The Lion and the Wolf

There once was a lion whose heart was to protect his kingdom. 

All the others looked to him for love and for wisdom. 

Except one, the wolf. He only cared for his family, he didn’t care for the lions rule.

He didn’t think anyone else should either, and considered them all fools.

He spent his time thinking about all the ways he could disobey.

And he would try his best to persuade others to follow his way.

King Lion was always looking for new ways to show love,

Like finding wolf’s family a home or providing seeds for the mourning doves. 

King Lion tried to guide all the animals to make wise decisions,

But wolf refused to listen and resisted submission. 

Wolf declared, “You don’t care about me, or the forest or even its flowers.

You only care to have control and all the other animals are a bunch of cowards.” 

King Lion calmly replied, “Yes, there are rules to guide you from evils you have not yet seen.

I hope you can trust they are born out of love, one day you’ll understand what I mean.”

Now the dark knight hunters were coming, the forest was under attack

Lion advised everyone to hide and to cover their tracks.

Wolf didn’t believe him and felt he could stand his own,

This would be the moment he’d make his strength known.

After searching all night for food, Wolf returned home to find his family not there

He spent the morning searching high and low and everywhere.

He asked the owl if he had seen where they went.

Owl quivered, “The hunters came and took them, all the way across the river bend.”

Frantic, Wolf left quickly and knocked on his neighbors’ doors for help.

No one answered, as they were determined to stay hidden and protect themselves.

He had no one to turn to except King Lion,

So he sought him out on the mighty mountain of Zion.

He searched across every peak but King Lion was not there,

He felt anger and disappointment, but underneath it all was fear.

In desperation he cried out, “Lion! Please help rescue my family!” 

Whispering, “They’re all I have…nothing means more to me.”

It was a painful silence.

He snarled. “Of course he’s not here when I need him the most,

I was right to never trust that Lion and never let him close.”

The wolf set out to save his family that very dark night

He planned to rescue his family with all of his stealth and all his might.

As the wolf set foot on the hunters’ camp, he fell into a great bear trap. 

At the sound of his agonizing howl, the hunter’s awoke from their nap.

He tried to fight the hunters off, but he was soon beaten and weak.

As his family howled in fear , he felt a tear roll down his cheek. 

The wolf closed his eyes and struggled to keep his breath. 

As much as he wanted, he couldn’t save himself or his family from death.

Just as the hunter prepared a final strike with his sharpened spear, 

There came a mighty roar, it was unmistakably clear.

It was a pain-filled silence. 

The silence once more 

made him understand the silence from before.

He opened his eyes to see the hunters struck hard to the ground, 

and King Lion there before him, with a fallen crown.

“King Lion, I was so mad on the mountain when I did not hear your  reply.

Now I see you were already where I needed you to be, although I know not how or why.”

King Lion had been pierced, a blow for a blow, lying in the early dawn  dew .

It wouldn’t take long for death to come, both he and wolf knew.

Wolf drew nearer, “No one would fight with me, but you chose to fight for me.

I did not know if I could trust you, but now I see, who you truly are and how much you really love me!”

The Lion listened with heavy breaths and open ears.

Wolf was distraught, “What did I ever do to deserve your help?

I only ever considered my family and myself.

You could have let my family and me die,

but you gave yourself…why?”

King Lion replied, “I saved you out of love and nothing else.

I would sacrifice everything for my kingdom to know me. Even, myself.”

Wolf did not know how to respond.

King Lion looked at him with softness in his eyes, “I hope one day you will come to see

That I am for you and you can trust me.”

Wolf fought back tears, “I was your enemy and you laid your life down.

You are deserving of my trust and every king’s crown.”

Their eyes met.

It was a peace filled silence.