Being a Dad in the Animal World
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The filming crew was confused, and the audience was even more puzzled. Animals couldn't express their thoughts with words, leaving everyone wondering what was on their minds.
The audience didn’t want Jason and Bai Yi to be separated. Jason was still young, and if he wandered alone, his chances of surviving to adulthood were slim.
On top of that, Bai Yi had influenced him so much that he didn’t even know how to hunt.
His survival depended entirely on stealing and scavenging.
While they hoped for Bai Yi to change, they also wished Jason would make significant progress in hunting.
After all, if he was to become a leader of a lion pride in the future, ruling over others, how could he rely solely on being a bandit to survive?
If he ever encountered a stronger pride, his life would be in danger.
The audience strongly requested that the camera be switched to Jason. They wanted to see if Jason had abandoned Bai Yi after finding a new companion.
If that really was the case, there was nothing they could do. After all, they were just animals. Could human standards be imposed on them?
Of course not.
Most viewers had reasonable expectations since they were rational people.
But some humans seemed to have brains purely for decoration.
Unable to ignore the flood of requests from the audience, the filming crew finally switched the camera to Jason.
Coincidentally, the moment they switched, Jason and his allied male lion were in the middle of a hunt.
The audience expected a scene of teamwork and success. But in reality, only the allied lion was actively hunting while Jason remained hidden in the tall grass, not even showing himself.
It became even worse when the allied lion failed to take down the wildebeest and ended up getting a deep gash on his stomach, bleeding heavily.
Some so-called "righteous warriors" immediately sprang into action.
No matter the setting, there were always people who used a flimsy excuse to launch personal attacks under the guise of righteousness.
Just like how they had treated Bai Yi before, this time, their target was Jason.
And to top it off, they couldn’t resist taking a jab at Bai Yi while cursing Jason.
"A useless lion raised by another useless lion. This lion must have brain damage to form an alliance with Jason. Honestly, every lion Bai Yi raises turns out just like him. How did such garbage even become popular online?"
"I thought I was the only one uncomfortable watching this, but it turns out many people feel the same way. Before this show, there were already live streams focused on real wildlife conservation. Those were the ones with genuine efforts, while this show only exists to make money."
"Getting famous off a useless lion, and there are even brainless fans wasting their money on this trash. Instead of donating to this scam, why not help people in need?"
"Finally, someone said it! When I pointed out their copying before, they denied it and even blocked my account. I had to make a new one. Everyone, let’s report this garbage show together and get them banned!"
The discussion quickly escalated from Jason’s hunting skills to attacking the production team and then took a wild turn to criticizing live streaming itself.
The host glanced at the viewer count, it was approaching fifty thousand. She knew that most of them were silent and rational.
Many viewers had already started pushing back against the flood of hateful comments.
But still, the way a handful of troublemakers could ruin the atmosphere left the host irritated.
With a pleasant smile, she responded:
"I see some extreme comments in the chat. Our project has been running for years. Back when no one watched, no one cared, and we made no progress. All we ever wanted was to protect wildlife. Making money was never our goal."
"The amount of time and money we pour into this project every year is beyond what you can imagine. So, I don’t agree with the claim that we’re only doing this for money. Everyone here shares a passion for wildlife, so I hope we can all be respectful in our discussions."
"Also, using live streaming to introduce people to the animal world is the simplest and most direct approach. We have produced documentaries before, but that was incredibly difficult. This format allows us to reach more people. We’re not copying anyone, we’re just making a similar decision in a different way."
She wasn’t about to argue with a bunch of trolls through a screen. That would be completely pointless.
Their goal was to carry out the project and get everyone involved in protecting wildlife.
Over the years, they had received plenty of criticism and slander, but this was the first time they had encountered such a large-scale attack in the livestream chat.
It showed that the project was making progress. While it was bringing positive results, it also came with many drawbacks.
Because Jason left Bai Yi and refused to hunt with the coalition lions, a wave of online defamation began.
Not only did Bai Yi’s family, who had gained popularity online, suffer from this, but the program team was also affected.
However, this could not stop them from continuing their project.
After all, most people liked Bai Yi and Jason, and they tuned in to the livestream every day.
That was already enough. Even in the darkness, there was still light.
As a lion, Bai Yi no longer had to fear human gossip and rumors.
His days were fulfilling, wandering across the vast grasslands with the three cubs, searching for food. He no longer had to think about the endless workload or the overwhelming cyberbullying.
The cubs had pink noses, all three of them. But since Isa was a girl, her nose was even pinker than the two young males.
