A Feast for Wolves

You bared your teeth,

roared your name -

I think you thought it's palindrome,

gave you permission,

to lord over everything,

even the length of blades of grass.

So loud you were

and yet - so wrong.

The entire forest could see

but you could not,

as you focused on a

single,

solitary,

me.

You snipped the grey of my pelt,

on both sides.

urging me to retreat.

Defiant, I stood my ground.

small paws dug in to soft earth

a lesson in knowing

what battles are and are not worth.

Not a single other of your pack

stood,

behind you,

or me,

but my mother growled deeply

along side my back

until you were made

to bend your knee.

An elder gave to me a crown

and a feast,

now they all gather to hear

how I bare my teeth.