Code of Honor by Erin Hunter

Author:Erin Hunter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2017-12-12T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

“Slash at his eyes,” Titan said, pacing around a pair of tussling young lions. “Now kick him with your hind paws.”

The stillness of the savannah gave an ominous atmosphere to the fight training. The wind had dropped so abruptly, it felt almost eerie. The violent gales had been replaced, in what seemed like the blink of a lion’s eye, by a motionless, shimmering heat that left the young lions drained and lethargic. Even at a distance, Fearless could tell they were struggling to find their fighting vigor.

One of the lions had a pale pelt that was almost white; perhaps he wasn’t suffering quite as badly as the darker-furred lions, because he found the energy to twist and slam his powerful hind legs into his opponent. The rival, whose fur was dark amber-gold, yelped and sprawled. Yielding, he flopped, panting in the dusty heat.

“Good, Forceful!” Titan growled. The pale lion tossed his patchy mane triumphantly, while his opponent slunk away. “Let’s see you take on Proud.”

A big young lion with a short brown mane leaped toward Forceful. Roaring, they reared up on their hind legs and crashed together.

Fearless sat with the lionesses, between Swift and Valor, his claws working in and out as he imagined joining in the fighting practice. Of course, these lions were older than him; not quite grown yet, but old enough to have left the prides of their births. He envied them the tufty manes they’d started to grow.

“I don’t understand what those youngsters are doing here,” Daring muttered. “Proud left the pride when Gallant was our leader. Why has Titan asked him back? And that one with the amber fur—Clever—he left ages ago too. Remember old Constant? She was their mother.”

“I remember Constant,” Valor murmured. “She must have hoped her sons would start prides of their own.”

“That’s harder than it used to be,” pointed out Sly. “Forceful and the others from Dauntlesspride have been roaming Bravelands for the last few moons, and they’ve still not managed to establish prides. Maybe they think Titanpride will give them a better life.”

Swift raised her dusty head from her paws; it seemed a massive effort for her in the broiling heat. She stared sightlessly toward the sounds of fighting. “There shouldn’t be too many grown males in a pride,” she said, sounding oddly wistful. “It always leads to trouble.”

“That’s up to Titan,” Regal snapped. “If he invited them here, he must have good reason.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Swift murmured.

Forceful and Proud were struggling in close combat, their muscles straining as they bit and snarled. Fearless watched uneasily.

All the new young males looked powerful. Taking on Titan was one thing, but no matter how strong he became, Fearless couldn’t fight Titan’s allies too. After all, Titan wasn’t exactly averse to bringing in his cronies to help him fight—he’d done just that in his duel for Gallantpride.

Ruthless, who had been stalking crickets in the long grass, flopped at Fearless’s side with a grunt. Fearless butted the little cub’s head. “Hot, isn’t it?”

The cub opened his jaws, panting rapidly.

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