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40

They set off and went on their way. When they reached near the herd of zebras, Noghreh Naal found a spot to rest, and Kakooti approached the herd leader. When he found him, he said, “I have an important message from Noghreh Naal for you.”

The herd leader asked, “What is this important message?”

Kakooti moved closer and whispered in the leader’s ear, “It’s a very important matter, Chief! Noghreh Naal needs to speak to you privately.”

According to their previous practice, Kakooti delivered this message with such seriousness that the leader was completely convinced.

He asked, “Where is Noghreh Naal now?”

Kakooti replied, “He’s nearby. We chose a quiet place where we can talk comfortably.”

The leader said, “Then if it’s so important, let’s hurry and go.”

They went and found Noghreh Naal in a lush, valley-like area. Upon seeing the herd leader, Noghreh Naal immediately got up and approached him.

The leader asked, “What important thing did you want to tell me, Noghreh Naal?”

Noghreh Naal looked around and then moved closer to the leader, speaking very softly as if he were afraid someone else might hear him. He spoke in such a way that even Kakooti couldn’t make out his words.

He said, “Chief! I have a plan that can save the animals of this jungle from being hunted by the hunters!”

The Chief asked in surprise, “Really? What plan?”

Paghandeh was also unconsciously speaking softly with him.

Noghreh Naal paused for a moment and then said, “But I want everyone to know that I came up with this plan.”

Paghandeh replied, “Don’t worry, Noghreh Naal. I will tell everyone that you came up with this plan.”

Noghreh Naal said, “That’s why I wanted to ask you to gather the other herd leaders so I can present my plan in front of them.”

The Chief said, “It can’t be done like this. I won’t do it until you tell me.”

Noghreh Naal replied, “I can only explain a little about it.”

Suddenly, Paghandeh said loudly, “Why are you talking so quietly? No one here can hear us.”

Noghreh Naal continued to speak softly, deceiving the Chief into thinking he had an important and significant plan. Of course, he was somewhat justified in this.

He said, “We need to be very careful, Chief!”

Paghandeh was being influenced by Noghreh Naal’s performance. According to the plan, while Noghreh Naal was speaking with the Chief, Kakooti was supposed to move back and turn away, as if he were watching the surroundings to ensure no one was eavesdropping. All of this convinced the Chief that the matter was important. The goal was to persuade the Chief to take Noghreh Naal to meet the other herd leaders. This event could serve as a significant launching pad for Noghreh Naal’s fame and reputation in the jungle.

The Bigfoot, completely captivated by Silver Hoof's performance, asked in a soft voice and a whisper, "Okay, at least explain the plan a little."

Silver Hoof whispered back, "It's a plan called the win-win game. It means both parties can come to an agreement without any conflict arising."

The Bigfoot asked in surprise, "Really?"

Silver Hoof remained silent and stared at the chief.

The Bigfoot said, "If that's the case, then it could be a good plan."

Silver Hoof replied, "So, is it accepted? Can you help me present my idea to the leaders of the herds?"

The chief nodded.

41

The leader of the zebras approached each of the herd leaders and invited them to hear a very good plan to end all the crises in the jungle. The leaders of the buffalo and bison accepted, but the deer and gazelle declined, stating that due to the opposition of the buffalo and bison to their decision to fight, they would not participate in the leaders’ meetings until further notice.

As a result, the meeting was formed with only three herd leaders and Noghreh Naal. The bison said to Noghreh Naal, “You better make sure that the plan you have is worth bringing us this far. Otherwise, it will cost you dearly and be detrimental to your herd.” His threat was serious.

Noghreh Naal cleared his throat and said, “Friends! Listen carefully as I present to you the brilliant idea that has come to my mind to solve the problems of this jungle. First, I must tell you that Sheba’s decision to fight the hunters may seem like a good decision at first glance, but as you surely know, this decision is fraught with dangerous consequences and may lead to the opposite result of what they expect.”

The wrinkled ear was quite pleased with Noghreh Naal’s words.

He said, “Well said! What a young zebra, yet experienced and mature!”

The Bloodshot Eye, seeing that the wrinkled ear was praising Noghreh Naal, immediately felt jealous and said, “I wish a single hair of yours was on Sheba’s head, young zebra!”

Noghreh Naal cleared his throat again and said, “Thank you!”

He continued, “Friends and elders of the Emerald Jungle! What would you say if I told you that I have a plan where the hunters will no longer need to hunt in this jungle?”

The Bloodshot Eye, the wrinkled ear, and Paghandeh hummed in response, and the Bloodshot Eye said, “Is that even possible, zebra?”

Noghreh Naal cleverly replied, “You haven’t heard my plan yet! If you hear my plan and then see that it’s impossible, then you can say whether it can be done or not!”

The wrinkled ear said, “I wish the leaders of the deer and gazelles were here to hear this important news.”

The Bloodshot Eye said, somewhat annoyed, “It’s still unclear what his plan is. Let’s wait and hear the plan first!”

Seeing the silence that the Bloodshot Eye had deliberately created to hear the final word, Noghreh Naal gathered his thoughts and said, “To be honest, my plan is that we agree with the hunters not to hunt us, and in return…”

He paused, then continued, “In return, for this favor they do for us, whenever one of the herbivores dies of natural causes, we will take the carcass to the hunters.”

Noghreh Naal fell silent and looked at the herd leaders, who were deep in thought. Then he said, “Look, friends and elders of the Emerald Forest! I have estimated and realized that on average, we lose three to four of our dear herbivores daily due to old age, natural death, and sometimes illness. They die in remote corners of the forest, and most of those carcasses end up being eaten by vultures. Why? Because vultures can fly and find the carcasses quickly. I think that if there were no vultures, the hunters themselves could find the dead animals. If this happened, none of the hunting animals would hunt anymore. Why? Because their bellies would be easily filled, and hunting is hard work. It requires a lot of energy and focus. But if their food was easily found, they would never hunt. Instead, they would roam around the forest and find their food, which would also be easy to locate.”

Noghreh Naal fell silent again, as the leaders were listening intently to his words.

He continued, "In my opinion, the phenomenon of the emergence of hunters has developed throughout the history of animal life. In ancient times, when animals died, some animals began to eat the carcasses. First, the vultures appeared, and the phenomenon of scavenging was born. Gradually, scavenger animals became accustomed to eating meat, and their stomachs adapted to this food. They could no longer eat grass. Because of this, they started killing other animals to fill their bellies.

He paused for a moment and said, “I believe that if we herbivorous animals try to always let the hunters eat our dead, they will forget how to hunt. Because hunting is a skill that must be learned in adolescence. If for several generations the hunters have free and easy food available, I think by the third or fourth generation, they will lose the skill of hunting and gradually turn to eating fruits. After a few more generations, once their stomachs are fully accustomed to eating fruits, they will also develop the ability to eat grass. In this way, by implementing this plan, we can guarantee that carnivorous behavior and the ugly phenomenon of hunting will be eradicated from nature forever for several more generations!”

As Noghreh Naal finished speaking, the herd leaders, who were greatly pleased by his words and the philosophy he had explained about the emergence of hunting, suddenly began to praise him.

The Bloodshot Eye kept saying, “Well done, zebra! Well done, zebra!”

The wrinkled ear said, “Hail to you, dear Noghreh Naal. You are truly a savior while some are seeking war and mischief!”

Paghandeh also said, “Well done, my son! You bring pride to the zebras. You have elevated the herd; well done. What beautiful words you spoke! Well done!”

The meeting concluded, and it was decided to take a break and reconvene in the afternoon to make necessary decisions. The buffalo, in response to the wrinkled ear’s question about whether they should inform the deer and gazelle, said, “No. Let this great honor be ours alone!”

Silver Hoof happily shared the good news with Kakooti. Kakooti was thrilled and said that you had come up with an incredible plan. This way, the hunters could eat meat, and no other animals would be killed. Then he said, "I just realized what a win-win game means."

42

Chapter Five: The Bridge

In the afternoon, Noghreh Naal went back to the herd leader to attend the meeting of the jungle leaders together. On the way, the herd leader never tired of praising and admiring Noghreh Naal, saying that his actions had brought honor to them in the jungle and that from now on, zebras would gain significant respect in the forest, and he went on about this at length.

At the meeting, Noghreh Naal stated that he intended to be present when they met with the hunters and presented their proposal. The Bloodshot Eye also said that this was his right. “You made this constructive proposal, and you should be there to defend against any issues that might arise!”

However, the Wrinkled Ear asked, “How are we going to communicate with the hunters? What if they attack us?”

The Bloodshot Eye replied, “Don’t worry about that, Wrinkled Ear. We’ll take our best guards with us.”

Paghandeh asked, “So who is going to go and set up the meeting with them?”

Everyone fell silent. No one had anything to say except for Noghreh Naal.

Noghreh Naal said, “Well, I’ve thought this through.”

Wrinkled Ear, who was growing fonder of Noghreh Naal as time passed, excitedly asked, “What do you have in mind, dear Noghreh Naal?”

Noghreh Naal replied, “The fox is the only animal that lives among us and also among the hunters. We can ask the fox to deliver our message to the lion.”

Once again, everyone admired Noghreh Naal’s intelligence, and in response to his suggestion, they entrusted the task to him.

Noghreh Naal happily went to find his friend Kakooti. He found him and shared the good news. Then they set off together to find the fox so he could send their important message to the lion.

43

Finally, after two days of searching, they found Khakestari talking to an old giraffe. They waited for Khakestari to distance himself from the giraffe. Once that happened, they rushed over to Khakestari and asked him to wait. Khakestari stopped and asked, “What do you want, zebra? What do you two zebras want with me?”

Noghreh Naal said, “I have been tasked by the leaders of the herds in this jungle to send someone to deliver a message to the lion. If you accept this task, I will give you the location of a fat, old rabbit’s burrow.”

Khakestari thought for a moment and asked, “What message?”

Noghreh Naal replied, “The message you need to deliver to the lion is that the leaders of the herds have something important to discuss with him and would like to meet and talk.”

Khakestari pondered Noghreh Naal’s words again and asked, “Well, what important thing do the leaders of the jungle have to say to the lion?”

Noghreh Naal said, “I don’t know that. They didn’t tell me what the important matter is. They just instructed me to find someone to do this for them.”

Although Khakestari felt tempted by the promise of the rabbit, he held himself back and said, “I’m not who you think I am.”

Then he turned and walked away.

Noghreh Naal ran and stood in front of Khakestari. Khakestari stopped as well. Noghreh Naal said, “Why? Aren’t you friends with the lion? Everyone in this jungle knows that you associate and are friends with the hunters.”

