Pride of the Plains (2 page)

‘I'm sure I know your mother,' Challenger was saying persuasively. ‘Did she at one time have a slight limp?'

‘I don't know,' Moja answered. ‘I can't remember.'

‘Of course. You're very young.' Challenger squatted and looked at the cub directly. ‘That's why you must take shelter now while I begin the search.'

‘But—'

‘No “buts”,' Challenger insisted. ‘We can't go together now. We might miss each other in the dark. There's a good deep hole behind my rock where you can hide. You'll be quite safe in there. Are you still hungry?'

‘Yes. A little,' Moja admitted.

‘Good. I'll bring you back something in a little while. Something a bit fresher than those leavings you were sniffing at just now. Do you see that hole? You
go in there now' – he advanced on the cub who backed obediently – ‘and keep still and quiet, like your mother taught you, until I return.'

There was no arguing with this much larger animal who almost propelled Moja into the opening, forestalling any possible dissension by blocking the hole with his body. ‘Are you comfortable?' he asked.

‘Y-yes,' Moja answered in a small voice.

‘All right, then. You sit tight there. You don't want to go wandering off whilst I'm away because then I'd have to come and rescue you again, wouldn't I?'

This time Moja didn't answer. It all sounded reasonable enough but for some reason the cub felt threatened, rather than comforted, by these words.

Challenger waited a moment longer, his eyes unwavering as they met Moja's. Then he turned and ambled away. Moja breathed more freely, even as he realised that he was little more than a prisoner.

Moja's brother Mbili and sister Tatu, and his three cousins Nne, Tano and Sita, continually pestered their mothers about their missing sibling. Moja, the eldest of the cubs by a fraction, was their leader.

‘Why doesn't he come back?' Mbili asked Huru.

‘Won't you look for him again?' asked Tatu. ‘We miss him.'

‘Of course you do. And no more than I do myself,' their mother replied. ‘We've searched for him everywhere. I really don't know where else I can go. So I've asked your father to keep his eyes peeled when he's on his travels. Don't worry. I still feel we'll have Moja back with us soon.'

Kimya gave much the same answer to her cubs when they asked, although she was far less sure about Moja's reappearance. She told her mate, Battlescars's brother Blackmane, that she feared the worst. ‘A lone cub couldn't last long on the plains, could he?' she reasoned. ‘Even if the elephant didn't break every bone in his body.'

Blackmane sighed. ‘The longer he's absent the more likely it is that he's dead,' he agreed. ‘But my brother and I may find him on our journey to the larger pride. And we need to go soon.' He didn't add ‘before the females wander too far off' although that
was the purpose of their journey. The brothers still controlled two prides; for several seasons they had been supreme and had met with little resistance. Now as they grew older Battlescars and Blackmane found life more difficult. They were fully stretched. New challenges to their authority appeared with wearying regularity and they were only just able to hold on to their own.

Huru and Kimya were as loyal to their mates as they were to each other. Theirs was a tightly knit pride. The larger pride to the north had begun to unravel. It was older and comprised adult lions of varying ages as well as cubs. Some of the young males were ready to leave while the newly mature females were beginning to show interest in suitors who came from outside their territory. Such changes were in the nature of things: prides broke up, old leaders were toppled. Some prides re-formed, other new ones were created.

Challenger, the young male lion, was aware of all this and he had waited his chance. He knew it would come one day and now he thought he saw a way of making that day arrive. The sister lionesses Huru and Kimya were of special interest to him. On two previous occasions, with the help of his brothers, Challenger had aspired to overthrow the older males Battlescars and Blackmane. The trio had failed because of their youth and inexperience. Challenger's brothers, less bold than he, had come off worst in these encounters and had moved elsewhere. But Challenger hadn't given up and was as ambitious as ever. He kept his sights on the pride from a distance, patiently waiting for a time when the males made one of their periodic treks. Then he intended to steal in and claim one of the sisters for his own. He had the highest opinion
of himself and his abilities and reckoned the lioness would need little persuasion to join him.

