The Rogue Lion

The Rogue Lion

Mother Earth, we all lived here on this plain together, in balance with you. All of our kind, we were born, we lived and we died. All the animals together, we all knew our place and our purpose, we participated and we were bound to the circle, the circle of life.

Then man came, hunted and killed us. No-one escaped this blood thirsty quest of man. He kills for killing sake, we kill to survive.

Why did it come to this. Mother Earth can you tell me why? Did you know how this would end all those years ago when my mother died? Why didn't you tell me?

“I hear something” I said aloud. Mother Earth, have they come for me? Is this where it will end?

I had to do what I did, you know that. I did it for my mother, my kind. I did it for all the animals. I had to. What else could I have done?

The night was cool and the breeze slowly washed over the plain. The moon was partly covered by cloud but I could still see other animals moving off into the distance. My mind begins to wander, I can't stop it. Wanders back to where it all began............



My mother and I were playing around, we always did before the heat of the summer burned deep into the plains. I wasn't yet fully grown and mother said she still had lots more to teach. Learn, yuk. Learning was for adults and other to do. Play.... well now your talking. Playing was life itself. Better still playing tricks on mother was best of all. But boy, couldn't she get mad when she wanted to. One sweep with her paw and I'd be knocked for six. Quite often I would end up with my tail up and head down. I would say “I love you too Mum”, just teasing her back. But when she really got mad then I had to watch out. Her weapon of choice was the “father threat” thing.

“Keep it up youngster and I'll tell your father” she would say. I would slink off saying under my breath “It's not my fault you didn't give me a brother or sister to play with”.

A couple of days later mother came to me and said, “Get up on those things you call paws, because lesson number 10 is about to begin”. Reluctantly I followed.

We headed North along a small ridge for a while, then South down into a clearing. I started having these feelings that something was watching us. However I couldn't see or hear anything and my mother was certainly not signaling any danger either. So I just brushed it off, telling myself not to be so stupid. At least the grass was high enough to give some cover, but only if we went to ground.

We went in about another 30 paces when mother suddenly stopped, crouched, head down and slowly turning her head from side to side. Her eyes were frantically looking for something. I instinctively hit the ground. I couldn't see, hear or smell anything, but that feeling was back.

I lay as still as I could, my heart was pounding. I wanted to get out and get out now. But I couldn't. It was like I was paralysed, except for my eyes. They were glued to the movements of my mother.

“Stay there and don't move” she said. She started circling in an arc while creeping along the ground, then she stopped. What was it? What did she see? Did she hear, smell something? I needed to know, but I was afraid, afraid to make any noise at all.

A faint breeze came up and it was flowing in the direction from above my mother towards me. My mother's nose suddenly moved ever so slightly .... then I smelt it too. I had never smelt anything like it before, it was strange and it made me more afraid. It felt like an eternity, but must have been only moments. My mother slowly, ever so slowly began to rise, then she sprang up.... all of a sudden I heard this loud noise. It was like the worst thunderstorm that I had ever heard. Then it happened. It was like watching everything in slow motion. My mothers body slowly turning, falling …. falling to the ground, her body twitching. Then in an instant motion was normal again. She wasn't dead. My mother was trying desperately to crawl towards me, her eyes fixed upon me, burning into my soul.

“Mum”, I cried, “get up, GET UP, please, run mum, run”. “Son”, she answered, “hide, get back to the pride, GO, now”. But I was frozen, it was like being frozen in time. My mother stopped moving.

This animal came running from the direction of the thunder, running on two paws. I had never seen anything like it before …. what was it? It held this shiny thing in one paw. It crouched down, thrusting this thing into my mother's side. She screamed and screamed, it was unbearable but the thing in her body kept moving. She screamed out, “Son, REMEMBER ME …...... remember ....... me”, but the thing kept moving.

I started racing away but had only taken a few strides when I suddenly stopped, I looked back. My mother was silent now, but the thing kept moving. I choked and with watery eyes, said to myself, “Mother, I WILL remember you, I will”. I dashed off and as dusk began to fall I reached the pride.

I told them what had happened, I yelled at them, gave it to them in graphic minute detail. I couldn't be comforted, I bared my claws and slashed at anyone who came close. Night, day came then went. It was like living in a dream, it wasn't real, it couldn't be real.

After a few days I started to talk again. Members of the pride explained to me that the thing I saw standing on two paws was what was called a “man”. Man was a vicious animal that had no bounds. Some animals later told me that man was also know as “human”.

As the days went by my anger grew stronger and stronger, I wanted revenge, I NEEDED revenge. Elders in the pride said that I had to let it go, learn to live with man, coexist. They said “if you can't let it go, then you must leave. We need to survive”. I wouldn't live like this, I couldn't. Man had to be punished. “MOTHEERR” I cried. ….. I now knew what I had to do …. I left the pride.

Years went by and I learnt to kill, to kill man and each time I did I grew stronger … more vicious with every strike. I learnt all there was to know about man, the way he moved, the way he killed. I learnt it all. I would kill, but man would kill more, then I would kill again. This cycle of blood went on and on …



…..... a new dawn, a new day. I had managed to sleep last night but I had awoken still troubled. I had slept out in a clearing, under the stars, But now I had to move, find a safe place to hide. I got up slowly, stretched myself for a moment then began to move off. I had walked till mid morning, still searching and the unease I had felt came with me ,,, now stronger than before ,,,, then the smell ….. MAN …. BOOM,  a volley of gunfire rang out from every corner ….. my body shuddered ….. then came … the pain. I cried out, “MOTHER …. who will remember ...for I am the LAST” . I just stood there trembling, bleeding …. another volley exploded, BOOM ….. my body moved again …. but this time … there was no pain. “MOTHER” I cried once more, “REMEMBER ME … remem .. ber ...meee”.