CHAPTER 18: THE COURSE OF THINGS

Fahari’s life was difficult but he enjoyed it. He kept a watchful eye on his territory, and his duties made the time pass quickly.

However, Amana’s time passed slowly. Chui’s absence had stripped her life of meaning. Without pride sisters or cubs to love, she was desperate to fill the desolate hours of her lonely life. 

One evening Fahari was shocked to find her marking the border with HER scent. It took Amana some fast explaining and a great deal of patience to satisfy Fahari’s honor, and she headed home agreeably to keep the peace.

Her desperation was such that she sought out the badger that lived in Jaha’s old cave. She watched him for a while. At first he thought he was being stalked. For a whole week, he wondered if she was seeking to tangle with him. Finally he came out and asked her, “Why not have a go at it?? I can take you on!”

“But I don’t want to!”

“Coward! You want to catch me unaware!”

It took two more days to convince him that she didn’t want to eat him, and even so, he was little company. “I just want to talk,” she would plead. “Well, who’s stopping you!” the badger would reply before going back to his digging. Finally she discovered the knack of talking to a badger is finding out what HE is interested in.

“How far does that burrow go?” she asked one day.

That got his interest. “Do you really think I’d tell you?? Find my other exit, would you?? I knew you wanted to eat me!!”

Amana broke into frustrated tears. “My gods, I didn’t mean anything by it!! Oh please just talk to me! You did all that work—surely there is SOMETHING you can tell me about it?? I’m so lonely I’m going crazy! Just talk—I don’t really care what you say, but say something!”

The badger saw her tears. “Don’t come apart, Missy. It’s most unbecoming to see a large carnivore crying like a little kit.”

He came forward cautiously, and looked her in the eye. She reached out and touched him. Imagine, touching another living being in her loneliness!

He backed back sharply. “Let’s not rush things! I’m still not sure I trust you. This might be a trick.” He saw her face and added, “Or maybe not.”

There was hope after all! She could always find him, and he was intelligent. Sharp witted, even in his gruff way a little charming. That night she smiled for the first time in a while.

The next day she brought him a small rabbit. She put it outside of his hole.

“What is this??”

“It’s for you! See, if I wanted to eat you, I could have eaten the rabbit instead. It’s fresh—try it!”

He nibbled at it. “Not bad. Thank you.” Then he said, “I don’t have long to talk. Tunnels to dig and rooms to clean out.”

“I see.” She started away.

“Come back tomorrow. I’ll have more time then.”

She looked back and smiled.

The next day, she came back. “Hello there!”

The badger poked out his head and smiled. “Hi! Just a minute!”

He went back in his burrow and came back out bearing something odd. “It’s a neck thing!”

“A neck thing??”

“Yes! A rare neck thing! The humans put them around their necks! I found one once. I guess he dropped it.”

She looked at the carved ivory beads in wonder. “Why do they wear them?”

“I don’t know. But I think it brings good luck.”

“Isn’t that something!” She wanted to sniff of it or touch it, but she saw his anxious look so she did not.

“Why do you live in that hole?” she asked.

“Why do you live on the ground?” he asked. “This hole keeps me dry when it rains. At least when I keep the drain clear—that’s what I was doing yesterday. And I have a nest chamber to prepare.”

“A nest chamber?” She looked at him and smiled. “Are you finding yourself a lady friend?”

“Found one,” he said, with a slight smile. “This is our third litter.”

“Why you little rascal you!”

“How about you? I bet you have a lot of strong cubs.”

Amana bit her lip. Her eyes began to redden. “I kindled once if that’s what you mean.”

The badger understood at once. “You’re pretty. You’ll have more.”

“Thank you. Your a good friend….I don’t remember your name.”

“I never told you. Sorry, but I have to go.”

“Did I offend you?”

“No. She awaits.” He looked back at her. “Ibrahim,” he said.

“Ibrahim?”

“That’s my name.”

“Oh. Amana.”

“Glad to meet you, Ohamana.”

“No, it’s just Amana.” She smiled shyly.

“Tomorrow, Amana.”

Brief as they were, those chats were important to her. Between the badger and the naps with Fahari, she had built a sort of life for herself.

She tried to speak with Fahari on those naps, but he did not want to spend much time talking. He was sleepy. She could paw his shoulder, however, and slept embracing him. She would sometime speak with him as he slept.

Early the next morning she went to pay a call on her friend the badger. “It’s me! Amana! It’s all right, Ibrahim! I just want to say good morning!”

That’s when she heard the rustling in the bushes. There was a jackal feeding hurriedly on a carcass. It was all that was left of the old badger.

“What are you doing??”

The jackal looked up. “Go away! It’s just a little badger! Not enough to interest you!”

“Leave him alone, damn you!!” She charged the jackal, her heart full of rage. “I’ll kill you slowly!! I’ll kill you!!”

The jackal was swift and savvy, and before long, he made her continued threats merely empty boasts.

