The Lion Prides: Icewind

Chapter Three: The First Lion's Den

 The cubs gawked at their father. Then they started to wrestle like normal young cubs. Icewind and Stonestream laughed merrily until the cubs started staring at them, wondering why their parents were laughing. Then understanding dawned in their eyes. They had just started playing without thanking their father for the tale.

"You cubs are so silly. If you four will come with me, I'll show you something special. It is a two day journey, but we will be meeting up with your mother at the palace for the feast and executions. Stonestream, this place is a secret. If every lion knew where it was, they'd never leave the place alone. So, when someone asks you where we went, tell them I took the cubs on a trip and that we'll be back after the feast. That much is all you will be able to tell anyone. I will tell my father where I'm going, though. I love you, dear." Icewind said before padding off with four cubs trailing behind him. He went to his father's den and growled the 'I need to speak to you' growl customary among the fighters. A growl returned to his ears: 'You may approach, fighter'.

After explaining to his cubs about this custom, they padded into the dark den. Streammane lay sunning himself on a rock under a single hole in the cavern, but sat up as the group approached him. With an inquiring look at Icewind, the lion spoke.

"And what brings you to my den, son? Why have you brought your cubs with you?" He asked in his deep, gravelly voice. He beckoned them closer to the circle of sunlight.

"I have come, father, to inform you that I am taking the cubs to the First Lion's den. I will be at the feast in three days and will travel home with the pride's representatives." Icewind spoke in his gentle, quiet voice. Streammane looked confused. Shaking his head, Icewind explained patiently where he was going and why.

"I know we will be passing the palace on our way there, but we will avoid it as much as possible on the way there. Thanks to your training, which I believe I once told you was a 'rank folly-fallen minnow', my cubs and I have the best training in the pride. We can hold our own should it come to a fight with any of the other lions. I have been known to take on up to twenty strong lions at once and still win. You know that almost no lion would willingly attack me unless they felt truly threatened. I have taught all four of my cubs my fighting techniques, all of which I learned from you and intensified. My daughters are two of the best huntresses in the pride, so we will have no want for food." Icewind reassured his concerned looking father. After hearing this, Streammane relaxed considerably. Then he tensed again.

"Only Fire Pride has never heard of your fighting skill and only the king of lions would dare challenge you to a duel with his mother pride at his side. Be careful, Icewind. You are a diamond in the rough, and Water Pride has sworn to keep you safe no matter the cost, for you are our most valuable fighter, and one of the last white lions. Only you and your offspring remain in Snowfall's line." He warned.

Nodding, Icewind turned and left the cave, his cubs following him. Once they had left the camp behind, Icewind turned to the west. He told his cubs that they should be ready to face whatever they should encounter. When they stopped for water at midday, they encountered their first enemy: the head lioness of Fire Pride.

"Uh-oh. Icedrift, Snowdrop, cover my sides. Ladies, stay beside your brothers. Hello, Ashclaw. Remember me, Icewind? I am a lot stronger than when we first fought." Icewind said, trying to scare the lioness off. Instead, Ashclaw glared at him.

"Oh I remember you all right. And who are these runts with you? Your siblings? Oh, right. Your mother is dead. These must be your cubs." She said a little too sweetly. Icewind bristled, insulted.

"My cubs are the best in the Pride, thank you very much, you stinky yellow-livered coward. And I will not allow you to stain my mother's memory by issuing so many insults. Let's solve this once and for all, shall we?" He challenged. The insulted lioness bristled and growled her reply. Icewind's cubs stayed in place as Icewind padded forward menacingly.

Ashclaw leapt at him, but he swerved at the last second. The lioness landed hard. Getting to her paws, she faced Icewind. The lion lashed out with lightning quick speed, claws unsheathed. Ashclaw roared in pain, alerting avery nearby lion that she was being attacked.

"You've gotten slower, Ashclaw. Cubs, be ready in case more than twenty lions comes to her aid. " He remarked. Ducking a claw swipe from the wounded lioness.

"And you've gotten stronger, you rotten excuse for a lion. I was with a hunting party consisting of fifty or so lionesses and twice as many fighters. All the fighters will be coming to my aid, you can count on that." She shot back as her legs were knocked out from under her.

"My cubs and I can take all of them. No lion from any other pride dares to challenge me, because I can defeat twenty lions at once." Icewind replied, digging his claws into the fallen lionesses shoulder. Just then, a chorus of yowls erupted around them. He let Ashclaw up and sent her tearing for her mate.

Icewind turned to face his new foe. His cubs were already fighting, facing twenty lions each. He watched proudly as Snowdrop and Icedrift both but an end to Nightflame and Starflame. Then he whirled to face his own opponents. The fight was over quickly.

"And you can tell Darkfur that I am Icewind, legendary white fighter of Water Pride, descendant of Snowfall himself!" He roared at the fleeing fighters. Together, the cubs and Icewind buried the dead. Not one of the five travelers had fallen.

"I'm so proud of you. Now you see why your training was more intense than any other cub's. Let's go. We are still a day away from the First Lion's den, and if we run the whole way, we'll reach it by nightfall." Icewind told them. As a unit, the five lions charged west. Just before the sun set, they reached a large cavern. It was almost completely hidden by moss and bracken. It's mouth gaped like an empty hole as they walked into total blackness.

When they went inside, they found the cave was not as empty as they had thought. An odd scent lay around the place, a lion's scent not belonging to any pride. Icewind cautiously padded farther into the cave, watching for movement. A flash of gold and white met his eyes as he turned around to go back to his cubs. They were trapped.