The tall savanna grasses waved in a memorizing way as a warm, dry desert wind swept over the Pride Lands. The gnarled trees that managed to survive there swayed their branches, a few dry leaves shaking off. The sky was a clear, clean blue, with a few puffy white clouds strewn about haphazardly. The few, shallow streams that ran through the lion’s territory sat idly, allowing the fish that lived in them to feed along the bottom, silvery scales attracting the sun’s bright glow. Small wildlife, a few hares, a prairie dog or two, scurried about, keeping low for fear of being seen by the ultimate predator of the African savanna.
The Lion.
Here, the lions ruled. No humans dared to set foot upon this patch of wilderness. Why just right here? The lions that resided here were not the average lion, like the one in your science book. This lions were many a color, red, blue, green. They also had patterns unlike any other. Curses, the villagers gossiped. Powers from the Gods, others murmured reverently. The truth about the markings though, was this.
The continent of Africa is relatively dry, as you should know. As people began to settle along the Nile, which seemed to be just about the only water source on the entire landmass, the natives, lions, giraffes, zebras and the like, were pushed down, farther away from the water. Now, the zebras were a humble race then, and they decided to co-exist with the humans, agreeing to do hard labor in exchange for water and other necessities. The giraffes, with their long legs, were able to travel great distances down the river, where no humans had yet settled.
That left the lion.
Now, the lion is a proud race, too proud to work for the humans, but were not built for the kind of travel they would have had to undertake to follow the giraffes. So, the race had to humble them selves and follow in the zebra’s direction… Toward the humans. The reaction they got was unexpected.
Now, the humans were not stupid, and they had talked to the zebras about what else they had chased out. The zebras, oblivious of the trouble it could cause toward their friends, told the humans about lions. About how swift and powerful they were. About their long, sharp fangs and claws. About how smart they were. The humans, obviously, grew worried. They held a meeting to see what they should do.
“I have heard.”
The chieftain of the human tribe spoke, his gravelly voice vibrating the walls of the hut in which they met.
“I have heard from the scouts that they have seen the lions traveling this way. They say that the lions have a look of revenge about them!”
The chieftain exclaimed, although the scouts had not told him the last part. He had made that up himself, for he did not want the villagers to know that the lions came in peace, not in hatred. He didn’t want the lions to be liked, for fear of being overthrown by a powerful male. He certainly didn’t want a beast to rule the human tribe. He was jealous of the lions, for he was sure that they were more agile than him, more cunning, braver, better. So, to protect his position, he had to lie.
“The lions want to kill us all, eat us raw!”
He exclaimed, exaggerating an entire story about how menacing they appeared, even though he had no idea what the looked like at all. The tribe of humans wailed and moaned, begging their “all-powerful” leader to give them instruction on how to defeat the beasts.
“Kill them! Chase them away from the river! The zebras said that the lion’s stamina was not up to a long trek down the Nile, away from the settlement. All we must do is keep them away!”
He boomed, rousing the crowd of nervous tribe members, boosting their adrenaline. The men clung to their weapons, the woman to their children. A scout raced off with the speed of a cheetah to see where how close the lions were. He didn’t have to look long.
“They are here! The lions!!”
He cried, much to the villager’s fright, but the lion’s approval. It was only befitting that a creature of their grace and beauty was announced for all to hear. The zebras, who had heard what the chieftain had said, went crazy, whinnying and rearing, in a blind rage toward man and a fear for the lions. The lions though, thought that the zebras were calling for them, as if being hurt by humans. The lions rushed forth, angry at the humans for hurting their friends. The armed tribe members greeted them with curses and hatred, swinging everything they could find toward the lions. The lions, confused, looked toward the zebras, who were unhurt. Now, it was the lions turn to be tricked. They thought that the zebras had worked with the humans to lure them here, straight into a trap. The lions attacked the zebras, and the zebras attacked the men, and the men attacked the lions. The lions drove the zebras out, and the humans drove the lions out in the opposite direction.
The zebras were frightened and surprised at the lions attack upon them. Why did they do that? The zebras raced off, away from the humans and the lions, down in the direction of the giraffes. At least they were still friendly
The lions, on the other hand, didnt have it so easy. The humans were still after them, with their smug chieftain standing proudly upon the hill that his tribe lived on. The lions would never be welcome here, much to his delight
The lions, as much as they didnt like it, had to flee off into the desert. When the humans were finally out of sight, they stopped running and looked around.
Where are we?
Are we lost?
Where's water?
The clan began to panic, pacing and snarling. All too soon they were on top of each other, snarling and clawing. One female, a petite ebony adult, remained calm.
"Everyone! Please! You are acting like a bunch of kits, panicking at everything. Look around you. Look where we are
As she spoke, the clan noticed their unfamiliar surroundings. It was like a rainforest, in the middle of the desert. A pond, which was fed with a small run off from the Nile, sat in the center of a circle of palm like trees. The foliage was thick and green, with plenty of small game which had come to drink. On the outside of the circle, there were many burrows in the ground, nice, cool, large burrows in which the lions could retreat after a hard day. It was the perfect place for the clan.
But, when they murmured and nodded to each other in approval, they noticed something odd. Each lion was sporting odd markings and colors on their pelts. They arent sure why, but they believe that it was the change in surroundings. In the circle of trees, their private oasis, there were strange, beautiful flowers that blossomed around the edge of the pond. The flowers were vibrant in color and design, and many of the odd patterns are seen on a lions coat to this day. They say that when a lion passes on, the flower that held its coat pattern shrivels and dies.
Odd, isnt it?
FACTS:
Family: Felidae.
Order: Carnivora.
Class: Mammalia.
Sciantific Name: Panthera Pennatus
Habitat:
- Common tribe lion: Grassy plain/Desert/Riverside/Savannah/Valley.
- Angelic tribe lions: Mountain.
- Demonic tribe lions: Dense woodland.
- Lunar tribe lions: Lakeside/Riverside.
- Solar tribe lions: Desert.
Lifespan: 25 years, aprox.
Diet: Medium-sized ungulates.
Height: 5ft (Females). 5.5ft. (Males)
Weight: 400-600 pounds (Males). 350-470 pounds (Females).
They reach their adult size at age 7.
Can run at 68 MPH.
Can jump 11ft (Vertical) and 33ft (Horizontal)
They can roar and purr.
They can have up to 3 cubs per litter.
The flakes spouting from their ears detect changes in weather, air vibration and magnetic fields. They act basically as extended whiskers.
Their best sense is sight, their worst in hearing.
Females have longer flakes than males, because females participate in the hunt more often.
Hunts may take place at any time, but an average pride may survive with two medium-sized prey per week.
A pride's territory may range from 15 to 180 square miles.
Normal lion pride rules apply:
- Average prides consist of 15 members (Excluding cubs)
- Males at driven out of the prides when they reach their adult size. (Age 7, aprox.)
- There may be more than one adult male per pride, in the case of brothers, or alliances.
- Females catch the prey, and the adult male lion(s) eat first.
- Normally, the least experienced hunters in the party drive the prey towards the better huntresses, who ambush.
- Young teenager (Who have not yet been admitted into the hunting party) and older lionesses usually stay from the hunt to baby-sit.
- The is usually a hunt mistress, which is often one of the older, but better and most experiences huntresses.
- Members of the hunting party are "Hunt sisters", other lionesses of the pride are "Pride sisters".
- Greetings consist mostly in rubs.
- Males must patrol their territory at least once every day.
- Scent marking is only done in territorial context.
- Roaring is done to contact other pride members, to let others know thet territory is occupied, and as a threat to rivals. Group roaring strenghtens bonds.
