Part 1
The horn had seared straight through her front left leg; blood soaked through her grey fur and formed a matted clump, but the bleeding had stopped relatively soon after the cut. She counted herself lucky it was her leg and not her chest. Of course, she blamed herself for losing the wildebeest, she should have come at it a different way. She didn’t think to consider that she was told to bring down an adult male wildebeest, too large for her small adolescent figure to manage. She was already bringing down creatures that no lion should at her age, but some were too much of task.
“Kosa”
Her ears flattened against her head instinctively because of her father’s harsh tone. He prowled towards her lying figure, positioned in the centre of the cave that he and his family occupied.
“You have made an utter fool of yourself amongst the Muhimu today” he began, flicking his tail before sitting on his haunches. Kosa looked to the cave floor in shame, heat rising on her cheeks beneath her fur and eyes glazing over with tears she knew she should not shed. “My own daughter, a laughing stock. Can’t even take down a wildebeest” he growled.
“I’m sorry, father” Kosa murmured, not daring to catch his glance.
“It would have been okay if your approach wasn’t something to mock either”. Kosa looked up; she thought her approach had been excellent. She had got into all the necessary position and the wildebeest didn’t even realise it was under attack until she had gone in for the ambush.
“B-But”
“What?” he hissed.
“Aunt Tezi said my approach was promising”.
“Aunt Tezi is soft, pay no attention to her. If I say your approach could have been better I am right. Your sister isn’t one of the leads in the hunting party of the Mlima because of Tezi. She is there because of your mother’s training”.
Kosa frowned; her sister Kucha was pretty, and more than likely in line for betrothal to one of the Muhimu’s sons. Kosa didn’t doubt her mother’s training made her a decent huntress, but she did not have any natural ability. “Besides, I still disagree with Tezi’s promotion” he mumbled after a moment. Kosa’s frown straightened out – of course you disagree, you wanted to be part of the Muhimu. When her father stared straight into her eyes, it was almost like her knew what she had thought of him. “Stand up; I need to see your leg properly”.
With much effort and great pain, Kosa pulled herself up onto all four paws. Her body shook with the strain of standing and her father stood up and came closer for a better look of her injury.
“It shouldn’t scar. Stop making such a fuss. When I was going through training I got injuries ten times as worse on multiple areas of my body. Are you able to come down for food?”
“Yes, father”.
“Good, because I certainly wouldn’t bring you any up to the cave. I wish pride policy wasn’t so lenient on food handouts, your mother and I will have to think of different punishment for your failure today. Now come along”. He turned around and left the cave. His dark mane tossed in the wind against the red sky as he made his descent down across the rocks and out of sight. Kosa limped towards the exit in tow.
Isn’t your disappointment punishment enough.
