Pride of the Plains (12 page)

‘It's meat,' said Kimya. ‘That's what it is.'

‘What kind of meat?' Huru queried. It didn't resemble anything they had been used to.

‘Good meat,' said Mbili. ‘It smells good.'

The cubs' hunger was a constant worry to the sisters in their weakened state. Huru thought the smell was worth investigating. Perhaps there was carrion to be had if the hateful hyenas hadn't beaten them to it. Anyway, they couldn't afford to pass up this kind of chance. She looked at her sister. Kimya was drooling. Huru realised that her own mouth was running with water. Without another word she led the cubs away, Kimya in the rear this time.

It was a simple matter to follow their noses. The cubs tumbled over each other in their eagerness, the irksome flies forgotten for once. The pride began to see patches of grass that had been burnt by the fierce heat of the sun. In some places the ground smoked slightly. Tatu found a small snake, half in and half out of its burrow, which had been blackened by fire. It had been overtaken by flames before it could escape. There had been other deaths too. Slow-moving or otherwise vulnerable animals such as the lame or the very old had failed to survive the sporadic conflagrations. The lions saw a group of hyenas making a meal off one victim.

The smell of burnt meat was strong, but the fires seemed to have been selective in their choice of area. The burnt patches were confined to the places where shorter grasses had grown, and by no means all of these were affected. Some were small areas, some extensive. In a few spots flames still flickered, but the strong wind that had at first driven them had died away and all the small fires were burning themselves out. But there was a warning here for every inhabitant of the game park. Fire could strike again at any time.
The conditions were perfect. Abnormally high temperatures, dried-out vegetation; each day succeeding the one before without the slightest hint of any change to cooler or damper weather.

‘Be careful where you tread,' Huru cautioned the cubs. ‘Follow me exactly.' She threaded her way between the affected parts, feeling the ground anxiously with her paws and avoiding black or ashy tracts. The heat from the latter was severe. Eventually she found some meat. A full-grown gnu that had been unable to keep up with its departing herd had got caught in some thick thorn scrub which had been surrounded by various small fires. Huru found a way in to the prey and the trapped animal's misery was soon ended. With Kimya's help the lioness dragged the carcass clear and the pride settled down to eat.

When appetites were satisfied the sisters had time to reflect on what they had seen around them. The cubs were sleepy and lay down near their mothers to be licked clean. Huru and Kimya looked at the scorched landscape.

‘This is the start of something, isn't it?' Kimya suggested.

‘I think so,' Huru replied. ‘All the signs are that we're in for a very dangerous time. We should keep the cubs around us always.'

‘Yes. They mustn't wander.'

Huru was thinking of Moja and Battlescars. The sisters had no idea what had happened since the confrontation with the other lions. Now the threat of fire was an additional worry. Her thoughts were interrupted.

‘Did you notice, sister,' Kimya was saying, ‘there were no flies around this animal?' She meant the gnu.

‘No, it didn't occur to me. But, now you mention it, I can see there are fewer flies round here
altogether. They must be affected by fire the same as the rest of us.'

‘Perhaps fire does bring some benefits, then.'

‘I wish it would bring Moja and old Battlescars back to us,' said Huru.

There had been outbreaks of fire near fig tree rock too. Moja and his father had watched them from their makeshift den. Pembe had moved closer to the rock as the fires became more prevalent. And the honey badgers wondered yet again whether to move their quarters in the face of another potential danger.

‘Difficult to see where else we could go that would be any better,' said Ratel.

‘Somewhere without lions, at least,' Clicker suggested. ‘That big male was sniffing around our entrance hole again last night. If he could get in here, he would. The goshawk was bad enough but we did know it couldn't eat
us.
'

‘I know, I know,' Ratel agreed. ‘The lion cub told me he was urging his father to move. Now there's the threat of burning, I think he may be successful. Why would he want to stay?'

Moja found some fire victims in the bush and told Battlescars about them. ‘I ate what I needed,' he said. ‘Why don't you fill your own stomach while there's a chance?'

‘You know I don't leave this place except when it's dark,' Moja was reminded.

‘But you're all but healed now,' the cub pointed out. ‘And there were scarcely any flies where I went.'

