A normal day in the African savannah is overtaken by disaster when a wild dog tribe comes under attack from bandits.

A New Beginning

Ray yawns and rubs her eyes after waking up inside her cave. Seeing the welcoming sunlight flooding into her cave, Ray stands up and stretches a little before heading outside, welcoming the view as well as taking in the sunlight and fresh air of the African landscape. Once Ray is outside, the female painted dog is presented with her own view of the crisp, African landscape before her.

After stepping out of her cave, Ray yawns again, stretching her limbs a second time. Taking her time, Ray proceeds about her day to start off.

The African Wild Dog makes her way to the nearest watering hole to wash up, melting in the relaxing sun rays bearing down on her fur. After Ray's brief wash up, the female canine disembarks from the water to start a hunt for food.

After securing a basket and a weapon of her choice, Ray sets off on her search. Combing through the bushes in her territory, the female wild dog goes about collecting whatever berries she can find. She eventually manages to scrape off a few to fill the bottom of her basket, but not enough for a full breakfast. Eventually, Ray grabs her basket and begins to backtrack to her cave to grab something she can use for hunting. What little tools she has will have to do for now.

Eventually, Ray settles down on a small hunting trail for now where she can stay close to home for the time being. In this way she can both hunt and scavenge for whatever she needs in terms of both food and supplies.

While the painted dog is busy gathering up her surplus, she notices something up ahead after raising her head up from her gathering work. A figure appears to be looming in the distance. Apprehensive, the painted dog quickly ducks behind a tree to avoid detection, though she occasionally peeks out to see what she could be dealing with.

There is a muscular white lion up ahead who appears to be scouring the land in search of something. Peering through bushes and shrubs, the white lion is actually searching for something to eat, unaware that he is in Ray’s territory. But there is something in particular about this white lion that strikes Ray as odd, despite the powerful feline himself being an intimidating foe from his appearance alone.

Sneakily, Ray retrieves a spear while still in her hiding spot and she finally leaves, ready to confront the lone white lion.

“Excuse me!” Ray squeaks loudly. Though she puts on a brave face, the painted dog is actually terrified internally. She keeps her distance, aware that the lion can still tear her into pieces if he wanted to.

“What do you think you’re doing here?!” The white lion turns to meet Ray, a confused expression on his face. The white lion doesn't appear to be aggressive, though his powerful appearance and build suggest otherwise. The painted dog then presses, “Who are you and what are you doing in my territory?”

A deep chuckle emits from the white lion where he introduces himself, further drawing Ray’s ire and interest. The lion states, “I am Juan Tivola, chief of the River tribe of lions. I was returning home after a scouting mission and somehow, I got lost trying to find my way back. I'm just looking for something to eat now before I resume my journey.”

Ray lowers her spear and steps forward to take a closer inspection at the lion. She takes notice of his abs and comments, “With a body like this, you shouldn't even be hungry in the first place. You're all muscle!”

The comment makes Juan laugh even more. To him, the painted dog’s comment is more of a compliment to his physical appearance, which Juan thanks her for, “I appreciate the compliment! Years of physical training and exercise definitely pays off!”

“So Juan, what is your business here again? Food?” Ray assumed, wanting to make sure she heard him correctly.

Juan confirms, “Yes, just looking for something to eat so I can make it back to my tribe. I also want to bring some back for my tribe so they can eat and have a surplus.”

Ray frowns at this and throws up her hands in frustration, “Don't you lions have cattle or something to slaughter and eat? Makes more sense than poaching and invading.”

The white lion chieftain returns Ray’s complaint with a blank stare of his own, claiming, “Our crops aren't due for harvesting yet. And it's not just cattle we farm. We also hunt wild game too. We're just low on supplies for right now.”

The news proves to be somewhat convincing to the painted dog and she smiles coolly at him. The painted dog invites Juan to follow her while mentioning, “A big beast like you should have no problem with stocking up, but you guys deserve more, what with your status and all.”

Juan just raises his shoulders in a shrug and remarks, “We’re not that bad… and we're not that popular either. Maasai lions have recently been getting into fiascos with outside governments over land rights and other means, which we have disputed over before.”

Ray’s face takes a more sympathetic expression where she snorts, “I should talk; my people have been the subject of numerous controversial topics too. They're all just false rumors.”

The painted dog takes the lead in the short journey back to her homeland, Juan following behind her. After a brief jog to be directly beside her, the white lion questions Ray out of curiosity, “What have you guys been the target of?”

“Strange rumors regarding government and drop failure. They're all very dumb in my opinion.” Ray growled out, her tail lashing behind her.

“I see…” the white lion shakes his large mane out, attempting to pat it down and part it. “Speak to a tribal person and you can learn a lot from them. They're smarter than you think.”

“Yeah. Can't say the same for these outsider bozos - nothing but condescending know-it-alls with violent tendencies on their minds.” Ray complained further.

Juan gently pats Ray on her shoulder and asserts, “Sometimes you have to give these outsiders credit where it's due. With all this technology around us, we’ve been trying to upgrade our own living styles, though we’re still pastoral and traditional in a sense.”

“Ah, charmed.” Ray croaked dryly. “Personally, I’d stay traditional and upgrade only to save my life. Too much greed these days leads to too much trouble.”

“Ain't that the truth?” Juan acquiesced in agreement. “I have personally seen and heard about too many instances of greed which led to failure in the end. It's not pretty.”

A soft wind flows through the landscape, ruffling their fur. Juan’s mane also blows along in the breeze, causing him to appear more majestic. While the larger lion is dealing with the wind in his mane, Ray giggles and reaches out to caress the white lion’s neck. “You look so funny trying to play with your hair in the wind.”

Juan only grunts in reply while playing with his mane. He usually doesn't allow others to touch him since he is a married lion now but he is comfortable letting Ray pet him. The painted dog takes another gaze at Juan’s frame and comments, “For an average lion, you're pretty buff. Are you able to punch a tree?”

This time, Juan sniggers at the comment and retorts, “Not unless a load of splinters is part of the plan! You're real silly! My wife would grow a second head if she saw me pounding a tree for no reason!”