And now he had an added inducement for the mother lion to stray. He knew where her missing cub was and he alone could take her to him. Moja was the perfect lure. With the cub safely stowed in a place of concealment the young male moved confidently through the darkness towards Huru and Kimya's territory. But he wasn't careless. He had learnt to use the utmost caution whilst he kept the pride in view. He reached a favourite look-out point and waited for daylight.

When dawn broke Challenger was alert at once, scanning the immediate prospect for the group of lions he had watched so regularly. They were very close and he quickly flattened himself against his rocky perch. Battlescars and Blackmane were both present, stretching lazily while some of the cubs played around them. Challenger yawned and backed away. His plan could wait. He had all the time in the world.

As he turned to head for his own base he remembered his promise to bring meat to Moja. A fat green lizard was just emerging into the sunlight from a fissure in the rock. Challenger trapped it with one paw and snapped it up. Then he set off quietly on his return journey.

Moja was eagerly awaiting his meal. He was very hungry indeed and had been looking out for Challenger since the first rays of daylight. He saw the young adult pacing towards him with the lizard clamped in his jaws and ran out to meet him.

‘Did you see them? Did you see them?' Moja cried as the lizard was deposited on the ground.

‘Eat first,' Challenger said.

Moja smelt the reptile's shiny skin. ‘This isn't meat,' he declared.

‘Of course it's meat! What do you think it is?'

‘I don't know.'

‘Taste it then. I've carried it all this way back for you.'

Moja took the prey gingerly between his teeth and bit. It
was
meat and it was still warm, but it tasted strange.

‘You'll get used to eating all kinds of things when you have to hunt for yourself,' Challenger told him.

Moja was reminded that at present he didn't because his mother hunted for him. ‘Did you see them?' he repeated as he chewed without much enjoyment.

Challenger considered while he licked a paw and drew it through his thickening mane. ‘Yes,' he said slowly. ‘I saw them. But it wouldn't be safe to take you yet. Your father would attack me.'

‘When do we go, then?' Moja asked with his mouth full.

‘At dusk. Or – or – a bit later,' Challenger replied airily. ‘And when you've eaten that you'd better go back into hiding.'

‘But I don't want to,' Moja protested. ‘It's dark and smelly and damp. And I want a drink.'

‘All right, you can drink. But after that …'

‘Where can I drink?' Moja asked.

‘Use your eyes,' Challenger grunted. ‘Plenty of puddles around.' He relented when he saw Moja's crestfallen face. The cub was pretty young to be searching on his own. ‘Follow me,' the older animal said more gently. ‘I'll find you some water.'

Moja didn't want to follow: he wanted to be alongside. He matched Challenger's pace by trotting two steps to the adult's one. Challenger glanced at him
from time to time from the corner of his eye. He noticed that the cub winced every so often. ‘Are you in pain?' he queried.

‘A few bruises, I think,' Moja panted. ‘The elephant hurled me.'

‘Yes, you told me. But you're a fine-looking cub,' the young male said in genuine admiration. ‘You're well filled out and sturdyish. Your coat's a picture. You've got strong shoulders and feet. You'll be a mighty hunter and fighter one day. And you've your mother to thank for your healthy looks.'

Moja was puzzled afresh. He didn't know what to make of this lion who seemed a bully one minute and a friendly older brother the next. Challenger sensibly took Moja to the nearest sheltered pool where, undisturbed, the cub was able to cool his thirst. Challenger drank next to him, keeping a watch for unwanted intruders all the while. Afterwards the lion made haste to lead the cub back to his den.

‘My turn to be hungry,' Challenger announced bluntly. ‘I need to catch something for myself.' He expected Moja to take the hint and hide himself obediently in the rocks.

But the cub said, ‘I'll come with you.'

‘Out of the question!' Challenger snapped. ‘I can't have you getting in the way when I'm stalking.'

‘I don't get in the way,' Moja asserted indignantly. ‘I'm used to following the adults when they hunt. All the cubs do. We're not babies any more.'

Challenger was adamant. ‘You'll stay here,' he insisted. ‘I want no distractions. Now, go on. Do as I say.'

