I was not the lion, but it fell to me to give the lion's roar.

While on safari in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe,

we came across these adorable lion cubs.

Just like [human] siblings, they were playing with each other...

although a bit more feisty than most [human] parents would like!

I am obsessed.  SO cute.

A male lion and one of the cubs.

A lioness.

The pride.

I love, love, love this cub's expression.

He was playing with the male and just looks like he's having fun.

A cub playing with a tree.

Easy to forget they will grow up to be deadly killers!

What is with the blog's title?  It's from Winston Churchill.

...and then the lions charged!

While visiting Antelope Park in Gweru, Zimbabwe, I hung out with these beautiful lions.

I was soooo relieved these were not the lions I walked with because there's no way I would gotten close to these guys.

Or, more correctly: any closer to these guys than I already was...and this was definitely testing my comfort level.

Especially since our introduction to them was them CHARGING to get food placed in front of us, separated by only a thin chain-link fence.

There may have been some silent holy [insert whatever you use after this, we'll be PG] moley, crap...

Check out the charge:

It was very clear immediately who the dominate male was as he guarded the food viciously and the

other lions circled, waiting for a chance to get some food.

I can tell you, the food did not smell remotely good.

Here's the second charge (actually the first one I witnessed)--- you can see I involuntarily move backward as they charge and someone exclaims in amazement; you literally feel your heart drop to your toes and understand immediately the fear these beasts create in everyone and everything:

Isn't this tail just beautiful?

Glad I noticed it so I didn't accidentally step on it; I imagine that would not have gone over well with the lion 

and I don't think that chain link fence would have done very much to protect me.

Beautiful, just beautiful.

Even with the terror they invoke in their speed, power, and size, it is so easy to be spell bound by their beauty.

This male lion was dominate for an extended period, fighting off anyone who came near.

Here's one of his fights then the subsequent grunting (attempted roaring?):

He's wild, you know. Not like a tame lion.

A mighty male lion in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe.

His lioness.

They were breath taking and one of the highlights of the visit to Ruckomechi Camp.

I've a friend whose son loves, loves, loves animals.  He always asks for videos of anything I see in Africa.
Thus far, I've videoed everything from lizards in Senegal to elephants in Zimbabwe.

And now! My chance to video lions for him, beautiful lions.  He'd be so stoked.  I was so stoked.

And then....we soon rapidly learned that the video I made may not be appropriate for a 4 year old.

I defer to his mom, but here's what happened (thanks for warning us, safari guide!):

Apparently this pair had been mating for just under a week and during the day would mate approximately every 15 minutes for about a minute.  It was insane.  And, how to say it? Progressively more rough each time.  And loud.  Very loud.  I felt his roar after each session reverberate through me.

And to be honest, while he's here roaring, she never quite appeared to have enjoyed any of it. 

Mating males are more aggressive than normal and very territorial.

Which makes it easy to understand why our guides are always armed on safaris in Zimbabwe.

Bonus points if you recognized the quote from this post's title!!

It's from C.S. Lewis's The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe:

"[Aslan will] be coming and going" he had said. "One day you'll see him and another you won't. He doesn't like being tied down--and of course he has other countries to attend to. It's quite all right. He'll often drop in. Only you mustn't press him. He's wild, you know. Not like a tame lion.”