Laughter later breaks out between the two, shared over a mutual understanding of the topic at hand. After the laughter dies down, the pair resume their journey and reach Ray’s homeland, to which Juan is presented with a pair of painted dog guards stationed at the entrance. Upon arrival, one of the guards notices the white lion and gets ready to fight, switching to a defensive posture. However, Ray disarms the situation by informing the duo of his status and introducing him. “Moroko, Malachi, this white lion is friendly. Guys, this is Juan Tivola, chieftain of the Maasai band of lions. He is also strikingly handsome for a white lion.”

“And what is his purpose for being here? Shouldn't he be in his own territory?” Moroko sneered in contempt.

Malachi frowned and gestures towards the white lion, “May I remind you, Moroko, that this white lion chieftain has saved our hides more than once in several wars against numerous bandit factions. Sure, Juan is in our territory but Ray must have a very good reason for bringing him here unless he wants to visit.”

Unlike Moroko, Malachi is more welcoming of the white lion, even referring to his past actions as a savior in their past battles against raiders. Ray can already see the difference between the two guards in attitude. But one glance at Juan and he is blushing, staring away at the floor. Sensing the tension between the two guards, Ray has good reason to interject and defuse the situation.

The female wild dog interjects, “Malachi, Moroko, the reason Juan is with me is because I invited him here. He is currently running low on supplies, so why not offer a helping hand?”

“Him? A Maasai chieftain? Leader of the largest, most ruthless and well-known band of indigenous lions on the continent? I don't think so!” Moroko scoffed, undeterred by Ray’s claim.

Malachi punches Moroko on the shoulder and grumbles, “Moroko, just give him a chance! Why do you even act like this towards lions in general? I mean look at him - he clearly doesn't look like he wants to be here but he has no choice!”

Juan’s facial expression says it all - though he isn't too thrilled to be in another tribe’s territory, he has an apologetic smile on his face while observing the conversation between Ray and the wild dog guards stationed at the entrance. Even so, Juan is still appreciative of Ray's offer and assistance.

Seeing the tension brewing between the two sides, the white lion chieftain attempts to interject his way into the conversation and possibly attempt to further defuse the situation, knowing he is very well at the center of the topic. He parts his mane and interjects, “I accepted Ray’s offer so here I am; it shouldn't take me long to get what I need and be on my way.”

“Hope not, cat, you’ll be getting a fist full of justice!” Moroko threatened, assuming a defensive fighting posture once more. “You seem to be the fighting type, so anything funny will be answered by me! Try me!”

“Moroko!!” Malachi pelts Moroko on the shoulder with a fist and grabs him, “Chief Tivola is no threat!! Cut him some slack, why don'tcha?!”

Peeved, Moroko folds his arms and scowls at his surrounding peers. The wild dog guard grumbles out, “It's bad enough we’ve been preyed upon by cat bandits; who's to say this guy won't be the same way. And don't act all high and mighty about it either! We're watching you!”

Knowing Moroko is directly talking to him, Juan raises both his hands, signaling he is unarmed. Malachi, meanwhile, is more forgiving and allows Juan to pass. He steps forward to shake Ray’s hand and motions for her and the white lion to enter. Malachi cites, “Even though we’ve had numerous bandit raids in the past, Juan’s been a very good sport to us. Though we can't be too careful, we can't be too trustworthy. But Juan here has made quite a reputation among the communities to show he is a capable lion and a remarkable leader. You shall pass.”

“Thank you, Malachi.” Ray bows to Malachi and Moroko, who do likewise to her and Juan out of respect. “I promise we won't be long!”

“Don't try anything funny, cat, or we will be raising some sand!” Moroko points directly at Juan while making his threat clear, despite the white lion waving apologetically to them in passing.

Making their way into the village, Ray apologizes, “Juan, I am sorry for how Moroko acted toward you. He’s usually not like this.”

Juan raises a hand to stop her, relating to the wild dog guard and his stance. “Ray, it's fine. I can see where he is coming from. But it takes a hero cat to change another person's view, doesn't it?”

Ray grins in appreciation, though she raises her arms in a shrug and responds, “Even so, some people's opinions don't change. Though there are very few heroes in this world, there are more villains that leave a more lasting impact on the community.”

“I see…” Initially anxious, Juan is later relaxed when Ray pats his back and chest to cheer him up. But what really makes him regain his morale is Ray’s encouraging statement. “Cheer up, Juan! With lions and other heroic people like you, that can really make a difference in the community! You're handsome, you're humble, you're dedicated, you have all the qualities of an outstanding leader; we need more people like you in this world.”

“Right.” Though Juan is tempted to show off in front of Ray, he shifts his gaze to the studded wedding ring on his ring finger before reaching into his inventory and retrieving a list. He sighs dreamily and reminisces, “Amelia and I - that's my wife, by the way -” Ray nods with a blush coming across her face, waiting for Juan to continue.

“Amelia and I would visit the tribes throughout the community to see how they were holding up. We're still on good terms with everyone. It's just, I wish she was here with me.” Juan sighed, deflating in posture.

Ray frowns in concerned worry, “Is she sick?”

Juan shakes his head and admits, “Amelia’s also the chieftess of our tribe so one of us has to hold down the fort while the other is gone. I hope she's doing well.”

“So she's keeping watch, huh? You’ll see her again in no time!” Ray assured him, patting his back once more. “Come on, cheer up!”

“Yeah, you're right. You have a- huh?” Juan notices Ray playing with his abs and he backs away, thinking the painted dog is advancing on him. Unbeknownst to him, Ray is trying to see if she can hit a tickle spot on the white lion to lift his mood up more.

“Ray? What are you doing?? Please stop.” Juan pleads with Ray to stop, not wanting to be seen by anyone. But Ray ignores his warning and resumes poking and prodding his abs while revealing her intent with one simple question, “Juan, are you ticklish?”

The allegation causes Juan to stiffen up, eliciting a victory grin from Ray. She continues her little assault on Juan’s abs until she reaches up to his neck, only for the white lion to squirm and wiggle away. Ray has just pinpointed Juan’s weakness!

