wElsa woke the next morning, laying over the floor of the den with the other lionesses. Though as she turned to glance next next to her, she found that her mother was not there. She then glanced back at the other pride members. Most of the younger lionesses were also missing as well. Though that was to be expected whenever the pride would go off on Night Hunts. They would often return during the morning with their kills, usually at first light.
But even still, she worried for her mother. Though Diata was an experienced hunter, Elsa had seen what can happen while on hunts. And with how her mother has been pushing herself, she was in no shape to hunt. If something were to happen to her...
Elsa then looked to the entrance of the den. From outside, she could see the essence of First light peering into the den.
Elsa emerged from the entrance of the Pride's den, coming our over the edge of the ledge. She gazed down to the jungle's edge. But saw no sign of her mother and the hunting party. She frowned worryingly, cupping her hands against her chest. She then turned, gazing ahead at the sunrise to the east. She turned to face the rising sun, stretching out her arms as yawned. She then gazed ahead at the sight of the Rising sun. Though she had seen many times before it the jungle, it was still one that marveled her with it's beauty.
"Its so beautiful." she thought to herself.
From the time she was but a cub, watching the sun rise with her mother, it was one of their favorite things to do together so long ago.
Thinking back to all the times she had spent with her mother, Elsa sighed as her eyes narrowed in contempt. Since becoming the Guardian of the Jungle, she did not have much time with her mother as she used to. Though much like her, Diata had been busy in recent time training the younger lionesses to hunt. Thus the moments they shared together were ones they weren't able to have as much as she wished they could.
Though as she was to turn toward the path, it was there she saw her mother and the hunting party return from the hunt. The white lioness glanced up to her, seeming more exhausted then she had been at the meeting at the Council Rock.
"Mother!" Elsa said.
Elsa came up her mother, who came up to her.
"Elsa." she greeted her adopted daughter.
"I feared the worst." Elsa proclaimed to her mother.
As the two departed, Diata looked upon her daughter, smiling.
"How has your hunt fared?" Elsa asked, curiously.
Diata shifted her gaze back at the other lionesses, who dragged the two wildebeests up the path.
"It fared quite well for us, my daughter," Diata insisted to her.
"The Pride will hunt will eat well this morning."
The white lioness narrowed her eyes, opening her mouth as she gave a growl-like yawn.
"Mother, you seem so exhausted." The wild woman insisted to her.
"You should rest now."
Diata glanced up at her daughter. Rather then insist that she was fine, she knew it would be pointless to argue with her daughter. She knew she was right. She had already fulfilled her duty to the pride. Thus it was finally time for her to get some rest.
"Yes, I think I could use some rest." The white lioness said with a nod of her head.
"Come, let me walk you in." Elsa proclaimed to her.
Diata nodded her head as she and Elsa walked toward the entrance of the cave.
Diata laid herself down over the floor of the den. The while lioness breathed a sigh of relief, finally having a chance to rest after a long night of hunting. Elsa came up to her mother, kneeling down next to her.
"You needn't push yourself so much, mother," Elsa insisted to her mother.
"You were in no shape to lead the night hunt. You should have let me hunt in your place."
Hearing her daughter lecture her, Diata felt suddenly very much like the younger lioness she was long ago. Having been born with White fur, hunting did not come so easy like it did Sarabi and the others. Yet despite not having the same color fur as the other lionesses, Diata was determined to be a great hunter like her mother. So much so that she pushed herself to the point of tiring herself. Her own mother would often tell her that she needed not be so rash.
She narrowed her eyes.
"Your Right, it was reckless of me," Diata proclaimed to her daughter.
"I'm sorry, Elsa. I didn't wish to worry you. I should know better then to overburden myself. I suppose I'm still much like my younger self."
Elsa placed her hand atop the back of her mother's neck, stroking her white fur.
"You don't have to apologies, mother," Elsa insisted to her.
"I understand. But please, rest now. For me. You have already done so much for the Pride, Mother. "
Diata smiled to her daughter before gesturing a nod of her head.
"Okay, I promise." she said to her daughter
The two then pressed their forehead together as the two nuzzled each other. The two then departed from each other, sharing a smile. As her mother laid her head to rest, Simba and Nala came up next to Elsa. Nala nudged her sister's shoulder.
"Come on, Elsa." Nala insisted to her.
"Let her rest."
Elsa glanced back at Simba and Nala for a moment. She then turned back to her mother, who smiled and gestured back to her daughter to go.
"Go on, Elsa," She encouraged her.
"I've done my Part. Now it's time for you to do yours."
Elsa nodded her head.
"Yes, Mother." she said.
The eastern boarder of the Jungle was where Elsa surveyed the most. Even more then the Outlands themselves. While the hyenas caused the most trouble in the jungle, they were not the ones that Elsa feared. There was only one people that the Jungle Guardian feared... and hated the most. The ones who had exiled her as a cub. Who brought danger and pain to the jungle and all it's people.
