Chapter 1: Chapter One
Chapter Text
It was a hot dry season in the Savanna. A bright grayish blue lioness walked around the territory of her pride. She was lost in thought and she hummed softly.
She walked over to a lake and looked at her reflection. She smiled softly before she sniffed the air and the hairs on her neck began to stand.
She smelled an outsider.
She growled softly as she stalked towards the lake and she saw a cream colored lioness sitting by the lake.
She frowned and she slowly relaxed. The lioness didn’t seem like she was doing anything.
She walked over to her. “Um… hello,” she said. The lioness looked at her startled. She had three scars on her right foreleg and a scar on her right eye.
“Um… I-I’m not here to cause any trouble!” She exclaimed nervously.
“Calm down, I won’t hurt you. I’m Skychaser,” she said with a gentle smile, “what’s yours?”
The lioness looked away. “Nothing.”
Skychaser blinked in confusion, “excuse me?”
“My name. It’s Nothing,” she said, looking back at her. Skychaser frowned, “that’s… that is cruel of your Hunt Chief to do that.”
Nothing smiled slightly, “honestly I’ve embraced it.” Skychaser’s eyes softened and she nodded with a small smile.
“That’s wise of you,” she said, “and I can already tell that you’re more than nothing.”
Nothing blinked in surprise before she smiled softly. “Thanks, Skychaser. By the way, what… Pride are you in? I’ve been on the Prideless Stretch for a while; I don’t even know what Pride I’ve stumbled upon.”
“You’re on the territory of Guardian’s Oasis Pride,” Skychaser said with a smile, “my mom, Risingmoon, is the Hunt Chief and my father, Morningmane, is the Mane.”
Nothing nodded and she shifted nervously on her paws. Skychaser looked at her.
“Would you… like to join my pride?” She asked. Nothing blinked in surprise.
She hesitated before nodding.
Skychaser smiled before she nodded and she started walking. Nothing glanced back out towards the Stretch before she followed Skychaser.
Chapter 2: Chapter Two
Chapter Text
Nothing and Skychaser walked into an archway and Nothing looked up at it in astonishment.
Then there was laughter and she looked to see two cubs playing and another pair sleeping.
“Those are my siblings,” Skychaser said, “and the lionesses resting on the boulders are my sisters.”
“The-there’s so many,” Nothing whispered and Skychaser giggled softly, gently flicking her nose with her tail.
“Skychaser!” A voice called and Nothing looked up to see a black lioness. She was nearly larger than her mother and yet she gave a commanding aura just as she did.
Nothing flattened her ears and shrunk back.
“Mother, I found this lioness near the lake by our territory. She would like to join our pride,” Skychaser explained.
The mane raised an eyebrow and Nothing looked at him. He was as tall as her father, Starmine, and he looked even more stronger than Quickmane.
He had white fur, a black mane and his eyes were a dark and deep blue color. It almost looked like he could stare into someone’s soul.
“I am Risingmoon, the Hunt Chief of this pride,” Risingmoon spoke, looking at Nothing, “what is your name, lioness?”
“I… my Pride named me Nothing,” she spoke. Risingmoon frowned and flicked her ear as one of the lionesses giggled.
“Nothing, huh? Sounds pretty accurate,” a white and cream lioness chuckled smugly. Nothing lowered her gaze.
“Hush, Cunningspirit,” Risingmoon said sternly and she looked down at Nothing. “It is equally as cruel for your Hunt Chief to give you such a name,” she said.
Nothing looked up at her nervously. She didn’t have the heart to tell her that it was her own mother who named her.
“But… you may join us… if you can prove that you are able to complete your Huntress Assessment,” Risingmoon continued, “even with your wounds.”
“R-really?” Nothing said, surprised. Risingmoon nodded, “I am not one to let a lone lioness be alone on the Prideless Stretch; I can tell you have a strong wit about you, young one. Tomorrow, when Sunce’s Eye is above the earth, you will get another chance. You will have another Huntress Assessment.”
Nothing smiled, “th-thank you.”
Risingmoon nodded and she walked over to her mate.
“How will she contribute to the needs of the Pride?” He whispered. “Trust in me, my dear Morningmane,” Risingmoon said, laying down next to him, “Sunce knows this poor thing is in need of a new home. She’ll do her best.”
Morningmane nodded and he glanced over at Skychaser and Nothing.
