Beware The Savanna (Explorers) (Patreon)

(No POV)

In a big camp somewhere in the Savanna was once full of men, women, and children... Now, it only had tents torn to shreds, on fire, blood trails leading into the tall grass, and empty cages. All, but one man was killed... A poacher who was told to train children for this operation and go home with a lot of money was now shaking in the middle of a field. All he had were 2 bullets, a dirty gun, and a dagger he used for skinning animals alive. After all the male lions he helped kill, he never grasped that the others would come back for revenge. That's all that explained this slaughter that did not even spare children that too tried to fight. He tried to contact other camps, but he had no radio on him. He would be next if he didn't get out of here.

*Snap*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*Click*

*Click*

His shaking body covered in blood tried to run and hide in the tall grass to escape, but he tripped over the body of who he recognized as his girlfriend next to a dead little boy and headless little girl.

???-*Growl*.

Man-*Pant* *pant* AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!

(Timeskip 2 Weeks)

((Y/N)'s POV) Age: 6

Mom and Dad said I spend too much time on video games and stuff, so they wanted to take me out on their job thing to look for animals, take pictures, and other things. I guess looking for animals would be pretty cool and I just have to listen to what they say. Easy. I thought the bigger animals that kill would attack us, but they said lions wouldn't attack cars that are bigger. I had my camera on my tablet ready after an hour-long drive that used to watch downloaded movies and shows and had my solar-powered charger to stay at 100% when we went out.

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Mom-We're going to get out soon and we want you to stay close. Remember what could be out here.

(Y/N)-Snakes and stuff, so stay away from tall grass and stomp if I hear hissing.

Dad-So you were listening. I thought you were playing Crossy Road or something.

(Y/N)-Minecraft.

I hate it when he gets the name wrong on purpose. When they stopped the jeep we got out and I wanted to find elephants, zebras, meerkats... Just animals that didn't want to eat humans. I didn't see anything except for clothes torn to pieces next to a gun.

(Y/N)-Wooooaaahhh... Mom, Dad, I found something!

They both came over and then pulled me away like it was dangerous.

(Y/N)-Hey, it's just clothes and a gun. I wasn't going to touch it.

Mom-It's just that there might be something else... Go wait at the ar while we take care of this.

(Y/N)-What?! Why can't I walk around?!

Dad-Listen to your mom. March.

(Timeskip 3 Hours)

The whole day was being sent back to the car if I found something like what I found before. Daed animal, I can see it, a poisonous spider, I can see from a distance, but didn't want to. Now if I see more torn-up clothes and lost weapons, I get sent back to the car to wait a while and they put something in the field.

((D/N)'s POV)

Most remaining poachers remains were cold, but one was fresh and half of the body was left. Thankfully, our son did not see that because it looked gruesome and smelled disgusting. Our boss said there was a huge decrease in poacher activity from deaths and missing people. Some of which were children that were taken in this organization. What should have been an increase in illegal crime was brought to a grounding halt, but what caused these searches was the town of our employer we flew overseas for was blown to bits by terrorists or something. They didn't give us all the details because they didn't have much regarding us and that's why we are out here to check on the wildlife and tag any sightings left behind by poachers. All we got were no bodies most likely picked clean by hyenas because bones are missing too in the cases our son found. We made it to what looked like a campsite and this one looked more solid with homes and such made from the dirt... You could see the blood from here.

(D/N)-(M/N), stay here with (Y/N) and be ready to radio if I find anyone.

(Y/N)-But I wanna go!

I left the jeep and had a pistol out and ready when I got into this illegal setup of a village. I saw blood trails leading out of most houses and tents. It looked dry, but there might be a survivor. The first tent I opened... a bunch of meerkats rushed out and made me jump.

(D/N)-Anyone in there, make yourselves known!

I doubted they could understand me, but I walked in and besides the place having a blood trail from the bed, it looked like the victim was killed...

(D/N)-In their sleep. Damn.

This could not be an animal attack. They are more messy than this. Something fell over, so I shot my tranquilizer gun at it... It was just a pile of pots finally collapsing over. I left the houses and checked more and... it was almost the same thing in every house and tent. Some had a struggle and while some beds and sleeping bags looked like they were for kids, just all torn up... I even find a little baby crib coated in blood. I felt sick to my stomach knowing some sick asshole would even slaughter a baby. They are long gone, but still. Nobody was here and it was starting to creep me out. I could chop this up to extremists, lions, hyenas, cheetas, or something else. When I got back to the jeep, I aw (Y/N) looking around on his camera trying to zoom in to things.

