Not On My Watch

The autumn day pulls the young Zion further from her home than she normally goes. Long shadows cast by the tall giants of the land hide her bright form as she slips through the forest, the girl eagerly tracking an herb that her mother had told her about. The elusive lamb’s ear is close by and the pup is bound and determined to bring the prize home to Halo. The fact that the border is close by goes unnoticed by the single-minded pup and any thoughts of danger are from the girl’s mind. Rabbits rush past her as she draws closer the hard-to-find plant but the fleeing prey animals are of no concern to her.

And then danger comes charging toward her.

A lumbering grizzly hastily beats a path through the land, nostrils flaring in agitation as its path cuts straight toward, and through, Zion. Lavender eyes snap up to the behemoth as it approaches, dread making her paws grow roots as her jaw drops open. No sound passes her lips as her body silently quakes, the girl stuck dumb and still as death rapidly advances on her. A deep, ear splitting roar rents the air but it does not come from the bear.  No, it originates from nearby and pulls the grizzly, and pup’s, attention over to where a truly massive lioness charges forward.

Breathlessly, the girl watches as the lioness rushes in, engaging the bear in a sudden life and death struggling… over her. The ground shakes as the titans’ brawl and the girl is only able to watch the strange, terrifying fight that unfolds. It is a clash of speed and claws, blood suddenly flooding the air with it metallic scent as both cat and bear begin to bleed. As the battle rages on, Zion regains her sense enough to move herself out of harm’s way and ducks behind a gnarled root to continue to watch the battle’s outcome.

It is primal, ferocious and unrelenting, the seconds drags on as the girl wordlessly urges the lioness to come out victorious. Suddenly, the tide turns and the feline clamps down on the grizzly’s throat and triumph is now within the feline’s reach. Where there had been bedlam moments before, movements slow and the air is filled with gasps as the urge to live still flares within the bear. However, the lioness is merciless and, soon enough, the grizzly collapses, defeated.

With that, the feline looks to her and the girl’s lavender eyes peeking up over the root she was using as cover. The panted question is met with wide eyes and a gentle bob of her head as the cat’s legs begin to shake. Eyes widen further as the feline sits heavily, the wince making the girl’s eyes snap to the wound on her protector’s side. Worry knits her brows together as she whispers, “You’re hurt.” Zion says it mostly to herself as she tries to work up the courage to approach the feline that has saved her.

The cat releases a call for her pack and the girl blinks, slowly standing as the spell the battle had cast is broken. Suddenly, a cacophony of noise booms around them once more as even more animals appear; their paths of retreat do not take into consideration the small pup that lingers in the land. A blooded paw is raised toward her as the cat invites her into her wide arms and the pup is quick to accept the offer. Small form rockets into the cat’s chest, thudding against the white fur with enough force to rattle her own teeth. The animals avoid the feline and Zion buries her face into the bloodied white fur as she waits for the chaos to subside.

Finally, peace returns and she removes her face, turning her lavender eyes up toward her protector. Anxiously, the girl says again, “You’re hurt.” The lioness had been injured protecting her and the girl suddenly needs to take care of lioness. Remembering what her mother taught her, Zion begins to lick the blood away that she can see on the cat’s legs and chest as she tries to clean up the areas and identify any and all injuries the feline has. Besides the gashes on her side, the girl isn’t finding any other wounds on her chest and legs. Relief flows through her veins as she continues to clean the feline that has saved her life.


"Zion Fatalis"