Chapter 28: The Hunting Test
"Tonight? Really?" Jayden asked, feeling shocked.
"Yeah." Zula said nonchalantly like she'd thought a lot about it. "I just want to get it over with."
Jayden just looked at her paws for a moment. She's going to do this even though it's going to be awkward and it's going to hurt. I wish I could be as strong as her.
"Would you like for me to be there with you when you tell him?" Jayden offered.
"I think I'll be okay on my own. Thank you thought."
"So…everything is okay with us then?" Jayden asked carefully.
"Of course, knucklehead!" Zula said, lightly batting at the brown lioness's side with her paw. "It'll take more than a few words to get rid of me."
Jayden sighed with relief.
"Let's head back." Zula suggested. The two girls started walking home leisurely.
"Make sure you find me after you talk to Clous to let me know how it goes."
"Sure. I know I'll need your support."
"You'll have it! If you can't find me though, I might be on an evening hunt. I lead one this morning but I'm betting someone will want another one tonight."
"You lead this morning?" the gray lioness asked. "Cool!"
"Yeah, my mother suggested it. In her rude way that she does. I was mad for a second until I realized it may mean she thinks I'm doing well. What do you think?"
"Totally! She trusts you to do well in the lead. And it looks like you did, cause you caught something, right?"
"An okapi and a gazelle."
"Way to go! Okapi are hard to catch. I'm sure your mom is impressed."
"Maybe, but she never says it to me. She has no problem praising Dayya or Tempest."
"Hey, you know what you should do? Take the initiative tonight and lead the hunt again. Even if your mom doesn't praise you, I know she'll be impressed. And you can praise yourself, leading two successful hunts in one day is something big to be proud of!"
"Great idea, thank you! I will be exhausted tomorrow though."
"I'm nervous for Mebala and Taeliss."
"Me too, let's go check on them."
Suddenly a large white and black bird flew overhead. "Greetings Jay's Den and Zula or Zuna." The bird was already flying away, but Zula shouted after him,
"I'm Zula! Oh what's the use, he's going to call me Zula or Zuna forever, isn't he?"
Jayden giggled. "Yes, and I will forever be Jay's Den. At least Kudzu seems serious about his assignment. I heard Kovu telling him last night to fly around the Pridelands today. Tomorrow he is to watch Mebala and Taeliss's hunts."
"I wonder where those two are."
They were closing in on Pride Rock. Jayden mentioned they weren't at the sunning rocks when she had awoken from her nap, so they searched elsewhere. They were found in the cave talking with their mothers and other lionesses about hunting. Zula and Jayden joined them. Taeliss and Mebala admitted they were nervous, but they had been given a lot of hints and tips about bringing down a kill, so nothing could be done until the actual test. Jayden stayed with her friends until the sun was just starting to fall. She supposed now was a good time to begin the second hunt of the day. Fortunately, Ciara was in the cave, so Jayden didn't have to go far to ask permission. The orange princess seemed delighted she had asked about the hunt, and agree. So the brown lioness left the cave, with Zula right behind her.
"I think I'll try to find Clous and my sister now." she said.
Jayden felt nervous for her but said, "Good luck." and briefly butted heads with her. Then she head down the steps. Under Pride Rock she saw Tempest with Mani, Jai and Tali and of course little Torrent. "Hey everyone."
"Hi Jayden," Tempest said, then prodded Torrent who was suckling at her side. "Look who it is, Torrent, it's your aunt Jayden."
The dark cream cub turned his head to look at her, then made a squeak, then resumed eating. Jayden giggled and Mani chuckled. "He's a hungry guy." he said.
"There's no question who his father is." Tali joked with a smirk. Tempest laughed, but Jai laughed louder earning him a smack from Mani's large paw.
"Well, I'm rounding up some lionesses for a second hunt. Would you like to go, Tali?"
"I'll go!" Tempest said, standing.
Mani opned his mouth like he wanted to stop her, but changed his mind and looked at Tali instead.
