Owlclaw Lemur’s Rainforest

Prologue

The sunlight cast striped shadows on the huge, green fronds of the towering palm as a gentle breeze blew at the tower of flowers growing out of it. A lion prowled out from under the tropical undergrowth, his shoulders completely relaxed as he nosed through the masses of vegetation, and settled on a strangler fig vine. The lion wasn’t that hungry. Even though all the animals dined on plants, there was always an endless supply of it on the richly nourished island. He flexed his claws, tearing the plant apart, and sinking his teeth into the cool, refreshing taste. He lay down contentedly and comfortably on the damp ground and fell asleep.

Grandeur surrounded him as he prowled again through the forest, but this time with animals bowing down to him as he walked by. He was served his food by servants, other, lesser animals who were lucky to have him as king. The other animals awaited his decisions as the Monarch of Amanzi. The world was spinning around him beautifully…

The lion jolted himself awake, his mind reeling. Maybe I could really do this, he thought, the idea appealing to his mind. The ecosystem was prospering now, but he was fit to rule. As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t even bee hard. Everyone is friendly with each other already. With a beast like me to rule, who knows what this will soon be?

The lion got to his paws, walking away, not even noticing the strange creature on the shoreline. He did not hear the faint but obnoxious whirring of the metal device in the water.

Tigerfang the lion fantasized about what the forest could be, and kneaded his paws powerfully and thoughtfully on the soft earth of the forest ground that was ready to be shaped.