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(Y/N)-Anything?

(D/N)-Nope. We got a few more stops and you might stay in the town for the rest of this trip with your video games. We'll be back on a plane in a week.

(M/N)-I'll get the cages ready for what we capture.

Now on to our second job for this trip. Tranquilize animals and ring them in for zoos to keep them safe from poachers. I don't like the thought of my son being out here with crazy people. I waited until (Y/N) put his headphones on to talk about this job being very sketchy and with little info reguarding poachers are involved. Poachers will kill more than animals.

((M/N)'s POV)

We just had to capture animals for zoo and protection for a few days now and we will be on a plane back home. I'm sure (Y/N) will love to observe lions, zebras, or even snakes from cages on the trailer to the jeep. What child would not like that?... Onto a serious matter.

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(M/N)-There has not been a poacher sighted since the town was attacked a week ago. It was probably just some extremists taking the law in their own hands against poachers and a criminal organization. We are rangers for hire.

(D/N)-Extremeists will believe whatever they want to believe and I saw a crib for a fucking baby, covered in blood!... I just don't want him out here if there are crazies or animals that are super angry.

(M/N)-You majored in zoology with me in college. Are you saying a whole ecosystem is out for revenge?

(D/N)-Animals are smarter than one gives them credit for.

(M/N)-Don't quote our professor on me!

(D/N)-Some tribes are mixed with human genes and that means human intellegence.

(M/N)-Then they pick out through uniform or faces. We are going to be fine and we took (Y/N) on this trip to get him out of the house and give the babysitter a break. Besides, we saw dead bodies before that were done in by animals and they were human.

(D/N)-At best a small group. Now they are all over the place, camps are destroyed, and a makeshift village looked like it came out of a horror movie. We know the risks and this was supposed to be a low risk job, but this is crazy... You can see plenty from a hotel in the day and we take him out at night.

I think he was over reacting from a few corpses. While some animals do develope hated to humans, we have our tranzuiler guns and some are meant for elephants, we have a radio, camping equipment, and plenty of food and water. Not to mention we know what to do in most situations and I am not going to let anything happen to my baby while making sure he has memories like this to look back on... Plus, we are away from home too much I am willing to sell the house to get an RV or something if this works out. My baby took off his headphones to look out into the wild which made me smile.

(M/N)-Enjoying the view?

(Y/N)-It's nice... Where are we going?

(M/N)-We're looking around for animals to save and put them in a nice zoo. Maybe you can even see them when they go in for treatment and stuff.

(Y/N)-I learned from school that some animals are allowed to be wild and places you can't go or you can get in trouble.

(M/N)-Well, we are in one of those places, but we got permission.

He looked back outside the jeep, but then something hit the side of the jeep! I looked and while my husband was panicking, there was a spear in the hood of the eep! He panicked and went off road! I grabbed (Y/N) to keep him in the jeep as we were drving through tall grass, bushes, and dodging trees! We were all screaming and then drove off a small cliff! Everything was flying out of the jeep and we lost the trailer, but I was not going to lose my son! When I looked ahead for a breif moment, I saw we were heading straight for a cave!

*CRASH*

(Y/N)'s hand slipped out of mean when my husband and I went flying through the detachable windsield and landed in a body of water to break our fall.

((Y/N)'s POV)

I was catching my breath after hitting the back of the seat. I wanted to cry so badly, but I was too busy gasping for air. My vision was so blurry from tears, the crash, and the dust. Nothing was working other than laying against the seat until I finally caught enough breath to really start crying... That's when I was grabbed from the back of my shirt and thrown out into the bright sun and into the dirt.

(Y/N)-*Gasp* *gasp* *gasp* *cough* *cough* *deep breathe*!

Someone pinned both my arms down and when I started to cry again, I saw who was hurting me.

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???-*Growl*!

(Y/N)-*Hic* M-Mo-! *cough* Mommy!

The girl lioness raised her claw at me to get ready to kill me, but I held my hands up to try and block her claws.

(Y/N)-W-Wait! We're here to help!

