Chapter One
The Black Wind
Ari caught sight of his next victim. Slowly, he crept closer as he circled his prey. In an instant, he leapt through the air, clasped his paws around his victim, and fell to the ground, kicking furiously with his back feet. He was about to sink his teeth into his new catch when a sharp blow to his head sent him tumbling through the grass.
“Must I tell you again, Ari? Leave my tail alone!” Zahava said.
Ari stared back at the lioness. She and a few other females lay under the shade of a tree. He got up and sheepishly ambled over to her. The small cub rubbed his face against her shoulder and Zahava licked the top of Ari’s head. He slumped down next to her, letting the warm sun beat down on his face as he drifted off to sleep.
A fly landed on Ari’s nose. He twitched and opened his eyes. The afternoon sun still rested high in the sky. Zahava nudged him softly and he looked up at her half-closed eyes.
“Will you tell me again about the journey of the elders?” he asked. Zahava yawned.
“Ari, I have told you that story over and over again.”
“Will you tell me one more time?”
The small cub rolled over on his back. Zahava took a deep breath.
“Very well, then.”
The lioness shifted her body to lie close to Ari.
“In times long ago, our pride descended from an ancient bloodline. These lions of old dwelt deep within the jungle and remained in the remote region for many generations.”
