Sunpride's Trials

Chapter 2: The Raid

It was a relaxing morning. Cubs played, enjoying the dry season heat, while the lionesses chatted and hung out.

Ligero was playing with the other cubs on a small sand hill. The cubs were interrupted by Wasteland. "Cubs! Hide in the leader's den! Now! The pride might be under attack! No hesitation, get into the leader's den!" The lioness snapped. The four cubs obeyed, very frightened. They hid in the den under the acacia tree.

The healer, Votano, stood on the boulder where she had her herbs. About ten lionesses and the leader waited in the middle of camp, ready for a ferocious battle.

It was only seconds until nearly thirty spotted hyenas sprung out of the bush, piling up on all of the lionesses and the leader. The pride wasn't as prepared as they thought they were. The leader roared in pain as his mane got torn and he got scratched all over. He couldn't fight back very much, he couldn't see anything. The hyenas had no interest in the cubs, just the adults, who may have been guilty of starting this disaster. One jet-black female hyena yowled. "You killed my mate, our matriarch, just for greedy reasons! Feel what she felt! You deserve this, you disgusting creatures!" In seconds, the fight was over. The hyenas fled from the camp before they could get attacked, they didn't deserve to be attacked, they thought. They fought bravely to avenge their leader, who was also one of their greatest friends.

The leader panted. Parts of his mane were missing, scars lay all over him, and worst of all, his right eye was gone. The other lionesses were exhausted and injured. Votano would have a busy day, healing all of the pride members. The cubs lay unharmed. Layla went to inspect the camp. She then called the pride to come see what happened. The pride came, and laying beside Layla's paws was the body of a white lioness. Shredded, torn apart. The leader sprinted up to her. "Pilvine... she's gone..." he murmured. Then he lifted his head. "Lionesses, search for more bodies!" He commanded. They did as he said.

At the end of the day, three more bodies were found; Streikima's, Mwezi's, and Fedha's.

Polema sat beside them and he called the pride for a meeting. The lionesses gathered. The horrified cubs stayed close to their mothers. Polema spoke. "Today, we have lost four lionesses in a fierce battle with a hyena clan; Lunaclan, to be exact. They killed these lionesses to avenge their leader, who was also a great friend of theirs. I will blame this disaster on three lionesses; Sitaara, Layla, and Wasteland. You've done a terrible job, us lions do steal, but you went too far and in that case, drove the hyenas right to us, due to you making them burn with grief and thundering rage. You three will be punished by not being able to eat the pride's food or drink the pride's water for a week. You'll have to catch, steal, or find your own prey. Pride dismissed."