Khakestari replied, “That was back when these events hadn’t happened in the jungle yet.”

Noghreh Naal asked, “What difference does it make now?”

Khakestari replied, “It seems you don’t understand what’s happening. Sheba is going to form an army soon and attack all the hunters in the jungle. I’ve decided to keep my distance from the lion, wolf, and hyena. I no longer have any relations with them. Now do you understand the situation?”

Noghreh Naal said, “Look, fox! I’m about to become the leader of the zebra herd soon. After that, I’m going to reach bigger and more important places in this jungle. I promise you that when I reach the position I deserve, I will repay you for everything you do!”

Khakestari, playing the role of the zebra to extract as much accurate information as possible, mocked him, saying, “Oh! So you’re going to set up a whole organization soon. Are you planning to form a rescue group like Sheba?”

Upon hearing Sheba’s name, the zebra frowned and said, “Don’t mention Sheba. What does that fool think? Can she stop the wolf, lion, and hyena from hunting? Do you really think a carnivorous animal can just stop eating meat?”

Khakestari was taken aback by the zebra’s words. It was the first time he had seen someone speak so boldly against Sheba in these past few days. He was gradually becoming convinced that the zebra was indeed the envy he had been looking for.

He said, “Of course, a carnivore can’t just stop eating meat. I really liked what you said, zebra.”

Noghreh Naal immediately replied, “Look, fox. I presented a plan to the leaders of the jungle that would allow the hunters to always have meat while ensuring that no animal gets hunted anymore.”

Noghreh Naal suddenly fell deep in thought. Without realizing it, he had said something he shouldn’t have. He frowned, and it was clear that he was upset with himself.

Khakestari closely observed the zebra’s body language. Now, Noghreh Naal had to figure out how to manage the blunder he had just made.

He said, “Listen, fox. I like you. It’s clear that you have both courage and intelligence. You are useful. I want to reach great heights of success with you, and in the process, you’ll achieve a lot too, as long as you appreciate the opportunities.”

Khakestari said, “You mentioned you have a plan that allows the hunting animals not to be hunted while still being able to eat meat?”

Noghreh Naal grimaced again and said, “Of course! A new plan filled with peace and tranquility for all parties involved.”

Khakestari replied, “You’re either a foolish dreamer or a genius.”

Noghreh Naal immediately said, “The second option is correct, fox. It’s in your best interest that we get to the point quickly. You’re missing out on great benefits.”

Khakestari felt he had played Noghreh Naal enough to pique his interest. Even if this zebra was a foolish and crazy one spouting nonsense, he was still one of the best options for gathering detailed news for the mission.

He said, “Alright, zebra. I’ll give you a chance. If you can prove that you’re not rambling and that you genuinely have a mission from the herd leaders to find someone to deliver a message to the lion, then I’ll cooperate with you. But there are a few conditions.”

Noghreh Naal asked, “What conditions?”

Khakestari said, “One is that you get a guarantee from the leaders of the jungle that if Sheba or anyone else fights the lion and the others and succeeds, they won’t have anything to do with me.”

Noghreh Naal replied, “Agreed. We’ll go to them right now, and they’ll give you the mission, and you can set this condition for them. I’m sure they’ll accept.”

With this statement, Khakestari became more convinced that Noghreh Naal wasn’t just playing him. It seemed he truly had a task from the herd leaders to appoint him to deliver a message to the lion.

He continued, “The second condition is that after I complete this mission for the jungle leaders, you will help me catch twenty rabbits.”

This condition was quite heavy for Noghreh Naal. However, his ambitions allowed him to commit any treachery or crime.

He said, “Ten rabbits.”

Gray said, "Fifteen. If it's less than that, I won't accept."

Silver Hoof had to agree. He said, "Fine. Fifteen rabbits. But make sure this doesn’t slip out of your mouth to anyone."

Gray replied, "Do you think you’re dealing with?"

Silver Hoof said, "I just wanted to put my mind at ease."

Gray added, "Of course, that's fifteen rabbits excluding the old rabbit you promised."

Silver Hoof said, "I know."

Gray remarked, "I just wanted to make sure."

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44

Chapter Six: The Darkness Before Dawn

Khakestari, along with Noghreh Naal and Kakooti, made their way to the meeting place of the herbivore herd leaders in the forest. Noghreh Naal left Khakestari and Kakooti at the same lush valley where he had met his own herd leader, so he could go and bring the leaders of the forest to them. After an hour, Noghreh Naal returned with the leaders of the three herds.

The Bloodshot Eye said, “Alright, so you’re the fox who is going to deliver our message to the lion?”

Khakestari replied, “Yes. But I told Noghreh Naal that there is a condition.”

The Bloodshot Eye said, “I know. Noghreh Naal mentioned that you want to ensure your safety if something happens against the hunters. Rest assured, fox. You will be considered our friend for what you are doing for us. Moreover, we intend to put a stop to Sheba’s foolishness. We want to prevent a war. If a war does break out, we promise that not only will we not harm you, but we will also look out for you.”

Paghandeh and the wrinkled ear echoed the Bloodshot Eye’s words, assuring him that he would be regarded as one of their friends, as long as he carried their messages to the lion or anyone else they were unable to meet.

Khakestari promised that he would cooperate. According to Noghreh Naal’s plan, Khakestari had to pretend that he didn’t know what Noghreh Naal and the herd leaders’ scheme for the hunters was. Therefore, he asked, “May I ask what topic you are going to discuss with the lion? Because the lion will surely ask me what important matter you have.”

The buffalo said: "If he asks you what we want to say, tell him that we have a proposal to prevent unnecessary war and bloodshed. Tell him that we are not in favor of what Shiba wants to do either. If it weren't for the fact that many animals in the forest support Shiba, we would have already put him in his place. Do you remember this, Fox?"

The gray one replied: "Of course."

The buffalo continued: "Also, tell them that we have a better proposal that we need to present in person. A proposal that they will definitely like and can establish peace in this forest forever."

The gray one said: "I will definitely say it."

The wrinkled ear added: "So don't waste time, Fox. Go quickly and deliver our message to the lion."

The gray one exchanged a meaningful glance with Silver Hoof and left the place.

45

When the wolf heard the message from the leaders of the herds, he asked Khakestari, “Do you know what proposal they have?”

Khakestari replied, “I wasn’t supposed to know. But fortunately, the loose-tongued zebra let it slip and told me.”

The wolf said, “Well? What is it that they want to propose to prevent war and bloodshed?”

Khakestari said, “They plan to propose that from now on, the hunters eat the animals that die of natural causes! They want to promise that any animal that dies will not be left to be eaten by the vultures, but will be shared with the hunting animals.”

The wolf fell into thought upon hearing this plan from the herbivores. He had an expression that seemed to indicate he was both pleased with the idea and opposed to it.

The hyena said, “That’s great! This will solve all our problems, won’t it?”

The lion replied, “This way, we can always have meat without the trouble of hunting. And the herbivorous animals will live comfortably!”

Then he turned to Khakestari and asked, “Do you know whose idea this was?”

Khakestari said, “Well, obviously. This idea came from the zebra.”

The lion said, “Interesting! So this zebra is a genius, and no one knew about it!”

Then he turned to the wolf and asked, “Well, this doesn’t require much thought, Tondar! We’ll hold a meeting with them and accept their proposal.”

The wolf said, “Don’t judge too quickly, friends! This plan isn’t as great as you think.”

The hyena asked, “How so? Where’s the problem?”

The wolf replied, “For example, how do we know that animals will die regularly and consistently? What if there are no deaths for a week? What if it takes a month?”

The lion said, “Don’t make excuses, Tondar! We don’t hunt even one gazelle a month as it is. This way, we know that food will be available to us consistently.”

The wolf said, “Okay, fine. But we shouldn’t let them think that they have us in their grasp.”

The lion asked, “What do you mean?”

The wolf explained, “We accept their condition. But we will put them in our debt. First, we won’t agree. Then we’ll set a few more conditions, and eventually, we’ll accept this proposal in a way that makes them understand that we’re doing them a great favor.”

Khakestari said, “If you could move among the animals of the jungle like I do, you would see how Sheba is becoming more powerful by the day. You wouldn’t be sitting idle. It’s only a matter of time before Sheba forms an army and attacks all of us.”

Upon hearing Khakestari’s words, the wolf fell deep in thought. He stood up and began to pace around an imaginary circle.

The lion said, “Khakestari is right, Tondar. We must not miss this opportunity.”

While Tondar continued to walk and circle around, a thought suddenly struck him. He sat back on his hind legs.

He asked, “What kind of animal is this zebra who made this proposal?”

Khakestari replied, “Just as you said. An ambitious one who is willing to do anything to achieve greatness and fame. He promised me that if I help him reach the position he believes he deserves, he will help me catch seven rabbits!”

Khakestari paused and looked at the wolf, who was listening carefully to his words, and said, “This zebra is the envy we’ve been looking for. He is extremely jealous of Sheba for the popularity he has gained in the jungle.”

Then Khakestari exchanged a meaningful glance with the wolf, the hyena, and the lion.

The wolf said, “In that case, this zebra is someone we need.”

The hyena asked, “For what?”

The wolf stood up and moved around, stopping at another point and staring into an unknown place. Then he turned his gaze back to the hyena and the lion and said, “We need to ensure that this zebra achieves his dreams. He must gain fame and popularity in this jungle in Sheba’s place. Because if the zebra is a hero in the jungle, it will be beneficial for us. But if Sheba is the hero of the animals, we will always face the threat of an animal uprising.”

The hyena nodded in understanding.

The wolf turned to Khakestari and said, “You need to deepen your friendship with the zebra. Stimulate him more. Make him thirst for power even more. But you must convey to him that the only way for him to achieve power is to act through us and in collaboration with us. Do you understand, Khakestari?”

Khakestari immediately replied, “Of course! I’ll make him think that the proposal he made is what will save the lives of the jungle animals, and that the hunters are very pleased with this matter.”

The wolf said, “Well done, Khakestari! I like that you know what you’re doing. Now go among the animals and make the zebra understand that to achieve greatness and magnificence in the jungle, he must take risks and come to meet me personally. After you win his heart, present my proposal to him. Tell the leaders of the jungle that we found your scavenging proposal interesting and are willing to negotiate directly about it.”

Khakestari said, “But the leaders of the jungle think that we don’t know what proposal they are going to give us.”

The wolf realized his mistake. He said, “Yes, yes. You’re right. So go tell the leaders of the jungle that we are ready to meet with them to see what proposal they have for us. Tell them that we welcome any constructive proposal that includes the satisfaction of both parties.”

