Life of a Nomad

Chapter 16 - Lions & Leopards don't mix

---Christina’s POV---

Stepping into the modern mansion, I couldn’t stop myself from rolling my eyes at the lavish interior and expensive materials blinking in the sunlight. Clearly it was a lion thing to use everything at hand to impress and intimidate any visitors.

My ears twitched slightly as I looked around with a bland expression, flicking my tail lazily. A warm weight tugged at my tail and I chuckled before tensing my muscles to flick my tail out of Mavis’ reach. It seemed the cub couldn’t resist the temptation.

Our guards moved to the opposite door and pushed it open, the murmur of two men arguing flooding the halls. I shared a look with Collin before we both walked in, staying in our animal forms for now.

Again, the floors were in the same polished marble; that together with the countless of technical gadgets and expensive decorations showed a pricy lifestyle. As we walked into the massive office-ish room, we spotted a younger male leaning back in his chair, feet crossed on the table while he argued with the elder man.

“I didn’t give you control of the pride just for you to sit on your lazy bum and do nothing all day Leo. You want to be top male? You’ll have to earn it.” The older man stated calmly, ignoring the slight growl of Leo as he warned gruffly, “Dad…”

 

“Ahum.”

They both turned around at the cough from one of the guards, each with unique reactions. While the older man stayed calm and composed, the younger one actually stared before grinning in a slightly predatory way.

It wasn’t like one would stare at prey with the intention to kill; it was more like a man who knew what he wanted. And I didn’t like that one bit; I knew exactly what he wanted of me and I sure as hell wasn’t going to settle down in any pride, certainly not in one like this.

“I apologize, my son here was being his stubborn self and decided to prove why he still remains a cub in my eyes. Please, shift and take a seat.” He said politely, ignoring the growling warning from his son and current King Leo.

“Dad! Do I need to remind you that you’ve resigned your position to me?”

The man simply raised one impeccable eyebrow before he turned slightly towards his son and spoke, “Do I need to remind you that in a normal lion pride, the son challenges his father for the position? Do I need to reconsider the decision to give you the position and break our violent traditions?”

Leo seemed stunned at that before he shook his blonde locks and closed his mouth, gulping audibly. Clearly he realized that though he was young and had the advance of his youth and stamina, his father still was in the prime of his life and could easily bring him down. Not to mention that lions despised being humiliated.

If you ever want to piss off a lion, simply humiliate him in front of his friends.  You only had to be able to handle a shifted and very murderous lion, since it would defend its honor, no matter what the cost.

The older man huffed softly, a muscle at his jaw twitching softly before he turned to us. “Like I said, please accept my humble apologies. Not only for my son’s childish behavior but for the fact that our lion pride isn’t what it used to be.”