drink of water was seen as a gift from the stars, yet her brother apparently loved his new domains all the more for it, and she knew his pride would die to defend their home. The Golden Sands’ sun and wind and the bare dirt of the Outlands forced one to fight for what one valued, but did that mean that for living in a land of plenty a lion had to lose his fighting spirit? Did a rich land mean weak bodies and cowardly hearts?  Was her pride guaranteed to lose if they fought someone who was simply tougher and more driven?

Perhaps, she pondered, perhaps.  What would happen if they had to fight for their lives, she did not know. Perhaps they would go out in a blaze of glory, putting up a grand display of skill and courage, but overwhelmed in the end by snapping teeth and flashing claws. Perhaps they would be toyed with, taken down one-by-one by opponents with the strength and speed of lives of training and struggle, who would run rings around them as they struck at the air in frustration and anger, only to be wounded once, again, and then suddenly finished off.  Perhaps their courage would fail them, and they would turn and run, only to be run down and killed in cold blood.  Perhaps the invaders would spit on their corpses and curse the weak Pridelanders, unworthy of the treasure nature had given them.  Perhaps.

Shaking these dark thoughts from her sleepy head, Vitani yawned and felt the warm wind ruffle her fur. She heard birds calling.  Drowsily, she realized there was only one real conclusion to make.  This land gave her pride their life-blood, and they would give their blood for their land, one way or another.  Secure in that knowledge, if not entirely cheered, she let her eyelids shut and quickly drifted off to sleep.

A/N:    Please rate and review/comment on this story.  This is my first fanfic, so any comments or criticism would be welcome. Also, ideas would be good, if you have them.  I feel like this would make a good intro to a larger story, but I don’t really have any ideas for a plot, other than the general concept of Vitani’s fears coming true, or being proved wrong.