In this sixth chapter of THREE WHITE LIONS, they show us an alternate reality. 

'What the people didn't understand was that they came literally minutes from awaking to a completely different country on January 7. Instead of the freedoms that come with Democracy, ones the people had taken for granted, they would be living under a cold uncaring dictator. Never mind that he was also insane and given to rages that lasted for days...Texas had moved its border north to consume Oklahoma. Now, though, it was called North Texas.'

When the lioness Barbara was seriously threatened, she ran toward the Old Man in the Tree. He was waiting for her and opened his wooden arms. The lioness moved as if to climb the tree but stopped standing on her powerful back legs, hugging him. In turn, the tree folded his arms around her and folded her within him.