XVI

Because of Study

For a long while, the three of them went around, continuing to scavenge. But never did they give up in their studies with other predators and their hunts. Every sun, the cub-lions would watch another lion, or a leopard, perhaps even a crockadile hunt and kill. Meersha was the one who placed the information into her head and mind and kept it there, remembering every move the killer took. Every breath it inhaled and exhaled. Every step it or they made, as well as when, where and why, not to mention how. Their moves she recalled, hours after the hunt, playing the whole thing in her mind over and over.

Banjija and Gatu had gazed intently at the hunts, too, but Meersha was the one to deeply explain in detail, what had really happened and why. Whether or not the predator got the prey, she still told them why it or they had missed or caught it. The boys looked up to her for this, and always listened. If one was caught falling asleep, swatting at a fly, or even yawning, Meersha would hiss and sometimes bat at them. "This is very important," she would say. "If you ever want fresh food, then you have to listen." Neither complained about how they had not even tried their own hunt yet, perhaps it was because inside, they were too scared or nervous. After all, there were a few times when they had witnessed an anxious lioness get kicked in the jaw by a wildebeest. Or a nervous dhole end up chased and then killed by a buffalo. The cub-lions knew what was to come. They were to expect the unexpected. Any prey they would ever chase, could easily mean death...for the predator.

At some points, Meersha seemed to know too much. If her brother or friend asked any question, she would easily and quickly answer. Sometimes she'd even snap at them, exclaiming how they should already know the answer, even when it was not even close to being obvious.

One sun, about a full moon later, the cub-lions were much bigger than they had been during early adolescence. The males' manes were now longer, and came down over their chests. Each even had a Mohawk going down between their shoulders and stopping somewhat after meeting the back. They were now almost as big as a fully grown lion, and any sign of cub was gone. Meersha became even more slender. Perhaps it was due to scavenging for half of the short life she had lived so far. But still, she too, was much bigger than before. In fact, she looked like a full grown lioness all together. Her coat was a beautiful sleek yellow/gold, and she still looked like a - now adult - female Simba, of course without a mane and she was obviously shaped like the lioness. At the same time she looked like an adult - maybe somewhat smaller if one were to look carefully - her face continued to show youth.

That sun, though, was when the three of them were sneaking about in the savannah, and they seemed to be very excited. Gatu always twitched and, once in a while, he couldn't help one of his old stutters again. Banjija was never seen sitting still as he pounced around on anything that moved, mostly flies and insects. Meersha could hear her heart beat in her head, just racing as adrenaline flowed through her veins. For it was today, that they were to try their fist hunt.

Meersha had finally given the go, saying she thought they were ready - as much as the males hated it, they seemed to let Meersha lead the group. Most of the time Banjija would just roll his eyes and say she is the leader, only when it came to hunting, since she was a lioness. But they all knew how much she had in her head, from all the studying.

Much of that day and last night, they had been stalking a lone antelope that had somehow wandered away from its herd. It was just a young one, but anything could go wrong. When they had finally spotted it, about a mile away, Meersha began to desperately explain what to do before they took off.

She explained to them, hurriedly, "Keep your bodies down and don't let it see you. When we get about a tree's length away, we must separate. I'll stay behind, Banjija, you go to the left, and Gatu to the right. I'll start the chase, and lead 'im into the ambush. Once it's time, Gatu will jump up first and that will leave the prey to turn to the left, and that's when Banjija will go out. Then we'll have it in our claws. Oh and, if it's too fast, don't let it make sharp turns so stay on all sides of it. And if that's not enough, extract your claws like the cheetah."

They nodded in agreement, and moments later, the trio split up after stalking closer to the antelope. Suddenly, it lifted its head and cried out, before taking off as it spotted Meersha. She ran after it quickly, but kept her distance as well. Soon, Gatu leapt from a near bush, and the animal reared up, only to turn to the left. For about a minute or so, the two chased it, careful to stay behind and to the sides of their prey.

Banjija was just a few yards away, licking his lips as his ears twitched. His discolored eyes sat on the hunted and he did not blink. Finally, it was close enough. Finally. After just a couple minutes, that seemed so much like hours to him, he was able to jump! He was the one to block it. He was the one to feed the prey to the predators. But, as suddenly as it came, as he kept his stomach low and his claws extracted, their was an abrupt shuffle behind him and, to his shock, someone else leapt out! It pounced on the antelope that cried once more. The small creature easily dug its claws and teeth into its throat, though, and he kept himself on the body, until it finally fell.

Meersha and Gatu stopped and watched in disbelief as the serval got their food.

"I knew we should've hunted earlier!" snarled Banjija as he jumped up. "I knew another predator would get it!"

"But it's ours." growled Meersha lowly, as she walked over to the small wild cat. "We were hunting it first."

"I don't see you digging into it," said the serval as it lifted its head from the bloody, ripped open animal.

"Then allow us." Gatu said as he walked over to the meal.

The serval hissed and jumped on the carcass. "I killed it!"

"We were hunting it! We've been stalking it for suns!" exclaimed Meersha.

"Then you should've got it first," he replied, licking his lips before taking another bite. "But you didn't. I did."

"Look, cat." snarled Banjija strongly. "You're gonna give us our lunch back."

"I am?" he asked. "And why is that?"

Banjija suddenly leapt on the carcass and began to walk slowly, carefully forward, causing the serval to hiss again, but also causing him to back up from the dead animal. As Banjija continued to push the cat further from the meal, the young lion exclaimed, "One, there's more of us. Two, we're bigger than you. Three, we saw it first! And five, if you don't, then we'll have dessert!"

With that, the cat turned around and ran off. Banjija smirked, watching it for a few more moments, pride stirring in him. Then something else did: the pain of hunger. For a moment, it had gone, replaced by shock and anger. But now it presented itself once more, and he turned back to the open antelope.

"So, we gonna eat?" he asked, still smirking.

They said nothing, and without hesitation, the three of them dug in into the carcass. For once, it was fresh meat! They might not have killed it, but they had stalked it, found it, chased it, cornered it to its early death, and now it was theirs! Now it was time to feel proud! They knew how to hunt. Knew how to take care of themselves. If a rouge lion came now, they could easily deal with him. If a herd was nearby and they felt hungry, they knew they'd be able to catch a meal. They were once coerced out into the world as little cubs, but were now almost adults, capable of almost anything. Even if they were to separate, with all the knowledge from studying others, they would still be able to thrive in this strange reality. They would survive.