CHAPTER 2 — The Lion King's Impossible Choice
No one dared blink.
Emma could feel the lion's breath.
Warm.
Heavy.
Only inches separated them.
The enormous male lowered his head toward the cub.
Every muscle in Emma's body locked with fear.
One bite...
That was all it would take.
Instead...
The cub reached forward.
Its tiny paw touched the lion's nose.
The massive animal froze.
A deep rumble echoed from his chest.
Several tourists screamed, believing the attack had begun.
But the guide suddenly raised his hand.
"Wait..."
The rumble wasn't a growl.
It sounded almost...
gentle.
The cub answered with another weak squeak.
The lion slowly rubbed his face against the tiny survivor before looking directly into Emma's eyes.
For nearly thirty seconds...
Neither of them moved.
Emma noticed something strange.
The lion wasn't staring at her with anger.
He was studying her.
Almost as if he understood exactly what had happened.
Then the lead lioness approached.
Emma's breathing nearly stopped.
The lioness sniffed the cub carefully.
The tiny animal climbed from Emma's arms and stumbled toward its mother.
She immediately began licking mud and river water from the cub's fur.
Relief spread across the pride.
Soft chuffing sounds echoed between the lions.
Several younger lions gathered around the rescued cub.
Nobody on shore had ever seen anything like it.
The guide whispered,
"They know..."
"They know she saved him."
Emma slowly stood.
She backed away carefully.
The lions made no attempt to attack.
Instead...
The great male stepped aside.
Opening a clear path toward the riverbank.
The tourists couldn't believe it.
"He's letting her leave..."
Emma took one careful step.
Then another.
No lion followed.
As soon as she reached shore, people rushed toward her.
Some cried.
Others hugged her.
Many were shaking too badly to speak.
But before anyone could celebrate...
The guide suddenly stared across the grasslands.
His face lost all color.
"No..."
Everyone followed his gaze.
Several vehicles were racing toward the river.
Not safari jeeps.
Pickup trucks.
Armed men stood in the back.
They carried rifles.
May you like
Poachers.
And they had been watching everything.
