Once upon a time there was a little mouse named Palmeda, she was tiny, but saucy and very strong willed. She was creative and saw beautiful colors, music and stories inside her head and always did exactly as she pleased and was constantly getting into some type of trouble or scrape with the other animals. Palmeda didn't mean to but their complacent manner bothered her, the way they merely accepted the status quo infuriated her, so she was often out on her own, searching for something; her nature made the other animals fearful and stay away from her. Her parents only had eyes for each other, always making love or fighting never a moment to consider how Palmeda was getting along, did she have enough food, enough water, was she warm, did she find a soft bed at night, did she feel loved and protected?
Fortunately, Palmeda was very self-sufficient, she was strong and used to taking care of herself. She was always curious, usually learning and often busy. One day after a particularly boring morning and afternoon, she was walking through the tall grasses of the jungle where she lived and she saw a small lake where a lot of the animals were gathered to drink. It was a very hot day, she was on her way to get some water as well when her instincts took over and the hair on the back of her tiny neck stood up. She froze and her heart was in her throat, it suddenly became silent and appeared that even the birds stopped singing. As she looked around trying to see what was the source of the danger - because one thing was for sure there was danger near her and it was extremely close by.
Suddenly as she looked into the tall grasses and her eyes became accustomed to the dimming light she realized that two beautiful green-golden eyes were staring out at the water. Then without warning her vision focused and she saw its face and she sucked in her breath as she understood it was a lion. Not just any lion, THE lion, Herman; the one that ran this part of the jungle. She had seen him before and her mother had warned her to stay away from him because he was very mean, and solitary. His one true love had been killed and since then he wandered and hunted on his own. It was rumored that he killed everything and everyone that came across his path. As he lay hidden in the grass, looking at the animals standing at the drink, Palmeda had a rare chance. She had a chance to look at him, really look at him and he was a beautiful, majestic, incredible sight to behold.
She had heard of love at first sight, but never believed in the concept. But now for the first time, she understood what it was like to see inside of someone in an instant. As she watched him, from the safety of her hiding place, she saw his eyes were lazy and hooded and his gaze was steady but casual, and his muscles were relaxed. Then suddenly, without warning he rose up and moved quickly, stealthily, silently and deadly. She was amazed how he went from just looking to standing poised and alert his eyes spying a weak animal; his prey and he was fixated on the animal. Palmeda felt a stirring in her stomach and it was unfamiliar and hot. My God, to be beheld by him in such a manner to be at the other end of that fierce gaze, if only for an instant. For a fleeting second she thought I would give my life to be looked upon with such intensity and fierceness. She stared as she wondered what it would feel like to finally be seen.
Palmeda realized which poor animal he was after and wanted to warn it but before she could move he leapt across the grass with a powerful growl and sped gracefully toward the animal. Palmeda wanted to close her eyes, turn away from him killing the smaller animal. But seeing Herman use the full force of his powers was too captivating she had never seen anything so primal and so exciting and she had lived in the jungle all of her life, she had seen a lot. Palmeda watched as he grabbed the animal by its neck and break it in an instant then carry its lifeless body with him back across the grass. Though she knew it was dangerous, still, she followed him. She told herself to leave him alone that he was too much for her he was too wild too exotic, that he was too beautiful, but she had never seen anything like him before and she was enthralled by him.
As the days turned to weeks, Palmeda followed Herman everywhere. She changed her sleep pattern just so she could be more attuned to his body rhythms. He was her earth, her air, her water, her food, she wanted for nothing as long as she could see him. Though soon it was not enough to simply be around him at a safe distance, she had to get closer, to see if it was possible that her dreams of him were real. She was worried that somehow she had imagined him. Palmeda had a very vivid imagination and it was not unusual for her to create friends or foes. Just to be certain, everyday she would get closer and closer and closer until one day she realized that he was vulnerable while he slept, and that if she were very, very quiet and careful she could tip toe up to him and sleep beside him and then awaken before he realized she was ever there. She could be near him and still be safe.
