The White Cheetah

Chapter Four

Sauda woke up from a deep sleep. She stretched out and glanced around. She saw Rudo lapping up water from the lake. She walked up to him.

"Good morning!" She purred.

"Nothing is good about this morning," Rudo hissed.

"What's wrong?"

"My aunt is gone. I can't find her anywhere."

"Oh. I'm sorry." Sauda remembered about the humans. "So," She asked, "do you know anything about humans?"

Rudo spat out the water and glared at her. "Humans? Why do you want to know about humans?"

"I'm just curious."

"Well, curiosity killed the... Cub. You should stay away from humans. They do no good to any of us."

"What's so bad about them?"

Rudo scoffed. "What's so bad? They are awful! They kill cheetahs and skin their hides! Well, that's what my aunt told me."

 "Um, what about a zoo?"

"My aunt said that was where humans confined animals in small areas for no reason."

Sauda squeaked, "My dad used to live in one."

"Oh," Rudo said. "So he's not all wild."

The albino shrugged. "I don't know. He doesn't say much about his past."

"Hmm." Rudo stood up and glanced back. "If you are so interested in them, I can take you to them."

"You can?" Sauda was impressed.

The cub nodded. "Yeah, it's just across the-"

 Suddenly, Ime walked up to the two cubs. She glared at Sauda and hissed. The albino cub cowered down in fear. Ime then glared at Rudo.

"Who is this?" She asked. She sounded very furious.

"Just a friend," Rudo retorted.

"I have told you multiple times to not speak to strange cheetahs."

"She's just a cub!"

"Cubs can act just like their parents, and their parents could be very hostile."

"Um," Sauda chirped, "my parents are not mean."

"Oh really?" Ime glared at the albino. "Then who are they?"

"My father is Jasiri and-"

"Jasiri!" Ime was surprised. "I never knew he had an albino cub."

Kamaria walked up to Sauda. She glared at Ime and asked, "What are you doing with my daughter?"

"Nothing," Ime replied, whipping her tail back and fourth. "Your cub was just with my cub, Rudo."

Rudo cowered down as well and looked at Kamaria.

"Hello there," Sauda's mother chirped.

The melanistic cub hesitated, and then squeaked, "Hi."

Ime smiled and said, "You have never told me that you had an albino cub."

"I thought you would have known. Sauda always enjoys playing around the lake. I am surprised you have not seen her on the shore."

"I vaguely recall seing an albino by the lake. I'm not sure if it was a cub. It did not even look like a cheetah."

"So, there is another albino? It could have been a leopard."

"I'm sorry to interupt," Sauda squeaked, "but what is a leopard?"

"A leopard is a large spotted cat, and they can be very hostile. Leopards often hunt prey at night. They are strong enough to take down a crocodile."

Sauda cowered lower. "I don't want to meet a leopard!"

"Don't worry," Kamaria purred, licking her cub on her cheek. "I will keep you safe.

"Thank you."

"If there is a leopard," Kamaria countinued, "then we must report it. We can not bear to loose any more cubs."

"Indeed," Ime said. She grabbed Rudo by his scruff. "I will do it," She siad with a mouthful of fur. She carried Rudo away.

"What's going on?" Sauda asked. She was frightened.

Kamaria grabbed her cub. "Like I said, do not worry."