disappearing quickly. Mamello made herself as comfortable as possible and started to wait patiently.
& & &
Naki slowed to a walk as the darkness closed around her. She looked around and, hearing the howls of hyenas drawing nearer, drew deep breaths in an effort to calm herself. Hopefully, they wouldn't even think of going back if they spotted her out here all alone and vulnerable. Mamello would be safe and...well... 'My gods, I'm going to die! A voice inside of Naki's head shouted, filled with horror and disgust. I'm going to be ripped apart by these beasts, and I'll never see Mama, or Mamello again!'
Bile welled up in her throat and she swallowed it down again, wincing at the sour taste. The hyenas shared the land with the lions, that was true, and they showed great respect for the lionesses when they were hunting, but a lioness all by herself was too great a temptation for a hyena hunting party of around 10 able hyenas to resist. Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes. Finding her voice, Naki whispered.
"Who's there?"
"Just me." Came a sneering voice, oh so cold, and full of malice.
"Who's... me?"
"Why don't you ask us?" another voice answered from the shadows. Naki swallowed and looked around. She was surrounded by pairs of gleaming yellow eyes, dark hunched figures poised for the kill, a death trap in the shadows.
Soft giggling of hyenas enveloped her, like fire igniting a circle of dry brush, breaking into maniacal laughter that crackled and fed the fear welling up in Naki's soul like the heat wafting out of a geyser. The leader stepped forward, teeth gleaming from the light of the moon. "There, there. Don't be scared dear," she mocked the lioness softly. "It will only hurt for a minute." More laughing.
"Why kill me?" Naki asked, voice beginning to quake. "The-there's an antelope back there that I killed," Naki stammered. "It's fresh, and you can have it, if you like."
"Ah," came the voice of the hyena, "But there's so much more meat on a lioness, don't you agree?" Again, the laughing came, encircling her in the eternal darkness. "Have a safe sleep love." The lead hyena chuckled, before the hunting party enveloped Naki in a sudden rush of claws, teeth, and yellow eyes, which was the last sight Naki saw before she was aware of the jaws sinking into her chest.
A/N: Yuppers. My first chapter of my story! Please tell me what you think! Not too harsh flames pleaseā¦this is my first Lion King fanfic cowers behind chair
