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The pack had been running for days now as the forests soon split into grasslands and desert. Skaduwee was doing his best to lead the pack in formation. Tail raised to signal that there was prey in the area. Tail lowered to signal there were rival packs nearby. Ears angled upwards to signal they needed to stop and rest. The pack knew these signals well. They worked like a well-oiled machine, moving together in sync to prepare themselves for the next hunt.
Skaduwee had been keeping them on the run for as long as his beloved mate could handle. Wazi was well into her fourth month of gestation. Her belly was beginning to show the subtle signs of birth. Pups were growing inside of her, and she was hungrier than ever as a result. The pack could not waste time searching for a new place to call home.
"Skaduwee, we can't keep this up much longer."
A beautiful golden female had been keeping pace with him as her sister fell behind. Wazi was being flanked by her older offspring. Yearlings that had survived their first dry season. It wasn't unusual for wild dogs to lose their pups during their first dry season. Wazi and Skaduwee managed to keep their entire litter alive thanks to the help of Esha and Kivuli. Kivuli was Skaduwee's younger brother. Although it was unusual for siblings to venture out together, Skaduwee welcomed Kivuli's presence. As Wanderers, he and his brother set off to start a pack of their own nearly three years ago. He met Wazi in a stroke of luck when he and Kivuli were hunting for prey. They had gotten lucky when Wazi's pack didn't kill them on sight. Instead, Wazi had dispersed from her pack when she realized there was potential in picking a new partner. Kivuli could have easily won her over, but, she chose Skaduwee instead.
Skaduwee was more than grateful that Wazi had chosen him. He took great pride in his work as both a father and her mate. They were bonded for life, and nothing could separate them. He would make sure of that.
"The sun is beginning to set, which means other predators will be out," Kivuli sniffed with disdain. "I'd rather not tangle with hyenas or lions… cheetahs are easy enough to scare off if you know how to handle them."
"Hyenas and lions are the least of our concern at the moment, Kivuli," Skaduwee retorted. Though he did see the wisdom in his packmate's concern. His lip curled as he opened his jaw to taste the air. This particular territory was rich with prey – an abundance of gazelle, antelope and wildebeest. The pack had taken down animals as large as wildebeest before. It was difficult though, especially with Wazi in her current condition. He would not risk broken limbs or jaws in an attempt to bring one down. "Fine, we will rest under this acacia tree."
He let out a grunt of frustration as the rest of the pack settled around him for the night. Darkness quickly swept across the landscape. Skaduwee's sharp eyes scanned the horizon for signs of threats. He wouldn't settle until he knew for sure his pack was safe from danger. Of course, it helped when Wazi finally settled down between Esha and Mrembo.
Their offspring from their previous litter had chosen to go along with them rather than Wander from the pack. Skaduwee was grateful for the support of their children. Tai, Nguvu and Mrembo had finished their first official hunt with great success. Tai was an excellent navigator, recognizing landscapes and patterns where it was needed. Nguvu was the strongest of the litter, showing both strength and stamina where it was needed. And Mrembo was the most beautiful of their offspring… she had her mother's fiery spirit and a beautiful golden pelt with dark splotches all over.
"Come and rest with us, Skaduwee," Wazi whined with a wave of her tail.
Skaduwee could not help but smile as he finally looked at his mate. The sounds of predators echoed throughout the night as he circled around her. The pack had a tendency to cuddle in a heap. It kept them warm throughout the cooler nights. It also secured the bond they shared as a united pack. For Skaduwee, it was also a precious time of peace.
He rested his muzzle just above Wazi's shoulder, breathing in her rich scent. The rise and fall of her shoulders was enough for him to slowly but surely drift off to slumber. Before he knew it, he was out.
.
.
Tai was the first to pick up the sounds of approaching predators. A growl formed in the back of his throat as he alerted the others to the incoming danger. Skaduwee was alert in an instant, ears pricked forward in alarm. Wazi, Esha and Mrembo scrambled to their paws. Kivuli was at his paws in an instant along with Nguvu.
Skaduwee recognized the smell almost as soon as it hit the air.
"Hyenas," he snarled.
