Milda ran through the flaming forest, her cub clinging to her back. Only a few moments before all had been calm, but in a sudden moment all had gone wrong as the forest burst into flames. All around her, other animals cried out, as they ran to escape the fire.
Milda ran a few more feet before realizing that she was only running into another column of flame. She tried to turn back but it was too late. Flames had already surrounded her and her cub, closing them off from all routes of escape. She did another 360, before realizing that there was a small area in front of her with no flame, but it wouldn’t be there for long.
It was too small for her to get through, but she wasn’t going to let her cub die.
“Run,” she ordered her cub, “Find another gorilla family, stay safe, stay alive.” She pointed to the exit and urged her son to go.
“I’m not going to leave you here, Mama,” the cub said, crying.
“No. You must go,” she said, and she lifted her cub up, and threw him over the flames, shouting, “Be safe, my son!”