Dull's Tragedy

Ten

It had been about thirty minutes, Arrow still laid in the grass. Her stomach was pressed against the ground as if she was in submission during battle. She didn't dare make noise, and she kept her ears perked for any sign of practically anything. 


I didn't bring myself to move, either. I wanted to know what Arrow was up to, being so close to Snarl pride's territory. Sure, I was near here a lot too, but I had a reason to be. Nova was the sweetest and wisest lioness I've ever known, how could I give her up so easily?


Then, a rustle from the bushes made me sink even lower to the ground, Arrow stayed completely still in front of me. 


Four lioness' walked through the bushes, looking around. I realized one of them was Nova, who was in the lead of the three other lioness'. Her white pelt was damp, and I guessed she had been swimming a few minutes earlier. 


"I smell Emboldened pride lions!" one of the lioness' snapped, her ears perked up urgently. Nova lifted her nose, and her pupils became dilated. 

"This is the edge of their border, Shelo. They probably marked it here earlier. After all, they wouldn't want the Snarl pride to cross the border after the fight." Nova explained, looking over her shoulder to look at the angry dark-pelted lioness. 

"But I smell them now! They've got to be close by!" She snapped, and than walked forward, right onto our territory. 

I saw Arrow's pelt bristle a bot, but she didn't move still. Nova's eyes glared and she stepped in front of Shelo. "Stop. That is their territory. You have no right to cross it, we've already done enough with the battle."

Shelo narrowed her green eyes, tail lashing with impatience. "I will cross if I want to, their lion's are weak anyways. Also, who are you to tell me what to do? Blindeye." She growled. 

"They beat us in battle." Nova reminded her, narrowing her eyes, refusing to back down. She seemed to ignore the comment Shelo made about her. Shelo's claws unsheathed, and she let out a small scoff. Then, a golden lioness stepped forward, turning her head to look at Shelo.

"Shelo, enough. I only smell them on their side of the border, not on ours. We still have a few more places to check." She explained, her tail flicking with annoyance, but her tone was calm.

The dark lioness huffed, obviously biting back a growl. Nova flicked her tail, "I will continue to check here, you three can go continue the patrol elsewhere." 

The golden lioness nodded and turned around, the other two lioness' following behind. The other lioness' scent's faded away from my nose, I guessed they had moved elsewhere like Nova ordered. 

Then, Nova turned her head, looking out into the grass. "I recognize your scent, from last night. I know you're here, it's okay to come out, the other lioness' are gone now." She said in a whisper.

Then, Arrow stepped out from the grass. Her tail lashed, but I could tell she was still slightly alert for the other lions. I continued to stay as still as I could as the lioness' only stared at eachother.

I could only guess what would have happened to Arrow if Nova hadn't stepped up and told the other's to leave. It certainly wouldn't have been good, Shelo didn't seem to friendly after all. 

"You, I recognize you. Arrow, correct?" Nova asked, shuffling her paws into the sand below. 

"It's none of your concern what my name is." Arrow replied in a low tone, seeming impatient and urgent. Nova blinked at her, flicking an ear.

"I need you to stop seeing Dull." Arrow blurred out, I could tell she was biting back a growl as her tail flicked.

I paused for a moment, she had come so close to Snarl pride territory just to see Nova to tell her to stop seeing me? A sudden rush of anger flew through my fur, and it took everything I had not to spring up from the grass and shout. 

"I can't." Nova replied in a quiet voice, I almost couldn't hear her as she went on. "He's nice and sweet, he's the only lion I know who doesn't judge me for anything."

"You're in separate prides, you both are going to get hurt if you continue this," Arrow growled with a sharp glare, "Don't you see what you're doing?"

"Yes I do," Nova replied, keeping her voice calm. "I'm meeting wit the best lion I've ever met, the lion whom I want to talk with in the early morning after thinking about him all night, the only lion I truly care about anymore."

Both Arrow and I paused, almost breathless. Though, while I was stuck in shock, Arrow was stuck in fury. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Yes, I do." Nova replied, keeping calm despite her fur bristling. "I will be getting back to my pride now, but I will not stop seeing Dull."

Without another word, Nova turned and trotted back into the grass. Arrow let out a growl of frustration, and turned to walk back to the emboldened pride territory. I stalked after her, not wanted her to know what I had just witnessed between her and Nova.

Though, we only walked for a few moment's before a shout mixed with emotion and worry made us both stop. Amari, a huntress in our pride ran over to us. She stared Arrow in the eyes, panting. She panted before speaking, her voice quiet. 

"Bold is dead."