Chapter 51 The Male Lion That Seized the Young Lion's Food

Chapter 51: The Male Lion That Seized Food from the Cubs

However, they returned empty-handed, having caught nothing at all. Worse still, each of them bore fresh injuries.

Clearly, they must have attempted to hunt some large prey, but the endeavor had failed, leaving them wounded instead.

When Lisa and Aisha returned to their territory, they were astonished to see the lion cubs devouring the carcass of a small wild dog.

Lisa and Aisha were utterly bewildered, unable to fathom what had happened. They had spent the entire day toiling away outside without capturing a single piece of prey.

Yet these little cubs had somehow managed to secure food—wasn't that bizarre?

On their way back, Lisa and Aisha had been lamenting that since their hunt had failed, the cubs would once again be forced to go hungry.

Imagine their surprise when they returned only to find their little ones happily feasting!

Stepping closer, Lisa and Aisha realized the prey was actually a small wild dog.

This deepened their confusion. They could not understand where the wild dog had come from, nor how these inexperienced cubs could possibly have hunted such an animal.

Seeing the two lionesses staring in profound perplexity at the carcass, Chu Ye deliberately walked over to Lisa and rubbed against her body.

Chu Ye wanted to let Lisa know that he had hunted this wild dog himself, specifically to avenge Fluffy.

Yet how could Lisa possibly comprehend Chu Ye's actions? She could never have imagined that this small wild dog had been hunted personally by Chu Ye, let alone that it was done out of vengeance for Fluffy.

Even so, Lisa knew that Chu Ye was the most formidable among the cubs. It was entirely possible for him to bring down a small wild dog on his own.

Of course, Lisa was not human and would not overthink the matter. Feeling Chu Ye nuzzling affectionately against her, she licked him a few times, as if acknowledging what he was trying to convey.

Indeed, Lisa knew that Chu Ye was no ordinary cub. He was the only one with the capability to hunt a small wild dog, as the other cubs lacked such skill.

Although the rest of the cubs knew Chu Ye had dragged the small wild dog back, they cared little for the details. As long as there was food to eat, it mattered not whether it had been provided by Chu Ye or the lionesses.

Though the two lionesses had failed in their hunt, they did not attempt to scavenge the remains of the small wild dog. After all, weighing only about ten pounds, the carcass was far too meager for two adult lionesses to bother fighting over.

Within moments, the eight cubs had stripped the small wild dog down to bare bones.

The lionesses refrained from stealing their children's food; going hungry for a little longer was of no consequence to them, for after a brief rest, they would likely have to set out hunting once again.

Chu Ye himself was not particularly hungry. After consuming a small amount of the wild dog meat, he stopped eating.

The other cubs, however, continued to squabble over the remaining morsels.

Yet the small wild dog was simply too tiny to satisfy them all.

Just as the cubs were finishing off the last remnants of the carcass, Zeke, the coalition male, returned from his patrol.

Zeke also bore a few wounds, likely the result of a skirmish with a rival male lion.

Upon his return, Zeke caught the scent of blood. Seeing the cubs finishing off the small wild dog, he strode over without the slightest hesitation to usurp his own offspring's food.

A male lion is hardly as accommodating as a lioness; he cares little whether the cubs are his own blood. If hunger strikes, he simply takes whatever food they have.

By that point, the carcass had already been reduced to mere scraps.

Even so, Zeke refused to let the children finish. He pushed his way through to snatch the scraps from them. In truth, let alone a carcass reduced to a few bones, even if the entire animal had been consumed by Zeke, it would have amounted to nothing more than a light snack—it was entirely impossible for him to be filled by it.

Regardless, such is the tyrannical nature of a male lion. He cares not whether his progeny have anything to eat; his own hunger always takes precedence.

Over the past couple of days, the lionesses had suffered continuous failures in their hunts, yet Zeke had never offered to assist his mates, confining his duties solely to territorial defense.

When the cubs saw the male lion moving in to confiscate their meal, they were understandably reluctant and even showed a brief flash of defiance toward their father. But Zeke felt no pity for them; he swept in and swallowed the meager remnants in a single gulp.

Zeke was indeed ravenous, having gone several days without a proper meal. Furthermore, his altercation with a nomad earlier that day had severely drained his energy. Feeling desperately hungry, he had been eager to consume whatever he could find.

The small wild dog's carcass was polished off by Zeke in the blink of an eye.

Though both lionesses were also desperately hungry, neither had stooped to robbing their own children, yet Zeke had done so deliberately. To Chu Ye, such behavior was utterly incomprehensible.

To the two lionesses, however, this appeared entirely normal. After all, within a pride, the male lion always held the privilege of eating first.

Although the lionesses felt a tinge of irritation at Zeke's actions, neither Lisa nor Aisha made any outward sign of protest, nor did they attempt to stop him.

In truth, a male lion taking a share of the children's food was hardly an egregious act, particularly during the dry season. In the animal kingdom during times of drought, any manner of harsh reality could unfold.

In the world of lions, adult cats not only preyed upon the cubs of rival species, but were fully capable of consuming their own biological offspring.

Thus, while Zeke's act of seizing the cubs' food might seem infuriating through the lens of human society, from the perspective of the lion world, it was entirely normal and far from excessive.

When male lions were driven by extreme hunger during the dry season, they were entirely capable of killing and eating their own young.

Therefore, although Zeke's behavior seemed deplorable at first glance, that was merely a human judgment. Viewed through the eyes of a lion, it was not the least bit unacceptable.