Short Stories

Pride War

When my siblings and I were born in my mother's litter, my Father thought that I was of no use.

Being a Lioness in a pride, the cub of the Alpha Lion, I was pushed aside to my mother and learned how to fight, feed and patrol instead - I didn't mind, my father was an arsehole as it was.

I battled alongside my kin, learning the best way to stalk deer, zebras, even wildebeests. I learned how to keep the Pride out of harms way from hunters and other Prides territories. I learned the hard way.

Over time, I showed my father the respect I deserved. I showed him just how sharp a Lioness's claws were compared to his own flimsy old set. My father eventually showed me the respect I had rightfully earned - and my brothers showed the same.

My eldest brother, Jonah, was my twin. It then went me, my other two brothers Garth and Oliver, and my little sister Savannah. Jonah took over the Pride after my father died, and I worked alongside him. I monitored the patrols, the attacks, and how much food went around.

Jonah took his sweet merry time mating all the females besides myself and Savannah (we're Lion-shifters, but not complete animals), and soon had his own litter of cubs following his every move.
His lionesses, the ones he mated, they were close friends of mine and were happy to still let me run things - I had been doing it since my father shunned me.

But it was when that repulsive mutt came into the Pride's territory did Jonah have to step up and fight for once, instead of me.

In our Lion world, things are different. To human standards, if someone entered the suburb, they would be welcomed and taken in, taught our ways, and even taken up the ranks to the head of the town.

Our world? Very different.

If an Alpha Male, without a pride, walks into a Pride's territory and challenges their Alpha to a fight, if they win, they become the Alpha Lion of the Pride.

It was a fight to the death that no one else could interfere with.

I was patrolling with Hayley and Darcy, brimming Jonah's territory, when I caught his scent. Primitive Alpha Male. It wasn't Garth, Oliver, or Jonah, or any of the other males in our Pride - this was fresh. This was new.

"He's a lone lion." Darcy snarled, and Hayley twitched her tail back and forth. My ears were flat as I looked to where the scent led.

"He's a challenger." I hissed, and looked to the two girls. Darcy was one of Jonah's lovers, but not blessed with a litter yet. She writhed on her paws, a roar rumbling in her throat. Hayley loved Jonah, but he hadn't pursued her yet - she still had hope.

Without another glance at my two Lionesses, knowing they would follow, we sprinted after the challenger's scent. He was in a hurry, running towards the Pride's centre. We ran through the fields, the edges of the grass tickling my ears, and I felt the dread sink into my stomach.

A challenger meant that Jonah's life was on the line.

I pushed myself further, and realised that the challenger was already at the Pride's centre. He was with Jonah. 

"No..." I lowly-roared, pushing my energy into getting myself, Hayley and Darcy there faster.
Darcy and Hayley were both running alongside me, motivated for completely different reasons to me. I was running for my brother. They were running for their mate, and their love.

When I spotted the collection of acacia trees, and the nearby group of rocks, my heart surged. We were approaching home, our Pride, but when I heard the roars of a lion fight, and the wails of my fellow Lionesses in pain, as well as the scent of furious males standing by, I knew I had been too late.