Dear Agony Ant

Recently I’ve been seeing the new lion in our pride and it was love at first sight. I feel we connect on every level, physically, mentally. There is only one cause of strain in our relationship, being that he killed my son when he first arrived in the pride.  He has since apologised profusely, saying he was overcome with desire to father my cubs, however I’m not sure it is something I can move past. Should I forgive and forget, or is this too much of a hurdle in our relationship?

Tired of the lion,

Lion, Panthera leo

Dear tired of the lion,

You are indeed in a quandary. While infanticide is not unusual in your society, it doesn’t mean that it is pleasant or welcome. Losing a child is the hardest thing a parent will ever go through. And you should never feel the pressure to have another child before you are ready. That being said, it can be slim pickings for the single lioness back in the dating pool. Cheaters, liars, commitment-phobes, sloppy eaters, poor mane grooming, it’s a savanna out there.  Suddenly infanticide doesn’t seem that bad? If you are planning to work through it, couples therapy will help. Otherwise, get ready to do a lot of swiping.