Perched high in the tree above, Elsa stood watch for any who would dare intrude upon the Pride territory. Sitting over the branch with a spear laying firmly over her lap, she scanned the foliage of the jungle floor below. The keen eyes of the jungle woman sharp as the hunting hawk. All the while, Simba and Nala laid together over the branches behind her. They glanced over at Elsa, who hadn't taken her eyes off of the foliage below.
Nala glanced up at Simba, who peered down at her. Both of them seemingly worried for their young sister. Since the day man came to the jungle, there hadn't been a single day that Elsa hadn't come here. They both knew Elsa had blamed herself for everything that had happened. Despite having to make things right and making man promise not to step foot in the Pride's territory, she had no trust that they would keep their word.
Simba glanced back down at Elsa. Though just as he was to speak up, they then heard a voice from above.
"Do you believe that they will go back on their word, little sister?"
Elsa shifted her gaze to the tree off to her left, where Bagheera stood perched. The panther leaped from the tree and landed over the branch. He then sauntered up to her.
"Man has not been seen in many rains," The Panther insisted.
"You saved them and they gave you their word that they will stay away. Why do you not trust them?"
"They are not the only ones, Bagheera," Elsa proclaimed to the panther.
"There are others out there. Like those who tried to take from the jungle."
The Panther nodded his head, knowing Elsa spoke true.
"It was my fault for what happened." Elsa said, turning back to gaze out over the jungle.
"I was the one who brought man to the jungle."
Simba and Nala turned to each other. Both of them having to guess that was the reason for Elsa to be so weary of Man.
"I was responsible for what happened," Elsa insisted to them, gazing out over the jungle below.
"And now that the Kings of the Past made me a guardian, I won't allow man to bring anymore harm to the jungle."
"That may be, but man is not the only danger to the jungle." Bagheera proclaimed.
Simba nodded his head.
"Bagheera's right, there are much bigger threats out there to the jungle then man." The young Prince insisted to Elsa.
Elsa narrowed her eyes, knowing that was to be so. Though she wondered what other danger could be greater then man?
Lucky Prescott observed from the top of the hill, a herd of elephants forging through the tall grass. Climbing up atop a large rock, she held up her binoculars as she gazed down at one of the elephants below. She gazed down at it's long large tusks. They almost looked as big as tree trunks.
"Wow!" She said, lowering her binoculars.
"Those Tusks are so Big!"
She peered through her binoculars, gazing down at the large elephant, who raised his trunk into the air. It's loud trumpeting could be heard all the way from the hill top. She then shifted her gaze to the rest of the herd, where she came across one of the younger elephants, who tried to mimic the larger one. Raising his trunk high as he uttered a small trumpet.
Lucky chuckled, lowering her binoculars. She then shifted her gaze up at the sky above.
"Hey mom, can you see this from heaven?" she asked, curiously.
For as long as she could remember, Lucky always had a fascination with animals. She had spent her life traveling the world with her mother and father, who were both zoologists. They would often travel to different continents to study animals in their natural habitat. Though it often meant that they had to move a lot. Which often made it hard to make friends. Though much like her mother, she was often excited to see where they would go next.
Her father said that Lucky had her mother's spirit.
Though their time together was not to be. As her mother would pass away four years ago, when she was little. She and her father would continue traveling the world, continuing the work of her mother.
At least, for the longest while...
"Lucky!"
Lucky was then snapped to attention by the sound of the voice behind her. She then glanced back, where she saw a man and woman coming up the hill behind her. Both of them looking to be in their early twenty's and were of Northuldra decent. The younger man was tall, muscular with short brown hair, wearing a white T-shit, brown vest and cargo shorts. The woman stood much shorter, with long dark brown hair tied into a braid, wearing a white shirt and shorts.
"Ryder, Honeymaren, you guys got to come see this!" Lucky proclaimed to them.
Ryder and Honeymaren came up over the hill, where they saw the elephants her grazing below.
"Look at the size of that elephant's tusks!" Lucky proclaimed, handing her binoculars to Rydar.
Rydar peered through the two scopes of the binoculars, where he gazed down at the large Bull elephant. It's tusks were indeed huge.
"Your right, those really are big." he said, glancing to her.
"Honeymaren."
Rydar handed the binoculars to his sister, who peered down at the elephant. Though unlike Lucky and Rydar, she did to appear as astonished as they were. Having to seen elephants before in the past, thus it was really no surprise to her.
"That's great, Lucky." she said, handing the binoculars back to Lucky.
"We should go get dad, he would love to see this!" Lucky proclaimed to them.
"Your dad and Mom have already seen the elephants," Honeymaren insisted to them.
"Now lets go, we need to be heading back. Your dad and mom are waiting for us back at camp."
She then turned and made her way back down the hill. Taking one glance back at the herd below, Lucky then hoped down off the rock as she followed her and Rydar.
