Golden Plains: Layisha *finished, but I'll be adding the chapters a couple at a time* Chapter 28 & Epilogue added!

Thanks. I'm not going to add more now since I just did but I will soon.

Thanks! No, you really don't. There's three books. But I did actually plan to end it at the end of this one. I even wrote the epilogue and everything. Then I wrote another book and had to scrap the old epilogue.

Wow
So we're still in the first book? Or the second already?

Love the new parts.

All the new stuff I missed is very good.

We're on the second book.

Thanks.

Chapter 19
The sun had started to rise again and neither patrol had returned. I’d been keeping watch at the edge of camp, hoping to spot them, since they’d left the previous morning. I jumped at the touch of a tail on my shoulder.
“Get some sleep,” Masu suggested gently. The look in her eyes told me she was worried about Alir as well. “I’ll wake you if anything happens, I promise.”
I got up slowly, padding back to the adult’s den and curling up in my nest. The cold, empty space beside me reminded me of Alir and I shut my eyes, struggling to block out the thoughts. It was a long time before I finally slipped into a shallow, uneasy sleep.

I woke to the sounds of a commotion outside. Winter and Naire had returned, unhurt.
“They were angry, but they gave us an escort back to the border of their territory and let us go,” Winter reported.
The thought that the Fahari had released them without a fight gave me some hope. But still...
“There they are!” someone called, and I turned around hopefully.
Two stumbling lions had made it nearly to the camp without anyone noticing, for we’d all been paying attention to Winter and Naire.
Liu was mostly unhurt, it seemed, with a few shallow scratches on his back. Alir was leaning heavily on his shoulder, his eyes glazed with pain and one foreleg held out at an awkward angle. Deep clawmarks on his flanks were leaving a trail of red behind them.
No! I cried out silently, hurrying forward to support his other side. He didn’t seem to notice, his eyes fixed on the ground.
Ruka and Masu were staring at him in horror, pressed together at the front of the crowd that had turned to watch. As the slow procession of me, Alir, and Liu passed, Ruka and Masu got up and hurried after us.
Ponya was inside her den, hurriedly building nests for the two of them. As soon as one was completed we carefully guided Alir over to it, where he promptly collapsed.
“Why are you spinning?” he asked weakly, staring up at me as Ponya went to get the herbs she needed from her store.
“I’m not spinning,” I whispered, turning to face Ponya as she came back. “What’s happening to him?” I demanded, my tail twitching nervously.
“He’s lost a lot of blood,” the medicine lioness replied, pressing something to his wounds. He whimpered as it came in contact with his red-stained flank and I shrank back, terrified for him, even though I knew it would help in the long run.
He closed his eyes and I could almost see him fall immediately asleep, his breathing shallow and uneven as Ponya worked on his wounds.
Masu and Ruka pressed close on either side of me, providing comfort as well as receiving it.
My eyes slid in and out of focus but stayed fixed on Alir until Masu murmured, “You need some sleep, Layisha,” and I realized I was nearly swaying on my paws, but I shook my head. I had to stay with him.
After a few more slow, endless minutes had passed, the two of them guided me gently to a nest I hadn’t realized they’d made, close to him. I sank down into it gratefully, but though I was exhausted I couldn’t fall asleep. Finally, with the hot reek of blood in my nostrils, I sank into merciful oblivion.

Chapter 20
“Layisha, you’ve got to eat.”
I shook my head firmly. “I’m not hungry.”
Ariyeh sighed, exasperated. “What do you think Alir will think when he wakes up and finds out you’ve starved to death?”
“Fine,” I mumbled, taking a few halfhearted bites out of the chunk of zebra she’d just pushed towards me.
“He’ll be fine,” she said, her cloudy eyes filled with concern, not for Alir but for me.
“But what if he’s not?” I asked, voicing the fear that must have been obvious from the first moment he came back. “What if he’s not fine?”
“He will be,” she said simply.
“You can’t know that,” I challenged.
“Neither can you.”
I sighed, slumping down in defeat.
Liu had reported that when they’d carried the message to the Brei the leader hadn’t been there. The under, the lion or lioness who would be leader when the current leader died, had given the order to attack. They’d barely escaped, and neither group had gotten word of when the attack was supposed to take place. Until then, Chifu had posted two lookouts around the camp at all times. When the alarm was called, all the lionesses and cubs were to hide in the adult’s den, while the lions would fight. Lionesses were taught a few basic fighting moves, but they weren’t enough unless in absolute necessity.
Lin was right; it wasn’t fair. I wanted to rake my claws over fur, sink my teeth into flesh, taste blood under my fangs...
My bloodthirsty thoughts startled me, but I wanted to make whoever had hurt Alir pay.

