The Lone Lioness
The night was dark and cold. The heavy rain turning the ground beneath her paws to mud. Illefis struggled on, her daughter Dysenne hanging from her mouth. The cub was only a few days old, and had barely opened her eyes. Illefis stepped in a hole she didn't she, and fell forward. Dysenne squeaked as she hit the ground. "Shh." Illefis whispered.
She was taking Dysenne somewhere safe. There was a pride close by, and Illefis hoped they would take her in, for she wouldn't last much longer. There was a deep gash along her side, it made walking painful, but she knew she had to get Dysenne to safety before giving up. She was so tired.
Her plan was to leave Dysenne near the pride's camp, and make noise to get their attention, before running off. They wouldn't hurt an innocent cub would they? She suddenly wasn't sure of her plan, but she kept going anyway.
The sun was starting to rise, and she could faintly see the walls of the camp ahead. She crept silently, getting as low as she could with her injury. She just needed to get Dysenne close enough for them to notice her.
"What are you doing here?" A voice behind her made her jump. She spun around as fast as she could with a cub in her mouth, and came face to face with a massive primal male. He was huge. She was suddenly very afraid, but she had to keep her daughter safe. She put Dysenne gently on the ground, and stood over her, letting the fur on her back rise.
"You're hurt." He said, looking at her injury. She hissed, she wasn't planning on running into any of the pride members. She wasn't sure he'd listen if she asked him to take in Dysenne. He didn't respond to her aggression, he just sat down, watching her.
"I can help you."
"Why would I trust you?"
He flicked his tail, and a second lion came out into the open. It was a lioness this time, but she was so big Illefis wondered if she was even a lion at all. The newcomer gave the primal a disapproving look, before turning to Illefis. "My name is Solophis." She said, her voice was strange, a deep rumbling sound that sent shivers down Illefis' spine. "This one is Balinorr." She gestured to the primal.
Illefis took a deep breath. "Will you take in my daughter?" Solophis tilted her head. "You don't want her?"
"No! I do." She though for a moment, wondering how to word this. "I know nothing about healing, I will die soon, and I want my daughter to be safe."
Solophis looked thoughtful. "I will heal you, if you join my pride."
"I- what?" Illefis was surprised. She didn't think this was going to happen. "Why would I do that?"
"So that your daughter will grow up safe, in a pride with her mother."
"How do I know I can trust you?"
"You don't, and that's the beauty of it."
Illefis looked down at Dysenne. She wasn't sure if she could trust this lioness, but if she didn't go with her then they would both die anyway. "Alright." She whispered. "I join you."
"Good." Solophis stood, turning to Balinorr, and whispering something in a language that Illefis had never heard before. He nodded, and Solophis ran her tail along his back as he walked away. "Let's go."
She picked up Dysenne and followed. The rain had started to ease by now, only a light drizzle remained. Dysenne was completely soaked, and Illefis worried that she might get sick. "Is it far?"
"Not at all. Just over this rise."
Illefis struggled to keep up. Solophis' legs were much longer than hers, and she took huge steps without even trying. Once they got to the top of the sandy hill, Illefis spotted a camp in the distance. It wasn't as far away as she thought, but she got tired just thinking of walking that far. Solophis must've seen her expression change, for she said the strangest thing. "I could carry you."
"What?"
"If you get on my back, I can carry you to the camp. It'll be much faster."
"What about my cub?"
"I'll take her by the scruff."
"Oh. I suppose I could try."
Solophis crouched down for Illefis to be able to climb on. She put Dysenne on the ground, and looked at Solophis' back, suddenly unsure of how to get on. "Lie on my back, put your leg in the same place as mine."
Illefis hesitantly stepped onto Solophis' back, then lay down. She stood up slowly, and walked for a few steps. Illefis found a comfortable position, and held on with her claws. Solophis picked up Dysenne, and ran down the hill. Her long legs carried them over the distance in what felt like seconds. Illefis held on as tight as she could, digging her claws into her shoulders until she drew blood. She hated this, she felt like she would slip off at any moment, and hitting the ground at this speed would hurt like hell.
Solophis slowed when they got to the camp. She crouched to let Illefis get off, then put Dysenne on the ground, her side stained red with Illefis' blood. Illefis was shaking. The blood loss combined with the fear had left her feeling weak. Her legs wouldn't hold her any longer. She collapsed to to ground. Everything was spinning, she felt sick. She barely registered Solophis walking into the camp until she returned with herbs. "Eat these." She said. "You'll wake up feeling better."
----
When Illefis woke she was lying in a nest of feathers. She could scent another lioness near her, and hear her walking around. Her side felt better though, she could barely feel the injury. She was still light-headed, and lying in the nest alone she couldn't help but feel that something was missing...
