The sky was very dark. And it carried a different gloom this time. Ahiira was holding a prey in mouth and she look up to the sky.
The lightning flashes again.
The rain was painful even against her fur. She had to go back to her nest fast.
In order to reach her nest, she had to follow the river, leading to a rock formation.
The rain made the river strong and rushing.
All the scents was drained away. As she was walking home, a very faint smell caught her nose.
She would not be able to notice Oscar who was filled with mud. She hesitated.
But look away again.
Oscar was overthrown. Its not a rare incident, but it was still surprising to see the powerful king into this state.
Its the law of the animal world. She prepared to leave, but oscar suddenly moved a paw. And slightly opened his eyes. Before closing them again weakly.
Ahiira watch him for a moment. But still turn back and continued walking to her nest.
If he survived the night...
🍖
He better be dead.
Oscar dragged his body from the river and rested under a boulder. His body is full of mud, and his legs are lame. If he cant hunt, then he will die.
Its better to die than suffer this torment and wait for the day he starve to death.
There is still one problem, the preys are already crossing the river. Less prey will be in this area and it will be difficult to hunt.
How can he live?
Oscar closed his eyes again and fell asleep. He was awoken by his growling stomach and the smell of a bloody prey nearby.
When he opened his eyes, a dead half body of a gazelle was sitting right infront of his face.
Looking at it in bewilderment, he look around. There was a faint smell of scent he never smell before.
But why give him this?
He smelled it, and still find it fresh. Driven by hunger, he bit into the gazelle and ate what it can offer.
Ahiira watch the unsuspecting lion eating crazed. Giving a prey to an enemy? How could she be stupid? But there was something telling her it was a right thing to do.
She left immediately, and decided to hunt more.
She did not know why she suddenly had the responsibility of a mother thinking of a cub to feed.
The preys are getting less in number. And maybe in a few days she will also cross the river, even if she put effort in hunting and giving it to oscar, he would still die if the day comes that she will leave.
All her efforts will go to waste,.. But why is it that she had no qualms in doing this?
For two days, ahiira will hunt, eat and refill her energy. Then leave the left over to oscar. Then go back to hunt again.
Giving Oscar enough time to fill his energy and regain a bit of his strength. Even when he regained enough energy to stand, the prey never stop coming.
And tonight, oscar want to meet his saviour. He laid on the floor.. And heard the nimble and cautious footsteps nearing him.
The smell.. Yes it is indeed his savior.
All the prey's given to him are mostly fresh left overs, the smell of the predator was already marked in his brain. He waited for his savior to drop the prey on the ground, he didnt open his eyes. But his ears moved in the darkness.
As the footsteps turn to leave, making sure that his savior is a little distance away, Oscar opened his eyes.
The moon was bright silver tonight. And the light reflected the small white familiar figure walking away.
Oscar followed the cheetah with his gaze. And his tail unknown by him, made a gentle sway.
🍖
It was another day of hunting, ahiira noticed the fewer preys in the vicinity. And most of them are old and weak.
But she couldnt hunt them for obvious reasons that she lack strength and body size.
She had no choice but to cross the river soon. The heat was again deadly today, it makes her body weak and her throat dry.
She had to find a puddle to drink.
Its always easy to find puddles, if she can follow herbivores in group going in one direction.
She followed the group of gazelles, and finally found a puddle. She drag her heavy body to get closer.
The herbivores naturally made a way for her.
"We have to cross the river soon"
The wildebeest in groups likes to talk and gossip. "The crocodiles will be a big problem in crossing"
Ahiira look up, and knew that the wildebeest is right.
Crocodiles are hard to detect in the murky water. The best chance of survival is to cross the river in groups.
She had to go sooner than expected. Ahiira was lost in thought she didnt notice the group of giants walking closer to the puddle.
Elephants are extremely territorial when it comes to water. Specially in this drought, they can even became crazy just to fend of other animals that was close to the remaining water.
PFFFUUUUUU!!
The thundering sound almost exploded her brain. And the shadow of the big paw stepping on her made her fur stand on end as she escape with her life.
The big feet hit the land with a thump. But the attack did not cease, they just became crazier.
The herd of elephants drove away the other animals also. Thumping their massive feet on the ground ,until dust flew.
Ahiira felt like an ant that was about to be crushed at any moment.
She suddenly stumbled, and lost her balance. She watch as the impending doom, the elephants feet came down to her, she knew what will happen to her with that massive weight.
But before she could feel the pain, someone unexpectedly came to her rescue.
A big figure flashed and caught her before she became a minced meat. The big mouth held her nape like how a mother would treat its cub, and expertly avoided the big feet.
"Oscar!" shava is the queen of all elephants in savannah. The matriarch of the biggest group of elephants. "You are still alive.."
"My brothers is not enough to kill me shava" oscar put down the cheetah gently beside him.
Shava is intelligent, but she still cant find the reason why oscar would save an enemy.
She eyed oscar, then turned with a humph. "Leave now and take that cheetah with you, i wont share the puddle."
Ahiira watch them in silence. She slowly got to her feet. And glanced at the dark maned lion. "Thank you.." she prepared her self to run.
Sneaking with her tail in between her legs. But before she could make a move. Oscar unexpectedly used his paws to grab her tail and pin it on the ground with his weight.
Then he used his mouth to gently cover her neck and drag her into his nest.
"Wait! This is a misunderstanding!" the sharp teeth on her neck made ahiira shiver in fear. As if at any moment those teeth would sank in her neck.
Oscar let the cheetah struggle in his mouth. When he reached his temporary nest. He put her down in the ground.
The cheetah curled into a small ball and watch him with vigilance.
Oscar also laid on the ground, putting his huge body to block the entrance and watch her with burning gaze.