Moja knew it was pointless to argue. He took himself back into the rocks but had already decided he would follow Challenger without the adult's knowledge.

‘As soon as he's far enough away not to notice,' Moja vowed to himself, ‘I'll go after him. I want some real meat. I bet he won't be catching those green things for his own meal.'

Once Challenger's back was turned Moja edged out of the hole and watched to see which direction the older male would take. Challenger strode ahead purposefully. He had no reason to suspect that Moja would disobey him. He didn't turn his head but broke into a swinging trot as he picked out his prey.

A mother gnu and her calf had distanced themselves from the main herd. The mother was completely absorbed in some choice new shoots of pasture in the wide green expanse of the plains and hadn't noticed that the rest of the group had moved further off. The calf stuck by her side and Challenger's steady, determined gaze focused itself on the little creature as he approached the pair. A pack of hunting dogs with their patchwork black, white and yellow coats, long legs and big erect ears were loitering nearby. Their hungry mouths gaped and drooled as they sized up their chances of intercepting the young lion and taking the calf from under his nose. Challenger knew they were there and that they were competitors. As he neared the unsuspecting mother and calf he slowed and dropped down to a stalking posture. Although he didn't for a moment lose sight of his target he was also keeping an eye on the dogs, who were milling about as though waiting
for their leader to make a dart. Moja, slinking forward in Challenger's wake, watched these competitors excitedly. He looked from them to the young lion and back again, thrilled to be a witness of this drama of rivalry. The dogs were aware of Moja too. An unprotected lion cub was a secondary target if the first one should prove unattainable.

Suddenly Challenger made his move. He had no choice. The dogs had sprung forward on impulse and the lion bounded across the uneven ground to head them off. At last the mother gnu realised her predicament. She began to run, her calf keeping level, but the pair had left flight too late. Challenger raced up and, with one hefty blow, knocked the calf sprawling on its back. The lion made sure of his prey, grabbing it by the throat and turning to face the rush of the dogs. The pack slid to a halt, yapping in frustration and trying to assess, even now, whether there was a chance they could rob the lion of his kill. Challenger dropped the dead calf and bared his teeth in a ferocious snarl, whipping out his claws and raking the air in an unmistakable warning. The dogs veered away, deciding the risk was greater than they were prepared to take. And now they sought compensation, loping swiftly round to where Moja was vainly trying to hide behind a decaying tree-stump.

Challenger began his meal but still kept one eye on the hunting dogs, whose behaviour he knew from experience was unpredictable. He saw the lion cub for the first time as Moja jumped up and began to run from his pursuers. His squeals for help were urgent, yet Challenger hesitated, loath to abandon a meal which could easily be stolen in his absence. However, he was unable to continue eating in comfort while he watched the dogs homing in for their own kill. In the long run Moja's value to him was
paramount. Challenger left the carcass and gave chase himself, roaring with all the bluster of which a healthy male lion is capable. As he did so, he realised he wanted to rescue Moja for another reason, too. The cub was one of his own kind, after all, and he didn't want to see him being savaged by a pack of dogs.

The hunters were intimidated by Challenger's charge, but only for a moment. They knew they could outrun him. And they were clever. Relinquishing the substitute prey they wheeled round, quickly aware that the dead gnu calf was now theirs for the taking. As Challenger panted to a stop by the frightened lion cub the leading dog snatched up the carcass by its head and started to drag it away. The other members of the pack snapped at the body until it was dropped and all the dogs lunged at it together, grabbing what mouthfuls they could.

‘You stupid little creature!' Challenger roared at Moja. ‘Where did you think you were going?'

‘I … I …' stammered Moja.

‘To your death, that's where you were going,' Challenger bellowed furiously. ‘What if I hadn't been here?' He spun round. ‘Look what you've done!' he spluttered. ‘You've lost me my kill! Those dogs'll—' He broke off, growling, and made a half-hearted run towards the pack. But he knew it was useless. They were easily able to evade him, gulping at their shares of the meat while they ran.