/ PLAINS OF THE FAEILAN /

Alke, our cute and lovable cub is currently suckling on his mother's breast. He used to be ashamed when it's time to feed on breast milk. As a man in a body of this growing cub, he don't have a choice but to endure the shame creeping in the back of his neck and suck on the breast of his apparently lion mommy.

At first he rejected the idea of living in a cubs body, even though he had regrets he still wanted to live and reconnect his life with past friends and maybe have a girlfriend along the way. He also dread the thought of leaving his parents alone on that chaotic and brutal world, good thing is he prepared an insurance in case an accident happen and he is sure that getting your soul sucked on a cub's body is an accident.

He just wish his parents enjoy the insurance he prepared for them and live without the burden accompanying his transportation/death.

It haunts him knowing his original body is dying or completely dead, being alone while you're on your deathbed is frightening. Leaving no memory of you, just a dust wiped from this vast universe.

Getting consumed by his fears, his mother noticed this and licked his baby boy and growl affectionately. He can't still understand anything but he can recognize the intent of his new mother.

" ... alright ... baby? "

He surmised that his mother is worried for his health and sheepishly growl an affirmative. He just repeated the word his mother said to him. " a-alright."

Getting her desired response, the lioness focused in the other cubs who are feeding from her and licked every one of them.

It's been three days since he opened his eyes on this vast plains populated by variations of animals. Giraffes whose steps sounds like thunder, Elephants with skins harder than rocks, and even herds of zebras who runs so fast you can't see their hooves.

It brought wonders to him if reincarnation is real, do gods exist in this realm? If there are gods, surely there should be magic.

He let his thoughts run wild as drowsiness hits him, as a cub who developed early he tends to sleeps after having a meal everytime. He let the darkness take control of his thoughts as he lay near his mother who lovingly watch them sleep.

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A herd of antelopes graze at the abundant grass in this vast grasslands as antelope calves play with one another.

As they enjoy the grass, a disturbance can be heard on a bush alerting the antelopes who are vigilantly watching the surroundings. An antelope watched the bush rattles as he saw a lion run past the bushes aiming to hunt an antelope.

He saw the mana swirling beneath the paws and knees of the lion indicating that a beast who can wield mana is on its way. The herd could sense the fluctuation of mana in the air and hastily run for safety.

Luka, a lion and is bestowed by the title Great Warrior. He is a Great Lion capable of using mana as a fuel to enhance their body and modify the weight, height and even the muscle or bones as a form of weapon. They are feared as beasts who can take down a rock elephant alone.

It can also be noted that he already formed his mana core making wielding mana relatively easy. There are only few who have the bravery and talent to form a mana core making him an apex predator in this vast plains.

Seeing them run, Luka smirked as he roared at the futility on outrunning a Great Warrior. " Come here flimsy antelopes! Be a sustenance for my growing pride! "

Hearing the roar of this mighty predator, a young calf froze in fear as he saw the lion pouncing on him. Before Luka can kill the calf, an antelope whose size equals the lion and having a robust horn pointed at him charged at his side which causes him to stumble and roll a few steps before regaining his stance.

" Young one, leave!" The antelope shouts at the calf, for onlookers it sounds like a loud grunt. Sensing the intent, the calf run as fast as his feet goes fearing the lion will chase him.

" Lion, leave herd alone" The antelope spoke.

Luka sensed that the antelope has a mana core which is rare knowing this part of grasslands didn't have many powerful beasts and is populated by normal beasts. Beasts that have mana core tend to stay on the more abundant meadows and wide rivers where there is more delicious preys.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

" You will be the food for my cub and mate antelope, that won't change. You will be killed here by my claws." Luka brandished his sharp claws intimidating the antelope. Walking on circles, he pounced on the antelope scratching the tendons on its hooves rendering him unable to run.

" Herd survives, Me kill you lion!" The antelope said as he charged pointing his deadly horns to the lion.

Seeing this desperate attempt, Luka sidestepped and pinned it on the ground by the neck using his strong paws imbued with mana.

Succeeding in his maneuver the lion mentally offered a prayer on his goddess.

" O' Mother of Plains, I appreciate the hunt."

Finishing the mental prayer, he snapped the neck of his prey using his strong jaws. Carrying his prey by the jaw, he made way for his pride.

