caged tiger

pacing the cage... they have a saying here, (probably ripped off from china) that even if a tiger travels a thousand miles, it always returns to it's own turf. but somewhere along the way, there is always a chance some travelling circus might trap you and throw you in a cage. they tempt you with the finest steaks and antelope rump and you sniff unwittingly into the snare. and then the training begins. at first you are crazy with anger, you want to chew off the hand that feeds you... you hate the trainer. but you jump through a few hoops and they stroke your ego just enough to make you try again, and again and again... till one day you wake up and you dont care about the bars anymore. you are placated by the strokes and sumptuous meat. but one night, you hear a call. a call you know is too far off to really hear, but your spirit hears the howl. it is the howl of your mate. the sound travels beyond sound, you howl in response... the howls grow louder and louder... until you rip at the bars... you plot, you scheme, you await the chance for escape...