//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: The Lokochumala // Story: The Big Cats of Bakula: The Rescuing // by PantheraMan //------------------------------// The spirit realm, the place where the powerful spirit animals roam, and where animals go when they pass on, now the location of a meeting between three of these powerful spirits. They were the lion, cobra, and rhino. Once they got to their positions in the open plains of the realm, they began to speak. "In two regions in Bakula, humans have gotten stranded after plane crashes, we must help them before it's too late!" said the cobra "Humans? humans are a plague to the world, why should we assist these humans?" asked the rhino "Just because man is cruel to the animals doesn't mean we should be the same way, and these humans don't deserve to be in the situation they're in, not all humans are cruel to animals. As for the solution, I know a group who can be of assistance." Answered the lion "Really?' asked the rhino "Yes, a group of teenagers and a hyena to be exact, they've been stranded in Bakula before, and the girls have great powers, Banda is a great fighter, comes in handy when going to places with predators, Tulu is a great tracker, and Kama is a great huntress, I'm confident that they can accomplish this task." Answered the lion "Do what you must." Replied the cobra. In the mortal world in Canterlot, it was night, and the group of friends were sitting on the ground, looking at the stars. "Look! a shooting star! make a wish!" said Applejack "Alright.....I wish for a.....uuuuhhh.... another date with my lady!" said Banda "Hehehe, aw alright Banda." Responded Rainbow Dash "Wait, what's that?" asked Kama who was pointing at the night sky at a bright white light, out of the light came the spirit lion, who then walked right up to the group. "You!!!" said Sunset Shimmer "Greetings, I've come to give you an important task." Said the lion "Well what's the task?" asked Tulu "Am I dreaming? or am I actually looking at a ghost lion?" asked Spike "You're not dreaming, this is reality, but as for your task, there are 2 regions in Bakula you've never been to, in recent times, some humans have become stranded in those places, and you have been chosen to go and rescue them." Explained the lion "Well in that case, we'd better head home and get some rest, and prepare for this mission, where should we meet?" asked Banda "Come back to this spot in the morning, and you'll be on your way." Answered the lion. "Any chance that I could come?" asked Spike "It's best you don't, this task is too dangerous for you to go on, especially since the cats of Bakula would stop at nothing to kill a dog." Answered the lion When the morning came, everyone was prepared for the task, and Rarity being Rarity, brings a mountainload of luggage. "For pete's sake Rarity, were gonna be in the wild! why would you need that much stuff for?" asked Applejack "Applejack, darling, it always pays to be very prepared, you never know darling." Answered Rarity The lion came in the way he did the night before, and he gave each of them necklaces with green rubies on them. "Take these, they will transport you to your destination, they will glow when you found all the people in a region, just tell the rubies to take them home, or some other place when you found them. Good luck." After that, the lion returned to the spirit realm, the gang did as he ordered them to do, and they went to their destination. When they got there, they saw that they were in a coniferous forest, lots of conifers, but it was warm, and pretty dry, they happened to be on a river bank, but the river was dry as old bones. Meaning that this place was in a drought. The group decided to split up, Tulu, Applejack, Rarity, Sunset, and Fluttershy would head north while the others went south. While Tulu's group was searching, yelling out to those they came to rescue, they encountered a bull auroch in an open meadow, knowing this animal could be dangerous, they gave him a wide berth, however, it turned out that they weren't the only ones looking at the auroch, as a huge cat with saber teeth, a long tail, dark brown fur, and black spots came charging from ambush, before it could react, it leaped onto the auroch, used it's muscular forelimbs to wrestle it to the ground, and sink those huge fangs into the throat, and soon, the auroch was dead. "RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" After the kill was made, it noticed the group, it bared it's teeth, and grolwed. "RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR" The group soon made a hasty retreat, allowing the big cat to eat his kill in piece. LOKOCHUMALA Height: 4 ft tall Length: 11 ft from nose to tip of the tail Weight: 300-880 pounds The Lokochumala is the biggest, most powerful cat in the region it inhabits, and it takes down big game, like aurochs, moose, and bison, but it normally will not eat smaller game like deer and wild boar, but why? the reason for that is that it coexists with cave lions, and both cats are able to coexist by selecting different food items, cave lions hunt deer, boar, etc, while these sabertooths stick to bigger game, however, when food becomes scarce, competition between these two intensifies, and during those times, the lions must eat quickly before their larger cousins can steal their kills they made. There isn't much of a size difference between males and females, and for that reason, they aren't as aggressive towards each other as pantherines are because male cats are bigger so they can do better in combat over the right to the ladies. Females can have anywhere from 2-3 cubs in a litter, and after about two years under her care, the cubs will leave their mother, and start their own lives. They also compete with leopards and wolves when things get rough, but these cats dominate these predators as well.