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She was being traded. Penumbra expected for herself to be the last lion to be traded to another Pride. And here she was told by her current king that she was a somewhat "gift." Even though she was 9 or so months old, she understood the hierarchy and how it works. She was different from her birth, she knew that. She had seen many other ordinary lionesses being chased away or killed, just because they were "normal." Being "normal" was bad, she knew that. She had a better chance of being closer to the king and not chased off or killed. So why was she in this predicament?
Her new king was called Дьявол, meaning devil in a foreign language. From the very start she didn't like him. Yeah, his name means devil, but his stature and actions were brutal. On the way to Penumbra's new Pride, Дьявол had killed 3 innocent lions. Yes he was nice to a couple of creatures they passed. Like the time when a cub had to be saved from locusts. Once they made to Дьявол's Pride, Penumbra was flabbergasted. She expected for his Pride to be nothing but a waste land. Instead she was greeted with a mountain, that had several caves, towering over a forest. In the middle of that forest was a little clearing with a glimmering lake. The second Penumbra and Дьявол entered the Pride, multiple lionesses, cubs, adolescents, and submales had greeted them. Penumbra had expected for the lions to be malnutritioned, instead they were all happy and well fed. Which surprised Penumbra. Дьявол was nothing that Penumbra had expected him to be.
"Why are you here?" Penumbra asked half asleep. It was already night time and after all the greeting and introducing that had gone in the Pride, Penumbra was ready to be pulled into the warm arms of slumber. "I live here," Дьявол replied bluntly and proceeded to lay down next to Penumbra. Penumbra, being uneasy with her new king's presence, moved. Дьявол sighed and laid his head down. In minutes he was fast asleep, the only sound being his soft snores.
Days had passed and Penumbra, somewhat, got used to the new Pride. However, her relationship with Дьявол hadn't changed in the slightest. "Penumbra, why don't you join me for hunt?" Noches, one of the older lionesses offered. "Of course!" Penumbra immediately replied. The new Pride had taken notice of, not only her abnormal appearance, also her hunting skills. Each and every time she was sent out to practice to hunt, the lionesses had marveled at her fluid and flawless moves. Penumbra had taken like to the hunting, not because of the admiration she received, but for the adrenaline that she felt. Yes, she had fun in the Pride, however, her soul had yearned to run in new territory and feel the adrenaline surge through her body. She and the other four lionesses had been instructed to certain points, mainly the points were marshlands, rivers, or lakes. Those spots had most of the bigger game, such as hippos, buffalo, and other animals. On this rotation, Penumbra was assigned to Noches, whom Penumbra had grown to love as her mother. Both of the lionesses had picked up a scent of a wounded zebra, and decided to go for a quick kill. As Penumbra and Noches leaped out of their hiding spot, they were greeted with hyenas. A lot of hyenas. Penumbra had never, in her entire life, seen so many hyenas. She looked over at Noches. Noches was trying to put on a brave face, however that was failing, even she had never taken on so many hyenas. They let out a loud laugh, the laugh was almost defenning. Until it all stopped. Penumbra looked up. There he was, the brown and gray fur standing up, his stature screaming the intention to kill. Дьявол, in all his glory, had come to save Noches and Penumbra.
~7 years later~
Penumbra sat near the lake, taking in the beauty and peace that surrounded her. Once all of the cubs go for a short nap, the entire Pride grows quiet and peaceful. She turned into a direction where shuffling was heard. And was greeted by none other than the king of the Pride. Дьявол sat down next to her and let out a tired sigh. Penumbra, being the observant type, had noticed the years of his reign settle on his appearance. He had looked much older than he had back then. "By the way, how did you know that Noches and I were in trouble?" Penumbra asked, not necessarily expecting for him to remember the incident with the hyenas. "You mean when the hyenas showed up?" Дьявол asked for confirmation. Penumbra looked at him stunned. "Expected for me to have forgotten that, huh?" Дьявол chuckled. "I had caught a swift smell of a hyena pack, from the direction where I had sent you." He replied. Дьявол closed his eyes and basked in the sunlight. Penumbra hadn't said anything that entire time. She had grown to love this lion. She had grown to admire him. Дьявол had learned that silence would always speak for Penumbra. Besides her being, at times, rebellious and annoying, she was silent, when she wanted to say something nice. In that moment, Дьявол already knew that she was silently thanking him for taking her in, saving her from the hyenas, and giving her the love she didn't deserve.
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