The Stare

It was early morning on a remote Vancouver Island Beach and the sun had just started to rise. My friend and I were laying down with our tripods buried in the cold sand, waiting for coastal wolves. Just as we started losing hope, this gorgeous Cougar walked down the beach right toward us, unaware of our presence. We stayed completely still to ensure not to disturb her, but as she got closer, she eventually noticed us and paused. It was an experience hard to describe in words, but we each acknowledged that neither party was interested in harming the other. She politely allowed us to take her photo and then slowly sauntered off to the next beach, leaving that stare in our memories forever.