46

Khakestari set off to deliver the wolf’s message to the leaders of the jungle. After a few hours of walking through the forest, he reached the zebra. Noghreh Naal was on his way to meet the buffalo leader with Kakooti. It seemed that the buffalo leader had called him to ask about the return of the fox. As soon as Noghreh Naal spotted Khakestari, he felt happy and immediately approached him.

He said, “Let’s go somewhere quiet and cozy to talk.”

The three of them wandered through the forest until they found a secluded spot. Kakooti took on the role of guarding and watching the surroundings.

Noghreh Naal asked Khakestari, “What’s the news? Did you deliver our message to the lion, wolf, and hyena?”

Khakestari nodded in confirmation.

Noghreh Naal asked again, “So, what happened?”

Khakestari said, “They agreed to hold a meeting with the leaders of the jungle and hear their proposal.”

The zebra’s eyes sparkled. However, he knew that he had already leaked the proposal to the fox, and the fox had shared it with the lion, hyena, and wolf. There was no reason for the fox not to tell his companions everything.

He asked Khakestari, “Well, what do they think of my proposal?”

Khakestari replied, “They were all satisfied. Very happy, in fact. The wolf personally wanted to meet with you and talk to you. He said to tell you that you can speak with him whenever you want. He thinks you deserve to be a hero because your mind works well, and Sheba is just a stubborn warmonger.”

Noghreh Naal, feeling quite pleased with Khakestari’s compliments, puffed out his chest and said, “Exactly! Sheba might have strength, but she lacks brains. She doesn’t understand the path to greatness and fame. Sooner or later, she will be brought down.”

Khakestari said, “By the way, rest assured. I told the hunters to pretend they don’t know what the leaders of the jungle are going to propose. They will act in the meeting as if they are just eager to find out what the leaders want to say.”

The zebra replied, “Good. This way, we can proceed better.”

Khakestari continued, “I asked the wolf to keep an eye on you during the meeting.”

The zebra fell deep in thought, listening carefully to Khakestari.

He asked, “Did you say the wolf is interested in negotiating with me directly?”

Khakestari replied, “Of course. Why not? You are the mastermind of these animals. Just for your information, the wolf is also the brains behind the hunters. The lion has grown old, one foot in the grave, and he doesn’t show much interest in these matters. The hyena doesn’t have any creative ideas either. It’s just me and the wolf who discuss everything and find solutions. Let me tell you, if you reach an agreement with the wolf, it’s as if you’ve reached an agreement with all the hunters.”

Noghreh Naal said, “Alright, you’ve made it clear. So the main party in these negotiations is the wolf.”

Khakestari confirmed, “Exactly.”

Noghreh Naal pondered for a moment, looked around, and asked, “So, what should I do if I want to talk to the wolf?”

Khakestari glanced around and then said, “Well, we need to secretly set a place to meet and discuss.”

Noghreh Naal replied, “Okay. Now let’s go deliver the hunters’ message to the leaders of the jungle. After that, we’ll talk about meeting with the wolf.”

They parted ways. It was decided that they would meet again in the same valley-like area in an hour. Noghreh Naal and Kakooti approached the herd leaders and informed them that the fox had returned with good news from the hunters and was waiting for them at the meeting place.

When all the leaders of the jungle gathered in the valley-like area, Khakestari said, “I delivered your message to my hunter friends. They are eager to meet with you and hear the good proposal you mentioned.”

The herd leaders were pleased and looked at Noghreh Naal, waiting for him to clarify the details of the meeting. Noghreh Naal immediately said, “Very well! Our meeting will be at sunset. We will meet in an area that is between our home and the hunters.”

Khakestari said, “I’ll take your message to the lion and the others right now.”

Khakestari set off. The herd leaders whispered among themselves about what would happen next. The leader of the buffaloes asked the others, “Do you think they will agree to our proposal?”

Silver Hoof responded immediately to maintain control over the psychological atmosphere and steer it in his favor: "I'm very optimistic. Because this proposal we're giving them is flawless! If they don't like this proposal, then what are they going to like? This proposal can prevent unnecessary wars and fights. That's exactly what they want!"

The leaders of the herds nodded in agreement. They suggested that they go rest, gather their best individuals, and set out at dusk to meet the hunters.

47

Gray stood in a corner of the forest, waiting to see Silver Hoof. As soon as the leaders of the forest went to their herds, Silver Hoof immediately set off towards Gray. Upon seeing Silver Hoof, Gray said, "You need to talk to the wolf before meeting the leaders of the forest with the hunters. You must coordinate in advance on how to conclude the meeting in your favor."

Silver Hoof nodded in agreement and said, "There’s not much time. I need to talk to the wolf immediately."

They set off together. After an hour, Silver Hoof hid in a part of the forest that seemed dangerous. Gray went to inform the wolf that the zebra was waiting to meet him. After half an hour, Gray returned with the wolf, and they found Silver Hoof.

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48

Noghreh Naal, who was terrified at the sight of the wolf, constantly felt fear and dread in his heart that the wolf might attack him and finish him off. Although this seemed unlikely, as evidence suggested that the wolf was after greater goals, such as eliminating the threat posed by Sheba.

Tondar circled around Noghreh Naal and stood in front of him, saying, “Are you the zebra who proposed the idea of scavenging for us?”

The wolf’s tone did not sound very friendly.

Noghreh Naal swallowed hard and said, “Yes, that was me.”

Tondar replied, “If it weren’t for the fact that we need to get rid of Sheba at all costs, I would have tracked you down wherever you were in the world and made a quick meal out of you upon hearing that idea.”

Color drained from Noghreh Naal’s face. However, Tondar did not intend to scare him. He needed Noghreh Naal. He just wanted to instill a sense of awe in Noghreh Naal’s heart because he planned to make him a significant rival to Sheba in the jungle. But it was also essential for Noghreh Naal to respect Tondar and always heed his commands.

Tondar paused for a long moment and then said, “In any case, in this situation where Sheba has rebelled against nature, you are the savior of all herbivores. The idea you had about turning us hunters into scavengers might deserve the worst punishments in any other circumstances, but right now, it’s a brilliant idea that we must cling to. Do you know why?”

Noghreh Naal, with a trembling voice, replied, “Because it’s the best idea for getting Sheba out of the way.”

Tondar said, “Well done, zebra! It’s clear that you know what you’re doing. Now…”

He fell silent, turned around, and said: "Now listen carefully to what I’m saying. I will make you the absolute ruler of this forest. Like a lion who reigns over everyone. But the condition is that you must follow everything I say to the letter."

Silver Nail, trying to maintain his confidence, said: "Of course! Don’t doubt that I will do whatever it takes to achieve greatness and power."

Thunder said: "Good. Now you’ll quickly return to the animals of the forest. Because the leaders of the forest must join you and come this way so we can start the meeting. After the meeting, I will inform you of the place and time for our next meeting through the fox. In the meeting, I will ensure that the leaders of the forest see you as a genius from now on."

Silver Nail felt encouraged. He was no longer afraid of the wolf because he was sure that the wolf was after bigger things. He was also pursuing great things. Therefore, if they united and collaborated, both could achieve their goals.

49

Noghreh Naal immediately returned among the herbivores. He had managed to arrive just in time. Kakooti asked him how his meeting with the wolf went. Noghreh Naal put on a proud expression and said, “The wolf thanked me for the solution I proposed!”

According to the plan, the three leaders of the herd, along with a few strong guards and Noghreh Naal, set off together and arrived at the meeting place with the hunters. Khakestari had come ahead to prepare the arrangements. Then Khakestari returned with the lion, the hyena, and the wolf to the meeting location, and they began the session.

The lion said, “I heard that you have a solution to prevent a war between the hunters and Sheba!”

The leader of the buffaloes, who was trying to present himself as the most important and influential animal in the herbivore community, jumped in and said, “Yes, that’s right! We have a constructive proposal that we would like you to hear.”

The lion replied, “Very well! I’m all ears to hear your proposal.”

The buffalo said, “We want to propose that you hunters stop hunting herbivorous animals, and in return, we will keep the animals that die of natural causes and become food for the scavengers for you.”

The buffalo immediately interrupted the buffalo’s speech to show his presence. He said, “This way, you’ll have plenty of food, and the lives of the herbivorous animals will be secured.”

Paghandeh did not let the buffalo finish and added, “This way, what Sheba and the others are gathering their forces for will be fulfilled. They want nothing but security.”

Bloodshot Eye immediately said: "And if security is established in the forest, they have no reason to form an army to then declare war on you."

Wrinkled Ear said: "Shiba has caused a rift among the herbivores. The leader of the gazelle herd and the leader of the deer herd have taken Shiba's side and are not attending this meeting."

Bloodshot Eye continued Buffalo's point and said: "If you kindly agree to this proposal, we all win."

Silver Nail said: "It's a win-win game."

Everyone spoke their minds and fell silent. The lion was deep in thought, pretending to consider their words. While playing with his mane, he suddenly spoke up and said: "It's an interesting proposal!"

That was all the lion said. According to the wolf's plan, the hyena was supposed to play the role of a serious opponent. Then the lion, the wolf, the fox, and the leaders of the herds would try to convince him that their proposal was excellent and that it would be better to accept it. And that’s exactly what happened.

50

Suddenly, the hyena raised his voice unusually high and said, “This is outrageous! You grazing animals have come here and stood up to us, saying that we should scavenge? Do you think we’re beggars? You want us to stop hunting and beg from you, and even then, you throw your dead in front of us? What do you really think? Do you think we’re fools? Do you think we have the stomach to eat your dead? Really, there’s a limit to shamelessness.”

Then he turned to the lion and said, “Aren’t you offended by this? Do you want to allow them to talk to us like this?”

Immediately, the meeting was filled with murmurs, and everyone was saying something.

The Bloodshot Eye said, “Wait a minute, Mr. Hyena! You’re judging too quickly. The way you’re looking at the situation isn’t going to work!”

The wrinkled ear said, “That wasn’t our intention, Mr. Hyena! We wanted to respectfully offer you the animals that die.”

Paghandeh said, “What we mean is that you would be doing us a favor by agreeing to feed on our dead. What we mean is…”

Suddenly, the lion silenced everyone.

He said, “You can’t have a discussion with shouting and noise.”

Then he paused for a moment to transition into the second phase of the plan.

He said, “Everyone should give their opinion one by one.”

He turned to the wolf and asked, “What do you think, Tondar? Do you also think their proposal is audacious?”

The wolf, who had a strange calmness that didn’t suit him at all, said: "Of course, everyone has their opinion, but if you want to hear mine; I think this is a great idea that can establish peace and friendship among us animals!"

The herd leaders calmed down upon hearing the wolf's words, but the hyena wanted to protest.

