The Circle of Life (a Percy Jackson AU)

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

      I grew used to life in my new pride. As my legs grew longer, my shoulders grew broader, and my mane started to sprout, my loyalty to my new pride also grew. I grew to be fast friends with Jason, Reyna, Frank, and Hazel. I was out hunting one day with Reyna. Males lions typically do not hunt, but I loved the thrill of a successful hunt and always took the chance to stretch my muscles.
        Reyna and I were stalking a small zebra that had somehow gotten separated from the herd. Reyna signaled for me to go to the left with a flick of her tail, while she snuck up on the creature from the right. As I lowered my belly to the ground and slowly crept toward, my figure barely visible against the tall, yellowed grasses of the savanna, the zebra started forward. It had been sprawled out on the ground, looking around with large, piteous eyes, but it now was moving, though slowly and shakily.
     I saw Reyna flick her ears and I kinked my tail, signaling that I was ready. I slunk closer and then leapt at the zebra, claws extended and mouth ready to bite into its tender flesh. At the same moment, Reyna flung herself at the zebra's flank and planted her paws against its side, pinning it to the ground.
     I landed on top of the dazed creature and swiftly killed it with a deft bite on the neck. The creature stilled, but its glassy eyes were still wide with terror. For a second, I shuddered, thinking of my father's death, but then I shook off my trepidation. The zebra had to die to feed my pride. That was the way of life.
        Reyna and I carried the zebra carcass back to camp. Halfway there, we stopped to rest. "You did well," Reyna complimented me.
     I felt a trickle of warmth in my chest. Reyna was not one to give compliments easily. "You did well too," I said lamely.
        She looked as if she wanted to say something more, but she just turned aside, looking at the sun. "I wonder what it is made of," she whispered. "I wonder if there are lions on the sun."
       I squinted as I focused my gaze upon the sun. "Maybe there are lions there," I said. "They are probably as bright as the sun."
        "Maybe the zebra are yellow and white," she suggested.
        "Maybe they're blue," I said. "Blue and white."
      "What's with you and blue?" Reyna asked with a purr.
       "It was my mother's favorite color," I said.
      Thinking of my mother caused a pang in my chest. Suddenly, the light seemed to dim and the day was hot and weary instead of lazily warm. "We better get back to camp," I said, getting to my paws.
      "Percy," Reyna said. "I need to tell you something."
     I turned toward her, surprised to see that her normally hard and regal features had turned soft. "I was wondering if you might want to be mates," she said softly.
      I thought of it and I felt an ache in my chest. When I imagined having a mate, it wasn't Reyna I thought of, but another. I shook my head. "I'm sorry Reyna," I said. "Truthfully sorry, but no."
      She grabbed the zebra carcass before I could touch it. "Just leave me alone!" she said before picking up the carcass and carrying it back to camp.
     I thought of helping her, but I suspected that she would loathe the gesture right after I had rejected her. I didn't feel like returning to camp either. Instead, I padded over to the forested area of Jupiter's territory and stopped by a small stream. I looked at my reflection. I had grown, but my mane was not full yet, though it was the same hue of dark black as my father's.
         A scent touched my tongue and I whipped around to see a strange lioness on Jupiter's territory. I growled and lowered my haunches before sprinting at her, giving her a blow to the shoulder and pinning her down. She was strong and kicked me back, one of her paws connecting with my shoulder and causing me to yelp. "Get off of this land!" I growled.
     The lioness paused and then spoke, her voice like an accidental fall into a stream that was still cold in the early dawn hours. "Percy?" she said.
     I got off of her. "Annabeth!" I said in surprise.
     She circled me, her sweet scent wreathing around me. "Is it really you?" she asked. "We thought you were dead! Eddie told Gabe that he caught you and left you for the vultures!"
       My heart was stampeding like a herd of wildebeest and it was suddenly hard to be articulate. "I escaped," I said. "I ran away like a coward."
    I hung my head in shame. "You're no coward," Annabeth declared, "but how did you survive all these months?"
     My whole story tumbled out. "How did you survive?" I asked. "How is the pride? My mother?"
      "Your mother is alive," Annabeth said flatly, "as is Tyson."
     My heart leapt at her words, but she sounded strangely somber. "What's wrong?" I asked.
      "It's Gabe," Annabeth hissed. "He takes all the food for himself, Eddie, and Sugar. He's a lazy, horrible leader, but no male lion has been able to beat him in combat. He's ruthless! We're starving; that's how he keeps us too weak to rebel,"
      Suddenly, my paws yearned to race back to my pride, but coward beat down that urge. "I cannot go back," I said hoarsely. "You heard the prophecy yourself. I'll die!"
      "You can't know that," she snapped, though her eyes glittered with worry.
      She looked at me and her eyes were softer than I had ever seen them. She had always been an adorable cub, but now she a stunningly beautiful lioness with a pale golden pelt that shone even under the dappled shadows cast by the trees. "Let's pretend we have none of this," she said. "Let's spend one night with no other worries, but pleasing each other."
      "I think we need to battle again," I said. "I would have totally beat you!"
     "You would not have!" she insisted, lashing her tail.
          We play fought and tumbled into the stream. We were soaking wet and purring in a delirious state, happy just to see each other. For one night, I forgot that death was snapping at my heels.