All the lions had manes, three of them had thin manes as if they had just recently become adults. Two other lions looked bigger and more mature.
But their leader was the biggest and strongest lion. His mane was yellowish while his fur was vanilla white. He looked the most mature and seemed to be in his prime.
"This is the pride lands, you should know what it means to cross my borders." Asafa said in a warning tone.
"Indeed we knoweth... Why did you bring your women?" The leader spoke up, slightly offended that the women had been brought into this. It wasn't that he considered them not a threat, female lions were excellent hunters and most definitely a threat, especially in groups.
Rather, it was looked down upon in the lion world to bring the women to fight, because when males fought for territory, they also fought for the right to the women, so they could have more children.
But if the women also fought, there was a chance that they would get harmed, and then they would risk the chances to have children, which was the biggest reason for the fight from the start.
So it was heavily looked down upon.
The world of lions is harsh. They have to fight to have children and they fhave to fight for territory.
All the lions understood this. This was why it wasn't just male lions that would get nervous whenever other lions came into their territory, the female would also get nervous, as they would be the final prize for the winners. And if the opposing lions won, they would kill all the cubs and mutilate the unborn children in the stomach of the pregnant female, and then the female would belong to the new king.
"..." Asafa didn't answer as he knew that today, a serious fight would break out.
"Do not think badly of us, we act only out of necessity...." Their leader said to Asafa, swing how Asafa seemed young.
"Kill him." The leader commanded his lions.
"You guys take on one of them, I'll handle the rest." Asafa said, gaining the surprised looks of both his pride and the the enemies.
"Don't worry, I can take care of them." Asafa said as he saw the worry on the lionesses eyes.
But they had gotten their command, they would hold back one of the lions and Asafa would take care of the others.
They still couldn't help but to worry, since if Asafa fell here today, they would fall under a new king.
They knew how strong Asafa was against hyenas but they didn't actually see his real fight against scar, so they didn't know how much stronger he was than the avarage lion.
"Pompeus and conceited." The enemy leader spat out as he heard Asafa's command, feeling that the lion was young and inexperienced.
The lion leader stood back and looked as the lionesses attacked one, while the other four circled around Asafa.
Before they could attack him, he attacked them to their surprise. They thought he would be on the defensive since they had the number advantage.
Asafa jumped forward while slashing one of the lions, making him fall to the ground.
Then he turned around and slashed another one that attacked from behind, his claws cut through the mane and made the male lion bleed from ths neck.
The other two lions attacked at the same time from the side, Asafa was faster and bit one of them through the mane and pushed the other away.
The one he had between his jaws, struggled but couldn't break free.
The enemy leader saw all this and felt his heart pound, he had never before seen a lion with this speed, strength and reflexes. He instantly understood that they would all die of they continued fighting.
He was experienced and understood all this.
"FALL BACK!" The leader shouted and all his underling hurriedly fell back behind their leader.
The one that fought the lionesses wasn't harmed, only a few small slashesh. But the first lion that got attacked by Asafa had a deep slash mark on his face and layed where he had been slashed from the begining.
Another one that stood behind his leader was bleeding form his mane as Asafa cut through his mane with his claws.
Seeing this, the leader got even more nervous. A lions greatest shield is his mane, it's almost impossible to cut through and make a lion bleed from his mane area. And the fact that Asafa had done just that showed his strength.
And then there was another one that was struggling while being held in Asafa's mouth.
Asafa was holding one of the young male lions in his mouth while giving the enemy leader his predatory look.
"We... Surrender." The lion leader said.
Asafa let go of the lion that he held between his teeth, and the lion hurried to his leader with his tail between his legs.
Asafa saw that the leader wanted to leave, but he wouldn't let him do that so easily.
Asafa stepped on one of the lions that was still laying on the ground while bleeding from the gash that Asafa had given him. Asafa pressed his paw on the lions head and his head exploded.
"Do you think, that it's that easy to step into MY territory and claim MY women?" Asafa asked with anger lingering in his tone.
The leader understood that they'd have to pay a heavy prize today to leave with their lives intact.
As for the lionesses, they were looking at Asafa with newfound... Attraction. A lion that could protect his pride with prowess is what would make any lioness look up to him.
"We have 3 young females that have not yet bore any children.... "The lion leader said with a heavy tone.
Asafa looked at him in the eyes, and after a minute of thinking he nodded, understanding that the enemy leader was offering 3 fenale lions to give him.
"You have until the sun reached that point to bring them here otherwise we'll follow you and make sure to take over your whole territory. Asafa said while pointing at the sky.
The leader nodded and hurried off with the remaining lions. Today he had paid a heavy prize for his loss. He lost one young male lion and three female lions.
When the male lions had disappeared far away, the lionesses all poumced their king in pure bliss.
"Waaa you were like pow!" Ayana cried out in surprise.
"And then Whaaaam as you slapped him!" Another one said.
"Then whiiiish as you slashed him!!" Another lioness said.
"Since when we're you this strong?" Nala asked with scepticism, she had never heard of a lion this strong before.
"Pffts, Nala please, since when were I not this strong?" Asafa said, turning the question on her.
She was about to argue but remember back, she realised that they had never won against him in any physical fight.
They all looked at him like they were looking at gold.
For female lions, their point of attraction is a strong male that can protect them and their offspring.
That's why a big lion might be attractive as that is a sign of someone strong, or an arrogant one l, as the arrogant ones are usually like that because they have not tastes loss before.
As for male lions, they are attracted to female that can carry many children.
Asafa looked at the women and realised that he had lots of hard work to do when they got back.
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I almost forgot to release one today 😅