Their chortling sounds was enough for his hackles to rise. Bright eyes illuminated the darkness as they began surrounding the pack. Skaduwee was only just beginning to understand the mistake he made. By sleeping under the tree, they were vulnerable to attacks on all sides. To make matters worse, there were few places to escape.
"I'm not sure what you were doing in our territory, Inanuka, but this is the last time you will sleep under this tree," the lead female snarled.
Hyenas were twice their size. They could easily rip them apart if they allowed it. Skaduwee knew he could take them on and easily outpace them. The rest of the pack might not be so fortunate. Their only chance of escape was standing their ground, though this hyena clan was larger than others.
Skaduwee's head swiveled towards the largest of the females. He knew the females were typically in charge of hyena clans. They were twice the size of the males and bullied their way into leadership. His muzzle twisted in a snarl as he glared at the largest female. Heavily scarred with torn ears and lips. She had seen better days. She was a warrior through and through.
He made the first move, striking fast and nipping at her paws. They were heavier than the paws of a wild dog, and Skaduwee took advantage of that. The others followed his lead, with Wazi and Esha sticking behind to avoid being caught in the crossfire. Skaduwee yipped and cursed at the female as she tried keeping up with him. In spite of his earlier exhaustion, adrenaline pumped through his blood. The leading hyena was on him in an instant, charging after him as the rest of the group split up.
His ears swiveled backwards as he listened for the sounds of Wazi and Esha. Their distraction was working, much to his relief. Wazi had been given enough time to escape with Esha and Mrembo. Once the three of them slipped away unnoticed, Skaduwee made the sound for retreat. They would reunite with their pack mates eventually, but for now, he had every intention of keeping the hyenas as far from his mate as possible.
"It's Tai," Kivuli warned when a yelp sounded. Skaduwee's heart nearly skipped a beat with dread when he noticed that Tai wasn't among them. He could hear the excited yips and hoots of the hyenas behind him. He whirled around in time to see that they had Tai surrounded in a tight circle. "They're going to kill him just to make an example."
"No," Skaduwee snarled under his breath. "I'm not losing any of my pups."
He spun around and lunged at the nearest hyena, wasting no time in snapping his jaws around their leg. The hyena howled with fury and pain, shaking him off with ease.
"Mjinga!" Kivuli growled.
But it was too late. Skaduwee was already within striking distance of the largest female. Her jaws parted in a wide grin as she readied herself for the attack.
The last thing Skaduwee remembered was lunging at the lead female to distract her from killing Tai. His vision blacked out just before he could reach her.
.
.
Wazi let out a groan as she, Esha and Mrembo reached what felt like a safe distance from the hyena clan.
Her heart was still pounding in her chest as she tried listening for sounds of her pack mates. She knew Skaduwee would slip away without so much as a scratch. Her pups though… she dreaded the day she found out what had happened to them. Nguvu and Tai were bold like their father, unwilling to relent from a fight. Kivuli was smart enough to know when he needed to retreat, but he also followed Skaduwee blindly.
"We should have never left them behind," Wazi whimpered.
She stared off into the distance, eyes scanning the tall grass for any signs of movement. Esha stayed close to her side, tail brushing across her shoulder ever so slightly. Her sister's worry was enough for her heart to wrench with guilt and pity.
Esha never had the chance to become a Wanderer. Esha had chosen to tag along with her when she left the pack with Skaduwee and Kivuli. She hoped that by leaving with them, it would also leave the pack in peace. They were already beginning to outgrow their territory when Skaduwee arrived. Within days, Wazi had fallen in love with Skaduwee. His bravery, honesty and ability to listen was something she admired.
"They are strong and young," Esha reassured her. "Led by the great Skaduwee… he would not let them go astray. And we should make haste to your new birthing den."
"Oh, sister," Wazi let out a sigh of frustration. She couldn't help but bow at the thought of losing her beloved mate. They were bonded for life… if Skaduwee was killed by those hyenas… then she should have gone with him. "I don't want to raise these pups without their father, or without knowing who he is. They deserve the best possible future."
