lioness

Appearing oblivious, I hear the leaves move under the caress of the wind. Yellow hairs tremble in its breath.
Squinting against the bright light, I keep my head down, yet fully focused on my objective.
Soothing their young, my sisters lull together, affectionately they look out for one another.
I watch the horizon.
Alone.

Thundering declarations of their conquered boundaries grow louder for weeks on end―still no sight of them.
In this lair we draw blood, we nurture, we age.
Scarred muscles and torn skin testify to painful pasts however, perfection comes through practice.
I sense him draw closer.
Soon.

My evaporated gene-pool hinges on extinction―much depends on the Alpha male’s success.
In exchange for his consent, I keep this pride, I raise his clan, I find purpose.
He protects my hunting grounds while I exert all I have for his sake.
Abiding by the rules of engagement, though he must initiate the meal.
I wait.


Together we rule his defended territory while I endure this seasonal separation.
Protecting purring sucklings, I will kill my own kind if I must.
Approaching paws. Instinctively I prepare to pounce. Long awaited reunion delights in his familiar scent.
Fluffy cubs grunt and play, tugging at his fearsome mane always in my view.
Content and surrendered.

Different scenery, foreign sounds, unexpected obstacles try my endurance. I stay strategically ensnared.
Adapted to this landscape now, I lay down my expectations. I welcome help but remain self-reliant, alert.
Repeated patterns settle my status among the females, occasionally still aggressive under threat.
Unretractable clauses rip free from bloodied tissue―wounded by careless words.
Survival of the meekest.