Chapter Nine: The Lioness Makes Her Move

Chapter 9: The Lionesses Take Action

Chu Ye watched the two lionesses standing in place, gazing ahead. He immediately approached them and began to call out.

"Roar! Roar!"

Chu Ye wanted the two lionesses to join the fight immediately. The situation had reached a critical, dangerous point; if they did not intervene, Jike would surely fail. And if Jike were defeated, this pride would be taken over by the brother lions. Once they seized control, all ten cubs would be doomed, as these brothers would not let a single cub survive.

No matter how Chu Ye roared, the two lionesses remained with somber expressions, fixed on Jike, as if they were waiting for something, wanting to see if he could prevail on his own. The other cubs had also crawled out from the bushes, and sensing the gravity of the situation, they watched the two nomadic lions nearby with nervous intensity.

Although Chu Ye was anxious and desperate for the lionesses to assist Jike, Lisa and Aisha remained motionless, as if they felt Jike could still defeat the two intruders. With no other choice, Chu Ye had to stay and observe how Jike would handle the two strong nomadic lions.

These brothers, though tall and powerful, still had light yellow manes that were not yet fully grown. This suggested they were young—likely around four years old. This was probably their first attempt at challenging a pride leader, as their bodies were unmarked and lacked the scars of past battles. Perhaps Jike felt they were too young and inexperienced, leading him to underestimate them. Nevertheless, they were adult males, and their size rivaled Jike’s.

Jike charged toward them, and the battle began immediately. Facing two opponents, he put on a brave display, but regardless of their lack of experience, their physical strength was undeniable. Even with Jike’s combat prowess, he could not overcome two lions of equal size.

The fight broke out in earnest. Jike roared as he lunged, but he was quickly overwhelmed. Outnumbered, he was forced into a defensive position, constantly parrying as the brothers flanked him from front and back. He could only crouch on the ground, struggling to fend off their relentless attacks. The intruders grew bolder with every strike; their strength was clearly superior, and it seemed impossible for Jike to win.

The situation was dire. If the lionesses did not intervene, Jike would either die on the battlefield or be driven away. Chu Ye, frantic, roared at them once more. Just as he feared his efforts were in vain, a miracle occurred. After a final, persistent series of roars from Chu Ye, the lionesses let out a cry and charged toward Jike.

Jike was already battered, his body covered in bite wounds, with no room to counterattack. The lionesses finally seemed to wake up to the reality of the crisis. Reaching the fray, they immediately surrounded the larger, more powerful of the two brothers—presumably the elder.

The intruders seemed taken aback. In the lion world, it was an unwritten rule that lionesses did not participate in battles between males. Yet, Lisa and Aisha had broken this convention to save their pride leader.

With the wives stepping in, the husband was saved. The two nomadic lions were stunned. The elder brother could no longer focus on Jike, as Lisa and Aisha had thoroughly entangled him. The odds shifted from two-on-one to two-on-three, significantly bolstering Jike’s position.

Although lionesses are smaller than males, they are frequent hunters with extensive combat experience. While it was difficult for them to defeat the powerful elder brother, they were more than capable of holding him off. The elder lion found himself unable to quickly subdue the two females, and the fight ground into a stalemate.

Jike, relieved to have his mates’ support, felt his chances of victory improve. Though he was exhausted and wounded, he was better matched against the younger brother, whose combat strength was inferior to the elder’s. He, too, entered a tense standoff with his opponent.

The other cubs, watching their parents clash with the invaders, retreated in terror back into the bushes. Only Chu Ye remained outside, observing the shifting tides of the battlefield. He knew that the outcome would directly determine the fate of all ten cubs, yet for now, the battle remained deadlocked, and the intruders showed no signs of retreating.