The hyena said loudly: "But...!"

The lion said: "Please be quiet, you silly one! Let others speak too."

The wolf continued: "Look, friends! We hunters don’t need anyone to be kind to us and provide us with food. We are capable enough to hunt for ourselves and get the food we need. But we must also consider the reality that Shiba has instigated a movement in the forest, thinking they can achieve security and freedom. They are blindly following a series of delusions that only result in war between the hunters and the herbivores, and division and discord among the herbivores themselves."

The herd leaders murmured in agreement with the wolf's words. "That's right! Exactly!"

51

The wolf continued, “I believe that we hunters and herbivorous animals currently share a common ground. The source of our shared pain is the emergence of a villain named Sheba. Sheba is the common enemy of all animals, whether herbivores or carnivores!”

Voices rose in agreement with the wolf’s words. The leaders of the herds each expressed their thoughts, showing how much they were influenced by the wolf’s statements. Comments like:

“Well said! As long as Sheba is around, none of us will see any comfort.”

“Sheba is the cause of all this enmity and division!”

“We must eliminate the threat of Sheba from the animals of this jungle.”

And similar remarks were made here and there.

Finally, the wolf said, “I think if I do not agree with this proposal from the esteemed leaders of the herbivores, I would essentially be committing suicide and murder. Not only do I accept this proposal, but I am also very eager to know which of the animals came up with this idea first! In my opinion, this proposal is not only constructive and peace-bringing but also the source of a significant transformation in the lifestyle of all of us jungle dwellers!”

According to the plan, when the wolf said this, the lion was supposed to support him.

The lion said, “Yes, Tondar! Whoever came up with this idea deserves great admiration.”

Then he turned to the leaders of the herds and asked, “Can you tell us whose brilliant and life-saving idea this is?”

Everyone was silent. It seemed that the Bloodshot Eye wanted to say that it was his idea! But the wrinkled ear wouldn’t let him.

He said, “This idea was Noghreh Naal’s. The very zebra who is present at the meeting.”

And he pointed at Noghreh Naal.

Everyone turned their attention to Noghreh Naal.

The wolf feigned astonishment and said, “You came up with this brilliant idea?”

Noghreh Naal, with a false sense of humility, replied, “Yes, sir!”

The wolf said, “What a genius!”

He turned to the leaders of the herds and said, “You must appreciate such a brilliant zebra. I’m sure you do.”

The herd leaders, with satisfied smiles, nodded in agreement.

The wolf, being politically savvy, knew that the herd leaders would try to seize the credit for this peace treaty out of a desire for power, and that Noghreh Naal, who was supposed to be their pawn, would be sidelined. For this reason, he said something that made the herd leaders completely dismiss the idea of appropriating the credit for this achievement.

He said, “Now that we have reached an agreement on this proposal, it is necessary for you to first give a speech to the animals of the jungle and officially inform everyone about this peace treaty. Also, prepare the groundwork for His Majesty the Lion, as the king of the jungle, and myself to address the herbivores and formally inform everyone about this great peace. I intend to give a magnificent speech myself, expressing my satisfaction and joy over this blessed event, and praising the intelligence and wisdom of Noghreh Naal, the zebra who initiated this great transformation. Of course, I know that you esteemed leaders of the herbivores will also duly acknowledge the cleverness and shrewdness of Noghreh Naal.”

In this way, the leaders of the jungle were put in a position of having to accept the situation.

The leaders began to praise and commend Noghreh Naal, stating that they certainly appreciated him and would reward him suitably for his ingenuity!

The meeting concluded, and the hunters expressed their complete satisfaction with the herbivores’ proposal to scavenge. The herd leaders and Noghreh Naal, happy and elated, returned to their herds with their hands full. It was decided that the next morning, all the animals in the jungle would be informed of the significant achievement they had made.

And once again, news spread quickly throughout the jungle!

Gladia and Tosun, upon hearing the news of the peace treaty and reconciliation with the predators, were left in astonishment and wonder. Along with Arghavani, Hanayi, and Tizpa, they couldn’t even comprehend what this event meant. Until they finally found Sheba to help them make sense of this occurrence.

Sheba, filled with rage and hatred, managed to maintain her composure at all costs and did not allow anyone to know about the fury that was boiling within her. She knew that she would soon regain control.

However, when Gladia asked her what she thought this peace treaty meant, she immediately and astutely replied, “It’s paying tribute to darkness!”

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52

Chapter Seven: The Height of Darkness

Sheba felt suffocated. She felt like someone who had been thrown from a beautiful garden into a swamp full of filth and muck. She wondered how such a thing could be possible. Tired and sorrowful, she sat by the pond, staring into the distance. The stallion slowly approached her.

Sheba said: “How can this be possible, Stallion?”

The stallion replied: “The Bloodshot Eye and Silver Hoof tricked you out of their way. The Bloodshot Eye was afraid that you would grow strong enough for all the animals in the forest to support you.”

Sheba said sadly: “So if I hadn’t been here, there would never have been peace with the wolf and hyena!”

The stallion said: “No! If you hadn’t been here, the Bloodshot Eye would have taken over all the herds. You appeared at the right time.”

Sheba asked: “Then what was my mistake?”

The stallion fell into thought. He stared at the pond and said: “You knew your enemy. You knew him well. But there was one thing you didn’t know, Sheba!”

Sheba asked: “What didn’t I know, Stallion?”

The stallion turned his gaze from the pond back to Sheba and said: “The foolish friend!”

The stallion could read from Sheba’s expression that she understood his meaning. Therefore, he continued: “A foolish friend is always more dangerous than a knowledgeable stranger!”

Now Sheba had learned a great lesson. She was touching something she had never thought about before. The blow she had received from her own kind could never have come from her enemies.

Tosan, trying to comfort Sheba, said: “In fact, there is no such thing as a foolish friend! A foolish friend is the same as an enemy.”

Sheba replied wisely: “Actually, the correct way to put it is that a hidden enemy is more dangerous than an open enemy!”

Tosan said: “Yes, Sheba! You understood correctly.”

Sheba continued: “The incorrect use of the term foolish friend makes us oblivious to the danger of a hidden enemy.”

Tosan responded: “And it causes us to experience feelings of hopelessness. Feelings where we constantly ask ourselves why? Why should such a thing happen? Because we can hardly believe what has happened.”

53

Days passed one after another, and every day, the animals assigned by the Bloodshot Eye to inform the wolf, hyena, lion, and fox about the carcasses roamed the forest. Whenever they spotted the body of a dead animal, they immediately reported it to the Bloodshot Eye or the hunters. The hunters, drunk and merry, would rush to the carcasses, thoroughly relieved from the shame of their always-empty stomachs!

However, it wasn’t long before this happiness and joy for both the hunters and the herbivores came to an end. The Bloodshot Eye, along with the wolf and Silver Hoof, summoned Wrinkled Ear, the hyena, and the fox to the swamp for an important discussion. When everyone gathered, the Bloodshot Eye said: “Alright! Everything has gone according to plan, but my goal for this peace treaty was not for these silly games!”

Freckled asked in surprise: “What more do you want, Bloodshot Eye?”

Saying this, he began to laugh at his own joke, chuckling loudly.

The Bloodshot Eye replied: “We didn’t gather here to tell jokes, Freckled!”

But Freckled couldn’t stop laughing.

The Bloodshot Eye ignored Freckled and said: “I must become the king of the jungle immediately!”

At that moment, Freckled’s laughter grew even more obnoxious. Thunder was also laughing at the Bloodshot Eye. Despite this, he did not oppose him.

Thunder said: “In any case, I agree that Broken Claw shouldn’t be the king of the jungle because he’s not fit for this role.”

Wrinkled Ear said: “Even though Broken Claw is old, he’s still very strong! How do you plan to defeat him?”

Bloodshot Eye said to Thunder: “You need to find a way to drive Broken Claw out of this jungle!”

Thunder said in surprise: “Drive him out?”

Bloodshot Eye asked: “So what should we do?”

Thunder replied: “When you can defeat him in a fight, why should we think about finding a way to drive him out, Bloodshot Eye?”

At the mention of “Bloodshot Eye,” the hyena’s laughter echoed into the sky.

Bloodshot Eye, feeling uncomfortable with Khal Khali’s laughter, nonetheless ignored him and said to Thunder: “Fight? With the lion? You must be joking!”

The hyena laughed again.

Thunder said: “Joking? Not at all, Bloodshot Eye!”

The hyena was about to burst into laughter again when Thunder struck him on the head with his paw and said: “Don’t laugh!”

Khal Khali pulled his head back and fell silent.

Bloodshot Eye, feeling relieved by the hyena’s silence, asked: “What do you mean, Thunder? Do you think I can defeat the lion?”

Thunder replied: “With the plan I’ve devised, there’s no doubt you can defeat him!”

Wrinkled Ear immediately asked: “What’s the plan, Thunder?”

Thunder said: “We shouldn’t give Broken Claw his share of food!”

Upon hearing this statement from the wolf, everyone looked at each other in surprise.

Gray asked: “So you’re saying you won’t give Broken Claw any carcasses anymore?”

He didn’t wait for Thunder’s answer and continued: “He might die of hunger! Because hunting is also forbidden due to the peace treaty!”

Silver Hoof said: “What if he goes hunting, Thunder?”

Wrinkled Ear replied: “If any of you goes hunting, then the peace treaty will be broken.”

Bloodshot Eye said: “Then Sheba and her gang will make our lives miserable.”

Suddenly, Thunder said in protest: “Alright, enough! Stop whining and let me explain the plan!”

Everyone fell silent.

Bloodshot Eye said: “Well, hurry up and tell us, Thunder!”

Thunder said: “The lion isn’t supposed to die of hunger. He just needs to become thin and weak. Before he dies, you will declare war on him.”

Bloodshot Eye asked in fear and astonishment: “Declare war?”

Thunder replied: “Yes, you heard right. You need to fight the lion over who should be the king of the jungle, just like you fight the other cows for the leadership of your herd!”

From that day on, no one informed the lion about the carcasses. Broken Claw, who rarely left his den due to his old age, initially didn’t realize that a plan was being devised against him. He thought that perhaps no animal had died and the number of carcasses had decreased, or maybe the vultures were eating the carcasses faster. The poor lion didn’t even consider that some predators and scavengers had teamed up to destroy the rest of the predators and scavengers!

54

After the last conversation that took place by the swamp, Khakestari realized what a sinister plan Tondar had in mind. He quickly understood that Tondar intended to do something that would lead to the death of the Bloodshot Eye lion, and then Tondar would remove the Bloodshot Eye from the way and become the king of the jungle. The fox knew that a grim fate awaited this jungle. This was beyond the threshold of the fox’s tolerance.

