Mama wolf and the panther

    Mother wolf is the queen of her forest. Anyone she doesn't protect fears her. All the animals she's protected, raised, and fed are the big family of the forest. Mother wolf stands along and watches them grow, enjoy, suffer, and eventually leave. Mother wolf loves all the animals equally. In her forest come all of the outcasts, the orphans, all those who can't adapt to the world. Even the trees respect her.

    Mother wolf is only devoted to herself. She does what she does because there is nothing else that she loves doing. It's been a while since she's had to show her fangs, her strength and her courage. She doesn't know that a panther is hunting her, hidden in the shadows. A patient panther, also entirely devoted to herself, to the extinction of her thirst for blood, and the satiation of her hunger for meat. Since she heard about Mother wolf, the panther has been dreaming of only one thing : tasting her. She believes her heart must have a very special taste. Before going to the forest, the panther has learnt how to mask her scent. Now, she's been stalking Mother wolf for over a month, observing her from the trees above.The more she observes, the more she understands how tough it's going to be. And the tougher she feels it's going to be, the more excited she gets. Mother wolf is always surrounded by an escort of worried animals. They do it from far away because Mama wolf doesn't need an escort. Mother wolf is never scared. How strong can she be to ignore fear? Nothing gets to her. She kills the dying without a blink, is always fair, always there. This new found respect the panther feels will only make Mother wolf more delicious. Her obsession reaches such a level that the panther loses sleep. 

    Mother wolf doesn't know she's hunted. She hasn't seen, smelled or heard anything. But she can feel the danger in the air. Mother wolf knows how to escape her escort when she needs to be alone. Near the source of the river there is a waterfall. Behind it there is a tunnel that leads to a plateau. A few trees, lots of grass, epically shaped stone formations, and an almost perfect circle of sand. When Mother wolf crosses the waterfall, a powerful chill passes through the panther's back. She has to get wet. In the tunnel she is outraged. She moves very slowly to get back to her senses. She's waited too long to miss her entrance.

    Mother wolf, under a tree, pretends she is sleeping. The panther jumps from shadow to shadow, where the colour of her body blends in, and stops when she is close enough. Then she focuses, loading her strength into her legs from the ground; not one of her muscles even twitches, not even her moustache , then BAM! she is on Mother wolf, her jugular artery right here, within fang's reach. Mother wolf opens her eyes. She doesn't move, simply contemplating the beautiful panther. The panther is stunned. What? You're not even going to resist? What about your children and your orphans? Mother wolf smiles tenderly. They are not mine. I have to die someday, and today is a beautiful day to die. The panther sits. What is the point if we don't play? Mama wolf thought the game was over. No, to really play we have to fight. But, to fight I'd need to want to kill you... Come on, for me... no? what if I swear I'll kill all the animals of the forest in excruciating pain if you don't fight?

    Mother wolf grounds herself, her hair standing up, her fangs out. The panther gets her claws ready. Mama wolf is out of her mind. They are both equally agile, equally fast, equally powerful. They hurt each other, Mother wolf to the shoulder, the panther on the neck. They take a break to catch their breath and lick their wounds. They are now in the sand arena. The guileful panther is the first one to strike again, and aims well, right in the maw. Mother wolf is dizzy. With her tongue she drinks the blood on her lip, she wants to get it over with, gives everything in one last jump of rage. The panther takes the blow hard, but gets back to her feet, Mama wolf totters. The panther gives her the move of mercy and devours her heart. And dies of pleasure.

Thanks to Augustin Cambau for artistic and technical directions.