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Arriving at the plains where his pride resides he approached the sleeping cubs and his mate who is currently watching the surroundings.

Sensing her mate and its prey, she growled lovingly praising him for his prowess and reliability. " Luka my love, you brought a beast with a mana core! A delectable meal after giving birth to our cubs."

" This is for you my love, recuperate so that we can continue our journey on creating our great pride."

His pride can't be called a 'pride' for there are only him, his mate, and the cubs. He abandoned his past great pride because of those foolish elder, wanting nothing but surround themselves with food and lioness.

He left the Great Pride with a shaman, Maja who is also disgusted by the way her Great Pride conduct itself. They are one of the powerful tribes residing in the Great Meadows of Tituan yet they don't act like a proper ruler should.

" Thanks Luka, I will have my meal after feeding our cubs. Alke, our eldest finished early on eating and is already sleeping." The lioness stated as he gaze at the cub who is bigger than the rest.

" Alke is quite exceptional and it is no stretch to say he is destined for greatness. He already opened his eyes after being birthed and have the intelligence advanced enough to recognize words."

The Lion said proudly as he remembered the miracle which happened that night. Cubs are supposed to open their eyes a week or two after they are born, and only this instance they are given a name by their parents. Alke who already opened his eyes a day after his birth is a miracle, even his eyes contain curiosity and wisdom befit to be called a genius.

" Yes my love, he is a miracle given by the Mother of Plains and i can't be grateful enough for giving us this gift. I will devote my life to the mother after we create our Great Pride." She stated. Shamans are said to be empowered by their choice of goddess/god, those who worship the mother of plains enhances their healing powers and affinity to nature. Other gods have different personality and bestow different power, one example is the God of beasts who empower their devotees by giving them herculean strength and the courage to face great obstacles.

" I will support you in your decisions my love for i am also thankful for this wonderful blessing given to us." Luka said as he laid near her.

Seeing the other three cubs finishing their meal Luka put them both in a clean pelt that they brought for their journey. Back at the Great Pride, there also resides humans who serve Great Lions in exchange for a safe haven. Although they serve them they still hold power over their own decisions, it isn't a secret that some humans also possess mana core and capable of wielding mana like a shaman would. They are powerful enough to prevent being trampled but not enough to protect themselves from the dangerous plains.

"We should have brought a servant, their hands can do complicated stuff that we can't do. It's a waste we didn't bring any. They can also cook delicious food, they can make a scrumptious feast using this mana beast."

Maja nodded in agreement while they ate the mana beast hunted from the plains. They separated the mana core so they wouldn't accidentally eat it, they can eat mana core but it would be a waste, mana cores have many uses other than eating it as a snack.

Finishing their meal, they cleaned the place and drinks water from a nearby pond. Maja planned to make a ward from the mana core of the antelope,i can help them fir their journey.

" Luka? Where is the mana core? I would use it for making a ward to prevent beasts disturbing our sleep."

Maja searched for the mana core after finishing her meal, this core can act as a battery for making convenient tools. Humans used mana cores as weapons and tools to arm themselves, humans are inherently weak and would need those contraptions to survive in this vast plains. Great Lions just copied their technology as a small price for accepting them as inhabitants of the Great Meadows of Tituan.

Luka searched the grasslands trying to find the mana core when he saw their son Alke choking on something. Having a bad premonition, he roared to his mate alerting him of the problem.

" Maja! Come here! Alke just ate the mana core! "

" Huh!? That troublesome boy just ate it!?"

Eating a mana core is only acceptable if you have a mana core yourself. Maja who is a shaman is required to have a mana core to properly conjure spells and Luka a Great Warrior is renowned because of his speed on acquiring mana core during his youth.

But Alke, a newborn ate a mana core. According to history, he would surely die, eating mana core is like a death sentence to those who don't have one themselves.

Arriving at the scene, they saw their son squirming in the ground clawing his throat like something is stuck inside his throat. Using his senses, Luka approach the boy and check if it really is the mana core.

To the horror of both lions, Alke ate the mana core and can't breath because the core is too big for him to swallow. Luckily, he haven't swallowed it yet so they tried to tell him to spit out the core.

As the boy gagged due to his foolishness, he can't hear his parents telling him to spit it out. In an act of desperation he swallowed the core which is already near his stomach.

Seeing their cub swallow the core, they both roared in dread.

" NO!"

" NO!"