Little lion man  

Dayra N. Gil Hernández
Departamento de Biología
Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, UPR RP

Recibido: 13/03/2026; Revisado: 13/05/2026; Aceptado: 14/05/2026

Lemein couldn’t force himself to eat. The freshly slaughtered meat, still bloody and warm, sat on his plate. But the lack of appetite made him keep his distance. That gnawing empty feeling in his stomach, eating him alive, wasn’t hunger . . . He was nervous. No, he was terrified. That day was the initiation ceremony, an event every boy has been prepared for since birth. The one that would determine if he had become a man. 

“There are only two rules,” always said the Eldest, the oldest living warrior.  

“Never relinquish your spear; it will be your only protection from the beasts. And never… I repeat, never return to this or any village without killing a lion,” said the Eldest with a firm voice and a penetrating gaze, even though he was blind.  

Lenku, Lemein’s cousin, seized the opportunity and devoured his meal. He needed all the energy he could muster for the challenge he had been preparing for, physically and mentally, for years. Both were surprisingly similar, almost resembling twins. However, it was impossible to confuse them now that Lenku had grown bigger, taller, and stronger. 

Lemein and Lenku had never been close, despite growing up together and being the same age. Even growing up was a competition between them; they just didn’tunderstand why yet. Lemein took the first steps, Lemein said the first words, Lemein wrote the first sentences . . . Lemein was the first at everything. However, these last years everything changed. Lenku began to outshine Lemein in every aspect important to their people. He became the better one, a reality only the two of them eventually came to accept. Yet, Lemein’s family and the village expected only the best from him. After all, his name meant ‘The Warrior’. 

The blow of the kudu horn echoed through the dry air, announcing that the start of the ceremony was approaching. Lemein didn’t hear it. He was lost in his thoughts. One of his father’s wives woke him up from the trance. The traditional warrior attire was already out, ready for him to wear—a red shuka cloth, a leather belt, sandals, jewelry, and ornaments. Finally, Lemein’s least favorite part of the uniform, a leopard skin on top. 

At the sound of the next announcement, every teenager ready to transition into manhood stood at the outskirts of the village, waiting for the chief’s signal. Lemeincouldn’t keep his stance; his legs trembled. However, there was no other option for him. He had to kill the lion or die trying.  

“Remember—never let go of your loyal spear and do not dare to return without a lion’s head for dinner!” roared the chief, indicating the start of the hunt.  

The second the chief stopped talking, every boy ran. It wasn’t in groups, but all of them ran in the same direction. None of them planned this beforehand; it was just common knowledge among the villagers that an old, lonely lion lived a few hours away. They believed it was an easy prey. The real competition was arriving there first. 

While Lenku led the group without trying, Lemein stayed behind. But he didn’t care. ‘The Warrior’ wasn’t planning on killing the poor lion anyway. One boy ran at the same pace, and another one stayed behind.  

After running nonstop for hours, Lemein arrived alone at the lion’s den, but there was no one in sight. He explored the desolate habitat when he sensed the smell of his untouched meal. A few steps more, and Lemein found his cousin’s decapitated head. Without the rest of his body, Lenku looked just like him. There was no evidence that he was ever the better version. Lenku's expression remained frozen in his final moments. Eyes wide with horror, tears streaming down his face, mouth agape, holding a scream that never escaped his body. This macabre discovery made Lemein realize the rivalry between them had prevented him from truly knowing and loving his cousin. He stood there for a brief moment, observing this replica of his own face, yet he didn’t feel sorry for the body missing it. Lemein’scontemplation was abruptly interrupted by several piercing screams. Lemein hurried, seeking their source. That’s when a more perturbing scene unfolded right in front of him. 

By the time he found the owners of the cries, they were all mauled by a creature Lemein still had not seen. All except for one, Sadera. Lemein observed him running as fast as he could, driven by a will to survive. But that wasn’t enough. He made a mistake; he dropped his spear. With three vast leaps, the predator was already on top of him. A few seconds in, and there was no way Sadera remained alive. Impressively, his corpse looked worse than the others, unrecognizable.  

The lion raised its head, searching for its next victim. 

Lemein stood right behind the feline. He didn’t try to escape, although he was scared. Instead, a shy call for the animal exited his mouth. Its ears turned back, then the head. Soon, the lion charged at him. Its sharp claws tore into the ground, leaving a cloud of dirt behind it. In the blink of an eye, the lion slammed him into the ground. The spear Lemein tried to hold for dear life abandoned him, leaving the boy defenseless. Lemein’s heart throbbed intensely, and shivers ran down his spine;he couldn’t move. He was sure it was just a matter of seconds before the feral animal tore him to pieces, but he couldn’t stop staring up at it. How the blood dripped from its fangs onto his face in a consistent and endless rhythm. How its sandy-colored fur hid its true color, now obscured beneath the layer of bloodshed. How its eyes remained fixed on his own, already sucking the life from his body. However, Lemein thought it was beautiful.   

Lemein accepted that his life could end at any moment. He closed his eyes and waited. Waited for the only escape he had, sweet death. But nothing happened. While Lemein awaited his so-called fate, the lion spared his life. That ephemeral shared stare made it contemplate and ignore its nature. The monster fathomed that the boy was different; it could see it in his eyes. Eyes full of wonder and innocence. 

Lemein opened his eyes to a sky full of mesmerizing clouds. He sat right up, no longer shaking. His eyes wandered through the landscape, looking for the lion. It was already taking a profound nap on a rock not so far away. Lemein stood, retrieved his spear, and headed to the feline, not accepting its forgiveness. With every step, he anticipated the lion’s reaction. Lemein wasn’t trying to be quiet. Quite the opposite. The boy didn’t hold his breath or lift his feet off the ground. Lemein was making as much noise as possible for the lion to end his life fairly; he wasn’t a murderer.  

For a second time, he faced the lion. This time, he had the power to lift his spear and end its life, returning to his village a man. However, Lemein was still holding onto hope that the animal would open its eyes and pounce on him. He prepared his spear to finish his duty when the beast opened its eyes and straightened up. This time, Lemein threw his spear away and kneeled, showing respect. He only had two options, and he always knew which one he would choose.  

Once again, the lion refused to give him the satisfaction of death. Lemein, desperate for an ending, ran back. Following the dark trail of bloody soil. He didn’t have to travel too far when he encountered a leopard, feeding on the abandoned boy. This was his opportunity. Lemein approached the predator, sensing its thirst for blood. Only for it to back away and disappear into the darkness. The boy turned around to find the lion watching him from a distance. It then returned, slowly guiding him back. Lemein followed the lion while the final rays of the sun died on the horizon. 

The next day, he woke up to freshly slaughtered meat, still bloody and warm. Now, he devoured it without thinking twice. He didn’t miss his life in the village, not that he could return anyway. He knew his people weren’t looking for him either; the dead were left for scavengers to find.     

Soon, the days turned into weeks and the weeks into months. Yet, within the solitude, Lemein found a kind of peace he had never known before. 

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Posted on May 20, 2026 by CRiiAS.