“You’ll do good, Nothing,” Skychaser said with a smile. Nothing smiled and nodded. She could only hope so.
Chapter Text
Nothing swallowed nervously as she sat next to Skychaser.
“Are you nervous?” She asked. “Yeah,” Nothing sighed, “I just… I don’t want to mess up again.”
“My mother is kind. She will give you a chance.” Skychaser said, placing her paw over Nothing, “you were born from nothing but now you will become something.”
Nothing smiled a little, “I’ve always been worth something.” Skychaser nodded firmly and there was a roar.
“That’s my father. We better get going.” Skychaser said and she got up. Nothing got up and followed her.
Risingmoon looked at them. Nothing smiled nervously.
“Try not to hurt yourself, Nothing,” Cunningspirit smirked. Endlessecho and Swiftroar both snickered.
Nothing folded her ears back but she didn’t look at them. “Good luck,” Skychaser whispered before she went to sit by Lightningrise and Cloudfighter.
Risingmoon looked at Nothing, “are you ready?”
“Yes.” She nodded. Risingmoon smiled, “Nothing, you stand before your new Pride, your Mane and your Hunt Chief. You arrived here as you are now. But you will emerge a huntress with a new name. A name in which declares the ways in which you are strong; do you swear to carry the name you are granted throughout your life, wherever it takes you?”
Nothing took a breath. “I do swear, Hunt Chief.”
“All lions present, I humbly ask you to witness this young lioness’ transformation into a Pride Huntress.” Risingmoon said and she stepped forward, “first, we shall see if Sunce has blessed you. A Sunce-touched Huntress leaps with the power and grace of the sun across the sky. Show us your power, Lioness.”
Nothing took a breath as she walked to the side before she crouched low and leapt high into the air before she landed back on her paws.
Skychaser smiled.
Nothing smiled nervously and she looked back at Risingmoon. “What next?”
A part of her was dreading this part. But she had to get through this. She had to. For Feather.
“A Sunce-touched Huntress runs with swiftness of light at her paws,” Risingmoon said, “show us your speed, Lioness.”
Nothing took a breath before she started to run. She could feel the Pride watching. She couldn’t give up now.
She had to keep going.
She ran through the archway before she skidded to a stop and she padded back into the Pride.
She looked at Risingmoon.
“Second, we shall see if Cansu has blessed you. A Cansu-touched Huntress roars with the mighty power that touches her heart and soul. So us your strength, Lioness.” Risingmoon said.
Nothing walked into the middle of the Guardian’s Oasis before she roared loudly. Morningmane raised an eyebrow, impressed.
Silentfire flicked her tail.
Risingmoon smiled slightly. “Last, an Asra-touched Huntress moves silently with nothing but her silent gaze and quick motion. Show us your spirit, Lioness.”
Nothing nodded and she noticed a young antelope nearby. She slowly crouched low, her claws unsheating. She silently stalked forward before she leapt onto the antelope. There was a single crunch before she dragged the antelope back.
Risingmoon chuckled before she leapt up onto the boulders and stood by Morningmane. “As the Hunt Chief of this Pride, I put forth that this lioness shall now be known as Braveheart.”
Nothing widened her eyes.
“Those in agreement, let me hear your voices!” Risingmoon said. Morningmane, Skychaser, Moonwhisper, Sunstrike, Lightningrise, Cloudfighter, Darkbreaker, Starsprinter, Whisperleap, Glorypeak, Silentfire, Cunningspirit, Endlessecho, Swiftroar, Riverhunter, Longrise and Warsummit all roared.
Nothing smiled happily.
“We are agreed then.” Risingmoon said with a smile.
Notes:
I didn’t really know the rest of the segment for a Huntress Assessment so I just decided to wing it.
SpiritDeNight on Chapter 2 Sat 28 Jan 2023 08:33AM UTC
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RubyFragments on Chapter 3 Wed 07 Jun 2023 09:19PM UTC
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PrimrosePrime on Chapter 3 Fri 18 Aug 2023 05:33PM UTC
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RubyFragments on Chapter 3 Mon 28 Aug 2023 12:38AM UTC
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dragonheart__fury on Chapter 3 Thu 27 Jul 2023 03:42AM UTC
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PrimrosePrime on Chapter 3 Fri 18 Aug 2023 05:32PM UTC
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Scarlett (Guest) on Chapter 3 Sun 08 Sep 2024 02:31AM UTC
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