Nova

Rain was pouring from the dark sky above, but it dident bother Nova. With her ears flat back and head down she miserably padded away from what once was her home. She dident notice the clouds growing thicker, the thunder and lightning that echoed around the sky or the trap that was set up infront of her. The young lioness was to busy thinking about what had just happened. One moment she had been sleeping peacefully with her mother, next she was awake with the pride leader threatening to kill her. Luckily her mother had distracted him so she had chance to run away. By now she had left the only home she knew far back, now safe from the lion that had threatened her life. Nova was about to wonder what she would so now she had no home, but her thoughts were cut short and she was returned back to reality by a sharp pain in her paw and leg. The pain was unbarable, like a heyina was trying to rip her leg of. Panicked, she looked down and saw a shiny sliver thing clamped around her leg tightly. She let out a painfull cry and she realised what it was. Her mother had told her about these, humans set them to kill prey. She had been told never to go near one as its unlikely you would survive it. Nova painfully fought to get free but she quickly got tired, weakened by the dash out of her old home and the pain became to much, so she gave up. She cried one last time and layed down the best she could to die.

Sartun was patrolling his territory as he had recently found a pack of wild dogs. The dogs had been chased of but he wanted to make sure that they hadent returned and that his pride was safe. When suddenly, a loud and painfilled cry distracted him from the search. Hoping it was a wounded animal he could bring back for the many cubs in his pride to train on, he headed in the direction the sound had came from. Unfortunately, the strong wind was blowing the wind away from him. That ment the creature could smell him but he couldent smell it. He sighed and turned around to continue his patrol, thinking he had lost the location that the souns came from, when a quieter cry sounded. He turned around and rushed towards it. He slowed to a stop as he neared it, not wanting to scare it of if it could walk. Surprise flicked from his eyes as he saw not a injured prey for cubs, but a lion. A lioness by the scent he could now smell. Questions of what the lion was doing were running through his mind, untill he looked down and saw the silver thing. Worry spiked in his gaze as he saw that she was trapped in a poacher trap. He tryed to move forwards to free the lioness, but she painfully jumped up and cowered away from Sartun.
"I am only here to help you" he purred gently. He then leaned over again and placed a paw at each side of the trap and pushed down. With a lot of effort, the trap clancked open. The lioness that had been trapped quickly bounded a few feet from the much bigger lion.

"Why did you help me?" Nova eventually asked after a long, judgemental stare. Surely this was a trick. Did he want to kill her to? Her eyes widened in fear.

"I dident want such a young lioness to die. You have so much to live for" Sartun sighed, backing of a bit. "What are you doing out here? Its so dark and wet. You should be in your prides home" he asked, confused on why this young lioness was out on her own. She definitely wasn't a loner, she smelt like a pride lion.

Nova looked down and flatered her ears again. She thought she may as well tell the truth, nothing good could come from lieing in this situation. "I have been chased out of my pride" she explained sadly.

"Your alone?" Sartun asked. She was to young to know how to survive on her own. What evil lion would chase her out of the saftey of her home so young? "Well. Its clear you wont survive here. Your best chance would be to join my pride" he explained, stepping forward slightly. He bowed his head in a sign of respect, also reassuring the young lioness that he was not going to harm her.

Nova looked up at her saviour. Could he really protect her? "I would love to join your pride. As long as you dont try and kill me or chase me away" she purred, getting up and limping towards the much bigger male.

"Why would i do that?" He purred, "lean on my shoulder, ill bring you to our prides home" he added, slowly starting to walk of.
"Welcome to my pride" Sartun smiled.