Whenever Bai Yi had nothing to do, he liked to press his nose against Isa’s. Isa would wrap her front paws around his head, rubbing against him affectionately.
Each time this happened, Bai Yi’s heart melted. It slowly helped him forget about that ungrateful lion, Jason.
But sometimes, he still wondered, how was Jason doing? Had he encountered danger? Was he even still alive?
Whether he was alive or not, Bai Yi didn’t know. It had nothing to do with him anymore.
Soon, the rainy season in Maasai Mara was coming to an end. The vegetation was beginning to dry up, and the rainfall was decreasing.
This was a season of fear for the animals. Sometimes, Bai Yi couldn’t find a water source for two or three days.
He had no choice but to quench his thirst with the blood of his prey. Of course, these meals were often “borrowed” from others.
Around August, the great migration began, a journey that would test life itself.
Large herds of herbivores started migrating toward the Serengeti. It was a 3,000-kilometer journey, a daunting number even for a lion.
By this time, the three cubs had turned one year old. Their bodies had grown significantly, and the spots on their fur were fading.
Now, they could keep up with Bai Yi’s migration. They followed behind a group of gazelles.
And why were they following the gazelles? Of course, for an easy “buffet.”
Every migration season, many young animals were born along the way. Some couldn’t keep up with their mothers and were left behind.
But Bai Yi didn’t get to enjoy a gazelle “buffet.” Instead, he found something unexpected—an elephant one.
A newborn elephant calf, barely able to walk, lagged behind its mother. The herd surrounded the calf, protecting it.
Elephants had a difficult time giving birth. It took over 20 months of pregnancy for a baby elephant to be born.
A baby elephant born during migration has an even lower chance of survival.
The August sun was unbearably harsh. With less rainfall, water sources were gradually disappearing, and signs of drought had already appeared in some parts of the Maasai Mara.
All the animals had to migrate to the Serengeti, where water was still abundant, before the dry season arrived in full force.
It was a rare and massive animal migration.
But without enough water, the baby elephant finally collapsed under the scorching sun. It lay down and never got up again.
The herd hesitated for a moment, realizing there was no hope. After a few sorrowful cries, they continued their journey.
Only the baby elephant’s mother stayed behind. She seemed to be waiting, unwilling to leave her child.
Predators in the area were already restless, watching closely. Bai Yi and the three cubs observed them as well.
To be honest, an elephant separated from its herd was an enormous and luxurious feast.
Very soon, the mother and child became the next targets of the hunters.
The lion pride launched their attack, and Bai Yi turned away, leading the three cubs elsewhere.
There was no point in watching any longer. This was a mother refusing to abandon her child, a scene he did not want to witness.
But this was the reality of the animal world, natural selection at work. No one could change it.
For the first time, Bai Yi followed an unspoken rule of his kind. He did not steal from the lion pride. Instead, he led the three cubs further ahead.
Going without water for so long made him irritable, and the cubs were even more restless.
They passed by a dried-up riverbed.
Bai Yi glanced at the endless, drought-stricken grasslands. The glaring sun above made it impossible to find shade.
With no other way to cool down, he stuck out his tongue, panting.
He must have looked like a dog.
The three cubs were the same, gasping under the relentless heat.
Three days had passed without a drop of water. If he didn’t find a source soon, both he and the cubs would die of thirst on this arid plain.
Survival had become an incredibly difficult task.
Many predators trailed behind herds of herbivores, scavenging for easy meals. To keep the cubs safe, Bai Yi maintained his distance from them.
He started feeding the cubs on scraps left behind, just not rotten meat.
No matter the circumstances, Bai Yi was always a refined lion.
Except when there was no water.
By the time the dry season fully arrived, it had been far too long since Bai Yi had bathed. He didn’t even have water to drink, let alone to clean himself.
At this point, even dirty human bathwater would be a luxury. He just needed something to drink.
When he finally found a water source, it was already tightly controlled by another lion pride. Worse, the water was drying up, and even the crocodiles struggled to stay hidden.
Bai Yi wouldn’t let the three cubs approach the riverbed. Instead, he waded in himself, soaking his fur so the cubs could lick the moisture off to quench their thirst.
Just as hunger became unbearable and he was about to hunt, something happened that moved him deeply.
He caught the scent of an unfamiliar lion and immediately tried to leave with the cubs.
But after walking a short distance, he turned back for another look. The lion seemed familiar.
He was carrying a highland antelope in his mouth. His mane had started to grow in, though it was still a light color.
Another male lion followed behind him, they were allies.
Even after months apart, Bai Yi recognized him instantly.
Jason!!
He was bringing food to him.
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