PRAIRIE LION GROUP ARC CHAPTER 1

On the ever-dangerous savanna, rainy days bring a rare sense of safety—something most animals, even predators like lions, understand well.

For herbivores, rain means a temporary reprieve from predators, allowing them a chance for a peaceful sleep. But it's not as though the carnivores remain unaffected; even young male lions like Qiao Qixi and the cubs he had found must stay on guard.

The sound of rain pouring outside their den gave the little lions a sense of security. Exhausted from their days of wandering, they fell into a deep and restful sleep, their bodies and spirits worn down by hardship but slowly finding some comfort in this newfound sanctuary.

Of course, they had no way of knowing what might happen when morning came—whether they'd wake up to the bared fangs of the strange adult lion who now shared their den.

For now, though, the five weak and vulnerable brothers had no choice.

As dawn broke and the rain finally let up, Qiao Qixi breathed a sigh of relief. If the downpour had continued, the drainage trench in front of their den would have overflowed.

Heavy, prolonged rain is rarely a good thing in the wild.

That night, Qiao Qixi had only managed about five or six hours of sleep while keeping an eye on his new charges. It wasn't terrible, but he usually slept a solid ten hours.

The young lions never stirred throughout the night, which was a good thing, as deep sleep would help them recover from their weakened state.

Animals have remarkable self-healing abilities, more extraordinary than most humans realize, creating miracles of survival time and again.

The white lion in Qiao Qixi's arms breathed evenly, his fur now dry, and his frail body radiated a gentle warmth.

It was likely that even in his mother's arms, this little white lion had never slept so soundly.

After another half hour, the sun rose fully, and the cubs curled up in the corner began to wake up, stretching and licking each other's sleepy faces.

Soon, they seemed to remember a lurking danger—namely, the adult lion nearby.

Qiao Qixi met the gaze of four pairs of amber eyes. The four young lions looked at him with fear, but also with a hint of unmasked curiosity.

Such is the nature of young lions only a few months old—they haven't yet developed a strong sense of caution.

It is possible for them to be adopted by a lioness other than their birth mother.

But they would never have imagined that a male lion would play the role of caretaker, taking them in like an eager dog chasing a mouse.

After observing for a moment and seeing that the threat had not materialized, the cubs grew braver. They approached the remains of the antelope from the night before and tentatively nibbled on the meat.

Seeing that Qiao Qixi didn't react with aggression, they seemed to take it as a sign that it was safe, and they began eating with more confidence.

Clearly, they had already digested the food from the night before.

Growing cubs can eat a lot, and their appetite can indeed be a challenge for their caretaker.

Though the antelope was a large one, feeding so many mouths would soon deplete it. Before they finished, Qiao Qixi discreetly moved his paw to wake the white lion.

Otherwise, the little one would have missed out.

When their eyes met, Qiao Qixi finally got a good look at the white lion's eyes—they were a rare, deep blue, incredibly beautiful.

Despite being weak, the white lion's first instinct upon waking was to be wary. He quickly scrambled out of Qiao Qixi's arms, clearly frightened.

He soon retreated to join his brothers, though he didn't immediately join in the feast. Instead, he watched Qiao Qixi with a mixture of caution and curiosity.

That unfamiliar male lion who had held him through the night—why would he do that?

After a moment, he caught Qiao Qixi's gaze, and he hurriedly hid behind the antelope's carcass, trying to keep his small, frail body out of sight.

Qiao Qixi had eaten very little the previous night, too preoccupied with looking after the cubs, but he had no intention of eating more of the antelope himself.

He decided to leave what remained for the cubs and planned to go hunting again later.

Now, however, he faced a dilemma.

In a typical lion pride, there is a division of labor: some lionesses hunt, others protect the cubs and the territory, while the lion king guards against external threats.

Qiao Qixi's ragtag little pride, however, had only one "main force"—a three-year-old male lion, which was hardly enough.

So the hunting? That was on him. Watching over the Cubs? Him again. Defending against potential threats? Also him.

It was a tough situation, but now that he had taken the cubs in, retreating was no longer an option.

Before leaving the den, Qiao Qixi took care to clean his face, maintaining his neat appearance.

