VS Lion, Part 10

"Ah… Haah…!"

Moose, unbalanced by the blow that she couldn't stop, collapsed. Digging tenaciously into her shoulder were Lion's fangs. Witnessing this, African Wild Dog felt as her blood, which had momentarily gone cold, immediately rush to her head.

"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

It happened again.

Her ally had gotten wounded right in front of her eyes once again. If this continues, she'll lose yet another one. She'd never be able to forgive herself if that were to happen.

African Wild Dog clenched her fist and rushed in while screaming, verging on shrieking. Running over to the entangled two on the ground, she struck Lion's torso as if to force her off from feasting on Moose.

"Gah…!"

Lion's fangs let go of Moose as she coughed up from being unable to whistand it. At that moment, Moose kicked Lion off of her. Flying through the air, Lion twisted her body with her feline-like nimbleness and landed on her fours.

"Moose-san…!"

Keeping Lion in her sight, African Wild Dog helped Moose get up on her feet. Getting up with African Wild Dog's assistance, Moose let out a small chuckle.

"Hahaha… She landed one… I've broken my promise to Kaban, it seems like…"

African Wild Dog made a brief sidelong glance to gauge Moose's condition. A mixture of rainwater and fresh blood flowed down her arm from her left shoulder, where Lion's fangs dug into. Moose put on a stern smile, but from her brows she could tell that she was trying to endure the pain.

"Kuh…"

A toiling voice escaped from African Wild Dog's lips. No matter how strong her body may be, in that state, Moose cannot show off her full power. Being in a condition that's insufficient to fight, it's impossible for her to match Lion. Additionally, currently, in this park, being injured means the same as dying as a Friend.

They have to end this fight as soon as possible and quickly tend to that wound.

(It's no use…)

—She couldn't see any chance of winning. The tide has turned in one fell swoop.

"Grrrr…"

Lion licked her lips, lapping up Moose's blood. So far, beginning from Aurochs, all of Lion's hunts of numerous Friends ended in failures. Her frustrations had been growing stronger and stronger, and when she finally got her success, she let out a satisfied groan.

This prey won't get away. She'll definitely bring it down. Focusing her eyes solely on Moose and taking in the smell of flowing blood, Lion's spirit rekindled. She kept her stance low, waiting for Moose to move.

"…I see… It seems like she's dead-set on eating me." Muttered Moose as if it was someone else's problem while pressing on her wounded shoulder.

African Wild Dog was bewildered by Moose's unfazed demeanor despite the critical condition she was in. She wasn't sure if that was because she was a big shot or if it was ignorance.

"A-Anyway… There's no way that you can fight with that wound. I'll try to draw all of her attention somehow, while you take the chance and flee—"

"That's useless. Her eyes can't see anyone but me now. She'll pursue me to the end of the Earth."

It wasn't ignorance. She knew Lion's state well enough. And yet, she showed no urgency about her crisis. Without thought, African Wild Dog began speaking both out of stress and irritation.

"Th-Then, what are you gonna do…!? Even if you were to fight in that state, there's no way that we'd be able to deliver the decisive blow…!

"It's alright!"

The powerful short answer made African Wild Dog speechless. Moose reorganized herself and murmured.

"…We're doing fine." She chuckled, and then glared at Lion. "The one to finish her off… Won't be either of us!"

Saying that, she raised her eyes. African Wild Dog followed suit.

"…Umyaaaaaaa!"

They saw a yellow shadow dropping down from between the trees like a meteor, aiming for Lion's back—

…

"A favor?"

"We want you to completely turn Lion's attention away from us."

"Is that so…? So, basically, you want me to act as a decoy, right?"

Listening for Lion's approaching footsteps, Moose lent her ear to Kaban.

"There is a way to return the frenzied Lion-san to herself. I did come up with a way to do it, but… With her going after us, it's a bit difficult… We need a surprise attack."

Kaban coughed lightly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Moose frowned, seeing as the damage inflicted by Lion hadn't fully healed yet.

"I may be weak… But I'll definitely return Lion-san to normal. Will you cooperate?"

Her gazing eyes were honest and reassuring. Moose silently cast down her eyes before returning a vigorous smile.

"Your strategy from the other time was perfect. I have your back."

She put her hand on Kaban's head and swore to her while combing through her hair.

"Thank you! …Ah, but… Be careful about one thing—"

…

"Huh!?"

African Wild Dog's eyes witnessed an unexpected event. Having clung onto Lion's back with her claws was Serval. Holding onto her as if to not fall off was Kaban. They withdrew from the front, but there was no way that they would run away. Having made sure that Lion's attention was off of them, they set out to prepare an ambush.

"!?"

African Wild Dog wasn't the only one surprised by the event, as so was Lion. Lion, who had been attacked from behind, couldn't understand what was happening in time, stiffening her body. It was their chance.

"!"

While clinging onto Serval, Kaban produced something from her pocket and swiftly wrapped it around Lion's neck from behind. It was a part from the destroyed Lucky Beast, which Kaban had taken: the single-buttoned belt. Before Lion could get aggressive, the belt latched on with a click.

"ROA—"

Lion finally realized what it was on her back and tried to raise her head to roar. Meanwhile, Kaban slipped the belt underneath the abundant mane. The belt, now partially pushing up on the hair, wrapped around her throat. In such a short amount of time Kaban showcased her natural dexterity.

