Tanith
History part 1
Silence filled the air as my siblings and I snuggled together for warmth and shelter. All four of us were sound asleep and, for a moment, the world was peaceful. I was the first awake in this deathly silence. Eyes opening slowly, I strained to observe my siblings sleeping beside me.
I frowned sadly, noticing our parents still haven’t returned from their nightly patrol. Every night was the same routine. They would leave as night fell and return in less than three hours. However, tonight they were gone longer than normal.
I was so exhausted I hardly registered that my brother, Iniko, had woken up and spoke. A sigh escaped my mouth as I gazed out over the land, observing every detail available to me in the darkness as my body urged me to go back to sleep.
Something shifted in my view, I narrowed my eyes to make out what it was. Nothing. My heart began pounding in my chest as I noticed the soft sound of paw steps, causing my eyes to dart in different directions. My muscles tensed as fear crept through my body. Shadows moved towards my siblings and I. The outlines of lions clearly visible.
A small gleam of hope sparkled in my eyes. “Perhaps it’s just mother and father returning from night patrol.” I thought, trying to calm myself. As I watched the figures move closer, it became clear it wasn’t our parents.
Two lions came into view in front of my eyes, a flame colored lioness and a dull brown lion. I coward before them, eyes widening in fear. I let out a yelp as a third lion grabbed me by the scruff of my neck from behind me, trotting off into the darkness.
“For the pride! For the alpha!” The ginger lioness roared as she snatched one of my brothers and followed my kidnapper. The brown lion and a fourth lion trailing behind, each one carrying my siblings in their jaws.
Any attempt to speak was responded with a sharp hiss from my kidnapper and a slight tightening of her jaws as a warning. We traveled for what seemed like ages. It was only as the sun began to rise did our kidnappers stop. They set us down together in a tree trunk and with a quick nod, the flame colored lioness and the brown lion departed. Leaving the other two lions with instructions to guard us.
History part 2
We stayed there, cuddled together as we awaited our rescue. I think it was funny that the rebels had such a poor defense system, as we had been kidnapped three times now. Each time by different lions. We knew not of why the pride desired us, but we knew the rebels would rescue us…. As they always have.
A group of lions could be seen in the distance, my siblings and I strained to see who they were. As they moved closer, it became clear that these lions were not part of the rebels. Their armor shined bright in the sun that steadily moved higher in sky.
We stayed there in fear, unsure of what was to happen. As the group came too close, the rebels came to our rescue. Seemingly leaping from nowhere, the rebels attacked the group while my siblings and I huddled close together. The fighting lasted the entire day until the rebels fled from the scene, leaving us behind.
We watched the unknown lions with fear before a lioness with a pelt that resembles a lavender night sky landed near us. While she spoke gently to us, we shrank back from her in fear. Iniko stepped forward and spoke with the lioness. It then became clear why our parents never rescued us… They had died in battle.
The lavender lioness had us taken to the grand chamber where she spoke with us. I huddled close to my siblings, eyes welling up with tears as I watched her continue.
“While your parents might not have been aware of it, the Rebels were using you to bait us into battles. As peace keepers, we can no ignore the cries of a cub - not matter the circumstances.” My Brother, Iniko, gasped at this new information, while I sat there in stunned silence. How could the rebels use us like that? Why would they risk our lives in such an act?
I’ve wondered how the rebels could’ve been so defenseless that we would be so easily kidnapped, yet they weren’t were they? They allowed us to get kidnapped, but it was worse than that… They planned it.
The lioness spoke once again to reassure us, yet whatever words she spoke were lost to me. I was lost in thought, outraged at what the rebels had done to me and my family.
“This - the pride - is now your home. I can not promise you that life will be easy for you. But I will do my best to see to it that no harm comes to you. I am sorry my dear, but I must leave you now. I have pride-mates to tend to.” The lioness interrupted my thoughts as she mentioned the pride. I watched her go, unsure of what to do with all this new information.
“I. . I don't think that. . that she would lie to use. . .” Iniko whispered, turning my focus onto him. I watched him, a morose look on my face.
“It has to be true. It makes too much sense." I stated, shuffling my paws. I knew what the rebels had done now, and I would never go back to them because of it.