‘Is that so?' Battlescars pricked up his ears. ‘I yearn for a proper feed, I must say.'

‘Well, don't delay. There must be many hungry mouths like yours. The meat won't lie about for long, that's for sure.'

Battlescars got to his feet. His stomach rumbled in anticipation. ‘I'll go with you,' he decided. ‘Take me to it.'

Moja regretted the need to make another journey. He was tired. But he wanted his father to move away from the rocky shelter permanently, and he thought the reduction in insect numbers would be a good incentive. When they reached the place where Moja had fed there was little left of the remains. Battlescars grumbled but realised it was inevitable.

‘The woodland pride,' he surmised in a mutter to himself, ‘if they've still got the strength to eat.' He took what scraps there were and then wandered about in a search for more. Thinking about rivals led him to thoughts of his own pride. For a long time the lionesses and the other cubs had hardly been in his mind. He had been preoccupied with his own discomfort. Now at last the veil of self-absorption was lifting.

‘Moja!' he called to his faithful son. ‘You were right! I can live with this. We should bring the others back here; give them some relief too. We can make it our base. The woodland pride won't interfere with us.' He found some meat that had been overlooked and munched it contentedly.

Moja said, ‘What about the fires? There may be more.'

Battlescars glanced around at the blackened areas. ‘No fires now,' he grunted. ‘Besides, it may be worse elsewhere.' He finished his meal. ‘Let's drink,' he said. ‘And then we'll find our pride.'

Moja sighed with relief. He longed to get away from this place and he was confident that Huru and Kimya would have no desire to return to fig tree rock.

In the dregs of the marsh area Moja and Battlescars came across Pembe, trying to cool himself. There
was little water here but there was enough to drink. Battlescars paid little attention to the young rhino but Moja wanted to tell him his news.

‘My father wants to collect the rest of the pride and bring them back here,' he explained. Battlescars was far enough from them for Moja to add, ‘But I don't think he's strong enough. So we may not see each other for a while.'

Pembe snorted as he finished his drink. ‘I wish you well wherever you are,' he said. ‘I'll probably remain hereabouts. At least I know I can satisfy my thirst.'

‘Yes. That's good,' Moja said. ‘I don't think we've seen the last of the fires. It's as dry as dust everywhere. You can almost sense there's more to come.'

‘Well, whether there is or not,' said Pembe, ‘there's nothing we can do about it.' He bent his horned head to Moja's level. ‘Whatever happens, take care,' he added feelingly.

‘I will,' Moja answered. ‘You must too.'

Battlescars was ready to move. The two young animals parted and the lions continued their journey. After a while Moja looked back. Pembe was watching him wistfully. He seemed so alone. Moja tried to shake the idea away. He had to think of his family first.

As they trudged over the sun-baked ground with its sparse, brittle vegetation Battlescars and Moja found evidence of fire everywhere. Smoke, ash and embers could be seen all around in scorched pockets of landscape. Far from there being a prospect of a respite from the merciless sun, it seemed to the lions to be hotter than ever. Battlescars's head sank lower and lower as they plodded into the endless glare. There was no breeze of any kind. The stillness all around was uncanny. There was hardly a sound from beast or bird. It was as though the entire game park, together with its occupants, was holding its breath while it
waited helplessly for Nature to decide its fate. Moja kept behind his father, glad of the morsel of protection provided by Battlescars's body. The old male's pace became slower and slower. Just as he had decided to slump down in the first patch of shade they came to he saw Huru padding towards him. She had seen him and their cub from a distance.

Battlescars stood still as Huru greeted him, butting him and rubbing her head against his, her body brushing against his flanks. He responded gladly and then it was Moja's turn. The cub was delighted to see his mother and closed his eyes in sheer pleasure as she licked him lovingly.

‘We hoped you would come,' she purred. ‘We should be together at a time like this.'

‘Yes,' Battlescars replied. ‘That's why we're here.'

Minutes later the pride was complete again. They examined one another, sad to see the signs of their recent ordeal on each other. They told their stories and together they found a piece of shade where they lay down in a cluster. Moja was surrounded by his brother and sister and cousins. They made more of him than the big male.