It was a habit carried over from his time as a polar bear; scruffy male lions just didn't seem to have the same sense of dignity.

Once the cubs had finished eating, they left a few scraps. Though Qiao Qixi found it unappealing, he also knew that every bit of meat was precious in the savanna. It was best to finish what was there.

With the rain over, he also needed to dispose of the remains quickly before they attracted other predators.

So, after eating the leftover meat, he dragged the carcass outside.

Honestly, he had no idea how to properly care for the lion cubs, nor did he know how to keep them safe from other male lions that might invade their little hideout.

He sniffed the air and, fortunately, there was no scent of any unfamiliar lions within a 20-kilometer radius.

If there had been, he would have picked up on it.

This meant he would have time to relocate if any threats approached.

The cubs watched with wide, uncertain eyes as the adult lion dragged the remains away, huddled together in a tight group with their legs drawn in.

They had no intention of following him.

That was only natural. At this point, they barely knew Qiao Qixi, and he was still very much an object of suspicion.

He didn't force the issue, hurrying to complete his task.

Luckily, there was a powerful lion pride nearby that had driven off most of the hyena packs in the area.

If even a small group of hyenas had come, the little cubs in the den would have been in serious trouble.

Lions and hyenas have been enemies for generations; whenever possible, they never let each other live.

With the unfamiliar male lion now gone, the five brothers were left bewildered in the den.

Everything was so unfamiliar, their protective mothers were gone, and the future seemed uncertain.

But none of them wanted to return to their aimless wandering, so they stayed put, not daring to venture outside the territory of this strange male lion.

Well, maybe "territory" was too generous a term—Qiao Qixi was just exploiting a gap in the surrounding prides' control.

When the nearby pride turned their attention back to this area, they might confront him, or they might not. If they did, he'd be forced to leave.

At the very least, he needed to survive until he was five before he could even think about challenging them.

Paws pressing into the wet grass, Qiao Qixi sniffed the post-rain air, sorting out the scents of various animals. He detected buffalo and wildebeests, animals that lived in herds with strong, thick scents.

But they were difficult prey.

Knowing his current strength, the young lion skipped past the nearby buffalo herd and continued searching further afield.

The rainy season was a great time for hunting. The tall grass made it easier to stay hidden.

However, lions and leopards tend not to like the rainy season because the vibrant green grass contrasts sharply with their coats, making it easier for prey to spot them.

Living on this stretch of the savanna, Qiao Qixi stayed alert not only to predators larger than himself but also to humans.

He didn't want to be watched or filmed again—at least not until he was fully grown.

Adolescent lions aren't all that impressive, especially like him, with a sparse, scruffy mane just starting to grow around his face.

Fortunately, his coat was a rich, golden hue, almost like fine silk.

To be honest, his diet in the savanna was better than average.

He rarely went hungry, and when he did catch prey, he could eat his fill—something even lions in larger prides couldn't always do.

As a result, his body was covered in well-developed, evenly distributed muscles, with no sign of the gauntness that often characterizes young lions.

Once his mane grew fuller, he would look like a proper adult lion.

He passed two giraffes grazing on treetop leaves, their towering figures barely paying him any mind.

They moved past each other peacefully.

Following the scent of antelope, Qiao Qixi soon found himself entering a neighboring pride's territory.

It was a risky move.

If he were alone, he wouldn't bother; he could always find another herd elsewhere.

But now he had five hungry cubs back at the den.

Qiao Qixi had ventured into the territory of the Arm Brothers, who had recently taken over this pride and were still acclimating the lionesses to their rule.

As was customary, they had killed the cubs that had been sired by the previous pride leaders.

While the Arm Brothers were busy winning over the lionesses, Qiao Qixi lingered on the edge of their territory.

He wasn't too worried about the noise of his hunt attracting attention—by the time they realized it, he would already be on his way back with the spoils.

His greater concern was that they might follow the scent trail back to his den, so he always kept a close eye out, making sure no one was tailing him before heading home.

In the distance, one of the Arm Brothers—named Armstrong by the humans—lifted his massive head and let out a roar.

Under different circumstances, he would have gone to investigate.

