The hot sun was setting, painting the savannah in golden-orange tones.

The tourists were returning to camp after a long day of safari, when one of them noticed a strange movement near the river.

A massive shadow was floundering in the muddy water, and only after looking closely did the man realize it was a lion.

A huge predator, a proud king of beasts, was drowning in a deep river, desperately trying to stay afloat.

He immediately guessed: something was wrong.

Lions can swim, but this one was clearly injured and weakened.

And at that moment, when everyone else froze in horror, the man did not hesitate for a second.

Throwing off his backpack and camera, he threw himself into the water.

The cold river met him with a strong current.

Pulling the lion to the shore seemed impossible – the predator’s body was heavy, his fur was wet and pulled down.

The man strained every muscle, breathing harder with each passing second.

But the thought that this beast would die before his eyes drove him forward.

Grabbing the lion by the neck, he literally pulled it out of the river.

Finally, with incredible effort, he dragged the animal to the shore. The lion lay motionless, its chest not rising.

In desperation, the man sat down next to it and began a cardiac massage.

His palms hit the beast’s strong but lifeless chest, again and again.

Blood pounded in his ears, his hands were cramping from the tension, but he continued, gritting his teeth.

Several agonizing minutes passed.

And suddenly – a barely noticeable breath.

Then another.

The lion’s body jerked, and huge amber eyes slowly opened.

The man stepped back.

When the beast, staggering, rose to its paws, the man’s heart was ready to jump out of his chest.

He understood: now it would all be over, he had come to the end, because he was facing a predator.

The lion would not distinguish between friend and foe. Instinct would prevail.

At that moment, the animal slowly approached him and something unexpected happened

But something happened that he could not expect.

The lion took a step forward, then another.

The man froze, not daring to breathe. And suddenly the huge animal bowed its head and… licked his hands.

Then its face. Its rough tongue was unexpectedly warm and alive. It seemed that the lion was thanking the man who saved it from death.

They looked into each other’s eyes – a man and a wild animal, who were bound together by a moment of despair and struggle.

And then the lion turned around abruptly and with a leisurely gait disappeared into the thickets, dissolving into the wild forest.

The man stood motionless for a long time, feeling his heart pounding.

He understood: that day he did not just save a lion. He experienced an encounter that would change him forever.