This year's rainy season is particularly long, which is not good news for herbivores. Although not worried about food issues, continuous rainfall has caused the Gangsa River to skyrocket, becoming a difficult barrier for herbivores to cross on their migration routes.
The nomadic wildebeest on the grassland had to stay in the area where the Orus lion pack was located, including herbivores such as zebras and gazelles that migrated with the wildebeest army. The continuous rainfall provided them with fresh and tender grass, but still could not soothe their anxious mood.
There have been repeated attempts by wildebeests and zebras to cross the river, but all have been unsuccessful. Even the confident giraffe was forced to retreat when encountering turbulent currents as they reached the center of the river.
The retention of a large number of herbivores is good news for the carnivores here, especially the big cats.
Under the careful care of the mother lions, the little lions in the Orus lion pack have safely passed the entire rainy season. In previous years, at this time, the little lions have begun to endure the test of drought and hunger, but this year's situation is really good. The mother lions are confident that at least two-thirds of these little lions in the lion pack can live to one year old. Only about a quarter of the little lions born in previous years can survive, and even the mother lions, no matter how strong, cannot compete with the cruel nature. When the dry season approaches, the prey in the territory is pitifully scarce, and only the strongest cubs can survive in the competition. It's not that lionesses lack maternal love for their weak children. This is a common practice of lions. Instead of starving all of them, it's better to abandon the weak and let the strong little lion live.
The lion pack was able to rule this grassland for over a decade, relying on this maternal tenderness and cruelty.
Mother lion leader Tina loves every newborn cub, but she needs to consider the entire lion pack.
Fortunately, the rainy season this year is relatively long, and the little lions are getting stronger and stronger. I believe most of them can survive the dry season and become the young strength of the lion pack. As for the male lion Orus, his presence will also provide a guarantee for the lion pack to survive the dry season. If sufficient food cannot be hunted, then large prey such as giraffes and water buffaloes will inevitably become the target of the lion. At this time, the participation of the male lion becomes necessary.
Orus is responsible for this, and these little lions are all his descendants. Even if he often gets angry with the little lions, he will do his best to keep them alive.
The calm of the lion pack during this period has breathed a sigh of relief to the hyenas who have been constantly anxious.
The upcoming dry season is testing all the creatures on the grassland, including Cyrus, who is training two cheetahs in hunting skills.
During this period, Cyrus and two young cheetahs lived very well. There were a large number of calves in the herds of horned horses and gazelles, and it was not difficult to catch adult gazelles. Occasionally, with good luck, Cyrus could still catch larger prey. But hyenas and vultures always come unexpectedly, occasionally encountering lions, which is a bit troublesome for Cyrus, but there is not much he can do about it. However, as long as his own child can eat enough, Cyrus doesn't care too much. Of course, he can't care either. Compared to hyenas and lions, cheetahs have a different level of strength.
Hunting for two young cheetahs every day, playing with them, and educating them on the necessary knowledge for survival takes up most of Cyrus's time. At other times, the three cheetahs who are full of food will appear idle, looking for a place with a wide view or tree shade to lie down and rest.
Cyrus and two cheetahs both like to stay near the termite mound. Whenever Cyrus sits on the termite mound and looks for prey, two lively cheetahs will chase and play around him, occasionally passing through his legs. His sturdy little body often makes him lose balance.
The little cheetah is six months old and loves to play and be playful, but the only change is that their playfulness is becoming more purposeful, occasionally appearing very rough and aggressive.
Calvin's changes are particularly evident. Whenever he raises his neck hair and poses in a threatening posture, Charlie is often scared and ends up running to Cyrus for shelter.
Cyrus doesn't know how to handle this situation, blame Calvin? This is clearly unreasonable. What is the difference between non aggressive carnivores and antelopes? So, teach Charlie? How to teach? Personality cannot be changed through preaching.
Cyrus once suspected that he had mistaken Charlie's gender, but his body size and male characteristics, which were identical to Calvin's, indicate that this was indeed a male cheetah cub.
"It's a headache..."
Cyrus is like any father who is troubled by his child's education issues, with no other options. Other families and children his mother can discuss, but what about him?
However, Cyrus's current body is also very young. According to his memory, this male cheetah of the evolved species has just left his mother not long ago. It can be said that the front foot was just driven out of the house by his mother, and the back foot Cyrus crossed over to this body. Cyrus didn't gain much advantage either. In a blink of an eye, he picked up two little cheetah cubs and became an "unmarried" single father.
