Run. Run. RUN! Life as a juvenile Komodo Dragon is harsh. I don’t have any predators other than my own species! You know life is tough when your own aunts and uncles try to eat you. This may sound weird but, I roll in my own poop to not attract any other older komodo Dragons. These days, I’m practically a monkey. Climbing in trees is my thing. Otherwise, I might get hunt down on the ground.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. I hear thunderous footsteps behind me. I am doomed. How did he find me?

“Kevin, come here right now.” The deep voice says. How does he know my name? He sort of sounds like uncle Kai. I take off running like the wind. The leaves whip my face. Twigs scratch my face. Rocks hit my feet. There is a tree in front of me. I trained precisely for this moment! I pounce up swiftly. The adult can’t chase me because we Komdos can weigh up to 300 pounds!

I have been stalling in this tree for approximately ten minutes now. The coast should be clear…right? Thump. I sigh as I land on the sweet sweet ground. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. OH NO. He is back. I look around . Trees, river, and a bush. A BUSH. My scales camouflage perfectly with bushes. I quietly leap into the bush. Ow. Crunch.

“Kevin. Come to me right now.” My heart starts to beat faster and faster. He’s walks right by me. Perfect, my camouflage works just like I was hoping it to. Now I can finally eat some insects and birds.

I eat the leaves from acacia trees, my long neck lets me do this of course. As I eat the leaves a younger giraffe comes to join me. His name is Butterscotch. A panic comes over me as I realize Butterscotch is even more vulnerable than me. That puts me at risk. However, this is a tower, and we must  look out for each other. My fear subsides as I munch on more leaves. Us giraffes are always alert. We notice our surroundings and keep watch for danger, even though danger hardly gives us any trouble. My height lets me keep watch on most of the savannah from many directions and a lot of ground. Butterscotch became sleepy and rested his head on my back, still standing. 

Out of the corner of my eye, I see it. A pack of lions inch ever closer to me and the young giraffe. I motion to him to wake up. He startles and becomes frozen with terror when he glances in the same direction I am. The lions aren’t worrisome yet, and we crawl away slowly, Butterscotch right behind me. The lions are still in sight, but I have something they don’t, height. A fear comes over me now as I realize who's really in danger here. I look down at the young giraffe and give him a signal. 

Our long legs leap through the savannah as fast as we can. We aren’t as fast as the lions. As our spotty spines, us gentle giants run further and further into the savannah. Further away from our tower. The pride became too close. I turn around, Butterscotch behind me, as we were unable to outrun them. We had to fight for our lives now. With a powerful stomp I was letting these lions know who will win. A lioness inches forward and my long leg lifts up in the air. My leg became higher and higher then “BAM” All giraffes signature karate style kick comes in handy. The lions one by one come up and are no longer a threat. They realize I am no match for them and they dash away in shame. 

Butterscotch and I trotted along the grassy field, wind blowing down our back and through our ears. FInally, as the sun was going down, we reunited with our very awake group. No predator can get us, we are gentle giants, but we can stand tall and mighty.