Outlawed In-laws (A TNC Novel)

Chapter 18

I have to find food. I'm so hungry! Zane thought as he lumbered about the area. He hadn't had a proper meal for moons, and not that long ago, had to push himself way past his own limits in order to escape a wildfire.

Except, Zane was still convinced that it was no ordinary wildfire, if it was one at all. Fire is not a living thing in the traditional sense; like all living things, it follows its nature. Zane never really had a close encounter with fire before then, since he lived in the mountains. He's only ever heard tales told by travellers, stories recounted from survivors. He has even observed one from a distance. Each and every fire had the same thing in common: it engulfed everything until it could feast no more. The fire Zane and Kunto encountered was nothing like what a fire was supposed to be.

A sudden, sickening feeling peaked in Zane's gut. He stopped and forced himself to not vomit.

Ugh, that was disgusting. At this rate, I might as well eat just about anything edible. I'll even take vegetation if it means not having a completely empty stomach!

Despite his hunger, Zane quickly realized that that wasn't why he was feeling sick to his stomach. Not completely, anyway. There was another factor contributing to his unfortunate condition.

What is wrong with me? I'm well aware that I might be encroaching on another lion's territory, but . . . I don't believe that's what I'm feeling. I mean, I'm clearly anxious; just not regarding the prospect of coming across other lions. This is . . . something else.

As soon as he walked out of the tall grass, Zane realized why he was feeling strangely anxious. In front of him, staring at him, were six other animals: another lion, a cheetah, a honey badger, a hippo, an egret, and a crocodile. They all looked very familiar, especially the crocodile.

"You," the crocodile said, his voice colder than the touch of nighttime's wind.

"Oh no," Zane muttered, recognizing Makuu the crocodile and his associates as the ones that kicked him and his former pride out of Crocodile Chasm.

Zane neither had the strength to fight nor the energy to run. His only other option was to talk his way out. However, before he could even begin to explain himself, Makuu attacked. He was furious, unrelenting, aggressive. Considering Zane tried to kill him, he wasn't at all surprised by the crocodile's reaction. He was more worried about not being able to say anything in time before being killed. So when Makuu successfully pinned him, he was surprised that he wasn't dead. He thought the release into darkness would be immediate. The experience never came to be.

"Well? Aren't you going to kill me or something?" Zane asked, his breathing ragged from sickness and exhaustion.

"Oh, trust me, I would love to," Makuu growled, his claws digging into Zane's pelt.

"If that's the case, then why am I still breathing?"

"Because I believe that Makuu is thinking what we're all thinking," the lion said. The much younger, warm-blooded animals surrounded him and Makuu. They were all glaring at him, suspicion as clear as day painted all over their faces.

"Let me guess. You're wondering what I'm doing here, right?" Zane asked.

"That would be a start," the cheetah snarled.

Zane took a breath, trying to calm himself down. He was nowhere near as anxious or sick as he was before, but now, a new worry crept beneath his skin.

They are willing to hear me out. Surprising, yet, of absolute relief. That just leaves one final worry. What will they do to me once they're done asking their questions?