Hello every, Gulefritz here.
Sorry for the lack of updates, here is the usual, didn't have time excuse.
In this chapter, we will get to see some development of a few previously introduced characters.
Hope you will enjoy, please, remember to read and review.
A couple of buffaloes walked amongst the ruined temple grounds, just north of the temple of Abassi. A day or two ago, this area had been full of vegetation, lots of bushes, lots of cower. The lead buffalo walked ahead, rather uneasy by the lack of cower but he was thirsty and the nearest water was here.
The buffalo walked ahead, leading his partner with him. The two of them watched the perimeter around them, ensuring they were not being watched nor followed by any predator. Both of them walked out into the open ruined landscape, ruined trees and uprooted bushes littered the ground. Both of them sighed as they looked at the destruction.
But not all was bad for the buffaloes. Song birds still flew around the place, singing their songs and warning animals of nearby predators. They were safe as long as they kept singing. He looked behind as his partner spoke.
"At least the birds are still here"
She laughed trying to break up the sad mood her partner had. The lead buffalo smiled at her. He shook his head as he looked around him.
"I cant believe Askari could let this happen. All this destruction, all this death. He is supposed to be the protector of the jungle, yet look at all this"
The female buffalo shook her head at her partner.
"I am sure he didn't mean for this to happen. Now lets go, I am thirsty"
With that the female buffalo walked forward, straight for the water, pacing right past her partner. The male turned his head around, when he suddenly heard movement in the tall grass behind him. He turned quickly.
"Stop! Did you hear that!?"
The female turned around looking at him with concern.
"I didn't hear anything. Most have been the wind, Now come and drink"
The male was not convinced. He kept scanning the forest for any movement within the thick jungle. He tried his best, but he could not see the predator within the shadows of the thick jungle.
The birds were singing loudly. There couldn't be a predator nearby could there. If so, then they would fly away, flee like they usually do. Isn't that what his elders used to say. When the birds sing, no predator will attack. He sighed. It must have been the wind.
Suddenly the sounds of the jungle turned silent. The birds went silent before going into a panic, much like the sounds they did before. The buffalo looked again and he was stunned at what he saw. Two green and two yellows eyes stared at him. He turned about to warn his partner, only to see her lying on the ground with a black beast on top of her.
"No!"
The buffalo rushed forward to save his partner, but never managed to reach his downed mate. Two felines hid him from behind, two very young but very strong felines. The bigger one had landed on his back and digged his claws into the sides of his stomach, while the smaller one had bit into his rear.
The struggle was short.
Soon enough two buffaloes lied on the ground. All three felines laughed at their kill. The two smaller felines seemed quite excited. It was their first kill after all.
Mpenda's first kill.
"Good job Delilah and Mpenda. You managed to down a buffalo"
Tambo spoke to both of the felines with pride in his voice. Delilah smiled as she looked at Mpenda, laughing at the leopard.
"You pounce well… for a leopard"
Mpenda only let out playful growl. Delilah just looked at him with a smirk knowing how to lead him along.
"What now? Did I anger the mighty leopard?"
Mpenda growled again and looked like he was ready to pounce on her, though his claws were not out.
"Ohh you, I am so-"
A paw landed between the both just as Mpenda was about to pounce.
"Cut it out love birds. We are not done yet. We still need to bring the kill back home to Amani. You can continue with your little pouncing and pinning action back by the caves or better yet out in the jungle. But lets wait till after we are back"
Mpenda was stunned at Tambo's words and even blushed at what he said. He looked over at Delilah, only to see she too were stunned. She soon recovered her sences protesting against the older panther.
"We are not love birds, even though that is none of your business. As said, he hunts well for a leopard, he surely knows how to pin his prey"
She looked to Mpenda and winked at the leopard, before she walked over to the buffalo and started to drag it along. Mpenda just sat back there stunned once more. Tambo sighed before walking past Mpenda, dragging the female buffalo with him. The leopard ran after Delilah, helping her with their kill.
Much had happened between Mpenda and Tambo in the time he had been in the panther's paws. He had started to see what the pride lander consisted off, throwing him into different battles, adventures and of course, "play" with Delilah. With time he had watched as the weak and frail leopard had turned into a strong and confident fighter. He watched as Delilah, his adopted daughter had grown close to him, and in so, he had as well.
Initially Tambo had wished to kill the frail and weak piece of meat this leopard seemed to be. Isn't that what he had been taught after all? The survival of the strong at the cost of the weak. The pride did not have time nor room for weaklings, only strong and determined fighters. Only the strong were worthy to live with Amani's pride.
But after the leopard had pounced and attacked him, despite him being way smaller, weaker and beat up by Tambo earlier had shown something to the panther. He had seen himself in the small leopard. He too used to be the runt of the family.
His own brothers had laughed at him and none of the females of his pack wanted anything to do with him. This situation had hardened Tambo's resolve and he had grown strong. He left his family behind and grew strong until he one day, challenged them to battle. He won. He conquered his weakness and became the strongest member of his pack, safe for Amani of course.
He had gone from a weak small cub, to a strong fierce fighter, and now he had done the same to this leopard. He smiled at the thought. He had started to see the leopard as his adoptive son, much like he saw Delilah as his adopted daughter. Though he did shiver at Delilah's words earlier. They had gotten close, but he hoped they hadn't gotten that close.
They were his adoptive children after all.
The three felines soon returned to Amani's caves, leaving the bigger of the kills in a pile of animals. That was how the system worked at Amani's cave. You could live there as long as you provided food for the pack, food for the families. The pack ensured everyone survived. The biggest kill goes to the pack, the rest you can keep.
