Chapter 22: Losing a Little Lion

Chapter 22: Losing a Cub

Nila disregarded everything else, focused solely on the lioness cub clamped firmly in her jaws. Chu Ye could only roar from the sidelines, not daring to step forward and challenge the hyena.

Having snatched a cub, Nila was ecstatic. She wanted to eat it right away; after all, she hadn't tasted meat in several days. Now that she had finally secured a cub, she was eager to savor the delicious treat immediately. However, just then, a lioness came charging from the distance. That lioness was none other than Aisha.

Although Aisha had been occupied with several other hyenas, she had suddenly spotted the situation. Seeing Nila attempting to steal her cub, she immediately rushed over. Nila, seeing Aisha approaching, felt a jolt of fear. She certainly did not dare to challenge the lioness. After all, she was alone now; how could she possibly stand against a full-grown lioness?

"Roar!" Seeing Nila carrying her child, Aisha was overcome with fury and charged straight at the hyena.

Nila, seeing Aisha rushing toward her, did not dare to delay. She scrambled into the nearby bushes with the cub still in her mouth. In her panic, Nila ran blindly into a thicket that happened to be the very one housing a swarm of killer bees. As Nila jumped into the brush, she immediately stirred up the massive swarm.

Nila was stunned by the sight, but she had no way back. With the killer bees in front and Aisha behind, she had no choice but to push forward. Even so, Nila did not abandon her prey. She had suffered heavy losses and a crushing defeat in this battle; if she didn't manage to make off with at least one cub, it would be a total waste.

Thus, Nila threw caution to the wind. Even as the killer bees swarmed over her, she kept the cub firmly in her jaws and plunged deeper into the brush. In this area, the bushes grew as tall as a person. Hyenas were not large creatures, and once they disappeared into the dense vegetation, they were incredibly difficult to track. The cub was small, weighing only a few kilograms, so carrying it did not hinder Nila's speed.

Although Aisha gave it her all to catch up, she was forced to slow down and retreat when Nila stirred up the swarm of bees, not daring to get any closer. Consequently, under the cover of the attacking swarm, Nila disappeared into the thicket and escaped.

The remaining dozen hyenas, who had felt as if they were on the verge of collapse, saw their queen flee and immediately abandoned the fight, vanishing into the nearby bushes.

The male lion, Zeke, and Lisa pursued them for a while, but they were exhausted and had no desire to continue. Seeing that the hyenas had escaped, they returned. Aisha, however, continued to stare at the distant brush, hoping that perhaps Nila had dropped her child somewhere inside. Once she saw that the bees had dispersed, she circled around the area to search for her cub. Though Aisha knew in her heart that her child was likely dead, maternal instinct drove her to keep looking. After searching for a long time without success, she returned to the base of the great tree.

The battle was over, and the three adult lions gathered back under the tree. Several of the nine remaining cubs, terrified by the commotion, had hidden in the nearby bushes. Chu Ye, along with five other cubs, emerged from the brush and approached the lionesses. Three cubs were still missing: one of Aisha's and two of Lisa’s.

Of Lisa’s cubs, only Chu Ye and Mao Mao had returned to her side; Hua Hua and Mei Mei were nowhere to be seen. Lisa first licked Chu Ye and Mao Mao, then walked toward the nearby bushes, calling out for her lost children. Aisha did the same. Having already lost one cub, she was desperate to find her remaining one, Little Black.

Little Black had been so terrified when he saw the hyena queen that he had burrowed deep into a dense thicket and stayed there for a long time. Only when he heard Aisha’s calls did he finally venture out.

The male lion, meanwhile, remained indifferent to the cubs. He was too exhausted. Upon returning to the tree, he collapsed onto a large boulder to rest. It was morning, and the heat was intensifying. The male lion was massive with a thick coat, and his heavy mane made the heat particularly unbearable. On the savanna, once the temperature rose, male lions typically rested in the shade, avoiding any unnecessary activity.

But Lisa and Aisha were not just lions; they were mothers. With their children missing, they were burning with anxiety and continued their search. Braving the scorching sun, the two lionesses combed through the nearby bushes. Fortunately, the cubs had only been frightened and had not wandered far. Hearing their mothers' calls, they emerged from their hiding spots.

Seeing her other two cubs safely recovered, Lisa was overjoyed, showering the two little lionesses with licks. Hua Hua and Mei Mei huddled close to their mother, equally relieved. Having survived such a brush with death, the two little lionesses felt for the first time how terrifying and dangerous the world could be.

Aisha also found Little Black. He nestled against her, clearly relieved. Aisha felt a sense of comfort as well. Although she had lost one cub, having Little Black safe made things a little easier to bear. Little Black was the strongest of the six cubs she had birthed and would surely grow into a powerful lion one day. The cub that the hyena queen had stolen was the weakest of the litter. While Aisha was heartbroken, she felt a small sense of fortune that it was only the weakest that had been lost.

Still, the little female cub was her child. Even as she licked Little Black’s fur, she would glance toward the distant thicket from time to time, hoping, against all reason, that her little daughter might suddenly run out.

Chu Ye huddled close to Lisa, feeling the dangers of the great savanna for the very first time.