My crew and I are on our way to do what we signed up for.
As I drive, my buddy clears a path with sound;
like the roar of a lion making its presence known.
In front of us is a mesh of metal, debris and sounds of distress calls.

We tear away the metal, like predators feasting on fresh prey.
Together, we free a trapped lioness and her cubs,
each face bleached with fear…all but one.
My buddy nudges me to quit staring at “that one”
but this face I’ve only been warned about.
Now I see it.

We painfully pull away the cubs and they cling to us.
As for the lioness, I pull out from my bunker gear, a black sheet.
which I was hoping never to use. 
Ever.
Is this what I signed up for?
As we walk away, all I can do is hold tightly to this cub,
letting her snuggle into my warm, smoke-smelling coat.