Many staff members rushed over to hear the news, their faces bewildered. They knew that the reserve had just lost a spiritual pillar. The sad news was reported to his family, everyone was choked up.
According to Mr. Mekond’s wishes, the funeral will be held right at the reserve. Everyone discussed and prepared a ceremony according to the indigenous people’s rituals. The next morning, when the sun was still peeking over the horizon, everyone gathered.
A simple wooden bed was placed in the middle of the sanctuary’s central courtyard. Mr. Mekond’s body rested on it, his face calm as if he were sleeping. Each person came to see him off, their eyes filled with longing.
Elijah stood beside him, his trembling hand gently touching the old man’s hand, recalling old memories. Musa quietly lit an incense stick, praying softly. Suddenly, a roar rang out from the sanctuary’s gate.
Everyone turned around in panic, realizing a large male lion was approaching. It slowly walked through the crowd, its eyes filled with majesty and mystery. Everyone was scared, quickly looking for a place to hide.
The lion growled as if to announce its presence, but did not show any aggressiveness. It approached the wooden bed where the old man was lying. No one dared to say a word, everyone silently looked at the mighty beast.
The lion circled the bed, then stopped at the foot of the bed, bowing its head as if in remembrance. The strange scene made the crowd tremble and be shocked by the tragedy. Elijah was surprised to see that the lion had a large scar on its side.
He suddenly remembered that this was the lion that he and Mr. Mekond had saved 15 years ago. At that time, the pride of lions was trapped on the road due to hunting, and they asked for help from the rangers. Mr. Mekond and Elijah ventured closer, removed the trap, and bandaged the male lion’s wound.
From there, the lion was brought to a safe area, gradually recovered, and returned to the wild. Perhaps it had been silently watching over its benefactor for many years. When it heard that Mr. Mekond had passed away, it somehow came to say goodbye.
The story of the lion’s loyalty and gratitude moved everyone. Elijah cautiously approached, trying to calm the lion. Surprisingly, the lion just quietly bowed its head, not showing any aggression.
Gradually, the others also boldly stepped forward, sharing the sacred moment. The initial fear disappeared, replaced by a common grief for the old man’s passing. After the funeral ended in the central courtyard, everyone carried his body to a grassy field where he had loved.