Lights danced in the sky and stars twinkled vibrantly , Selenessence shuffled her weight till she was raised up on her tippy toes as she excitedly giggled and gasped at the dancing lights .

" Do you think mom can see them from her hunt ? " She happily gasped while her tail wagged and swished as if it had a life of it's own .

It was quite undeniable that anyone in the lands could see the light twinkling and dancing but to a young pudgy cub the world was still so new, fresh and big , how was she supposed to know anything past what she'd seen .

Msanii nodded adoringly at the overly enthralled cubs question .

Selen paused looking as if she was thinking hard enough to strain her little brain " One day I'm going to become the best hunter in the pride that way I can spend all day with mom , and then we can watch the lights together while we hunt for the biggest meanest zebra ever ! "

It was quite clear the young cubs mother was old bitter and stuck in her ways and one of those constants was having a distaste for cubs , particularly her own more than others it never mattered how much Selen wanted to be closer her mother kept her at a tail length away when she wasn't feeding her . Selenessence was too young to notice and her vision was too rose tinted but one day perhaps her mother would yearn for these simpler times .

But for now her head was lifted to the sky and a chill ran through her fur as the lights pirouetted across her silhouette in the tall grass . Inhaling deeply she let the scents on the wind guide her through the dark silently stalking her prey, an injured gazelle she had been tailing all night .

As much as she wished that was the only thought on her mind, the spine chilling air had her ruffled and bothered . She hated spirits , reminders of the past as her mother called them . Hefretti had spent her whole life running from her past and she wasn't about to stop tonight; it was the whole reason she was out so late hunting .

She was terrified of being a mother. She had always hated her mother and now she was just as bitter and cold. Every time she looked at the young hybrid cub she was reminded of him , their broken bond , trust , but most of all her heart . She hated that egotistical liger and all she could see was him when she looked at Selenessence .

A twig snapped behind her and the gazelle bolted. She had caught herself so lost in thought the opportunity to chase slipped her by a few moments she was wise enough to know with its lead the chase was fruitless .

Her tail angrily swished and she turned heel with a growl .

" When I die at least I'll have the dignity to stay dead . "

The cold feeling faded and she sighed before looking back up at the lights . She wished she could run far away past where they reached far from her past and her problems but dignity held her to her responsibilities . So for now she would settle for running after her prey , continuing her hunt till the sun would rise and the stars could no longer cloud her mind .