“Aha! Got you, Juan!” Having finally figured out Juan’s tickle spot, Ray prepares to leap onto the white lion. Before Juan can protest, the female wild dog pounces on the lion and begins tickling his neck, making him giggle and writhe underneath her to get him off. But after a few seconds of tickling, Juan encloses his arms around her to squeeze her in a hug while rubbing his head against hers.

Following the brief interaction, the two later separate and get back on their feet, with Juan later retrieving his list and going through the items he had posted to get. There is a small grin on his face where he later admits, “Thanks for that, Ray. I needed that.”

Ray beams, “No problem! Also, you gotta let me meet your wife! I wanna see what she's like! If she's as cool as you say she is, I’d say we have a bonus on our hands!”

Juan just grind softly in appreciation and awe at Ray’s request. He claims, “You’ll get to meet Amelia soon enough. Maybe some time after our little journey, I can bring you over to my land to meet her.”

“Do I ever!!” The female painted dog begins bouncing in excitement. “You guys must have a lot of experiences and stories to tell! After all, you guys are pretty well-known throughout the African communities!”

Juan rubs his neck, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the ecstatic praise being given. He looks away and whispers, “Well, not everyone knows who we are.”

“Aww, come on!!” Ray runs up to the white lion and hugs him, her tail wagging furiously. She later quips, “I want to see it for my own eyes! The rumors about lions being barbaric are just that - rumors! You're the first lion I’ve directly met who's actually a gentle giant!”

While Juan places his arms around Ray, he couldn't help but wonder if what she is saying is true. Besides being apex predators and hunters, lions were regarded as barbaric, aggressive, and dangerous. At least, that's what the rumors were alleging. When Ray noticed Juan, she had every reason to be fearful, not because of the allegations, but because of his powerful appearance alone. But in the short time that Ray has known Juan, she's found him to be docile and a gentle giant by nature. Not once has he ever attacked her. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same viewpoint as her.

*BONK!*

“Ow! What was that??” Something sharp bounces off of Juan's head, causing him to separate from Ray. When Ray notices this, she is alarmed. But after finding a stone on the savannah floor, she notices a wild dog crossly gazing at the white lion, ready to do more damage.

“Kinley, no! What are you doing??” Ray confronts the male wild dog, peeved at the sudden turn of events. “He’s not evil, he's friendly! Why are you attacking him??”

The male painted dog, Kinley, scoffs at Ray and reminds her, “We don't need lions in our territory. Haven't you heard about what they’ve done recently?” Though she is silent, Ray is attentive to Kinley’s allegation, yet she says nothing and allows Kinley to resume.

Kinley argues, “Lions are nothing but flesh-eating monsters and barbaric savages. Why else would you bring one here for us to kill?”

Ray slowly shakes her head and scowls, “Kinley, Juan is not like that. He's kind, sweet, and gentle! He is also remarkably humble for a chieftain! Before believing false rumors about someone, why don't you get to know them directly first??”

Kinley is completely taken aback by Ray's defensive stance on lions in general. But the male painted dog is unconvinced. He harrumphs, “Fine then. But I guess you’ll end up learning the hard way. And when it happens, don't come crying to me about it.”

Ray sighs and rubs her neck, speechless at first. She finds her voice just as Kinley begins to leave, “Kinley, what happened to you? You weren't so gullible.”

Kinley pauses and turns to face Ray directly, his expression grim. He scowls at her and recalls, “I’ve not only heard experiences from the other tribespeople, but I have seen it with my own eyes! The savage brutality, the cold lack of remorse, the lack of emotion or fear in their eyes, yes I have seen it! And you think that is going to just fade away on its own?? You don't understand the terror that you are left with after witnessing such barbaric chaos!!”

Ray is left grim and silent. It takes a moment for Kinley's words to sink in but she sighs and remarks, “Kinley, I can't say you're wrong, but I can see where you’re coming from. At the same time, not all lions are bad! Sure there are some that are ruthless and evil but does that mean all lions are evil beasts??”

Despite Ray’s best efforts to reason with Kinley, the male painted dog only shakes his head and begins to leave the area. Walking away, he declares to Ray, “When it finally happens directly to you, you’ll finally understand what I mean.”

All Ray can do is watch Kinley leave the area. There was nothing she could do to change his mind about it. Not yet, for the time being. But after staring at the horizon for a moment, Ray cuts her gaze over to Juan, who is now appearing downcast while sitting on the savannah floor.

“I take it you heard every word that Kinley said?” When Ray shuffles over to meet the white lion, she can already see the pain on his face; grim, regret, and sorrow. The white lion is rubbing his shoulder while staring at the ground, nodding silently to Ray’s acknowledgement. To cheer Juan up, Ray taps his chest and hugs him, “Hey, don't let him get ya down. You're one of a kind!”

“And that means you still see me as a special hero or something?” Juan assumed, his face contorting to a questionable grin. Ray’s encouragement seems to work again, though the white lion himself still can't help but feel uneasy.

Ray giggles and pets his mane, relishing in the soft texture of his fur. The female wild dog provides further encouragement and compliments his appearance more, “Well, you're a handsome devil, and I mean that in a good way. You're charming, selfless, independent, powerful, what else could a clan ask for from a leader such as yourself?”

Juan plays with his mane a bit while listening to Ray speak. And when he gets up, he kneels to be eye level with her before rubbing his head against her, appreciation sparking from within. He later separates from her, returning to his full height. “Thanks, I really needed that.”

Ray raised a hand up, “Hey, just giving encouragement where it's due. You're gonna need an ambassador for your band at some point.”

