IXX

Captured

Meersha moved gracefully through the golden savannah, only to stop a few times for rest and occasionally a drink at a water hole - though she didn't stay long near any water. That whole day it seemed as if she could find no prey.

"What's with this place?" she asked herself, trotting around and sniffing the ground a few times as her ears twitched.

This part of the land seemed remotely empty. Though there were signs of a zebra herd. It did not help as it had been there more than a full moon ago that they were present.

When night kicked in, the lioness grew wary. Her droopy eyes spotted an empty cave not too far off and, if that wasn't enough, she could smell some kind of aroma drifting throughout the place. Instantly she licked her lips as her ears perked and her eyes narrowed. Meat. Fresh meat. She quickly bounded to the cave where the smell got thicker and there, Meersha spotted a bloody chunk of some kind of animal. It did not matter what kind it was or where it came from, but why was it here? There was another smell mixed with the meal, but she couldn't quite put her paw on it. The scent of whoever put it there was much too covered in the strange odors. And, before long, the lioness could not take it anymore, and leapt on the meat to hungrily dig in.

Many times she had gone without food, but she had grown so used to having it every sun now.

When she was done, she looked around, scanning the cave and the land outside of it for anyone. But there was nothing. As her fur prickled, she felt as if someone was near. Watching her every move. Soon, exhaustion kicked in, and once more, Meersha was trapped in what her body wanted.

"If they wanna complain, let 'em," she muttered, as she curled up.

Soon the lion drifted into a deep sleep...

Only a couple hours later, Meersha was still sound asleep. But something was lurking in the grasslands, right outside the cave. Shuffling and hurried whispers filled the night air.

"Did you give her the herbs?" a female voice questioned.

"Yes. I put them all over the cave and meat." was the reply. "She should be sleeping for all this moon and tomorrow's sun!"

"You idiot!" snarled someone else. "How are we supposed to get her now without falling asleep?"

There was a silence, in which the second voice seemed to be reflecting on her job.

"We'll just hold our breaths. Hurry! Mother's waiting!" exclaimed the first.

With that, three lionesses came into the cave and began to push Meersha out. When the fresh night air surrounded them once more, they opened their mouths and gasped for breath. After another moment, a lioness went on each side of her and pushed themselves under her body and held her up. The third climbed under and stood so that she was holding up her middle. The trio, with the sleeping Meersha, began to trot into the light of the moon.

Meersha awoke. Her vision was blurry at first, but she easily shook it off as she weakly sat up. Eyes crawling around, she gasped, as this was not the cave she had fallen asleep in. Instead, the lioness was now in a piece of the land that sunk only about a foot that reminded her of the nursery back when she was a cub. But around it were many rocks, circling the sunken land. Four lionesses stood, their backs to her, each at a different part of the circle that she was in.

"W-where am I?" she stammered, now standing.

The lioness who stood, facing the west, suddenly looked behind her at Meersha and gave a dark grin. The rest ignored her. But the lioness turned back around, and did not say anything.

"Where am I and who are you?" Meersha questioned, walking slowly over to the lioness who had just looked at her.

Meersha blinked at the silence, before she took another step. That's when she felt a cringe through her flesh as her head was slammed to the hard ground. She cried out in pain as her face was left with vertical, bloody cuts. Her eyes began to water as she flinched. She staggered up, just in time to see the lioness turn back around. Meersha hissed furiously as she leapt forward. Again, the lioness turned around to attack. Meersha found herself on the ground once more, with new wounds. She got up and shook.

"OK. So you don't like me..." Meersha began, but the lioness was silent.

Meersha lowly growled, but gave up, now stalking over to the lioness facing the north. Many times she attempted to talk to her, as well as the other two, but she was left empty pawed. The guards didn't even seem to move, unless she tried to walk passed either of them. That's when they corrected her attempted escapes by slamming their bodies into hers and raking claws across her skin - mostly her face. But Meersha didn't need it much. After just three more tries - one to each, the one towards the south, one facing the east, and the other to the west - she quit.

Finally, her talking ceased, and Meersha soon found herself, laying down again in the middle. As she sighed and looked around, the sun began to fall. How long had she been asleep before?

"Ah," someone suddenly said.

Meersha abruptly lifted her head to stare at a lioness who had stepped passed the guards and into the sunken land. She stopped in front of Meersha.

"It's good to see the princess is awake," she mused.

Meersha hissed and crouched, ready to pounce if need be. But the lioness just gave a terrifying chuckle. Meersha looked strong, though, as she straightened up again.

"I wouldn't even try that if I were you," the lioness mused. "Gonra, Bahashi, Ignu, Yawnda," she called, and instantly the four guarding lionesses turned around to face the two lions in the middle. They sat at her motion.

"So. You're the leader." stated Meersha, more to herself than anyone.

