Being a Dad in the Animal World
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Although Jensen is already two and a half years old, he already has an understanding of sex and can start to have girlfriends, but two lionesses are enough for him to drink a pot of water.
Young and vigorous male lions are generally very committed to the reproduction of offspring, otherwise they would not bite and kill the cubs of other male lions after fighting for territories, they have to quickly urge the female lions to come into heat, so that they can occupy the birth of reproduction.
They have few chances in life to nurture their young and certainly will not assume the role of a stepfather, as raising a single cub demands a high cost in both time and resources.
If his own cub fails to reach adulthood, his entire life effort will have been in vain.
For Jason, having no other male lion competing for mating rights makes him a particularly fortunate lion.
Bai Yi crouched nearby with expectant eyes, and two lionesses approached, lying down beside him.
Bai Yi let out a low growl to signal Jason to mount, but Jason remained indifferent.
He glanced at the two lionesses and simply lay down again in the bushes, beginning to snore.
Bai Yi: "......"
The two lionesses, pretending to be cute at his feet, warmly invited him, causing Bai Yi’s body to tremble.
Once things get started, he will have no rest for the next four or five days.
Bai Yi shivered and repeated his old tactic, deciding that retreating was the best course of action.
Jason, that good-for-nothing, is a lion after all. How can he lack even this basic instinct?
Had it been any other male lion, he would have seized the opportunity without hesitation.
Bai Yi was once again convinced that something was off about Jason's sexual orientation.
He ran away, and the two lionesses did not follow. He crouched at the edge of his territory and pondered deeply.
Although lionesses are meant to reproduce, he did not share that intention because he could not overcome his internal barrier.
Even though he is now a lion, he cannot overcome his psychological hurdles, which makes him unfit to live off the support of others.
This indirectly proves that he might not be suited to life within the lion pride.
As for Jason, he could no longer remain with Bai Yi. Being two and a half years old, it was time for him to venture out on his own and establish his own dynasty.
Bai Yi thought for a long time and decided to leave the lion pride with the three little cubs.
He could take the three cubs and raise them on his own.
Leaving them among those lionesses did not reassure him, since one day they would have their own dominant male.
At that time, even if the cubs had a foster mother, they might be bitten to death.
That night, he didn’t go back. Instead, he slept at the edge of the territory. Fortunately, there were no intruders, and he made it safely to dawn.
Surprisingly, he didn’t feel cold at night. He was puzzled, how could he not feel cold with such strong winds?
It wasn’t until he woke up that he realized Jason had been lying beside him, sound asleep.
Bai Yi lifted his head and gazed into the distance, a sudden wave of inexplicable melancholy filling his heart.
Once adolescent male lions leave their territory, they wander alone, and their chances of survival are slim, unless they form an alliance with others in the same situation to increase their odds.
Seeing Jason sleeping beside him without any guard up, Bai Yi dismissed all the plans he had made last night.
He would wait a little longer. He’d let the kid grow up into a real lion, let his mane fully develop, let him become strong and imposing, then he would drive him away.
Bai Yi got up to return home, but he hadn’t gone far before he saw the lionesses approaching with three cubs in tow.
The number of lionesses in heat had grown from two to three.
They eagerly ran up to greet Bai Yi, rolling onto their backs and exposing their fluffy bellies, acting cute.
Bai Yi felt an overwhelming sense of melancholy.
Did he really have to mate?
Was there no other choice?
Jason, awakened by the commotion, groggily looked at Bai Yi and the lionesses rolling around playfully.
His expression seemed to say: Why isn’t my brother doing it? Is he incapable?
Coincidentally, the viewers of 'Animal Kingdom’s' live wildlife broadcast were having similar thoughts.
Even the host started to wonder if Bai Yi had a problem.
Ever since Xiao Bai showcased his remarkable intelligence and exceptional combat skills during a previous broadcast, he had gained a large following of lion fans.
The live stream had gone from barely having any viewers to at least 5,000 people tuning in every time it started. It was a massive change.
Xiao Bai had broken the 'Death Crew' curse and he was the only survivor since Animal Kingdom began its broadcasts.
But just as the "whoever gets filmed dies" curse was barely lifted, another concern started spreading among netizens.
Was Xiao Bai impotent?
He was five years old now. Normally, lions start mating around three years old.
They actively seek out lionesses and mate as quickly as possible to ensure the survival of their lineage, as their lifespan is not long, and they must complete this crucial task in time.
Yet Bai Yi was already five. No one knew if he had prior mating experience, but this time, six lionesses had joined his pride, and they had all taken the initiative to court him, yet he remained indifferent.
The viewers were practically bursting with worry.
"What should we do? Xiao Bai really seems like he can't do it. Could it be that he doesn’t like females and prefers males?"
“Damn, the girl in front just made a great point! There are actually a lot of gay animals in the wild. Maybe Bai Yi is one of them! If all else fails, why not let him try with a male lion?”
“But if that's the case, wouldn't Bai Yi's extraordinary intelligence be wasted here? I can't accept him choosing a male lion.”