“Well, let's get on with our journey, then. After that, we can talk more should you decide to visit.” Juan suggested. When he retrieves his list and begins to march off, he drapes an arm around Ray with the female wild dog beside him, leaving into the village.

~~~~~

The following day, Juan is back in his homeland, walking alongside his wife, Amelia. The two are joined together and holding hands, relishing in the cool breeze blowing throughout the landscape.

During their little journey together, Amelia suddenly recalls, “Say Juan? You were pretty animated last night about meeting this wild dog during your trip. You know you could have sent out some messengers or servants, right?”

“I figured I’d rather go it alone, save everyone the trouble.” Juan blushed, playing with his mane.

Amelia also joins in playing with and caressing Juan’s large mane, enthralled by the sight. Offhandedly, she remarks, “You look much more handsome when your mane is blowing in the wind.” Seeing her husband turn beet red in the face causes her to giggle and caress his chest.

Juan slowly reasons with his wife, “You… really think I’m that handsome?”

Amelia nods and they rub heads together. Juan’s face later turns back to its original color when Amelia further whispers into his ear, “Yes, but that's not why we’re married, babe.”

“You're smart, you're strong, you're funny, even heroic and gentle. I love you because you are a kind, endearing giant who puts others ahead of yourself. That's what makes you a great leader and a great husband, my dear Juan.” Amelia softly nibbles on Juan’s ear while radiating her affection and her motive for marrying him, making his heart soar.

Juan does likewise, licking and nuzzling Amelia’s ear and cheek while breathlessly remarking, “And I couldn't have asked for a more supportive tomboy for a leader and a wife. You're endearing, independent, and fun to be around. I love you, Amelia.”

The two married lions begin dancing softly in the savannah, holding each other by the waist. Their heads rub against each other during their little silent performance known only to them. They continue like this for a short time until they break away and kiss each other. Then they resume their walk, their arms wrapped around each other's waists.

“The savannah is beautiful at different parts of the day, especially during sunrise and sunset.” Amelia noted while trekking through the territory. “And I couldn't have been blessed with spending it with such an amazing husband like you, Juan. It's like going to the beach!”

“I can agree with you on that, Amelia. I couldn't have wished for a better wife like you. You're a complete blessing, yourself and I wouldn't have it any other way.” Juan rubs his head against Amelia, who returns the gesture in kind.

Along the route, the two lions observe a watering hole up ahead with several indigenous mammals drinking and drawing water. Suddenly, Juan breaks away and goes full sprint towards the pond, declaring, “Race ya to the water, babe!”

“Hey, no fair!!” Amelia quickly picks up the pace, racing after her husband while panting, “I was enjoying our walk!!”

An indigenous male wildebeest drinking from the watering hole snorts and grumbles, “Here they come again… I swear, they act like complete children sometimes, instead of the adults they are.” Sensing their presence, the wildebeest steps aside to clear the way for the incoming lions.

Although Juan is bigger and heavier than Amelia, he reaches the spot first thanks to his sudden head start away from his wife. And he goes in, splashing into the pond. Upon noticing the wildebeest, he waves and bows to the indigenous male, “Greetings to you, Minoku! Didn't see you there!”

“Likewise, Chief.” The wildebeest grunted. He shakes himself and snorts, “Couldn't resist, could ya?”

*SPLASH!*

Minoku ends up getting splashed when Amelia arrives and dives into the watering hole to meet her husband, further annoying the wildebeest. He ends up shaking himself once more and snorting, “Once I’m done with my break, you two can have at it. I'm out.”

“Sorry to disturb you, Chief Tanaka. Hope things go well for you and your tribe!” While Juan is apologetic towards Minoku, he notices Amelia swimming to meet him. The annoyed lioness reaches the male lion and the two begin to wrestle in the water. But there is one mammal among the rest of the indigenous audience present, witnessing the water fight.

The two white lion's fail to notice Ray, who was busy inspecting the water quality at the pond she is currently stationed at. She was sent by her chieftain to bring water back to her tribe due to a water crisis going on involving contaminated drinking water. So to solve this problem, the chieftain declared that all water brought into the tribe was to be boiled and stored away. Ray immediately shot for the task and was dispatched to the River territory to bring back some water for the experiment.

Ray couldn't help but giggle at the wrestling going on in the water. But despite Juan’s best efforts to gain the upper hand, Amelia is able to put him in a headlock and drop down, submerging them both. After they reemerge after the dunk, Amelia smirks and flicks Juan's nose, triumphantly declaring, “Ha! Gotcha, babe!”

She then turns pouty and grumbles, “And that's for ruining our walk together! Why do you act so childish?”

“Amelia, there's others staring at us, ya know?” After parting his soaked locks from his eyes, Juan gestures to the small audience staring at them, including Ray. Then to answer Amelia's question, Juan admits, “I’m still a cub at heart and in mind. And there is nothing wrong with that. Have you ever played on a swing set since you’ve been an adult?”

“No, but I am not a sissy like someone I know dearly.” Amelia retorted snidely. She smirks and wallows closer to him before pulling him forward into a kiss, right in front of the spectating audience. This catches Juan completely by surprise where he turns into a strawberry, aware of the eyes on him and his wife.

“Go get a room, will ya! We’re trying to enjoy our water break here!” Barked an indigenous zebra.

Amelia didn't care about others watching her and Juan. She breaks away from Juan and turns to the zebra before sticking her tongue out at him and asserting, “There is nothing to see her but two lions just having some fun together! You’ll understand when you’re married, Tony! As for the rest of you, carry on with your business! If you don't like it, you can leave!”

Several mammals leave the watering hole, voicing their displeasure and complaints of having their water break interrupted. Ray and a few other mammals stay, finding the lions’ antics hilarious or finding no problems with the lions playing in the water. All Juan can do is apologize at the fed up mammals leaving the watering hole.

Ray giggles at the white lioness and the painted dog finally speaks, “I never knew Juan married a tomboy for a chieftain. You sure seem like the adventurous type, but swimming in a watering hole? That's very bold of you. I’m Ray, by the way.”

“My name is Amelia and it's a wonderful delight to meet ya!” Amelia swims to meet Ray, later crawling out of the water and excusing herself to go to a more private area to dry herself off with Juan doing the same thing. Once both lions are completely dry, they come back to meet Ray where Amelia reveals, “Juan’s told me about you and about how your tribe views lions overall. Let me be clear that we are not barbaric. We're fierce predators, but not savages.”

“I can see that just from the two of you having fun in the water.” Ray laughed, amused. “And your appearance alone, even for a woman lioness, speaks volumes!”

“I… see…” Amelia spoke slowly at first. She transitions to her normal, casual self while humming a more chipper tune. She chirps, “I’m glad that you like that about me. So what are you here for, Ray? Water protocol?”

“How did you know about our crisis??” The assumption takes Ray by surprise, leaving her an inflated balloon. But Amelia raises her hand up in denial and insists, “The other mammals living in our territory come to drink since we allow it. Our watering hole is basically the biggest, but I really did not know you guys were having a water crisis! I was under the assumption you were visiting our land.”

“Yeah, no.” Ray shrinks back to her regular size and shakes her head in worry. “We have a watering hole of our own, but somehow, it got contaminated. Our chieftain declared a state of emergency and I volunteered to fetch some water for my tribe.”

“If it's that bad, let me and Amelia help. We can gather some supplies and escort you to your territory.” Juan offered. The male white lion jumps up and gets ready to leave when Amelia halts him, grabbing him by his tail. “And where do you think you’re going, Mister? We don't even have all of our own supplies ready!”

Halting in his tracks from his wife stopping him literally by his tail, Juan turns to face Amelia, who releases her hold on him. He spreads his arms out and reasons, “You're right, we don't. But we can donate. We can send some of our water to Ray’s tribe, but only after boiling it.”

“Actually, our chieftain declared our water to be boiled after bringing it. You guys don't have to boil yours. Ours is much more contaminated.” While Juan shivers at Ray’s claim, Amelia drums her hand against her chin in thought. Finally, she reasons, “Since this is a water crisis, we send messengers to every surrounding tribe to pitch in. And we ourselves will donate and send some of our own to you. It's the least we can do since you guys live so far away.”

Ray’s ears twitch and she blinks at the unsuspecting white lioness, “Actually, we don't live that far from you all. But we appreciate the help!”

“RAAAAYYYYYYYY!!!” An alarming scream rings throughout the savannah. Upon searching for the source of the alarm, Ray notices a wild dog messenger hurrying to meet them. The messenger, a male painted dog, appears to be younger than Ray, though his white hands and pawfeet are a dead giveaway to his presence.

Ray’s heart sinks in her chest upon staring down at the pink-eyed indigenous wild dog scrambling to meet her. It is her childhood friend, Chingo, and his terrified body language is all that Ray needs to inquire of.

“Chingo, what's going on??” When Ray begins to shiver anxiously, Amelia unleashes her claws behind her, anticipating a brawl.

“Ray, our tribe is under attack! Lion bandits have invaded and destroyed most of our home!! Our water supply is gone too!! Come on! We have to hurry!!!” The panicked wild dog then leaves for the wild dog tribe after announcing what is happening. And while Ray hurries after Chingo, Juan and Amelia follow briefly before the former splits and commands, “Amelia, stay with Ray and fight the intruders attacking her tribe! I’ll gather the warriors and join you! Be careful!”

“You got it!” After reading her husband loud and clear, Amelia turns her attention back to Ray and declares, “Don't worry! You have backup with you! Ray, how many warriors do you have??”

“My tribe has around 8 - 12 warriors but we all fight to protect our land! Even from enemy tribes! Why ask a baseless question?” Ray squeaked in worry.

“You're right, that was a dumb question!” Amelia retorted out of sarcastic curiosity. But she soon reveals, “But I was asking because if those bandits happen to be lions, you could be looking at an even playing field here! Plus, not all tribes are full of citizens, warriors included, that fight to the death to protect their homeland!”

Amelia’s comment suddenly causes Ray’s mind to wander to her parents, increasing her panic even more. She picks up her pace, her worry increasing with every second passing.