Tambo left the pile and looked in the direction his own cave. Mpenda and Delilah had brought the kill home and begun to wrestle already. Tambo smiled and laughed. If there was one thing Tambo was jealous of, then it was this. Tambo didn't have a friend, least one of the opposite sex, when he grew up.
True, a few females had looked up at him and offered themselves before him, after he had grown strong, but none of them wanted him, they just wanted his fame. Any female would love to be with the one who is second only to Amani himself.
Speaking of Amani. A big panther walked out of his cave and sat down next to Tambo. He too looked at the two teen felines wrestle. He spoke out in a deep and booming voice.
"I see the pride lander has grown strong, tell me has my second in command grown strong, training weak cubs instead of killing them outright"
Tambo remained silent. Tambo knew Amani had been suspicious of his training of the pride lander. He had called Mpenda weak himself after all. The silence was short as Amani soon spoke again.
"We almost took the temple last night, but once again Askari prevented me. I did hear of something interesting though. First thing is, Salehe has thrown in her lot with Askari"
Tambo remembered Salehe. Of all the panthers of the jungle, she had managed to catch the attention of the strongest panther of the jungle. Where hundreds had failed, she triumphed. She was, according to Tambo, not the prettiest of the lot, but that didn't matter to Amani. Amani favored strength, not beauty.
She won him over by beating up any other contender who wished to court the panther. Any one of the females who had tried to seduce the panther had been rebuffed. Salehe had even countered Amani's advances when he started to fancy her, which only made the panther try more.
With time, the two became a couple. They had several cubs together, many who still lead the new teens into the jungle, training them to fight and survive for the pack. When she left, it broke Amani's hearth.
She had made his friend smile, since then the panther rarely smiled. At times, Tambo missed those times.
"Second this is, Askari has a daughter. You meet her"
At this Tambo looked at the other panther puzzled. He did not remember a lion cub in the jungle. Askari didn't find a mate in the temple, the panther always speculated if the defender did not fancy female but rather males. "Who" Tambo asked.
"A small half lion, half cheetah. She entered the jungle together with the pride lander. Her name is Kiali"
Tambo stared at Amani. He had heard that name before. He had heard Mpenda say that name several times over in his sleep, saying how he missed his friend in his sleep. Many times, when the leopard slept, he had mentioned her name in his sleep. At times, the panther wondered what exactly the leopard was dreaming about.
Half cheetah, half lion. Wait, that would be the other cub he failed to catch when Delilah captured Mpenda so many months ago by now. He looks back at Mpenda and Delilah, who had stopped wrestling and were actually looking at the two panthers from afar.
"I remember her. She managed to escape both Delilah and myself"
Amani nodded at the smaller panther, shaking his head.
"Yes, your first failure for years. Since then, I have not seen the same ferocity in you. Why I wonder if you have grown weak"
Tambo growled at this insult, which made Amani laugh. Tambo knew that Amani would win any fight, and the growling was just a bluff.
"I have an idea why you like this leopard. You have never taken a mate, despite several females have offered themselves. Yes, even I hear of the gossip between the females around here"
Amani looked past Tambo, up at the two teen felines, who quickly scurried away under the gaze of the lead panther.
"You know I do not trust him, but he can be of great use to us"
Tambo looked at Amani.
"How so?"
Amani turned around laughing at the other panther.
"Please, the answer is simple. Mpenda is a friend of Askari's daughter after all"
Ahh, so that was his plan. He wished to use Mpenda to bait out Kiali. If he could catch Kiali, then Askari would surely attack Amani, at which point the panther could capture the lion. Tambo did not like this one bit. It would but Mpenda in danger and if anything goes wrong, then the leopard would be out of his paws. Out of his life. He would be back with his original friends.
Tambo could feel a heavy burden in his chest and sighed internally. If given the chance, would Mpenda pick him over his friends? He was his friend right. They were like family, right? He didn't know. He had trained him, feed him and given him joy. The leopard had returned in kind, becoming a close friend to Delilah.
Tambo looked up and saw the smiling face of Amani. Something was off.
"I see your doubt. I propose a solution. If he succeeds, he will be a part of my pack officially. I will take him in and he will have the same status as a successful youth"
Tambo thought it over. It would make him part of the pack. A good thing, but what if he failed.
"But if he fails. Then you will kill him. You will kill him and find a mate amongst the pack. Am I clear"
Tambo looked at his pack leader before letting his head drop. He nodded at the other panther.
"Yes. Very clear"
Amani smiled as he walked past Tambo, smiling at his friend.
"Good, now cheer up. I am sure he will be fine. And should he succeed, then your adoptive son is part of the pack. But honestly, you should consider finding a mate. Get a real son"
With that Amani motioned behind them, motioning for two female panthers who looked at the two discussing. Amani went close to Tambo whispering in his ear.
"The one on the right has been staring at you for hours. I have even seen her do it before"
Amani left the other panther behind and walked over to the two. He talked abit and one of them followed him into the cave. Amani looked back and winked at Tambo. The remaining female looked at him and slowly walked over to him.
Tambo watched this, before looking back at the cave where Mpenda and Delilah were. He thought it through. He was about to turn around to walk back to them, but decided not to. He decided to do something he never thought he would do.
He meets the female who wanted his attention half way. The two of them leaving together, tails intertwined.
From the distance Mpenda started to sing "Can you feel the love tonight" which made Delilah laugh at him, before she pounced him from behind, starting another round of wrestling.
And here I end the latest chapter of Life of Kiali. Next time, we will get to see Kiali and her family again. Once again, sorry for the long delay.