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Description
I put my arm outside of my landrover and watch the scenery roll past the window. The scenery in the Mara is beautiful, I really could watch it all day but right now I am following the progress of a lion pride. I have been tracking them for a few weeks and I have to say their social hierarchy is truly fascinating. Normally I sleep during the day as that is when the big cats would usually get their sleep so that way I wouldn't miss too much action and they would be less likely to move any large distance. However I had foregone sleep all day and I had dropped off during the night. At this point the lions decided to take it upon themselves to change the pride's location, so now I had to spend the day following their tracks to catch up with them. As I trundled along the road my tyres catching in numerous potholes in the uneven surface I finally spotted the pride, they were laying underneath a large Accacia tree away from the punishing sunshine. I smiled relieved that they hadn't moved too far and I could continue my observations of them. After about five minutes I drew level with the group.
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, usually I would stay inside the safety of my vehicle to watch the deadly predators. But I feel like I want to do something more today. With a shiver I slowly edge the landrover door open. The lions continue to sleep although I can tell they are still alert, their ears swivel as they listen to my feet touch down on the long dry grass. I can't be nervous. I can't be nervous. I keep running this through my head like a mantra. The first sign of fear could set them off as I creep closer. About ten feet away from the landrover I hunker down, partially hidden by the grass. Stretching, one of the lionesses gets up and looks in my direction, she seems to pause as if thinking then begins to prowl towards me, stomach close to the ground in a classic hunting pose. I slowly try to back away from her but she continues her advance.
She leaps, and with a swipe of her large paw knocks me to the ground. She comes towards me her tongue lolling out of her mouth reminding me of my dog at home. I know I should be shaking but as I look death in the eye I'm not afraid. She goes round me and grabs my shoulder with her teeth. I wince as they dig into my skin but she doesn't begin ripping me to peices as I had expected. In fact this just wasn't normal lion behaviour, she should have gone for my throat not my shoulder. She started dragging me under a tree, maybe I am hunting practise for her cubs. I can feel her hot breath on my neck as she pants. Then a roar. Earthshattering. Violent. And much much too close for comfort. Another lioness hurls herself over my body at the lioness that had bitten me. They begin to fight, most of the time I note on their back legs as they push away from eachother with their claws out. The first lioness receives a long jagged scar to her shoulder as the other lioness scratches it. I shuffle backwards on my hands causing a searing pain through my shoulder. Despite the apparent gentleness of the lioness she had still left a reasonably large wound. I fervently hoped that it wouldn't get infected there was very little in the way of good medical help out here.

Description
I put my arm outside of my landrover and watch the scenery roll past the window. The scenery in the Mara is beautiful, I really could watch it all day but right now I am following the progress of a lion pride. I have been tracking them for a few weeks and I have to say their social hierarchy is truly fascinating. Normally I sleep during the day as that is when the big cats would usually get their sleep so that way I wouldn't miss too much action and they would be less likely to move any large distance. However I had foregone sleep all day and I had dropped off during the night. At this point the lions decided to take it upon themselves to change the pride's location, so now I had to spend the day following their tracks to catch up with them. As I trundled along the road my tyres catching in numerous potholes in the uneven surface I finally spotted the pride, they were laying underneath a large Accacia tree away from the punishing sunshine. I smiled relieved that they hadn't moved too far and I could continue my observations of them. After about five minutes I drew level with the group.
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, usually I would stay inside the safety of my vehicle to watch the deadly predators. But I feel like I want to do something more today. With a shiver I slowly edge the landrover door open. The lions continue to sleep although I can tell they are still alert, their ears swivel as they listen to my feet touch down on the long dry grass. I can't be nervous. I can't be nervous. I keep running this through my head like a mantra. The first sign of fear could set them off as I creep closer. About ten feet away from the landrover I hunker down, partially hidden by the grass. Stretching, one of the lionesses gets up and looks in my direction, she seems to pause as if thinking then begins to prowl towards me, stomach close to the ground in a classic hunting pose. I slowly try to back away from her but she continues her advance.
She leaps, and with a swipe of her large paw knocks me to the ground. She comes towards me her tongue lolling out of her mouth reminding me of my dog at home. I know I should be shaking but as I look death in the eye I'm not afraid. She goes round me and grabs my shoulder with her teeth. I wince as they dig into my skin but she doesn't begin ripping me to peices as I had expected. In fact this just wasn't normal lion behaviour, she should have gone for my throat not my shoulder. She started dragging me under a tree, maybe I am hunting practise for her cubs. I can feel her hot breath on my neck as she pants. Then a roar. Earthshattering. Violent. And much much too close for comfort. Another lioness hurls herself over my body at the lioness that had bitten me. They begin to fight, most of the time I note on their back legs as they push away from eachother with their claws out. The first lioness receives a long jagged scar to her shoulder as the other lioness scratches it. I shuffle backwards on my hands causing a searing pain through my shoulder. Despite the apparent gentleness of the lioness she had still left a reasonably large wound. I fervently hoped that it wouldn't get infected there was very little in the way of good medical help out here.