The lioness nodded, flashing her teeth as she smiled. "You guessed right, princess," she snickered.

Meersha raised a brow.

The lioness she was talking to was white. Her face and muzzle were sharp, along with other features, and her body was slender while near the end of her tail was gracefully but slightly curved, then there were her gigantic paws that did not seem to match the rest of her at all. In fact, as Meersha glanced at the others, she could tell they looked almost the same, save for a few differences in their appearance.

"Allow me to introduce myself." the white one said as she sat, and Meersha did, too, glaring. "I am called Ahadgna." She paused. "...And I know you."

Meersha blinked. "Who am I?"

Ahadgna nodded before circling Meersha slowly. "You were with the males."

"Males?"

"Yes. The males who took my cub from me. The ones who stole our meat that wasn't rightfully theirs," she explained, still circling Meersha. "The ones who-"

Meersha gasped. "Banjija? Gatu? You mean...?"

Ahadga stopped suddenly in front of Meersha and snarled, "So you are with them!" and that's when the lionesses around them began to roar out, claws extended as the swept them through the air, almost threateningly.

"I-" started Meersha, surprised.

"You have their scent all over you!" interrupted the white one. "You poor darling."

"Huh?"

"I don't know what you were doing with them, or what they were doing with you, but it's all over now. Now, you can be with us, and we'll teach you."

"What? Teach me what?" Meersha asked.

"Teach you how to live without them. And don't worry, when the time comes, you'll lead us to them and they can get what they deserved for trying to take over our pride and kill the cubs." Ahadgna said, almost warmly as she smiled.

"What are you talking about?"

But the leader shook her head.

"Sisters! Let's take her to the plain,"

The lionesses began to push and prod at Meersha.

"What are you doing?!" Meersha snarled. But she could not help but be forced along, right behind Ahadgna herself. "Let me go!" she roared.

They ignored her, and before long, she was being pushed into the savannah, where many more lionesses awaited. They gave toothy grins as they spotted the frightened Meersha.

"I won't tell you where they are, so you're wasting your time!" she exclaimed.

Gatu woke up, aburptly as he panted. He looked around.

"You've been asleep for awhile. Have a good nap?" asked Lusala, gently as she sat by him. They were at the tree.

He got up and blurted, "Where's Meersha?" before he could help himself.

"Gatu," Lusala said, taken back somewhat. "She's been gone for three suns now. Remember?"

He nodded and sat up, still breathing hard.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

Again, he nodded, just as Banjija came trotting over. Both of their manes - though still growing - were getting fuller and longer each day. So far, Banjija's was a beautiful, sleek redish gold, while Gatu's was a raven black.

"Whoa, what have you two been doin'?" he asked with a raised brow as he stood by them.

Lusala batted at him. "Banjija!"

"All right, all right. I'm just kidding." he laughed.

"I...I don't know why but...it feels...wrong," Gatu whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Banjija replied.

Lusala looked at him and asked gently, "Gatu...what is it?"

"It's Meersha," Gatu then said more loudly, looking up. "I think she's in trouble."

"What? How so?" Banjija quickly questioned.

"I...I don't know."

"Where are you getting this from, Gatu?" the lioness said.

"I don't know that either. It's just, I have a gut feeling."

She shook her head. "Gatu. I know you miss her. But she'll come back."

"It's not that!" he snarled.

Lusala sighed and walked over to Banjija, then looked at Gatu again.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Look, if you really feel something's wrong," Lusala exclaimed. "Well I mean, she's three suns away from here..."

"He's just missing her is all," said Banjija quietly as they turned around to walk slowly away. "Let's just let 'im have some time to 'imself."

"Yeah," she agreed.

Gatu sighed and shook his head, thinking, They're probably right. I'm just freakin' out for no reason. Meersha's fine...

"But Mother, she's not a cub. She's almost an adult," Yawnda was saying, not too far from the circle of rocks Meersha had been before.

Now Meersha was being watched over by a few lionesses some yards away.

"She is young," assured Ahadgna as she sat on a rock, staring strongly down at her so-called daughter. "We can still get her. We can still teach her the right ways of life."

"She's almost an adult!" argued the lioness more, her fur bristling.

"Enough!" snarled the Broken-Claw leader. Then she became calmer and explained with much dominance, "You will hush. You will not question my ways anymore. You will go on with this. You will listen to me. You will be loyal."

Yawnda's fur came down smooth again as she glared, holding the gaze for several seconds, as did her "mother." But finally, Yawnda let it down with a sigh, and dipped her head in a bow.

"As you wish, Mother..." Yawnda growled, looking up again. "But if I may say-"

"You may not say, Yawnda! Look, do you see a mane on her?"

"No but-"

"She might be close to being an adult, but she is not a male, and she is still young. We can get her. We will get her. She will know the right ways of life..."