“Still, based on what we've seen so far, there's an 80% chance Bai Yi is either impotent or gay. I mean, he never even tried anything with Jason in the beginning. Maybe he actually likes Jason.”
“Come on, Jason is still a kid. Please leave him alone, thanks!”
The livestream chat was in a heated debate over Bai Yi's sexuality.
Meanwhile, the female streamer continued broadcasting while considering suggestions from the viewers.
She told everyone “Calm down, everyone! If Bai Yi really prefers males, then his opportunity has arrived. A herd of wild buffalo is heading their way. And where there's prey, there's always a predator. Right behind them is a fully grown, rogue male lion. He’s about to enter Bai Yi’s territory. Let’s see how Bai Yi’s pride will react!”
The audience immediately became tense and excited.
“Well, all lions look the same anyway. Bai Yi probably doesn’t care about appearances, right?”
“What do you mean they all look the same? Look at Jason—he’s just a little more handsome than the other male lions.”
“You’re being biased! To me, they all look the same. Bai Yi probably won’t be picky. Let’s just wait and see what he does.”
The viewers eagerly watched their screens, waiting for Bai Yi to appear.
At that moment, Bai Yi was focused on figuring out how to avoid the lionesses’ courtship. It didn’t take long for an opportunity to arise.
He was the first to catch the scent of prey, and it was obvious that the other lions had smelled it too.
The lioness with three cubs was older, making her especially alert and sensitive.
She was the first to detect the scent of an intruder.
A low, warning growl rumbled in her throat from time to time, putting the pride on high alert.
They advanced in the direction of the prey. Not long after leaving their territory, they spotted a herd of wild buffalo approaching. At the same time, they also noticed the intruder following behind the herd.
A fully grown, rogue male lion.
It was clear that the rogue lion had long since picked up on the scent of the pride. He had also spotted them.
But he didn’t back down.
He had been starving for days, and this herd was his only hope. He needed to hunt.
Of course, Bai Yi and his pride wouldn’t give up easily either. For male lions, once a fight breaks out, it’s a battle to the death.
Rarely does one submit to the other.
Both were kings—neither wanted to lose.
But a rogue lion is different. Especially one so emaciated from hunger that his ribs were showing.
The lionesses had already prepared to attack, but the rogue lion paid them no mind. Instead, he charged straight at the prey.
Wild buffalo are fierce and powerful, with sharp, deadly horns. Even a lion in peak condition can’t take down a full-grown buffalo alone.
But this rogue lion was highly skilled. It was clear he was an expert hunter.
On his own, he managed to separate one buffalo from the herd. The rest of the herd, frightened, stampeded forward.
The isolated buffalo had nowhere to run.
The rogue lion pounced.
He leaped onto the buffalo’s back, sinking his teeth viciously into its neck.
However, the buffalo's strength was overwhelming, and the lion was quickly thrown off.
The wild buffalo’s roar stopped the departing herd in their tracks. They turned back, ready to fight.
At this point, the exhausted lion was doomed. He wouldn't be able to withstand the sharp horns of the charging buffalo.
Bai Yi let out a low growl and dashed toward the lion.
The lionesses and Jason assumed he was going to finish off the intruder, but he didn’t. Instead, he drove the buffalo herd away.
The lion got another chance to hunt. This time, he struck swiftly and precisely, sinking his teeth into the buffalo’s throat, locking his jaws tight.
Before long, the adult buffalo lay lifeless in the rogue lion’s grip.
Seeing a lion pride nearby, the buffalo herd dared not retaliate any further. With a few sorrowful bellows, they retreated into the thick vegetation.
The rogue lion began to feast, and the lionesses moved in, ready to snatch a share of the meal.
Bai Yi approached first, cautiously stepping closer. The lion let out a low growl but didn’t chase him away. That meant he understood Bai Yi had helped him.
For the first time, Bai Yi used his nuzzling technique. He rubbed against the feeding lion. The lion let out another irritated growl, as if to say "Stop bothering me."
Bai Yi watched as the lion finished the internal organs and gnawed on the easiest parts of the meat before turning back and rubbing against Bai Yi in return.
That was all it took—an unspoken understanding. The lion now saw Bai Yi as an ally.
So, when Bai Yi’s pride arrived, the rogue lion only let out a cautious growl before turning and walking away.
The lionesses, along with their cubs and Jason, began eating.
Bai Yi followed after the rogue lion, affectionately rubbing against him again. His intentions were clear—he wanted this lion to join his pride.
His pride had plenty of lionesses, and there was no other male to compete with.
If the lion joined them, the six lionesses would have a stable mating partner.
The lion understood Bai Yi’s offer. He lay down and started grooming Bai Yi’s fur.
Bai Yi was thrilled. Mission accomplished!
Mama no longer has to worry about the females in his lion pride not having a guaranteed sex life!
However, Jason looked far from pleased. He took a few bites of his meal before noticing Bai Yi lying next to the rogue lion, who was still grooming Bai Yi’s fur.
Jason lost it. He roared furiously at the rogue lion:
"ROAR~"
Get your damn paws off my brother!
Bai Yi: "?"
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