Jim and Kate had already finished packing their equipment into the back of land cruiser. Placing several camera bags in the back, Jim turned back to Kate who was carrying her luggage in her arms.
"Here, let me help you." Jim said, taking her bags.
"Thanks, Jim." Kate said, smiling.
Jim placed her luggage in the back of the Land cruiser before shutting the tailgate. Jim sighed, whipping the sweat from his forehead.
"I think that everything," he said, turning back to his wife.
"Now where are the kids? We need to get moving if we're going to make it to the Dikaya Zhizn Reserve."
"I think Lucky went out to the fields where the elephants are grazing," Kate insisted.
"Rydar and Honeymaren went to get her. They should be back soon."
Jim sighed, leaning back at the Tailgate of the Land cruiser. He had always said that Luck had her mother's spirit. In the past, Lucky had often gone off on her own to explore and see the animals. One time when they were in India, Lucky went off to explore on her own and nearly ran into a tiger. They were just fortunate that they were able to get there in time. Lucky hadn't been the same since her mother had passed away.
He then smirked.
"Sometimes I think I need to put that Girl in a cage," Jim Proclaimed, folding her arms over her chest.
"She can never stay where's she told to. She's more of a wild animal herself."
Kate came up to him, placing her hand over Jim's shoulder.
"She's just curious, Jim." Kate insisted to her.
"Yeah, and you remember what happened last time with the Tiger?" Jim insisted to her.
Kate smiled, chuckling.
"Yes I remember, Jim." she insisted.
"I just... want her to be careful, you know how dangerous it is out there." He insisted to her.
"She's fine, Jim, there's no need to worry." Kate insisted to him.
"People her age just needs to explore and find themselves. Besides, as long as she's with Honeymaren and Ryder, she's fine."
Jim glanced to her, his worries still quite present. Though she knew she was right.
"We're back!"
Jim and Kate then glanced to the side, where they saw Lucky, Honeymaren and Ryder coming up to them.
"There you are, Lucky," Jim said.
"Where did you go?"
"I was just watching the elephants, one of them has these large tusks." She insisted to her.
"We know, Lucky, me and Kate saw them yesterday." Jim insisted to his daughter.
The mention of him and Kate having already seen the elephants caused Lucky to frown. While disappointed by the prospect that her father had already seen them. More so that he went with Kate instead of her. Something he had done most often since he had married her.
"Oh." She said, frowning.
Two years after she had passed, Jim had met Kate in Oklahoma while he was at the university. She was also a Zoologist like him and had two adopted teens from a Norwegian tribe, whom she was caring for. The two then got married several months later and had hoped that Lucky would bounced back. Though she seemed quite resistant to the whole idea. Even now while she seemed to be getting along with Ryder and Honeymaren, she didn't seem so welcoming to Kate.
Of course, Kate didn't take it personally and often insisted that she needed time.
"Come on, we need to get moving." Jim said as he came up to her.
"We have a long drive ahead of us."
Lucky nodded her head as she walked over the Land cruiser. Though the tone in her voice did not go unnoticed by Jim, who glanced back at Kate. Both of them having to sense the sternness in her voice. She reached up her hand, placing it over his shoulder as she gave him a reassuring look.
"Just give her time." she said to him.
Jim shifted his eyes to the side as he sighed. Only to then smirked, glancing back at her. Even when her step daughter showed her much resentment, Kate continued to have hope that they could truly be a family.
Jim and Kate then walked over the Land Cruiser as Honeymaren and Ryder followed suit. Packing into the land cruiser, Jim and Kate glanced back at Lucky, Honeymaren and Rydar, who were cramped in the back.
"Alright you three, you strapped in back there?" Jim asked, curiously.
"Uh, I'd say we're about as strapped in as we're gonna get." Ryder insisted to them.
"Alright, here we go, everyone!" Jim proclaimed to them.
"The start of our new journey."
Starting the engine of the Landcruiser, he the drove ahead to what would be a new start for their family.
A herd of Ankole-Watusi grazed in the fields outside the village. The longed horned cattle, domesticated and without a language, were a people who followed the will of man. So much so that they lived a much simpler life amongst them, losing whatever will they might have had in the jungle. Forgetting or knowing not what it was like to live free.
Along the outskirts of the herd, a single Ankole grazed along near the jungle's edge. Unannounced to the long horn that something peered at it from the cover of the nearby tall grass. Slinking silently through the cover of the tall grass, the predator approached in unsuspecting prey. All the while, the longed horn continued to graze without a care in the world.
The ears of the ankole suddenly twitched at the sound of brushing grass, causing it to raise it's head.
When suddenly, there was a loud roar as the predator pounced upon the Ankole from the cover of the grass. The other heard members heard the roar, causing them to scurry back toward the village. As the predator dragged it's quarry off into the jungle.
