"This is zebraific," Simba commented to Nala.
Nala laughed as a response. Simba's use of a term that she'd invented two years ago was quite relevant now.
"So," Simba asked, "I guess you're my competitor here?"
Nala raised an eyebrow.
"You really think you can beat me?" she asked.
"Shoving allowed?"
"Of course."
"Then yes."
Nala crouched down low to the ground. "If you say so," she whispered back, "quiet, here he comes."
Simba crouched down too. The zebra was not too far from them and, on a regular day, would probably be running from them right now. However, all the distractions from the infield track workers and the outside spectators meant the zebra really didn't know who to look at…until he saw them…
NOW!
Simba and Nala took off from their ambushing spots right about the same time. They were running at about the same pace and were about a body-length back of the zebra's hind heels.
The two mates exchanged competitive glances. Then, Nala let the outsides of her mouth twitch.
"Meep, meep," she said. She took a bound into the air, and then showed Simba her true speed, pulling about a body length in front of him instantly. Simba snarled and tried his best to find any hidden speed within him too.
Nala was the first up onto the zebra's back but Simba was not too far behind her. Now that Nala had slowed the zebra down, he could jump up on top of it too and try and push her off. When he pounced, he made sure he was as far up as he could go. Now certain that he was safe and secure on the zebra's back, he threw his shoulder out and thrust it into Nala's side, knocking her off of the zebra.
Simba laughed but, as he turned his attention back to the zebra's neck, he realized that his laugh wasn't the last one. The zebra had already been bitten and he was now staggering his way into a slump on the ground.
As the zebra came down, so did Simba, until eventually they were lying in a heap on the floor.
"I saw Nala bite him," Simba could hear one of the track workers saying, "but not Simba."
"Ten points to Nala then," replied the other voice, of which Simba recognized as being Kanafa's. Nala made her way over towards and eventually stood over her mate.
"You were saying?" she asked.
Simba sighed. He looked up. "Well done, Nala," he said, although Nala's smug look on her face was making him question his decision on calling her as his mate.
Nala licked her mate on the forehead. "You played well too," she replied, stepping hard on his head as she walked off.
I can't wait to rub my victory in when I beat her later, Simba told himself.
After Bilauri's "victory" over Shairi, she had made her way back up on her feet and had stalked the antelope down. She was now chasing it on down the frontstretch and, with Simba and Nala gone, Peponi and Winda were the first two lined up in ambush. They both joined in the chase.
Bilauri realized that she was beginning to tire out, and so she gave up, moving herself towards the outside of the circuit so she could be the first in ambush when the next zebra came along.
So, once again, Peponi and Winda were chasing after the antelope. Peponi did NOT want to suffer another defeat to a Lionrock sister, and so this time, when she got up on the antelope's back, she tried her best to clamp her jaws down on the back of its neck as soon as she could. However, she'd done it too soon.
The antelope bucked and his back legs caught those of Peponi. Peponi fell off the antelope's back and, having no time to react, Winda ran right into her and tripped over, allowing the antelope to run away. Elvis was the only lion lined up in ambush that wasn't caught off-guard by this sudden change of events. He ran out and ambushed the antelope successfully, giving him his first set of ten during the game.