Daily Prompt: Cheetah

Somehow I knew you would come

The premonition tingled in my brain

Like a scratching at the base of my skull

Saying wait: it will happen; something special.

 

Too long spent in the truck, travelling the dirt roads

Concentrating the eye on distant shadows

Which turned out to be termite mounds.

 

Thirsty, hot, tense and tired

Eyes clouded with dust

Turn back they said; enough

And as we turned

I knew. I knew to stop

And we did.

 

Maybe I could hear it in the silence of the bush

Primeval senses scenting  you on the wind.

Or maybe your spirit met with mine

Your fierce dominance stealing into my heart.

 

For suddenly there you were;

You and your cubs.

A regal mother; a proud mother

Marshalling  your offspring

For parade.

 

We sat in stillness, afraid to break the magic

Admiring the closeness of the moment

And they gambled round your paws

Mewing  for attention.

 

A signal from you and they stepped in line

As you leapt upon the bonnet of the truck

Meeting my eye; a moment of blind trust

A nod at the spirit that joined us.

 

And so we sat

Motionless

Until you had scouted the horizons

And we our fill of the thrill

Of this closeness.

 

And suddenly, with alacrity, you were down,

With a last salute to our shared moment,

Your tear-marked face and waving tail

Commanded your little troop

To move off to do battle with the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taking aim, I took a shot

And clicked.

For memories are held in such photos.

 

Photo from a live screenshot via Africam. Words and shot copyright to Englepip©

Although the above photo is from a screenshot, the incident itself is based on truth. We were travelling in Samburu National Park, Kenya when I had  a premonition which persuaded us to stop after a tiring day. I knew we were about to see something very special – what – I did not know, but this moment will stay with me forever. Unfortunately my camera work at the time was not successful but I can still see the whole thing in my mind and I was so fortunate to see this cheetah and its cubs on a live camera on Africam.

via Daily Prompt: Premonition

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