Being a Dad in the Animal World
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Ever since becoming a lion, aside from occasionally grooming his fur, Bai Yi had never actually used his mouth to clean his rear or belly.
To avoid his scent bothering Jason and making the cubs uneasy, Bai Yi always went to the river to wash up after using the bathroom.
Though being drenched was uncomfortable, there was nothing he could do about it.
Including the three little ones, he would occasionally groom their fur as a kindness, but as for cleaning their bodies, that was Jason’s job, not his.
A cub without a mother has to grow up fast, and Jason was no exception.
After leaving the pride, he took on the role of a lioness—grooming the cubs, cleaning their bodies, and masking their scent to prevent predators from tracking them.
He and Bai Yi had divided responsibilities: Jason cared for the cubs, while Bai Yi "hunted" and found food for them.
To this day, Bai Yi had never successfully hunted. The food he provided for the cubs came entirely from 'stealing'
Hyenas and African wild dogs that had just made a hard-earned kill would find themselves in despair.
After all, working as a team to bring down prey only for a shameless male lion to swoop in and snatch it away was beyond frustrating.
Leopards that lingered near the outskirts of these conflicts were also among Bai Yi’s victims.
However, leopards were quick and agile. Thanks to their climbing abilities, they could escape by carrying their prey up into the trees.
This made Bai Yi’s career as a “bandit” somewhat difficult.
Fortunately, Bai Yi was an experienced thief, so the cubs never went hungry.
Lying down, he watched Jason. The young lion seemed to notice his gaze, paused for a moment, glanced at Bai Yi, then turned away and changed positions—facing his back toward him.
Bai Yi was speechless. Seriously? You’re suddenly shy now? Do you even have any shame?
"I only looked for less than two minutes, and you’re already acting like this?"
Bai Yi scoffed, rolling his eyes before turning away.
Jason’s reaction made it seem as if Bai Yi had been staring at something inappropriate.
Of course, Bai Yi would never admit that he had actually wanted to watch for a little longer.
The Maasai Mara National Reserve was about 3,000 kilometers away from the Serengeti, making the journey between the two regions a grueling one for migrating wildlife.
At this time of year, many mammals were in their nursing period, meaning countless young herbivores would be born along the migration route.
Predators followed closely behind, watching these newborns, making survival incredibly difficult for them.
Between September and October, Maasai Mara would enter its dry season, while the Serengeti would welcome its rainy season.
Millions of animals would begin their migration back to the Serengeti. Every great migration was a brutal test of survival.
It wasn’t even June yet, and Bai Yi was already worried—3,000 kilometers was no small distance.
To put it into perspective, if someone started walking south from the capital, they would reach Hainan after traveling roughly the same distance.
Migrating from the Maasai Mara to the Serengeti was the equivalent of trekking from the capital to Hainan—on foot.
And the journey was filled with unknown dangers.
It was a shocking realization for Bai Yi, showing him just how harsh life in the wild could be.
By the time the dry season arrived, the three little cubs would be a year old. They should be able to keep up with the migration.
If they couldn't, they would starve or die of thirst in the Maasai Mara.
For now, the grasslands were still rich with resources—water was abundant, and the grass was lush and thriving.
The herbivores were living peacefully, but they weren’t the only ones here. Large African lions, cheetahs, and African wild dogs had started to invade, disrupting the calm.
Bai Yi thought he was being smart by leading the cubs away to avoid these powerful predators. But he never expected lions to start appearing from all directions, their overwhelming scent making the cubs anxious and uneasy.
At times like this, their sharp sense of smell and hearing kept them on edge.
A single misstep could mean a deadly encounter with these invaders, one that would end in a fight to the death.
With no other choice, Bai Yi kept leading the cubs away.
It was as if the vast grasslands had no safe place for them. Everywhere they went, they encountered powerful lions ruling over their own territories.
These so-called "kings of the savanna" lived up to their reputation. Each pride’s territory was massive, sometimes expanding up to 1,500 square kilometers.
Within these territories, all prey belonged to the pride. Any animal that tried to take a meal would be killed.
It was an astonishing number.
As the density of lion prides increased, Bai Yi felt a growing sense of unease. It meant he wouldn’t be able to "hunt"—and without food, the cubs would go hungry.
But that wasn’t even the worst part.
The worst part was that, as they grew weaker from hunger, they were not only being hunted by lion prides but also being chased by a herd of buffalo.
Bai Yi witnessed the destructive power of these "reckless wild bulls" for the first time.
He never considered "food" as a threat. Where there is food, there are always hunters. While guarding against hunters, he was caught off guard by the stampeding bulls.
It seemed like they had caught the scent of the little ones. A whole herd of bulls charged straight into Bai Yi’s resting territory.
In a panic, Bai Yi and the cubs scattered in different directions. Bai Yi could still suppress the herd, but the cubs could not.
With their massive bodies and sharp, deadly horns, the bulls attacked Jason and the cubs. Bai Yi’s warning growls had no effect under the overwhelming presence of the herd.