"Tempest, I think it's still too soon for you to be hunting." Tali said. "Mairu was very specific when she told me you shouldn't hunt for two weeks after Torrent was born."
"Ugh!" Tempest said, frustrated. "Lionesses hunt right after they have cubs all the time! Rogue lionesses have to hunt to feed themselves so they have enough milk for the cub."
"You aren't a rogue lioness." Tali said sternly. "You are lucky to have a whole pride to hunt for you. Besides, you're also recovering from the infection in your wound. We don't want you getting dirt in or reopening the site of the wound."
Tempest studied her back. The wound had been closed for a while now, but it was still pink and tender there. It wouldn't take that much to open it. She sighed, "Fine." and lay back fown. Torrent squeaked and found his mother's stomach again, "Sorry, Torr, I was just excited to go." she licked him.
"You'll get to go soon." Mani said, nuzzling her.
Jayden was impressed with Tali. Even though she and Tempest were best friends, she still lay down the law for Tempest.
Tali would make a great mother. Jayden thought.
"I think I could help on the hunt." Jai offered.
"Sure, and Tali?" Jayden asked.
"I'm in."
"Have fun…" Tempest called sadly as they walked away.
Jayden called over her shoulder, "You wouldn't have liked for your little sister to tell you what to do anyway!"
Tempest smiled and Jayden heard her say, "Oh yeah."
The three of them found Dayya who was walking with Drayden, Koru and Malowa. Dayya said she'd go, and Drayden spoke up too. "Need another male on your team?"
"Why would we need a second male to slow us down?" Dayya said with narrowed eyes, but Drayden laughed.
"You can come." Jayden replied, believing he'd be helpful. He was a good hunter.
"Hah, from the boss herself." Drayden said to Dayya, then smiled warmly at Jayden.
She pretended like she didn't see it and said to Malowa and Koru, "Looks like you two are missing out."
They didn't look saddened at all. "Yeah right." Koru muttered. They all said goodbye and Malowa and Koru started heading home. Malowa said to quietly, "I've never hunted." Koru snickered.
Jayden moved her team out into the field. It was all young lions with her today. Tali was the eldest, then Jai, then Drayden, Dayya and Jayden. It made sense that no older lionesses got recruited. Most of them were in the cave giving tips to Mebala and Taeliss.
They began their hunt. The team did great and it wasn't long before they caught two antelope and one zebra. Jayden made sure to praise them all. They were having a hard time dragging the beasts home, but fortunately, Kivu had noticed their struggle from Pride Rock and ran out to give them a hand with Tome, Simba and Mani right behind him.
"So now which gender is more helpful, huh Dayya?" Drayden joked as the large males arrived on scene.
"Shut up." was her only reply.
Together the lions dragged the large kills home. The Pride was so happy there was more food and the hunting team got lots of compliments. Even Vitani smiled directly at Jayden which almost gave her a heart attack.
Everyone ate happily. Jayden spotted Clous eating at one of the other kills. Neither Zula nor Zuna were with him. As if on cue, Zula walked over to Jayden.
"There you are!" Jayden said. Zula looked neutral. "What happened? Did you do it?" she asked quietly so her Pridemates eating around her wouldn't hear.
"No." Zula sighed. "I approached them soon after you left for the hunt, but they were in the middle of a heated argument."
"Ohh." Jayden said. Zula tucked her head down and started eating. Jayden bit off another bite, "I noticed she's not standing with him now."
"Yeah, they're mad at each other about something now. I didn't hear what. I decided it wasn't a great time for me to burst in there with my feelings that don't matter in the first place."
"Hey, they matter!" Jayden said, nudging her friend's side.
"Well…" Then Zula stuck her tongue out at the brown lioness, displaying some delicious chopped up zebra meat.
"Gross!"
Zula laughed.
"Real mature." Jayden smiled. Zula was still Zula, even if there was something bugging her. Jayden again wished she could be like her.
After eating a little longer, Zula asked quietly, "Are you seeing Dark tonight?"
