Fractal Realities: Pride

Roger had been in the cradle of the marula tree's branches for three days.

Those three days hadn't been comfortable. His body had been signalling him for the past day that it would be better off on solid ground. For now, that was unthinkable.

Nutrition and hydration weren't an immediate problem. The tree was loaded with ripe fruit, much of which could be reached with little difficulty. It was somewhat tart but otherwise edible. He had seen elephants and giraffes, feasting on marula fruit a few hundred meters away but they had so far left this tree alone.

The previous night, he had seen a leopard in a marula a few tens of meters away but so far, no leopard had dared climb into his tree. This he attributed to the sizable collection of teeth and claws currently lounging around the base of the tree. Indeed, the lions were why he was in the tree in the first place and they seemed disinclined to move along.

He had been in the marula for three days. He did not know if he would be able to leave it alive.