The White Cheetah

Chapter Five

Sauda was awoken by the sound of a loud roar. She stood up, glancing around. She saw Jake hiding in the tall grass.

"Get down!" He yowled.

"Why?" The albino was puzzled.

"Because mom said so! There is a leopard here!"

Sauda gasped and cowered down in the grass. She could hear growling and snarling in the distance. The cub lifted her head up to see what was happening. She saw Ime and Kamaria hissing at a large leopard. It lashed it's claws at them.

"Mom!" Sauda yelled.

The leopard spotted Sauda in the grass. It swiped it's tounge over it's lips and sprinted towards her. The cub gasped and took off. She raced across the grass, not looking back.

Kamaria gasped and ran after her daughter. She leaped onto the leopard and pinned it to the earth. It thrashed around and was able to push her off of itself. It then ran after Sauda.

"Stay away from my daughter!" Kamaria yowled. She attempted to pin the leopard back down, but she ran out of breath from running. "Sauda!" She yowled.

Ime began running after the leopard. The leopard stopped and faced her. It growled and clawed Ime on her face. She stepped back and hissed.

Sauda skidded to a hault once she came apon a large gorge. Below it was a long river. The cub glanced back at Ime. She was trying to fight off the leopard, but she fled once it clawed her anew. The leopard began running after Sauda.

The albino cub gasped. She glanced back at the gorge. She had no choise, so she leaped off of the edge and splashed into the water below. It was very painful. Sauda swam to the surface. She looked up and saw the leopard. It growled and turned back.

Sauda swam to the shore and shook the water off her pelt. She layed down on the sand and sighed. She then glanced around.

"Mom?" She squeaked. "Rudo? Jake?" She gasped and stood up. They were no where to be seen.

She was lost.

Sauda glanced up at the flat face of the gorge. She attempted to climp up it, but it was too steep.

"Great!" She hissed to herself. "I'll never get back to my family!" She hesitated. Would she really return to her spiteful brother and rude cubs that often tease her? Sauda smiled. "I'll never get back to my family," She echoed.

The cub laughed and ran around in circles. It felt as if she was finally free. She saw that the river stretched out far into the distance.

I'll follow it, She thought. She began walking on the river bank, wondering where it lead.

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"Sauda is gone!" Kamaria exclaimed. She paced back and fourth.

Jasiri stood beside her. "Don't worry," He chirped. "We'll find her."

"If it wasn't for that leopard-"

Ime suddenly colapsed on the earth. Kamaria gasped and walked up to her.

"What is wrong?" She asked, nudging her.

"The leopard," Ime said weakly. "It struck me hard."

"Please get up," Kamaria chirped.

Ime did not reply.