The lion looked up into those bloodthirsty eyes, full of malice, and knew he was going to die. He knew the attacker, It was Ashar, the fabled lion. He was a ruthless hunter, often killing other lions, but Ovo thought it was just a bedtime story meant to scare Cubs. Those vicious yellow eyes were no story, they were real. Ovo had seen his family murdered, even the Cubs, and now it was his time. Ashar lunged forward, snapping Ovo's neck. He looked down at the lion with the red tinted fur. 

"Pity, he would've made a valuable warrior," chuckled Ashar, before he called, "Zira, come! It is time to eat!" His mate bounded forward. She had olive fur, like Ashar did, and yellow eyes. Ashar had a black mane, and yellow eyes also. His teeth were permanently stained with blood, and his muzzle was coated in the stuff from his latest kills.

"A-another Pride taken down I see.." Mumbled Zira, staring sadly at the little cub, stomach ripped open. The female looked like the cub, with light yellow fur. The male had reddish fur. 

"Yes. No competition any more. Now either join me or guard." Ashar snarled. Zira hesitated. "Guard then. Go. NOW!!!" He roared. Zira bounded to the top of a nearby rock, looking away as Ashar buried his fangs into the bodies below.

"They're just lions like us..." Zira whispered to herself. She shuddered, hearing the ripping sounds below.

"Alright you pitiful coward, I'm done." Ashar sniffed. Zira jumped down, trying not to look at the bloodstained bones, or at Ashar, the fire still in his eyes. "Lead me to the river, I want to wash off." He commanded. Zira sighed, and inhaled deeply. She followed the scent and sound of water, and soon they arrived at the river. "You always did have good senses, mutt." Growled Ashar, wading in, clouds of red drifting off his fur. Compliment? Zira puzzled, before wading in beside her mate, avoiding the bloodied water. She swam to the other side in long powerful strokes. Zira spotted a flock of flamingos, and she crept up into the reeds, stalking towards the birds, who were ignorant of their pursuer. Zira pounced forward, claws outstretched, landing on ones back, killing it quickly, painlessly, and easily. The other ridiculous pink birds hastily scattered as Zira dragged her kill up onto dry land.

"That is how you catch prey," Zira muttered to herself, "not making them suffer. Not killing your own kind." She ravenously ate the bird, but she couldn't help thinking of the male lion as she looked at the red feathers on the flamingo. Zira growled and threw the rest of her prey into the river. Scowling, she padded back to Ashar. She gasped at what she saw. On the other side of the river, two hippopotamus were lumbering at Ashar, mouths wide open in defiance. Zira spotted a large slash on ones side.

"Idiot!" Zira cursed, before splashing into the water. Ashar was trying to fight and get away at the same time. He wanted to take them on, but his instincts knew he couldn't. Ashar ended up swimming into deeper waters. A hippo caught him, and threw him into the air, before the other one grabbed him in its mouth and dragged him underwater. Zira plunged her head beneath the waves, and soon spotted Ashar, bleeding, and thrashing, as the Hippos gored him. Zira lunged forward, grabbing onto one of the hippo's backs. She slashed unrelentingly, and the hippopotamus finally let go of her mate. Zira swam at him, lungs screaming. She grabbed his scruff and dragged him upwards. She felt her head break the surface, and she took a big gulp of air. She pulled his head above the water, and dragged him to shore. He wasn't breathing. Zira pushed down on his stomach. Ashar gasped as water flowed out of his mouth. He started taking deep breaths. Zira licked him, relieved, and turned to face the hippos. The one that Ashar had scratched bellowed, and charged forward. Zira was its new target. She tried to run one way, but the the second hippo blocked her. She was cornered. Her one way to escape was the river, but the beasts would overpower her easily. Zira looked into their beady black eyes dubiously, realizing that they weren't as stupid as she thought. Thinking quickly, she charged at the first one, jumping onto its broad head. As she was about to jump to freedom, the second one grabbed her in its huge jaws and slammed her to the ground. Zira roared in pain and fury as the second one lumbered at Ashar.

"Stop!" She cried, "he's defenseless!" She felt rage coursing through her veins as she raced after it, jumping into its back and raking her claws through its neck. It bellowed angrily, thrashing and throwing Zira off. She didn't give up, instead she charged at the creature again. It wasn't expecting this, and didn't have time to react as Zira jumped onto its face and gouged its eyes. It swung at her blindly, but Zira dodged, slamming into its side, tipping it over. Zira jumped for its stomach, but one of the flailing legs kicked her in the head. Zira slumped over, unchoncious. 

Ashar woke up to see, 1. A hippo on its back, 2. Another hippo trundling away, 3. His mate lying on the ground, a trickle of blood leaking out the side of her mouth. The hippo on its back managed to right itself, and turned to Zira, rearing up on its tiny hind legs, about to crash down on her with full force. Zira managed to creak open her eyes, and stared in horror at the beast towering above her. 

"ZIRA!!!!" Roared Ashar, running forward, but for the first time he realized he was injured. Just a slash down his side, but it slowed him down. Ashar tripped over a log and crashed to the ground. "ZIRA!!" The hippo slashed down, goreing Zira with its huge tusks. Ashar scrambled to his feet charging at the hippopotamus again, slicing down its side. He noticed a slash down its neck and back, and how it's eyes were bleeding. Ashar attacked blindly, a red haze filling his vision. When it cleared, the creature was on its side, dead. Ashar padded up to Zira, half submerged in the river, and tenderly dragged her up the shore. "Im so sorry," he whispered, "all of the names I called you, the things I've done to you." Ziras eyes fluttered open.

"There's a cub," she rasped, "in the cave by the waterfall.. She has white fur. Her name.. Her name is Cleo."

"Zira, I-"

"I hid her from you.. So you couldn't hurt her.." Zira coughed, "but now I see.. You can take care of her, Ashar, you're her father.."

"Zira no.."

"T-take care of- of her..." Ziras eyes closed. She gave one last breath, and then was still.