There is a menacing presence on the oasis that watches and studies its prey. The lurking predator is crouched low to the ground its eyes evoking a stare of an ages-old dominion. The darkened pupils glare intently on the group of foraging animals yet specifically fixate on one. The herd huddles closely together grazing upon the well supplied grass that the Earth so willingly gives. Some of the young are playing, bucking and bounding within the group, unaware of the lurking dangers.

    The creature moves silently keeping as low to the ground as possible as to not alert the prey to its presence. It etches forward with powerful legs that supports a muscular body, stopping every few steps or so as to remain in its camouflaged stealth-like manner. It pokes its head above the blades of grass looking to the flanking positions for its comrades to push upon the innocent herbivores. As its movement through the grass is hurried, the sinews of muscles equipping the killer tense up, leaving rows of glistening fur on its rigid outline. It comes close to the herd and sits as if resting, panting and most likely studying. The herd, conditioned through countless ages of defending itself from predators, continues their foraging but wary to something odd in the air. The herd becomes agitated and restless, as they now fear a presence is watching them.

   The herd trots into a safe position to elude any predators that they now know are in the vicinity. A flash of gold is seen streaking across the grass. The herd begins to move to a larger open area to avoid the ambush. Another flash of gold in the opposite direction from the last and the herd shifts yet again. The group stands close to an opening that leads back out into the oasis, uncertain from which direction the attack will take place. They watch as if in a panicked state of shock. The legs of the herd quiver in fear of this age-old survivor, and yet if they could speak would say that they have boastfully killed one of these predators before.

   At the grass’s edge, maintaining a perimeter around the herd yet still crouched in their attacking position, they still wait. The precision of their attack is based on one of the males in the grazing herd. The male is of a brutish proportion, towering over many others in his group. The muscles evidently indicating a king if these herds ever had one. It is aware of the danger but stands proudly, large and aggressive to the agitated atmosphere being evoked by the herd. It stamps its foot at the ground to signal a return of aggressiveness to the stalkers.

   Slowly creeping up to the grassy edge, each paw moves to a position of soundlessness. It flattens as the predator places it on the ground, its retracted claws flinching to be released. Looking into its eyes, a deep place to stare, one does not find a killer, but finds a survivor, a survivor that was meant to take life to nurture its own.

   The moment is nigh; the herd knows this and starts to run. With muscles like iron and tendons of steel-like springs, the predators leap in unison from the grass. They quickly cut off the herd as was the intention of their positioning in the grass. That does not stop the herd from running to whatever safety is afforded. The predators dodge the stampeding herd and continue to remain fixated on the one male that begins to gallop off but cannot, due to the predator’s offensive movements. They encircle the prey as the rest of the herd makes for safety. The lone animal, massive in size, has its head low to the ground in anticipation of the forthcoming attacks. The dust flies as it blows air out through its nostrils hanging close to the dirt. It is a bull of magnificent proportions. Its horns that sit atop its head have proven to be the death of many that have tried and failed to bring this beast down. Its strong hide bears indications of many attempts from the claw and tooth marks that have been left from previous encounters. This bull is an ageless beast that this pack has eagerly looked upon for some time.

   The predators are not as old as this now-preyed-upon beast but are nonetheless as intellectual in the spirit of survival. They are a pack of nomadic lions finding their place amongst the other packs that litter the landscape.

   Four in all, they keep the bull in their sights, preparing to maneuver into a safe position, as to avoid injury if caught in a compromising position. The bull continues to circle around and keep the lions in its own sight as well. The lions attempt to provoke the bull into committing itself to focus on one of the attackers. A lion leaps for the side of the bull, a large belly of meat for the lion to sink its claws and teeth into. The bull whips around and breaks off the line of attack, quickly turning to face any other opposition from the rest of the pack. As he looks in another direction the smallest of the lions, this being indicated by the small mane, jumps upon the back of the beast sinking its claws in as far as they can possibly sink. Perhaps this lion is eager to impress its comrades to show of his ability to understand the coordinated attack.

   The bull is bucking about in a panicked fashion trying to dislodge the loathsome creature. But the lion does not flinch, as it has sunk its teeth into the area around its spine, hungry and eager to bring this beast down. The bull raises its head and lets out a cry of panic at that time. Another lion jumps to its revealed throat. All four of its paws’ claws find a muscle to attach to and hang upside-down from, while its teeth finds the jugular and opens its wide gaping mouth, revealing its most menacing feature, its large fangs. The lion sinks its teeth deep into the bull’s throat as easily as the monkey bites into the frimali, the succulent fruit that hangs high from the zimosa trees. A third lion, the one that first attempted the attack finds the large belly once again unattended, and with the motion of a chimpanzee leaping through trees, jumps to the belly and clings to it as the blood is dripping down about the ground.

   This bull that has denied so many other lions in the past, is betrayed by its age. He is old and cumbersome now, as the lions knew as they studied him. They bring him down to the ground, as he has lost all the strength that has been his saving grace in the past. The herd is off in the distance looking on as they see this figure that has been a large part of the herd for so long, unable to help him.

   The lions begin to feed upon the bull as his last breaths have gone. The bull’s legs twitch after his life is ended. This will give the lion pack a new strength and spirit to have taken down one such as this. This is a victory to prepare in the supplanting of the other lion packs that have denied them access to the prides in the past. But just as this bull’s life was taken, a life is born into another group which is the antelope, about which another tale is told.

   At the jungle some distance away from the last moments of the bull, eland antelope are grazing upon the grounds. They too know of the dangers that lurk in the bush, as they have for countless ages been a contributing sustenance to nature’s predators. The animal that marks this prey, unlike the predator that hunts out in the plains, delivers its death-knell under the darkness of the bush. The antelope browse upon the tall grass that lead up to the jungle. This group is not large in numbers, in fact, less so than the herd of bull. They appear to always observe their surroundings, leery of any other animals in the area that may be threatening. Known for its sharp spiraling horns short dark browned mane it is a creature that has been hunted by many, including man. However this dusk, it is watched by another. This predator’s movement is silent as it traverses through the bush. It lurks and looks as to which group member would be best to bring down as the elands are a large herd very difficult to attack and requiring much energy.

   As the birds continue their melodic singing and the sun begins to set, the black tail of the lurking creature switches from side to side in anticipation to the oncoming assault. Looking through the darkness of the bush the yellow eyes pierce through as a harbinger of doom for one of these lowly creatures.

   Suddenly there is complete silence as the sounds of other animals are halted and the birds have stopped singing. The antelope stand in attention to the silence as it beckons them to a retreat. But it is too late, as the fearsome creature emerges from the shadows. The hints of the fading sunlight give the predator a yellow-tinged highlight upon its black fur. Its mouth is slightly open, breathing in slowly. It is poised for an attack upon the agitated antelope. Its eyes gaze through the pack and are fixated on a lone antelope that is of average size.