(Credit to -peachyymilk for every banner in this book!)

Addie spun around, breathing raggedly and swiping at his head. "Calm down, it's just me!" The golden lion gasped, his eyes wide as he batted her away. "Kasim!" Addie growled with a smirk, knocking him over and pinning him down. "I told you not to do that," She sighed, rolling off of him and onto her paws. "Sorry, but you're so easy to scare!" Kasim laughed, shaking the dust out of his golden fur.

"I'll get you back one day." Addie grumbled, scanning the grasslands fervently with narrowed eyes. Kasim licked her ear softly, sitting down next to her. "I'm sorry." The ginger female suppressed a purr, leaning into him. "It's okay..." She said, straightening and backing up, her muscles tensing. "Addie..." He trailed, his yellow eyes rounding. She began to lean onto her haunches, preparing to pounce. "Addie, no!" Kasim pleaded mockingly. Growling softly, Adebowele flung herself into the air, her front paws outstretched as she barreled into him.

The golden lion gasped on impact, tumbling down the hill with Addie still on his shoulders. Kasim tensed and pushed Addie off of him, grumbling lightheartedly. Addie hauled herself up with a triumphant grin. "I told you I'd get you back." She laughed, scanning the dull area of grass and sparcley placed trees. Kasim snorted and kicked up some dust. "It's not a contest," He teased, padding beside her. "Oh, but we were both thinking it." Addie purred, her yellowish fur sparkling against the setting sun.

Kasim slowly shook his head, bounding away back to Sunning Rock, where most of the pride would bask in the evening sun's rays. She was about to give chase when she heard a strangled honk to her right. Kasim paused and circled back around, pointing to the source of the noise with his tail. Addie turned to see four silhouettes gather around the dead gazelle and drag it away, out of her range of sight.

She pawed at the ground agitatedly, feeling slightly betrayed. "Jabari told me that they weren't going to hunt today!" She grumbled, glaring into the space where the lions had disappeared. Kasim let out a heavy breath, his eyes glittering with badly concealed impatience. "Addie, you can talk to the king about it once we return to the pride." He pointed out, eying the distant surface of Sunning Rock, which looked like it had caught on fire with the sun's light playing on it. Addie gave a hesitant nod before dashing off into the sunset, awaiting a full meal for supper.
                                                                                                  .  .  .
"Adebowele, you're back!" Eshe purred, rubbing her jaw against Addie as if she hadn't seen her daughter in a whole season. Addie grimaced and slowly pulled out of the queen's grasp, searching for fresh meat or the gazelle she had seen being taken down with Kasim. "What are you looking for?" Namusa queried, craning her neck so she was gazing in the same direction as Addie. "Did the pride hunt today?" She suddenly blurted, unable to restrain from asking the question a moment longer.

Namusa shook her head wildly. "Heavens, no! We have enough, and we only take our fair share. You should know that by now, princess." The healer dipped her head and lumbered off to speak with another lioness. Addie felt her head whirling with sudden realization. This meant that there was another lion pride in their territory.

I tried to jump right into the plot in this chapter, I hope you all were interested in what will happen next! Please tell me what you liked and didn't like! <3