FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Zuri pranced out of the pride's den as she looked out to the beautiful lush green lands she called home. She smiled, her eyes scanning the land, spotting a couple of herds of Zebra and antelope and also flocks of birds. "Zuri hang on a second," a voice called to her, Zuri turned her head, "Yes Mom?" she asked, "Before you go out and play I want you to recite what your father and I have told you about leaving Pride Rock," Zuri sighed, "Alright, 'When there is danger I come home, if a storm is coming I come home, if I'm lost I find a safe place to hide and wait for you or dad to find me, and I mustn't go near any of these places, The Outlands, The Elephant Graveyard, and The gorge.' That's it Mom," Zuri said smiling, Masa smiled back and rubbed her paw over her daughters head, "Good girl, go on and play," she said patting her rump, "Thanks mom," Zuri said as she pranced down Pride Rock. As Zuri basically skipped to her spot where she met her friends, she spotted one of them Mori, her friend since cubhood. "Mori!!" Zuri called, Mori turned her head around, "Hey Zuri what took ya?" "Eh I had to recite what my parents always make me say before I leave, as the Princess of the Pride I have to be careful ," "I guess you're right, well let's get going we need to meet Laini," Zuri groaned, "You know she'll get us in trouble again," "Yeah I know but we never get caught," Zuri chuckled, "This is true," Mori broke in, "Well are we going to go or just stand here and talk all day?" Then both Mori and Zuri ran off to Laini. As the two made their way to Laini she had a big smile smeared on her face, Zuri went wide eyed, "Uh oh she has that smile again," she said to Mori, "Laini where are we going this time?" Mori asked, Laini's smooth talking voice said, "We are going to..." she looked around to make sure that they were the only ones there, "The Elephant Graveyard," Zuri's eyes widened, "Umm I'm not suppose to go there," "Why because mommy and daddy said so, come on princess live a little," Mori chimed in, "Come on Laini stop it, if she doesn't want to she doesn't..." Zuri then interrupted, "I'll go!" Mori and Laini were shocked, "You are finally going to do something dangerous with us?" Laini said, "Shut up Laini," Zuri said smirking.

After a few minutes the trio arrived at the cliff side that led to the Elephant Graveyard, they all looked at it in amazement, then Laini broke the silence, "Who goes first?" she asked smiling as she walked behind Zuri smiling mischievously and then pushed her down the sloped cliff side. Zuri squealed as she rolled down the slope, once at the bottom she looked up and glared at Laini, "Why did you do that?!" she yelled as Mori and Laini slid down the slope, "Hey it got you down didn't it?" Laini said, "Laini that was a little harsh what if Zuri did that to you?" Mori said, "Whatever guys we're here at least," Zuri and Mori looked at each other, "Well I guess you're right," they both said in unison. As they ventured deeper into the graveyard, they began hearing the wind blowing through the hole's in the skulls and bones, the wind making a high pitched whistle noise, shadow's began to form and seemed to follow the cubs, "Do you get the feeling that we're being watched?" Zuri asked out loud, "You always have that feeling Zuri now hurry up I want to see the big Elephant skull," Laini said, Zuri and Mori followed closely behind, "Hey Mori I really think we should go back," Zuri said a little frightened, "I think so too but we can't leave Laini here on her own," Mori replied back, "Let's just see that stupid Elephant's head and get out of here before our parents realize where we are." As Masa sat at the tip of Pride Rock she scanned the area of a potential dangers...and her daughter, "She should be back for lunch by now, Where could she be?" she asked herself, she got up and walked down Pride Rock to search for her.

As the cubs continued through the desolate land they finally found the big elephant skull, Laini was the first to speak, "Wow there it is, it's so big," she then looked at Zuri and Mori, "What do you guys think?" "Well I think we've seen enough," Zuri being smarter said, "Yeah Laini I think we should go, like what Zuri said before, I have this feeling that we're being watched." Just as soon as Mori said 'watched' numerous of jackals appeared from every shadow growling at the cubs. Then one of them came up to them snarling, "What are you doing in our land?!!" he growled, "W-w-w-we were just looking around right guys?" Laini asked, Zuri and Mori nodded, "So we'll just be going," "Stop we never said you could leave," the male loomed over them, but just as he got close they ran off, "Get them and bring them back to me alive," he said with an evil grin. As the cubs ran as fast as their little legs can carry them not bothering to even look back, "Come on guys don't stop running!!" Zuri yelled behind them as they jumped onto a tusk bone it broke just as Zuri was about to jump off her leg got caught in the small hole it created, she slowly got up and tried to jump but couldn't move, "Help me!!!" she shouted for her friends, they both came back and tried to help her, "Come on Zuri," Laini said, "I'm trying," just then the jackals came right around the corner, one jumped at them, the three girls screamed, but then came the most earth shattering sound, a roar...the three girls looked in amazement. Who was this savior? Was their savior kind or evil? These thoughts raced through their minds, then the figure turned, it was Zuri's mother. Masa turned to the girls, and jumped to Zuri and pulled her out of the bone, "Come on," she said as she carried Zuri. The four got to the slope where they first got into the Elephant Graveyard; Masa put Zuri on the ground, "Climb I'll make sure that they won't get to us...Hurry." Once the three girls got up the slope they turned to see if Masa followed...a few minutes passed and Masa appeared, "They're gone," she then began to walk away, "You three follow me," she said in a stern voice. The three cubs complied, they followed Masa to a baobab tree, she sat down, "Zuri I'm appalled; did you not recite what you shouldn't do? Why would you go there?" she said on the verge of yelling, Zuri stared at the ground starting to cry, "I..." Zuri began but then Laini butted in, "It was my fault, I talked her into it, it's all my fault," Masa turned to Laini, "Your mother will hear of this, both of your mothers," she said as she also looked at Mori, "Go home," she said, "Zuri, I need to talk to you," she said in a soft but stern voice, Zuri walked up to her mother right in between her front legs. "Zuri just tell me why did you let Laini talk you into going there?" "She said that I needed to live a little, I may be the princess mom, I can't just hang around in the same place," "Zuri..." "I know your disappointed in me mom, I would be too and I am disappointed that I went there, I was scared, I was never this scared in my whole life," Masa listened to her daughter intently , "Just being there was scary," "But why..." "Didn't I leave? I didn't want to leave my friends there, as future heiress to the Pridelands I can't let anything happen to the pride." Masa stopped Zuri by covering her mouth, "Zuri stop," she chuckled, "Yes you did a very irresponsible thing, but you did a brave thing you wanted your friends to be safe...but I can't let this deed go unpunished, you are confined to the den for 3 weeks do I make myself clear sweetie," she said softly and motherly, Zuri nodded holding back a sob, not out of sadness but out of fear of what had happened just minutes ago. Zuri couldn't hold it in any longer she just let the floodgates open, she then cried into her mother's chest. This didn't catch Masa off guard she expected this would come out eventually, "Shh shh shh, my sweet little Zuri, you're okay now, don't cry, I'm here," she said as she kissed her on the head.