//------------------------------// // Chapter 17: The Smilodon // Story: The Big Cats of Bakula // by PantheraMan //------------------------------// While sleeping in the cave, Kama was hearing some sounds, sounds that sounded all to familiar to her. "WHOOOOOP" "WHOOOPP" It was the sound of hyenas, one of her old enemies when she was a cheetah, she and the others woke up, and sure enough, there was a clan of 27 Cave Hyenas in front of the cave. These hyenas resembled Spotted Hyenas, but they were larger, in the two hundred pound range. "I thought we were doe with hyenas!" complained Rarity "Hey!" responded Tulu "Well not you Tulu darling, you're wonderful, these brutes are beasts!" replied Rarity "Shut up! They'll hear you!" ordered Kama However, it was too late, as the hyenas were now coming towards the cave, Kama noticed they were sniffing the air, and realized why they were at the site in the first place. "Oh no, they've been attracted the smell of Banda and Rainbow's injuries!" said Kama "Never fear, I got this!" said Rarity "Wait! I've got an idea, I'll be back!" said Fluttershy before she ponied up and flew off "Where's she going at a time like this?" asked Banda Before Rarity could even use her magic, the hyenas charged into the cave, but Rarity was quick with her magic, and she made a huge shield to block the hyenas. They tried their best to break through, but they failed. However, they hyenas were about to have a stroke of luck, the reason being that Rarity's magic was now causing the cave roof to start cracking. "Oh no!" said Sunset Shimmer "CAVE IN!!!" shouted Pinkie Pie The hyenas ran out quickly, the gang did the same, Applejack had to use her strength to carry Banda and Rainbow Dash, once outside, the cave roof fully collapsed, but at that moment, Kama had a bad realization. "The spear! It's been destroyed by the cave in!" said Kama "Are you serious right now!?" asked Rainbow Dash Now the hyenas came back, and this time, two of them pinned Rarity down and one of them bit her arm and snapped in half. "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" "I gotcha Rarity!" said Applejack before she threw the hyenas off of Rarity The hyenas surrounded them, Twilight used her magic to keep them at bay, and Applejack had to use her strength to toss them around, Pinkie had to do whatever she does to keep herself from being bitten. Other than that, the others were rather helpless against the hyenas, until something unexpected happened. "GET AWAY FROM THEM YOU BULLIES!!!" shouted Fluttershy, but she wasn't alone "RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHH" Along with her was a pack of Smilodon with brown fur, there were 20 of them, and with their greater size and power, they were more than a match for the hyenas, and were therefore able to chase them off. After that, Fluttershy landed, and got back with her friends. "Way to go Fluttershy!" said Twilight "No problem, I figured that someone around here would help us, and I bumped into these guys, and they were willing to help, and they've also said that they would let us stay with them and help Rainbow and Banda get better." Explained Fluttershy "Sweet!" said Rainbow Dash "That's great! thank you!" said Banda "Huh, looks like that paleontological theory was right." Said Twilight The gang, and their new found sabertoothed friends set out for the den, where the other members of the pack were eating a bison they killed, they shared the carcass with the gang, and they fell back asleep, although Kama wasn't feeling very good about the spear being gone, but at least now they were safe from the hyenas. SMILODON BAKULAENSIS Height: 4 ft tall at the shoulder Length: 5 ft long from nose to tail Weight: 400-885 pounds Smilodon are the biggest, most powerful cats in the Bakulan steppes, they live in groups due to there being some very good advantages for cats of that size to live in groups, but not like lions. You see, unlike lions, both genders of Smilodon are very similar in size, so their social structure is like that of wolves, where an alpha pair are on top, and the others consist of sons and daughters that help raise any new cubs the alpha female has. They have very muscular builds, and their canines are very fragile, so they hunt by getting close to the prey, attacking, using the powerful muscles in the forelimbs and the back to wrestle the prey to the ground, and then drive the sabers into the throat, when that happens, they damage some of the major blood vessels, or sometimes the windpipe, causing the animal to die quickly, and the Smilodon has a meal. Their diet includes bison, horses, camels, yaks, musk-oxen, young Woolly Rhinos, and young Woolly Mammoths. They share their range with cheetahs, which avoid these cats at all costs, wolves, which are rare in these steppes partly due to the competition with Smilodon, Cave Hyenas, which they often take kills from, and the smaller sabertooth known as Homotherium. Smilodon hunt at night while Homotherium hunt during the day, which helps them avoid each other, but they do still get into conflict. One on one, or when the number is even, a homothere is no match for a Smilodon, but it all depends on which greatly outnumbers which.