At the sound of his name, Jayden's heart leaped. "Yes. I miss him."
"He asked me about you."
"He did?"
"Yeah. I'm sure he misses you too."
Jayden smiled and couldn't wait to see him.
Bed time arrived soon after everyone had gotten their share of the meal. Jayden snuck out of the den only a few minutes after most everyone had bedded down. She practically flew down the dark steps and to the left. In the darkness, she could still see his form. He was on his stomach in the grass. She picked up speed then tackled the unsuspecting lion.
"Hey!" he exclaimed, "Woah!"
She giggled, feeling like a cub again and with paws around his mane, she licked his cheek.
"Come here!" Dark said then pulled Jayden by the shoulders while rolling on his back so that she was laying on his stomach. She giggled and nuzzled him. He licked her forehead. "I'm glad you came to see me."
"I'm glad too." she said. "I missed you."
"I missed you too."
"I'm sorry we had an argument."
"You shouldn't be sorry. I'm sorry for saying you were making up reasons not to be with me."
"Well that dream I had wouldn't really happen, like you said. I even woke up from that dream thinking it was a bit dramatic."
"Oh well, let's just forget it and be happy together while we can."
"Sounds good to me." she grinned and looked into his eyes. He was smiling too. It was so good to be right there with him. So close. She smelled his soft rain-scent and let herself get lost in his eyes, until he closed them to lick her on the cheek.
Right then, Jayden almost opened her mouth to say, "I'll stay." but she reigned it in. She thought of Vitani, and Dayya of course. And then Torrent and Tempest. Eventhough Dark made her happier than anything in the entire world, she couldn't leave her growing family, right?
Jayden and Dark stayed up late that night talking. She asked what he'd done that day. He reported he'd rested with his mom, Sanu, then went with some others to play and visit with Torrent. After a while, tiredness caught up with the lioness and she fell asleep with Dark. He didn't mind and certainly didn't try to wake her up. He just lay his head on her neck and went to sleep too.
When the sun rose the next morning, Jayden woke with a jolt. "The hunting test!" she murmured to herself. Everyone would be coming out soon when Taeliss and Mebala began. She didn't want to miss seeing them off. She looked down at Dark. He had rolled onto his back in the night and was still asleep in that position.
She smiled and poked his stomach with her paw. "Hey, wake up."
"Uh?" he muttered, eyes still closed.
She bent down and nuzzled his mane. He inhaled deeply and opened his eyes. "Good morning." he said with a smile.
She chuckled. "Good morning. You let me fall asleep last night! What if someone had walked this way."
"Well they didn't." He put his paw around her arm trying to pull her down on his belly, but she pulled away.
"I'm getting up. You should too." she said and he groaned. "It's Taeliss and Mebala's hunting tests today." she explained.
"Yeah, and that means they do the hunting, not us."
Jayden scoffed. "Very funny. C'mon, we could watch them together on Pride Rock. Everyone will be there, so we'd blend right in by sitting next to each other."
"Alright, alright." Dark stood and shook himself. Jayden couldn't help but notice his built form and handsome nearly full grown mane. She blushed and turned away before Dark could see. Together they walked to Pride Rock and stood at the top outside the cave's mouth. A few minutes later, lionesses began to emerge, yawning and stretching. Vitani Tempest and the rest of the family came up the steps from the underside of Pride Rock where they slept.
Soon all the Pridelanders had gathered. Most stood outside the cave's mouth but some had to stand on the steps since the pride was so large. Mebala and Taeliss stood away from the others. Kovu and Kiara were standing beside them with Afia in between Kiara's paws. Kudzu flew in and landed right next to Kovu's paws.
"Good timing, Kudzu! Thank you for being here." Kovu said. The bird squawked as a reply. "Now that we all have gathered, it is time to see these two off. Like I mentioned a couple days ago," Kovu said to the young lionesses, "You are not to help each other. I'd hate to fail you for breaking this rule. Each of you must single handedly bring down their own kill. Mebala, you will be taking the lands to the East, and Taeliss, to the West. Try not to cross into the other's area if you can help it. I will be watching from Pride Rock. Kiara will be out in the field watching closer, but I promise she won't get in the way." he smiled at her. She rolled her eyes at him, earning some laughs from the pride.