For this reason, he went to the lion. The Broken Claw had become hungry and weak. As soon as he saw the fox, he immediately said, “Where have you been, Khakestari? Why hasn’t anyone come to tell me where the carcasses are?”

Khakestari was hesitant. On one hand, he was afraid to tell the Broken Claw the truth and that Tondar might pose a danger to him. On the other hand, he knew that if Tondar and the Bloodshot Eye succeeded, he would still be in danger. But it would be a much greater and worse danger.

For this reason, he deemed it wise to inform the lion. However, the lion needed to understand that after hearing about the plot and betrayal of the wolf, he should not react harshly or act impulsively. Therefore, he first made him promise to maintain his calm. When the lion promised that he would not act rashly, Khakestari told him about the plan that Tondar had devised against him. The Broken Claw became angry upon hearing this news. Khakestari reminded him that Tondar must not know that he was aware of his plan.

For this reason, he told the Broken Claw, “You must pretend that you didn’t hear anything!”

Broken Claw said, "So how, Gray? Do you expect me to die of hunger in this corner of the cave?"

Gray replied, "I won’t let you die of hunger. I’ll bring you food myself."

Broken Claw asked, "But what about after that? I have to go kill Thunder right now!"

Gray said, "Didn’t you promise to keep your composure? Besides, do you really have the strength to confront Thunder? He’s not alone. Khal Khali is with him. And there’s also Eye of Blood with Thunder!"

Upon hearing this, Broken Claw felt hopeless and depressed.

He asked, "So what do you suggest I do, Gray?"

Gray replied, "We only have one way!"

Broken Claw asked, "What way?"

Gray answered, "Let’s help Sheba win!"

55

Chapter Eight: The Promised Dawn

When Tondar and Khal Khali arrived at the Bloodshot Eye’s place, they saw him standing in front of his special tree, repeatedly banging his head against it. They asked the wrinkled ear what he was doing. The wrinkled ear replied that he was thinking! Upon hearing this, the wolf said, “Is that so?”

They waited a bit, staring at the way the Bloodshot Eye was thinking, until he finally finished his contemplation and turned towards them.

Tondar mockingly said, “So! Did you come to any conclusions?”

The Bloodshot Eye, somewhat embarrassed, replied, “No, unfortunately. My mind isn’t working at all.”

Khal Khali, unable to suppress his smirk, said, “Maybe you need to think harder!”

The Bloodshot Eye raised his voice and said, “Instead of mocking me, it would be better if you said you found a good solution!”

Tondar said, “Don’t get worked up, buffalo!”

The Bloodshot Eye responded, “You promised that you would help me become the king of the jungle. Have you forgotten?”

Tondar frowned and said, “Yeah, I remember, buffalo! I came to tell you the plan I devised.”

The Bloodshot Eye said, “Well then! Hurry up and tell me what plan you’ve come up with!”

Tondar circled around the Bloodshot Eye and his special tree, taking a look at the tree. The trunk was filled with holes and indentations from years of being battered by the buffalo. Then he turned to the Bloodshot Eye and said, “You need to declare war on the lion!”

The Bloodshot Eye raised his head in surprise and looked at him with a dazed expression. The wrinkled ear was also bewildered, shifting his gaze from the buffalo to the wolf and then to the hyena.

The Bloodshot Eye spoke up, “What did you say, Tondar? You said I should declare war on the lion?”

Tondar replied, “Of course! Don’t you want to become the king of the jungle?”

After a moment of silence, the Bloodshot Eye said, “Then I need to get to work immediately.”

Lost in deep thought, as if his body was there but his spirit was in another world, the Bloodshot Eye suddenly returned to his tree and began banging his head against it again. He kept hitting his head against the tree. After a few moments, he stopped and turned to the wolf, saying, “What if I get killed, Tondar?”

Tondar said, “Well, the one who is stronger will survive and become the king of the jungle!”

The Bloodshot Eye turned back to the tree and hit it a few more times before stopping and saying, “But I want to become the king of this jungle without any hassle, Tondar! Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Tondar replied, “I’ve thought about that too, Bloodshot Eye. Don’t worry. With the plan I devised, you can easily defeat the lion and become the king of these animals in the jungle.”

The wrinkled ear took a couple of steps closer and asked, “What plan did you come up with, Tondar? Why didn’t you say it sooner and relieve our worries?”

Khal Khali said, “It’s a very interesting plan!”

Then he grinned widely, laughing at the wrinkled ear! The wrinkled ear didn’t like Khal Khali’s behavior because he felt that the fox’s eyes were on him, and he had a desire to kill and eat him! For this reason, he took two steps back again, returned to his previous spot, and remained silent.

56-57-58 Vegetarian wolf

56

Thunder said to the Bloodshot Eye: “First, you will give a speech among the animals and tell everyone that you intend to fight the lion for the leadership of the entire forest. This way, the Broken Claw will learn from the forest animals that you plan to fight him. But for now, we won’t engage him in battle. That means you will wait until the psychological pressure completely wears the lion down. We will keep delaying the start of the fight until the lion exhausts himself with endless thoughts and worries.”

Freckled said: “Perhaps this way, there won’t even be a fight at all!”

This time, he grinned at the Bloodshot Eye.

The Bloodshot Eye said: “It sounds like a well-calculated plan!”

Thunder continued: “On the other hand, we must continue to deny the lion carcasses. The lion needs to become hungry so he can grow thin and weak. By the day of the fight, he should have no strength left.”

Wrinkled Ear suddenly shouted: “This is great! It couldn’t get any better, Thunder! The plan you devised is the best plan.”

Then he turned to the Bloodshot Eye and said: “This way, you can easily defeat the lion without any hassle and become the king of the jungle, Bloodshot Eye!”

The Bloodshot Eye was also very pleased with the wolf’s plan.

He said to Wrinkled Ear: “Then you should immediately go tell Silver Hoof that they must not give any carcasses to the lion anymore.”

Wrinkled Ear, happy and excited, set off to find Silver Hoof.

Thunder said to the Bloodshot Eye: “Well! Now go prepare yourself for an exciting speech!”

At that moment, the hyena started laughing loudly and obnoxiously.

The Bloodshot Eye climbed up the rock and told the animals to gather. After a certain number of forest inhabitants had assembled at the base of the rock, the Bloodshot Eye began to speak: “Everyone, listen carefully to what I’m saying and inform the other animals! I want to fight the lion for the throne! The Broken Claw must come and fight me in front of all the animals of the forest, and if he can’t defeat me, he must step aside, and I will become the king of the jungle!”

He paused and looked at the attendees. Then he asked: “Does anyone have anything to say?”

Of course, he thought that after saying these words, the animals would start cheering and applauding. The Bloodshot Eye believed he could gain popularity like Sheba. But he couldn’t grasp the reality. He viewed everything selfishly and egocentrically, which completely blinded him to the truth.

When he saw that no one was speaking, he said: “Alright then! Now go tell the others what I said!”

The animals dispersed, whispering to each other. The Bloodshot Eye came down from the rock. Thunder was standing beside the rock, deep in thought.

The Bloodshot Eye asked: “So! How was it?”

Thunder stopped thinking, raised his head, and said: “Not bad! But don’t think you’ve become the king of the jungle just with one speech. The main work is still ahead!”

57

The news of Bloodshot Eye’s speech and claim to the throne spread from mouth to mouth in the forest until it reached Sheba. Hearing all of Bloodshot Eye’s claims and greed made Sheba furious. However, she maintained her composure.

The Stallion asked: “So what should we do now, Sheba?”

Sheba replied: “I want to deliver this news to the lion myself.”

Then she immediately set off and hurried toward the lion’s den. The path to the lion’s den was a bit long, but it didn’t take long for Sheba to reach it. She stood outside the cave and shouted: “Broken Claw! It’s me, Sheba!”

A voice came from inside the cave. A little later, Broken Claw emerged and stood at the mouth of the cave. Hunger and weakness had made him thin and sickly.

Broken Claw said: “What’s wrong, Sheba?”

Sheba said: “Just now, Bloodshot Eye spoke to the animals of the forest and said he wants to fight you for the throne of the forest! I wanted to come and inform you myself before anyone else.”

Upon hearing this, Broken Claw became so angry that his face turned dark. He let out a loud roar, shouting and clawing at the rocks.

Sheba said: “Getting angry won’t help, Broken Claw. The wolf and Bloodshot Eye have plotted something bad against you. They have intended to bring harm to you from the very beginning.”

Broken Claw stepped forward a few paces. Sheba, just to be cautious, jumped and moved aside, standing again at a safe distance from him. Broken Claw, noticing Sheba’s fear and caution, turned his gaze away and said: “It’s all my fault that I ended up like this. I shouldn’t have shown any kindness to that damned Thunder from the start. Now he’s conspiring against me with that ridiculous Spotted? They want to make a cow the king of this jungle in my place!”

Then, involuntarily and out of regret, he let out a bitter sneer. A strange feeling of loneliness filled his heart. He spat on the ground and said: “Curse this world!”

Sheba, feeling sorry for Broken Claw, said: “The problem is all of us, the Wolf and the Hyena, and that Bloodshot Eye and Silver Hoof.”

The lion said: “You’re right, Gazelle! The main problem is these four animals. If we get rid of them, there will be no more issues!”

Sheba said: “Then you better help me defeat them. You could be a great help.”

Broken Claw replied: “What can we do? I’m sure on the day of the battle, the Wolf and the Hyena and the other buffaloes will come at me and finish me off! On the other hand, if I refuse the fight, I’ll be carrying a great shame.”

Sheba said: “For Bloodshot Eye, it will also bring a lot of honor and benefits. If you don’t fight him and back down, Bloodshot Eye will easily become the king of the jungle and then tell everyone that he deserved to be the king!”

Broken Claw asked: “So what should we do now?”

Sheba said: “Wait a bit; I’ll come back to you and tell you what I’m thinking.”

Sheba said this and immediately jumped, disappearing from his sight before the lion could notice.

58

When Sheba reached her herd, she saw Stallion engaged in a very serious discussion with Gladiator, Tawny, Swift, and Purple.

Stallion was saying: “We need to separate our herds from the others. We have to go somewhere else.”

Gladiator replied: “That’s not an easy task, Stallion! Our young ones might die from hunger or exhaustion!”

Stallion said: “It’s better than being hunted down one by one by wolves and hyenas.”

When Sheba arrived, everyone turned to her and gathered around her.

Sheba said: “I heard what you were discussing. It’s still too early for migration. There are things we need to do first.”

Everyone was happy that Sheba had come back to them with a solid plan.

