The female lays unconscious, making the male bellow with laughter.
"Let this be a lesson to all of you." He paused, gazing around at all of them. "Now, get the cub!"
The females stood stiffly in silence.
"I said," The male began with a cutting edge to his voice. "NOW!"
"No, Frang." One of the females said, edging away slowly. Before Frang had time to lunge at her, another male blocked him. Soon, all the males had begun to follow the females back on the opposite side of the gorge. All except Frang.
"Filthy cowards! Afraid of a cub!" He was now snarling viciously toward Akarie.
Frang broke into a dead run, saliva flying from his gaping jaws. Akarie froze in utter fear.
Frang was just upon her when and dark shadow covered Akarie.
'Wha-..?" A roar broke off her words.
She looked up and saw a young male lion standing over her, roaring loudly. Frang blinked in shock and roared back, unsheathing his claws.
The young male pushed Frang down onto the vine bridge, biting at his neck. They rolled in a bloody hairy mess until the young male finally said to Akarie, "Cut the vines!"
Akarie looked utterly shocked. "What!?"
"I said-" He was cut off with a hard smack from Frang. Struggling free he yowled, "Cut it!!"
Akarie closed her eyes and sliced the vines that were growing on her side of the gorge.
The two lions fell downward into the black abyss of the canyon.



