Leopards with a gold lining

“Morning is wonderful. Its only drawback is that it comes at such an inconvenient time of day.” 
― Glen Cook

This was my first and initial thought when my alarm rudely entered my dreams, and reminded me that I had chosen to wake up at this ungodly hour, so that I could spend my sunrise sitting in an open top land cruiser with three spotted companions.

I quickly decided that I would much rather switch that “calming springtime” alarm tone off, and return to comfort behind my eyelids and under my marshmallow duvet. Then as I began to nod off to sleep again, I started to wonder what on earth I was doing being such an old sack of potatoes and sprung out of bed as if someone had just told me that Channing Tatum was outside my door with a bouquet of roses!

Running around with my hair sticking out in every direction, I did my utter best to multi task, in the hope that I would be ready a lot quicker if I attempted doing everything all at once. One shoe on, the memory card for my camera in my left hand and my hairbrush in the other, I realized I would have to calm down to a mild excited panic, and try to complete one task at a time if I ever wanted to spend my sunrise with Thandi and her two cubs.

If it weren't for having to put in my contact lenses (which I still have not mastered) I would have been ready in about four minutes. After about the fifth attempt, I managed to get both contacts to finally stick to my eyeballs. Although by the very uncomfortable feeling in my left eye, I was sure I had inserted it inside out.

It didn’t matter; I was finally on my way to meet these little cubs for the first time! As we drove through the reserve, the cold chill seeping into every opening I had, and the breeze completely drying out my contact lenses. I smiled in absolute content, while tears ran down my cheeks trying to compensate for the wind that was slowly evaporating any moisture I had left in my burning eyes.

As we got closer to the spot where we had last seen Thandi the day before, I could not help but remember that it was in fact a Monday morning, and most people would be starting their day sitting in traffic, on their way to a job that more than likely entails an office.  

Oh how I would much rather start my week like this, with the breeze in my face, the odd insect colliding with my forehead, and the smell of the freshly killed impala ram that Thandi had courageously brought down the evening before.

As we looked up to try and find our companion, I felt the cool air start to lift as the sun decided it was time to make an appearance. We initially could not see Thandi as she blends in so well with her surroundings. Suddenly out of nowhere, as if she “popped” magically into the scene, we saw her!

Lying lazily over a thick branch with all four legs hanging down, eyes still closed, I felt my heart skip with happiness. Yes, I had spotted her, and felt very proud for doing so, considering I was still wiping my misty eyes clear.

We watched in anticipation, as she lay there. I got my camera all set up and ready for that perfect head turn; yawn or stretch, and then we waited, and waited and waited. Nope, Thandi was having none of it and refused to pose for us, in fact, she even turned her head so that we could not even see her face.

Out of boredom, I eventually started playing with camera settings to see which setting would work best with the lighting. Then as the sun started to rise, so did Thandi.

The golden light coated her face and everything around her, and as I began to lose myself in Thandi and her golden aura, I heard a sound. My hearing has always been very acute and I am often able to sense and hear a presence around me before I see it with my own eyes.

Just as I started speculations about a hyena coming in to steal Thandi’s breakfast, a little fluffy face popped into view and stared at me through the green thicket, with the grayest eyes I have ever seen. Thandi watched from above, and after gathering that there was no danger, she lazily put her head back down.

The bushes that had a pair of eyes staring back at me, was now rustling and moving in the morning light, as not one, but two leopard cubs played amongst its leaves.

Yes Thandi is a mother, an extremely dedicated one at that. The night before we had watched her drag that impala ram right beneath the tree she now lay stretched out in. The problem was, the ram was way too big for Thandi to drag up the tree, and if there was ever a moment I would have labeled her as an over achiever, this would have been it. 

Being a single mother in the bush as a predator is not an easy task. Keeping her cubs safe is an ongoing task and something that requires her to have her wits about her almost 24 hours a day. Besides for the hunting and the life lessons, Thandi also has to watch for other predators like Lions, Hyena and Jackal. It is a harsh world out there in the bush, and no day is ever a promised certainty. The struggles are never ending and survival of the fittest is an extremely raw and real way of life out here.

Although right now, in this moment, time stands still, and Thandi is at ease. The cubs are allowed to stalk, pounce, play and live as any young ones should. Free and at ease without a worry in the world, I share this moment with them and watch as golden morning light paints a picture of perfection. It was the golden hour in every sense of the word, visibly and symbolically. This was a moment that you forgot about the harsh realities and the cruelty of nature, of humans, of life. This was a moment to freeze, a moment I absorbed with all five senses as I watched on while one of the cubs climbed the tree and nuzzled his mother. This was the moment I woke up early to be a part of, but had no idea how powerful it would be. Everything around me shone with gold light and time really slowed down, the entire scene was blanketed in innocence and peace and tranquility.

Thandi eventually broke the dreamlike trance. By being the mother that she is, and sensing that it was time to get back to reality, she stood up ever so gracefully and stretched out her long legs while her spotted coat shone in the open patches under the trees canopy. She then made her way down the tree and began her instinctive duties of trying to lighten the weight of the impala so that it could be dragged into safety away from other scavengers.

Her cubs looked on curiously and even attempted to help her, but found the task to tedious and continued to pounce circles around her while she remained focused on saving their meal.

The golden light began to fade and the entire bush lightened up as the sun started rapidly rising above us. Golden hour was over and soon guests would be heading off for their morning drives, and the bush would hum with activity and life. I knew that our shared moment had come to an end, and daily duty would call, but I knew that it was a moment that would be burnt into my memory for the rest of my life.

So as I bid Thandi and her cub’s farewell, and said a quick prayer to keep them safe, I smiled in silence as I reflected on a life lesson and a gift given to me from a magical place. My core and soul had been somewhat changed and enlightened by the experience I had just had. I will be forever humbled and grateful to Thandi for allowing us to share the only truly peaceful moment in her day, and for letting me witness the two beautiful lives she brought into the world. I wish upon her the strength it takes to continue protecting them with everything she has, and hope to share the same moment with them in the future when they become adults and continue her legacy.