Purple asked: “It’s clear you have a good plan in mind, Sheba!”

Sheba replied: “I hope it works.”

Swift said: “I’m ready to do whatever it takes.”

Tawny added: “Count on me too, Sheba!”

Without wasting any time, Sheba said: “Your task is to find some of the animals that support us.”

Swift immediately responded: “That’s easy, Sheba. Just tell us what to do next.”

Sheba said: “You need to go find the carcasses. We have to locate them before the Bloodshot Eye’s group does.”

Everyone was astonished upon hearing Sheba’s plan.

Tosan asked: “Why do we need to find the carcasses, Sheba?”

Sheba replied: “Because we shouldn’t let the wolf and hyena have food ready for them.”

Gladia said: “Well, what good does that do, Hero Sheba?”

Sheba answered: “First of all, it deals a good blow to our enemies, even if it has no other benefits.”

Gladia said: “That’s true. Well done, Sheba. I hadn’t thought of it that way.”

Tosan said: “But it seems there’s an even more important benefit to this, Sheba!”

Hanayi excitedly exclaimed: “Of course there is! Sheba always has an amazing plan that surprises everyone.”

Tizpa said: “Alright, Sheba. Tell us exactly what you want to achieve.”

Sheba said: “We need to make the wolf or the hyena violate the peace treaty.”

Everyone fell silent, pondering Sheba’s words. Then a sense of excitement filled the group.

Arghavani and Gladya said simultaneously: “What a brilliant idea!”

Tosan immediately said: “This way, we can fight against the false peace treaty and get rid of it! Well done, Sheba!”

Hanayi said: “Then let’s get to work right away.”

Everyone wanted to rush ahead, but suddenly Sheba said: “Wait!”

They stopped again and turned to Sheba.

Sheba said: “There’s one more thing.”

Tosan asked: “What is it, Sheba? Is there anything else we need to do?”

Sheba replied: “Yes, Tosan! You need to carry out whatever you do as secretly as possible. For that reason, you should choose the best individuals.”

Once again, Tosan, Gladya, and Sheba’s three close friends pondered his words. There was no need for further questions, as they realized the importance of the matter and that Sheba’s advice was completely logical and mature.

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59

Three days passed, and none of the Bloodshot Eye’s followers had managed to find even a single carcass of dead animals. Sheba’s friends had executed the plan well. Khal Khali, while extremely hungry, approached Thunder and said: “So where are the carcasses? Why is no one telling us where to go to eat them?”

Thunder was so absorbed in pursuing his goals to overthrow the Broken Claw that he had forgotten about his hunger until Khal Khali reminded him. It was only then that he realized his stomach was growling.

They went to the Bloodshot Eye and asked: “So why aren’t you finding any carcasses for us?”

The Bloodshot Eye replied: “Isn’t anyone showing you where the dead ones are?”

Khal Khali said: “It’s been three days, and no one has shown us anything!”

The Bloodshot Eye exclaimed: “How is that possible?”

The three of them went to Silver Hoof and found him. They surrounded him from three sides, and before Silver Hoof could understand what was happening, they slammed him to the ground with anger. The wolf, along with the hyena, pinned Silver Hoof down and wouldn’t let him move with their weight. Khal Khali was laughing so hard he was about to burst!

The Bloodshot Eye placed his foot on the head of the zebra that was sprawled on the ground and said: “Stupid zebra! You were supposed to show the Broken Claw the carcasses of dead animals! Not leave Khal Khali and Thunder hungry! Hurry up and tell me what the hell you were doing?”

Silver Hoof, who couldn’t even breathe under the heavy hoof of the Bloodshot Eye, with his mouth completely twisted and his voice changed, said: “I don’t understand what you’re talking about, Bloodshot Eye. Please tell me what happened?”

Thunder said: “It’s been three days with no news of any carcasses. That’s why today we’re going to kill you and eat you.”

Silver Hoof, struggling to get out from under the hooves of the Bloodshot Eye and the bodies of the wolf and hyena, said: “I had no idea about this, Bloodshot Eye! Please let me up. I’m suffocating!”

Spotted laughed and said: “Even better! This way, you’ll die naturally, and we won’t have to go find another carcass!”

Then his laughter grew louder.

The Bloodshot Eye shouted: “Hurry up and explain why you haven’t found any carcasses in these three days!”

Silver Hoof replied: “Firehoof is in charge of the group that is supposed to go look for the carcasses. I have no knowledge of this, Bloodshot Eye. Believe me, I’m telling the truth!”

To the Bloodshot Eye, it seemed that Silver Hoof was telling the truth. He loosened his hoof a bit so Silver Hoof could breathe.

He said: “Okay. I’ll give you one more chance, zebra. The last chance. If it turns out that the mistake was yours, don’t doubt that this wolf and hyena will eat you tonight, not just a carcass!”

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The four of them went to find Fire Hoof. Fire Hoof and his companions were all sitting by the river, dozing off, when the sounds of the Hyena’s laughter alerted them. When Fire Hoof lifted his head, he saw the figures of the four animals standing on a rise that resembled an embankment near the river, staring at them. Then the four animals came down the slope and stood over Fire Hoof and the others. Fire Hoof and the others did not move from their spot.

The Bloodshot Eye shouted: “What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you looking for carcasses?”

Fire Hoof replied: “There are no carcasses to be found, Bloodshot Eye! We searched everywhere. Our legs hurt from wandering around the forest.”

Silver Hoof asked: “So you’re not going to look for carcasses anymore, Fire Hoof?”

Fire Hoof said: “If you don’t give us a chance to rest, our legs will break!”

The Bloodshot Eye said: “Stop making excuses, Fire Hoof! This poor Wolf and Hyena haven’t eaten anything for three days. They are hungry!”

Thunder said: “If you don’t find us a carcass by tomorrow, I’ll eat this stupid zebra!”

Spotted began to laugh.

The Bloodshot Eye reproachfully said to Fire Hoof and the other cows, who were still sitting from exhaustion: “Did you hear what he said? If this Wolf and Hyena hunt, the entire peace treaty will be destroyed. And if the peace treaty is broken, it will cost our herd dearly. I won’t be able to become the king of the jungle anymore. The animals will drive us out of this forest.”

Firehoof got up from his spot, and the other cows stood up with him. Firehoof, with a frown and a sulky expression, said: “Then this zebra better find a way to locate the carcasses, or else he’ll be the one who gets killed by tomorrow!”

Then he turned and left the place. The other buffaloes followed behind him. After the cows left, Thunder turned to the Bloodshot Eye.

He said: “You shouldn’t be upset with them, Bloodshot Eye. Those poor creatures are exhausted.”

The Bloodshot Eye replied: “It’s all that useless Silver Hoof’s fault!”

Silver Hoof, frightened, said with a trembling voice: “What did I do wrong, my lord? I can’t search the entire jungle for carcasses all by myself.”

The sound of Khalkhali’s laughter rang out.

Thunder said: “You have until sunset today to find a way to quickly locate the carcasses. You need to find them for us before the vultures can eat them. Otherwise, you won’t see tomorrow morning’s sunrise, zebra!”

With that, Thunder turned his back on them and walked away. Khalkhali let out another loud laugh and followed Thunder. The Bloodshot Eye and Silver Hoof looked at each other, bewildered and hesitant.

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Silver Hoof immediately made his way to Fire Hoof. Fire Hoof and the cows accompanying him were lying on the thick grass, exhausted and suffering from sore legs, with their feet in the air. When Silver Hoof reached them, they remained in the same position.

Silver Hoof said: “I’ve come up with a way, Fire Hoof. Please get up so we can talk.”

Fire Hoof, indifferent to Silver Hoof, replied nonchalantly: “Just say what you have to say, zebra!”

Seeing that he wouldn’t be able to provoke Fire Hoof to get up and that if he said anything more, he might get beaten, Silver Hoof had no choice but to surrender and spoke to them while lying down with his legs in the air.

He said: “I’ve devised a plan that will help you find the carcasses more easily than ever.”

Fire Hoof replied: “Well, go ahead, I’m listening.”

Seeing that there was no way to get Fire Hoof to stand up and that he remained seated, Silver Hoof said with a hint of annoyance: “You need to chase the vultures!”

Then he fell silent and waited for Fire Hoof’s reaction. Suddenly, Fire Hoof turned around, got up on all fours, and stood facing Silver Hoof, staring into his eyes. The other cows also got up and stood.

Silver Nail, fearing for his life, joined Fire Nail and his group, and together they chased the vultures, finding the carcasses and immediately scaring the vultures away. The buffaloes guarded the carcasses, and Silver Nail went to Thunder and Khal Khali, leading them to the place where the carcass had fallen, and they would immediately pounce on the carcass and tear it apart with their teeth.

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A few days passed in this manner, and every day, thanks to the vultures, Thunder and Gray had plenty of food. The vultures were upset to see this situation and didn’t know what to do. After enduring several days of hunger, when they had completely fallen into a pitiful state, they finally realized that the best solution to their problem was to go and ask Sheba for help. For this reason, a messenger, the leader of the vultures, went to find Sheba and found him next to a waterfall. Sheba was drinking water from the pool below the waterfall when he saw the reflection of the vulture in the water. He lifted his head and noticed that the messenger was approaching him. The messenger perched on a branch of the nearest tree.

Sheba said: “What’s wrong, messenger? You seem upset!”

The vulture replied: “For several days now, as soon as we find the carcass of a dead animal and are about to start eating, Silver Hoof and those buffaloes attack us and chase us away!”

Upon hearing the vulture’s words, Sheba was shocked. He hadn’t expected to hear such a thing. He wondered if Silver Hoof had figured out their plan and if this was a reaction to their scheme.

He said to the vulture: “I’m sorry to hear this, messenger! That wicked Silver Hoof is stealing your food and giving it to the Wolf and Hyena. The worst part is that the Bloodshot Eye and Silver Hoof have made a pact with the Wolf and Hyena to ensure that from now on, the carcasses do not fall into your hands and are kept for the predatory animals.”

Upon hearing this, the Vulture’s sadness deepened, and he lowered his head, as if grief were overwhelming him. When Sheba saw this scene, she felt very upset. She felt sorry for the Vulture. She knew they were poor birds and did not deserve the suffering they were enduring.

She said: “But don’t worry, Piki!”

Piki lifted his head.

Sheba continued: “I will eventually make the Bloodshot Eye, Silver Hoof, the Wolf, and the Hyena pay for their deeds. I promise you.”

Sheba was very saddened and lost in thought. After a moment, she took a sip of water and lifted her head. She turned to the Vulture and said: “But you also need to help me in this, Piki!”

