Pride of the Plains Read Online Free Page A

were splashing in and out of the pool, reckless of any danger as they played.
    â€˜Come on, sister,’ Huru urged her. ‘It’s not safe here. We both know what a determined male is capable of.’
    â€˜Wouldn’t you like to be sure who it is who’s so interested in us?’ Kimya asked artlessly.
    â€˜We’ll find out soon enough,’ Huru growled, and began to move off. She nudged Mbili and Tatu, calling them away from their games. The other cubs followed instinctively and finally Kimya turned and, with a final long glance at the half-hidden male, brought up the rear.
    Challenger remained where he was for a while, still expecting Battlescars and Blackmane to show up. But as time went on he at last began to suspect that, quite by chance, he had discovered the lionesses alone. He pulled himself from his screen and padded, cautiously as always, after them. He paced alongside the pool, his eyes raking the more open country beyond for sight of the two proud sisters he so much admired.
    And there they were with their cubs running between them, just breasting the last of a patch of scrub. Challenger checked his immediate surroundings, then broke into a trot. Almost as he did so he heard the first roars of the males who had tricked him. Crashing through the undergrowth skirting the pool, Battlescars and Blackmane leapt on the astonished Challenger from behind, their claws and teeth digging deep into his hide. A din of roaring from all three lions made Huru and Kimya pause and look back. They saw Challenger on his back, fighting furiously for survival, kicking out viciously with his feet at the exposed undersides of his assailants. Blackmane was torn and lost his grip on the younger lion, but Battlescars continued to deal savage bites on his opponent. He aimed a lunge at the throat area which would have been fatal had it connected. But Challenger twisted free and battled hard, knowing his life was at stake. The lionesses hurried away, driving the cubs before them, and were soon out of sight.
    Gasping in agony, Blackmane limped off to tend his wounds. He was badly ripped; blood flowed from several gashes along his chest and belly. With him out of the picture Challenger and Battlescars fought a straightforward contest for supremacy, and eventually Battlescars’s greater strength and experience began to tell. The younger lion’s resistance wavered until finally, severely mauled, he managed to wriggle clear and stagger away. Completely exhausted, Battlescars was incapable of following up his advantage by pursuing Challenger and killing him. He stood on quivering legs, heaving great lungfuls of air, his eyes so dulled by his exertions that he could scarcely make out the direction of Challenger’s retreat.
    When he had recovered his breath, he moved unsteadily towards his brother and slumped alongside him. ‘The youngster’s beaten,’ he murmured.
    â€˜But at what cost?’ Blackmane croaked. ‘Look at me. Now you must travel on alone.’
    â€˜Never!’ Battlescars declared. ‘I’ll wait for you to recover, brother. How could I leave you?’
    â€˜You must,’ Blackmane insisted hoarsely. ‘I shall never move from here. I’ve no strength left.’
    With a heavy heart, Battlescars acknowledged the truth of his brother’s words. Blackmane’s wounds were terrible; Challenger had dealt him his death blow. ‘I shall stay with you none the less,’ he said compassionately. ‘Until … ’
    â€˜Until I tell you to go,’ Blackmane forced himself to say. ‘And I do tell you. Go, brother. Find our other pride and see that all’s well. I ask for nothing else.’
    Battlescars sighed. ‘So be it,’ he replied sadly.
    Challenger, meanwhile, had disappeared. The young lion had reached the shelter of the bush at the edge of the waterhole and collapsed. There was noway he could get back to his old den and he