‘Later, when it's cooled off, I'll take you back,' Battlescars told them. ‘Darkness is kinder to us all.'

‘Back? Back to what?' the cubs asked their mothers.

It was Moja who answered them. ‘He means back to the rocks.'

‘I'm not moving anywhere,' Kimya said distinctly. ‘And neither are my cubs.'

‘No,' Huru agreed, but with some reluctance. ‘There's no need, Battlescars.'

‘There
is
need,' he insisted. ‘I prefer it and it's much more comfortable. There are far fewer flies and—'

‘There are fewer here too,' Kimya interrupted. She
was angry. ‘You didn't worry about us when you were skulking in the rocks and we managed without you. We can do so again.'

There was silence for a long moment. The cubs wondered how the old male would react. But Battlescars no longer enjoyed the supreme dominance over other lions, male and female, he once had done. He knew he couldn't enforce his ideas. Before he could answer Huru tried to smooth his way.

‘We really didn't gain anything by making the trek there before, did we?' she suggested. ‘We're all too tired to make it again, especially since we'd gain nothing by it. We should keep together now. That means staying here on the plains.'

Battlescars had already noticed how scanty the flies had become here too. ‘Very well,' he said graciously. ‘The last thing I want is to see the pride broken up again.'

Kimya looked at Huru appreciatively but with some envy. She had to accept Huru's greater influence with the big male.

The major part of the day had gone. The pride dozed. Then suddenly all the lions were wide awake. A sharp
crack
like gunshot had them all scrambling to their feet. In the distance they saw a deep glow of red. Though they couldn't see smoke, the smell of it was in their nostrils. A bigger, hungrier fire was approaching, snapping off small trees as it advanced across the already scorched ground. A rustle, a hiss, the sigh of grasses engulfed by flame were distinctly audible.

Battlescars said, ‘Now, if we're to save our skins, we have a trek to make whether we like it or not.'

The question was, where to go for safety? It was difficult to see from which direction the fire was approaching. The cubs were frightened and their instinct was to run instantly. The adults managed to calm them. Battlescars still thought the best plan was to make for the rocky shelter.

‘How do we know there isn't fire over there?' Kimya asked tensely.

‘We don't, but we have to move somewhere. Look!' Battlescars saw how the fire was driving animals before it. On all sides groups of gazelles, topis and other smaller mammals such as hares, mongooses, porcupines and a lone warthog were running blindly as the
whoosh
of the flames sounded at their backs. The lions saw their eyes were wide with terror and this communicated itself to them. They broke into a run. Huru and Kimya tried to keep the cubs together. A leopard with her own cub bounded past them and the noise of the fire increased. A savage crackling as the flames consumed everything in their path grew steadily louder. Animal cries and the screeches of birds were added to the din and now smoke came billowing on a current of air impelled by the fire. Huru darted a glance behind. She was in the rear of the pride and, ahead of the intensifying red glow,
she saw another male lion galloping towards her. She recognised him at once as the brave young lion who had challenged Battlescars.

Challenger was able to run faster than the lionesses, who were impeded by their need to care for the cubs. He caught Huru up and panted hoarsely, ‘It's all around! The whole area is in flames. Run for your lives!'

The dark sky was illuminated by fireglow, a lurid light that made familiar objects look unreal. The game park's inhabitants were in a panic. Some ran one way only to find flames there before them. Then, doubling back, turning, twisting, they tried to find a way through to safety elsewhere. The lions heard the desperate trumpeting of elephants, the yelling of hyenas and alarm cries of baboons. All were caught up in a mad rush to escape but most animals ran without thought, crossing and criss-crossing the ground, unable to reason or see ahead.

The flames, finding no barrier, accelerated. Slower beasts were caught in the fire's cruel embrace before they knew it was upon them. Battlescars was tiring. He began to drop back as Huru, Kimya and the cubs increased their speed. Moja tried to keep his father in view, but it was difficult to turn his head as he ran and each time he did manage to look Battlescars was even farther behind. The old lion urged him not to hesitate, panting, ‘Go on, son. Save yourself. I'll catch you up later.'