Mau Mau's Tale

Mau Mau stalked the plains, watching the zebra. They knew she was the only lion for a long way around; she made sure of that. Back when she'd first been kicked out of her pride, she had been so furious she had lashed out at anything that came near. She cleared the area of prides and nomads alike, making sure she was the only lion or lioness that would be occupying this region.

Now, filled with the agonizing boredom of having nothing to do, Mau Mau regretted her choice. She wished she had joined a pride instead of chasing them away. She sensed instinctively that she was in estrus and felt the urge to mate, but with no male lions around, the job could not be done. Mau Mau exhaled with a fierce growl. The zebras that had been grazing peacefully suddenly jerked up their heads and watched her warily.

Mau Mau turned away from the zebras; she wasn't hungry anyway. She began to walk down the river, making sure to never stray far from the water. At first she moved almost lazily, but she gradually increased her pace until she was sprinting along, the wind blowing tears out of her eyes. Mau Mau breathed in rapidly through her nose and mouth, not just for air but because she was catching scents. She was checking for any lion scents. The only ones she found were her own, but as she thundered along, they grew fainter.

Mau Mau ran until she couldn't breathe at all. She slowed to a walk, even though all she wanted to do was collapse. She knew she had to keep moving for a little while so her muscles didn't completely give out. She strolled at a leisurely pace until she was out of her normal hunting territory. She scented the air deeply, and was surprised to catch the scent of a male lion. She turned in that direction and trotted with renewed vigor.