Safe Haven

Chapter 1

PART 1
Safe Haven - Chapter 1

The light was bright, too bright, almost blinding white, and the cool autumnal air was frigid compared to the warmth of the womb he had just been in. Mewling, the tiny he-cub stretched his mouth wide open in a plaintive complaint. Where was the safe haven he'd just experienced? Where had the soothing warmth gone? He felt himself being guided to the familiar, comforting scent he'd grown used to, the one he'd soon know as his mother. Scuffling in her stiff belly fur, he found a warm teat and latched on, sucking in the delicious milk. Content finally, he curled up alongside his other littermates and soon fell fast asleep.

But his sleep was soon disturbed by quiet conversation. The small cub could hear two voices: one gruff masculine snarl and his mother's higher, smoother voice. He couldn't yet understand what they were saying, but he was afraid. The male's growl was deep and threatening, and his other siblings whimpered and snuggled deeper into their mother's fur. Then the menacing presence left, and he relaxed, but only a bit. He could smell a scent resonating from his mother: the odor of fear.

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He was named Kyrr, two days after his birth. His sister was called Rhea, after his mother's older sister. His sickly brother was known as Maverick. They were born away from the pride, as most births happened, but Kharia seemed almost reluctant to rejoin even when they were ready.

Almost right after his eyes opened, about ten days after birth, Maverick passed away. Kyrr could remember not knowing, not understanding why his mother was pushing his only brother away, pushing him into the gorge where the rushing water quickly swept the limp body into the sharp rocks. He couldn't understand why Kharia, his mother, seemed to be losing what little spirit she had left. She still had him and Rhea, didn't she?

Even after Maverick had died, Rhea disappeared in the night. She had only been about five weeks old, right after Kharia had brought them back to the pride. Felidae, the king male, claimed that Rhea had been taken by hyenas or other predators, but Kyrr's family knew better. They had watched as Felidae had taken Rhea and brutally left her in the biting cold of the winter night and of course, none of them could do anything.

From then on, it was as if Kyrr had no mother at all. Kharia had become an empty shell of the lioness she'd once been.

At that age, Kyrr was beginning to learn the ways of the pride. His mother was constantly mistreated and ignored by the other lionesses, and for reasons he was just beginning to comprehend. Kharia was almost never invited to join hunting parties, and she usually got the last scraps after the hunt. This treatment extended to her cub as well. While Leo and Lussa, Felidae and Panthera's cubs, were pampered and adored upon, nobody ever took the time to pour blessings upon him.

At eight weeks, he learned to scamper with the other cubs. They accepted him, but he was confused why the other mothers did not like him. He had no friends, in the sense, but Lussa, the curious she - cub that was the daughter of Felidae and Panthera, played with him. However, other cubs shunned him. Leo, the sibling of Lussa, often picked on Kyrr, throwing snide comments at him when no adults were around to hear.

Today was no different.

Kyrr lay in the dust, gazing across at the other cubs as they romped in the sun. A few moon cycles ago, he would have demanded to join in, but he knew now. Because of his lowly lineage, he was a misfit, not good enough to play with the higher ranked lioness's cubs. But this was just a fact of life to him, and he simply lay his head on his paws and watched dejectedly.

He watched Leo, the largest of the male cubs, look over at him. Kyrr's heart leaped with a wild hope: would he invite them to join in? But as Leo started deliberately padding towards him, a vicious glint in his eye, he shrank away.