It drags its broken feet with it, as it crawls on three limbs, for it cannot leave the foot behind. It is in pain; but not for a moment fades its instinctual process of sniffing the environs for food and danger. It creeps slowly on.
It comes across a prey and gives chase; only to find that its prey is far better at the game, especially with the handicap.
A little ahead, it comes across a chunk of rotting; could be flesh, could be a tree bark; either way, it sinks its claws into the chunk. Food is food.
The wounded animal crawls gently by the spring. It laps a few gulps of cool water. It lies next to a stone upon which the water splashes and scatters. A bouquet of fern provides shade from the moonlight. It looks, head skewed, towards the starred night sky, eyebrows hunched. Its snout is still wet. It's not dying. But deeply wounded.
It has the choice of its future: a romantic unfurling, or the physico-biological next.
'Tis the wounded animal. What shall it do with its wound? Tend it? But will the wound decay?
It turns its head towards its broken leg. With compassion, it licks its leg, soothing the pain. It rests its head between its front paws, keeps a ear up, letting the other one droop, closes its eyes, and goes to sleep.
It comes across a prey and gives chase; only to find that its prey is far better at the game, especially with the handicap.
A little ahead, it comes across a chunk of rotting; could be flesh, could be a tree bark; either way, it sinks its claws into the chunk. Food is food.
The wounded animal crawls gently by the spring. It laps a few gulps of cool water. It lies next to a stone upon which the water splashes and scatters. A bouquet of fern provides shade from the moonlight. It looks, head skewed, towards the starred night sky, eyebrows hunched. Its snout is still wet. It's not dying. But deeply wounded.
It has the choice of its future: a romantic unfurling, or the physico-biological next.
'Tis the wounded animal. What shall it do with its wound? Tend it? But will the wound decay?
It turns its head towards its broken leg. With compassion, it licks its leg, soothing the pain. It rests its head between its front paws, keeps a ear up, letting the other one droop, closes its eyes, and goes to sleep.
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