[3rd POV]
The instant Leo leapt over the battlefield like a black storm, all eyes followed him. For a moment, the chaos paused, every lion frozen under the weight of that impossible leap. But the second his shadow passed over them, Scar's pride charged forward again and the battle resumed.
The battle was like a tornado of fur and claws that rampaged on the ground.
The first impact came when Eshe slammed head-on into Scar's leading lioness, Zira. Dust burst into the air as claws and fangs turned the world into a blur. There was no mind in the battle, it was an instinct-driven fight. Leo's previous rampage was the other lions' normal.
Eshe was much heavier and stronger than Zira. But Scar's queen was more than the meat on her frame. She was quick, her body twisting and ducking beneath every heavy swing that Eshe threw at her.
She was awfully patient for a villain. Eshe realized soon enough that fighting these lions would be very different from fighting hyenas.
The two lionesses fought tooth and claw. Although there was dodging and blocking, two animals fighting could not go on without blood for long. Eshe managed to land many attacks on the enemy, especially when she got the hang of how Zira moved.
But for every cut she landed, Zira fought back harder. The lioness caught her across the shoulder, deep enough to spill red down her foreleg. Eshe snarled through the pain, twisted her head, and drove her teeth into Zira's ear, shaking until the lioness roared and ripped free.
Zira frantically moved back, blood flooding from the side of her head.
Eshe spat out the ear and spoke, "Why do you even bother fighting? Scar has no chance against my king."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Zira replied, biting out words through the pain. "Scar has a plan. He always does. He might not be the stronger one, but he is the crueler one. And in this twisted world, cruelty won more battles than strength."
Eshe was completely caught off guard by the answer. "And here I thought you followed your king because of delusion and lies, not knowing you follow an evil lion. But you follow him because you know he is evil instead."
"You are just as bad as him," Eshe said. "I won't show you mercy."
Zira laughed, loud and dry. "It baffles me how people like you see the world. I want your eyes too."
Zira surged forward, seemingly going for a charge. But when Eshe tried to meet her, she slid and took a sharp turn. Then she lunged from a new angle.
She slammed headfirst into Eshe's shoulder and took a malicious bite. But that was not the main attack. Her main attack was the paw that came from the front while Eshe was turning her neck to focus on her.
Her claws aimed to gouge out her eyes.
But Eshe dodged in time, though the claw still managed to tear her muzzle, causing immense pain.
She roared, the fight was only getting started.
Beside the two lionesses was Nydia, who fought with frightening will. Every movement was forward, never back. She met Scar's lionesses with the raw power she attained from training and a buffalo diet.
Her paw swipes cracked into ribs, her jaws locked down on shoulders and refused to let go until the enemy stepped back. Due to her intensity and aggression, she was able to fight two lionesses in a standstill. She was not winning per se but always pushing forward.
A set of claws raked her flank, leaving deep marks along her side. The enemies still found ways to attack even when they were being pushed around. Nydia answered with a paw across the muzzle that made bone crunch, but the lioness she struck did not fall easily.
The enemies circled while breathing hard. They were not as strong or healthy, but they were all tough lions for sure.
Sabaa and Nala flanked wider. The two fought side by side against four different lionesses. Unlike the others, their teamwork was what helped them.
They stood back to back, making sure the enemies could not attack from a blind spot. They were not the ones to attack but to defend. They were keeping the four lionesses occupied while the others dealt with the rest.
The enemies came forward, sometimes all at once. But their superior build made them like two living tanks. They could defend against the four of them with effort.
But while all this was happening, the center of the battlefield belonged to Zael. Because he was the only male lion on Leo's side, the outcome of his fight would dictate the battle.
Seven lionesses on the enemy side and four on Leo's side, they were able to cancel each other out. Another factor in that fray would turn the battle, so Zael needed to be that factor, not the other two lions.
Scar's two male lions came for him like war-given flesh. They were huge, far larger than Scar's lionesses, with tight muscle and eyes trained to obey only Scar's command. Two against one, each step they took was an apex predator approaching.
Zael did not charge back at them. Instead, he wisely gave them ground. He let them release useless roars and throw aimless paws.
He had seen Leo fight multiple lions, and he also learned from his king, so he applied everything he learned in this battle.
Zael did not have anyone to fight beside him, so the most important thing was to make sure morale was on his side. Dodging their attacks did more than just dodging, it gave the two lions a sense of helplessness and powerlessness.
After Zael let them attack a few times, he finally answered back. Again, for the morale to be on his side, he attacked with full force. He did not hold anything back as he slashed at the lion's foreleg.
The lion, having his leg suddenly taken away, stumbled and crashed on the ground face first. Zael then slammed down his paw on the head of the lion with enough force to shake the ground.
The other lion lunged again instantly. He was half-leaping toward him so there was no leg to sweep. Zael again copied one of the many attacks he had seen Leo use.
He took a single step back and pushed himself upward at a 45 degree angle. He did not use any claws or teeth, just his thick skull. The paws brushed past his side, the enemy never expecting him to move forward instead of backing away.
Zael slammed his forehead under the jaw of the lunging lion, knocking the enemy out for a split second. The lion grew limp and Zael took that chance to bite the neck.
Zael twisted his head to try and break the neck. He knew fellow lions were resistant to bites so he had to get creative. Again, another thing the king taught him. But Zael lacked the strength to break bones like Leo, so the attack was lethal, not fatal.
Patience was key. So after he was unable to kill the enemy all the way, Zael moved back. It was a good decision because a jaw snapped shut right where his neck used to be. The downed lion had gotten up.
After that short display, morale was by his side. The two lions stood up, but no longer charged. Instead, they separated and began circling him.
Zael immediately got alarmed. He bit down on his teeth in a frown.
"I thought you would be dumb to follow an old, weak lion, but I guess you are not as dumb as you look," he praised the two lions for at least trying to use their number advantage.
As if the two enemies could read minds, they stopped circling at the same time and ran toward Zael from the front and back. From the distance and speed, they would reach him together and there was nothing Zael could do when they attacked from both sides at once.
So the best choice was to make sure they didn't attack at the same time.
Zael picked a lane and ran toward one of the lions. That way, he broke their synch by moving their target.
The lion lunged at him, leaping high into the air. He was the lion whose leg Zael had swept before, so he was not going to fall for the same trick.
But his leaping only gave Zael a better opportunity.
Zael did not leap to match his enemy. Instead, he lowered himself further and got under the enemy. He then twisted his body so that his claws could catch the lion under the belly.
And then with a roll, Zael changed the trajectory of the lion in mid air. He timed it perfectly, a mix of luck and intelligence. He slammed the lion down on the other lion who ran from behind.
The sound of bone crushing bone was heard as Zael stacked the two lions. He then burst forth. His mouth held fangs that were still very pointy due to not having seen much use, a sign of a young lion.
His canines were like being stabbed by a nail. He aimed at the skull, where skin was thin and there was no muscle.
Skull was nailed by a fang. The result was a cracked, shaky tooth and a punctured skull.
The lion dropped his tongue and passed out, or died, from that brutal attack. He was also the one on top of the other, so the living lion was trapped.
At that point, it was an easy task for Zael to finish him off.
The battle was not over yet, but the result was clear now.
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Double chapter to start the week.