The Lion and the Keeper

One day the lion keeper noticed the lion was not his regal self. For instead of sitting up on his favorite sunny rock, mane puffed for maximum effect, his lordship was face down in the mud, tucked under the low lying branches of a particularly thorny bush.

"Strange," thought the keeper, "that's not like his lordship." Filled with concern the keeper entered the lion's den. And as he approached his dear charge the keeper spoke in soft tones. "Your lordship, what could be your problem. Your lordship, no worries, I'll fix everything for you. My whole life, is defined by my job, and my job is to care for you, your lordship."

Despite the soft words, the lion, not understanding the spoken word, grew fearful. The keeper was a gentle but looming man, and he was not a lion. And lions only trusted other lions. His lordship let out a low warning growl.

The keeper, hairs raised up along his neck, stopped dead in his tracks. Breath caught in his throat, he knew he was being invited to leave. But his most important charge was most obviously suffering, and in his heart of hearts, he knew he must help him.

So the lion keeper took what might be his last deep breath, closed his eyes, and crumpling to the ground; becoming a ball much smaller than the lion. Nose to the ground, legs tucked under his chest, arms bent up along his shins, the keeper emitted soft drawn out humming noises with each of his long, and maybe last exhalations. And each time he breathed in to replenish his air, he inched closer to the lion.

At first the lion was irritated. The man was still there; still annoying him. But he was smaller now and not so much of the threat, so the lion let out another warning growl, but not as fierce as the first, before lashing out with a swat at the keeper.

Eyes closed the keeper didn't see the large paw with its extended claws thrust out in his direction. Eyes closed he felt a gentle breeze that dried the nervous sweat erupting on his head and neck; and he stopped humming as he breathed a sigh of relief.

His lordship hearing the sigh assumed the little ball of flesh, having lost all its air, was of even lesser consequence, cupped his aching jaw within his huge killer paws, tucking in further into the cooling mud. Oh to be rid of this pain.

The silent keeper, realizing in his smallness and silence, the lion no longer viewed him as a threat, slowly, rubbing his shins, elbows, and nose on the ground, continued to inch forward. For he must make all things good again for the one he cared for so deeply.

From the cool repose of the mud, his lordship sensed the warmth of the approaching lump, but he also smelled the foul stench of man. Disgusted, he rolled over onto his side and with his back feet, so as to not release the gentle cupping on his jaw, kicked the smelly lump away. His senses relieved the lion rolled over to nap away his pain.

Scratched but not eaten, the keeper once again found himself holding his breath; for two reasons. One: relieved he was still alive. Two: the smell of a nearby pile of lion dung awashed in urine was so pungent his eyes and nose were watering. His thoughts were of death, for there was not a stench fouler and more vomitose.

The lion slept for the lump no longer impacted his senses. While the keeper, realizing his opportunity covered himself with the urine soaked dung before resuming his slow and steady trek towards his napping charge. His lordship's jaw still cupped between his deadly front paws.

Inches away from the lion, the silent, dung covered, keeper saw the swelling that was bulging out from his mouth. He also saw that the pained lion didn't pay attention to the mice and voles that seemed to infest his den. Some even brazenly scurried over the lion's mighty body. Running through his mane as if it were their private grassland savanna. The keeper, unfolded one arm, and with two fingers probed under the lion's fattened lip.

Still sleepy, the lion flinched, as the pain in his mouth seared. Without smelling any new intruders, and without opening his eyes, he assumed one of the crazy little animals, who make a tasty afternoon snack, had foolishly ventured too close to his lip. Thinking it would be nice to have a sleepy little bite to eat, he whipped his head sideways, while chomping down, hoping to catch the tasty treat. Only to catch nothing; next time thought the lion, as he drifted back to sleep.

Giving the lion time to dream, and his own heart time to reenter his chest, the keeper new this would be the one and only time he would be able to find out what was distressing his lordship. Taking in a low long deep breath, he slowly fingered his way past the bulbous lip, to find a sharp bone shard wedged between his beloved charge's back teeth. Joy filled his heart, as he knew it would all be better in a matter of seconds, and with one quick motion he grasped the shard and yanked it out; startling his lordship awake.

Shaken, for being so violently stirred awake by a pile of his own dung and urine, the lion grabbed the pile in his massive front paws and as he drew the annoyance close to his mouth, so he could chew it up and spit it out, he saw the bone shard tightly gripped in the keeper's hand. Unfolding, his camouflage cracked; the keeper looked into the lion's eyes, seeking forgiveness for his deception.

His lordship, shocked, and pain-free for the first time in all his memory, dropped the keeper, and without a growl, turned and padded out onto his rock in the sun. Mane puffed for maximum effect.