"Alright! Serval-chan!"

Her ears twitching at Kaban's raised voice, Serval readjusted her hold on the girl and jumped off of Lion's back.

"UOOOOOOOOOOooooohhhh!"

Although Lion had managed to shake those two off, Serval and Kaban got away from her yet again. Lion returned to standing on her fours with her whole body shivering, and glared at where the two escapees landed.

Then…

"RO—"

Suddenly, her wrathful expression contorted into that of anguish.

"ARGH… AAAAAH!"

Lion squirmed as she let out a shrieking-like roar. She writhed, ran around on her fours, before battering the trunk of a nearby tree.

"Wha…?"

"What is…?"

Both African Wild Dog and Moose were dumbfounded as they witnessed something unexpected and reflexively spoke out. Seeming sorrowful, Serval drooped her big ears and covered her face with her hands. Kaban too squinted her eyes out of distress, but didn't turn away from it, and silently clenched her fist.

"GAAH! AAAAH!"

Lion groaned as she rubbed her neck on the tree's trunk. African Wild Dog caught a glimpse of an azure shine on the belt put on by Kaban through a gap in Lion's disordered mane.

"That light…"

It was a familiar light. Around that time they restrained Serval as she was turning frenzied. The shine of that Cellien stone handed over by Kaban to Gray Wolf.

The luster was the same.

…

"Kaban-chan, what is that…?"

Having just gone over her plan with Moose, Kaban went back to Serval to watch over the battle together with her. Seeing the tools that Kaban has brought out to discuss her plans, Serval spoke out reflexively.

"This is something that I tried crafting from the belt from that Lucky-san while you were busy fighting."

Kaban had fixed an amulet stone to the Lucky Beast's belt with sticks and grass.

"Something akin to a… collar, I suppose? If I could put it on Lion-san, then we'll no longer have to constrain her to apply an amulet stone to her."

"That's awesome, Kaban-chan…! But, how will you put it on her?"

It'd be difficult to approach Lion to put it on while she shows no opportunity. Even Serval understood that.

"I asked Moose-san to become our decoy. Once Lion's attention had been turned away from us…"

Kaban tightly grasped the belt and looked straight at Serval.

"Serval-chan, will you do that attack from the trees again… but this time with me by your side?"

"Huh!? With you by my side…!?"

Serval was about to raise her voice from the absurdity of her plan, but stopped to not give themselves away to Lion.

"With that attack, you should be able to get a hold of Lion's back, which'll let me wrap the belt around her neck."

"B-But wouldn't it be… dangerous for you to come along? There's a chance that you'll be attacked—"

"Everyone's braving the danger fighting. I'll fight too." After a pause, Kaban continued. "I could put this belt on before I get attacked, no? I believe that such minor details are something that only I can handle."

"U-Uhh… When you say it like that, I can't say anything against…"

Seeing as Serval lowered her ears, Kaban put on a reassuring smile.

"Sorry for getting myself involved in such a dangerous plan. But I ask you to believe in me. Will you, Serval-chan?"

Hearing this, Serval's ears perked up and she nodded firmly.

"…Got it. You're amazing, after all. It'll definitely go well."

Kaban thanked her with a smile, but Serval still had a pressing question.

"Are other spots no good? It'd definitely be easier to put it on her arm or leg."

"That's right… If it were on her arm or leg, then she'd probably tear it to shreds."

Observing as Moose and the now-arrived Lion were in a stand-off, Kaban tucked the belt into her pocket.

"But if it were her neck…"

…

Trying to relieve herself from the stinging pain on her neck, Lion brushed her neck against the trees or ground.

"Gah! Khh!"

She tried to scratch her neck with her arms which now acted as her forelegs. The thick mane that was hiding it, the one that softened Serval's blow, was getting in the way. The mane, which would act as an impregnable iron wall against the fangs and claws of carnivores, was now her downfall. That was what Kaban was aiming for when she thought about putting the collar around her neck.

"Please, put up with it, Lion-san…!"

Kaban called out to the wild Lion, even if she couldn't understand her. Lion, now smeared in mud and sweat, caught sight of Kaban in her bloodshot eyes, and recklessly charged at her with an indescribable roar.

"AAAAAAAAAAaaaaaAAAAAAH!"

The collar had been absorbing Lion's overflowing Sandstar Raw as she ran on her fours. African Wild Dog and Serval stepped in between her and Kaban. Despite that, Lion didn't stop. Serval and African Wild Dog's eyes shone from Wild Release.

Just before those three could clash, however…

"—"

It was as if strings controlling her snapped. Lion, who surrendered herself to her fury, had finally fainted from agony. Her body splashed against the mud, now motionless.

"…We did it, somehow…"

The astonished Moose murmured to herself, which dispersed in the night of the forest.

Hello, this is PoGu. Apologies for the delay, my cold didn't feel like letting up.

Anyway, since FF doesn't like any kind of link anywhere, I'll instead leave directions on how to find the original work.

First method is to search for "「けもの」の本能" and find the link that leads you to a Japanese site called "kakuyomu".

Alternatively, you can go to the kakuyomu site and add "/works/1177354054882921926" to the domain.