Death by Fright

Four eyes peered into the restless night,
Trying to see, that which they might.
But the night is dark, cold and black,
And only shadows on shadows are all that come back.
But wait, a shadow moves, darker than all the rest.
A molten flow of darkness, so dark the best
of the eyes cannot see it except as silhouette.

"What is it?" A voice gasps by my side in alarm,
Fingers grip tighter, onto my arm.
My throat is dry and I have no reply,
Just the deadly foreboding that I'm about to die.
But hold, A spark flies low, then another and burns,
The tinder catches alight, a small flame turns
and twists to consume the small offering.

A glint of white fang, tooth and claw,
In the growing light I see a great maw.
A scream pierces the night, like a knife,
And the beast attacks, hatred for my life.
But stand, and resist, my will is not broken,
Though my life and my soul may well be spoken
for, I know I will die in protecting my woman.

The instant arrives, I flinch in anticipated pain,
My mate right behind me, for what safety she'll gain.
But the instant passes, and as I finish my blink,
I realise the terror has gone, someone else's blood to drink.
But horror, who is this, lying dead at my feet?
My woman, unharmed, crying over this sheet
white corpse whose face makes me silently scream 'NOOOOOooooo'....

Written by MMTM - 18/11/91