“What is wrong?”Rygar’s shifts into soldier mode in an instant.He slaps the compact rectangle that was once his suit into the center of his chest.I scowl with envy as the suit expands, moving over his body in a matter of seconds.
“I think Andy’s pet cat is a?—”
“Yee-ow!”The screeching yell could almost pass for a person, but I know even before I turn around that we’re in trouble.That sound is not coming from a housecat.
“Please don’t kill it.Just stun it or something.”
“Stun what?”Rygar frowns and pulls me behind him as the biggest mountain lion I’ve ever seen pads into the room on paws bigger than my feet.Those are some massive murder mittens.She’s a beauty, but I didn’t sign up to be anyone’s dinner.
“That’s what we call a mountain lion.Very dangerous.”I whisper as softly as I can.Don’t want to rile the creature and agitate it further.I’m staring down a mountain lion while wearing thigh-high stockings, a pair of completely ruined thong undies, and nothing else.
Just put some barbecue sauce on me and call me dinner, because I’m done.
The apex predator is close enough I can hear her breathing.She makes a soft, chuffing sound and takes another step toward us.Rygar raises his arm, finger hovering over a button I’m sure will launch some kind of attack.
The lion abruptly stops, plops onto her backside and begins to purr, staring at us with affection.
What?
I grip his forearm.“Wait, Rygar.I don’t think she’s going to eat us.”
“I would never allow that.”He sounds offended at the mere suggestion.“I suspect, mate, that your new telepathy is at work once more.”
That soft, breeze-like feeling moves through my mind again.The lion makes eye contact with me.The feeling grows stronger, overwhelming to the point of making me dizzy.
Holy shit.It’s coming from her.It’s like the feeling I got with the horse, Harvey, except this time it’s much, much stronger.
The purring continues and she lifts one huge paw to her mouth.She licks the fur and rubs it over her head, grooming herself like a typical tabby.The longer I watch, the louder her purring becomes.
Deciding to take a chance, I tug my dress over my head with far more force than necessary and then move to Rygar’s side.“Can you button me up, please?”
Not taking his eyes off the lion, he helps me get dressed.The lion doesn’t move.She’s not blocking the exit, exactly, but we would have to walk dangerously close to those fangs on our way to the door.
“I don’t think she’s going to hurt us.Let’s move slowly and get out of here.I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.She seems like a nice cat.”
Rygar snorts.“That creature is too dangerous to be a personal pet.I doubt a predator like her is happy living in these conditions.”
I’m sure he’s right on that account.Moving as one, Rygar blocks the cat’s direct line of assault, we sidestep toward the door with a slow, steady pace.The lion ignores us until we are just past her, then she looks directly at me as if irritated.
“Yee-ow.Yeeeee-ow.”
“Do you understand her?”
“No.”Duh.“Do people talk to animals where you’re from?
“Of course.Not all possess the talent, but those that do enhance the ability with crystals tuned to the optimal frequencies.I will acquire a telepathy enhancing headpiece for you as soon as possible so you can develop your gift.”
“Frequencies?”As in psychic stuff?He can’t be serious.
“Telepathy is energy.Thoughts are energy.”He looks over his shoulder like I’ve confused him somehow.“How do humans communicate with their animals?”
Seriously?“Like this.”I look at the mountain lion and put my hands on my hips.I didn’t notice before, but she’s wearing a sparkling, pink collar.Definitely that asshole’s pet, which is both illegal and dangerous.“You know, you scared me, sneaking up on us like that.”
Rygar chuckles.“So, humans do not possess this ability.”
“No.Definitely not.”I’m smiling despite the fact we’re steps away from a mountain lion.Something about her calls to me.She seems so lonely and sad.“Do you want to come with us?We can drop you off in the forest.You can be free.”
Like a movie trailer playing in my mind, I suddenly see the lion when she was a kitten, just a baby.Her mother is lying in a pool of blood and human hands yank her from her mother’s side to shove her into a cage.What follows is a strobe-light style series of images as she’s moved from place to place, fed and trained by humans.