But for now, Armstrong was more focused on wooing the lionesses.

With a bit more effort, he could mate, and soon those lionesses would carry his cubs.

Male lions continually take over prides, leaving behind their offspring.

But not every male has the strength or luck to see his own cubs grow up.

Wild lions live about 12 years, with only a brief window where they are at their peak.

The brutal cycle of rise and fall is ever-present on the savanna, just as the former pride leader, recently ousted by the Arm Brothers, had experienced.

His cubs, like so many others, had perished.

The official account that tracked the history of the Norman family released a somber announcement that morning.

Following the death of all members of the third generation, the fourth generation of the Norman lineage was now gone as well.

In the video, the lioness fell during a hunt, her injuries too severe despite her strong will. Old wounds took their toll, and she could no longer rise.

Left without protection, the five Norman cubs wandered aimlessly on the savanna for two days until their strength gave out, and they collapsed in the grass.

Raindrops pelted their frail bodies, and even through the screen, one could sense the warmth draining away from them as their breathing grew ever weaker.

Death hovered close by, ready to claim their lives at any moment.

Globally, there were around 7 million people who closely followed the story of the Norman pride, with about 2 million considering themselves die-hard fans. Many of these fans had been there since the era of the Double Lion Kings, witnessing the Norman family's journey every step of the way.

These long-time followers, many of whom were no longer young, could hardly believe the devastating news.

What?

What?

They put aside whatever they were doing, struggling to come to terms with the heartbreaking reality.

The Norman pride's cubs were all gone?

Not a single one left from the Double Lion Kings' fourth generation?

No, no one wanted to accept this truth.

"No!"

"No—!"

"My youth!"

Across the blue planet, in various corners of the world, this ordinary yet extraordinary morning was marked by outbursts of grief and disbelief.

On social media platforms, fans vented their sorrow and frustration.

Outsiders couldn't fathom what was happening.

In truth, these anguished cries weren't from madness.

Each of them carried a lion in their heart.

When did they first become fans of the Norman pride?

Some were twenty when they fell in love with the era of the Six-Lion Coalition, while others were in their forties, captivated by the age of the Double Lion Kings.

Regardless of which era they cherished the most, this community of 2 million eventually became a united front, fretting over the fate of the Norman family's third generation.

They watched the brothers fall, one by one, either dying or disappearing, their hearts breaking each time.

In the end, the once-glorious pride fell into decline, retreating to a quiet corner of the savanna with their cubs, no longer seeking to conquer new territory.

It seemed like a peaceful resolution—no more battles, just a simple life.

As long as they survived, it was enough.

But people forgot that there is no true peace in the savanna. Only through constant struggle can one survive.

The fourth generation, the yet-to-mature fourth generation...

Dempsey was a devoted fan of the Norman family, having followed their story since the time of the Double Lion Kings. Back then, he had just turned thirty, and their tale left a deep impression on him.

Now in his fifties, Dempsey was a retired worker with children who had already started their own careers.

Fortunately, the atmosphere at Dempsey's home was warm, and his grown children lived nearby.

When his son Stanford heard the news about the Normans while at work, he rushed home, knowing what he'd find. Sure enough, he found his father sitting in front of the computer, tears streaming down his face.

"Unbelievable, oh, it's just unbelievable..." Dempsey sobbed, wiping his eyes. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing a tattoo of the Double Lion Kings on his muscular arm.

He wept bitterly.

"Father," Stanford said as he moved to embrace his grieving father. The man who could usually take on ten others in a fight now leaned against his son's shoulder, crying like a child.

"Stanford, my child, oh no, Norman, my child... sob, sob, sob..."

Stanford felt no jealousy. The Norman pride had been a part of his father's life for over twenty years—of course, it felt like family to him.

Similar scenes played out in many homes.

In some families, thanks to the influence of their parents, the whole household had become fans of the Norman pride.

Today was a day of mourning for them.

They replayed the official video over and over, searching for any glimmer of hope, but ultimately, they lost all hope.

It was clear that these five cubs stood no chance of survival.

After more than twenty years of dominance on the savanna, the era of the Norman family alliance had come to an end.

