Power of Lions

Despair

Lightning struck across the sky. Rain poured heavily across the land.

Assaggi continued to bury. Her fingers were cramping and dirt dug into her nails. Sweat dripped down her face but was being washed away by the rain. Her skin was beginning to grow red by the cold rain.

Tears ran down her face as she buried. Anger and sadness was running through her at the same time. Soft whimpers came out of her as she tried to stop herself from crying.

"Damn it!" Assaggi cursed as she threw up another pound of dirt out of the pit.

She reached seven feet bellow the earth. Rain water filled the bottom, and Assaggi's feet were becoming muddy. "Tears of our fallen." she thought. She dropped to her knees and let the mud and rain soak her. Her furs began to sodden and stick to her skin.

The caws of vultures stopped her mourning. Assaggi looks up and sees vultures circling the hole. Growls rang out of her mouth as she stood up and climbs out of the hole. A roar was let out at them to warn the vultures to stay away. She jumps on all fours to be on top of Ekon's body. Every hair on her body was up in warning. Her wild green eyes glowed viciously at the vultures that wanted to eat the flesh off her dead father. The flock of vultures kept their distance but looked ready to strike at the chance.

Slowly, Assaggi grabs Ekon's body and picks him up with all her strength. All her muscles strained under the weight she carried. Pain shot through her legs as she carried with extra weight and her arms screamed at what they held. Assaggi jumps back down into the hole with Ekon's body in her arms. Almost immediately dropping his body. She sets down his body carefully as if to give him comfort.

After Assaggi set Ekon's body down, she stands back up. Slowly, she climbs out of the hole and began to fill up the hole. Tears streamed down her face as she began to fill it up. Silently hoping her father would wake up to stop her. Every dump she does, her hopes become slimmer and slimmer. When he was fully covered, all hope was gone.

The hole was covered up till reaching Assaggi's level. She sets rocks that could fit her hand in a circle around the grave. Her hands became raw and looked like raisins now. Cuts and dirt were all over her. Her hair was heavily damp and dirty.

When the deed was done, Assaggi collapsed onto her knees. She stops fighting the tears and let them fall. They poured out like a waterfall. Cries were let out and sounded like a lone cub.

"Assaggi!" shouted someone through the thunder's roars. Assaggi looked up and peered through the thicket of rain. She could see a large figure running toward her. Faintly, she could see the colors of the figure was black and orange.

"Assaggi!" the figure called out again. Then their voice became familiar to Assaggi.

"Tau!" she shouted as lightning struck. In that bright flash of light, she saw Tau running toward her.

Tau reached her and stops in front of the grave. He stared at the circle of rocks and didn't say anything. "He died a day after Nyah's birth." Assaggi mourned. She kept her gaze downcast so she couldn't look at her childhood friend. "I should've been there when I heard him cry. I could've saved him!" she began to yell.

"It's not your fault Ekon died, Assaggi. Everyone dies sometime." Tau tried to reassure her, but Assaggi snapped at him. "He was suppose to die of age! Not by Poachers!" she roared. She grabs tuffs of Tau's fur and began to weep.

As the rain began to settle, Assaggi began to calm down. She lets go of Tau and stared at the ground. "I will kill them all." she said suddenly.

**********************************

"Jomo!" Assaggi roared as she literally rips off the door flap. She throws the door to the side and nearly hits a goat.

Storming into the room, Assaggi looks around. Nile's father Rudo was in the hut with Jomo when she stormed in. But someone else was in the hut as well. Assaggi stopped and stares at the unknown man. She knew of everyone in the village and he wasn't one of them.

The man had dark brown skin. His hair was pitch black and shaved to show three long scars on the left side of his head. The left eye was grey while the other was a light brown. The man was dressed in heavy cargo pants and a vest that showed a strong stomach.

"Who are you?" Assaggi demanded coldly. She felt a dangerous vibe by the man despite his handsome face. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as she stared at him.

"Assaggi, this is Imamu. Tribe leader of the Eastern village." Jomo introduced the man. "Also my grandson." he added.

Surprise appeared in Assaggi's eyes. She looked at Imamu with curiously but also in suspicion. "I didn't know you had another grandson, Jomo." she said. As she looked at Imamu, he wouldn't stop staring at her. It made her skin crawl like thousands of spiders were on her.

Stepping forward, Assaggi held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Imamu. My name is Assaggi." she spoke softly and coldly. Imamu continued to stare at her as he takes her hand. "You must be my cousin's wife." Imamu said with a smile, but the smile sent chills down her spine. "They aren't married yet. They are engaged." Rudo interjected.

"Yet I hear you have given birth." Imamu commented. A growl was let out of Assaggi's throat at his comment. It sounded like he was judging her. "My kind don't have age limits when mating after we are cubs." she growled at him.

Rudo and Jomo both backed away when they heard her growl.

"Jomo, I came to speak to you about Poachers. Another village has attacked, and now my father is dead!" Assaggi ignored Imamu to look at the Grandfather. "Poachers?" Imamu asked curiously.

"It's what we call you humans who take animals for their skin and meat!" Assaggi snapped at him. She snaps her head toward him and glared. "Poachers attacked your father? Was he protecting the animal?" Imamu asked curiously but seemed demanding.

"He wasn't protecting the animal. He was the animal!"

Surprise appeared in Imamu's eyes at the information. "You were raised by animals? I thought that was just some rumor." he said astounded.

Almost laughing, Assaggi only sneered at him. "I was raised by lions. Taught to survive by my instincts." She steps toward him and looks at him dead in the eye. "And my instincts tell me you can't be trusted." she hissed at a level only Imamu can hear.