A Prayer for the Hunted
May you find solace and shelter in the deep pines
and their branches wrap around you in a silent protective embrace.
May your young stay close to their mothers,
and remain watchful of her every movement.
If some of the herd must succumb to death, as is the natural way of things, let it be the very old who have lived a long life among these forests. Let your deaths be useful and your killers respectful.
But I pray that many elders of your herd survive to graze under the lazy summer sun, for they still have much wisdom to teach.
May you not be so terrified of men that you forget to play, and enjoy the crisp air, and the joy of still finding some tender shoots under the ice.
May you pass this season in peace,
and know that there are still some humans who respect your herd, and your clan, and see your value beyond that of your flesh.
(Jessica Fawn Dampier/Fawn & Fang)