Back on the savanna, Alexander returned from the Arm Brothers' territory with an antelope in his jaws. He walked a winding path back to his den, one that would be difficult for anyone to follow.

His first thought was to check if his five little guys were still there.

Qiao Qixi dropped the antelope near the entrance and glanced into his den. Sure enough, five pairs of eyes immediately turned toward him—four amber and one deep blue—full of fear but also... something else.

In any case, they were still there, waiting obediently.

Qiao Qixi was a bit surprised, but he didn't dwell on it. He simply called out to them and then headed back to the open space where he'd left the prey, tearing into the carcass.

He'd been gone for almost three hours on this hunt.

The young lions, whose bodies were still growing, had been starving for some time. The scent of blood had them licking their lips and fangs, their eyes filled with eager hunger.

Swallowing hard, one of the yellow cubs could no longer resist. Tentatively, he padded over to the food.

Qiao Qixi glanced at him, noting that this cub had particularly round ears. Well, from now on, this one would be Da Yuanzi, the eldest.

When it comes to courage, Da Yuanzi certainly had the makings of a leader, though he might have been just a big foodie.

After all, he still struggled to tear at the antelope's hide, and there was little ferocity about him.

Next came the second cub, a yellow one with a cool, composed expression and light, agile movements—a good mix of bravery and intelligence.

Qiao Qixi decided that this one would be the second in line, naming him Cheng Feng, a name as dashing as the cub himself.

The third cub to approach had the most hostility toward Qiao Qixi, always alert and tense, hiding a fierce determination beneath his fear.

He looked like a cub destined for great things.

With a name to match his spirit, the third was dubbed Zi Dian, or "Purple Lightning."

The fourth cub, who seemed gentle and slow, still had spots on his coat that hadn't faded yet. His formal name would be Qing Shuang, but his nickname would be Xiao Ban, or "Little Spot."

Lastly, there was the particularly frail fifth cub, who cautiously waited until his brothers had moved before finding a poor spot to eat.

Clearly, he was used to being the one overlooked.

Qiao Qixi knew that life was especially tough for a white lion, so he picked him up by the scruff. For a moment, he felt the cub's body tense and start to tremble.

Despite this, the little white lion put on a fierce expression, baring his teeth without actually biting.

Qiao Qixi carried him over to the spot where he had just been eating—a prime location with the skin already peeled back.

"Go ahead, kid," he seemed to say.

Even though the danger had passed, the white lion remained cautious. But he couldn't resist the lure of food.

For him, survival was a luxury, and he couldn't turn down the meal in front of him.

Even the faintest hope would push him to persevere.

The white lion crouched over the antelope's belly, pressing it down with his small paws as he tore into the red flesh with his sharp teeth.

His thin body revealed the path of each swallow, as his gaunt belly filled out with each bite.

Watching as the hundred-pound antelope quickly became a skeleton, Qiao Qixi gained a new appreciation for the hardships faced by lionesses.

The young lions weren't picky—they ate every edible scrap of meat.

They even licked the spilled blood clean, leaving nothing behind.

Though they were now full, they had never eaten a meal like this before—not even when they had lived with their pride.

In a crowded pride, food was often scarce, and cubs did not get priority.

If a pride faced a food shortage, it was always the cubs that were sacrificed first.

After Qiao Qixi went out to dispose of the remains, the well-fed cubs hesitated...

Twice now, this male lion had fed them, and they had begun to feel a sense of belonging with him, even though he was neither their father nor their mother.

But he was feeding them.

To prevent other predators from tracking the scent back to their den, Qiao Qixi took the remains quite a distance away.

And he had no intention of returning directly after. He planned to continue hunting.

After roughly burying the remains, he turned back to find a white figure trailing him from afar.

It was the white lion cub.

The little one tried to blend into the grass when he realized he had been spotted, pretending he hadn't been noticed.

Ah, Qiao Qixi suddenly remembered—he hadn't yet given the cub a name.

A little white bundle... what should he be called?

Qiao Qixi paused, realizing why he felt such a strong bias toward this white lion cub.

Because Otis, too, had been white.

I am extremely sorry for the missed updates. I was quite busy with project work in college so wasn't able to update. I will compensate when I find time. 😘