The Lion's Meow

    By Heide Liza Jacob

    The Lion's Meow cover image

    17 Jun, 2024

    a cat sitting in the middle of a forest with green eyes and a bright light shining through the trees, furry art, a character portrait, Dan Mumford, rossdraws global illumination

    In the heart of the forest, a small cat named Whiskers strutted boldly, her fluffy tail held high. She was the only cat in the forest and she loved the attention.

    a painting of a lion in a forest with trees and leaves in the background, with a blue eye, fantasy art, a digital painting, Chris LaBrooy, highly detailed digital painting

    One day, she came across a majestic lion, Sunfire, who was known for his mighty roar. Intrigued, Whiskers padded up to him and boasted about her ability to roar.

    a lion surrounded by cats in a forest with trees and bushes in the background, with a sun shining on the top of the lion, furry art, poster art, Chris LaBrooy, official art

    Sunfire, taken aback, decided to prove his versatility. He declared, 'If you can roar, then I can meow.' The animals in the forest exchanged amused glances.

    a lion surrounded by lions in the jungle with trees and grass in the background, with a green mane, furry art, a poster, Chris LaBrooy, furaffinity

    In a show of bravado, Sunfire let out a meow. The sound was so unexpected from the mighty lion that the animals broke into laughter. Embarrassed, Sunfire slinked away.

    a lion sitting on a rock in a forest with yellow leaves on the ground and trees in the background, fantasy art, poster art, Chris LaBrooy, behance hd

    Sunfire felt upset. He was the king of the forest, yet he had become a laughing stock. He decided he had to regain his dignity.

    a lion laying on a rock in a forest with trees and bushes around it, with a sun shining through the trees, fantasy art, an airbrush painting, Chris LaBrooy, highly detailed digital painting

    He spent the next few days thinking of how to regain his respect. Then, one day, he thought of a plan. He decided to show the animals that everyone has unique talents.

    a lion standing in front of a group of lions in the woods with trees in the background and a sun shining through the trees, furry art, an album cover, Chris LaBrooy, furaffinity

    Sunfire called for a gathering. He stepped into the clearing, his eyes shining with determination. He started, 'I may not be able to meow like a cat, but can any of you roar like a lion?'

    a lion is walking through a forest with other lions in the background and a sun shining through the trees, fantasy art, poster art, Chris LaBrooy, rossdraws global illumination

    Then, he let out a roar, a sound so powerful that it echoed through the forest. The animals fell silent, their eyes wide with awe.

    a painting of lions in a forest with trees and grass and a few cubs on the ground, with one of them looking at the camera, furry art, a digital painting, Chris LaBrooy, highly detailed digital painting

    Sunfire continued, 'Each of us has unique abilities that make us special. We should respect these differences, not laugh at them.' The animals nodded in agreement.

    a painting of a cat sitting in the woods with leaves around it and a forest background with trees and leaves, furry art, a character portrait, Anato Finnstark, rossdraws global illumination

    Whiskers walked up to Sunfire, her tail no longer held high. 'You're right, Sunfire. I'm sorry for laughing at you.'

    a lion standing in the middle of a forest with trees and leaves around it's edges and a yellow sky behind it, fantasy art, a character portrait, Chris LaBrooy, official art

    Sunfire graciously accepted her apology. From that day on, the animals in the forest learned to respect each other's unique talents.

    a lion standing in the middle of a forest with a fox in the background and a forest scene with trees, furry art, a painting, Chris LaBrooy, official art

    And so, the forest was filled with a new understanding, a newfound respect for each other. And every now and then, if you listened closely, you could hear Sunfire's mighty roar echoing through the trees.