~~~~~

“Warriors at the gate - assemble and hold your position! Fire on the enemy at will! Do not let them escape! Kill all intruders!!” Contrary to Ray’s claim on the number of warriors in her tribe, the wild dog tribe has a working army of formidable soldiers, both warrior and civilian. Barking out orders and joining the fight is the tribal wild dog chieftain, who is aggressively engaging the threat with strategy.

The wild dog chieftain, Joseph, expertly commands his post. Wielding sword, bow, and arrow, he and another wild dog, a female join the fighters in defending their land against the bandit threat. Together, the two wild dog chiefs rally to protect their homeland. At the same time, a few guards stay behind to protect the village.

The bandits these guards are facing are all lions, some of them that are even massive compared to the average size. But the wild dog villagers are so far holding their own against these raiders, despite having been taken by surprise from an unexpected surprise attack. Even the guards stationed at the entrance are having a time fighting back.

Malachi and Moroko are both interchangeably dueling cooperatively against various lion bandits inside the village where the former complains, “Man, how are there so many of them?! We already cut them down to size and they’re still coming! Are these bandits part of a larger tribe or something??”

While Moroko is using a spear, Malachi is using a bow and arrow, in spite of both wild dog guards having swords. Still, they're able to hold their own with their respective weapons.

Moroko complains, “First the water crisis and now this?? We don't need this right now! These lions are no joke either!”

A faint roar is heard closing in, but the wild dog guards anticipate more raiders incoming and prepare for the worst. Moroko warns, “Do not lower your guard. The chiefs are gone so we have to pick up the slack as best as we can.”

After impaling a giant lion bandit with an arrow piercing straight through his heart, Malachi grins, “Gotcha loud and clear, Moroko! Let's just hope we have more backup coming! The other tribes must be alerted too!”

Contrary to Malachi’s assessments, the wild dogs have received help from several different tribes, including a clan of indigenous cheetahs. Together, the two tribes collaborate to save the wild dog village while fighting off the bandits and rescuing the villagers.

By this time, Juan, Amelia, and their parties arrive to help out. The lion warriors get right to work, separating from the crowd to deal with the problem at hand. Only problem is - there are numerous lion bandits in the area and several parts of the wild dog village have been set on fire. The lion chiefs now have their hands full, but under quick thinking, Juan races towards one of his warriors, who is using his archery to assist with eliminating the threat.

“Benito!! You and Charlie cover this point! I see you’re putting your archery skills to good use!” Upon giving out brief orders to the River tribe warriors, Juan makes his first round to join a brown lion who is using his archery skill to combat the bandits.

“There are a lot of them here! I don't know if we can hold them off!” Benito notices one of the lion bandits swinging a battle axe and he gets ready to fire. But Juan swiftly beats him to it by chucking his dagger at the incoming thug. Then off camera, a javelin comes hurtling towards the bandit, impaling the enemy lion through his left side.

