Chapter 33: The Attack of the Wild Dogs

Chapter 33: The Attack of the Wild Dogs

On the beautiful yet cruel savanna, a silver moon hung in the sky, illuminating the vast plains with a stark, snowy radiance. Beside a cluster of bushes—the territorial boundary between the wild dog pack and the lion pride—the Kute wild dog pack was performing a strange ritual.

Kute and several young male wild dogs gathered together. Kute let out a sneeze first, then looked toward the other males. Upon seeing Kute’s signal, the eight other males followed suit, each sneezing in turn. With this, Kute led the eight males and twelve females—a pack of twenty—as they set off toward the Gick lion pride.

This was a democratic voting ritual the wild dogs performed before a hunt. Wild dogs are highly social animals; they deliberate before setting out. Only if the pack reaches a consensus will they proceed; if many are unwilling, the hunt is called off. Although Kute was their leader, his word was not absolute. For major events like hunting, the decision required the unanimous agreement of the experienced males in the pack.

Hill, the queen of the wild dogs, did not join the hunt. She remained behind with other females to look after her dozen cubs. Wild dog cubs are vulnerable to other predators, and nearby hyena packs would seize any opportunity to strike if they discovered the cubs were unattended. Though hyenas and wild dogs are distantly related on the evolutionary tree, they are bitter enemies in the struggle for survival.

Wild dogs never leave their den entirely undefended. Young females act as nannies, caring for not only the cubs but also the elderly, sick, and injured members of the pack. They are the only animals on the savanna known to care for their aged counterparts. In other species, the elderly are typically driven out or left to perish, especially during the dry season when they might be abandoned or even consumed.

The wild dog pack is exceptionally humane; not only do they practice democratic voting, but their care for the weak is meticulous. Even sick individuals receive their share of food. This survival strategy fosters deep unity, allowing the pack to unleash greater combat power. It is for this reason that wild dogs never hunt alone or in small trios; when they move, they do so in numbers of ten or more.

Hyenas are quite the opposite. They lack such solidarity, frequently fighting amongst themselves over personal grievances, sometimes even killing one another. They never look after the weak or ill; if a member of a hyena clan is injured, the queen may exile it or even kill and eat it. Perhaps this cruelty is also a form of survival wisdom—ensuring no single individual compromises the overall strength of the group.

That night, the Gick lion pride was oblivious to the approaching danger. In the middle of the night, Lisa and Aisha went out to hunt. Gick, the male lion, remained behind to protect the nine cubs. After a previous incident, the lionesses had insisted he stay back to guard their young. However, in the dead of night, Gick heard the roar of a male lion from the southern part of his territory. He knew an intruder was attempting to encroach upon his pride. Faced with this threat, Gick felt compelled to leave and confront the challenger. He knew the cubs might be left vulnerable to other predators, but he had no other choice.

Gick was aware that the neighboring territory belonged to the wild dog pack, but they had always been cautious and had never dared to target his pride. Yet, shortly after Gick departed, Kute led his force of twenty wild dogs into the territory. Upon reaching the edge, Kute paused; he knew the power of a male lion and wanted to verify if Gick was still guarding his offspring. Usually, a male lion would patrol his territory at night, leaving the lionesses to watch the cubs. But in a small pride like Gick’s, where Lisa and Aisha had to hunt to survive, the cubs were often left to fend for themselves.

Kute sent a scout ahead, who quickly discovered that the pride’s den was empty, leaving only the nine cubs sleeping in the brush beneath a large tree. It was a golden opportunity. Believing this was a chance bestowed by heaven, Kute led his army toward the bushes.

Chu Ye, one of the cubs, was awake in the brush while his eight siblings slept soundly. He alone sensed that something was wrong; the others remained completely unaware of the approaching danger.