At least when he was a human, he had a girlfriend, held hands and hugged waist with girls. This man, whose body was occupied by himself, was too miserable. He hadn't even touched the paw of a female cheetah.Not right! Now this body belongs to him!
Cyrus suddenly paused and suddenly realized that after living for over twenty years, he had become a virgin in the blink of an eye? No, according to the current situation, should it be a virgin cheetah?
"Dad, what are you thinking?"
Charlie ran to Cyrus and lay down, licking his chin, affectionately rubbing against him.
Cyrus, who was well versed in cheetah body language, immediately knew that the little one was hungry. Calvin watched Charlie spoil Cyrus and came over to rub against him. Although he now looked like a male cheetah, he was still obedient like a kitten in front of Cyrus.
My son is hungry, so he doesn't have time to daydream. Cheetah girl's paws, compared to filling her stomach, are like floating clouds.
Cyrus stood up, stretched lazily, yawned, flicked his tail, and jumped onto the termite mound. Calvin and Charlie immediately followed behind him.
Hmm?
Cyrus doubted that he was having hallucinations. He just thought about the cheetah named Cute Girl, how could there really be a female cheetah the next moment? Don't ask him how he could tell the gender, intuition, do you understand?
A few hundred meters away from Cyrus and two young cheetahs, an adult female cheetah stopped in her tracks. She first looked at Cyrus, seemingly considering something, and then froze when she saw the two young cheetahs next to Cyrus.
This female cheetah is named Sheeta and is already eight years old. She gave birth to three cheetah cubs not long ago, but they were killed by lions when she went out hunting. This is Sheeta's third attempt to raise cubs, but so far, only one female cub has survived to adulthood.
It's not that Sheeta is not attentive or her hunting skills are not good. In a harsh competitive environment, cheetah cubs are the hardest to survive. However, the territory of the Orus pride is already not bad, at least there are few hyenas here, which greatly reduces the threat to the young cheetah.
But it's not absolute either, for example, Calvin and Charlie's mother was killed by a wandering single male hyena.
Sheeta can confirm that there is a male cheetah on the termite mound, just like her, both are evolutionary species and very young, but she is surprised by the two little cheetahs following the male cheetah.
Although male cheetahs live in groups, it is impossible for them to carry such small two cubs.
Is it his brother? Obviously impossible!
So, is he raising it?
Sheeta suddenly remembered the rumor she had heard before, that an evolved male cheetah kept two young cheetahs. She thought it was just a joke, but didn't expect to see it with her own eyes.
However, Sheeta now has no time to deal with Cyrus and the two little cheetahs. She came here purely to avoid the evolved cheetah brothers, the evolved species called Jarlow, who had been relentlessly pursuing her since a few days ago. Sheeta was convinced that Parzin was not interested in her, but as long as Jarlow didn't give up, the brothers would keep chasing her until they got what they wanted.
Sheeta has just lost her child and has no plans to raise the next litter now.
Sheeta and Cyrus watched each other quietly for a while, cautiously maintaining their distance until they were certain that neither side had any intention of attacking the other, while also letting out a sigh of relief.
Cyrus did not mark its territory, which really cast a shadow on those who left scent marks. And Sheeta rushed into the area where a male cheetah was located, feeling very nervous.
Just as Sheeta was planning to leave quietly, two male cheetahs appeared. They have been following Sheeta's scent to come here.
Cyrus knows them, Parzin and Jarlow. I suddenly remembered Parzin once said that they had overlapping territories with Orus, and I should be in this area now.
Parzin and Jarlow also saw Cyrus. Parzin wanted to come forward and say hello to Cyrus, while Jarlow was clearly more interested in Sheeta.
What else can a male cheetah chase a female cheetah for? Cyrus thought about it and understood. But the subsequent developments almost overturned Cyrus's speculation.
Two male cheetahs suddenly accelerated when they were less than a hundred meters away from Sheeta. After being chased, Sheeta immediately lay on the ground and assumed a submissive posture. Then, the two male cheetahs began to jump around Sheeta. In Sheeta's cries, Parzin's movements were clearly perfunctory, while Jarlow was enthusiastic and even extended his paws, occasionally tapping Sheeta's paw!
Sheeta was not polite either. She saw clearly the attitude of the Cheetah brothers and simply ignored Parzin, waving her paws at Jarlow, kicking and grabbing. Later, she stood up and forcefully pushed Jarlow away with her two front paws, squatting on the ground and shouting non-stop.
Cyrus was stunned. Isn't this not courtship, but seeking revenge?