The Vulture nodded in agreement and said: “I will do whatever you say, Sheba.”

Hearing this from the Vulture made Sheba happy.

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When Sheba and her three friends went to see Gladia and Tosan, they found that the two were once again discussing migration. Tosan insisted that they needed to lead the herd of deer out of the jungle soon. Gladia kept saying that as long as they were alive, they would not abandon them and would support them until the end. Hearing their words made Sheba both sad and happy. She was sad because the herd she had been born and raised in had become very vulnerable, and she was happy because Gladia was a devoted and wise deer who had always been their best friend and supporter.

Sheba asked, “Have there been any updates on the fight between the Bloodshot Eye and the Broken Claw?”

Tosan replied, “Not yet.”

Arghavani said, “It’s obvious that it’s a trick. The Bloodshot Eye wanted to show off and tell the jungle animals how powerful he is. That’s all.”

Gladia said, “No, actually, Arghavani! This is very serious.”

Arghavani responded, “Then why is there no news about the fight? It’s been ten days since the news spread.”

Gladia explained, “The Bloodshot Eye wants to break the Broken Claw mentally and crush his spirit. He wants the thought of the fight to wear him down. That’s why he’s delaying the battle.”

Sheba, Tosan, and Sheba’s friends praised Gladia for her insightful observations.

Swiftfoot said: “Really, no one but you deserves to lead our herd, Gladiator.”

Hanaei replied: “So, in that case, the Bloodshot Eye is smarter than I thought.”

Tosan said: “No, actually, Hanaei. The Bloodshot Eye is more foolish than that.”

Violet said: “It’s clear that all of this is the wicked and malicious plan of that Wolf.”

Hanaei realized that he had been looking at the situation very naively.

He said: “So it might take a long time for them to fight each other.”

Sheba said: “I feel like there’s something in the middle that we still haven’t realized.”

Sheba fell silent, as if pondering her own words.

Tosan said: “There are many things we still don’t know.”

Sheba replied: “No, what I mean is that there’s something we should have known. But due to our negligence, we haven’t noticed it yet.”

Violet said: “That’s completely obvious! Thunder has taught the Bloodshot Eye to tell the animals that he wants to fight the Lion and become the king of the jungle. Then they want to delay the fight long enough to weaken the Broken Claw with fear and worry. This way, the Bloodshot Eye can defeat him more easily.”

Sheba said: “What you said is true. But it seems we’ve overlooked an important point. And no matter how much I think about it, I can’t figure out what it is.”

Swiftfoot said: “Maybe there isn’t any point at all, and this is the whole reality we’ve heard about.”

The words of Sheba’s friends did not ease her heart. She was sure that her feelings were not lying to her. She had overlooked something and didn’t realize what it was. Until once again, Gladia, with her knowledge, experience, and wisdom, brought her and the others out of the darkness.

Gladia said: “Thunder and the Bloodshot Eye are not just content with putting the Broken Claw under psychological pressure. The fact that they are prolonging the fight is just one aspect of the matter. But this prolongation of the fight is for an even more important reason.”

They all listened carefully to Gladia’s words.

Sheba immediately asked: “What is it, Gladia? What is this important reason that I can’t seem to grasp no matter how much I think?”

Gladia replied: “Hunger and weakness!”

She paused briefly and continued: “They want the Lion to become weak from hunger. Or even if he does become weak, they want him to get sick and near death. This way, they aim to make it so that the Lion either dies from hunger and illness on his own, or if he survives, defeating him will be very easy.”

Sheba said: “So…”

She was completely lost in thought. She had lowered her head and was searching for something in her mind.

She continued: “In that case…”

She paused and said: “In that case, they won’t give the lion the carcasses of dead animals anymore!”

At that moment, Sheba raised her head and said: “Did I guess right, Gladiator?”

Gladiator replied: “It has to be that way. Why should they give the lion carcasses? Especially when they are going to fight him and destroy him!”

Purple said: “The Broken Claw is our only way to defeat the Bloodshot Eye and end this false peace treaty.”

Swiftfoot also said: “What Purple means is that we need to help the lion. We should find him a carcass, right?”

Then she looked at all of them to see if she had guessed correctly. It seemed that no one had anything to say. Everyone was thinking about what they should say.

Henna said: “If we do this, it means we accept the peace treaty. Because we agreed to find carcasses for the hunters!”

Purple said: “If we act according to the peace treaty, the Bloodshot Eye will take advantage of it. He will tell all the animals that Sheba is outwardly opposing the peace treaty and considers it false, but secretly he will act according to it himself!”

A long silence fell among them. Everything they were saying was true, and they needed to consider more aspects of the situation. However, the Stallion proposed a solution that brought Sheba and the others out of their indecision.

The Stallion said: “The best course of action is to secretly help the lion. We need to do this discreetly; we also need to ensure that the lion doesn’t get too much food.”

Everyone was surprised by his words.

Sheba asked: “I don’t understand your point, Stallion! Why should we make sure the lion doesn’t get too much food?”

The Stallion replied: “Because if the lion eats well and becomes strong, the Bloodshot Eye won’t fight him anymore.”

Gladiator immediately said: “Well done, Stallion. What a wise thing you’ve said.”

Sheba understood the Stallion’s point as well.

He said: “You’ve clarified things for me, Stallion. Thank you.”

Then Sheba turned to everyone and said: “Now I know what I need to do.”

And she immediately said goodbye to them and left.

After Sheba’s departure, the Purple, the Tawny, and the Swift, who hadn’t fully understood the situation, began to interrogate the Stallion and Gladiator. The two patiently explained everything to them so they could fully grasp the matter.

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Silver Hoof joined the cows to find the carcasses of dead animals for the Wolf and Hyena by following the vultures. They soon spotted a few vultures. They walked under the trees, completely focused on the direction of the vultures’ flight. Sometimes they had to run to keep up with the vultures and not lose sight of them. Long moments passed as the vultures headed south through the jungle. Silver Hoof and the cows followed them on a very long path to the south. However, the vultures did not land. After three hours of flying south, the vultures changed their course toward the east of the jungle. Silver Hoof and the chasing group had no choice but to head east as well. They traveled for another two hours eastward, and then the vultures changed direction again, heading north through the jungle. Despite the severe fatigue that Silver Hoof and the cows were experiencing, they changed their course northward along with the vultures, hoping to find a carcass. However, after covering a very long and, of course, more difficult distance for the four-legged animals—since the vultures were flying in the sky while Silver Hoof and the cows were on the ground, and the path was uphill for them—they reached the vicinity of the mountains.

But still, the vultures did not descend. Not even to rest for a moment did they perch on the trees. The vultures continued to circle in the sky, veering their path toward the west. In pursuit of them, Silver Hoof and the cows, who were now half-dead from exhaustion, forced themselves to move westward. When they reached near the western borders of the jungle, they could go no further and collapsed. One of the cows fainted from extreme fatigue and fell to the ground. The others could no longer walk. Two more also fell to the ground, unable to move. All of their legs ached. Silver Hoof stood, and although he couldn’t take his eyes off the sky, he knew that if he walked for just a few more minutes, he too would lose consciousness. They saw no choice but to camp right where their energy had run out. They collapsed onto the grass, and the cows fell asleep. The stallion, terrified for his life, could neither sleep nor continue the chase; he saw no option but to rest, and shortly afterward, he lost sight of the vultures as they disappeared from view.

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After a long rest, Silver Hoof and the cows regained some strength to walk. They set off helplessly towards the herd of cows.

Upon seeing Silver Hoof and the cows, the Wolf asked: “What’s going on? Why hasn’t anyone come to report the finding of the carcasses?”

Silver Hoof replied: “We spent the whole day chasing the vultures. But they didn’t land anywhere.”

The Wolf said: “So they didn’t see any carcasses?”

Fire Hoof added: “Well, of course, they didn’t find any carcasses. If they had, they would have landed.”

Silver Hoof and the cows passed by the Wolf and disappeared in search of a quiet corner to rest.

Three days later, the same thing happened again, with the difference that Silver Hoof and the cows grew tired more quickly than on the first day and gave up chasing the vultures. When Thunder saw that the search party was returning empty-handed, he became suspicious. He knew something was off. He realized that the vultures were playing tricks on them, and without a doubt, Sheba had taught them this.

The next day, Thunder told Silver Hoof and the cows that there was no need to chase the vultures anymore. The Bloodshot Eye asked in astonishment: “Why not? Don’t you want food?”

Thunder said: “The vultures are toying with us. This is all because of that damned Sheba!”

Silver Hoof, who had just realized why the vultures had been leading them all over the jungle for the past few days, got angry and said: “That damned Sheba! We need to come up with a plan for this annoying creature soon, or we’ll regret it!”

Thunder replied: “You don’t get to talk!”

The Spotted One started laughing at Silver Hoof. Silver Hoof endured Thunder’s barbs and the Spotted One’s laughter, just as he did the anger and aggression of the Bloodshot Eye.

Wrinkled Ear asked: “So what should we do?”

Thunder said: “We need to start the fight with the lion immediately and settle this matter quickly. Once we get the Broken Claw out of the way, it will be easy to take care of Sheba too.”

The Bloodshot Eye said: “But it’s still unclear whether the lion has weakened or not!”

The Wolf replied: “That’s easy. We’ll go take a look and see what condition the Broken Claw is in!”

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, Thunder managed to find Gray and said: “You need to go and see what condition the lion is in. Check if he has become weak and frail enough. Hurry up and bring me the news.”

Out of fear, Gray set off without saying a word and headed towards the lion’s den. When he arrived, he entered the cave and saw the Broken Claw huddled in a corner, mumbling to himself. He had become so weak that it seemed unlikely he could stand on his own legs.

Gray called out to the Broken Claw. The lion noticed the fox and lifted his head. He became slightly more alert and stopped mumbling. He got up and sat on his hind legs.

The Fox said: “Thunder sent me to see if you are weak enough or not.”

The Broken Claw said nothing and just nodded.

The Fox continued: “He wants to see if you are weak enough for the Bloodshot Eye to fight you.”

The Broken Claw replied: “If this is the end for me, I accept my fate with open arms. Now go tell that wicked Wolf that the lion is dying. If he wants to fight me while I’m still alive, he should announce the time for the battle sooner.”

The Fox said nothing and immediately left the lion’s cave to deliver his message to the Wolf.

When the Wolf heard the lion’s message from the Fox, he said to the Hyena: “Now it’s our turn. We need to go see for ourselves what the lion’s condition is.”

The Wolf and the Hyena went to the lion’s cave and saw that everything the Fox had said was completely true. The lion was glaring at Thunder with anger, and Thunder tried not to look directly into the lion’s eyes.

