Kopa

Flash back...

I skip happily through the jungle with Tambo behind me.

"Kopa, where are we going now?" He asks.

I smile. "You'll see."

"We are getting kinda far from home. Don't you think?"

"Oh stop your worrying Tambo! I know the way back home. We're going to be fine trust me."

I continue leading the way. After a few more minutes of walking...

"We're here!" I beamed.

"Um Kopa, what exactly is this place?" Tambo asks, looking around.

"I don't know. But it looks fun! I didn't want to explore it alone, that's why I brought you here."

"I don't know Kopa. My tail is twitching and you know what that means when it twitches!"

I roll my eyes. "Yes. Your tail only twitches weirdly when you sense danger. Does anything here looks dangerous to you?"

"Yeah-"

"No? Like I thought."

Tambo frowns. I chuckle and playfully punch his shoulder.

"Come on dude, have some fun for once instead of pretending to be my mom."

"I am not!"

"Sureeee." I say teasing, while walking away.

Not paying any attention on what's below, my right paw got caught in something and had sent me flying high up in the air.

"KOPA!" Tambo yells.

"Agh! What the?"

I'm dangling upside down from a tree. My right paw is tangled in some type of vine-like material except it's rough and got a good tight grip. My furry risk is turning red and it hurts badly. I roar in pain.

"Tambo, help! Get me down from here." I say.

"I don't know Kopa, I'll try. Your so high up there." Tambo said. "Hmmm what to do?"

I start gnawing on the material, but it's too strong to break through. Each time I try to move my paw around the pain shots right back.

"Arghhhh!!"

Then there was a loud rustle sound coming from the large bushes.

"Someone is coming. Tambo, quick hide!" I warn.

Tambo quickly did as told. Two tall figures came out of the bushes with black pointy objects in their hands.

Hunters...

I wiggle around trying to free myself, but of course it was nothing but a failure. One of the figures walk up close. I growl and bravely swipe my left paw that's not caught in the vine-like material at them.

The figure laughed at me.

What's the joke?

"He's going to make us millions of bucks!" It said. "Grab and take him to the truck quick before the adults get here."

"Tambo!" I cry out.

No response.

Where did he go?

"Tambo!!"

The second tall figure came up closer with an different small object in his hand. He loose the vine-like material from off my paw. The other tall figure stuck me with a long prick thingy. It cause for my vision to blur.

Then it was black out....

"Sit him here." A voice said.

THUD!!

I blink my eyes open.

Where am I?

I stand up and look around.

Where's home?

Where's Tambo??

"Tambo?" I call.

I shake my head and back up. My back hit against something cold and hard. I turn around seeing three metal bars.

No...

I'm in a cage!

The humans had took me some place far; far away from the jungle.

"...Mom..."

I sat down and cry. I have no idea what's about to happen to me now. Will I die or survive? Am I alone??

"Don't cry little one..." Said a sweet-tone voice.

I sniff. "Who said that?"

"Look to your right."

I look to my right and see another metal cage. A tigress is laying down inside. With her she has two cubs.

"Miss, can you please tell me where I am?" I ask, walking near her cage.

"Sweetie, you've been transported to an animal sanctuary."

"An animal who?"

She chuckled. "Animal sanctuary. It's where animals are brought here to be protected for the rest of their lives."

I shake my head again. My eyes began to water. "No. This must of been a mistake. I want my mom!"

The tigress cubs begin to whine. She lick their heads to calm them.

"Young one, where are you from?" She asks me.

"Africa, in a tropical jungle."

"Mmmh. Your not so far from home. We came all the way from India..."

India?

"Wow." I say, surprised.

"We're still in Africa. Just another spot that's all..."

"Oh."

"The humans are still picking up more animals. But for us, this is our final stop. I heard one of them say we're going to be release out now."

"Release where to?"

A human walks up to the tigress cage. "Alright pretty lady, time to finally leave the cage. You've come a long way!"

The tigress stands up. The cage slowly opens. She runs out happily with her two cubs behind her.

"Fresh air, freedom!" The tigress shouts, smiling.

The human looks at me next. It picks up my cage, carrying me away from the tigress family.

No, wait!

I start panicking.

"Relax buddy, your going to be out too. I'm taking you to your new home!" The human said.

The human sat me down again. This place is more open. It has tall grass with extra trees and less rocks. I can smell ten different scents. Other lions are here.

"Welcome to your new home, little guy!" The human smiled.

The cage opens. I run out like the wind into the tall grass disappearing.

Now to get back home!

I continue running, my paws barely hitting the ground.

Which way home?

Not paying any attention I crash into something wired and very tall. Then there was a loud...

BEEP! BEEP!

"Looks like someone is trying to escape."

The human comes up from behind laughing. I turn around shaking with fear.

I just want to go home...

"Darla!" A voice yells.

"She's back!" Yell another.

Darla?

The human turns around and smile. "Hey, little guys!"

Two other lion cubs run up. They jump on the human, causing it to fall ok it's back. The cubs giggle and purr.

Why are these cubs being so nice to this human?

They're our enemies!

I growl.

The three of them hear me growl and stop playing.

"Hey, who's the new guy?" One cub asks.

The second cub shrugs. "I don't know."

The human stands up. "You three play nice. I'll be back later with dinner!"

I wait until the human leaves to walk up to the two cubs who are both males.

"Hey man, what's your problem?" The first cub ask me confused.

I frown. "How can you both be nice to humans? Don't you know they kill animals like us for our fur?!"

The cubs look at each other then burst out loud laughter

Did I say something funny?

"Dude, where are you from?" The second cub ask.

"A jungle in Africa."

"That explains. Your a wild one off the reserve!"

I raise a brow. "Off the who?"

The first cub chuckles. "Reserve. I see your new. My name is Kam and this is my best friend Chris. We were born here. What's your name?"

"Kopa."

Present day, years later...

"Chase? Chaaaaseeee!!"

My ears twitch.

Darla?

"Come here boy!"

"Darla!"

She whistles. I run straight to Darla pinning her strongly down. She falls laughing.

"Come on Chase, you know you can't jump on me like this anymore. Your too big now!" She laughed.

If your wondering who Chase is....

Chase is the name the human name Darla had given me when I first came here...

They give all animals here names...

Darla scratches her fingers through my large bushy mane. "You've gotten so handsome. Soon it'll be mating season for you. By summer we should have new Cubs!"

Mating?!

Cubs?!

Whoa there lady...

I got off Darla so she can stand. She hug me and smile. My two new friends Kam and Chris walk up. They both taught me how to trust these humans here and how to get close to Darla. Darla is the human who cleans, feed, and play with us daily.

"I'll be back later guys!" Darla waves.

We watch until she's out of full sight.

"So, about busting out of here." Said Kam.

Chris smirks. "Here's the plan!"

We all lean in closer.