Chapter Thirty-Nine: Return of the Lioness

Chapter 39: The Return of the Lionesses

However, after clashing with Chu Ye, the African wild dog leader, Kurt, realized that this cub was extraordinary; even he was no match for this little lion.

After a few rounds of fighting, Kurt was already injured. Chu Ye’s sharp claws had torn several patches of fur from Kurt’s body, drawing blood. Chu Ye, conversely, had sustained no significant injuries. Although Kurt had managed to bite him a few times, it hadn't caused any real damage. Kurt could hardly believe that, with his powerful physique, he could not defeat a lion cub. The power of this cub completely stunned the wild dog leader.

With no other choice, Kurt gave up on Chu Ye. He stopped fighting, sensing that if the battle continued, he would not be the one to eat the cub—the cub might end up eating him. Realizing he couldn't win, Kurt abandoned the fight and headed elsewhere to hunt for other cubs.

After Kurt left, Chu Ye thought the other wild dogs might return to challenge him, but he was wrong. Having witnessed Chu Ye’s prowess, the rest of the pack dared not approach him. They preferred to search for other, easier targets rather than waste time fighting a cub they could not defeat.

This rendered Chu Ye’s plan ineffective. If the wild dogs refused to fight him, he could no longer hold their attention. Under Kurt’s leadership, the wild dogs began a comprehensive search of the nearby shrubbery, knowing the other cubs were hiding within.

The situation was critical. Without someone to stop them, they would surely find the cubs. With eight cubs hidden in the nearby bushes, the dogs were bound to find some if they remained patient.

"What can I do? I am not afraid of them, but I cannot stop them from hunting the others," Chu Ye thought, feeling helpless. "Forget it, leave it to fate. I have done my best. Whether these cubs live or die is in the hands of the heavens."

As Chu Ye watched the wild dogs darting through the bushes, he felt powerless. Just then, a lioness’s roar echoed through the air.

"Roar! Roar!"

The voices of Lisa and Aisha suddenly reached Chu Ye’s ears.

"Haha, the lionesses are back!" Chu Ye felt a surge of joy.

Lisa and Aisha had gone out to hunt, but they had been unsuccessful. They had spotted an impala, but the creature was clever; it detected them before they could get close and bolted into the territory of another pride. Having spent half the day searching without finding any prey, they had decided to return, worried about their cubs.

Ever since they had lost one cub, Lisa and Aisha hadn't dared to stay away for long. If they didn't succeed in a hunt quickly, they would rush back home. Upon their arrival, they immediately felt something was wrong. The cubs did not emerge from the bushes as they usually did to greet them.

Puzzled, the lionesses quickly pushed into the brush, only to discover that all nine cubs were gone. Realizing the danger, they began to roar in alarm.

Chu Ye, being closest to the big tree, heard them first. He ran to their side immediately. Seeing him, the two lionesses were overjoyed and began licking him affectionately. However, Chu Ye was not in the mood for comfort; he led them toward the distant bushes.

Lisa and Aisha understood what had happened—predators had raided their den. They broke into a run toward the thicket.

The wild dog leader, Kurt, also heard the roars. Fearing the lionesses, he stopped his search and signaled his pack to flee. Wild dogs generally dared not challenge lions, and having already been defeated by a single cub, they certainly weren't about to face two adult lionesses.

However, just as the dogs were scattering, the cubs inside the bushes heard their mothers’ calls and scrambled out. The scene turned chaotic, with wild dogs fleeing and cubs running out of hiding.

Tragedy struck. As Kurt was about to retreat, a cub dashed out from the brush right beside him. Overjoyed, Kurt lunged and clamped his jaws around the cub’s neck. The cub struggled and let out a piercing cry.

Hearing the sound, Lisa and Aisha realized disaster had struck and charged toward Kurt. But they were over fifty meters away—too far to reach the cub in time. The cub was fragile; a wild dog could snap its neck in an instant. After a few desperate struggles and pained cries, the cub went still.

Seeing the two lionesses charging at him, Kurt dropped the cub and fled. Seeing their leader run, the rest of the pack scrambled away as well. The lionesses chased them for over two hundred meters before stopping; the dogs had already vanished into the depths of the night, and further pursuit was futile.

Lisa and Aisha returned, having no choice but to abandon the cub they could not save.