Fuli's Journey [Moved To AO3]

Chapter 5 ~ On Our Way Back Home

~Fuli's PoV~
It's been five long weeks since I found out I was carrying Kion's cubs. I mean, I didn't even know that this was possible! I wish I knew where we were, so I could find my way back to the Pridelands. Then, Soar came to us, holding something in his talons. He unfurled it and revealed a map!

"Okay, I stole this from the leader's office. We are here," he said, placing a small pebble in the top left corner. "Do you recognize anything on the map?"

Peering at the map, I saw a tiny dot of green on blue in the right side of the map. Then I saw a valley in different colors. 'The colors could be climates! That's the Tree of Life!' I think to myself. Then, I see a thick splotch of green at the bottom of the map; brown squiggles indicating a maze of canyons I instantly recognize.

"There!" I exclaim, placing my paw on the canyons. "Those are the Outlands! Then that makes the green below the Pridelands!"

"Hmm." Soar pondered, then placed another pebble about five paws away from the first. "This is where they plan to release you. The map is actually sideways so you will need to head in the direction of the setting sun. Remember that, and you won't get lost. Better get this back before they realize it's missing." He said, rolling the map back up and leaving.

Just then, all three of us felt something prick our haunches. I felt sleepy, so I lay down and was out like a light.

When I woke up, I noticed I was in a cramped "den" with round holes on the sides. With a jolt, I realized I was on another one of the strange creatures I couldn't understand.

"Chullun?! Pretinha?! Are you there!" I called frantically.

"Fuli? Oh thank goodness... You're here too." Pretinha said.

"What's happening?" Chullun said, moodily. "I dislike being woken up."(The truck had hit a pothole, jostling them and waking her up)

"They're all the same." A familiar voice commented.

"Soar?!" We all said simultaneously.

"Yep, they noticed how we would cluster together during outdoor time and figured they would take me so they didn't have the angry female wildcats on their hands." He explained. "Don't worry, this is how they're getting you to the release zone; in fact, we're here."

I felt my "den" being lifted up, carried somewhere and placed down. Instantly, the smell of savannah grass and acacia trees hit my nose. I heard a thunking sound and realized someone was on my "den"!

Suddenly, a side opened up and I could see open savannah, with not a barrier in sight! I stood up and padded out. I saw Pretinha and Chullun exit their "dens" and pad over to me. I look at the sun's position and face a direction.

"Home's that way! Let's go! Thank you Soar!" I called. As we ran I heard his reply carried on the wind: "You're welcome! Travel safe! And good luck!"

Soon, the strange creatures and everything we had been through for the past two months were behind us. I grinned and began singing.

"It's a good day to have some fun,

To run and play."

"Oh-oh-way-oh"