"And they will have the best future possible," Esha reassured her with a firm yip. She brushed her muzzle into Wazi's shoulder fur as her sister began trembling with grief. "They will run freely when we reach your new birthing den. Free from other predators and free to hunt the fattest antelope out there."
For a moment, Wazi was touched by Esha's determination. She wanted to believe that Esha was right. That their pups would live on to see the light of day. That they could walk freely as their ancestors had. Wazi glanced at Mrembo, suddenly shaken from her thoughts when she realized her beautiful daughter had survived. Mrembo carried her father's courage and her mother's beauty. Surely she would become a Wanderer when the time came.
"Mrembo, do you remember what Tai said about the star?" she pressed.
Mrembo's ears pricked forward before tilting her head to one side.
To the south were distant stars glowing just under the moon. Wazi had never understood the importance of those stars. Tai was the one who knew how to follow them. Her son… intelligent and sharp witted… he knew how to let the stars guide them to their newest hunting grounds. Wazi had always been proud of her pups regardless of their differences, but Tai's intelligence was something worth telling stories of.
"The stars… they are supposed to lead us to the Pridelands," Mrembo replied. Her tail twitched at the thought of going anywhere near such a place. "A place of peace where animals can live freely without prejudice."
"Yes," Esha nodded in agreement. "These were stories told to us when we were pups… but are they true?"
"I never even mentioned the Pridelands to Tai," Wazi admitted guiltily. She never felt the desire to fill her pups' heads with false hope. She wasn't sure where Tai could have heard of such a tale, but she knew he wouldn't lie. Her tail wagged as she found herself wondering if that was where the stragglers had gone. "If Tai managed to escape the hyenas, then surely he would have followed those stars. And maybe we need to do the same."
"Follow the stars?" Mrembo echoed in surprise.
"It seems like an impossible task," Esha murmured thoughtfully. "The Pridelands… if they do exist, they would be more than a day's walk away. What if your pups arrive before we can reach our destination?"
For the first time since this venture started, Wazi's heart warmed with hope. She wanted to believe that her pups had survived the hyena's ambush. They carried Skaduwee's courage and cunning. She knew that if anyone could escape, her pups would.
"We have to get there before that happens," she replied with confidence. "And we will hunt along the way. If we must follow the Wanderer's way, then we shall. Mrembo, you are a skilled hunter and you can track down young gazelle without any trouble. Esha, you are the greatest at tripping up an antelope on the run. Together, the three of us can make it."
Esha didn't seem to carry her sister's confidence, though at least she perked up a little. Her ears pricked forward at the prospect of finding better and safer hunting grounds. Anything was better than facing the brunt of hyenas again. So they would travel… they would travel farther than any wild dog had traveled before. And whether or not they found the Pridelands, they would make a name for themselves.
.
.
Kivuli spat out bits of dust and debris that had clutched to his fur for the last couple of days. He trembled as he struggled to find his footing. He blinked against the harsh sunlight that hovered over him. As his eyes steadily adjusted to the sunlight, Kivuli noticed that he wasn't alone. His heart nearly skipped a beat when he recognized Tai and Nguvu. Nguvu was rasping his tongue over Tai's shoulder, and Kivuli's heart sank when he understood why.
A deep gash had torn apart fur, leaving a red stain along Tai's shoulder. One of the hyena's had relentlessly pushed them until Kivuli was forced to call for a retreat. He hadn't seen head or tail of his brother since their retreat. But, he knew Tai was surrounded by the clan at the time of Skaduwee's foolish attack. Tai had been open for a beating at the time, and Kivuli knew one wrong move was all it would take for the hyenas to lash out at the younger pup.
Skaduwee was incredibly brave and courageous, but he was also irrational when it came to the defense of his offspring. Kivuli learned this the hard way when Skaduwee went after a full-grown wildebeest. Going after such a large creature was risky at best, but Skaduwee had known how to outpace the beast. Skaduwee maneuvered the pack so that the wildebeest would leave the protection of its herd, and eventually they were able to push it to the point of exhaustion.
