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Odyssey From Africa 5b 6a

They could hear the mighty felines
Running in a line behind them
Han and Kwona and the children 
Knew that they were being herded
 
These great sabre-tooth cat hunters
Were the rulers of the forest;
Now they are no longer with us
They would perish in the ice-age
 
Then our fleeing human quarry
Reached a dense part of the jungle
Where the forest floor was darkened
By thick canopy above them
 
They were close now to exhaustion 
Pure adrenaline sustained them
Right ahead they heard the splashing 
Of a stream of running water 
 
And the sight that next they witnessed
Caused all hope to be extinguished 
Facing them across the streamlet
Endboss sabertooths stood waiting
 
Then a cry went out from Lisa
They all turned and she was missing!
Han and Kwona felt a darkness
Of despair encroach their spirits
 
It was Kwona next who cried out
Briefly, and was seen no longer
Spinning round in desperation 
Han looked all around for Matto
 
Who was absent; all around him
Pairs of pearly fangs came nearer
Which of these, Han wondered, dreamlike,
Would spring forward to impale him?
 
In an instant he was rising
Saw the ground recede below him
A huge hand, all black and hairy
Swung him upward by the shoulder
 
Han was hoisted through the branches
By a silverback gorilla;
Saw around him other members 
Of this troop of splendid primates
 
Not quite sure he still was living
Han then sighted all his family 
Sitting near him in the branches 
Pure relief and gladness filled him
 
Down below the cats, frustrated 
By their disappearing supper
Lingered round with eyes turned upward
Glinting gold in evening shadows
 
Then the sabertooths departed
One by one into the darkness 
Han and Kwona and the children 
Laughed for joy at their deliverance 
 

CHAPTER 6 Gorillas 
 
Han was puzzled why gorillas 
Would have intervened to save them
Did they reckon us as brothers,
Distantly related family?
 
He took care to make slow movements 
And avoid direct eye contact 
But their pongid hosts seemed friendly
And untroubled by their presence 
 
Now the rapid tropic evening
Had descended into night-time
Several of the female primates 
Bade the visitors to follow 
 
Climbing over thicker branches 
They were led up to a tree nest
Where the motherly gorillas 
Laid them down to sleep like children
 
With adrenalin subsided
Waves of tiredness came upon them
Peacefully they watched and listened 
To the forest night-time fauna

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