“Now is not the time to talk - now is the time to fight!” Charlie reminded them. The black-maned lion and a fellow wild dog rush forward to retrieve the dispatched weapons while Juan retrieves a sword from a compartment attached to his hip.

While Juan and his band of warriors deal with the threat on their end, Amelia and Ray work together to fight their way through the village. Among the duo is her own band of lioness warriors and several wild dog villagers working together to put down the threat.

“Man, how many of these guys are there!? There's no end!” One of the lioness warriors hiss in frustration. Ray implies, “Quite possiblity, there has to be a large number of them because they keep coming even if we put em down! I think they’re trying to erase us permanently!”

“Sovange, Kaylee, now’s the time to use your axe throwing skill! It should come in handy!” Amelia alerts her fellow warriors to the threat. Coincidentally, she notices an axe nearby and retrieves it before the tawny furred lioness, Sovange, takes it and flings it at an unsuspecting lion bandit. It doesn't take long for him to drop lifelessly and while Sovange rushes to retrieve it, more lion bandits emerge to confront them.

Ray begins to panic and squeal, “Oh crap! We're surrounded!! We're not gonna make it!!”

“Oh yes, we are!” Amelia affirmed, her eyes burning with fiery anger. While the lioness chieftain unleashes her claws, the lioness warriors do the same with several of them handing their weapons over to the wild dogs in their group. And the right rages on with both sides charging and colliding.

“Joseph!! We can't hold out much longer!! We're running out!!” An alarm cry from a wild dog warrior sends Joseph into an internal panic. He isn't looking forward to dying at the very least, but the shortage of weapons in the arsenal for his tribe is beginning to run dangerously low. And these bandits just keep coming. But just when things couldn't get any more bleak, a volley of arrows suddenly shoot out from the corner of his eye and the loud roars of the River tribe lions fill his ears. But it wasn't just the lions - the rallying battle cries of the cheetahs and wildebeest fighters full the air, unifying their strength against the threat. The tide begins to gradually turn for the wild dog tribe with more aid incoming.

Following several more intense minutes of fighting, the wild dogs, with assistance from other tribes, eventually overpower and kill all the lion bandits. When the dust settles, there is no time for celebration; there is only time for rebuilding, restoration, and rescue.

Unfortunately in the end, several wild dog villagers lost their lives in this brutal invasion. Several warriors, guards, and soldiers, including the chieftains, sustained injuries and bruises from the fighting. They will make a full recovery while they are being tended to by various healers from different tribes. But while these indigenous heroes are being treated, several chieftains declined medical treatment for the time being, insisting on more important work to be done.

Ray, herself, sustained injury but after all the fighting she's done with assistance from Amelia and her band of lioness warriors, the wild dog had some bruises on her that will heal. Her childhood friend, Chingo, was nowhere to be found. This gives her great worry as she begins surveying her village.

“I don't understand… what would possess a huge tribe of lions to attack a peaceful village??” Ray spoke, melancholic from the attack. The female wild dog ambles her way along a clearing and she later surveys the healers’ camps. Her wistful trek catches the attention of Sovange, who has just finished wrapping her fists up with lace. A wildebeest medic later leaves her after further treatment for her injuries. When the healer leaves, the tawny furred lioness falls out to the passing wild dog to get her attention. “Ray!!”

“Huh??” Her ears flying up, Ray turns to the source and notices Sovange coming to meet her, but she is panting and her straight walk is actually stumbling. A closer inspection at the lioness warrior reveals the true extent of her injuries - several bruises throughout her abs, with the possibility of broken or shattered ribs, a swollen nose with her right nostril broken, and a blackened left eye. Seeing the lioness in this state up close makes Ray’s heart break.

Seeing the shell-shocked expression on her face turn into one of pity, Sovange giggles at her before hunching over in pain, clutching her stomach. She coughs for a bit before finally straightening up and speaking, “It was worth it!”

Without saying a word, Ray latches onto Sovange and begins crying, the wild dog burying herself into the lioness' already tender stomach. The lioness ends up recoiling from the pain and later hugs Ray, letting the female wild dog cry on her.

Holding the weeping wild dog in her arms, Sovange cradles Ray while rubbing her head against the wild dog. After nuzzling her, Sovange whispers, “Everything will be okay, Ray. We will find the lost survivors.”

“I still don't understand… why did it have to be this way…?? And it's not only that, my parents are lost!” Ray wept, bemoaning the disaster. Her squeaking cries don't go unanswered; while Sovange nuzzles Ray in reassurance, a second lioness begins nuzzling her head from behind, also hugging her.

“All isn't lost, friend.” The second lioness whispered reassuringly, “We will still have search parties out and your parents could very well still be alive.”

“Kaylee is right, your parents may very well be among the survivors. Didn't you all evacuate during the attack?” Sovange reasoned with her wild dog friend.

Ray wipes her face and assumes, “Yes. During the attack, the villagers did evacuate but since everyone is scattered now, it may be impossible to locate everyone.”

Sovange raises up and kneels to be eye level with Ray where the lioness declares, “Not unless there are designated hiding areas to take shelter in. I'm sure your leaders have it all straightened out.”

Kaylee turns doubtful and wonders, “I still wonder what would possess a rogue bandit tribe of lions to invade a peaceful settlement. Greed, I’m guessing? But it's all settled now!”

When Ray turns to face Kaylee, the lighter furred lioness grabs Ray and spins around, squeezing her in her arms. But the lighter lioness stumbles and loses her footing, leading to both mammals twirling to the floor in a heap.

Seeing the lioness' stumbling and falling, Sovange facepalms and groans, “Kaylee! Did you really think you’re pain free? Look at me and tell me what you think! Now you probably just reopened your injuries!”

“I don't focus on my pain factor; I only focus on others in need, like Ray and her tribe right now.” Ray and Kaylee separate with the lioness weakly explaining her mind. If Sovange’s wounds are moderate, Kaylee is no better upon further inspection. And Ray nearly squeaks in fright upon inspecting Kaylee more closely.

Like Sovange, Kaylee's abs are bruised all over, with the possibility of cracked or shattered ribs. But the lioness also has a busted lip, black eye, and bruising on her left cheek. The horrified wild dog gasps, “You look worse than her!”