Kovu went on, "Kudzu, our new majordomo will be flying and watching from above. I won't be able to see everything that goes on if you girls go farther than my line of sight, but Kudzu will, right?" the king turned down to look at the white hornbill.
"Yes, sire." he said, looking determined. Kovu was impressed.
"So am I understood?" Kovu asked the adolescents. They nodded, looking nervous. "This is a great day for the Pridelands!" Kovu smiled. "Our youngest lionesses, besides Ahila, will be considered grown and fit for hunting." There were some growls of approval. Tamani and Tikana, the adolescent's mothers, looked very proud with huge smiles.
"What about me, Daddy?!" Afia shouted from Kiara's front paws. Some of the pride members chuckled.
"Correction, after today will leave two left to take their huntress test. Is that better, Afia?"
"Hmph… I guess." she said, then buried her face in her mom's paws. Kiara rubbed her back.
"She wants to be grown up too." Kiara said to the crowd. Some more chuckles broke out and some awws. Jayden heard a muffled, "MOM!" come from Kiara's paws.
"Taeliss, Mebala, are you ready?" Kovu asked them. They nodded nervously again. "Well, be gone, both of you."
Cheers broke out as the young lionesses hastily retreated down the steps.
"Go girls!"
"Be careful!" Tamani's voice rang out.
"Oh, they'll be fine." Tikana replied.
"Remember to stay down wind!" Tali shouted after them. A few others shouted suggestions the adolescents had heard a dozen times already.
When they moved out far enough, Kovu nodded to Kudzu, and the bird took off. Kiara licked Afia's head, placed her in Kovu's paws, then trotted down the steps to follow them from a distance.
The pride dispersed. Some stayed on the top of Pride Rock to watch the adolescents, Jayden, Dark and Zula included, and others went on their way. Kovu had moved to the end of the horizontal peak and was sitting regally, watching. Jayden could still see Mebala's brown form running East, and Taeliss's gray form running West.
"I hope they do well." Zula said.
"Me too."
"They'll do great." Dark added.
The three of them were joined by Ahila, Drayden and Zuna. They tried to watch for a while, but it was hard to see the adolescents from where they were standing. They knew not to distract Kovu by trying to crowd around him at the peak. So the group settled there at the mouth of the cave. Jayden was laying next to Dark, and before Zula could lie next to her, Drayden did.
"I bet you were great on your first hunt, Jayden." He said to her. Zula sat next to him with Zuna on her other side. She still wasn't with Clous. Next to her, closing their small circle was Ahila.
Right next to Dark of course. Jayden thought. This is awkward.
"It was a while ago, but I think I did okay." Jayden spoke up, remembering Drayden hadn't joined Vitani's Pride yet when Jayden first started joining the hunts.
"What about you, Ahila, what do you think about these Pridelanders and their hunting tests?" Drayden asked the peach adolescent.
"I think it sounds fun! My mother never told me of a pride like this where they must pass the test in order to join the hunt."
"That's what I was thinking! It seems strange." Drayden said.
"It's tradition." Jayden said, feeling defensive about the Pride Lands. "I think it's normal for a great land like this, one that's been passed down through many generations, to have gathered a few traditions."
"True." Drayden said.
They talked a bit more about the tradition, and Zuna asked Ahila if she was nervous about her future test. Ahila seemed confidant and not nervous about it at all. As they were chatting, Jayden caught Ahila looking at Dark a couple times, even when he wasn't the one speaking. A spark lit within her when she realized maybe Dark wasn't so certain Ahila didn't like him.
