The night ringed the fire with deep purple. From beyond the flames, killer eyes regarded Hawks with reflected fire--green, yellow, red. His ears caught the cough of a panther, the snort of a rooting tapir, the snuffling of a jackal, the distant howls of wild dogs. Once there was a thunderous crashing in the underbrush, which might have been an elephant. Or a tiger. Or a Himalayan bear. Only a great beast, powerful and unafraid, could advertise his presence with such noise.
1965