The feast that followed lasted for days before vultures came to claim the rest. Kivuli had never been more proud than to call Skaduwee his brother at the time. He was still proud of his brother, but he wished Skaduwee had seen this ambush coming. The signs were all around them. Long grass that could camouflage the hyenas was the first warning. Kivuli picked up their scent on top of it before they reached the acacia tree. He should have known better… he should have trusted his instincts that their night would end as badly as it did.
"No rolling around in the dirt for a while," he warned after shaking himself. Tai just stared at him in disbelief when he reached the brothers. His nephews. His ears flattened with guilt when he realized that they might have lost their father in that ambush. They had no idea what had happened to Skaduwee. There was too much chaos as the dust kicked up into a full-blown storm, blinding them to their surroundings. Kivuli had used the dust as a chance to flee. He was grateful that Tai and Nguvu knew to do the same. "I mean it, Tai. Your wound is too deep, and it could get infected."
"But... it's our duty to roll around in each other's scents!" Tai whined defiantly. Nguvu merely rolled his eyes while tending to Tai's injury. "I missed rolling around in father's scent… mother's is still in the air at least."
"Your mother's scent?" Kivuli's ears pricked forward with surprise when Tai tipped his head sheepishly.
"It's faint… she, Esha and Mrembo must have gone on their own when they managed to get away," he explained. "I've been able to track their scents ever since father started taking us on scouting lessons."
Kivuli's tail wagged at the prospect of tracking down the females. Skaduwee had used a technique that the whole pack managed to understand. His brother spoke in body language, using simple gestures that were easy to distinguish. He never understood how Skaduwee managed to pick up those signals, but he respected them, nonetheless. He hoped he could remember the signals that led the pack.
"Where do you think they would go?" he pressed.
"South, if I had to guess," Nguvu replied with a shrug. "Father always said that during the rainy season, that's where prey would gather."
Their wisdom took Kivuli by surprise. He stood up and closed the distance between them, pressing his muzzle into their shoulders. He was careful not to strain Tai's injury, and the younger pup looked at him gratefully in return. There were packs who would sort out problems through violence. Kivuli was fully aware that their pack operated differently from others… it was unusual for brothers and sisters to work together. Somehow they managed, and they survived as a result.
"You carry your father's courage and intelligence, and your mother's tenacious spirit," he praised them. "We will reunite as a pack, and we will carry their legacies with pride."
Tai looked at Kivuli with renewed surprise while Nguvu dipped his head in embarrassment. It was even more unusual for him to praise the younger pups. Kivuli had always taken them for granted because they all played a role in the pack. Now, he was beginning to see through the cracks. He saw something in Tai as he sniffed the air for Wazi's scent. He saw something in Nguvu as the powerful yearling cared for his brother. He knew at the end of the day they would survive regardless of what the world threw at them.
.
.
What was left of the pack had settled around an Acacia shrub the following night. Neither Wazi nor Esha were able to sleep that night. Wazi was more concerned for her lost mate than anything else. She had kept her ears alert for any signs of his presence. His scent was stale, telling her that it had disappeared as they continued traveling towards the Pridelands. She let out a quiet whimper and buried her muzzle between her paws.
Esha threw her a sympathetic look when she guessed what was on her mind. As Wazi's sister and the lone survivor of an older litter, Esha had always been more on point when it came to reading emotions. Esha never showed any interest in leading a pack, so she allowed Wazi to take over when they met Skaduwee and his brother. She never had any regrets; Kivuli had always been a kind and gentle dog. Esha preferred his presence over anyone else, and while they were not officially mates, she did appreciate spending time with him as a brother.
"I miss them," Wazi whined after a moment of silence followed. Esha brushed her muzzle into Wazi's shoulder, noting how stiff and tense she was. They were still shaken from what had happened a couple of nights ago. Sleep rarely came to the females when they were alone, as Mrembo had gone ahead to find food for the pack. She had not returned yet, leaving them all to worry that something terrible happened to her. "Skaduwee was such a brave and confident leader… I hate what as happened to our pack, and I never even had the chance to tell him."
"Don't think like that, Wazi," Esha tried reassuring her. She knew Wazi was pregnant with a new litter of pups. It would not be long until she gave birth, only this time she wouldn't have Skaduwee with her to greet them. "The pack is strong, and it has survived worse."