One group of wild bulls targeted Bai Yi, while another charged at Jason and the cubs.
Bai Yi wanted to check on the cubs, but he couldn’t break through the herd. To make things worse, a bull's horn slashed his stomach, forcing him to retreat.
Jason and the cubs ran in a different direction from him. As Bai Yi fled, he tried to get closer to them. The bulls relentlessly chased after the cubs, driven by an instinctive hostility that seemed ingrained in their very blood.
After barely escaping the bulls, they ran into the territory of a lion pride. A male lion’s roar tore through the air, making Bai Yi panic.
He growled at Jason, who was already trying to move toward him. The cubs ran as fast as they could.
Bai Yi wasn’t worried about Jason, he was worried about the three little ones.
He didn’t know if all three had managed to keep up with Jason.
Dodging both the lions and the bulls, they finally caught a break. With the lions arriving, the bulls started retreating and stopped their pursuit.
This gave Bai Yi and the cubs a chance to escape. Bai Yi rushed toward Jason without stopping, passing him to lead the way ahead.
A quick glance back told him two of the little ones were following behind, but one was missing.
The lions were still chasing them, leaving him no time to figure out exactly which one was lost. He had to get the ones who were still with him to safety first.
After running for about twenty minutes, the lions stopped chasing. Their scent faded into the distance.
Bai Yi came to a halt, sensing they were somewhat safe. Jason and the two remaining cubs caught up.
Bai Yi could recognize each of the cubs at a glance, and he immediately noticed that Gou Dan was missing.
Wang Cai and Isa were still there, exhausted from all the running. Jason stood still, glancing back—perhaps he also realized Gou Dan was gone.
Gou Dan was the most mischievous of the three. He was always chasing flies and mosquitoes, running around whenever he had nothing to do.
Bai Yi scanned the surroundings and sniffed the air. Sensing no immediate danger, he walked up to Jason and let out a low growl, telling him to watch over the two cubs while he went back to find Gou Dan.
Jason seemed to understand. Seeing Bai Yi turn around, he let out an anxious growl, as if to say, "Don’t go. It’s dangerous"
But Bai Yi had to go. What if the cub was still waiting for him, helpless and afraid?
If he went back, there was still a chance he could find him.
On the vast grasslands, running for survival was a daily occurrence. This was the cruel reality of the animal world—without a safe haven, survival depended on one’s own strength.
Those who couldn't survive would become a feast for predators, returning to nature.
Jason watched as Bai Yi’s figure disappeared into the distance. He didn’t follow, perhaps knowing that his responsibility was to protect the two remaining cubs.
Meanwhile, Gou Dan, the strongest and smartest of the three, had managed to escape.
After being separated from the group by the wild bulls, he ran desperately and hid in a dense thicket, avoiding the bulls’ attack.
The bushes were thick, and a few bulls were still grazing nearby. Terrified, Gou Dan’s eyes were wide open as he hid, not daring to make a sound.
With Gou Dan missing, the film crew and the audience were all extremely worried.
Since Bai Yi and Jason had trackers, the audience and the filming crew had no idea about the cubs' situation.
This made the viewers in the live broadcast room extremely anxious.
Their hearts tightened just like Bai Yi’s. They watched as he returned to the original spot, calling softly for Gou Dan. It was undoubtedly a dangerous move.
His calls could attract nearby lions, which would lead to another fierce battle.
However, if Bai Yi didn’t call out, Gou Dan wouldn’t be able to hear him and wouldn’t come out.
The viewers were on edge.
“I hope nothing happened to the cubs. Bai Yi would be heartbroken!”
“This is the first time I’ve seen buffaloes as villains! They’ve completely destroyed my impression of them as gentle creatures. I really hope they didn’t kill the cubs, or I’d be devastated! They’re just buffaloes, after all!”
“Girl, don’t forget—they’re wild animals! Even lions need teamwork to hunt buffaloes. A single lion has almost no chance of taking one down alone.”
“Bai Yi looks so sad. The cub is missing… he must be heartbroken. Hiks..hiks”
The streamer also said:
“All we can do now is pray that Bai Yi finds the cub. Let’s hope for a miracle. May God bless them.”
The filming crew gave Bai Yi a long close-up shot.
The sun was setting. The male lion stopped in the area where they had rested before.
He let out a few roars and scanned his surroundings, but he didn’t see any familiar figures.
Standing in the tall grass, his eyes carried a hint of sorrow, but he didn’t give up on calling for the cub.
He sniffed the air and kept moving forward.
The filming crew anxiously commented “If he keeps calling like this, danger will come. But it seems that, in his heart, his own safety doesn’t matter as much as the cub’s. He continues to call, despite the risk.”
Soon, the streamer’s words came true.
Bai Yi followed the scent of the cubs, sniffing as he walked forward. He hadn’t gone far when a deep, threatening lion’s roar echoed in the distance.
Not far ahead, two male lions appeared.
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