My face is scrunched up into a snarl

Lips curled back,

revealing pink gums and sharp yellow teeth

I never wanted to bite

Yet here we are, my teeth and fur crimson

And you with a perfect imprint of my maw now forever on your outstretched arm

 

My furrowed brow folding onto yellow eyes scream do not come closer

My curled lips and grumbling growl beg you not to touch 

and yet...

 

You have forced me to prove the bite lying behind my bark

and so I walk with shaky limbs back to my den lick my paws clean and shed soft salty tears

I never wanted to bite and snarl

blood was never drawn unprovoked

but when the sun rises

They will call me a monster

​