At least he doesn't feel that way for her. And it's not like I don't have my own admirer…
Drayden had been lightly flirting with her for the past few minutes. He would ask her questions or make a joke at her expense. Then say he was kidding and touch her paw with his. Jayden noticed Zula giving her a smile a few times, and pointing with her eyes at Drayden. Jayden could only slightly glare at her. Jayden wondered if Dark was jealous of Drayden's flirting, but he never showed it if he was.
An hour passed. Kovu still watched what he could from the rock. Jayden couldn't see either lioness even when she craned her neck as high as it'd go. She wondered if Kovu could see anything either. He'd rely on Kiara and Kudzu to fill him in.
Jayden and her friends got bored and decided to walk around Pride Rock. None of the Pridelanders were allowed to go out into the field or even to the waterhole incase they distracted the hunting lionesses. Jayden wondered how they were doing out there, but tried to stay in the conversation with the others. When they passed sunning rocks, they saw Tikana and Tamani resting there. Tamani looked nervous, and Tikana kept saying, "They're going to do fine."
On and around the rocks with them was Sanu, Toni, Sanai and Ciara. Jayden was wondering where Clous was. Surely while they were walking around the rock, they'd see him. But Clous was no where to be seen, even when they came around to the front of Pride Rock again and saw Vitani, Larne, Tome, Tempest (with Torrent in her arms and Afia nearby), Larne, Tome, Mani, Kivu, Jai, Tali and Dayya under Pride Rock's peak. They continued their bored circling after Dayya joined them. Jayden decided to nonchalantly question Zuna.
"So where is Clous, Zuna?"
All eyes turned to the gray lioness.
"Oh. Well he and I kind of aren't speaking right now. But I think he's in the cave."
"Oh no, what happened?" Dayya asked.
"We had a fight. It was over something stupid…but he yelled at me a little and hurt my feelings, so I don't want to be around him right now." She said with no emotion.
"Aw, I'm sorry, sis." Zula said, patting her with her tail.
"I'm sure you two will be okay. You'll be back to fully in love and inseparable in no time." Dark said to his sister. Jayden, beside him, nudged Dark hard in the shoulder.
"What?" he whispered turning to her. Jayden didn't say anything but looked at Zula. Dark followed her gaze. Zula's head had lowered at the words "in love and inseparable" and she had a forlorn look on her face.
It took Dark a second, but he seemed to realize what was going on and didn't say anything else. The group continued to walk for another hour, then got tired and went back to Pride Rock's mouth to rest. Jayden was hungry. They wouldn't be able to go hunt until Taeliss and Mebala got back, even if it took all day.
"They should be done soon, right?" Ahila asked.
"I don't know." Dayya replied. "It's hard to hunt on your own. They're probably spending a lot of time picking out a small or weak animal."
A few minutes later, the group saw Kudzu fly in. He landed by Kovu and overheard him say, "Mebala has caught her kill."
Zula flew to her paws, "Did you hear that? Mebala did it!"
"Excellent." Kovu was telling the bird. "Tell her to head back." Kudzu nodded and took off again. Zula excitedly moved closer along the peak and Jayden followed. They still couldn't see anything, but they waited and watched all the same. They expected to see Mebala dragging her kill toward them, but she never came.
"Where is she?" Zula said.
Tamani, Mebala's mom, raced to the top of the peak. "I hear Mebala has caught her prey, but where is she? Can you see her?"
"We can't, but ask Kovu." Jayden told her. Tamani moved over to Kovu's side and saw them share words. Tamani craned her neck to see if she could spot her daughter. She couldn't see any better than the rest of them could, so she sat with Kovu and waited. Soon, Tikana joined them at the peak.
It was half an hour later when a form was finally seen moving toward Pride Rock. But the form was moving too fast to be an adolescent dragging a kill.
"It's Kiara!" Tamani exclaimed. The three of them raced passed Jayden and her friends to meet the Queen. Jayden and Zula followed. When they met up with Kiara, she was out of breath.
"What's wrong, Kiara?" Kovu asked.
"Are our girls okay?" Tamani asked.
Kiara was still out of breath, but reported, "We may need to end the hunt. Mebala has helped Taeliss."