Crunchy stretched on warm yellow sand. His belly was full of sunshine.
A rumble shook the ground. Tall golden shapes appeared — a pride of lions came round the bend.
Crunchy flattened himself against the earth. He held his breath until his lungs ached.
The lions pressed close to the muddy edge. Crunchy watched every long swallow.
A little cub trotted past Crunchy's snout and bumped his nose. Crunchy's teeth flashed — then he pulled back and closed his eyes again.
The adult lions drank and moved on, one by one, until only the biggest lioness remained.
The largest lioness lingered. She looked right at Crunchy — then lay down in the grass just beyond his reach.
Crunchy's tail gave one slow swish against the warm sand. Then he was still again.