Realizing Ray is pointing directly to her, Sovange recalls, “I suppose we never introduced ourselves but out of all the lions that fought in this war, most of us sustained injuries. Only a few of us were left winded from being ragdolled. By the way, my name is Sovange and the other lioness you’re staring at is Kaylee.”

“O-oh… I hadn't realized…” Ray’s ears deflate in guilt, though a melancholic smile graces her face in acknowledgement of the assistance. “I- no. We appreciate your help.”

Ray turns her attention back to Kaylee and begins petting her head. But when the lioness rolls over onto her back, Ray is presented with a full view of Kaylee's belly. But when the wild dog attempts to pet Kaylee's stomach, the lioness hisses in pain, forcing Ray to withdraw, “Sorry! Just trying to help.”

The moment is interrupted when a powerful roar echoes from miles away. Recognizing the roar, Sovange raises her fist in his victory and roars in return, with Kaylee joining shortly afterwards. This was no ordinary roar, it is a confident roar of victory.

Meanwhile, Amelia and Juan are celebrating the victory with a caucus of roses and cheers among the indigenous African inhabitants of the savannah. In celebrating the victory, the two lions bellow their lungs out in confidence, fist-pumping the air and inciting the fellow indigenous mammals to join in the celebration. Finally, they die down after some applause and cheering.

Feeling satisfied at the overall victory and triumph, Amelia loudly declares, “You have all done well! Together, we conquered an enemy bent on ransacking and destroying a peaceful, innocent village. For a moment, none of us thought we were gonna make it out alive but we persevered, we fought, we conquered! And now, peace is finally restored! Though we have lost some to this bandit raid, their sacrifice will not be in vain! And to all the survivors out there and those that evacuated, you are all safe now! We will celebrate!!!”

More cheers and applause erupt from the surrounding crowd. After the crowd settles down, Juan takes the stand next and proclaims, “We have won the battle against these vicious lion bandits, but our fight is not over completely. Now we must work together in assisting the wild dog tribe with rebuilding, recovery, and rescue! Only then can we finally celebrate our victory!”

The wild dog chieftains, Joseph and Leanne, join Juan and Amelia on the stand and raise their fists up in triumph. The male wild dog turns to the white lion and relates, “Chief Tivola, if it wasn't for your help, or the assistance of the other tribes, we would have been wiped out entirely. My wife and I want to thank you, your tribe, and the other tribes,” he gestures to the crowd in emphasis, “for their support. This is truly a very fortunate time for us and we cannot thank you enough! We thank you all!!”

More cheers and applause erupt from the crowds in support and in victory. Then Joseph proclaims, “Let us rebuild, restore, and reclaim!! Our people and land will return to normal!! Let us heal from this disaster and move on!! We shall learn from our mistakes to be better equipped and prepared next time!!”

Later on during the day, several search parties were sent out to search for the wild dog refugees that evacuated during the battle. This is done during dusk, well ahead in the midst of the rebuilding effort. By that time, the lioness warriors are actually well enough to take part, though their bodies haven't fully healed.

Ray is in one of these search parties to locate and rescue the survivors that fled. She is joined by Sovange and Kaylee. The two lionesses are in conversation while Ray is silent, keeping her eyes and ears open for any sign of her villagers. At the same time, Sovange and Kaylee separate occasionally to see if they can locate anyone from different vantage points and hiding spots. So far, no such success.

After some hits and misses, the search party reports back to the wild dog tribe to mark their progress. At the same moment, several other search parties arrive with mixed results. Some rescued villagers were shaken yet alive but some were injured and taken away to receive the medical assistance they needed pronto. Watching the entire thing unfold makes Ray hopeful, yet she still turns melancholic and inwardly wonders, ‘Where are Mom and Dad?’

Nighttime rolls around; the search party deploys once again to locate any survivors throughout the savannah. Those that escaped the battle are alive but they still have yet to be found. Whether or not they have injuries will be determined by the search party if they're located successfully.

Ray, Kaylee, and Sovange are off once again in the search party they're assigned to. But this time, Ray couldn't help but investigate Kaylee more, which includes toying with her from time to time.

“Ray! Stop trying to tickle me! Now is not the time for playing! We can do that later!” Kaylee has no intention of letting Ray touch her and the lioness occasionally has to avoid and dart around Ray’s curiosity. But Ray assumes, “Relax, Kaylee. I'm not trying to play around but I want to see how much you improved from your injuries.”

“Sovange! Tell Ray to stop bothering me!” Kaylee's whining falls on deaf ears; Sovange can do nothing but chuckle at Ray's antics. She didn't mind Ray examining her but Kaylee is absolutely having none of it, being forced on the defensive to evade during the search party’s adventure.

“Ray, come here with me. That's enough.” Sovange orders Ray to withdraw from Kaylee and the wild dog obeys, rushing to join Sovange by her side. Though the tawny furred lioness couldn't help it, she began chuckling at Ray herself.

“What are you laughing at?” Ray’s ears fly up to Sovange's laughter, yet her face puffs up in annoyance. This only makes the giggling lioness cover her mouth while still chortling.

Between a break in her laughter, Sovange pants, “I just find it so funny - just yesterday you were all sad and now here you are playful terrorizing my best buddy. I find it pretty amusing!”

This only makes the wild dog pout in protest, “Terrorize? I'm not terrorizing anyone. I'm hoping to become a healer so I can follow the tradition in my tribe. And I was only doing a pain reflex test on Kaylee to see how much she's improved. I see she isn't interested, though.”

“Maybe later on when Kaylee is in the right mood can you ‘attack’ her.” Sovange reasoned with the wild dog. She smirks and adds, “‘Sides, I have no problem with a little tickle torture of my own.”

“So I can perform my pain reflex assessment on you then, ma’am?” Hearing Sovange's argument, Ray's mood lifts from pouty to hopeful and the lioness nods her head; before Ray can move in, Sovange raises a hand up to interject, “But on one condition - we find your parents and locate all the survivors first.”

“Okay! You got a deal!” Sovange hisses in pain from the elated painted dog wrapping herself around her in a collision hug, making Ray withdraw apologetically. But with the stipulation in place, Ray couldn't care less; she is already eager to try out her inspection and couldn't wait to do so. This she wanted to do to make her parents proud.