I needed to take deep breaths in again and she stopped to raise an eyebrow at me... This has to be one of the human-mixed animals, but I don't know what they are called. Someone walked over and used their foot to turn and press on my head to make me look at them.

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???-We see you and your parents come here with cages and you want to help?... Don't lie to us, Little One.

(Y/N)-I-I'm not!

???-I'm putting an end to this.

The stronger one was about to kill me, but then another lion girl came out of the tall grass and they were a cub with a little bow.

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???-Ari?!

The one that had her foot on me ran over to pick up the cub and the strong one was distracted, so I tried to get away, but she pressed her hand harder onto me.

(Y/N)-W-We're helping! I swear! I-I-I can tell you how!

???-Let's hear this, Mkali.

Mkali-I don't care about pathetic lies of a human!

(Y/N)-IT'S A ZOO!!!... W-We were going to save you by putting you in a zoo.

???-What's a-?

???-Ari! *echo*

Another lion girl came out of the tall grass and saw the other lion girl holding who must be her cub.

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???-Oh thank you, Mother!

She only looked at me for a bit before getting her cub back.

???-Now, what is this about a zoo?

I tried to tell them what a zoo was and how it shows, others can pet them, and they will be safe from bad people. They only look like I just said something very mean to them and that's when I saw my dad crawling out of the cave covered in water and leaning off the back of a car. The three of them growled, but I was picked up and held up to Mkali's face... She looked angry.

Mkali-You thought you could stuff us in glorified cages, have humans that slaughtered our males, cubs and all pet us, do tricks for their entertainment, and because they give some worthless green leaves... We are supposed to be happy?

(Y/N)-Um... It's called money and it's paper.

Mkali-I killed cubs like you that tried to kill me and my sisters with adults by their side with weapons... We can take care of ourselves.

She showed me her teeth and growled before my face was grabbed with one hand and it was the lion girl with her cub again.

???-This soft skin and hands. I think he never picked up a weapon... or made a fist at anyone. You sure you don't need to be in a 'zoo' to be safe? ~

Ari-*Babbles* Zoo zoo!

???-That's right. ~... You know, now that you mention this... Do you know how many males and cubs were taken by your kind?

I saw the other lion girl pull my dad out from the jeep and I had to not make them mad, so we could leave... And I am never coming back here again... Or seeing a lion.

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(Y/N)-I don't know... 4.

???-More than that and they weren't killed. Were they put in a zoo?

(Y/N)-Um... I guess.

???-Do you also guess that proud lions are happy in cages?

(Y/N)-No!... I mean, yes!... Wait, no!

???-It's a simple question, Little One... So maybe this will sound fair. They want to keep us captive and use us for entertainment... Should we get to do the same?

She held my face still until she made me look at the other lion girl holding her claws to my dad'd neck and he looked too weak to do anything.

(Y/N)-D-Don't hurt my Daddy and Mommy!

???-Mommy? ~

Mkali-There were two adults in the rolling beast with him.

(Y/N)-D-Don't! I'll do anything!

???-Then we have an understanding.

Mkali-I am not sparing a filthy-!

???-Mkali... We need something new.

(Nala's POV)

She knew that I was right. The others were losing their fighting spirit from pure revenge and humans were staying away. When they stop coming then we will have nothing. Taking in a trophy will help give us hope. Our own human slaves to do with as we pleased. Human cubs are cute, but I killed my fair share for taking my husband and son away from me, so now I only have my 2 daughters and mother. They were even trying to kill us which made killing a cub easier for survival. Mkali dropped him to the ground and Mother pushed the human male back into the cave, so we could surround the cub.

Nala-Let us introduce ourselves as your new owners. I'm Nala. ~

Sarabi-I'm her mother, Sarabi. ~

Mkali-I am the leader Mkali.

(Timeskip 30 Minutes)

Mkali went to bring the others here, so we could keep the adult humans in the cave since I have no interest in the grown ones. I was going to kill them, but using them to keep the cub obedient was smarter. He told us his name was (Y/N) and we let him keep his name. Mother was even bending over to him while he sat on a rock in front of her. She purposely swayed her tail and jiggled her ass to make the point she was still bigger than me.

Nala-*Growl*.

Sarabi-We never had a human slave before. You're so cute and cuddly like a cub that I can do whatever I want with while you couldn't do a thing to stop me. ~

(Y/N)-Sarabi... Nala looks mad.

