1 Chapter one

"Is there anyone left?" Tai asked as she pushed her way though the pride of lions to get a better look at the ash covered landscape.

"No" a large lioness sighed before turing to the pride. Suddenly a soft chirping sound came from under a fallen tree.

"Shika what is it?" Tai asked Turing to the large lioness. Shika lifted her powerful paw and thrusted it against the burnt log, tearing it to shreads, revealing two spotted small balls of fur.

"Cubs!" the lions turned to each other in shock. They were so little barely the size of the smallest hunt's paw. The smell of milk on there mouth was faint.

"There's only one thing to do" Shika turned towards the cubs barring her fangs. Tai felt her bone chill as the small little ball cried.

"No!" She roared flinging herself in to the other lioness. Quickly she scrambled to her feet putting her self between shika and the two small cubs. "I am the leader of this pride and these are my cubs"

"Step a side" Shika growled meeting the lioness's gaze "You're cubs are dead these are cheetahs for goodness sake". Moving toward her and the cubs, but before she could get close enough Tia swiped her paw across Shika's muzzle leaving a large scar.

"From this day on these cubs are to treated as part of the pride" she growled before leaning down to pick up one on the cubs. One of the smaller lioness grabbed the other cub and followed her. The group of lionesses padded over to a small clearing that managed to escape the fire.

"Fine but with Rock dead it is only a matter of time before some male takes his place" she snapped "and then the ground will run red with the blood of all our cubs" she said turing toward the lionesses sleeping with her cubs "At least my way would have been painless" she added before walking away.

"Now what shall I call you" Tai whispered softly pulling the cubs closer the her "How about Amber and Ash?" she smiled down at the two tiny cubs.