Fun Fact: When lions feed, it's not a peaceful family dinner, even pride members fight savagely over a carcass. Snarls, claws, and bites fly as each lion battles for a place at the kill, and cubs are usually shoved aside until the frenzy cools.
The air was thick with the copper tang of blood, the wet tearing of flesh and the heavy grunts of feeding lionesses melding into a symphony of savagery.
The hunt was a success! The lionesses had managed to hunt down three wildebeest. Dana had actually brought down one all by herself, scoring miniscule slashes on her coat –the horns couldn't effectively pierce through her tough hide –whereas two of the three teams felled a kill each. Lion hunts never guarantee a feast. On average, only about thirty percent of their attempts end in success. Meaning every kill is precious, and every mouth fights for its share.
Kambo raised her bloody muzzle and gazed at the feeding lionesses, her team was amongst the ones with a successful hunt, the others that couldn't bring down their own consisted of younger lionesses that she later allowed to eat with them after emphasizing on their failure. Dana ate alone. Not many of her sisters approached for fear of triggering her wrath – oh–she was much bigger, and they all dreaded what a paw swipe could do to them – she was a unit all by herself and she'd earned that kill!
Kambo yawned and bowed her head to the guts she'd torn open, the kill was fresh and the warm blood made everything so worth it. Just then, she caught something strange at the corner of her eye, intrigue blossomed within her when she watched, gobsmacked, at the entourage of miniature lions walking toward them. She tilted her head as they got closer.
Amongst the tall grasses was a train of the pride's cubs, snaking through the brush in impromptu discipline, no childish plays to break the single file line advancing forward.
This...this was so out of place in the Savannah. What could have led to this— obedience? They advanced in uncanny silence, as though pulled forward by invisible strings, their small paws padding in perfect rhythm. It was less a march of cubs and more a procession of zealots.
It were like a hive mind!
Kambo's eyes widened when she saw who was spearheading such nonsense. Lo and behold! It was the problem cub! She heaved in frustration and the other lionesses snapped in attention, immediately scanning the surroundings for any hidden enemy.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, they glanced at Kambo and that is when they synchronized with the unseemly scene that had their leader looking stupid.
Under the gazes of such strong hunters, Tobey did not falter a paw, he angled his chin higher as they closed in on them and when Kambo snarled, he stopped, and so did his minions; this was as far as they could get to the feeding lionesses.
Surprisingly, the usually hyper cubs huddled closer to Tobey, rather than rushing to the feast, and this raised so many flags in Kambo's mind.
She watched as some took turns to lick and caress his fur, while he— his eyes remained on her. A subtle declaration and challenge that no words could accentuate the intent any better.
The other lionesses spared a glance at their leader, the scene was indeed off putting, but nothing they couldn't get used to, when Kambo just remained glaring at the suspicious coup in the making, everyone else returned to feasting.
Kambo growled low and Tobey puffed up his chest in response, she scoffed and dipped her head back to the Savannah cuisine, this interaction cataloged for later.
Tobey stayed put a moment longer, staring at the lionesses' feast and when whatever plan that he'd been cooking was ready, he rose and booped noses with three cubs. When they stared dumbly at him, he scoffed and began walking towards the hunters.
Everyone exchanged confused glances and it was only when Zyphros snapped at the chosen three's haunches did it then down on them. Tobey wanted them to follow. Hurriedly, the three chased after him.
Once they got closer to the carcass, he signalled for them to stop and he padded to the lionesses alone, when there wasn't any reaction, he began to nibble at the tail— still nothing.
There were five lionesses on this particularly large wildebeest and Tobey inched closer. He licked at the hooves and still no response. It was only when he bit into the thigh did they react! In unison, they growled, the pool of blood bubbled and the ground trembled.
Tobey however, didn't step back, he remained static until they resumed feeding, burying him at the back of their minds. Only then did he inch closer, he became bolder once he lapped at the rich blood, the salty tang made his tail sway. Even when they snarled, he paid them no heed, one of them swiped a paw at him and he evaded at the last second!
This played out occasionally and once they got tired of this back–and–forth, they bothered no longer when he lapped greedily near them.
Tobey raised a bloody head and growled at the three tag–alongs. Cautiously, they approached, warily eyeing the hunters, gauging their reactions. When they didn't lash out, the little ones bit into the flesh with zeal. Satisfied with the progression, Tobey nodded his head and ran back to the others and rushed back with six more, eager oozing off their small bodies. Without ceremony, they dove into the feast, butting heads with the lionesses, the only retort the hunters could afford was a muffled growl and a dialed down slap here and there. They couldn't afford excessive drama, the competition had just kicked up a notch!
'Nine down, six more to go!'
Tobey allowed the others to lick the blood off of him as he pondered. His gaze lazily soared to Kambo's squad; that was the next target and he knew how taxing this mission would become. He now wished the others had the ability to converse! He had a plan brewing, but only words could dash this canvas with the colour he envisioned!
'Dammit all!'
He pulled Ayden, Radi and Zyphros aside, and the remaining three watched as he dashed around, tackling air and growling at shadows. His actions were always out of this world, but everyone had attuned to his crazy. The cubs watched with awe at Tobey's antics as he tried to instil whatever knowledge he thought of to the equally–uncommon trio.
Radi wagged her tail in unveiled ecstasy. She apparently had gotten the gist of it and she had understood her role clearly!
Once Tobey affirmed that his plan had somehow been grasped, he nuzzled with each of the three and with a nod, he set off, the trio dispersing. Despite wanting to join in on whatever fun they were partaking in, the remaining trio curbed their childish anticipation and crouched in wait, watching Tobey and company's every move!
Kambo felt her fur rise on end and she instantly raised her head and came face–to–face with a pair of otherworldly amber eyes. She narrowed hers and roared in warning, but the daring little bastard didn't heed her deterrent, he in fact, dared to growl back at her!
Oh, the Audacity!
Kambo crouched low, her muscles twitching on recovered stamina, ferocity oozed off of her form in waves. With keen eyes, she watched as the rebellious nephew/grandson inched closer to the prey she had caught. With muscles tensed, Tobey dipped his head and bit off a tender piece of flesh...all while maintaining eye contact!
That was it, her last straw! With a righteous roar, she leapt at the cub, less than half her her weight, and bit down viciously at his scruff. The other lionesses – as well as the feasting cubs – raised their heads to gauge the level of threat to warrant such a declaration, when they saw the cub before her path, they thought no more of it. To them, it was nothing more than another lesson for a troublesome cub, soon forgotten as they returned to their meal. What they didn't know was that the tables were about to turn.
At the nick of time, Tobey evaded the attempt, rolling across the ground and squaring off against her with a challenging snarl. With speed that Tobey couldn't track, Kambo swiped a paw at him, smacking him on his side. That hoisted him into the air, but with the agility of a house cat, Tobey corrected his form midair and landed softly on his paws.
Utilizing the brief gap of shock, he lunged forward and sank his teeth into Kambo's tail. With the tuft clamped tightly between his jaws, Tobey darted beneath her belly and slipped through her hind legs, twisting her tail as he went. A sharp, pitched growl tore from her throat, and in her thrashing, she slipped onto her back, something Tobey had not foreseen. Her full weight came crashing down on him, mercifully not enough to break a bone.
Finally, with him within grasp, she bit down on him and threw him off into the distance, and she would've left him off at that if only he didn't smirk at her. And she took that slight as a claw across her dignity. Fury flared hotter than hunger, and with her pride stung, she launched into him again, her every strike sharpened by the need to reassert dominion.
And she had played right into Tobey's plans. While Kambo was busy with him, his associates switched gears and got to the real mission.