Pacing the Perimeter

She prowls the border of the cage, restless and aching for a taste of freedom. 

Back and forth, back and forth, her gait quickens with each pass.   She hungers not only for her next meal, but to quench her insatiable thirst at the watering hole she remembers so well.  

She yearns to stretch her long, muscular limbs to the fullest extent of their potential.

The racing rhythm of her heart is audible, if you listen closely. 

You can feel it in your gut.

Her splendor is awe-inspiring, her sleek athleticism intimidating.  She is beautiful to behold yet fearsome to encounter without the barrier of her cage.

There is a glint of hostility in her wild back eyes, and you know, without a doubt, the destruction that she is capable of causing, if freed from her prison.

The endless pressures of caring for her young, the demands of her mate, and the burden of cage-keeping in public view are mounting. 

She must be set free.

To roam, to return to her natural habitat, to meet her own needs and desires.

She senses your presence, turns and catches your eye.  She bares her sharp, white teeth and lets out a primal roar. 

She is letting you know that she is growing impatient with her current circumstances.

Fortunately, someone is paying attention, and she will be emancipated for a twenty-four hour period, in just a matter of days.

Her captors hope that by allowing her to release some of her pent-up aggression, she will be able to continue to cope with her life in captivity.

Until the next time she begins to pace the perimeter.

 

This is what happened the last time she was let loose for 24 hours. 
Who knows what will happen this time?