A large lion strode forward with measured confidence, each pawfall heavy against the sun-baked earth. His warm grey eyes shimmered in the late afternoon light, framing a face marked by time and triumph. Muscles rippled beneath his coat as he advanced, his large canines on displag as his eyes locked on the newcomer who stood just beyond the boundary of his territory. There was no urgency in his pace—only purpose. The air between them trembled with tension, but the lion's gaze held no fear, only curiosity and quiet authority. This meeting would be one of meaning, whether of welcome or warning. ------