Ch 4 Shadows in The Dark

Shadows in The Dark



A month had passed, marking the height of hunting season on the Savannah. The pride thrived, their bellies satisfied and their clan in good health. The bounty of life led to numerous births, and for the White mane pride, harmony reigned in their spirits. Zarda and his siblings had also matured. He and his brother Meeku now sported a thicker mane framing their faces. While it wasn't as impressive as those worn by the older lions, it was starting to develop, with tufts sprouting around his ears and chin.

His sister's freckles had vanished, and they now resembled elegant young felines. King Ezekiel's sons had finally outgrown his pride and set off into distant lands in search of bachelorhood. Most of them would stick together as a pack until the mating season arrived, at which point it would be every lion for himself. It wouldn't be long before they too would find a mate and establish their own pride to lead and govern. They would always remain steadfast allies of their father's pride, but they would never join them again unless they were willing to face death.

It was late evening, and Zarda had just finished a delicious meal of Greater kudu, a sizable antelope found in Africa's wildlife. It was always a delight when the pride successfully hunted larger game; the bigger the animal, the more meat there was, ensuring the pride was well-fed. However, with these advantages came the challenges of survival, including dealing with troublesome rivals like hyenas, scavengers such as vultures, and packs of African wild dogs. They weren't afraid of the hyenas; rather, they found their lack of table manners quite irritating. Zarda was indifferent to the situation and wandered off, a habit he'd developed recently. With a bit more age came a sense of bravery, and he felt free of worries and fears as he set out on his own. Meanwhile, Meeku was sprawled on his back, grooming his paws, when he noticed his brother leaving.

"Wonder where he's headed?" Meeku murmured to himself. He turned over and stealthily followed Zarda, being careful not to reveal his presence.

Zarda wandered aimlessly along a well-trodden path, his pride swelling as he ventured into the open plains. His gaze swept across the horizon, searching for any excitement he could uncover. A locust hunt was on his mind, and those were easy to come by in this area. Before long, Zarda stumbled upon a unique creature he had never encountered before. He halted in his tracks, unaware that his brother was mimicking his every move from a distance. The creature was brown, sporting warts on its face, and its body was covered in hair that resembled thin grass or tiny spikes. He wondered if it was sharp like a porcupine. He did not want to find out, but the creature was too interesting to move on. He sat down on his haunches and observed a little while longer. The animal's nose was turned up and flat, not like his own. It nudged the ground and made a funny grunting noise as it moved.

Instead of paws, it had hooves, and two sharp white spears protruded from its mouth, flanking its nose. The creature spotted Zarda observing him but appeared unconcerned. It continued its foraging for delectable grubs with a nonchalant air.

Zarda pondered whether he could communicate with the creature mentally, as he did with his pride. They rarely used their voices, relying instead on hisses, growls, snarls, or chirps. He only uttered spoken words telepathically to his family and to the creator. He paused, suddenly aware that he hadn't heard from the creator since their last conversation. It had indeed been quite a long time since then. Zarda wondered if he could actually reach out again or if those abilities had only been present when he was a newborn. He brushed the thought away, deciding it wasn't important right now. His curiosity about whether this strange creature could hear him was far too strong. Zarda quieted his mind and directed all his energy towards the unusual being.    

 "Hello, creature, do not be afraid," he said, echoing the creator's words as he had during their initial encounter.

Zarda considered that this might be the proper way to introduce oneself to others. The creature paused in its exploration of the ground and gazed up at Zarda with a curious expression.                                                     

"What? Who are you? How am I hearing your voice at this moment?" the animal replied, somewhat bewildered. Zarda grinned widely, filled with excitement that it had actually succeeded.

"I'm not entirely certain how you can hear me, but I'm glad you can. My name is Zarda, and I'm a lion cub—a prince of the White mane Tribe," Zarda responded.

The tiny creature snorted and returned the smile. "Pleased to meet you, Zelda. I'm Purk, an African warthog. My parents are just beyond that shrub over there. I'm also a prince—of the Kingdom of Hog Hill. I've never encountered another prince, or a lion for that matter," Purk said with excitement.

Zarda observed Purk still directing his snout to the right, gazing longingly at his home. Amused by this peculiar behavior, Zarda burst into laughter at the fact the warthog said his name incorrectly.

"No, no. I'm Zarda, not Zelda, but that's a close guess. I also didn't realize there were other princes in the Savannah."

Zarda was delighted to have encountered a new animal—a warthog. Out of all the creatures he could have met, this one intrigued him the most. He had never encountered such a creature before, and he thought perhaps his mother could tell him more about it later.

Zarda was intrigued and asked, "Are your kind friendly? Aldo, do you have any siblings like me?"

Purk grinned and flicked his slender tail back and forth. "Absolutely! There's no reason for us to be hostile unless your kind is trying to eat us. As for my family, I have twelve siblings. I'm the eldest son out of thirteen, followed by all my brothers and sisters. Their names are Vashti (Va-stee), Unik (eunuch), Atti (awe-tee), Morris, Crank, Tusk, Eneema (aw-knee-ma), Pike, Durk, Trot, Havana, and Mills," Purk replied.

Zarda was amazed by the number of members in his family. He realized that Purks clan must be quite large. He replied back, "I have two sisters, Zaza and Teek, and one brother named Meeku."