Sarabi-Oh my daughter-in-law is just mad that I'm bigger than her in a lot of ways. But she'll grow past it. ~

(Sarabi's POV)

I could feel her glare behind me and it made me smile from teasing her and our new slave at the same time. Speaking of whom, I picked him up and brought him over to the rules we had written out in the dirt for him to add another rule while he watched... His cute little blush was so adorable.

1. No talking to your parents

2. No touching your parents

3. All rules apply to them as well

4. No disobeying what we order

5. All baths and feeding are taken care of by a lioness

6. Sleeping must be done with a lioness

7. When alone, you will be in a cage

8. No talking or touching other humans in any way

9. No pushing a lioness's touch or affection away.

10. No lying

11. No hiding your adorable blushes

He tried to break the new rule, so I smacked his hands down and growled at him a little to keep him from trying again. The others will read and know his rules as well as his parents when they get here. I don't plan to be mean and torture a cub who is not trying to kill us, but he will follow these rules as our slave.

Sarabi-Oh the others are going to love owning you! ~

She said that while looking at the cave and both of my parents were looking out here at us. Sarabi stuffed my face in her chest and when I tried to pull away, she growled which made me scared and give in. Now, she only chuckled while stroking my head. Soon after Mkali came back and she had others with her.

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Sarabi-Good, you all made it.

???-Mom, are we really keeping humans as slaves?

Nala-That's right... Well, you're only allowed to be with the cub. The adults are going to be for the adults.

???-Can I play with the human now?

Nala-First, let's introduce everyone... (Y/N), this is my oldest daughter Melah.

I looked at Melah and saw she looked at her mom before she touched her own body a little and looked at me. I wonder what that was about. Then the lion girl with a rainbow or something robe and muscles stepped forward.

???-Pleased to own and meet you. My name is Sanaa.

(Y/N)-Um... It's just 'meet you'.

Sanaa-I don't believe in lies and thought being truthful is the best way to start this relationship of owner and slave. It does not have to be dishonest and cruel.

She had her hands together before she walked over and scratched my chin.

Sanaa-It's also a relief I don't have to get rid of you as well. ~

I have no idea how I feel about her because her voice sounds so sweet, but I knew what she meant. She rubbed and kissed my head and cheek a little before she finally stopped. The last lion girl came up to me next.

???-Hello there. I'm Kimya... Let me see your hands.

She took my hands while Sarabi still held me and pressed on them while looking for something... Was this a fortune-teller thing?

Kimya-So soft... I don't even need to guess that you never picked up a weapon.

(Y/N)-Um... What?

Kimya-Did you check what these humans have?

Nala-We were waiting until you all came because we're going to stay here for a while. The adults just won't leave the cave with their wheeled beast. I saw they lost all the weapons when I checked the wheeled beast and had a talk about the rules.

The others saw the rules and I was burning up thinking what Sarabi was going to do, but then got scared when I looked at Mkali who wanted to kill me. If I break a rule, what would she do to me?

Kimya-We're going to be carrying some things, so let me see him.

(Timeskip 5 Minutes)

(No POV)

Kimya took a rope from the jeep while glaring at the mom and dad before she came back out with (Y/N). (M/N) tried to do something, but other lionesses were looking in ready to tear her apart if she did anything to break any rules or simply made them mad. Thanks to Kimya's experience in knot tying from weaving and tying humans to their beds or trees to slowly killing them with the help of the others, she had (Y/N) tied up and worn like a backpack. Nala, Sarabi, and Sanna were the first to coo and tease him while still making him feel small as a slave.

Nala-Ari, do you want to play with him too? ~

Nala held her baby up to (Y/N) and she played with his face and hair. (Y/N) liked the feeling of her fluffy paws, but this situation still made him sick. Wishing he was back at home playing video games. When the girls collected all they liked and even pulled the trailer of cages back to the cave Mkali eagerly looked for footprints to start a hunt for when the parents left... They were still in the cave, so she hopped on the part of the jeep outside to get their attention.

Mkali-If you give me any reason to kill you, I will... My pride only wants 'one' trophy. *growl*

As for the others, they were thinking of ways to tease (Y/N) and his parents.

Sarabis's mind-You want to take away my only son?... I'll take away yours. ~