"Dysenne!" She sat up suddenly. The other lioness jumped, giving her a strange look. "Is that your cub?" Illefis nodded, sitting up like that had winded her, and she was breathing heavily. What's wrong with me? The lioness walked over to her, resting her tail lightly on Illefis' back. "Relax. Your cub is safe with our King."
Illefis took a moment to catch her breath, and realised what the lioness had said. "King? What does he want with her?!" She got to her paws. She wasn't leaving her cub alone with a male.
"Our King brought you here. You rode on her back?"
"Solophis is your King? But she's a lioness."
The lioness tilted her head slightly. "She's not entirely a lioness."
"What does that mean?"
"She has the right... parts, to be our leader."
"Wha-? Oh." Illefis glanced at the lioness, who just nodded. She didn't know something like that was possible, but Solophis definitely seemed like she was more than just a regular lioness. Now that she thought about it, Solophis asked her to join her pride, Illefis thought she was just referring to the pride she lived in, but she was referring to the pride she led "Can I see her?"
The lioness hesitated. "I'll bring her to you. Wait here." She walked out of the den, and Illefis watched her go, observing the other lions in the camp. Her view was blocked by a shadow, and she looked up at Solophis. The sunlight streamed around her, making her appear as nothing more than a dark silhouette. In her mouth was Dysenne.
She put the cub down in Illefis' nest. Dysenne walked over to her mother's side, and Illefis couldn't help but notice that her eyes were fully open, and she could walk without falling over. Illefis nuzzled her, breathing in her scent. "Lie down." Solophis said. "It'll be easier for her to drink." Illefis don't bother to point out that she knew that, she just wasn't comfortable lying down with two strangers this close to her. Solophis noticed her hesitation, and dismissed the other lioness with a flicked of her tail. Once she had left, Solophis lay down, curling her paws under her.
"Nerie is our healer. She's taken good care of you."
"How long have I been asleep?"
"A few days now. Don't worry, your cub has been fed." A few days? Dysenne had been alone for all that time. She wrapped her tail protectively around her cub.
"You still haven't told me your name."
"I'm Illefis. This is Dysenne."
Solophis nodded slowly. "Are you planning on staying here?"
"I thought I had to?"
"If you want to leave then I won't stop you."
Illefis glanced down at Dysenne, then looked around the den. It was much safer here for both of them, even if she didn't completely trust Solophis. And it would be better for Dysenne to have a home, instead of being alone out in the empty savannah.
"Alright. We'll stay."
Life in the Pride
Life with the pride had been good so far. Dysenne was one moon old now, and she was happy here. A few days after they had joined the pride, a patrol had found a cub. She was curled up next to her dead mother. "Killed by hunters probably."
They had taken her in. She was a bit older than Dysenne, she told them that her name was Yesera. She and Dysenne had become best friends. They did everything together, and loved annoying the older lionesses. Typhalin was one of the lionesses that they never bothered. Her tongue was as sharp as her claws, and anyone that bothered her would have scars to remember it.
Illefis was worried that she might hurt Dysenne, but she had just had a cub of her own, and she was the one the nursed Yesera. Solophis assured her that while Typhalin was harsh, she would never hurt a cub.
----
The cubs were three moon old, and they had started training. Solophis trained them herself, and Dysenne loved it. She was always so excited to start in the morning, and she was the best of all the cubs. One day, when Illefis was eating with her, Solophis approached them. Illefis still felt nervous around her, she was bigger and stronger than any lioness she'd ever met.
"Dysenne. I've been keeping an eye on you, and you've made the most progress of any of the cubs this moon." Dysenne looked up at Solophis, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "I would like you to be my second."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that you will be trained to lead the pride, for one day I will die, and I need someone to take over from me."
Dysenne looked at her mother. "Can I?"
Illefis hesitated, she still wasn't sure if she trusted Solophis, and she didn't want Dysenne spending any more time with her. "Isn't she a bit young?"
Solophis shook her head. "You're never too young to start training."
"Please mother?"
Illefis glanced at Dysenne, she seemed like she really wanted this. "Alright."
----
Three moon had passed since Dysenne became Solophis' second, and Illefis could see the difference in her. She was much more mature than the other cubs her age. She and Yesera were still friends, but she seemed so much older than the other cub.
About a moon ago, a lioness had come to them, with a cub of her own. She said that her pride was going to kill the cub, because the was born with strange marks on her body. Solophis took them in, and the lioness had proven to be one of the best hunters.
Her cub, Pandorea, was very quiet. She spent most of her time in the shade of the healer's den, watching the camp. She was a strange little cub. When Yesera tried being friends with her, she just shook her head and walked away. Yesera didn't try to talk to her again.
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