cecil is fucking dead

On the plains of Southern Africa at the Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe on a warm July afternoon in 2015 a hunter and his tracker scope out the plains for potential prey.  The hunter looks through his binoculars scanning the distance for prey. Suddenly he sees lions in the distance he notices how many of them there are and asks if they can go take a closer look. "Let's go over this way and take a look at these lions I see several of them over here" The tracker says " this is protected land you cannot kill any of these animals. You know I can't take you over there to hunt them. we will be moving to the land where hunting is permitted to the south of here" The hunters eyes are bright with fury as he reminds the tracker of the money he has paid and the paperwork he has to hunt a Lion . " Look I have paid good money to hunt a lion and I will hunt a lion before I go back home to the US." "The hunter glares at the tracker as the tension between the two men start to build. The air is electric. Shock and anger are evident on the trackers face as he spits and states his position again. His eyes are hard and his mouth  and face set down in a permanent scowl. If there is one thing he doesn't like it being threatened by some stupid hot head hunter "I understand sir " he says through gritted teeth in his best attempt to remain calm "but this is protected land and we will both be prosecuted if we are caught poaching on this land!" the hunter starts walking towards the pride of lions in the distance. he spits under his breath " I don't care about protected animals I know what I am doing!"   The tracker follows him and attempts to steer the hunter away from the pride. The tracker says "you will do time in our jail if you kill a protected lion"  The Hunter with determined steps walked towards the pride aging. He says "You forget tracker I am American I won't do time for anything! You may never see the light of day but I will be just fine!" The look of satisfaction on his face as he sets up to bring one of the lions towards him buy leering him away with bait.  The tracker stands shaking with fury he can feel his blood pressure rise he thinks about shooting the hunter in the back with his side arm just as the understanding registers that he would never see the light of day if he kills this stubborn stupid American hunter. He will have to be the one to try to stop this from happening.  The tracker stalks after the hunter and  argues with the hunter. "You will do time I will make sure of it you cannot hunt on protected land you are not a hunter you are a poacher!"  However the hunter is determine in his course...... his lips set in a hard line and brow furrowed in anger.  The tracker is in a no win situation he has been paid by the hunter he cannot afford to refund him if he requests a refund but these lions cannot be killed. The tracker lost in his thoughts about what the right thing to do looks up and notices the Hunter has set out the antelope they had brought to leer the lion out and into the primal instinct of the hunt. Effectively distracting the lion losing himself in the hunt as his instinct takes over him and make this kill that much easier.

Then in the clearing as if by magic the trick works  and  in front of the men a male lion is stocking prey  their prey their bait he appears in front of the two men less than 10 meters away. The lion was large and full grown he was clearly a male determined by his mane. The lion starts towards the antelope determination evident in his eyes he walks forward not seeing what is happening around him the two men not in his sight all he sees is the prey. The tracker observes the majesty of the animal again the muscles in his shoulder predominant as he stocks forward. Hi face and eyes focused on his target.  His mane is full around his head and blooming out around his face a black stripe around the outer rim of his mane stands out as not all male lions have this  suddenly a flash of recognition strikes through the tracker he knows this lion!! The Hunter cannot kill this Lion neither one of them will see the light of day if he does!!  Determination rips through him as he jumps in front of the hunters rifle and screams........ No !!! Not this lion don't ! don't shoot No!!  The lion immediately notices the commotion he starts to retreat but the prey is just in front of him he can reach it just a few more steps and it will be his.  The hunter yells at the tracker practically spewing venom his words "Get out of the way you'll be killed!! he's moving towards us you idiot!" The tracker holds his position but looks behind him at the advancing lion the tracker shoot a look at the lion as if to yell run then he yells and attempts to chase him away. There is no recognition in the Lions eyes... no sense that the lion sees anything but the prey he has set to obtain his animal instincts have taken over. The hunter sets to shoot the tracker is panicked what can he do how can he prevent this from happening.. The tracker pleas with the hunter "You can't do this you don't understand! He's protected don't shoot him let him go we will find you another lion I swear it to be true!"  The hunter shoves the tracker hard out of the way and screams at him....... as the tracker falls "he is coming he is lost in the hunt move aside tracker or you and I will both die today!" The hunter trains his rifle on the tracker for a moment before once again aiming his rifle at the lion again. both the hunter and the lion are lost in the hunt no one stands the way of what is to happen next The lion continues to advance on the prey in the clearing and  hunter squeezes the trigger on the rifle and fires the gun shots rings out ........Pow... Pow.... Pow... the sound is deafening the trackers screams are muffled as he yells "NO NO NO don't shoot!"  he turns from his place on the ground  to look as the lion in the distance as he falls on his side first and then slumps lifeless to the ground and once again the recognition of the black mane blows lightly in the breeze

The trackers face burns bright red with fury he turns  gets to his feet in a swift motion and quickly advances on the hunter his eyes bright with anger he grabs him by his shirt and shoving him to the ground he yells "You idiot!! You have no idea what you have done!" The trackers fears of being shot all but disappear, after all what does it matter now if the hunter shoots him they are both dead anyway. They will both be sentenced to prison" Do you have any idea what you have done!?!" he continues to shout!  "You have killed the lion... the lion that has been protected his entire life!" "What this lion has meant to our nation and to the rest of the world ?" The tracker releases the hunter as he falls to the ground the look of pure shock on his face. The trackers thoughts go to his family as he knows he will never see them again to how his life was before this day and how it will never be the same again. Yesterday he was a man who owned a business and was fairly successful and today this man has taken it from him in a matter of seconds.  The hunters question breaks his thoughts "Who is this lion the hunter asks" in a brief whisper barely audible. seconds tick by as the tracker once again gathers his feet and stands up. The lion you just killed was Cecil he is world renowned and protected by this land and our nation and you have killed him for sport neither of us will see the light of day again." Pure indignation clear and evident on the trackers face and he steps away from the hunter. The hunter doesn't know who this lion is but it is hard to dismiss the look on the trackers face as not being true he tries to defend himself but he knows what he has done and his plea fall on deaf ears as the trackers is already walking " He was coming after us I saved our lives !?!" the hunter yells after the tracker. He sits on the ground neither men have advance towards the lion who is still slumped on the ground it was evident by the stillness of his body he was dead but who was the lion Cecil. The trackers words ring in the hunters ears you have killed him not just any lion but Cecil he has killed Cecil" The hunter gets to his feet with no idea of what he has done looks again at the lions lifeless form and then at the retreating tracker and then back at the lion just as the Lions tracking collar slides into view as perhaps the remainder of the lions muscle tension leaves his body .......... Cecil is dead.