Hope for the Future

Asha

I trudged to the lion camp, a dead antelope in my jaws. The lions forced the cheetahs not only to fight, but to do all the hunting and building of their camp as well. The lions only fought, and even then they didn't do much. They left all the heavy lifting to the cheetahs, and still claimed they were the strongest. I dropped the antelope as soon as I entered the camp, letting a group of lions drag it away. I collapsed, unable to keep myself upright. "Hard day, huh?" I looked up to see Kutumika, my best friend. "Yup." I sighed "Those lions are so lazy they can't even do any hunting." Kutumika smiled weakly "You know they're all males." she said, "What right does that give them?" I asked "Well, males aren't used to hunting." she said, "They should try to adapt instead of forcing their prisoners of war to do everything." I heard growling, and it wasn't from Kutumika. "What was that?" A lion towered over me "Oh, you didn't hear me? I said, 'They should try to adapt instead of forcing their prisoners of war to do everything.'" I growled defiantly. The lion growled louder, "No food." he stated, then stomped off. Kutumika looked at me sadly, "You should stop trying to get yourself in trouble. You're thinner than you should be and you know it." I stood up again, "Yeah well, the lions aren't going to kill me." I looked at Kutumika, her light brown spots and stripes sparkled in the dusk light, and her brown eyes were filled with concern. "Your cockiness is." Kutumika said flatly. "No, it won't. It's going to save me." I said. "How so?" she asked. I took her to the pile of grass and mud I called a nest, clearing away a little of it so she could see the dark tunnel stretching out towards the river. Kutumika's eyes widened, but she said nothing, and we locked eyes. "We escape tonight." I whispered "When everyone is asleep."