The gentle pressure of her paw on his shoulder caused Paul’s attention to shift abruptly from the zebras to the lioness. A chilling sensation crept down his spine, accompanied by the unanticipated burden on his shoulder. He held his breath, his body tense as he cautiously pivoted to face the unexpected interloper. His eyes widened in shock as they met the gaze of the formidable lioness, her face alarmingly close to his own.
In that heart-stopping instant, Paul realized that something was terribly amiss with the creature before him. Was his mind playing tricks on him, or did she genuinely appear to be in distress? Whatever the truth, Paul knew he couldn’t turn his back on this, even if he wanted to…