Purk caught his words but shot a glare beyond Zarda, towards something behind him. "Are you talking about him?" Purk inquired.

Zarda felt a moment of confusion initially, but then turned to follow Purk's line of sight. It dawned on him that it was his brother, Meeku he was referring to. Zarda felt a mix of embarrassment and slight anger as he hurried over to his brother.

"Meeku, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Meeku recoiled at his brother's approach. "I was just about to ask you the same question. Do you come here every day? Is this how you choose to spend your time, chatting with those goblin-like creatures known as warthogs?" he said, his tone quite rude, as he wrinkled his nose in distaste.

Zarda sharply swatted his brother's left ear with his paw. Delving deep into his thoughts, he communicated sternly with Meeku in a way that Purk couldn't overhear. Whatever Zarda conveyed made Meeku instantly straighten his expression and settle down on his haunches.

"I'm sorry, Zarda, for my rude comments about your new friend," Meeku said, feeling ashamed.

They all agreed that he would stop teasing Zarda's new friend. The trio spent the remainder of the evening talking, exploring, and enjoying themselves in the vicinity. As daylight faded and the moon hung like a bright yellow haze, they began to hear their mother's thoughts summoning them. The three friends bid each other farewell and went their separate ways. Zarda reflected on what a wonderful day it had been. He was eagerly anticipating their next get-together, hoping that Zarda would choose to go out for a visit. Meeku was grateful he had decided to follow his big brother and wished that Zarda would think about inviting him to join them again next time. Zarda had the chance to ponder this idea as he prepared for a long night's sleep. As the two cubs made their way home, they noticed the hunting pack assembling once more for an evening raid on the eastern plains. News had spread that the wildebeest were on the move, and everyone wanted to seize the chance for an easy meal. The only problem was that the crocodiles had caught wind of the situation too and were preparing to partake in the riverside feast.

Queen Saharrah looked fondly at her cubs, softly licking the tops of their heads. She led them to their babysitters for the evening. Although they were a bit older now, they still needed some level of supervision. Zarda's sisters, Zaza and Teek, were already snuggled up and fast asleep. Nearby, other cubs huddled close to their two lioness mothers, Mara and Demvi.

It had been a hectic day, and the two boys were exhausted. They discovered a cozy spot beneath the drooping branches of an Acacia tree and nestled together back-to-back. As Zarda drifted off to sleep, he found himself in dreamland, where he envisioned Purk and Meeku enjoying their playful day at the watering hole. What exciting adventures might await Zarda and his new friend tomorrow? He wished the night would pass quickly for both cubs, who were equally filled with anticipation.

The wonderful thing about Purk was that he wasn't at all concerned about Zarda being a lion, or so white, unlike his brother, who naturally had a golden complexion. Purk was completely unfazed by the fact that his new friend occasionally had his kind on the dinner menu. Zarda vowed to both him and Purk that he would never eat another warthog for the rest of his life; instead, he would protect them.

The pack returned two hours later; their mouths full of rich wildebeest meat. The hunt had been both fruitful and satisfying for the Pride. The lioness queen pulled some of her trophies back to the thicket, tucking them away in a prickly bush where they typically stored their food overnight. She rearranged nearby rocks to contain the enticing aroma, preventing it from wafting through the air. Tired as always but thoroughly satisfied, King Ezekiel ordered the young male lions who had recently risen in rank to keep vigil alongside him throughout the night. Meanwhile, the lionesses settled into cozy nooks and quickly drifted off to sleep. The night sky was devoid of clouds and illuminated by countless twinkling stars. King Ezekiel inhaled deeply, then exhaled as he settled onto his familiar rock overlooking the pride, gazing into the cosmos. Perched high above, he had a clear view of all his Tribe members and any potential adversaries approaching in the distance.

The serene stillness of the night was punctuated only by the distant laughter of hyenas and the soothing chirping of crickets. From a nearby dead tree, a gentle hoot from an eagle owl caught the King's attention to his right. He spotted movement beneath the tree where the owl was perched, something unsettling shifting through the bushes. His eyes focused intently on the shadows. Dark figures lingered silently nearby. Rising to his paws, he let out a powerful roar, rousing his pride to alertness. An uneasy feeling washed over him; he had no idea who—or what—was watching them. He felt a wave of gratitude toward the eagle owl for its warning. The King's male warriors swiftly formed a line, standing shoulder to shoulder and growling into the darkness. Meanwhile, Queen Saharrah directed Mara and Dimvi to take the cubs underground for safety. They concealed them beneath Pride Rock, where the King stood tall. Nestled inside was a small cave, just large enough to accommodate the cubs and two lionesses. The other lionesses took their positions alongside the warriors, all prepared for battle. However, they hoped it wouldn't come to that. In his mind, King Ezekiel summoned commands for his most trusted warriors, Slash and Razor.

"Slash, Razor, check the area around the bush. Try to catch a whiff of the shadowy figures lurking nearby. Find out who's watching us in the dark. Be ready to defend yourselves—we'll have your backs the whole way. We can't allow any enemies to penetrate our defenses. We'll fight, if necessary," commanded King Ezekiel.

The two warriors exchanged a nod of understanding. Once their orders were issued, they charged forth to confront the imminent peril. Their lives were wholly devoted to their King and his realm. Whatever threats lay hidden in the darkness, they stood ready to confront it.