That day, Amana clung to Fahari during his nap and try to make him stay with her. For her efforts, she ended up irritating Fahari who reminded her that he was not a spotted lion after all.

 

 

CHAPTER 19: LOVE

 

Eventually, her emptiness was eventually compounded by the restless stirrings that began inside her body as she entered her season. What should have been a happy time for her was sheer misery. Her emotional needs grew along with her physical needs, and she found herself weeping with frustration when she would miss a kill, or even slip crossing a creek.

Fahari’s prolonged absences, which were previously acceptable, now became unbearable, and she spent many long hours awake, thinking guiltily of how his spots rippled as he moved, and how strange and lovely his eyes were when he smiled at her. She was curious, and tried to imagine herself beneath his lithe and passionate body, but she could not. She had no idea what to expect, even if he still thought of her as a mate.

She slept fitfully that night. She dreamed of her mother, lying on her side and moaning softly and reassuringly. She trundled up and snuggled to her abdomen, finding a teat and taking it in her small mouth. The milk was rich and creamy, and she kneaded her mother’s abdomen to increase the flow. A paw stroked her softly and she smiled and grunted contentedly.

The dream ended. She awoke to the empty blackness of the night, her paws kneading nothing more than the earth in front of her. Tears rolled down her face. “Oh gods, I’m so alone! Help me please! Oh gods, help me!!”

       When day returned, she waited anxiously for the usual midday nap time. The hours seemed to drag by, and when the sun finally approached its zenith, she sought Fahari with her mind made up to use whatever excuse—any excuse—it took to keep him by her for more than an hour or two.

“Hello, Amana.” He yawned and headed for a soft place in the grass to lay, a place from which the sticks and stones had been removed, and where no ants had rudely built a mound.

“Fahari!” His beauty warmed her heart, and in a rush of emotions she leapt up and nearly flattened him with her affectionate greeting. Only at the last minute did she restrain herself and nuzzle him firmly. “I’m so glad to see you, Hon!”

       “I gathered that,” he grinned amiably, touching her cheek with his tongue. “How have you been?” He looked at her oddly, struck by the intensity of her greeting as she purred loudly and rubbed him full length down his side, her head weaving slowly as she nuzzled his flank. “Here, girl, what gives?”

       Her tail coiled about his chest and forelegs as the realization struck him full force. Her fragrance was affecting him, and he squirmed like he was going to jump out of his own hide. “Here, girl,” he said awkwardly. “I wish you wouldn’t do that. I mean, you and I, we’re—well, didn’t you say you thought we shouldn’t act on….”

       “Don’t you enjoy it?” she said, a small smile curling about her cheeks as she saw his reaction. “Don’t you like me?” She curled about his hindquarters and rubbed back up the other side. “Don’t you think I’m attractive?”

       “Well, of course, I do, it’s just--you said….”

       “Listen closely, Fahari. I remember SAYING that I’m so glad to see you.” She nuzzled his cheek and breathed softly in his ear. “VERY glad. I fill myself with the musky softness of your fur, and I am drunk with it. Love me, Fahari!”

       He shuddered at her touch. “Oh gods! Are you sure, love?”

       In answer, she batted at him gently, lifting herself slightly and wrapping her forepaws about his shoulders as she licked his face passionately. Purring in answer, he grappled with her gently, the two swaying about in a haze of love. Amana giggled lightly, then shifted her weight slightly and nibbled his ear. Startled, Fahari gave way and sank down, the lioness’s paws pinning him to the earth with a comfortable weight.

       Grinning, he licked her nose lightly. “Cheater.”

       “No, darling.” She smiled back as her paw trailed slowly down his chest, tracing light circles as it neared his belly, lighting fires inside him as it moved. “My wonderful leopard. My spotted treasure.”

       His eyes gazed questioningly up to her own, which showed no trace of humor...only love and need. He drew his paws about her strong neck and pulled her close, kissing her soft cheek. “My lovely lioness.”

       She pawed his face gently, then sat up, moving a few feet away and then sinking to the ground, crouching low and then looking back at him, her meaning clear. Nervously, he stepped close and mouthed her neck with feeling, then paused awkwardly, keenly aware of just how small and powerless he felt.

Amana noticed his uncertainty and craned her head up to lick his throat lovingly. “Don’t try to be a lion. Just love me in your own way as you see fit. Love me like a leopard.”

He nuzzled her, then walked about behind her. “Whatever happens, just remember how much I love you.”

“Whatever happens, I’ll just remember what they say about leopards.”

“And what is that?”

She looked about and winked. “You know.”

A big grin blossomed on his face. “Yeah?”

“Ask anyone.”

He closed his eyes and took in a deep, languorous breath, his lips parted to intoxicate himself fully with her fragrance. The breath escaped him in a long, exhilarated sigh. Trembling with anticipation, but no more fear, he embraced her soft golden body

 

 

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