The Broken Claw also had no patience to speak. He knew that the Wolf only wanted this: for him to be weak so that the Bloodshot Eye could defeat him in a show and achieve his ambitions

Thunder achieved what he wanted. After seeing with his own eyes that the Broken Claw had fallen into a state of despair, he immediately set off with the Hyena to confront the Bloodshot Eye.

The next day, the Bloodshot Eye gathered all the animals of the jungle and said: “Today is the day it all ends! I want to fight the Lion today and claim the kingship of the jungle for myself! According to the law of the jungle, whoever is stronger should be the king, and I want to show the Lion and all of you just how much stronger I am.”

After the Bloodshot Eye spoke extensively about his power, abilities, and qualifications, preparing the animals for the significant changes he wanted to bring to the jungle, he descended from the speaking rock. In front of all the animals of the jungle, he appointed Firehoof and the Fox, along with a few of the leaders of the zebra and buffalo herds, to officially go and challenge the Broken Claw, inviting him to fight for the title of king of the jungle or to relinquish it.

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The envoys of the Bloodshot Eye went to the lion’s cave and were initially afraid to enter. First, the Fire Hoof cautiously stepped inside the cave, and when he saw the lion in a semi-conscious state, the other animals found their courage and followed him in. They initially felt pity for the lion because he was too weak to even walk, let alone fight. However, out of fear of the Bloodshot Eye, they simply followed his orders and informed the lion that if he did not confront the Bloodshot Eye in battle before evening, he would officially become the king of the jungle.

While they were unsure if the poor lion even understood what they were saying, they delivered the Bloodshot Eye’s message and then returned to the jungle animals. While the inhabitants of the jungle were still waiting around the Bloodshot Eye, they informed him that they had conveyed the message to the lion.

The Bloodshot Eye said: “Good! According to jungle law, I will enter the battlefield. If the Broken Claw does not arrive on time, he must step down from power in disgrace!”

Having said this, he moved away to rest and prepare for the battle with his entourage. The jungle animals waited there until the time for the battle arrived, eager to see whose hands the fate of the jungle would fall into.

In private, the Wolf said to the Bloodshot Eye: “Rest assured, my friend! If the Broken Claw makes it this far, he will fall to the ground from the pain in his legs and die on the spot!”

The Bloodshot Eye replied: “So he has become that weak?”

The Spotted One said: “Poor thing, he was just rambling! I think he’s gotten sick!”

Then he started to laugh loudly.

Hearing this, the Bloodshot Eye felt more reassured. But no matter how hard he tried, the fear within him did not dissipate. Although he had gained a lot of pride and confidence.

The time for battle arrived. The Bloodshot Eye, along with the Wolf, Hyena, Silver Hoof, and Wrinkled Ear, headed towards the crowd. Along the way, the Wolf kept telling the Bloodshot Eye to be sure that the Lion wouldn’t show up, and to focus on what he needed to say. “Don’t forget that you need to incite the animals against Sheba and make them understand that anyone who is a friend or ally of Sheba will be considered an enemy of the jungle and will face severe punishment.”

When they reached the battlefield, the animals of the jungle had not moved from their spots. The Bloodshot Eye climbed up the rock and began to speak.

He said: “Friends! Everyone, pay attention! You know what the law of the jungle is! According to the law, I must enter the battlefield. If the lion arrives on time and defeats me, he will once again be the king of the jungle. If he is defeated, I will become the king of the jungle! If he doesn’t come, he must obey the orders of the new king of the jungle, which will be me, with shame and humiliation!”

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He paused for a moment and then said: “Listen carefully! As the king of the jungle, I will not allow any animal to act on its own and rebel without coordinating with the leaders of the herds, claiming that they want to establish security and peace in the jungle! So open your ears! If I haven’t taken any serious action until now, it was because I wanted to ensure that the unity among the herds and the order of this jungle were not jeopardized! But from now on, things will be different. From now on, as the king of the jungle, I will bring down a punishment upon you that will make you think twice about supporting the outlaws and rebels!”

Immediately, Thunder cleared his throat loudly to let the Bloodshot Eye know that he was talking nonsense.

The Bloodshot Eye quickly replied: “I mean those who supported the outlaws and rebels!”

Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted: “You’re so full of yourself, Bloodshot Eye!”

All the animals turned towards the voice. It was Sheba, speaking with a courage and confidence that no one expected. Sheba, along with the stallion, Hanayi, Arghavani, and Tizpa, stood beside her.

Seeing this scene, the Bloodshot Eye shouted: “What do you mean, Sheba? Are you against me becoming the king of the jungle?”

Sheba immediately shouted: “Of course I oppose you!”

The noise of the animals rose.

The Bloodshot Eye shouted: “How dare you?”

Sheba replied: “First of all, who said you are the king of the jungle?”

The Bloodshot Eye answered: “Well… I’m not yet. But in an hour, I will officially be the king of this jungle. Right in front of these animals, while the leaders of all the herds are here to endorse my rise to power!”

Sheba said: “Then stop talking nonsense for the next hour!”

The crowd erupted in murmurs. No one knew how Sheba had the courage to speak to the Bloodshot Eye this way. For now, the Bloodshot Eye had to maintain appearances, which is why he did not react to Sheba’s insults.

Sheba continued: “Secondly, why do you think these animals gathered here see me as an outlaw?”

The whispers of the animals rose in support of Sheba.

Sheba continued: “No one agrees with the false peace treaty you made with the Wolf and the Hyena, Bloodshot Eye! You know this very well! All these animals also know that this peace treaty was just an excuse for that wicked Wolf and that ridiculous Hyena to come among our herds, and now they walk around among the animals with ease! This is all your fault, Bloodshot Eye!”

The crowd was gaining confidence because of Sheba’s bravery. Many animals shouted: “That’s right, that’s right!”

Seeing that he was losing control, the Bloodshot Eye quickly said: “You don’t need to speak on behalf of these animals, Sheba! Who really dislikes peace and reconciliation? Anyone who opposes peace and friendship deserves to die, plain and simple!”

Sheba didn’t let the Bloodshot Eye continue his fallacies and immediately interrupted him, saying: “Is it called peace and friendship when the Wolf and Hyena walk freely among us herbivores?”

In support of Sheba, the animals, now a majority, shouted: “That’s right, that’s right! Sheba is right!”

Sheba continued: “You created a friendship pact with the Wolf and Hyena through bullying, and today is the day of revenge, Bloodshot Eye!”

The Bloodshot Eye, confused, shouted: “What are you saying, Sheba? What are you talking about?”

Sheba replied: “You will understand soon enough.

The Bloodshot Eye said: “Well, say it right now if you have the guts!”

Sheba replied: “For now, focus on the tough fight you have with the Broken Claw! I hope you’ve prepared yourself!”

The Bloodshot Eye smirked and said: “Is that what makes you happy? Alright! Let’s see how this battle turns out, and then the first thing I’ll do is settle the score with you and your other friends!”

With that, the Bloodshot Eye angrily moved into the center of the crowd. In the midst of the throng, a large space opened up, and the Bloodshot Eye stood in the middle. Then he approached one of the trees and struck it hard several times with his head, knocking it down to the ground. With this act, he was showcasing his power to everyone!

The Bloodshot Eye turned in the middle of the crowd, boasting loudly!

He shouted: “So where is this cowardly lion? Why doesn’t he come and fight me to prove himself? Does anyone know where the lion is? If he has the guts, let him come and fight me! With me! Yes, with me! I am the Bloodshot Eye! The one who wants to be the king of the jungle! The one who can bring a tree down!”

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As the Bloodshot Eye was boasting and showcasing its power in the middle of the battlefield, at Thunder’s signal, a group of buffaloes and bison began to position themselves around. They surrounded Sheba and her companions, believing that there was no real fight taking place and that it was merely a staged performance to ensure that the forest animals would easily accept the fact that the Bloodshot Eye was the king of the jungle.

For this reason, they were ready to finish off Sheba and her friends right from the start and seize power in the jungle permanently. Sheba, her friends, and the stallion and Gladiator realized that the guards of the Bloodshot Eye and the Wrinkled Ear had surrounded them. However, they did not move from their positions, and their situation did not change. Initially, a number of animals understood that the cows and buffaloes had encircled Sheba. Then the entire crowd grasped this reality. Many of them approached Sheba to create a commotion around her, so that if the cows and buffaloes attacked Sheba, they could defend her. Among those who wanted to defend Sheba, there were also many buffaloes and cows present.

The Bloodshot Eye continued to boast and shout, shaking hearts with fear. This continued for an hour until the Bloodshot Eye grew tired of its boasting. At that moment, Thunder climbed up a rock and began to speak.

He said: “Friends! Forest animals, listen carefully!”

Everyone fell silent to hear what the Wolf had to say. Many thought he was going to give the order to attack Sheba.

The Wolf continued: “Let’s talk about friendship and peace instead of hatred and resentment! Let’s discuss trust and belief instead of skepticism and distrust! All of Sheba’s objections to the friendship pact stem from the belief that I am untrustworthy! Personally, I understand Sheba! But does Sheba have the right to decide for all of you? Is Sheba the only one with wisdom? Does only Sheba understand while you do not?”

Suddenly, Gladiator shouted: “Enough, wicked Wolf! I’ll kill you myself!”

At that moment, the crowd erupted in noise, interrupting the Wolf’s speech! No matter how hard the Wolf tried to call for silence so he could finish his words, he couldn’t succeed. The animals were determined not to let him speak. Thunder was forced to come down from the rock and take refuge in a corner, among a few of the cows and buffaloes loyal to the Bloodshot Eye.

Then the Wrinkled Ear climbed up the rock and called for silence, saying: “Everyone, listen carefully! The time for fighting is over, and you can all see how the Broken Claw has run away in fear and hidden! He has realized who truly holds power in this jungle! That’s why he hasn’t dared to come and fight the Bloodshot Eye!”

He paused for a moment and glanced at the Bloodshot Eye. The Bloodshot Eye stood in the middle of the battlefield, waiting for the Wrinkled Ear to finish the show so he could become the king of the jungle.

The Wrinkled Ear raised his voice and said: “I hereby declare the end of the battle! In this way, I represent the leaders of all the great herds of the jungle, and I announce that the Broken Claw backed down out of fear of facing the Bloodshot Eye, and I declare that the Bloodshot Eye, with my endorsement and the support of the leader of the zebra herd, is the king of the jungle…”

Suddenly, the powerful roar of a lion shook the entire jungle! The sound was so loud that it seemed as if several lions were roaring at once. The commotion and shouts erupted. Everyone was asking: “Whose voice was that?