Страница 18 из 33
Gamu, who was very hungry, roughly grabbed the shrieking beast by the hindquarters and began to tear into the muscles of its haunch, satisfying his hunger with living flesh.
“Stop!” Ela
The birds began to gather, but Gamu looked up hatefully. He was already angry, and their unwanted company set him off. “Stupid birds! Piss off!”
The vultures looked at each other, stu
“I said piss off!”
They took to the air before he had a chance to charge them, but then they circled maddeningly just out of reach of his leaps and shouted at him, “Gamu, Gamu! Naughty boy! We know who you are and we know what you did!”
He was mortified. He shouted “I’ll pluck you and eat you!”
“You can’t fly!”
“And you can’t fly forever! You’ll have to land sooner or later!”
“Promises, promises! Look at the naughty kitty! Time someone taught him some ma
Gamu stalked back to Ela
“What did they mean? They know who you are and what you did?”
“It’s between them and me. Besides, how should I know? Maybe he saw Kubali trying to seduce me. Just drop it.”
She looked away from him. “If you say so.”
“I didn’t mean to snap. Sorry, my dear. I just hate buzzards, that’s all.”
CHAPTER: A WAR OF ATTRITION
A lone lion made his way through the grass with the fearful, empty tread of the recently exiled. His old friends, his family, and his familiar grounds were behind him, perhaps forever, but this time he did not seek solace in a new begi
“Oh gods,” he muttered to himself, for he was once again his only audience. “Oh gods, what could I have done? What could I have said differently? I was happy, truly happy and willing to spend my life with her! She wouldn’t even tell me what I did? One moment she loved me, and now she has driven me away, and all I want to do is go to sleep and never have to wake up!”
Memories of the blissful moments he had spent with Ela
Unaware of the extent of his mischief, Gamu was busy trying to solidify his claim on Ela
Gamu alternated fear and tenderness, playing on Ela
She refused him consistently. Once, in the throes of passion, he followed her about with a tense purring in his throat. He reached out with a paw and shoved her rump down, starting to mount her willingly or unwillingly. She turned about smartly and cuffed his face with all her might. As he lay stu
She got very little sleep throughout the next day and night. She was afraid of him, almost as afraid as she was of the hyenas.
The end of her receptive period offered Ela
“La
It went on subtly, day after day. Like water ru
Flush with what he perceived as signs of success, Gamu was more bold in taking leave of Ela
Never did Gamu pay any head to the circling buzzard overhead who watched--and listened carefully.
CHAPTER: MARKAAAGH’S ERRAND
Markaaagh saw what he thought was a dying lion. He had a personal preference, hoping it was not Kubali. Despite his professional detachment, he had grown rather fond of the polite, intelligent lion. He lighted next to him, hoping to at least say something to ease his torment at the end.
“Hey Fuzzy, are you OK?”
“I’m not ready to be the guest of honor at your di
“For once I’m relieved.” The buzzard regarded him closely. “Where is your lady friend?”
“Gone. She dumped me.”
Markaaagh looked surprised and disappointed. “Tell me it ain’t so! Brother, I know how you feel.”
“How could you?”
“Oyeghegh left me without so much as a pinfeather.”
“Oh? I’m sorry.”
“Of course, I take these things in stride. In my younger days, I was quite the rage among the young ladies, and I still haven’t lost it entirely! Har har!”
Kubali covered his eyes with a paw.
“You poor boy, I was happy for you. I was hoping this match would work out. I’m really sorry.”
Markaaagh trundled across a bit of sava
It took a while. In fact, it took several days. Then by patience and silent soaring, Markaaagh caught Gamu in a bragging mood, talking with a “dead” hyena about his imminent conquest. He heard Gamu tell the story for probably the hundredth time, though it was the first time he could put all the pieces together.
He had heard enough. “We can eat three day old carcasses, but some things we just can’t stomach.” He smiled a nauseating vulture smile. “Today, greedy gut, you get yours! Drive me off with insults, will ya?? I’ll see you ripped like a gazelle!”
Markaaagh flew quickly to find the moping lion. He told Kubali what he had heard.
“You have earned yourself FIRST RIGHTS at my next five kills!”
Kubali rallied. Suddenly he stood tall and straight and proud. It did Markaaagh’s heart good.