Chapter Three

A loud roar cracked through the sky like thunder. Amber felt the ground benght her sight. 'What's going on?' she wondered she turned to see a larger pride if lions gathered a round a brigh orange cat.

"What could that be?" she stepped closer to the pride. Her eyes widened it was a cheetah with a pelt made of blazing fire. His eyes narrowed at her.

"Who are you?" suddenly the fire spread from his pelt and engulfed the land around him. Amber's eyes darted open and suddenly she was back in her nest. The cold air hit her sweat drenched fur sending chills through her spine.

"Mom?" Amber look around the clearing. She saw the silhouette of two lionesses talking near the edge of the clearing. She crept towards the two lionesses. She stopped close enough to make out the two lions, Tai and Shika. She decided to hide in the tall grass and listen.

"Shika why have you not watched your son's training?" Tai ask curiously. Shika turned her head to look aways.

"It seem pointless" she stated coldly "sometime soon a Male will find use and he'll rip these cubs apart" her tail lashing.

"That will never happen" Tai growled with determination. " I won't let it"

"You won't let it?" Shika laugh "You were once a powerful lioness but you lost you're edge!" she spat "You once fierce heart has turned soft because those cubs"

"How dare you?!" She growled "There is nothing in the world that is more fierce then a mothers love"

"They aren't your cubs" Shika snarled arching her back "Your cubs were killed by the fire"

"Just because I didn't give birth to them doesn't mean there not my cubs" Tai's throat tightened blood does not make a mother love does!"

"So we're suppose just act like this is all normal because of love?!" Ambers took a step back lowering her body to the ground "Fine!" Shika snarled before turing running off.

"Amber?" Amber darted over to her shaking like a wet bird. Tai pulled her closer "It's ok little one" She spoke softly.

"Do you love me?" Amber asked in a shaky voice. "I mean I'm not your real cub"

"Of course I love you my dear" Tia nuzzled her adopted daughter. "I love you more then anything in the world your my cub I couldn't love any more then I do right now even if you were my birth cub" Amber felt all her worries drift away along with the thoughts of the fire cat.