Chapter 21
A roar split the air from on top of a boulder, signaling the approach of the other prides. Quickly Autumn’s cubs were herded inside the adult’s den, and all the lionesses hurried in after them.
Alir had been moved into the den the day before for better protection when the attack was launched, and I felt slightly guilty for being glad that he wouldn’t be in the fighting.
Lian, the under, Ruka, Summer and I crouched in front of the entrance, ready to fight to keep out any enemy lions that managed to break through the protective line at the front of the camp, blocking the entrance.
There was a few moments of silence, full of tension and anticipation. Then suddenly there was a roar, and the fighting began.
For a long time, the battle was just a blur of fur, teeth, and claws. Then, suddenly, two big lions broke away from the melee, advancing slowly towards us.
The first one leapt on Summer, bowling her over, and the second attacked Ruka, pinning her down easily. He raised his paw, claws extended, for the death blow. I pounced, landing on his back and digging my claws into his fur. He growled, bucking to try and throw me off. I sunk my claws in farther, struggling to hold on, but it only made him double his efforts. I noticed Ruka scramble out from under his paws just before my grip loosened and I was tossed into the cave wall, cracking my head against the stone and sliding to the ground. My vision was fuzzy as my nightmare came to life.
The reek of blood, raking claws, a flash of teeth, searing pain, and then nothing.

Chapter 22
My face was on fire.
My head pounded and every muscle in my body ached.
“Alir,” I moaned, my voice rough.
“Shh, he’s fine,” someone whispered, dribbling cool water into my half-open mouth.
I swallowed it painfully, opening my eyes and blinking to bring Ruka’s face into focus. “I can’t... can’t think,” I mumbled. “What happened?”
“We were losing,” she replied grimly. “Just after you... well, after you blacked out... a fighting force from the Paivi pride came and helped drive them out of the camp. We... we lost Morl.” Her eyes turned a little watery.
“Oh...” I whispered. “Ruka... I’m so sorry...”
She shook her head. “He died an honorable death,” she murmured, trying to sound brave, but her voice shook. “I’ll see him again someday.”
“I know you will.” Suddenly pain zigzagged across my face and I winced. “How bad is it?”
“Bad,” she admitted. “You have two clawmarks from the middle of your forehead down to your snout. Ponya says you were lucky not to lose an eye.”
“I don’t feel lucky,” I muttered, slumping back onto my bedding. “Where’s Alir?”
“Not too far,” she answered slowly. “Are you sure you can make it?”
“Yes,” I said firmly, heaving myself to my paws. I swayed for a moment as the blood rushed from my head, then regained my balance.
She sighed and shook her head. “Follow me,” she said, padding slowly towards the other side of the den. I followed equally slowly, my limbs aching with every movement but willing to take it.
“He’s over there,” she murmured, nodding towards him. She padded out of the den, joining Litev, Kara, and Lian, crouched around the pitiful lump of fur in the middle of camp. I turned away, sad for Morl and his family as well as Ruka, and continued towards Alir.
He was lying in a fresh nest, his broken leg splayed out awkwardly from the rest of his body. He looked up as I stumbled towards him, his eyes shining with relief.
“You’re okay,” he said, purring as I sat down beside him.
“More or less,” I grunted, smiling back at him. “What about you?”
He waved his tail in a dismissive gesture. “Fine. Much better now that I know you’re safe.”
I shook my head. “It’s really not all that bad.”
“I know,” he replied. “But Ponya wouldn’t let me get up to see you.” He blinked at me, love and concern in his eyes, and I could tell he’d felt the same need to be with me as I’d had when he’d been injured.
“Well, I’m here now,” I said, pressing my flank against his but being careful to avoid his healing wounds.
He smiled. “And that’s all that matters.”
Purring, I closed my eyes and snuggled into his warmth, totally content.

~~

Book Three can be found on page 12.

Thanks. Oh, don't say that yet. It gets worse. I write depressing stories.

Yup, I enjoy writing depressing stuff. It means there are dramatic scenes, and dramatic scenes are fuuuuuuuun.

Nice. XD

DreamCatcher81 wrote:Haha nice. It's kinda true. I think people have died in like every story you've written! xD

So do I. Kinda. . . Like in Fîyär Жέvάb I: Beneath The Waves her brother, dad, and best friend die! xD Well first it was her brother, but then I didn't know what to do with her dad so I realized he had to die, and then her friend isn't really dead. . . But there's a sad depressing chappie when Kat thinks she is! xD

I made Shadz almost cry in the part where her bro died though! xD She said her eyes teared up.

DreamCatcher81 wrote:I know what you mean! I mean it just makes the story so much more dramatic. It gives it "emotional appeal"- quoting Shadow

Haha, it's interesting to read people's comments about me.

Anyway, awesome new chapter! x3

Thanks! I'll add more tonight.

Wow, I like the new chapter. I feel so sorry for Layisha...

Thanks, Arianna. And like I told Dream, don't say that yet. XD

A little late for that. I already wrote it all. XD And an equally depressing prologue to a possible sequel.

More added!

Thanks!

Hmm... I suppose I'll post the last chapter of Book Two.