The Maneater, deadliest warrior of the Panthera,
met one day her match among men,
and seeing how honorable and mutually beneficial
it would be to join her strength to his
instead of to destroy one another in vain,
sheathed her claws and instead
of roaring her bloodcurdling battlecry,
sang the following verses:

Morgoth, Morgoth,
hear me enemy mine
let us cry a truce
for the sake of those we love.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
thou hath judged me true
I sought thy demise
and thou hath met me well.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
besides thy blade and my claws
there can be another way
hark to what I propose.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
speak to thy protege
remind him once and again
of the truth he must not forget.

That no one but him
can rule or forge his fate
it is only his free will
which can bring forth his dreams.

That for each of those dreams
he must make a stand
for many shall barr the way
and the price must be paid.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
thy sword can guide him true
but he must face my trial
or balance shall not be served.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
battle we have done oft
and thy armor though strong
cannot hold all my blows.

In the wild where I dwell
even thou fear to tread
but t'was here thou were born
and t'is here where thou return.

Thou hath hunted my hide
I have shed the blood of thy clan
I am beast, thou art man
in the end we are one.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
let us leave the past behind
having been both hunter and prey
we know better now.

Sword and claw, hand and paw
day and night, forever embraced
just like our proteges
if we join our powers.

I shall stand guard from the jungle wild
bring thee healing and nourishment
while thou rest I shall be the bane
of any who would seek thy head.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
wouldst thou grant me safe passage
through the human roads
for my clan, endangered and lost?

Wouldst thou be that Knight,
that protector some legends tell
that humans would become
for their brethren of the Wild?

If thou wouldst, I shalt be to thee
the companion bards also say
wouldst take the place of the beast
and lead humans to greatness.

Morgoth, Morgoth,
there is much to be gained
in the name of Life and Love
what dost thou saith?

It remains to be seen whether or not
the human warrior, who has
plenty of reasons to distrust
such a fearsome predator, but who also
knows that her words speak truth,
for he has, like her, long trodden the roads alone
and witnessed the outcome of many battles,
accepted the truce and the offer.

A New Beginning
by Cindy Aixmar Salgado