Chapter 43: Baboons in the Lion Pride's Territory

Chapter 43: Baboons in the Lion Pride's Territory

Chuye had been living a peaceful life within the lion pride these days. Sometimes, he would examine this animal world from a human perspective, and from it, he would gain many insights.

After all, it is generally difficult for us humans to fully integrate into the life of another species like Chuye did, becoming a member of it and experiencing the daily life of that species.

In fact, we humans will always remain outsiders. No matter how carefully we observe and study the lives of animals, we can never fully understand them.

Normally, humans might reflect on their lives in the dead of night when all is quiet. But for Chuye, who was reincarnated as a lion cub, reflection usually did not happen in the dead of night.

Because the savanna is relatively quiet only during the day. As for the night, it becomes extremely lively.

Nighttime on the savanna is a symphony of life, a roaring chorus. Predators go to work, hunt, and raise their young every single night. Therefore, the savanna can never be peaceful at night. There are always all sorts of sounds that make one's hair stand on end and send chills down the spine.

When Chuye was first born, he was also extremely terrified. Fortunately, he was a lion cub, protected by a strong lioness by his side, so relatively speaking, he wasn't that scared.

If Chuye had not been reincarnated as a lion cub, but rather as some other small animal, he certainly would have been terrified.

Fortunately, he was now a lion cub, feeling at least that he was an apex predator of this savanna, and naturally, he didn't feel particularly frightened.

Every morning, Chuye would ponder his own thoughts. For a five-month-old lion cub, it should be an age of innocence and ignorance.

Yet for a lion cub like Chuye, who possessed a human soul, his mind was undoubtedly very mature.

One morning, Chuye and the other lion cubs were still sleeping in the bushes. The two lionesses had already gone out hunting early.

The male lion, Jike, had also gone to patrol the territory. Ever since that wild dog ambush incident, the Jike pride had been living a peaceful life.

"Ah! Ah!—"

Chuye was still fast asleep when he was suddenly startled awake by a burst of shrill screams.

The other lion cubs were also jolted awake.

Chuye hurriedly crawled out from the bushes.

The other lion cubs crawled out after him.

By now, these lion cubs had grown accustomed to sticking with Chuye. Because they knew that Chuye was very brave and resourceful, fully capable of becoming the leader of these seven lion cubs.

"What is going on? What is that sound?"

Chuye felt somewhat concerned. After all, all kinds of terrifying things could happen on the savanna. Every single night, countless herbivores were killed by predators. Of course, predators could also be injured or killed while hunting.

The cycle of life and death is an eternal, unchanging movement for all kinds of life on the savanna.

Chuye heard animal screams coming from not far away to the east of their pride's territory. The sound was extremely piercing.

Upon hearing this sound, Chuye basically knew what kind of animal it was. After all, he had lived on the savanna for several months, and as for the animals on the savanna—at least those within their territory—he could say he knew them like the back of his hand.

"It's the sound of baboons. What's wrong with this troop of baboons? Why are they screaming so wildly?"

Chuye could be certain that the cries just now belonged to baboons. Some predator must have attacked the troop of baboons, causing them to emit such hair-raising shrieks.

"I'll climb up the tree and take a look."

Feeling that he couldn't observe any movement from the ground, Chuye quickly scrambled up a nearby tall tree.

The other lion cubs couldn't climb trees, so they could only run a short distance away, stretching their bodies and peering anxiously toward the east of the territory.

That spot was rather far away, however, and the lion cubs down on the ground actually couldn't see a thing.

Only Chuye, having climbed up the tree, was able to witness the situation in the distance.

About two hundred meters away from Chuye's location, a large troop of baboons lived.

These baboons lived among several large trees.

These large trees were situated right within the territory of the Jike lion pride. In other words, this large troop of baboons lived inside the Jike pride's territory.

Aside from the absence of other rival lion prides, a lion's territory also accommodated various other animals. Naturally, lions could not prohibit all other animals from living in their territory. Of course, there was one exception: hyenas.

Lions permitted other animals to live in their territory. After all, the prey that lions hunted also lived off that very same territory.

A lion's territory only applied in relation to other lion prides. Relative to other animals, however, there were no strict territorial boundaries. Other animals could freely live within a lion pride's territory.

Within the Jike pride's territory lived many kinds of animals, such as baboons, honey badgers, warthogs, jackals, aardvarks, leopards, cheetahs, and various others.

This large troop of baboons happened to be the group of animals living closest to the center of the lion pride. Other animals tended to stay far away from the core area of the pride to avoid conflicts with the lions.

Baboons were somewhat of an exception, though. This was because baboons primarily lived in large trees. They were different from lions, which were creatures of the ground.

Therefore, within a lion pride's territory, biodiversity was also stratified: there were those living on the ground, those living in the trees, and those living underground.

Because of this, the living space of a single savanna could accommodate more species living together. They could live in peace, generally without major conflicts.

Sometimes, however, conflicts did occur. After all, predators had to hunt, and naturally, they would engage in battles and contests with some of the other animals within their territory.

The troop of baboons in the Jike pride's territory numbered over thirty, making it a relatively large troop. The leader of this baboon troop was named Rocky, a strong and brave prime male baboon. He had ruled this baboon troop for two years.

Chuye also knew that a large troop of baboons lived not far away, but he had always felt that this troop simply coexisted peacefully with them without any friction.

He just couldn't figure out what was happening today, or why the screams of the baboon troop had suddenly rung out, as if some predator was attacking them.