Chapter Forty: The Nameless Hero

Chapter 40: The Unsung Hero

For Lisa and Aisha, losing a few cubs during the dry season was a grimly normal occurrence. Having endured the agony of losing offspring many times before, this day’s misfortune was, to them, perhaps nothing out of the ordinary. Neither lioness dared to harbor the hope that all ten of their cubs would reach adulthood; if half could survive to maturity, it would be a blessing. Even having half of them make it through this current dry season would be considered a favorable outcome.

The pride had started with ten cubs; now, there were eight. Two had been lost. Fortunately, the ones taken were the two weakest—both belonging to Aisha. The first to be lost was a female, and this latest victim was a male; both had been the runts of Aisha’s litter of six. In truth, had the little male stayed put in the thicket, Kurt would never have discovered him. By that point, Kurt had lost all interest in hunting and was focused entirely on fleeing. It was only when the cub panicked and bolted from the bushes that he was spotted.

Of course, had the lionesses not returned, Kurt might have eventually found the cub anyway, as the bushes were his intended destination for the search. Perhaps the little one was doomed regardless of the circumstances. Fortunately, the other cubs were not snatched up by the fleeing wild dogs; the pack was too preoccupied with their own survival to notice the cubs emerging from their hiding spots. Thus, the others were lucky enough to escape this catastrophe.

Watching the remaining eight cubs, the two lionesses seemed in relatively good spirits. At four or five months old, the cubs only needed to endure two more months of the dry season to reach a safer stage of life. The dry season was always the most perilous time for cubs, as other predators, struggling to find sufficient prey, would inevitably turn their attention toward the lion pride’s young. During the rainy season, when food was abundant, these predators would leave the cubs alone, allowing them to grow in safety.

Chu Ye had acted as an unsung hero. Though he had done his utmost to prevent the wild dogs from hunting the other cubs, the lionesses had not witnessed his efforts, and the other cubs would certainly not tell them. Had Chu Ye not intervened to block the dogs, the chances of the other cubs being found would have been significantly higher.

But all that Chu Ye had done for the pride went unseen. By the time the lionesses returned, the wild dogs had already moved on, and none remained to fight him. To the lionesses, it simply appeared that Chu Ye had been standing by the tree, while the other cubs were nowhere to be seen. They could not possibly know what had transpired; they likely assumed Chu Ye had only emerged from the bushes upon seeing them return. For Chu Ye, his merit would remain a secret held only in his own heart. Though he had battled the pack, he bore no wounds, and the injuries on the dogs went unnoticed by the lionesses.

They were pleased to see their eight cubs safe. After all, losing only one—and the weakest one at that—was a manageable loss. Even if that runt had survived this incident, it might not have survived the next; in a pride, the frailest cubs rarely make it through the dry season.

The lionesses saw the situation simply: a pack of wild dogs had ambushed their young, but the cubs had been clever enough to hide, and the dogs had only managed to snatch one.

Shortly after the cubs were reunited with their mothers, the male lion returned from his wanderings. He seemed completely unaware of the day’s events and was naturally indifferent to the loss of a single cub. However, upon his arrival, Lisa and Aisha were overcome with agitation. They lunged at him, biting and swiping.

Taken by surprise, the male lion grew angry and fought back against his two mates. Chu Ye watched, puzzled, until he realized the cause: the lionesses had expected the male to guard the cubs, but he had wandered off. Had he been present, the wild dogs would never have dared to attack.

The male, however, had not been out for leisure. He had his own responsibilities—patrolling the territory to keep rival males at bay. Giek had been doing exactly what was required of him, though his carelessness in staying away for so long had created the opening for the wild dogs.

The skirmish between the lions was brief. They were mates, after all; they would not fight to the death over a disagreement. It was merely a release of pent-up frustration. After a short exchange of symbolic swipes and growls, the lionesses returned to their cubs, and the male retreated to a nearby rock to rest. Chu Ye understood now why the mothers were so incensed—their protector had failed to stand guard, leaving their young vulnerable to the shadows of the dry season.