Capítulo 15: Chapter 15: Hot Victory

The hyena leader was able to match the pride leader in speed and force. When they collided, with claws out and ready, the hyena didn't move back as Kael thought she would.

Despite being smaller, she could actually manage to hold her own against this extraordinary pride leader when it came to strength. Obviously, this hyena was not ordinary herself.

The pride leader threw his paws at the hyena in rapid succession, intending to tear off the face of this hyena.

The hyenas in return dodged or thanked the blows at specific times. Clearly, she was experienced with fighting lions and was also aware of how strong she was.

The hyena too would bite at the lion and sometimes slash out with her razor-sharp claws. Her front limbs weren't as mobile as a lion's, so she used her jaws more often than the pride leader.

But even when she managed to land a bite, she found out that he had a tough hide. It felt like she was biting a slightly softer back of a crocodile.

The tussle went on for minutes, with the hyena sometimes creating distance between her and her foe, frustrating him, before rushing at him again with unhidden killing intent.

By this time, most of the hyenas had run away. Those that were left were either dead or would soon be. For hyenas, loyalty wasn't their strong forte.

This turn of events didn't come without a price though. Kael could only count about eleven cubs still standing out of the original twenty. He had a strong feeling that the others were among the piles of torn flesh and blood puddles.

This fight had burned into the night, leaving the pride with the moonlight and their companion as they mourned.

The commotion had driven away all the animals that were near the river. Even the large hippos had swam to the other end of the river, not out of fear, but out of caution.

It was only now that Kael had the confidence to step out of his hiding spot. Just in time to see his mother running towards him with his siblings behind her, safe and sound.

Kael was still cautious and alertness was high, the pride leader was still in a fight after all. They were not completely out of danger.

Kael looked at the battle scene which had escalated beyond ordinary understanding.

He didn't know when but the pride leader's claws were now giving a hot reddish glow, like metal that had been heated to melting point.

The air twisted any time he waved his claws, leaving a red trail behind. Not just his claws, but his eyes also let out a fiery glow that increased the level of intimidation power he had.

Now the hyena matriarch had fear rising within her. This was the first time she was fighting this kind of lion and she had already seen that she was on the losing side.

She kept on trying to bite at the lion but it was either she missed or the bite left him unfazed.

The lionesses were gathering, surrounding them on all sides. They intended to join the fight to help their pride leader out, but it seemed that would be completely unnecessary.

Another effort was made by the matriarch to bite at the pride leader's shoulder, the jaw muscle in her mouth twitched.

The pride leader, expecting this, immediately swung his claws decisively at the incoming face.

*SCREEEEEEEE!* The hyena cried from the agonizing pain.

The hot claws effortlessly tore into the hyena's face, ripping a good chunk of the left side of her face off.

The force of the slap also sent the hyena flying to the side, where the lionesses there took the opportunity to bite at her.

As though her life flashed before her eyes, the hyena stood up, using her strength to push the two lionesses away, and broke out of the encirclement. Half of her face was bloody and one could see the skull outline.

She slowly backed away while giving the pride leader and his consorts one last look of hatred. She had just one eye remaining and that eye portrayed just how heavy her hatred was for the pride leader.

It was now that Kael was confident that this beef had a history to it, one he wasn't too interested in knowing about.

After giving one final threatening bark, the hyena turned around and ran away in the direction that most of her kin had escaped to.

The battle was over, Kael hoped.

Kael walked over to the battle scene, his mother behind him. His siblings had lost their drive to play with what they were seeing.

Among the corpses of hyenas, there were also corpses of lion cubs. Most of these corpses were torn and incomplete, shedding light on the horror the cubs must have experienced in their final moments.

The little limbs of the link cubs were everywhere, soaked in their own blood and decorated by the spilled organs.

Kael stared intently at the chewed-up head of a cub. He knew this cub very well. Back in the den, this cub was one of the most active hunters of the brown rat.

He had always been aware that not all the cubs would survive to adulthood, but he never expected it to be this intense.

It was no wonder why there were only four sub-adults in the entire pride.

Kael could very much have been one of them among the dead. He was just lucky to be able to identify the threat as quickly as possible. If his mother had not saved him at the right time, he would be a goner by now.

The question on his mind now was why these hyenas would risk their lives to do something like this. Hyenas and lions didn't mix, he remembered that from the animal documentaries, but wasn't this too much?

It felt like they were trying to take revenge and at the same time eliminate future threats… 'Oh,' Kael came to a conclusion but it was merely an assumption.

Looking at the blood under the night sky, Kael recognized his powerless status as clear as day.

'I can't even defend myself, I have to rely on others to defend me…'

If he had fists he would clench them to express his annoyance. Today, that desire Kael had been holding back on now had a reason to come to light.

Within Kael, an ambitious heart solidified his will as he stared intensely at the pride leader who raised his head high.

The pride leader roared, announcing his victory to the wilderness and all the creatures with it.

Seeing this, Kael grunted, 'I must make sure I become as powerful, if not more than the pride leader,' He thought to himself with a heart full of determination.