Over the next few hours well into the night, the search party conducts another round to rescue the survivors. This time, they hit pay dirt. One of the members among the search party, a cheetah, sighted a cave in the distance about 200 feet east of them. An inspection into the cave reveals 60 wild dog villagers hiding out inside, each of them huddled and grouped together in a small army. But when one of them spots the incoming cheetah, she barks out a warning call to the rest of the group.

The cheetah immediately prioritizes calming the scared villagers. “There is no need to panic, everyone! We're here to rescue you!”

When the cheetah alerts the search party to the survivors inside the cave, the wild dogs begin to quiet down. And after the party is gathered do the wild dog villagers file out of the cave after some brief persuading.

During the journey back home, Ray is inspecting the villagers, occasionally glancing over shoulder now and then to make sure she's not separating herself from the search party. On the flipside, Ray is secretly on her own personal mission to locate her parents among the crowd. But so far, no dice. Little does Ray know of a surprise waiting in store for her, right in her sight all along.

The team makes the successful trip back to camp during dawn. Inspection follows next; the survivors from the cave are inspected and led away. Those that have injuries are led to the healers camp; those with no injuries are led directly back to the main village.

Back at the camp, Ray is demonstrating her reflex test on Sovange, poking and prodding her stomach to test for any signs of a reflex. Even Kaylee is observant in the background, being the next one in line to undergo the process. So far there is no impulse from the lioness… until Ray comes across a sensitive area on Sovange's waist and ends up receiving a knee to the face as a result.

*WHAM!*

“Ow!” After getting rocked by the lioness, Ray grabs her own nose out of reflex. Though she is briefly dazed, her nose isn't broken or bloody, though there is a sharp pain screaming from it.

“Sorry, Ray!” Although initially guilty of socking Ray, the lioness is apologetic. Though on the flipside, she reminds the wild dog, “You did strike a sensitive area, though.”

“No hard feelings, though. Just trying to do my assigned duty.” Ray has no ill will towards Sovange, only respect.

Kaylee joins the picture seconds later, her curiosity taking over. And she willingly becomes part of Ray's reflex testing. But the lioness puts a twist in there - she begins squeezing Ray while rubbing her head against the wild dog. This renders the wild dog unable to perform her assessment on the lioness. But that’s not the only thing holding Ray back.

“Ray!! My daughter!! There you are!!” Hearing the cacophony of voices addressing her and pointing her out, Ray twirls her head to see what the commotion is and the wild dog ends up squabbling to break from Kaylee's grip. Four familiar faces are moving on to meet her. There is Malachi, Moroko, and two other familiar faces - these latter two turn out to be her parents!

“Malachi! Moroko! You guys are ok!!” Ray is overjoyed to see the two wild dog guards alive during the post-battle recovery. And the female wild dog is even more astonished at seeing her parents, of all villagers, alive and well.

“Mom!! Dad!!” Freeing herself from Kaylee's grasp, Ray bolts to meet her parents. And while the wild dog begins to reconnect with her parents, Kaylee discreetly removes herself from the floor so as not to cause a scene.

“Ray!!” The reunion between the parents and their pup is short yet witnessed by the surrounding survivors. And the excited wild dog drags her father behind her, taking him to see the lioness warriors she has grown attached to. With her mother following closely behind out of curiosity, Ray introduces them to the lioness warriors, “Mom, Dad, these are Sovange and Kaylee - they helped us deal with those dangerous bandits! And we won!”

“Hello!” Kaylee offers a shy wave in return from Ray introducing her to her parents, a far cry from the warrior beast inside of her. Though Ray notices the stark contrast with Kaylee in terms of personality, the same can't be said for Sovange.

“How y’all doing? We beat those bandits to kingdom come!” Sovange sends a friendly greeting wave of her own and goes right down to flexing. She further relates, “We had assistance from other tribes but in the end we all won.”

While speaking to the wild dog parents, Sovange begins to take special interest in them. “So you two are Ray's parents? What are your names?”

The wild dog father responds with an endearing smile, “My name is Ken and my wife’s name is Kassi. It has been a while since we last saw Ray. She's now independent and we're very proud of her.”

“Yeah, you guys raised a beautiful, energetic woman. Are you guys healers by any chance?” Sovange inquires of their trade to see if Ray is actually following their lead. Ken confirms this when he admits, “While Kassi and I are tribal doctors, we are also warriors. But that part goes from us when those lion bandits ravaged our village. But Ray has been trying out her own techniques in her training to become a healing doctor.”

Off to the side, Ray is conversing with one of the wild dog elders in her tribe. Juan is with them also, conversing along with them. When Ray looks back at her parents conversing with Sovange, and later Kaylee, Ray later hugs Juan and buries her face into his chest.

Out of appreciation, Ray nuzzles Juan's chest and squeaks, “Chief, thank you for everything you've done! We wouldn't have made it if it weren't for you guys or the other tribes pitching in.”

Juan hugs Ray in return, nuzzling the wild dog girl. Then he hums a bit in thought before finally speaking, “All of us played a part in beating back those lion bandits, and while we did lose a few, we still emerged victorious. It is not just me you should be thanking, Ray; there are other heroes you should be speaking up to.”

“I know, Chief, but you are the strongest one out of them all! You and your band should be recognized and feared!” Ray praises Juan not only for his powerful appearance but also for his strength and the strength of his tribe. While Juan accepts the compliment and the praise, the white lion chieftain reasons, “Our tribe isn't the only one in the area; we’re still rebuilding after the battle. Why not talk to others about the same thing?”

“Okay, Juan! Thanks!” When Ray nuzzles Juan while enclosed in his arms, the two separate and go their separate ways; Juan returns back to a council meeting with other tribal leaders while Ray wanders back to her parents. Following some further discussion, the family agrees to spend the day at the healing camp before setting off for their next journey.

During the next few days, more survivors are found and treated, which later leads to a large ceremony in celebration of the new beginning for the wild dogs.

~~~~~

Ray Yadao belongs to Devill_xx from ToyHouse for this long-length story commission! Juan Tivola, Amelia Aldwin, Sovange Wesley, and Kaylee Rammstead belong to me!