“It’s Time”

 Blinded by tears in its eyes, gasping for breath, it ran like the wind through the thick, dark forest. The thorns pierced its majestic, velvet body and the cold wind froze its soul. Everything seemed hazy as he kept fighting for a lost cause. The pain was too much, slowly consuming the beast – the King. Unable to conquer it’s emotion, the beast fell to the ground and roared into the darkness of the night. Choking in its tears, the lion fell asleep. The King of the jungle lay down on the ground under a tree for days. His mane lost its royal lustre and his beautiful skin scorched under the sun. He didn’t want to move. The little lions came and started messing with him. Biting his tail, biting his ears. He remained still. The other animals noticed it. And they started to move in – the jackals, the hyenas. They barked at him, laughed at him. They nipped his toes, and ate his food. They continued doing so, growing stronger and stronger each day, becoming bolder and bolder as the days passed. The lion lay still, numbed by its pain. Chaos surrounded him, he had lost his worth. A subject for joke for his enemies in the jungle. Had the King fallen?

Days passed and the lion lay down healing itself, being patient and drawing strength. He had a Kingdom to look after, a family to protect. The jackals, hyenas mistook this for his weakness and continued bullying the King. Till one day, his majesty rose and held his head high and roared, a powerful and ferocious roar, the one that silences all. Today the quilt felt a little warmer, the wind a little tamer. The awakening was important because every once in a while, the lion had to show the jackals who he is– their King.