Odongo's+First+Scarenjh

**__Odongo’s First Scare __ **


===Soundly, swiftly, stealthily, the sun peeks upon the ever wondering savannah edge, ===


===causing bright purple hues and dark blues to blend within the night sky. Stars begin to vanish ===


===as it lifts higher and higher into the vastly, endless sky. Light trickled down from the ===


===magnificence of the sun and seeps into a dark uplifting cave where a young lion lays asleep. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Its warmth caresses his slowly growing black mane and flows delicately to his strong, grey ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">face, causing a sudden spark of life and movement as it fell upon his tightly shut yellow eyes. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Anxious, fretful, and fierce, he leaps to his feet in fear of daylights hold. Stealth then ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">over comes him as he soundlessly sinks back to the rocky floor. Relatives lay scattered across ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">his way to freedom, like a field of mines with flesh and fur. Steadily he takes his first clear step ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">but it seems less so when he realizes the bordering of entangled limbs. Inch by seemingly long ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">inch, he manages to pass each lion’s face, toe, leg, arm, paw and whisker until finally he ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">reaches what he was so desperate to gain, the clearing! ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Sighing with relief and joy he begins a fast pace to the mouth of the cave, quickening ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">and quickening his speed with each stride. And as he leaves the darkness of the cave, the ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">bright, warming glow of the sun blinds him for four, short seconds leaving him in a daze and ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">state of shock as he realizes a key factor he over looked. The blurred figure begins to grow in ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">size and focus but by now his momentum is too great to stop and he crashes straight into the ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">back of the King of Pride Rock. Fear paralyzes him as he stares up into the eyes of the mighty ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">king towering over him like an Acacia Tree towers over the savannah grass. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> He’s voice than reached the young lion’s ears with such power and respect that it ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">brought the poor adolescent lion down upon the ground in a begging sort of matter. “And ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">where do you think you’re going this morning, Odongo?” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Odongo’s voice came soft and quivering as he looked upon his king’s fine features of ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">golden fur and brightly red and full mane, “I just wanted to soak in the sun and greet the ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">savannah sky, father.” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> “In such a hurry I see.” The king acknowledged with his eyebrow slightly raised. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Odongo’s gaze fell down upon the deep set red of the cave’s base in the sun as if ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">hoping it would give him a reply, but it stood still and silent until the pad of paw fall sounded ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">in his desperately searching ears. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> His father gave a welcomed yet stern reply to the growing sound as the figure grew ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">closer and closer to the edge of the cliff, “Ah, Muffasa, you’re late my son.” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> I gazed up upon my eldest twin brother’s features, his filling red mane and uncanny ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">golden face resembling our mighty father. He walked with pride and cocky nature as he ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">neared us and with a high held head he replied, “The night grasped me longer than planned, ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">father.” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0.5in; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">He sighed and gestured out to the savannah kingdom with an exasperated tone, “Let’s ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">just begin your lesson.” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Muffasa nodded and with a great leap they were gone from pride rock and out ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">exploring the world I so wished to see. Slowly I lifted myself up and gazed out upon the ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">forbidden world, lost in my own thoughts and desires when my mother startled me. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> She sat beside me glancing out on the sun rise with her fine grey fur flowing in the ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">morning breeze, her soft golden eyes focusing in the beauty. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> I couldn’t help but look up at her in admiration and love. She was the only one that ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">wasn’t a savannah grass yellow and she was the only one that encouraged me like father ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">encouraged Muffasa. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> Her eyes settled down to meet my own and like beautifully spun silk her voice reached ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">my ears, “It’s a beautiful morning, isn’t it?” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> “Yes mother!” I replied in admiring excitement, but she simply looked back out onto ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">the savannah setting--seemingly lost in thought with her face oddly sunk in a frown. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> I looked out toward my mother’s gaze, hoping for an answer to her odd behavior but ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">before focused vision could grip the distant two lions she interrupted with a flat, soft tone, ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">“Their going on a hunting lesson today.” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> A slouch gripped my back as I grumbled quietly under my breath, “I figured it was ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">something important.” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> She made no move to reply—ether from the loss of my voices sound or her simple lack ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">of interest in my growing jealousy and turmoil, but before long she left my side with the ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">waking relatives’ hunger party. I hoped it would be a water buffalo or antelope breakfast as ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">they left when an idea struck me with such force that I felt compelled to jump down from my ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">welcoming home to the dangerous world of Africa without a second thought. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> “If he was getting a hunting lesson so was I!” I thought as I stealth fully stocked my ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">Family’s hunting pack, “And this way I’m actually out in the world…Like I always wanted to ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">be!” ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> With that thought I took a good look around me. The sun was at its highest peek in the ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">sky, the trees were scarcely scattered here and there, the quickly approaching watering hole ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">was filled with hippos, birds of all colors and sizes, crocodiles and alligators, and surrounded ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">by hundreds of mouth watering antelope, water buffalo, zebras and some things I’ve never ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">even seen! It was such an amazing sight for sheltered eyes but my family was suddenly ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">starting to slow down and slink into the tall grass. I tired desperately to keep track of every ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">brush movement, for I knew it had to be them, trying to study how to do this on my own. ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"> It seemed a lot harder then I had initially planned--or even planned at all for that ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">matter. They surrounded the intended with every ounce of stealth they had until the herd ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">charged forward leaving the victim completely unprotected by numbers and when the time was ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">right they all lunged for him. On his back, neck, legs, everywhere it seemed until finally he ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">stopped moving. It all seemed to happen in a fraction of a second and left me awe struck by ===

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1in; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">
===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: auto;">how powerful our pride really was. ===