A shudder ran through Wazi at the thought of how their packs had struggled throughout seasons after seasons. She recalled when she was just a pup how fire tore through their territory. Then the worst threat of all followed: Humans. Hunters that followed prey and left traps for them to get ensnared in. She lost a brother to a snare trap when his neck had gotten stuck. The more he struggled, the tighter the snare entangled around him. The wound had been too deep, and the pack refused to leave until he breathed his last breath. Another incident involved crocodiles, where her grandmother and grandfather had died together to give their pack enough time to flee.
The pack always worked together regardless of what threats they faced. Wazi had learned from a young age that together, they were stronger. She was grateful for these harsh lessons that were taught to her. As awful as it had been watching her brother die, she was also grateful to know what she needed to look out for, and what to teach her own pups.
"I just wish I knew for sure if he and the others had survived," she murmured. "And Mrembo hasn't returned from her hunting trip-"
"I'm here!" Both Wazi and Esha flinched in surprise at the sound of Mrembo's voice. She was practically bursting with pride when she returned with the carcass of what looked like an antelope. "I'm sorry it took so long, but tracking this tommy down took longer than I expected… he put up a fight."
"Thompson's gazelle doesn't provide much meat for us," Esha growled, though her stomach was rumbling in protest as if to prove a point.
"You two eat," Mrembo ordered. "I can grab something smaller for myself, but mother needs to regain her strength."
She looked at her mother with a knowing look, and Wazi merely bowed her head. Esha let her take the lead in the carcass. Wazi was hesitant at first – after all, it was their first meal without the others – but hunger eventually overcame that hesitation. It had been a while since they had a meal like this. The pack normally outpaced their prey any day, even going after prey as large as a wildebeest. With numbers so low though, a gazelle was better than nothing.
Mrembo returned moments later with a hare and sat down beside Esha, tucking into her meal with earnestness.
"You are becoming a seasoned hunter, Mrembo," Esha remarked after noting how successful the younger dog was. Mrembo's tail wagged with pride as she swallowed a mouthful. "Much like your mother was at your age."
The pride in her voice was also etched with mischief, and Wazi rolled her eyes in exasperation. Esha was ironically older than her by a year, though she always made it seem like Wazi was the older sibling. They loved each other in spite of the constant badgering, and Wazi found herself relaxing just a little with the familiar scenery.
"From what I heard, the Pridelands will be bountiful with food of all kinds," Wazi let out a sigh. "Herds as far as the eye can see can be found."
"It sounds like an amazing place," Mrembo murmured. "But… why have we never gone there before?"
Wazi shared an uneasy look with Esha.
It wasn't unheard of for wild dogs to venture into the Pridelands, or any territory inhabited by lions. The problem was that lions tended to treat wild dogs with open hostility. Wild dogs were often seen as nothing more than pests that got in the way, when lions typically stole their kills. Hyenas ironically tolerated them more often, but only because they too saw an easy target when prey was taken down.
"Our kind isn't exactly welcome by lions," Wazi explained warily. "And the Pridelands is ruled by a pride of lions… but from what I heard, Simba is a just king who treats all his subjects equally."
"Somehow I find that hard to believe," Esha scoffed in disbelief. "Lions have never had the brains to think beyond their tails."
"That kind of behavior is exactly why we're pushed away all the time," Wazi warned her sharply. She looked at nothing in particular as her gaze grew distant. "We need to learn how to coexist… it may be the only path towards survival."
"But are the lions going to see it that way?" Mrembo pressed. Her eyes were dark with worry as she looked at her mother and aunt. "What are we going to do if we get chased out again?"
Wazi was silent for a long while as she thought of how to respond. She could already see the battle lingering in Esha's gaze. Her sister would gladly fight for their pack and defend them until the bitter end. But, she wanted a better life for her pups. One that didn't involve losing everything they had ever worked for.
Is it really impossible for our kind to get along? she wondered.
She hoped that her future pups could bring the change that the Pridelands desperately needed. Sooner or later their lives would cross paths, and Wazi suspected that battle would follow wherever the wild dogs ever went.